Le Morte Darthur
knight. I will well, said king Meliodas, that ye be ruled as your
courage will rule you.
Then Sir Tristram thanked his father much. And then he made him ready
to ride into Cornwall. In the meanwhile there came a messager with
letters of love from king Faramon of France’s daughter unto Sir
Tristram, that were full piteous letters, and in them were written many
complaints of love. But Sir Tristram had no joy of her letters, nor
regard unto her. Also she sent him a little brachet that was passing
fair. But when the king’s daughter understood that Tristram would not
love her, as the book saith, she died for sorrow. And then the same
squire that brought the letter and the brachet came again unto Sir
Tristram as after ye shall hear in the tale. So this young Sir Tristram
rode unto his uncle king Mark of Cornwall. And when he came there he
heard say that there would no knight fight with Sir Marhaus. Then went
Sir Tristram unto his uncle and said, Sir, if ye will give me the order
of knighthood I will do battle with Sir Marhaus. What are ye? said the
king, and from whence be ye come? Sir, said Tristram, I come from king
Meliodas that wedded your sister, and a gentleman wit ye well I am.
King Mark beheld Sir Tristram, and saw that he was but a young man of
age, but he was passingly well made and big. Fair sir, said the king,
what is your name, and where were ye born? Sir, said he again, my name
is Tristram, and in the country of Liones was I born. Ye say well, said
the king, and if ye will do this battle I shall make you knight.
Therefore I come to you, said Sir Tristram, and for none other cause.
But then king Mark made him knight. And therewithal anon as he had made
him knight, he sent a messager unto Sir Marhaus with letters that said
that he had found a young knight ready for to take the battle to the
uttermost. It may well be, said Sir Marhaus; but tell unto king Mark
that I will not fight with no knight but if he be of blood royal, that
is to say either king’s son or queen’s son, born of a prince or
princess.
When king Mark understood that, he sent for Sir Tristram de Liones and
told him what was the answer of Sir Marhaus. Then said Sir Tristram,
Since that he sayeth so, let him wit that I am come of father’s side
and mother’s side of as noble blood as he is. For, Sir, now shall ye
know that I am king Meliodas’ son, born of your own sister dame
Elizabeth, that died in the forest in the birth of me. Yea! said king
Mark, ye are welcome fair nephew to me. Then in all the haste the king
let horse Sir Tristram and arm him in the best manner that might be had
or gotten for gold or silver. And then king Mark sent unto Sir Marhaus,
and did him to wit that a better born man than he was himself should
fight with him, and his name is Sir Tristram de Liones, gotten of king
Meliodas, and born of king Mark’s sister. Then was Sir Marhaus glad and
blithe that he should fight with such a gentleman. And so by the assent
of king Mark and Sir Marhaus they let ordain that they should fight
within an island nigh Sir Marhaus’ ships; and so was Sir Tristram put
into a vessel both his horse and he, and all that to him belonged both
for his body and for his horse. Sir Tristram lacked nothing. And when
king Mark and his barons of Cornwall beheld how young Sir Tristram
departed with such a carriage to fight for the right of Cornwall, there
was neither man nor woman of worship but they wept to see and
understand so young a knight to jeopard himself for their right.
CHAP. VI.
_How Sir Tristram arrived into the island for to furnish the battle
with Sir Marhaus._
So to shorten this tale, when Sir Tristram was arrived within the
island he looked to the further side, and there he saw at an anchor six
ships nigh to the land, and under the shadow of the ships upon the land
there hoved the noble knight Sir Marhaus of Ireland. Then Sir Tristram
commanded his servant Gouvernail to bring his horse to the land, and
dress his harness at all manner of rights. And then when he had so done
he mounted upon his horse; and when he was in his saddle well
apparelled, and his shield dressed upon his shoulder, Tristram asked
Gouvernail, Where is this knight that I shall have ado withall? Sir,
said Gouvernail, see ye him not? I wend ye had seen him, yonder he
hoveth under the shadow of his ships upon horseback, with his spear in
his hand, and his shield upon his shoulder. That is truth, said the
noble knight Sir Tristram, now I see him well enough. Then he commanded
his servant Gouvernail to go to his vessel again, and command me unto
mine uncle king Mark, and pray him if that I be slain in this battle,
for to inter my body as him seemeth best, and as for me let him wit
that I will never yield me for cowardice; and if I be slain and flee
not, then have they lost no truage for me; and if so be that I flee or
yield me as recreant, bid mine uncle never bury me in Christian
burials. And upon thy life, said Sir Tristram to Gouvernail, come thou
not nigh this island till that thou see me overcome or slain, or else
that I win yonder knight. So either departed from other sore weeping.
CHAP. VII.
_How Sir Tristram fought against Sir Marhaus and achieved his battle,
and how Sir Marhaus fled to his Ship._
And then Sir Marhaus perceived Sir Tristram, and said thus: Young
knight Sir Tristram, what doest thou here? Me sore repenteth of thy
courage, for wit thou well I have been assayed, and the best knights of
this land have been assayed of my hands, and also I have matched with
the best knights of the world, and therefore by my counsel return again
unto thy vessel. And fair knight, and well proved knight, said Sir
Tristram, thou shalt well wit I may not forsake thee in this quarrel,
for I am for thy sake made knight. And thou shalt well wit that I am a
king’s son, born of a queen, and such promise I have made at mine
uncle’s request and mine own seeking, that I shall fight with thee unto
the uttermost, and deliver Cornwall from the old truage. And also wit
thou well, Sir Marhaus, that this is the greatest cause that thou
couragest me to have ado with you, for thou art called one of the most
renowned knights of the world, and because of that noise and fame that
thou hast, thou givest me courage to have ado with thee, for never yet
was I proved with good knight; and since I took the order of knighthood
this day I am well pleased that I may have ado with so good a knight as
thou art. And now wit thou well, Sir Marhaus, that I cast me to get
worship on thy body, and if that I be not proved, I trust I shall be
worshipfully proved upon thy body, and to deliver the country of
Cornwall from all manner of truage from Ireland for ever. When Sir
Marhaus had heard him say what he would, he said then thus again: Fair
knight, since it is so that thou casteth to win worship of me, I let
thee wit worship mayest thou none lose by me if thou mayest stand me
three strokes, for I let thee wit for my noble deeds, proved and seen,
king Arthur made me knight of the Table Round. Then they began to
feuter their spears, and they met so fiercely together that they smote
either other down both horse and all. But Sir Marhaus smote Sir
Tristram a great wound in the side with his spear, and then they
avoided their horses, and pulled out their swords, and threw their
shields afore them, and then they lashed together as men that were wild
and courageous. And when they had stricken so together long, then they
left their strokes, and foined at their breathes and visors; and when
they saw that that might not prevail them, then they hurtled together
like rams to bear either other down. Thus they fought still more than
half a day, and either were wounded passing sore, that the blood ran
down freshly from them upon the ground. By then Sir Tristram waxed more
fresher than Sir Marhaus, and better winded and bigger, and with a
mighty stroke he smote Sir Marhaus upon the helm such a buffet, that it
went through his helm, and through the coif of steel, and through the
brain-pan, and the sword stuck so fast in the helm and in his brain-pan
that Sir Tristram pulled thrice at his sword or ever he might pull it
out from his head, and there Marhaus fell down on his knees, the edge
of Tristram’s sword left in his brain-pan. And suddenly Sir Marhaus
rose groveling, and threw his sword and his shield from him, and so ran
to his ships and fled his way, and Sir Tristram had ever his shield and
his sword. And when Sir Tristram saw Sir Marhaus withdraw him, he said,
Ah sir knight of the Round Table, why withdrawest thou thee; thou doest
thyself and thy kin great shame, for I am but a young knight, or now I
was never proved, and rather than I should withdraw me from thee, I had
rather be hewn in an hundred pieces. Sir Marhaus answered no word, but
went his way sore groaning. Well sir knight, said Sir Tristram, I
promise thee thy sword and thy shield shall be mine, and thy shield
shall I wear in all places where I ride on mine adventures, and in the
sight of king Arthur and all the Round Table.
CHAP. VIII.
_How Sir Marhaus, after he was arrived in Ireland, died of the stroke
that Tristram had given him, and how Tristram was hurt._
Anon Sir Marhaus and his fellowship departed into Ireland. And as soon
as he came to the king his brother he let search his wounds. And when
his head was searched, a piece of Sir Tristram’s sword was found
therein, and might never be had out of his head for no surgeons, and so
he died of Sir Tristram’s sword, and that piece of the sword the queen
his sister kept it for ever with her, for she thought to be revenged
and she might.
Now turn we again unto Sir Tristram, that was sore wounded, and full
sore bled, that he might not within a little while when he had taken
cold scarcely stir him of his limbs. And then he set him down softly
upon a little hill, and bled fast. Then anon came Gouvernail his man
with his vessel, and the king and his barons came with procession
against him, and when he was come to the land king Mark took him in his
arms, and the king and Sir Dinas the Seneschal led Sir Tristram into
the castle of Tintagil. And then was he searched in the best manner,
and laid in his bed. And when king Mark saw his wounds he wept
heartily, and so did all his lords. So God me help, said king Mark, I
would not for all my lands that my nephew died. So Sir Tristram lay
there a month and more, and ever he was like to die of that stroke that
Sir Marhaus smote him first with the spear. For, as the French book
saith, the spear’s head was envenomed, that Sir Tristram might not be
whole. Then was king Mark and all his barons passing heavy, for they
deemed none other but that Sir Tristram should not recover. Then the
king let send after all manner of leeches and surgeons, both unto men
and women, and there was none that would behote him the life. Then came
there a lady that was a right wise lady, and she said plainly unto king
Mark and to Sir Tristram and to all his barons, that he should never be
whole, but if Sir Tristram went in the same country that the venom came
from, and in that country should he be holpen or else never. Thus said
the lady unto the king. When king Mark understood that, he let purvey
for Sir Tristram a fair vessel, well victualled, and therein was put
Sir Tristram and Gouvernail with him, and Sir Tristram took his harp
with him, and so he was put into the sea to sail into Ireland, and so
by good fortune he arrived up in Ireland, even fast by a castle where
the king and the queen was; and at his arrival he sat and harped in his
bed a merry lay, such one heard they never none in Ireland afore that