The World of Camelot Page 13

  Then this knight went into Brittany again, and told Sir Tristram that he had been in Arthur’s court.

  ‘Heard you anything of me?’ asked Tristram.

  ‘God help me, I heard Sir Lancelot speak of your great shame, because you are a false knight to your lady. He bade me tell you that he will be your mortal enemy wherever he may meet you.’

  ‘I repent this,’ said Tristram, ‘for of all knights I loved to be in his fellowship most.’ And then Sir Tristram made a great moan and was ashamed.

  In the meantime, when La Beale Isoud heard of Tristram’s marriage she made a letter to Queen Guenevere and complained bitterly of Sir Tristram. Then the queen answered her, and told her to be of good cheer, for Sir Tristram was famed to be such a noble knight that many ladies, by crafts or sorcery, would strive to wed such a man.

  ‘But in the end,’ Queen Guenevere wrote to Isoud, ‘it shall be thus, that Sir Tristram shall hate her, and love you better than ever he did before.’

  Sir Tristram and the Unchristened Knight

  When La Beale Isoud understood that Sir Tristram was wedded in Brittany, she sent to him by her maid Bragwaine as piteous letters as could be thought. She begged Tristram, if it pleased him, that he would come to her court, and bring his wife with him, and they should be kept as well as she herself.

  Then Sir Tristram called unto him Sir Kehydius, the king’s son in Brittany, and asked if he would go with him secretly into Cornwall. They ordained a little vessel and therein they went, with Dame Bragwaine and Gouvernail. But in the sea a contrary wind blew them onto the coasts of north Wales, nigh the Castle Perilous. Sir Tristram and Kehydius took horses and departed into the wild ways. And there by a well they saw a likely knight sitting with heavy countenance, and a strong horse tied to an oak, and this knight was Sir Lamorak de Gales.

  Meanwhile there came Sir Palomides, the good knight, following the Questing Beast. This had in shape a head like a serpent, a body like a leopard, buttocks like a lion and feet like a hart. And it made a noise like thirty couple of hounds questing. This beast ever more Sir Palomides followed, for it was called his quest.

  The beast came by Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak, and as Palomides followed it he smote down both knights with one spear. And so he went on after the barking beast, wherefore these two knights were wonderful angry that Sir Palomides would not stop and fight afoot.

  For honourable men may understand that at sometime the worse knight will put the better knight to rebuke. The man was never formed that at all times might stand, but sometime he may be put to the worse by misfortune.

  Sir Tristram took up Kehydius and rode back to the coasts of Wales, determining in his mind that he would prove himself against Sir Palomides, whether he were the better knight. So they went into the ship and sailed unto Cornwall all wholly together. Then Dame Bragwaine went before to the court of King Mark and told the queen, La Beale Isoud, that Sir Tristram was nigh her in that country. When she heard this, Isoud swooned for pure joy. And when she might speak she said, ‘Help that I might talk with him, or my heart will burst.’

  Then Sir Dinas, the steward, brought Tristram and Kehydius privily unto a chamber that Isoud had assigned. And there no tongue can tell the joys betwixt Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud, nor heart think it, nor pen write it.

  But at the first time Sir Kehydius ever saw La Beale Isoud he was so enamoured upon her that he might never withdraw his love. Then privily he wrote her letters and ballads of the most goodly kind. And when Isoud read his letters she had pity of his complaint, and unadvised she wrote to comfort him.

  By command of Isoud, Sir Tristram was all this while in a turret, where she came to him when she might. Then, on a day, King Mark played at chess under a window where Tristram and Kehydius and Isoud were within the chamber. And it mishapped that Sir Tristram found the letters that had passed betwixt Kehydius and La Beale Isoud.

  ‘Alas, madam,’ lamented Tristram, ‘Now you are a traitress to me, which does me great pain. But as for you, Sir Kehydius, howbeit I wedded your sister of the White Hands for the goodness she did me, yet as I am true knight she is a clean maiden for me. But know well, for this treason you have done me, I will revenge it upon you.’

  Then Sir Tristram drew his sword and cried, ‘Sir Kehydius, save yourself’.

  At this, La Beale Isoud swooned. But Kehydius saw no other help but to leap out at the bay window, even over the head of King Mark playing at chess. When the king saw one come hurling over his head, he shouted, ‘Fellow, what are you that comes leaping from the window?’

  ‘My lord king,’ said Kehydius in haste, ‘it fortuned that I was asleep in the window above your head, and as I slept I dreamt, and as I dreamt I fell.’ And thus he excused himself.

  Then Sir Tristram dreaded lest he were discovered unto the king. He armed himself, and took his horse and spear, and knightly he rode forth from the castle of Tintagel. He made great sorrow, and for days and nights he would have neither meat nor drink. Then by fortune he came near a castle where he was formerly known.

  ‘Is he so nigh me?’ said the lady of the castle. ‘He shall have meat and drink of the best, and an harp I have whereupon he taught me, for of goodly harping he bears the prize in the world.’

  She brought him meat and drink but he ate little. Upon a night he put his horse from him, unlaced his armour, and would go into the wilderness, breaking down trees and boughs. Sometimes he would harp, and the two wept together, he and the harp. And when the lady lost him in the wood, she would play upon the harp and he would come creeping and listening. Thus he endured a quarter of a year, till at last he ran away. And then he was naked and waxed lean and poor of flesh. He fell into the fellowship of herdsmen and shepherds, and ate what they gave him. When he was wicked they would beat him with rods, and so they clipped him with shears and made him like a fool.

  Meanwhile a maiden went to Sir Palomides, the heathen knight, and told him all the mischief that Sir Tristram endured.

  ‘Alas, it is great pity,’ said Palomides, ‘that ever so noble a knight should be so mischieved for the love of a lady. I will seek him, and comfort him if I may.’

  So Sir Palomides rode into that country, and by adventure met with Sir Kehydius. Queen Isoud had commanded him out of the land of Cornwall, and he was departing with a dolorous heart. Then the two knights rode together, complaining one to the other of their hot love for La Beale Isoud.

  ‘Now let us seek Sir Tristram,’ said Palomides, ‘that loves her as well as we. Let us prove whether we may recover him.’

  They rode three days and nights into the forest without ever taking lodging, and they found not Sir Tristram. So Sir Palomides rode away into the realm of Logris, and Sir Kehydius went towards Brittany.

  Now it was noised abroad that Tristram was dead, and that his cousin Sir Andred should become lord of his lands in Liones. King Mark wept false tears when he heard this. But Queen Isoud made such sorrow at these tidings that she was nigh out of her mind and thought to slay herself.

  So she got a sword and pitched it through a plum tree up to the hilt so that it stuck fast, about breast high. Then she knelt and said, ‘Sweet Lord Jesu, have mercy upon me, for I may not live after the death of Sir Tristram. He was my first love and shall be the last.’

  She would have run upon the sword, but King Mark spied her and caught her in his arms and bore her away to a tower. And there he kept her, and watched her surely. After that, she lay long sick, nigh at the point of death.

  Then upon a day a knight came out of the forest bearing a giant’s head. When he came to the court of King Mark, the knight told the king that he had been rescued from the grim giant Tawleas by a naked man who had struck off the great head with one blow.

  ‘Well,’ said the king, ‘I will see this wild naked man.’

  So King Mark went with his knights and hunters and found lying by a well a fair man all naked, with a sword by him. They took and bound this naked Tristram and cast mantles upon him, and led hi
m safely unto Tintagel. There they bathed him and washed him, and gave him hot suppings till they had brought him to his remembrance. But none who saw him knew him as Sir Tristram, nor what man he was, so much was he changed.

  Thus it fell upon a day that Queen Isoud took Bragwaine and went to see this man brought naked from the forest. The man was in the garden, reposing himself against the sun. The queen looked on him but did not remember him surely. She said to Bragwaine, ‘It seems I should have seen him heretofore in many places.’ But Sir Tristram saw her and knew her well. He turned away his face and wept.

  The queen had a little dog that Sir Tristram gave her the first time she came into Cornwall. As soon as this dog smelt Tristram, it leapt upon him and licked his cheeks and ears. It whined and barked and sniffed his naked body all over. Then said Dame Bragwaine to La Beale Isoud, ‘Alas, my lady, I see by this dog that it is my own lord, Sir Tristram.’

  When Isoud might speak, she cried aloud, ‘My lord Tristram, blessed be God you have your life. But I fear King Mark, when he knows you, will banish you or else destroy you. For God’s sake, draw you unto the court of King Arthur, for there you are beloved. And ever as I may I shall send unto you, and early and late I will be at your commandment, to live as poor a life as ever did a queen.’

  ‘O madam,’ Sir Tristram groaned, ‘go from me, for much anger and danger have I escaped for your love.’

  Queen Isoud departed, but the little dog would not go from him. And thus King Mark came by that garden with some of his knights.

  ‘Sir,’ said Sir Andred to the king, ‘this is Sir Tristram. I see it by the dog.’

  ‘Nay, I cannot suppose that,’ said the king. ‘But you, sir knight, say what is your name, upon your faith.’

  ‘So God help me,’ said he, ‘my name is Sir Tristram de Liones. Now do by me what you wish.’

  ‘I repent of your recovery,’ muttered the king, and he turned away. Then he called his barons to judge Sir Tristram to death.

  But many barons would not assent thereto. So by their advice Sir Tristram was banished out of the country for ten years, and took his oath upon it. The barons, both friends and foes, took him to his ship which he entered in the fellowship of Sir Dinadan, a knight of Arthur’s court. And as they set upon the sea, Sir Tristram called to those on land. ‘Greet well,’ he called, ‘King Mark and all my enemies, and say them I will come again when I may.’ He spake thus, and forthwith he took to the sea.

  At their landing, as they rode upon adventures, there came to Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan a maiden seeking help for Sir Lancelot. By the treason of Queen Morgan le Fay, he was in danger from thirty knights that lay in wait for him.

  ‘Fair maid,’ said Tristram, ‘bring me to the place.’

  But Sir Dinadan protested, ‘What will you do? It is not for us to fight with thirty knights, and I will not do so. It is enough to match two, or maybe three.’

  ‘Fie, for shame,’ said Tristram. ‘Do but your part.’

  ‘Nay, I will not,’ replied Dinadan, ‘except you lend me your shield. You bear a shield of Cornwall, and cowardice is expected from knights of Cornwall.’

  ‘Not so, and I leave not my shield for her sake that gave it me. But one thing I promise you, Sir Dinadan. If you desert me I shall slay you. Knight, face but one enemy. And if your heart will not serve you, stand by and look upon the fight.’

  ‘Sir,’ said Dinadan, ‘I promise to look and do what I may to save myself. But I would rather I had not met with you.’

  Then Sir Tristram went at the traitorous knights, and he slew two with his spear and ten with his sword. At this Sir Dinadan also came in, and he did passing well, so that of the thirty knights but ten were left to flee away.

  As they rested and blew for their wind, Dinadan said to Tristram, ‘You fare like a madman that would cast himself away, and I curse the time that ever I saw you. In all the world there are no two knights as mad as Sir Lancelot and you. Once I fell in the fellowship of Sir Lancelot, as I have done now with you, and he set me a task that put me in bed for a quarter-year. Jesu defend me from two such knights.’ Then he took his horse and his harness and departed.

  Now, a great tournament was announced at the Castle of Maidens to which many knights came to win honour, both from Arthur’s court and from many other countries. And Sir Tristram went among these knights. He commanded his man Gouvernail to ordain him a black shield, all otherwise plain. And on the first day Sir Tristram did such acts that kings marvelled what knight this was with the black shield, though some knew him and held their peace. So that day King Arthur and all the judges gave the prize to the knight with the black shield, and on the next day also. But of a sudden Tristram turned aside into the forest, and no man perceived where he went. Then King Arthur blew the retreat unto lodgings. And in all the field was a noise that might be heard two miles hence, as lords and ladies cried, ‘The knight with the black shield has won the field’.

  But Dame Bragwaine rode after Sir Tristram and on the way found a knight making like a madman, waving his sword. The dame fled and when she came up with Tristram told him of her adventure. So Sir Tristram took horse and sword and went to the place, where he heard a knight complaining to himself.

  ‘I, woeful knight Palomides,’ cried the man, ‘what misadventure befalls me, that am defiled with falsehood. Why do I live so long?’

  He got his sword and made many strange signs and tokens such as heathens use. And, raging, he threw his sword into a fountain. Then he wailed and wrung his hands for pure sorrow, but bethought himself again and plunged into the fountain over his belly to seek after his sword. Then Sir Tristram ran forwards and held Sir Palomides fast in his arms.

  ‘What are you,’ cried Palomides, ‘that holds me so?’

  ‘I am a man of this forest that would do you no harm.’

  ‘Alas,’ Palomides went on, ‘I do this because I may never win honour where Sir Tristram is. Always he wins the prize above me. But if he be away, for the most part I have the prize, unless Sir Lancelot or Sir Lamorak be there. Once, in Ireland, Sir Tristram put me to the worse, and in Cornwall, and again in other paces.’

  ‘What would you do,’ asked Tristram, ‘if you had Sir Tristram?’

  ‘I would fight with him, and ease my heart upon him. Yet, to say truth, Sir Tristram is the gentlest knight in this world living.’

  Then Sir Tristram said him such kind words that Sir Palomides went with him to his lodging. But Palomides could not sleep for anguish, and in the dawn he took his horse privily and rode away.

  Upon the third morn, when more great deeds were done, Sir Palomides came hotfoot at Tristram of the black shield. They dashed together like thunder while kings, queens and lords beheld them. After long fighting Tristram smote Palomides three mighty strokes upon the helm, saying at every stroke, ‘Take this for Sir Tristram’s sake’. With that, Sir Palomides fell to the earth grovelling.

  Then Sir Tristram took up his black shield and did such work among the knights, even unto King Arthur, that he was like a lion till Sir Lancelot, on Arthur’s side, struck him and sore wounded him. Therewith Tristram departed from the field.

  But Sir Palomides, though Tristram was hurt and had departed, still sought him in a rage. In his madness, he fell into a river and nigh drowned. Kind folk rescued him and took him to the castle of Sir Darras, the good old knight, and to this castle Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan had also retired to rest. After a time Tristram was much amended of his wound, though he still looked not quite himself. Sir Palomides was not sure of his face, even though his mind played ever on Sir Tristram. Then he would say to Sir Dinadan, ‘If ever I may meet with that knight Tristram, he shall not escape my hand.’

  ‘I marvel,’ answered Dinadan, ‘that you boast behind Sir Tristram, for it is but late that he was in your hands, and you in his. Why did you not hold him when you had him? For I myself saw twice or thrice that you gained but little honour from meeting Sir Tristram.’ And then Sir Palomides was ashamed.

&nb
sp; Soon there came one to old Sir Darras and told him that three of his sons were slain at the tournament, and two others grievously hurt. And all this was done by the knight that bore the black shield.

  ‘Well, sir,’ said his steward, ‘one of the knights within our castle bears the black shield.’

  They searched the chambers and in Sir Tristram’s found his black shield. Then without tarrying Sir Darras put Tristram, Dinadan and Palomides within a strong prison, where Sir Tristram was like to have died of sickness. And every day Palomides reproved Tristram for the old hatred between them. Sir Tristram spoke fair and said little. But when Palomides saw the falling of sickness upon Tristram, he was heavy for him and comforted him in the best wise he could.

  For sickness is the greatest pain a prisoner may have. All the while he has the health of his body, he may endure under the mercy of God and in hope of good deliverance. But when sickness touches him he is bereft of all wealth, and then he has cause to wail and weep. Right so did Sir Tristram, for he took such sorrow that he had almost slain himself.

  After a time the maid that attended to the prisoners found Sir Dinadan weeping and Sir Palomides weeping. So she went unto Sir Darras and told him how the mighty knight of the black shield was likely to die.

  ‘God defend,’ said Darras, ‘that knights come to me for succour and I should suffer them to die. Therefore fetch that knight and his fellows.’

  Then old Sir Darras said to Tristram, ‘Sir knight, I repent of your sickness, for you are called a full-noble knight and so have proved yourself. It aggrieved me greatly that you slew three of my sons, but it shall never be said that I destroyed such a noble knight in prison. Your horses and harness have been kept fair and clean. Go, and your fellows with you. But tell me first your name.’

  ‘My name is Sir Tristram de Liones, of Cornwall born, and nephew unto King Mark. As to your sons, know that I might not have done otherwise had they been my own next kin. But if I had slain them by treachery, then had I been worthy to die.’