in which Uther Pendragon fell in love with lady Igraine, a wife of another man, Merlin helped Uther have what he wanted, and Uther and Igraine had a child by the name of Arthur
It was in the days[1] of Uther Pendragon, when he was king of all England, that there was a mighty duke in Cornwall that held war against him for a long time. That duke was called the Duke of Tintagil. One time king Uther sent for this duke[2], asking him to bring his wife with him, because she was known to be a fair and wise lady, and her name was Igraine.
When the duke and his wife came to the king, the great lords that were in the king’s council helped them make peace. The king liked Igraine very much, and fell in love with her, and desired to lay with her. But she was a good woman, and did not accept the king’s offer. She came to her husband the duke and said, “I suppose that we were sent for so that I be dishonored. I advise you that we depart from here immediately, and ride all night to our own castle.” She also said that it would be wise to not tell the king and the lords that they were leaving.
So they departed. When king Uther learned that they left, he was very angry. He called his council and told the lords that the Duke of Tintagil rode away with Igraine. They advised the king to send for the duke and his wife to catch them and call them back, and if they didn’t want to come back, then the king had a reason to start a war against them.
They sent the messengers, and the messengers caught the duke and his wife midway. The duke said that neither he nor his wife[3] would come back. King Uther was very angry to hear that message. He sent the messengers again to warn the duke that he should prepare for a war, and that in less than forty days, Uther would take his biggest castle from him.
When the duke heard this warning, he started to prepare his castles for war. The duke had two strong castles, the bigger one was called Terrabil, and the smaller one was called Tintagil. The duke put his wife Igraine in the castle of Tintagil, and he put himself in the castle of Terrabil, which had many secret exits and passageways. Then in all haste[4] came Uther with a great army, and laid a siege to the castle of Terrabil. And there was a great war, and many people were slain.
But then Uther fell sick, because of his anger and his love to Igraine. A noble knight named Sir Ulfius came to king Uther and asked why he was sick.
“I will tell you,” said the king, “I am sick because of anger and love to fair Igraine.”
“Well, my lord,” said Sir Ulfius, “I will find Merlin, and he will prepare a remedy that will cure you.” So Ulfius departed, and after great adventures he met Merlin.
“Who are you seeking?” Merlin asked him.
Sir Ulfius took a little pause to think.
“I will tell you who you are seeking,” said Merlin. “You are seeking Merlin, and you should seek no further, because I am he. If King Uther rewards me, and swears to do exactly as I say, I will give him what he wants so much.”
“I can promise you,” said Sir Ulfius, “that he will reward you and do as you ask, as long as you ask reasonable things of him.”