Le Morte Darthur
the most part of the Round Table were wroth and heavy; and in especial
Sir Launcelot, and Sir Lamorak, and Sir Dinadan were wroth out of
measure. For well they wist king Mark would slay or destroy Sir
Tristram. Alas, said Dinadan, that my lord Sir Tristram shall depart.
And Sir Tristram took such sorrow that he was amazed like a fool. Alas,
said Sir Launcelot unto king Arthur, what have ye done, for ye shall
lose the most man of worship that ever came into your court? It was his
own desire, said Arthur, and therefore I might not do withal; for I
have done all that I can, and made them at accord. Accord, said Sir
Launcelot, fie upon that accord, for ye shall hear that he shall slay
Sir Tristram, or put him in a prison, for he is the most coward and the
villainest king and knight that is now living. And therewith Sir
Launcelot departed, and came to king Mark, and said to him thus: Sir
king, wit thou well, the good knight Sir Tristram shall go with thee.
Beware, I counsel thee, of treason; for and thou mischieve that knight,
by any manner of falsehood or treason, by the faith I owe to God and to
the order of knighthood, I shall slay thee with mine own hands. Sir
Launcelot, said the king, over much have ye said to me; and I have
sworn and said over largely afore king Arthur, in hearing of all his
knights, that I shall not slay nor betray him. It were to me overmuch
shame to break my promise. Ye say well, said Sir Launcelot, but ye are
called so false and full of treason that no man may believe you.
Forsooth, it is known well wherefore ye came into this country, and for
none other cause but for to slay Sir Tristram. So with great dole king
Mark and Sir Tristram rode together; for it was by Sir Tristram’s will
and his means to go with king Mark, and all was for the intent to see
La Beale Isoud; for without the sight of her Sir Tristram might not
endure.
CHAP. XXIII.
_How Sir Percivale was made knight of king Arthur, and how a dumb maid
spake, and brought him to the Round Table._
Now turn we again unto Sir Lamorak, and speak we of his brethren. Sir
Tor, which was king Pellinore’s first son; and Sir Aglavale was his
next son; Sir Lamorak, Dornar, Percivale, these were his sons too. So
when king Mark and Sir Tristram were departed from the court, there was
made great dole and sorrow for the departing of Sir Tristram. Then the
king and his knights made no manner of joys eight days after. And at
the eight days’ end, there came to the court a knight, with a young
squire with him; and when this knight was unarmed, he went to the king,
and required him to make the young squire a knight. Of what lineage is
he come? said king Arthur. Sir, said the knight, he is the son of king
Pellinore, that did you sometime good service, and he is brother unto
Lamorak de Galis the good knight. Well, said the king, for what cause
desire ye that of me, that I should make him knight? Wit you well, my
lord the king, that this young squire is brother to me, as well as to
Sir Lamorak, and my name is Aglavale. Sir Aglavale, said Arthur, for
the love of Sir Lamorak, and for his father’s love, he shall be made
knight to-morrow. Now tell me, said Arthur, what is his name? Sir, said
the knight, his name is Percivale de Galis.
So on the morn the king made him knight in Camelot. But the king and
all the knights thought it would be long or that he proved a good
knight. Then at the dinner when the king was set at the table, and
every knight after he was of prowess, the king commanded him to be set
among mean knights; and so was Sir Percivale set as the king commanded.
Then was there a maiden in the queen’s court that was come of high
blood; and she was dumb, and never spake word. Right so she came
straight into the hall, and went unto Sir Percivale, and took him by
the hand, and said aloud, that the king and all the knights might hear
it, Arise, Sir Percivale the noble knight and God’s knight, and go with
me; and so he did. And there she brought him to the right side of the
siege-perilous, and said, Fair knight, take here thy siege, for that
siege appertaineth to thee, and to none other. Right so she departed
and asked a priest. And as she was confessed and houselled; then she
died. Then the king and all the court made great joy of Sir Percivale.
CHAP. XXIV.
_How Sir Lamorak visited king Lot’s wife, and how Sir Gaheris slew her
which was his own mother._
Now turn we unto Sir Lamorak, that much was there praised. Then, by the
mean of Sir Gawaine and his brethren, they sent for their mother there
besides fast by a castle beside Camelot; and all was to that intent to
slay Sir Lamorak. The queen of Orkney was there but a while, but Sir
Lamorak wist of her being, and was full fain; and for to make an end of
this matter he sent unto her, and there betwixt them was a time
assigned that Sir Lamorak should come to her. Thereof was ware Sir
Gaheris, and there he rode afore, the same time, and waited upon Sir
Lamorak. And then he saw where he came all armed; and where Sir Lamorak
alight, he tied his horse to a privy postern, and so he went into a
parlour and unarmed him; and then he went unto the queen, and she made
of him passing great joy, and he of her again, for either loved other
passing sore. So when the knight, Sir Gaheris, saw his time, he came
unto them, all armed, with his sword naked, and suddenly gat his mother
by the hair, and strake off her head. When Sir Lamorak saw the blood
dash upon him all hot, the which he loved passing well, wit you well he
was sore abashed and dismayed of that dolorous knight. And therewithal
Sir Lamorak leaped up as a knight dismayed, saying thus: Ah Sir
Gaheris, knight of the Table Round, foul and evil have ye done, and to
you great shame. Alas, why have ye slain your mother that bare you;
with more right ye should have slain me. The offence hast thou done,
said Gaheris, notwithstanding a man is born to offer his service, but
yet shouldest thou beware with whom thou meddlest, for thou hast put me
and my brethren to a shame, and thy father slew our father; and thou to
love our mother is too much shame for us to suffer. And as for thy
father king Pellinore, my brother Sir Gawaine and I slew him. Ye did
him the more wrong, said Sir Lamorak, for my father slew not your
father; it was Balan le Savage; and as yet my father’s death is not
revenged. Leave those words, said Gaheris, for and thou speak
feloniously I will slay thee, but because thou art unarmed I am ashamed
to slay thee. But wit thou well, in what place I may get thee I shall
slay thee; and now my mother is quit of thee; and therefore withdraw
thee and take thine armour, that thou were gone. Sir Lamorak saw there
was none other boot, but fast armed him, and took his horse, and rode
his way, making great sorrow. But for the shame and dolour he would not
ride to king Arthur’s court, but rode another way. But when it was
known that Gaheris had slain his mother, the king was passing wroth,
and commanded him to go out of his court. Wit ye well, Sir Gawaine was
wroth that Gaheris had slain his mother, and let Sir Lamorak escape.
And for this matter was the king passing wroth, and so was Sir
Launcelot, and many other knights. Sir, said Sir Launcelot, here is a
great mischief befallen by felony, and by forecast treason, that your
sister is thus shamefully slain. And I dare say that it was wrought by
treason, and I dare say ye shall lose that good knight Sir Lamorak, the
which is great pity. I wote well and am sure, and Sir Tristram wist it
he would never more come within your court, the which should grieve you
much more, and all your knights. God defend, said the noble king
Arthur, that I should lose Sir Lamorak or Sir Tristram, for then twain
of my chief knights of the Table Round were gone. Sir, said Sir
Launcelot, I am sure that ye shall lose Sir Lamorak, for Sir Gawaine
and his brethren will slay him by one mean or other, for they among
them have concluded and sworn to slay him and ever they may see their
time. That shall I let, said Arthur.
CHAP. XXV.
_How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred met with a knight fleeing, and how
they both were overthrown, and of Sir Dinadan._
Now leave we of Sir Lamorak, and speak of Sir Gawaine’s brethren, and
specially of Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred. As they rode on their
adventures, they met with a knight flying sore wounded, and they asked
him what tidings? Fair knights, said he, here cometh a knight after me
that will slay me. With that came Sir Dinadan, riding to them by
adventure, but he would promise them no help. But Sir Agravaine and Sir
Mordred promised him to rescue him. Therewithal came that knight
straight unto them. And anon he proffered to just. That saw Sir
Mordred, and rode to him; but he strake Sir Mordred over his horse
tail. That saw Sir Agravaine, and straight he rode toward that knight.
And right so as he served Mordred, so he served Agravaine, and said to
them, Sirs, wit ye well both, that I am Breuse Sance Pité, that hath
done this to you. And yet he rode over Agravaine five or six times.
When Dinadan saw this, he must needs just with him for shame. And so
Dinadan and he encountered together, that with pure strength Sir
Dinadan smote him over his horse tail. Then he took his horse and fled.
For he was on foot one of the valiantest knights in Arthur’s days, and
a great destroyer of all good knights. Then rode Sir Dinadan unto Sir
Mordred and unto Sir Agravaine. Sir knight, said they all, well have ye
done, and well have ye revenged us; wherefore we pray you tell us your
name. Fair sirs, ye ought to know my name, the which is called Sir
Dinadan. When they understood that it was Dinadan, they were more wroth
than they were before, for they hated him out of measure, because of
Sir Lamorak. For Dinadan had such a custom that he loved all good
knights that were valiant, and he hated all those that were destroyers
of good knights. And there were none that hated Dinadan but those that
ever were called murderers. Then spake the hurt knight that Breuse
Sance Pité had chased, his name was Dalan, and said, If thou be
Dinadan, thou slewest my father. It may well be so, said Dinadan, but
then it was in my defence, and at his request. By my head, said Dalan,
thou shalt die therefore. And therewith he dressed his spear and his
shield. And to make the shorter tale, Sir Dinadan smote him down off
his horse, that his neck was nigh broken. And in the same wise he smote
Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine. And after, in the quest of the
Sancgreal, cowardly and feloniously they slew Dinadan, the which was
great damage, for he was a great jester and a passing good knight. And
so Sir Dinadan rode to a castle that hight Beale-Valet, and there he
found Sir Palamides, that was not yet whole of the wound that Sir
Lamorak gave him. And there Dinadan told Palamides all the tidings that
he heard and saw of Sir Tristram, and how he was gone with king Mark,
and with him he hath all his will and desire. Therewith Sir Palamides
waxed wroth, for he loved La Beale Isoud, and then he wist well that
Sir Tristram should see her.
CHAP. XXVI.
_How king Arthur, the queen, and Launcelot received letters out of
Cornwall, and of the answer again._
Now leave we Sir Palamides and Sir Dinadan, in the Castle of
Beale-Valet, and turn we again unto king Arthur. There came a knight
out of Cornwall, his name was Fergus, a fellow of the Round Table, and
there he told the king and Sir Launcelot good tidings of Sir Tristram,
and there were brought goodly letters, and how he left him in the
Castle of Tintagil. Then came the damsel that brought goodly letters