Le Morte Darthur
false lady escape. Then king Arthur overtook her, and with the same
sword he smote off her head; and the Lady of the lake took up her head,
and hung it up by the hair on her saddle bow. And then Sir Tristram
horsed king Arthur, and rode forth with him, but he charged the Lady of
the lake not to discover his name as at that time. When the king was
horsed he thanked heartily Sir Tristram, and desired to wit his name;
but he would not tell him, but that he was a poor knight adventurous.
And so he bare king Arthur fellowship till he met with some of his
knights. And within a mile he met with Sir Ector de Maris, and he knew
not king Arthur nor Sir Tristram, and he desired to just with one of
them. Then Sir Tristram rode unto Sir Ector, and smote him from his
horse. And when he had done so he came again to the king, and said: My
lord, yonder is one of your knights, he may bear you fellowship; and
another day by that deed that I have done for you, I trust ye shall
understand that I would do you service. Alas, said king Arthur, let me
wit what ye are. Not at this time, said Sir Tristram. So he departed,
and left king Arthur and Sir Ector together.
CHAP. XVII.
_How Sir Tristram came to La Beale Isoud, and how Kehydius began to
love La Beale Isoud, and of a letter that Tristram found._
And then at a day set Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak met at the well; and
then they took Kehydius at the forester’s house, and so they rode with
him to the ship where they left dame Bragwaine and Gouvernail, and so
they sailed into Cornwall all wholly together; and by assent and
information of dame Bragwaine, when they were landed they rode unto Sir
Dinas the seneschal, a trusty friend of Sir Tristram’s. And so dame
Bragwaine and Sir Dinas rode to the court of king Mark, and told the
queen, La Beale Isoud, that Sir Tristram was nigh her in that country.
Then for very pure joy La Beale Isoud swooned: and when she might
speak, she said, Gentle knight seneschal, help that I might speak with
him, or else my heart will brast.
Then Sir Dinas and dame Bragwaine brought Sir Tristram and Kehydius
privily unto the court, unto a chamber whereas La Beale Isoud assigned
it; and to tell the joy that was between La Beale Isoud and Sir
Tristram, there is no tongue can tell it, nor heart think it, nor pen
write it. And, as the French book maketh mention, at the first time
that ever Sir Kehydius saw La Beale Isoud, he was so enamoured upon her
that for very pure love he might never withdraw it. And at the last, as
ye shall hear or the book be ended, Sir Kehydius died for the love of
La Beale Isoud. And then privily he wrote unto her letters and ballads
of the most goodliest that were used in those days. And when La Beale
Isoud understood his letters, she had pity of his complaint, and
unadvised she wrote another letter to comfort him withal. And Sir
Tristram was all this while in a turret, at the commandment of La Beale
Isoud, and when she might she came unto Sir Tristram. So on a day king
Mark played at the chess under a chamber window; and at that time Sir
Tristram and Sir Kehydius were within the chamber, over king Mark, and
as it mishapped Sir Tristram found the letter that Kehydius sent to La
Beale Isoud; also he had found the letter that she wrote unto Kehydius,
and at that same time La Beale Isoud was in the same chamber. Then Sir
Tristram came unto La Beale Isoud, and said; Madam, here is a letter
that was sent unto you, and here is the letter that ye sent unto him
that sent you that letter. Alas, madam, the good love that I have loved
you, and many lands and riches have I forsaken for your love, and now
ye are a traitress to me, the which doth me great pain. But as for
thee, Sir Kehydius, I brought thee out of Britanny into this country,
and thy father, king Howel, I won his lands; howbeit, I wedded thy
sister, Isoud la Blanche Mains, for the goodness which she did to me;
but wit thou well Sir Kehydius for this falsehood and treason thou hast
done me, I will revenge it upon thee. And therewithal Sir Tristram drew
out his sword, and said, Sir Kehydius keep thee, and then La Beale
Isoud swooned to the earth. And when Sir Kehydius saw Sir Tristram come
upon him, he saw none other boot, but lept out at a bay window, even
over the head where sat king Mark playing at the chess. And when the
king saw one come hurling over his head, he said, Fellow, what art
thou, and what is the cause thou leapest out of that window? My lord
the king, said Kehydius, it fortuned me that I was asleep in the window
above your head, and as I slept I slumbered, and so I fell down. And
thus Sir Kehydius excused him.
CHAP. XVIII.
_How Sir Tristram departed from Tintagil, and how he sorrowed, and was
so long in a forest till he was out of his mind._
Then Sir Tristram dread sore lest he were discovered unto the king that
he was there, wherefore he drew him to the strength of the tower, and
armed him in such armour as he had, for to fight with them that would
withstand him. And so when Sir Tristram saw there was no resistance
against him, he sent Gouvernail for his horse and for his spear, and
knightly he rode forth out of the castle openly that was called the
castle of Tintagil. And even at the gate he met with Gingalin, Sir
Gawaine’s son. And anon Sir Gingalin put his spear in his rest, and ran
upon Sir Tristram, and brake his spear, and Sir Tristram at that time
had but a sword, and gave him such a buffet upon the helm that he fell
down from his saddle, and his sword slid down and carved asunder his
horse neck. And so Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, and all
this doing saw king Mark. And then he sent a squire unto the hurt
knight, and commanded him to come to him, and so he did. And when king
Mark wist that it was Sir Gingalin, he welcomed him, and gave him a
horse, and asked him what knight it was that had encountered with him.
Sir, said Sir Gingalin, I wot not what knight he was, but well I wot
that he sigheth, and maketh great dole. Then Sir Tristram within a
while met with a knight of his own, that hight Sir Fergus. And when he
had met with him he made great sorrow, insomuch that he fell down off
his horse in a swoon, and in such sorrow he was in three days and three
nights. Then at the last Sir Tristram sent unto the court by Sir
Fergus, for to ask what tidings. And so as he rode by the way he met
with a damsel that came from Sir Palamides, to know and seek how Sir
Tristram did. Then Sir Fergus told her how he was almost out of his
mind. Alas, said the damsel, where shall I find him? In such a place,
said Sir Fergus. Then Sir Fergus found queen Isoud sick in her bed,
making the greatest dole that ever any earthly woman made. And when the
damsel found Sir Tristram, she made great dole because she might not
amend him; for the more she made of him the more was his pain. And at
the last Sir Tristram took his horse and rode away from her. And then
was it three days or that she could find him, and then she brought him
meat and drink, but he would none. And then another time Sir Tristram
escaped away from the damsel, and it happed him to ride by the same
castle where Sir Palamides and Sir Tristram did battle when La Beale
Isoud departed them. And there by fortune the damsel met with Sir
Tristram again, making the greatest dole that ever earthly creature
made, and she went to the lady of that castle, and told her of the
misadventure of Sir Tristram. Alas, said the lady of that castle, where
is my lord Sir Tristram? Right here by your castle, said the damsel. In
good time, said the lady, is he so nigh me: he shall have meat and
drink of the best, and a harp I have of his whereupon he taught
me,—for of goodly harping he beareth the prize in the world. So this
lady and the damsel brought him meat and drink, but he eat little
thereof. Then upon a night he put his horse from him, and then he
unlaced his armour, and then Sir Tristram would go into the wilderness,
and brast down the trees and boughs; and otherwhile, when he found the
harp that the lady sent him, then would he harp and play thereupon and
weep together. And sometime when Sir Tristram was in the wood, that the
lady wist not where he was, then would she sit her down and play upon
that harp: then would Sir Tristram come to that harp and hearken
thereto, and sometime he would harp himself. Thus he there endured a
quarter of a year. Then at the last he ran his way, and she wist not
where he was become. And then was he naked, and waxed lean and poor of
flesh, and so he fell into the fellowship of herdmen and shepherds, and
daily they would give him of their meat and drink. And when he did any
shrewd deed they would beat him with rods, and so they clipped him with
shears and made him like a fool.
CHAP. XIX.
_How Sir Tristram soused Dagonet in a well, and how Palamides sent a
damsel to seek Tristram, and how Palamides met with king Mark._
And upon a day Sir Dagonet, king Arthur’s fool, came into Cornwall,
with two squires with him, and as they rode through that forest they
came by a fair well where Sir Tristram was wont to be, and the weather
was hot, and they alight to drink of that well, and in the mean while
their horses brake loose. Right so Sir Tristram came unto them, and
first he soused Sir Dagonet in that well, and after his squires, and
thereat laughed the shepherds, and forthwithal he ran after their
horses, and brought them again one by one, and right so, wet as they
were, he made them leap up and ride their ways. Thus Sir Tristram
endured there an half year naked, and would never come in town nor
village. The mean while the damsel that Sir Palamides sent to seek Sir
Tristram she went unto Sir Palamides, and told him all the mischief
that Sir Tristram endured. Alas, said Sir Palamides, it is great pity
that ever so noble a knight should be so mischieved for the love of a
lady. But nevertheless I will go and seek him, and comfort him and I
may. Then a little before that time La Beale Isoud had commanded Sir
Kehydius out of the country of Cornwall. So Sir Kehydius departed with
a dolorous heart. And by adventure he met with Sir Palamides, and they
enfellowshipped together, and either complained to other of their love,
that they loved La Beale Isoud. Now let us, said Sir Palamides, seek
Sir Tristram that loved her as well as we, and let us prove whether we
may recover him. So they rode into that forest, and three days and
three nights they would never take their lodging, but ever sought Sir
Tristram. And upon a time by adventure they met with king Mark that was
ridden from his men all alone. When they saw him, Sir Palamides knew
him, but Sir Kehydius knew him not. Ah, false king, said Sir Palamides,
it is pity thou hast thy life, for thou art a destroyer of all
worshipful knights, and by thy mischief, and thy vengeance, thou hast
destroyed that most noble knight Sir Tristram de Liones; and therefore
defend thee, said Sir Palamides, for thou shalt die this day. That were
shame, said king Mark, for ye two are armed, and I am unarmed. As for
that, said Sir Palamides, I shall find a remedy therefore. Here is a
knight with me, and thou shalt have his harness. Nay, said king Mark, I
will not have ado with you, for cause have ye none to me. For all the
misease that Sir Tristram hath was for a letter that he found; for, as
to me, I did to him no displeasure, and I am full sorry for his disease
and malady. So when the king had thus excused him, they were friends,
and king Mark would have had them unto Tintagil, but Sir Palamides
would not, but turned unto the realm of Logris, and Sir Kehydius said
he would go into Britanny.