Le Morte Darthur
and required him of his good grace to be of good comfort. Wit ye well
the king made great joy, and many a piteous complaint he made unto Sir
Gareth, and ever he wept as he had been a child. With that came his
mother the queen of Orkney, dame Morgause, and when she saw Sir Gareth
readily in the visage, she might not weep, but suddenly fell down in a
swoon, and lay there a great while like as she had been dead. And then
Sir Gareth recomforted his mother in such a wise that she recovered,
and made good cheer. Then the king commanded that all manner of knights
that were under his obeisance should make their lodging right there for
the love of his nephews. And so it was done, and all manner of
purveyance purveyed that there lacked nothing that might be gotten of
tame nor wild for gold or silver. And then by the means of the damsel
Savage Sir Gawaine and Sir Gareth were healed of their wounds, and
there they sojourned eight days. Then said king Arthur unto the damsel
Savage, I marvel that your sister dame Liones cometh not here to me,
and in especial that she cometh not to visit her knight, my nephew Sir
Gareth, that hath had so much travail for her love. My lord, said the
damsel Linet, ye must of your good grace hold her excused, for she
knoweth not that my lord Sir Gareth is here. Go then for her, said king
Arthur, that we may be appointed what is best to be done, according
unto the pleasure of my nephew. Sir, said the damsel, that shall be
done, and so she rode unto her sister. And as lightly as she might she
made her ready, and she came on the morn with her brother Sir
Gringamore, and with her forty knights. And so when she was come, she
had all the cheer that might be done, both of the king and of many
other kings and queens.
CHAP. XXXIV.
_How Sir Gareth acknowledged that they loved each other to king Arthur,
and of the appointment of their wedding._
And among all these ladies she was named the fairest and peerless. Then
when Sir Gareth saw her, there was many a goodly look and goodly words,
that all men of worship had joy to behold them. Then came king Arthur
and many other kings, and dame Guenever and the queen of Orkney. And
there the king asked his nephew Sir Gareth whether he would have that
lady to his wife? My lord, wit you well that I love her above all
ladies living. Now, fair lady, said king Arthur, what say ye? Most
noble king, said dame Liones, wit you well that my lord Sir Gareth is
to me more lever to have and hold as my husband, than any king or
prince that is christened, and if I may not have him I promise you I
will never have none. For, my lord Arthur, said dame Liones, wit ye
well he is my first love, and he shall be the last: and if ye will
suffer him to have his will and free choice, I dare say he will have
me. That is truth, said Sir Gareth, and I have not you and hold not you
as my wife, there shall never lady nor gentlewoman rejoice me. What
nephew, said the king, is the wind in that door! for wit ye well I
would not for the stint of my crown to be causer to withdraw your
hearts, and wit ye well ye cannot love so well but I shall rather
increase it than distress it. And also ye shall have my love and my
lordship in the uttermost wise that may lie in my power. And in the
same wise said Sir Gareth’s mother. Then was there made a provision for
the day of marriage, and by the king’s advice it was provided that it
should be at Michaelmas following, at Kinkenadon by the sea-side, for
there is a plentiful country. And so it was cried in all the places
through the realm. And then Sir Gareth sent his summons unto all these
knights and ladies that he had won in battle tofore, that they should
be at his day of marriage at Kinkenadon by the sands. And then dame
Liones and the damsel Linet, with Sir Gringamore, rode to their castle,
and a goodly and a rich ring she gave to Sir Gareth, and he gave her
another. And king Arthur gave her a rich bee of gold, and so she
departed. And king Arthur and his fellowship rode toward Kinkenadon,
and Sir Gareth brought his lady on the way, and so came to the king
again and rode with him. Oh the great cheer that Sir Launcelot made of
Sir Gareth and he of him: for there was never no knight that Sir Gareth
loved so well as he did Sir Launcelot, and ever for the most part he
would be in Sir Launcelot’s company: for after Sir Gareth had espied
Sir Gawaine’s conditions, he withdrew himself from his brother Sir
Gawaine’s fellowship, for he was vengeable, and where he hated he would
be avenged with murder, and that hated Sir Gareth.
CHAP. XXXV.
_Of the great royalty, and what officers were made at the feast of the
wedding, and of the justs at the feast._
So it drew fast to Michaelmas, and thither came dame Liones the lady of
the castle perilous and her sister dame Linet, with Sir Gringamore
their brother with them: for he had the conduct of these ladies. And
there they were lodged at the devise of king Arthur. And upon
Michaelmas-day the bishop of Canterbury made the wedding betwixt Sir
Gareth and the lady Liones with great solemnity. And king Arthur made
Gaheris to wed the damsel Savage, that was dame Linet; and king Arthur
made Sir Agravaine to wed dame Liones’ niece, a fair lady, her name was
dame Laurel. And so when this solemnization was done, then there came
in the green knight Sir Pertolope with thirty knights, and there he did
homage and fealty unto Sir Gareth, and these knights to hold of him for
evermore. Also Sir Pertolope said, I pray you that at this feast I may
be your chamberlain. With a good will, said Sir Gareth, sith it liketh
you to take so simple an office. Then came in the red knight with
threescore knights with him, and did to Sir Gareth homage and fealty,
and all those knights to hold of him for evermore, and then this Sir
Perimones prayed Sir Gareth to grant him to be his chief butler at that
high feast. I will well, said Sir Gareth, that ye have this office and
it were better. Then came in Sir Persant of Inde with an hundred
knights with him, and there he did homage and fealty unto Sir Gareth,
and all his knights should do him service, and hold their lands of him
for ever; and there he prayed Sir Gareth to make him his sewer chief at
the feast. I will well, said Sir Gareth, that ye have it and it were
better. Then came in the duke de la Rowse with an hundred knights with
him, and there he did homage and fealty unto Sir Gareth, and so to hold
their lands of him for ever; and he required Sir Gareth that he might
serve him of the wine that day at the feast. I will well, said Sir
Gareth, and it were better. Then came in the red knight of the red
lawns, that was Sir Ironside, and he brought with him three hundred
knights, and there he did homage and fealty, and all these knights to
hold their lands of him for ever, and then he asked Sir Gareth to be
his carver. I will well, said Sir Gareth, and it please you. Then came
into the court thirty ladies, and all they seemed widows, and those
thirty ladies brought with them many fair gentlewomen; and all they
kneeled down at once unto king Arthur and to Sir Gareth, and there all
those ladies told the king how Sir Gareth had delivered them from the
dolorous tower, and slew the brown knight without pity; and therefore
we and our heirs for evermore will do homage unto Sir Gareth of Orkney.
So then the kings and queens, princes, earls and barons, and many bold
knights went unto meat, and well may ye wit that there was all manner
of meat plenteously, all manner revels and games, with all manner of
minstrelsy that was used in those days. Also there was great justs
three days. But the king would not suffer Sir Gareth to just because of
his new bride: for as the French book saith that dame Liones desired
the king that none that were wedded should just at that feast. So the
first day there justed Sir Lamorak de Galis, for he overthrew thirty
knights and did passing marvellously deeds of arms. And then king
Arthur made Sir Persant of Inde and his two brethren knights of the
Round Table, to their lives’ end, and gave them great lands. Also the
second day there justed Tristram best, and he overthrew forty knights,
and did there marvellous deeds of arms. And there king Arthur made
Ironside, that was the red knight of the red lawns, a knight of the
Table Round unto his life’s end, and gave him great lands. The third
day there justed Sir Launcelot du Lake, and he overthrew fifty knights
and did many marvellous deeds of arms, that all men wondered on him.
And there king Arthur made the duke de la Rowse a knight of the Round
Table to his life’s end, and gave him great lands to spend. But when
these justs were done, Sir Lamorak and Sir Tristram departed suddenly
and would not be known, for the which king Arthur and all the court
were sore displeased. And so they held the court forty days with great
solemnity. And this Sir Gareth was a noble knight, and a well ruled,
and fair languaged.
Thus endeth this tale of syr Gareth of Orkeney that wedded dame Lyones
of the castel peryllous. And also syr Gaheris wedded her syster dame
Lynet, that was called the damoysel saueage. And syr Agrauayne wedded
dame Laurel a fayr lady, and grete and myghty landes with grete
rychesse gafe with them kyng Arthur, that ryally they myght lyue tyl
their lyues ende.
Here foloweth the viii. book the which is the first book of Sir
Tristram de Lyones, & who was his fader & his moder, & hou he was
borne and fosteryd. And how he was made knyghte.
The Eighth Book.
CHAP. I.
_How Sir Tristram de Liones was born, and how his mother died at his
birth, wherefore she named him Tristram._
It was a king that hight Meliodas, and he was lord and king of the
country of Liones, and this king Meliodas was a likely knight as any
was that time living. And by fortune he wedded king Mark’s sister of
Cornwall; and she was called Elizabeth, that was called both good and
fair. And at that time king Arthur reigned, and he was whole king of
England, Wales, and Scotland, and of many other realms: howbeit there
were many kings that were lords of many countries, but all they held
their lands of king Arthur. For in Wales were two kings, and in the
north were many kings; and in Cornwall and in the west were two kings;
also in Ireland were two or three kings; and all were under the
obeisance of king Arthur. So was the king of France, and the king of
Britany, and all the lordships unto Rome. And the wife of this king
Meliodas was a full meek lady, and well she loved her lord, and he her
again, and the time came that she should bear a child, so there was
great joy betwixt them. Then was there a lady in that country that had
loved king Meliodas long, and by no mean she never could get his love,
therefore she let ordain upon a day, as king Meliodas rode on hunting,
for he was a great chaser, and there by an enchantment she made him
chase an hart by himself alone till that he came to an old castle, and
there anon he was taken prisoner by the lady that him loved. When
Elizabeth king Meliodas missed, her lord, she was nigh out of her wit,
and she took a gentlewoman with her, and ran into the forest to seek
her lord.
And when she was far in the forest she might no farther, for she began
to travail fast of her child. And she had many grimly throws, and her
gentlewoman holp her all that she might, and so by miracle of our Lady
of heaven she was delivered with great pains. But she had taken such
cold for the default of help that deep draughts of death took her, that
needs she must die and depart out of this world, there was none other
boot. And when this queen Elizabeth saw that there was none other boot,