King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
not overcome him, they agreed to slay his horse; and having killed it
with their spears, they set upon Sir Gareth as he fought on foot. But
every one he struck he slew, and drave at them with fearful blows, till
he had slain them all but four, who fled. Then taking the horse of one
of those that lay there dead, he rode upon his way.
Anon he came to another castle and heard from within a sound as of many
women moaning and weeping. Then said he to a page who stood without,
"What noise is this I hear?" "Sir knight," said he, "there be within
thirty ladies, the widows of thirty knights who have been slain by the
lord of this castle. He is called the Brown Knight without pity, and is
the most perilous knight living, wherefore I warn thee to flee." "That
will I never do," said Sir Gareth, "for I fear him not." Then the page
saw the Brown Knight coming and said to Gareth, "Lo! my lord is near."
So both knights made them ready and galloped their horses towards each
other, and the Brown Knight brake his spear upon Sir Gareth's shield;
but Sir Gareth smote him through the body so that he fell dead. At that
he rode into the castle and told the ladies he had slain their foe. Then
were they right glad of heart and made him all the cheer they could,
and thanked him out of measure. But on the morrow as he went to mass he
found the ladies weeping in the chapel upon divers tombs that were
there. And he knew that in those tombs their husbands lay. Then he bade
them be comforted, and with noble and high words he desired and prayed
them all to be at Arthur's court on the next Feast of Pentecost.
So he departed and rode past a mountain where was a goodly knight
waiting, who said to him, "Abide, Sir knight, and joust with me!" "How
are ye named?" said Sir Gareth. "I am the Duke de la Rowse," answered
he. "In good sooth," then said Sir Gareth, "not long ago I lodged within
your castle, and there promised I would yield to you whenever we might
meet." "Art thou that proud knight," said the duke, "who was ready to
fight with me? Guard thyself therefore and make ready." So they ran
together, and Sir Gareth smote the duke from his horse. Then they
alighted and drew their swords, and fought full sorely for the space of
an hour; and at the last Sir Gareth smote the duke to the earth and
would have slain him, but he yielded. "Then must ye go," said Sir
Gareth, "to my lord King Arthur at the next Feast of Pentecost and say
that I, Sir Gareth, sent ye." "As ye will be it," said the duke; and
gave him up his shield for pledge.
And as Sir Gareth rode alone he saw an armed knight coming towards him.
And putting the duke's shield before him he rode fast to tilt with him;
and so they ran together as it had been thunder, and brake their spears
upon each other. Then fought they fiercely with their swords, and lashed
together with such mighty strokes that blood ran to the ground on every
side. And after they had fought together for two hours and more, it
chanced the damsel Linet passed that way; and when she saw them, she
cried out, "Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth, leave your fighting, for ye are
brethren!" At that they threw away their shields and swords, and took
each other in their arms, and wept a great while ere they could speak.
And each gave to the other the honor of the battle, and there was many a
kind word between them. Then said Sir Gawain, "O my brother, for your
sake have I had great sorrow and labor! But truly I would honor you
though ye were not my brother, for ye have done great worship to King
Arthur and his court, and sent more knights to him than any of the Table
Round, except Sir Lancelot."
Then the damsel Linet staunched their wounds, and their horses being
weary she rode her palfrey to King Arthur and told him of this strange
adventure. When she had told her tidings, the king himself mounted his
horse and bade all come with him to meet them. So a great company of
lords and ladies went forth to meet the brothers. And when King Arthur
saw them he would have spoken hearty words, but for gladness he could
not. And both Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth fell down at their uncle's knees
and did him homage, and there was passing great joy and gladness among
them all.
Then said the king to the damsel Linet, "Why cometh not the Lady Lyones
to visit her knight, Sir Gareth, who hath had such travail for her
love?" "She knoweth not, my lord, that he is here," replied the damsel,
"for truly she desireth greatly to see him." "Go ye and bring her
hither," said the king. So the damsel rode to tell her sister where Sir
Gareth was, and when she heard it she rejoiced full heartily and came
with all the speed she could. And when Sir Gareth saw her, there was
great joy and comfort between them.
Then the king asked Sir Gareth whether he would have that lady for his
wife? "My lord," replied Sir Gareth, "know well that I love her above
all ladies living." "Now, fair lady," said King Arthur, "what say ye?"
"Most noble king," she answered, "my lord, Sir Gareth, is my first love
and shall be my last, and if I may not have him for my husband I will
have none." Then said the king to them, "Be well assured that for my
crown I would not be the cause of parting your two hearts."
Then was high preparation made for the marriage, for the king desired it
should be at the Michaelmas next following, at Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea.
So Sir Gareth sent out messages to all the knights whom he had overcome
in battle that they should be there upon his marriage-day.
Therefore, at the next Michaelmas, came a goodly company to
Kinkenadon-by-the-Sea. And there did the Archbishop of Canterbury marry
Sir Gareth and the Lady Lyones with all solemnity. And all the knights
whom Sir Gareth had overcome were at the feast; and every manner of
revels and games was held with music and minstrelsy. And there was a
great jousting for three days. But because of his bride the king would
not suffer Sir Gareth to joust. Then did King Arthur give great lands
and fair, with store of gold, to Sir Gareth and his wife, that so they
might live royally together to their lives' end.
XII
THE ADVENTURES OF SIR TRISTRAM
Again King Arthur held high festival at Caerleon, at Pentecost, and
gathered round him all the fellowship of the Round Table, and so,
according to his custom, sat and waited till some adventure should
arise, or some knight return to court whose deeds and perils might be
told.
Anon he saw Sir Lancelot and a crowd of knights coming through the doors
and leading in their midst the mighty knight, Sir Tristram. As soon as
King Arthur saw him, he rose up and went through half the hall, and held
out both his hands and cried, "Right welcome to thee, good Sir Tristram,
as welcome art thou as any knight that ever came before into this court.
A long time have I wished for thee amongst my fellowship." Then all the
knights and barons rose up with one accord and came around, and cried
out, "Welcome." Queen Guinevere came also, and many ladies with her, and
all with one voice said the same.
Then the king took Sir Tristram by the hand and led him to the Round
Table and said, "Welcome again for one of the best and gentlest knights
in all the world; a chief in war, a chief in peace, a chief in field and
forest, a chief in the ladies' chamber--right heartily welcome to this
court, and mayest thou long abide in it."
When he had so said he looked at every empty seat until he came to what
had been Sir Marhaus', and there he found written in gold letters, "This
is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram." Whereat they made him,
with great cheer and gladness, a Fellow of the Round Table.
Now the story of Sir Tristram was as follows:--
There was a king of Lyonesse, named Meliodas, married to the sister of
King Mark of Cornwall, a right fair lady and a good. And so it happened
that King Meliodas hunting in the woods was taken by enchantment and
made prisoner in a castle. When his wife Elizabeth heard it she was nigh
mad with grief, and ran into the forest to seek out her lord. But after
many days of wandering and sorrow she found no trace of him, and laid
her down in a deep valley and prayed to meet her death. And so indeed
she did, but ere she died she gave birth in the midst of all her sorrow
to child, a boy, and called him with her latest breath Tristram; for she
said, "His name shall show how sadly he hath come into this world."
Therewith she gave up her ghost, and the gentlewoman who was with her
took the child and wrapped it from the cold as well as she was able, and
lay down with it in her arms beneath the shadow of a tree hard by,
expecting death to come to her in turn.
But shortly after came a company of lords and barons seeking for the
queen, and found the lady and the child and took them home. And on the
next day came King Meliodas, whom Merlin had delivered, and when he
heard of the queen's death his sorrow was greater than tongue can tell.
And anon he buried her solemnly and nobly, and called the child Tristram
as she had desired.
Then for seven years King Meliodas mourned and took no comfort, and all
that time young Tristram was well nourished; but in a while he wedded
with the daughter of Howell, King of Brittany, who, that her own
children might enjoy the kingdom, cast about in her mind how she might
destroy Tristram. So on a certain day she put poison in a silver cup,
where Tristram and her children were together playing, that when he was
athirst he might drink of it and die. But so it happened that her own
son saw the cup, and, thinking it must hold good drink, he climbed and
took it, and drank deeply of it, and suddenly thereafter burst and fell
down dead.
When the queen heard that, her grief was very great, but her anger and
envy were fiercer than before, and soon again she put more poison in the
cup. And by chance one day her husband finding it when thirsty, took it
up and was about to drink therefrom, when, seeing him, she sprang up
with a mighty cry and dashed it from his hands.
At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden
death of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried:
"Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a
moment;" and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath
to slay her if she straightway told him not the truth.
"Ah, mercy, lord," said she, and fell down at his feet; "mercy, and I
will tell thee all."
And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, so that her own
sons might enjoy the kingdom.
"The law shall judge thee," said the king.
And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt
to death.
But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling
at his father's feet and besought of him a favor.
"Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee," said the king.
"Give me the life, then, of the queen, my step-mother," said he.
"Thou doest wrong to ask it," said Meliodas; "for she would have slain
thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought
to die."
"Sir," said he, "as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it
her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee
grant me my boon, and for God's sake hold thee to thy promise."
"If it must be so," said the king, "take thou her life, for to thee I
give it, and go and do with her as thou wilt."
Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her
bonds and delivered her from death.
And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and
lived in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings.
Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale.
And there for seven years he learned the language of the land, and all