Le Morte Darthur
Liones, and now do your worst. When Sir Palamides heard him say so he
was astonished, and then he said thus, I pray you, Sir Tristram,
forgive me all mine evil will, and if I live I shall do you service
above all other knights that be living, and there as I have owed you
evil will me sore repenteth. I wot not what aileth me, for me seemeth
that ye are a good knight, and none other knight that named himself a
good knight should not hate you; therefore I require you, Sir Tristram,
take no displeasure at mine unkind words. Sir Palamides, said Sir
Tristram, ye say well, and well I wot ye are a good knight, for I have
seen you proved, and many great enterprises have ye taken upon you, and
well achieved them; therefore, said Sir Tristram, and ye have any evil
will to me, now may ye right it, for I am ready at your hand. Not so,
my lord Sir Tristram; I will do you knightly service in all things as
ye will command. And right so I will take you, said Sir Tristram. And
so they rode forth on their ways, talking of many things. O my lord Sir
Tristram, said Dinadan, foul have ye mocked me, for truly I came into
this country for your sake, and by the advice of my lord Sir Launcelot,
and yet would not Sir Launcelot tell me the certainty of you, where I
should find you. Truly, said Sir Tristram, Sir Launcelot wist well
where I was, for I abode within his own castle.
CHAP. LVIII.
_How they approached the castle Lonazep, and of other devices of the
death of Sir Lamorak._
Thus they rode until they were ware of the castle Lonazep: and then
were they ware of four hundred tents and pavilions, and marvellous
great ordinance. Truly, said Sir Tristram, yonder I see the greatest
ordinance that ever I saw. Sir, said Palamides, me seemeth there was as
great an ordinance at the castle of Maidens upon the rock where ye won
the prize, for I saw myself where ye forjusted thirty knights. Sir,
said Dinadan, and in Surluse at that tournament that Sir Galahalt of
the Long Isles made, the which there dured seven days, was as great a
gathering as is here, for there were many nations. Who was the best?
said Sir Tristram. Sir, it was Sir Launcelot du Lake and the noble
knight Sir Lamorak de Galis. And Sir Launcelot won the degree. I doubt
not, said Sir Tristram, but he won the degree, so he had not been
overmatched with many knights. And of the death of Sir Lamorak, said
Sir Tristram, it was over great pity, for I dare say he was the
cleanest mighted man and the best winded of his age that was on live,
for I knew him that he was the biggest knight that ever I met withal,
but if it were Sir Launcelot. Alas, said Sir Tristram, full woe is me
for his death. And if they were not the cousins of my lord Arthur that
slew him, they should die for it, and all those that were consenting to
his death. And for such things, said Sir Tristram, I fear to draw unto
the court of my lord Arthur: I will that ye wit it, said Sir Tristram
unto Gareth. Sir, I blame you not, said Gareth, for well I understand
the vengeance of my brethren Sir Gawaine, Sir Agravaine, Gaheris, and
Mordred. But as for me, said Sir Gareth, I meddle not of their matters,
therefore is none of them that loveth me; and for I understand they be
murderers of good knights I left their company, and God would I had
been by, said Gareth, when the noble knight Sir Lamorak was slain. Now,
truly, said Sir Tristram, it is well said of you, for I had lever than
all the gold betwixt this and Rome I had been there. Yea, said Sir
Palamides, and so would I had been there, and yet had I never the
degree at no justs nor tournament there as he was, but he put me to the
worse or on foot or on horseback, and that day that he was slain he did
the most deeds of arms that ever I saw knight do in all my life days.
And when him was given the degree by my lord Arthur, Sir Gawaine and
his three brethren, Agravaine, Gaheris, and Sir Mordred, set upon Sir
Lamorak in a privy place, and there they slew his horse, and so they
fought with him on foot more than three hours, both before him and
behind him; and Sir Mordred gave him his death’s wound behind him at
his back, and all to-hewed him: for one of his squires told me that saw
it. Fie upon treason, said Sir Tristram, for it killeth my heart to
hear this tale. So doth it mine, said Gareth; brethren as they be mine
I shall never love them, nor draw in their fellowship, for that deed.
Now speak we of other deeds, said Sir Palamides, and let him be, for
his life ye may not get again. That is the more pity, said Dinadan, for
Sir Gawaine and his brethren, except you, Sir Gareth, hate all the good
knights of the Round Table for the most part; for well I wot, and they
might privily, they hate my lord Sir Launcelot, and all his kin, and
great privy despite they have at him, and that is my lord Sir Launcelot
well ware of, and that causeth him to have the good knights of his kin
about him.
CHAP. LIX.
_How they came to Humber bank, and how they found a ship there, wherein
lay the body of king Hermance._
Sir, said Palamides, let us leave off this matter, and let us see how
we shall do at this tournament. By mine advice, said Palamides, let us
four hold together against all that will come. Not by my counsel, said
Sir Tristram, for I see by their pavilions there will be four hundred
knights, and doubt ye not, said Sir Tristram, but there will be many
good knights, and be a man never so valiant nor so big yet he may be
overmatched. And so have I seen knights done many times: and when they
wend best to have won worship they lost it. For manhood is not worth
but if it be meddled with wisdom: and as for me, said Sir Tristram, it
may happen I shall keep mine own head as well as another. So thus they
rode until that they came to Humber bank, where they heard a cry and a
doleful noise. Then were they ware in the wind where came a rich vessel
covered over with red silk, and the vessel landed fast by them.
Therewith Sir Tristram alight and his knights. And so Sir Tristram went
afore and entered into that vessel. And when he came within, he saw a
fair bed richly covered, and thereupon lay a dead seemly knight, all
armed, save the head was all be-bled, with deadly wounds upon him: the
which seemed to be a passing good knight. How may this be, said Sir
Tristram, that this knight is thus slain? Then Sir Tristram was ware of
a letter in the dead knight’s hand. Master mariners, said Sir Tristram,
what meaneth that letter? Sir, said they, in that letter ye shall hear
and know how he was slain, and for what cause, and what was his name;
but sir, said the mariners, wit ye well that no man shall take that
letter and read it but if he be a good knight, and that he will
faithfully promise to revenge his death, else shall there no knight see
that letter open. Wit ye well, said Sir Tristram, that some of us may
revenge his death as well as others, and if it be so as ye mariners
say, his death shall be revenged. And therewith Sir Tristram took the
letter out of the knight’s hand; and it said thus:—Hermance king and
lord of the Red City, I send unto all knights errant recommending unto
you noble knights of Arthur’s court, I beseech them all among them to
find one knight that will fight for my sake with two brethren that I
brought up of nought, and feloniously and traitorly they have slain me,
wherefore I beseech one good knight to revenge my death. And he that
revengeth my death, I will that he have my Red City and all my castles.
Sir, said the mariners, wit ye well this king and knight that here
lieth was a full worshipful man, and of full great prowess, and full
well he loved all manner of knights errant. Truly, said Sir Tristram,
here is a piteous case, and full fain I would take this enterprise upon
me, but I have made such a promise that needs I must be at this great
tournament or else I am shamed. For well I wot for my sake in especial
my lord Arthur let make this justs and tournament in this country; and
well I wot that many worshipful people will be there at that tournament
for to see me. Therefore I fear me to take this enterprise upon me,
that I shall not come again betimes to this justs. Sir, said Palamides,
I pray you give me this enterprise, and ye shall see me achieve it
worshipfully, or else I shall die in this quarrel. Well, said Sir
Tristram, and this enterprise I give you, with this that ye be with me
at this tournament, that shall be as at this day seven night. Sir, said
Palamides, I promise you that I shall be with you by that day if I be
unslain or unmaimed.
CHAP. LX.
_How Sir Tristram with his fellowship came and were with an host which
after fought with Sir Tristram; and other matters._
Then departed Sir Tristram, Gareth, and Sir Dinadan, and left Sir
Palamides in the vessel; and so Sir Tristram beheld the mariners how
they sailed over long Humber. And when Sir Palamides was out of their
sight, they took their horses, and beheld about them. And then were
they ware of a knight that came riding against them unarmed, and
nothing about him but a sword. And when this knight came nigh them he
saluted them, and they him again. Fair knights, said that knight, I
pray you insomuch as ye be knights errant, that ye will come and see my
castle, and take such as ye find there; I pray you heartily. And so
they rode with him into his castle; and there they were brought into
the hall, that was well apparelled, and so they were there unarmed and
set at a board. And when this knight saw Sir Tristram, anon he knew
him; and then this knight waxed pale and wroth at Sir Tristram. When
Sir Tristram saw his host make such cheer, he marvelled and said, Sir,
mine host, what cheer make you? Wit thou well, said he, I fare the
worse for thee, for I know thee, Sir Tristram de Liones, thou slewest
my brother. And therefore I give thee summons I will slay thee, and
ever I may get thee at large. Sir knight, said Sir Tristram, I am never
advised that ever I slew any brother of yours; and if ye say that I did
I will make you amends unto my power. I will none amends, said the
knight, but keep thee from me. So when he had dined, Sir Tristram asked
his arms and departed. And so they rode on their ways; and within a
little while Sir Dinadan saw where came a knight well armed, and well
horsed, without shield. Sir Tristram, said Sir Dinadan, take keep to
yourself, for I undertake yonder cometh your host that will have ado
with you. Let him come, said Sir Tristram, I shall abide him as well as
I may. Anon the knight, when he came nigh Sir Tristram, he cried and
bade him abide and keep him. So they hurtled together, but Sir Tristram
smote the other knight so sore that he bare him over his horse croup.
That knight arose lightly and took his horse again, and so rode
fiercely to Sir Tristram, and smote him twice hard upon the helm. Sir
knight, said Sir Tristram, I pray you leave off and smite me no more,
for I would be loth to deal with you and I might choose, for I have
your meat and your drink within my body. For all that he would not
leave, and then Sir Tristram gave him such a buffet upon the helm, that
he fell up so down from his horse, that the blood burst out at the
ventails of his helm, and so he lay still, likely to have been dead.
Then Sir Tristram said, Me repenteth sore of this buffet that I smote
so sore, for as I suppose he is dead. And so they left him and rode on
their ways. So they had not ridden but a while, but they saw coming
against them two full likely knights, well armed and well horsed, and
goodly servants about them. The one was Berrant le Apres, and he was
called the king with the hundred knights, and the other was Sir