Le Morte Darthur
unto king Arthur and unto Sir Launcelot; and there she had passing good
cheer of the king and of the queen Guenever, and of Sir Launcelot. Then
they wrote goodly letters again. But Sir Launcelot had ever Sir
Tristram beware of king Mark; for ever he called him in his letters
king Fox, as who saith, He fareth all with wiles and treason: whereof
Sir Tristram in his heart thanked Sir Launcelot. Then the damsel went
unto La Beale Isoud, and bare her letter from the king and from Sir
Launcelot, whereof she was in passing great joy. Fair damsel, said La
Beale Isoud, how fareth my lord Arthur, and the queen Guenever, and the
noble knight, Sir Launcelot du Lake? She answered, and to make short
tale, Much the better that ye and Sir Tristram be in joy. Truly, said
La Beale Isoud, Sir Tristram suffereth great pain for me, and I for
him. So the damsel departed, and brought letters to king Mark. And when
he had read them, and understood them, he was wroth with Sir Tristram,
for he deemed that he had sent the damsel unto king Arthur; for Arthur
and Launcelot in a manner threatened king Mark. And as king Mark read
these letters he deemed treason by Sir Tristram. Damsel, said king
Mark, will ye ride again, and bear letters from me unto king Arthur?
Sir, she said, I will be at your commandment to ride when ye will. Ye
say well, said the king; come again, said the king, to-morn, and fetch
your letters. Then she departed, and told them how she should ride
again with letters unto Arthur. Then, we pray you, said La Beale Isoud
and Sir Tristram, that when ye have received your letters, that ye
would come by us, that we may see the privity of your letters. All that
I may do, madam, ye wot well I must do for Sir Tristram, for I have
been long his own maiden. So on the morn the damsel went to king Mark,
to have had his letters, and to depart. I am not advised, said king
Mark, at this time to send my letters. Then privily and secretly he
sent letters unto king Arthur, and unto queen Guenever, and unto Sir
Launcelot. So the varlet departed, and found the king and queen in
Wales, at Carlion. And as the king and the queen were at mass the
varlet came with the letters; and when mass was done the king and the
queen opened the letters privily by themselves. And the beginning of
the king’s letters spake wonderly short unto king Arthur, and bade him
intermeddle with himself, and with his wife, and of his knights, for he
was able enough to rule and keep his wife.
CHAP. XXVII.
_How Sir Launcelot was wroth with the letter that he received from king
Mark, and of Dinadan which made a lay of king Mark._
When king Arthur understood the letter he mused of many things, and
thought on his sister’s words, queen Morgan le Fay, that she had said
betwixt queen Guenever and Sir Launcelot. And in this thought he
studied a great while. Then he bethought him again how his sister was
his own enemy, and that she hated the queen and Sir Launcelot, and so
he put all that out of his thought. Then king Arthur read the letter
again, and the latter clause said that king Mark took Sir Tristram for
his mortal enemy, wherefore he put Arthur out of doubt he would be
revenged of Sir Tristram. Then was king Arthur wroth with king Mark.
And when queen Guenever read her letter, and understood it, she was
wroth out of measure, for the letter spake shame by her, and by Sir
Launcelot. And so privily she sent the letter unto Sir Launcelot. And
when he wist the intent of the letter, he was so wroth that he laid him
down on his bed to sleep, whereof Sir Dinadan was ware, for it was his
manner to be privy with all good knights. And as Sir Launcelot slept he
stole the letter out of his hand, and read it word by word; and then he
made great sorrow for anger. And so Sir Launcelot awaked, and went to a
window, and read the letter again, the which made him angry. Sir, said
Dinadan, wherefore be ye angry? discover your heart to me. For sooth ye
wot well I owe you good will, howbeit I am a poor knight, and a
servitor unto you and to all good knights. For though I be not of
worship myself, yet I love all those that be of worship. It is truth,
said Sir Launcelot, ye are a trusty knight, and for great trust I will
shew you my counsel. And when Dinadan understood all, he said, This is
my counsel: set you right nought by these threats, for king Mark is so
villainous that by fair speech shall never man get of him. But ye shall
see what I shall do. I will make a lay for him, and when it is made I
shall make an harper to sing it afore him. So anon he went and made it,
and taught it an harper that hight Eliot, and when he knew it, he
taught it to many harpers. And so by the will of Sir Launcelot, and of
Arthur, the harpers went straight into Wales and into Cornwall, to sing
the lay that Sir Dinadan made by king Mark, which was the worst lay
that ever harper sang with harp or with any other instruments.
CHAP. XXVIII.
_How Sir Tristram was hurt, and of a war made to king Mark; and of Sir
Tristram, how he promised to rescue him._
Now turn we again unto Sir Tristram and to king Mark. As Sir Tristram
was at justs and at tournament it fortuned he was sore hurt, both with
a spear and with a sword. But yet he wan always the degree. And for to
repose him he went to a good knight that dwelled in Cornwall in a
castle, whose name was Sir Dinas the seneschal. Then by misfortune
there came out of Sessoin a great number of men of arms, and an hideous
host; and they entered nigh the castle of Tintagil; and their captain’s
name was Elias, a good man of arms. When king Mark understood his
enemies were entered into his land, he made great dole and sorrow, for
in no wise by his will king Mark would not send for Sir Tristram, for
he hated him deadly. So when his council was come, they devised and
cast many perils of the strength of their enemies; and then they
concluded all at once, and said thus unto king Mark, Sir, wit ye well
ye must send for Sir Tristram the good knight, or else they will never
be overcome. For by Sir Tristram they must be fought withal, or else we
row against the stream. Well, said king Mark, I will do by your
counsel. But yet he was full loth thereto, but need constrained him to
send for him. Then was he sent for in all haste that might be, that he
should come to king Mark. When Sir Tristram understood that the king
had sent for him, he mounted upon a soft ambler and rode to king Mark.
And when he was come, the king said thus: Fair nephew Sir Tristram,
this is all: here be come our enemies of Sessoin, that are here nigh
hand; and without tarrying they must be met with shortly, or else they
will destroy this country. Sir, said Sir Tristram, wit ye well, all my
power is at your commandment; and wit ye well Sir, these eight days may
I bear none arms, for my wounds be not yet whole. And by that day I
shall do what I may. Ye say well, said king Mark: then go ye again, and
repose you, and make you fresh; and I shall go and meet the Sessoins
with all my power. So the king departed unto Tintagil, and Sir Tristram
went to repose him. And the king made a great host, and departed them
in three. The first part led Sir Dinas the seneschal, and Sir Andred
led the second part, and Sir Arguis led the third part, and he was of
the blood of king Mark. And the Sessoins had three great battles, and
many good men of arms. And so king Mark, by the advice of his knights,
issued out of the castle of Tintagil upon his enemies. And Dinas the
good knight rode out afore, and slew two knights with his own hands;
and then began the battles. And there was marvellous breaking of
spears, and smiting of swords, and slew down many good knights, and
ever was Sir Dinas the seneschal the best of king Mark’s part. And thus
the battle endured long with great mortality. But at the last king Mark
and Sir Dinas, were they never so loth, they withdrew them to the
castle of Tintagil, with great slaughter of people, and the Sessoins
followed on fast, that ten of them were put within the gates, and four
slain with the portcullis. Then king Mark sent for Sir Tristram by a
varlet, that told him all the mortality. Then he sent the varlet again,
and bade him, Tell king Mark that I will come as soon as I am whole,
for erst I may do him no good. Then king Mark had his answer. Therewith
came Elias, and bade the king yield up the castle, for ye may not hold
it no while. Sir Elias, said the king, so will I yield up the castle,
if I be not soon rescued. Anon king Mark sent again for rescue to Sir
Tristram. By then Sir Tristram was whole, and he had gotten him ten
good knights of Arthur’s, and with them he rode unto Tintagil. And when
he saw the great host of Sessoins he marvelled wonder greatly. And then
Sir Tristram rode by the woods and by the ditches as secretly as he
might, till he came nigh the gates. And there dressed a knight to him,
when he saw that Sir Tristram would enter; and Sir Tristram smote him
down dead. And so he served three more. And every each of these ten
knights slew a man of arms. So Sir Tristram entered into the castle of
Tintagil. And when king Mark wist that Sir Tristram was come, he was
glad of his coming, and so was all the fellowship, and of him they made
great joy.
CHAP. XXIX.
_How Sir Tristram overcame the battle, and how Elias desired a man to
fight body for body._
So on the morn, Elias the captain came and bade king Mark come out and
do battle. For now the good knight Sir Tristram is entered, it will be
a shame to thee, said Elias, for to keep thy walls. When king Mark
understood this, he was wroth, and said no word, but went unto Sir
Tristram and asked him his counsel. Sir, said Sir Tristram, will ye
that I give him his answer? I will well, said king Mark. Then Sir
Tristram said thus to the messager, Bear thy lord word from the king
and me, that we will do battle with him to-morn in the plain field.
What is your name? said the messager. Wit thou well my name is Sir
Tristram de Liones. Therewithal the messager departed, and told his
lord Elias all that he had heard. Sir, said Sir Tristram unto king
Mark, I pray you give me leave to have the rule of the battle. I pray
you take the rule, said king Mark. Then Sir Tristram let devise the
battle in what manner that it should be. He let depart his host in six
parts, and ordained Sir Dinas the seneschal to have the fore ward, and
other knights to rule the remnant: and the same night Sir Tristram
burnt all the Sessoins’ ships unto the cold water. Anon as Elias wist
that, he said, It was of Sir Tristram’s doing, for he casteth that we
shall never escape, mother’s son of us; therefore, fair fellows, fight
freely to-morrow, and miscomfort you nought for any knight, though he
be the best knight in the world: he may not have ado with us all. Then
they ordained their battles in four parts, wonderly well apparelled and
garnished with men of arms. Thus they within issued, and they without
set freely upon them; and there Sir Dinas did great deeds of arms. Not
for then Sir Dinas and his fellowship were put to the worse. With that
came Sir Tristram, and slew two knights with one spear. Then he slew on
the right hand and on the left hand, that men marvelled that ever he
might do such deeds of arms. And then he might see sometime the battle
was driven a bow draught from the castle, and sometime it was at the
gates of the castle. Then came Elias the captain rashing here and
there, and hit king Mark so sore upon the helm that he made him to
avoid the saddle; and then Sir Dinas gat king Mark again to horseback.
Therewithal came in Sir Tristram like a lion, and there he met with
Elias, and he smote him so sore upon the helm that he avoided his