Le Morte Darthur
deserve it. And then Sir Lambegus armed him, and rode after as fast as
he might. And then within awhile he overtook Sir Palamides: and then
Sir Palamides left the queen. What art thou? said Sir Palamides, art
thou Tristram? Nay, he said, I am his servant, and my name is Sir
Lambegus. That me repenteth, said Sir Palamides, I had lever thou hadst
been Sir Tristram. I believe you well, said Sir Lambegus, but when thou
meetest with Sir Tristram thou shalt have thy hands full. And then they
hurtled together and all to-brast their spears, and then they pulled
out their swords and hewed on helms and hauberks. At the last Sir
Palamides gave Sir Lambegus such a wound that he fell down like a dead
knight to the earth. Then he looked after La Beale Isoud, and then she
was gone he nist where. Wit ye well Sir Palamides was never so heavy.
So the queen ran into the forest, and there she found a well, and
therein she had thought to have drowned herself. And as good fortune
would, there came a knight to her that had a castle thereby, his name
was Sir Adtherp. And when he found the queen in that mischief he
rescued her, and brought her to his castle. And when he wist what she
was, he armed him and took his horse, and said he would be avenged upon
Palamides, and so he rode till he met with him, and there Sir Palamides
wounded him sore, and by force he made him to tell him the cause why he
did battle with him, and how he had led the queen unto his castle. Now
bring me there, said Palamides, or thou shalt die of my hands. Sir,
said Sir Adtherp, I am so wounded I may not follow, but ride you this
way, and it shall bring you into my castle, and there within is the
queen. And then Sir Palamides rode still till he came to the castle,
and at a window La Beale Isoud saw Sir Palamides, then she made the
gates to be shut strongly. And when he saw he might not come within the
castle, he put off his bridle and his saddle, and put his horse to
pasture, and set himself down at the gate like a man that was out of
his wit that recked not of himself.
CHAP. XXXI.
_How Sir Tristram rode after Palamides, and how he found him and fought
with him, and by the mean of Isoud the battle ceased._
Now turn we unto Sir Tristram, that when he was come home and wist La
Beale Isoud was gone with Sir Palamides, wit ye well he was wroth out
of measure. Alas, said Sir Tristram, I am this day shamed. Then he
cried to Gouvernail his man, Haste thee that I were armed and on
horseback, for well I wot Lambegus hath no might nor strength to
withstand Sir Palamides; alas, that I had not been in his stead. So
anon as he was armed and horsed Sir Tristram and Gouvernail rode after
into the forest, and within a while he found his knight Lambegus almost
wounded to the death, and Sir Tristram bare him to a forester, and
charged him to keep him well. And then he rode forth, and there he
found Sir Adtherp sore wounded, and he told him how the queen would
have drowned herself and he had not been, and how for her sake and love
he had taken upon him to do battle with Sir Palamides. Where is my
lady? said Sir Tristram. Sir, said the knight, she is sure enough
within my castle, and she can hold her within it. Gramercy, said Sir
Tristram, of thy great goodness. And so he rode till he came nigh to
that castle, and then Sir Tristram saw where Sir Palamides sat at the
gate sleeping, and his horse pastured fast afore him. Now go thou
Gouvernail, said Sir Tristram, and bid him awake and make him ready. So
Gouvernail rode unto him and said, Sir Palamides, arise and take to
thee thine harness. But he was in such a study that he heard not what
Gouvernail said. So Gouvernail came again and told Sir Tristram that he
slept, or else he was mad. Go thou again, said Sir Tristram, and bid
him arise, and tell him that I am here his mortal foe. So Gouvernail
rode again and put upon him the butt of his spear, and said, Sir
Palamides make thee ready, for wit ye well Sir Tristram hoveth yonder,
and sendeth thee word he is thy mortal foe. And therewithal Sir
Palamides arose stilly without words, and gat his horse and saddled him
and bridled him, and lightly he lept upon him, and gat his spear in his
hand, and either feutred their spears, and hurtled fast together; and
there Sir Tristram smote down Sir Palamides over his horse tail. Then
lightly Sir Palamides put his shield afore him and drew his sword, and
there began strong battle on both parties, for both they fought for the
love of one lady, and ever she lay on the walls and beheld them how
they fought out of measure, and either were wounded passing sore, but
Palamides was much sorer wounded. Thus they fought tracing and
traversing more than two hours, that well nigh for dole and sorrow La
Beale Isoud swooned. Alas, said she, that one I loved and yet do, and
the other I love not, yet it were great pity that I should see Sir
Palamides slain, for well I know by that time the end be done Sir
Palamides is but a dead knight, and because he is not christened I
would be loth that he should die a Saracen. And therewithal she came
down and besought Sir Tristram to fight no more. Ah madam, said he,
what mean you? will ye have me shamed? Well ye know I will be ruled by
you. I will not your dishonour, said La Beale Isoud, but I would that
ye would for my sake spare this unhappy Saracen Palamides. Madam, said
Sir Tristram, I will leave fighting at this time for your sake.
Then she said to Sir Palamides: This shall be your charge, that thou
shalt go out of this country while I am therein. I will obey your
commandment, said Sir Palamides, the which is sore against my will.
Then take thy way, said La Beale Isoud, unto the court of king Arthur,
and there recommend me unto queen Guenever, and tell her that I send
her word that there be within the land but four lovers, that is Sir
Launcelot du Lake and queen Guenever, and Sir Tristram de Liones and
queen Isoud.
CHAP. XXXII.
_How Sir Tristram brought queen Isoud home, and of the debate of king
Mark and Sir Tristram._
And so Sir Palamides departed with great heaviness. And Sir Tristram
took the queen and brought her again to king Mark, and then was there
made great joy of her home coming. Who was cherished but Sir Tristram!
Then Sir Tristram let fetch Sir Lambegus his knight from the forester’s
house, and it was long or he was whole, but at the last he was well
recovered. Thus they lived with joy and play a long while. But ever Sir
Andred, that was nigh cousin unto Sir Tristram, lay in a watch to wait
betwixt Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud, for to take them and slander
them. So upon a day Sir Tristram talked with La Beale Isoud in a
window, and that espied Sir Andred, and told it to the king. Then king
Mark took a sword in his hand and came to Sir Tristram, and called him
false traitor, and would have stricken him. But Sir Tristram was nigh
him, and ran under his sword, and took it out of his hand. And then the
king cried, Where are my knights and my men? I charge you slay this
traitor. But at that time there was not one would move for his words.
When Sir Tristram saw there was not one would be against him, he shook
the sword to the king, and made countenance as though he would have
stricken him. And then king Mark fled, and Sir Tristram followed him,
and smote upon him five or six strokes flatling on the neck that he
made him to fall upon the nose. And then Sir Tristram went his way and
armed him, and took his horse and his man, and so he rode into that
forest. And there upon a day Sir Tristram met with two brethren that
were knights with king Mark, and there he strake off the head of the
one, and wounded the other to the death, and he made him to bear his
brother’s head in his helm unto the king, and thirty more there he
wounded. And when that knight came before the king to say his message,
he there died afore the king and the queen. Then king Mark called his
council unto him and asked advice of his barons what was best to do
with Sir Tristram. Sir, said the barons, in especial Sir Dinas the
seneschal, Sir, we will give you counsel for to send for Sir Tristram,
for we will that ye wit many men will hold with Sir Tristram and he
were hard bested. And sir, said Sir Dinas, ye shall understand that Sir
Tristram is called peerless and matchless of any christian knight, and
of his might and his hardiness we knew none so good a knight, but if it
be Sir Launcelot du Lake. And if he depart from your court and go to
king Arthur’s court, wit ye well he will get him such friends there
that he will not set by your malice. And therefore, sir, I counsel you
to take him to your grace. I will well, said the king, that he be sent
for, that we may be friends. Then the barons sent for Sir Tristram
under a safe conduct. And so when Sir Tristram came to the king, he was
welcome, and no rehearsal was made, and there was game and play. And
then the king and the queen went on hunting, and Sir Tristram.
CHAP. XXXIII.
_How Sir Lamorak justed with thirty knights, and Sir Tristram at
request of king Mark smote his horse down._
The king and the queen made their pavilions and their tents in that
forest beside a river, and there was daily hunting and justing, for
there were ever thirty knights ready to just unto all them that came in
at that time. And there by fortune came Sir Lamorak de Galis and Sir
Driant, and there Sir Driant justed right well, but at the last he had
a fall. Then Sir Lamorak proffered to just. And when he began he fared
so with the thirty knights that there was not one of them but that he
gave him a fall, and some of them were sore hurt. I marvel, said king
Mark, what knight he is that doth such deeds of arms. Sir, said Sir
Tristram, I know him for a noble knight as few now be living, and his
name is Sir Lamorak de Galis. It were great shame, said the king, that
he should go thus away, unless that some of you met with him better.
Sir, said Sir Tristram, me seemeth it were no worship for a noble man
for to have ado with him; and for because at this time he hath done
overmuch for any mean knight living, therefore, as me seemeth, it were
great shame and villainy to tempt him any more at this time, insomuch
as he and his horse are weary both; for the deeds of arms that he hath
done this day, and they be well considered, were enough for Sir
Launcelot du Lake.
As for that, said king Mark, I require you as ye love me and my lady
the queen La Beale Isoud, take your arms and just with Sir Lamorak de
Galis. Sir, said Sir Tristram, ye bid me do a thing that is against
knighthood, and well I can deem that I shall give him a fall, for it is
no mastery, for my horse and I be fresh both, and so is not his horse
and he; and wit ye well that he will take it for great unkindness, for
ever one good is loth to take another at disadvantage. But because I
will not displease you, as ye require me so will I do, and obey your
commandment. And so Sir Tristram armed him anon and took his horse, and
put him forth, and there Sir Lamorak met him mightily, and what with
the might of his own spear, and of Sir Tristram’s spear, Sir Lamorak’s
horse fell to the earth, and he sitting in the saddle. Then anon as
lightly as he might he avoided the saddle and his horse, and put his
shield afore him, and drew his sword. And then he bad Sir Tristram,
Alight, thou knight, and thou darest. Nay, said Sir Tristram, I will no
more have ado with thee, for I have done to thee overmuch unto my
dishonour, and to thy worship. As for that, said Sir Lamorak, I can
thee no thank: since thou hast forjusted me on horseback, I require
thee, and I beseech thee, and thou be Sir Tristram, fight with me on