Le Morte Darthur
said she, that ye remember not yourself, how that ye be here in a
strange country, and here be many perilous knights, and well ye wote
that king Mark is full of treason, and that ye will ride thus to chase
and hunt unarmed; ye might be destroyed. My fair lady and my love, I
cry you mercy, I will no more do so. So then Sir Tristram rode daily on
hunting armed, and his men bearing his shield and his spear. So on a
day, a little afore the month of May, Sir Tristram chased an hart
passing eagerly, and so the hart passed by a fair well. And then Sir
Tristram alighted, and put off his helm to drink of that burbley water.
Right so he heard and saw the questing beast come to the well. When Sir
Tristram saw that beast, he put on his helm, for he deemed he should
hear of Sir Palamides, for that beast was his quest. Right so Tristram
saw where came a knight armed, upon a noble courser, and he saluted
him, and they spake of many things; and this knight’s name was Breuse
Sance Pité. And right so withal there came unto them the noble knight
Sir Palamides, and either saluted other, and spake fair to other. Fair
knights, said Sir Breuse Sance Pité, I can tell you tidings. What is
that? said those knights. Sirs, wit ye well that king Mark is put in
prison by his own knights, and all was for love of Sir Tristram: for
king Mark had put Sir Tristram twice in prison; and once Sir Percivale
delivered the noble knight Sir Tristram out of prison; and at the last
time queen La Beale Isoud delivered him, and went clearly away with him
into this realm: and all this while king Mark the false traitor is in
prison. Is this truth? said Sir Palamides; then shall we hastily hear
of Sir Tristram. And as for to say that I love La Beale Isoud, I dare
make good that I do, and that she hath my service above all other
ladies, and shall have the term of my life. And right so as they stood
talking they saw afore them where came a knight, all armed on a great
horse, and one of his men bare his shield, and the other his spears.
And anon as that knight espied them, he gat his shield and his spear,
and dressed him to just. Fair fellows, said Sir Tristram, yonder is a
knight will just with us; let see which of us shall encounter with him,
for I see well he is of the court of king Arthur. It shall not be long
or he be met withal, said Sir Palamides, for I found never no knight in
my quest of this glasting beast but, and he would just, I never refused
him. As well may I, said Breuse Sance Pité, follow that beast as ye.
Then shall ye do battle with me, said Sir Palamides. So Sir Palamides
dressed him unto the other knight, Sir Bleoberis, that was a full noble
knight, nigh kin unto Sir Launcelot. And so they met so hard that Sir
Palamides fell to the earth, horse and all. Then Sir Bleoberis cried
aloud, and said thus: Make thee ready, thou false traitor knight,
Breuse Sance Pité, for wit thou certainly I will have ado with thee to
the utterance, for the noble knights and ladies that thou hast falsely
betrayed. When this false knight and traitor, Breuse Sance Pité, heard
him say so, he took his horse by the bridle, and fled his way as fast
as his horse might run, for sore he was of him afeard. When Sir
Bleoberis saw him flee, he followed fast after him, through thick and
through thin. And by fortune as Sir Breuse fled, he saw even afore him
three knights of the Table Round, of the which the one hight Sir Ector
de Maris, the other hight Sir Percivale de Galis, the third hight Sir
Harry le Fise Lake, a good knight and an hardy. And as for Sir
Percivale, he was called that time of his time one of the best knights
of the world, and the best assured. When Breuse saw these knights, he
rode straight unto them, and cried unto them, and prayed them of
rescues. What need have ye? said Sir Ector. Ah, fair knights, said Sir
Breuse, here followeth me the most traitor knight and most coward, and
most of villainy: his name is Breuse Sance Pité; and if he may get me,
he will slay me without mercy and pity. Abide with us, said Sir
Percivale, and we shall warrant you. Then were they ware of Sir
Bleoberis, that came riding all that he might. Then Sir Ector put
himself forth for to just afore them all. When Sir Bleoberis saw that
they were four knights, and he but himself, he stood in a doubt whether
he would turn or hold his way. Then he said to himself, I am a knight
of the Table Round, and rather than I should shame mine oath and my
blood I will hold my way whatsoever fall thereof. And then Sir Ector
dressed his spear, and smote either other passing sore, but Sir Ector
fell to the earth. That saw Sir Percivale, and he dressed his horse
toward him all that he might drive; but Sir Percivale had such a stroke
that horse and man fell to the earth. When Sir Harry saw that they were
both to the earth, then he said to himself, Never was Breuse of such
prowess. So Sir Harry dressed his horse, and they met together so
strongly that both the horses and knights fell to the earth; but Sir
Bleoberis’s horse began to recover again. That saw Sir Breuse, and he
came hurtling, and smote him over and over, and would have slain him as
he lay on the ground. Then Sir Harry le Fise Lake arose lightly, and
took the bridle of Sir Breuse’s horse, and said, Fie for shame, strike
never a knight when he is at the earth; for this knight may be called
no shameful knight of his deeds: for yet as men may see there as he
lieth on the ground, he hath done worshipfully, and put to the worse
passing good knights. Therefore will I not let, said Sir Breuse. Thou
shalt not choose, said Sir Harry, as at this time. Then when Sir Breuse
saw that he might not choose, nor have his will, he spake fair. Then
Sir Harry let him go. And then anon he made his horse to run over Sir
Bleoberis, and rashed him to the earth like if he would have slain him.
When Sir Harry saw him do so villainously, he cried, Traitor knight,
leave off for shame. And as Sir Harry would have taken his horse to
fight with Sir Breuse, then Sir Breuse ran upon him as he was half upon
his horse, and smote him down horse and man to the earth, and had near
slain Sir Harry the good knight. That saw Sir Percivale, and then he
cried, Traitor knight what dost thou? And when Sir Percivale was upon
his horse, Sir Breuse took his horse, and fled all that ever he might,
and Sir Percivale and Sir Harry followed after him fast, but ever the
longer they chased the further were they behind. Then they turned
again, and came to Sir Ector de Maris and to Sir Bleoberis. Ah fair
knights, said Bleoberis, why have ye succoured that false knight and
traitor? Why, said Sir Harry, what knight is he? for well I wot it is a
false knight, said Sir Harry, and a coward, and a felonious knight.
Sir, said Bleoberis, he is the most coward knight, and a devourer of
ladies, and a destroyer of good knights, and specially of Arthur’s.
What is your name? said Sir Ector. My name is Sir Bleoberis de Ganis.
Alas, fair cousin, said Ector, forgive it me, for I am Sir Ector de
Maris. Then Sir Percivale and Sir Harry made great joy that they met
with Bleoberis, but all they were heavy that Sir Breuse was escaped
them, whereof they made great dole.
CHAP. LIV.
_Of Sir Palamides, and how he met with Sir Bleoberis and with Sir
Ector, and of Sir Percivale._
Right so as they stood thus, there came Sir Palamides; and when he saw
the shield of Bleoberis lie on the earth, then said Palamides, He that
owneth that shield, let him dress him to me, for he smote me down here
fast by at a fountain, and therefore I will fight with him on foot. I
am ready, said Sir Bleoberis, here to answer thee; for wit thou well,
sir knight, it was I, and my name is Bleoberis de Ganis. Well art thou
met, said Palamides, and wit thou well my name is Sir Palamides the
Saracen. And either of them hated other to the death. Sir Palamides,
said Ector, wit thou well, there is neither thou, nor none knight that
beareth the life, that slayeth any of our blood, but he shall die for
it; therefore, and thou list to fight, go seek Sir Launcelot, or Sir
Tristram, and there shall ye find your match. With them have I met,
said Palamides, but I had never no worship of them. Was there never no
manner of knight, said Sir Ector, but they, that ever matched with you?
Yes, said Palamides, there was the third, a good knight as any of them,
and of his age he was the best that ever I found; for, and he might
have lived till he had been an hardier man, there liveth no knight now
such, and his name was Sir Lamorak de Galis. And as he had justed at a
tournament, there he overthrew me and thirty knights more, and there he
won the degree. And at his departing, there met him Sir Gawaine and his
brethren, and with great pain they slew him feloniously, unto all good
knights’ great damage. And when Sir Percivale heard that his brother
was dead, Sir Lamorak, he fell over his horse’s mane swooning, and
there he made the greatest dole that ever made knight. And when Sir
Percivale arose, he said, Alas, my good and noble brother Sir Lamorak,
now shall we never meet, and I trow in all the wide world a man might
not find such a knight as he was of his age; and it is too much to
suffer the death of our father king Pellinore, and now the death of our
good brother Sir Lamorak. Then in the mean while there came a varlet
from the court of king Arthur, and told them of the great tournament
that should be at Lonazep, and how these lands, Cornwall, and
Northgalis, should be against all them that would come.
CHAP. LV.
_How Sir Tristram met with Sir Dinadan, and of their devices, and what
he said to Sir Gawaine’s brethren._
Now turn we unto Sir Tristram, that as he rode on hunting he met with
Sir Dinadan, that was come into that country to seek Sir Tristram. Then
Sir Dinadan told Sir Tristram his name, but Sir Tristram would not tell
his name, wherefore Sir Dinadan was wroth. For such a foolish knight as
ye are, said Sir Dinadan, I saw but late this day lying by a well, and
he fared as he slept, and there he lay like a fool grinning, and would
not speak, and his shield lay by him, and his horse stood by him, and
well I wot he was a lover. Ah, fair sir, said Sir Tristram, are ye not
a lover? Marry, fie on that craft, said Sir Dinadan. That is evil said,
said Sir Tristram, for a knight may never be of prowess, but if he be a
lover. It is well said, said Sir Dinadan: now tell me your name, sith
ye be a lover, or else I shall do battle with you. As for that, said
Sir Tristram, it is no reason to fight with me but I tell you my name:
and as for that, my name shall ye not wit as at this time. Fie for
shame, said Dinadan, art thou a knight, and darest not tell thy name to
me? therefore I will fight with thee. As for that, said Sir Tristram, I
will be advised, for I will not fight but if me list; and if I do
battle, said Sir Tristram, ye are not able to withstand me. Fie on
thee, coward, said Sir Dinadan. And thus as they hoved still, they saw
a knight came riding against them. Lo, said Sir Tristram, see where
cometh a knight riding will just with you. Anon as Sir Dinadan beheld
him, he said, That is the same doted knight that I saw lie by the well,
neither sleeping nor waking. Well, said Sir Tristram, I know that
knight well with the covered shield of azure, he is the king’s son of
Northumberland, his name is Epinegris, and he is as great a lover as I
know, and he loveth the king’s daughter of Wales, a full fair lady. And
now I suppose, said Sir Tristram, and ye require him he will just with
you; and then shall ye prove whether a lover be a better knight or ye
that will not love no lady. Well, said Sir Dinadan, now shalt thou see