King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in
music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at
nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and
strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen.
Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent
to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was
now seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would
have it he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to
fight against it.
So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife's brother, a good
knight of the Round Table, who lived then at his court, and sent him
with a knightly retinue in six great ships to Cornwall. And, casting
anchor by the castle of Tintagil, he sent up daily to King Mark for the
tribute or the champion. But no knight there would venture to assail
him, for his fame was very high in all the realm for strength and
hardihood.
Then made King Mark a proclamation throughout Cornwall, that if any
knight would fight Sir Marhaus he should stand at the king's right hand
forevermore, and have great honor and riches all the rest of his days.
Anon this news came to the land of Lyonesse, and when young Tristram
heard it he was angry and ashamed to think no knight of Cornwall durst
assail the Irish champion. "Alas," said he, "that I am not a knight,
that I might match this Marhaus! I pray you give me leave, sir, to
depart to King Mark's court and beg him of his grace to make me knight."
"Be ruled by thy own courage," said his father.
So Tristram rode away forthwith to Tintagil to King Mark, and went up
boldly to him and said, "Sir, give me the order of knighthood and I will
fight to the uttermost with Sir Marhaus of Ireland."
"What are ye, and whence come ye?" said the king, seeing he was but a
young man, though strong and well made both in body and limb.
"My name is Tristram," said he, "and I was born in the country of
Lyonesse."
"But know ye," said the king, "this Irish knight will fight with none
who be not come of royal blood and near of kin to kings or queens, as he
himself is, for his sister is the Queen of Ireland."
Then said Tristram, "Let him know that I am come both on my father's and
my mother's side of blood as good as his, for my father is King Meliodas
and my mother was that Queen Elizabeth, thy sister, who died in the
forest at my birth."
When King Mark heard that he welcomed him with all his heart, and
knighted him forthwith, and made him ready to go forth as soon as he
would choose, and armed him royally in armor covered with gold and
silver.
Then he sent Sir Marhaus word, "That a better man than he should fight
with him, Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, son of King Meliodas and of King
Mark's own sister." So the battle was ordained to be fought in an island
near Sir Marhaus' ships, and there Sir Tristram landed on the morrow,
with Governale alone attending him for squire, and him he sent back to
the land when he had made himself ready.
When Sir Marhaus and Sir Tristram were thus left alone, Sir Marhaus
said, "Young knight Sir Tristram, what doest thou here? I am full sorry
for thy rashness, for ofttimes have I been assailed in vain, and by the
best knights of the world. Be warned in time, return to them that sent
thee."
"Fair knight, and well-proved knight," replied Sir Tristram, "be sure
that I shall never quit this quarrel till one of us be overcome. For
this cause have I been made knight, and thou shalt know before we part
that though as yet unproved, I am a king's son and firstborn of a queen.
Moreover I have promised to deliver Cornwall from this ancient burden,
or to die. Also, thou shouldst have known, Sir Marhaus, that thy valor
and thy might are but the better reasons why I should assail thee; for
whether I win or lose I shall gain honor to have met so great a knight
as thou art."
Then they began the battle, and tilted at their hardest against each
other, so that both knights and horses fell to the earth. But Sir
Marhaus' spear smote Sir Tristram a great wound in the side. Then,
springing up from their horses, they lashed together with their swords
like two wild boars. And when they had stricken together a great while
they left off strokes and lunged at one another's breasts and visors;
but seeing this availed not they hurtled together again to bear each
other down.
Thus fought they more than half the day, till both were sorely spent and
blood ran from them to the ground on every side. But by this time Sir
Tristram remained fresher than Sir Marhaus and better winded, and with a
mighty stroke he smote him such a buffet as cut through his helm into
his brain-pan, and there his sword stuck in so fast that thrice Sir
Tristram pulled ere he could get it from his head. Then fell Sir Marhaus
down upon his knees, and the edge of Sir Tristram's sword broke off into
his brain-pan. And suddenly when he seemed dead, Sir Marhaus rose and
threw his sword and shield away from him and ran and fled into his ship.
And Tristram cried out after him, "Aha! Sir knight of the Round Table,
dost thou withdraw thee from so young a knight? it is a shame to thee
and all thy kin; I would rather have been hewn into a hundred pieces
than have fled from thee."
But Sir Marhaus answered nothing, and sorely groaning fled away.
"Farewell, Sir knight, farewell," laughed Tristram, whose own voice now
was hoarse and faint with loss of blood; "I have thy sword and shield in
my safe keeping, and will wear them in all places where I ride on my
adventures, and before King Arthur and the Table Round."
Then was Sir Marhaus taken back to Ireland by his company; and as soon
as he arrived his wounds were searched, and when they searched his head
they found therein a piece of Tristram's sword; but all the skill of
surgeons was in vain to move it out. So anon Sir Marhaus died.
But the queen, his sister, took the piece of sword-blade and put it
safely by, for she thought that some day it might help her to revenge
her brother's death.
Meanwhile, Sir Tristram, being sorely wounded, sat down softly on a
little mound and bled passing fast; and in that evil case was found anon
by Governale and King Mark's knights. Then they gently took him up and
brought him in a barge back to the land, and lifted him into a bed
within the castle, and had his wounds dressed carefully.
But for a great while he lay sick, and was likely to have died of the
first stroke Sir Marhaus had given him with the spear, for the point of
it was poisoned. And, though the wisest surgeons and leeches--both men
and women--came from every part, yet could he be by no means cured. At
last came a wise lady, and said plainly that Sir Tristram never should
be healed, until he went and stayed in that same country when the poison
came. When this was understood, the king sent Sir Tristram in a fair and
goodly ship to Ireland, and by fortune he arrived fast by a castle where
the king and queen were. And as the ship was being anchored, he sat upon
his bed and harped a merry lay, and made so sweet a music as was never
equaled.
When the king heard that the sweet harper was a wounded knight, he sent
for him, and asked his name. "I am of the country of Lyonesse," he
answered, "and my name is Tramtrist;" for he dared not tell his true
name lest the vengeance of the queen should fall upon him for her
brother's death.
"Well," said King Anguish, "thou art right welcome here, and shalt have
all the help this land can give thee; but be not anxious if I am at
times cast down and sad, for but lately in Cornwall the best knight in
the world, fighting for my cause, was slain; his name was Sir Marhaus, a
knight of King Arthur's Round Table." And then he told Sir Tristram all
the story of Sir Marhaus' battle, and Sir Tristram made pretense of
great surprise and sorrow, though he knew all far better than the king
himself.
Then was he put in charge of the king's daughter, La Belle Isault, to be
healed of his wound, and she was as fair and noble a lady as men's eyes
might see. And so marvelously was she skilled in medicine, that in a few
days she fully cured him; and in return Sir Tramtrist taught her the
harp; so, before long, they two began to love each other greatly.
But at that time a heathen knight, Sir Palomedes, was in Ireland, and
much cherished by the king and queen. He also loved mightily La Belle
Isault, and never wearied of making her great gifts, and seeking for her
favor, and was ready even to be christened for her sake. Sir Tramtrist
therefore hated him out of measure, and Sir Palomedes was full of rage
and envy against Tramtrist.
And so it befell that King Anguish proclaimed a great tournament to be
held, the prize whereof should be a lady called the Lady of the Launds,
of near kindred to the king: and her the winner of the tournament should
wed in three days afterwards, and possess all her lands. When La Belle
Isault told Sir Tramtrist of this tournament, he said, "Fair lady! I am
yet a feeble knight, and but for thee had been a dead man now: what
wouldest thou I should do? Thou knowest well I may not joust."
"Ah, Tramtrist," said she, "why wilt thou not fight in this tournament?
Sir Palomedes will be there, and will do his mightiest; and therefore be
thou there, I pray thee, or else he will be winner of the prize."
"Madam," said Tramtrist, "I will go, and for thy sake will do my best;
but let me go unknown to all men; and do thou, I pray thee, keep my
counsel, and help me to a disguise."
So on the day of jousting came Sir Palomedes, with a black shield, and
overthrew many knights. And all the people wondered at his prowess; for
on the first day he put to the worse Sir Gawain, Sir Gaheris, Sir
Agravaine, Sir Key, and many more from far and near. And on the morrow
he was conqueror again, and overthrew the king with a hundred knights
and the King of Scotland. But presently Sir Tramtrist rode up to the
lists, having been let out at a privy postern of the castle, where none
could see. La Belle Isault had dressed him in white armor and given him
a white horse and shield, and so he came suddenly into the field as it
had been a bright angel.
As soon as Sir Palomedes saw him he ran at him with a great spear in
rest, but Sir Tramtrist was ready, and at the first encounter hurled him
to the ground. Then there arose a great cry that the knight with the
black shield was overthrown. And Palomedes, sorely hurt and shamed,
sought out a secret way and would have left the field; but Tramtrist
watched him, and rode after him, and bade him stay, for he had not yet
done with him. Then did Sir Palomedes turn with fury, and lash at Sir
Tramtrist with his sword; but at the first stroke Sir Tramtrist smote
him to the earth, and cried, "Do now all my commands, or take thy
death." Then he yielded to Sir Tristram's mercy, and promised to forsake
La Belle Isault, and for twelve months to wear no arms or armor. And
rising up, he cut his armor off him into shreds with rage and madness,
and turned and left the field: and Sir Tramtrist also left the lists,
and rode back to the castle through the postern gate.
Then was Sir Tramtrist long cherished by the King and Queen of Ireland,
and ever with La Belle Isault. But on a certain day, while he was
bathing, came the queen with La Belle Isault by chance into his chamber,
and saw his sword lie naked on the bed: anon she drew it from the
scabbard and looked at it a long while, and both thought it a passing
fair sword; but within a foot and a half of the end there was a great
piece broken out, and while the queen was looking at the gap, she
suddenly remembered the piece of sword-blade that was found in the
brain-pan of her brother Sir Marhaus.