Le Morte Darthur
them, and found them mourning. Then she went to Sir Darras and told him
how that mighty knight that bare the black shield was likely to die.
That shall not be, said Sir Darras, for God defend when any knights
come to me for succour that I should suffer them to die within my
prison. Therefore, said Sir Darras to the damsel, fetch that knight and
his fellows afore me. And then anon when Sir Darras saw Sir Tristram
afore him, he said, Sir knight, me repenteth of thy sickness, for thou
art called a full noble knight, and so it seemeth by thee. And wit ye
well, it shall never be said that Sir Darras shall destroy such a noble
knight as thou art in prison, howbeit that thou hast slain three of my
sons, whereby I was greatly agrieved. But now shalt thou go and thy
fellows, and your harness and horses have been fair and clean kept, and
ye shall go where it liketh you, upon this covenant, that thou, knight,
will promise me to be good friend to my sons two that be now on live,
and also that thou tell me thy name. Sir, said he, as for me, my name
is Sir Tristram de Liones, and in Cornwall was I born, and nephew I am
unto king Mark. And as for the death of your sons, I might not do
withal, for and they had been the next kin that I have, I might have
done none otherwise. And if I had slain them by treason or treachery, I
had been worthy to have died. All this I consider, said Sir Darras,
that all that ye did was by force of knighthood, and that was the cause
I would not put you to death. But since ye be Sir Tristram the good
knight, I pray you heartily to be my good friend and to my sons. Sir,
said Sir Tristram, I promise you by the faith of my body ever while I
live I will do you service, for ye have done to us but as a natural
knight ought to do. Then Sir Tristram reposed him there till that he
was amended of his sickness. And when he was big and strong they took
their leave, and every knight took their horses and so departed, and
rode together till they came to a cross way. Now fellows, said Sir
Tristram, here will we depart in sundry ways. And because Sir Dinadan
had the first adventure, of him I will begin.
CHAP. XLI.
_How Sir Dinadan rescued a lady from Sir Breuse Sance Pité, and how Sir
Tristram received a shield of Morgan le Fay._
So as Sir Dinadan rode by a well, he found a lady making great dole.
What aileth you? said Sir Dinadan. Sir knight, said the lady, I am the
wofullest lady of the world, for within these five days here came a
knight called Sir Breuse Sance Pité, and he slew mine own brother, and
ever since he hath kept me at his own will, and of all men in the world
I hate him most. And therefore I require you of knighthood to avenge
me, for he will not tarry but be here anon. Let him come, said Sir
Dinadan, and because of honour of all women I will do my part. With
this came Sir Breuse, and when he saw a knight with his lady, he was
wood wroth. And then he said, Sir knight, keep thee from me. So they
hurled together as thunder, and either smote other passing sore. But
Sir Dinadan put him through the shoulder a grievous wound, and or ever
Sir Dinadan might turn him, Sir Breuse was gone and fled. Then the lady
prayed him to bring her to a castle there beside but four mile thence.
And so Sir Dinadan brought her there, and she was welcome, for the lord
of that castle was her uncle. And so Sir Dinadan rode his way upon his
adventure.
Now turn we this tale unto Sir Tristram, that by adventure he came to a
castle to ask lodging, wherein was queen Morgan le Fay. And so when Sir
Tristram was let into that castle he had good cheer all that night. And
upon the morn when he would have departed, the queen said, Wit ye well
ye shall not depart lightly, for ye are here as a prisoner. God defend,
said Sir Tristram, for I was but late a prisoner. Fair knight, said the
queen, ye shall abide with me till that I wit what ye are, and from
whence ye come. And ever the queen would set Sir Tristram on her side,
and her paramour on the other side, and ever queen Morgan would behold
Sir Tristram, and thereat the knight was jealous, and was in will
suddenly to have run upon Sir Tristram with a sword, but he left it for
shame. Then the queen said to Sir Tristram, Tell me thy name, and I
shall suffer you to depart when you will. Upon that covenant I tell you
my name is Sir Tristram de Liones. Ah, said Morgan le Fay, and I had
wist that thou shouldst not have departed so soon as thou shalt: but
sithen I have made a promise I will hold it, with that thou wilt
promise me to bear upon thee a shield that I shall deliver thee, unto
the castle of the Hard Rock, where king Arthur hath cried a great
tournament, and there I pray you that ye will be, and to do for me as
much deeds of arms as ye may do. For at that Castle of Maidens, Sir
Tristram, ye did marvellous deeds of arms as ever I heard knight do.
Madam, said Sir Tristram, let me see the shield that I shall bear. So
the shield was brought forth, and the shield was goldish, with a king
and a queen therein painted, and a knight standing above them, with one
foot upon the king’s head, and the other upon the queen’s. Madam, said
Sir Tristram, this is a fair shield and a mighty; but what signifieth
this king and this queen and that knight standing upon both their
heads. I shall tell you, said Morgan le Fay, it signifieth king Arthur
and queen Guenever, and a knight that holdeth them both in bondage and
servage. Who is that knight? said Sir Tristram. That shall ye not wit
as at this time, said the queen. But, as the French book saith, queen
Morgan loved Sir Launcelot best, and ever she desired him, and he would
never love her, nor do nothing at her request, and therefore she held
many knights together for to have taken him by strength. And because
she deemed that Sir Launcelot loved queen Guenever, and she him again,
therefore queen Morgan le Fay ordained that shield to put Sir Launcelot
to a rebuke, to that intent that king Arthur might understand the love
between them. Then Sir Tristram took that shield and promised her to
bear it at the tournament at the castle of the Hard Rock. But Sir
Tristram knew not that shield was ordained against Sir Launcelot, but
afterward he knew it.
CHAP. XLII.
_How Sir Tristram took with him the shield, and also how he slew the
paramour of Morgan le Fay._
So then Sir Tristram took his leave of the queen, and took the shield
with him. Then came the knight that held queen Morgan le Fay, his name
was Sir Hemison, and he made him ready to follow Sir Tristram. Fair
friend, said Morgan, ride not after that knight, for ye shall win no
worship of him. Fie on him, coward, said Sir Hemison, for I wist never
good knight come out of Cornwall, but if it were Sir Tristram de
Liones. What and that be he, said she. Nay, nay, said he, he is with La
Beale Isoud, and this is but a daffish knight. Alas my fair friend, ye
shall find him the best knight that ever ye met withal, for I know him
better than ye do. For your sake, said Sir Hemison, I shall slay him.
Ah, fair friend, said the queen, me repenteth that ye will follow that
knight, for I fear me sore of your again coming. With this, this knight
rode his way wood wroth, and he rode after Sir Tristram as fast as he
had been chased with knights. When Sir Tristram heard a knight come
after him so fast, he returned about, and saw a knight coming against
him. And when he came nigh to Sir Tristram, he cried on high, Sir
knight, keep thee from me. Then they rushed together as it had been
thunder, and Sir Hemison bruised his spear upon Sir Tristram, but his
harness was so good that he might not hurt him. And Sir Tristram smote
him harder, and bare him through the body, and he fell over his horse
croup. Then Sir Tristram turned to have done more with his sword, but
he saw so much blood go from him, that him seemed he was likely to die;
and so he departed from him and came to a fair manor to an old knight,
and there Sir Tristram lodged.
CHAP. XLIII.
_How Morgan le Fay buried her paramour, and how Sir Tristram praised
Sir Launcelot and his kin._
Now leave we to speak of Sir Tristram, and speak we of the knight that
was wounded to the death. Then his varlet alight, and took off his
helm; and then he asked his master whether there were any life in him.
There is in me life, said the knight, but it is but little, and
therefore leap thou up behind me, when thou hast holpen me up; and hold
me fast that I fall not, and bring me to queen Morgan le Fay, for deep
draughts of death draw to my heart, that I may not live, for I would
fain speak with her or I died. For else my soul will be in great peril
and I die. And with great pain his varlet brought him to the castle,
and there Sir Hemison fell down dead. When Morgan le Fay saw him dead,
she made great sorrow out of reason. And then she let despoil him unto
his shirt, and so she let him put into a tomb. And about the tomb she
let write: Here lieth Sir Hemison, slain by the hands of Sir Tristram
de Liones. Now turn we unto Sir Tristram, that asked the knight, his
host, if he saw late any knights adventurous. Sir, he said, the last
night here lodged with me Sir Ector de Maris and a damsel with him, and
that damsel told me that he was one of the best knights of the world.
That is not so, said Sir Tristram, for I know four better knights of
his own blood; and the first is Sir Launcelot du Lake, call him the
best knight; and Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Bleoberis, Sir Blamor de Ganis,
and Sir Gaheris. Nay, said his host, Sir Gawaine is a better knight
than he. That is not so, said Sir Tristram, for I have met with them
both, and I felt Sir Gaheris for the better knight; and Sir Lamorak, I
call him as good as any of them, except Sir Launcelot. Why name ye not
Sir Tristram, said his host, for I account him as good as any of them.
I know not Sir Tristram, said Tristram. Thus they talked and jested as
long as them list, and then went to rest. And on the morn Sir Tristram
departed and took his leave of his host, and rode towards the
Roche-dure, and none adventure had Sir Tristram but that, and so he
rested not till he came to the castle, where he saw five hundred tents.
CHAP. XLIV.
_How Sir Tristram at a tournament bare the shield that Morgan le Fay
had delivered him._
Then the king of Scots and the king of Ireland held against king
Arthur’s knights, and there began a great meddle. So came in Sir
Tristram and did marvellous deeds of arms, for there he smote down many
knights. And ever he was afore king Arthur with that shield. And when
king Arthur saw that shield, he marvelled greatly in what intent it was
made. But queen Guenever deemed as it was, wherefore she was heavy.
Then was there a damsel of queen Morgan in a chamber by king Arthur,
and when she heard king Arthur speak of that shield, then she spake
openly unto king Arthur, Sir king, wit ye well this shield was ordained
for you, to warn you of your shame and dishonour, and that longeth to
you and to your queen. And then anon the damsel piked her away privily,
that no man wist where she was become. Then was king Arthur sad and
wroth, and asked from whence came that damsel. There was not one that
knew her, nor wist where she was become. Then queen Guenever called to
her Sir Ector de Maris, and there she made her complaint to him, and
said, I wot well this shield was made by Morgan le Fay, in despite of
me and Sir Launcelot, wherefore I dread sore lest I should be
destroyed. And ever the king beheld Sir Tristram that did so marvellous
deeds of arms, that he wondered sore what knight he might be, and well
he wist it was not Sir Launcelot. And it was told him that Sir Tristram