‘So God me helpe,’ seyde the kynge, ‘this was a shamefull custom.’’Truly,’ seyde sir Galahalt, ‘so semyth me. And mesemyth hit had bene grete pyté that this knyght sholde have bene slayne, for I dare sey he is one of the noblyst knyghtes that beryth lyff but yf hit be sir Launcelot du Lake.’
‘Now, fayre knyght,’ seyde sir Galahalte, ‘I requyre you, telle me youre name and of whens ye ar and whethir thou wolte.’
‘Sir,’ he seyde, ‘my name is sir Trystrames de Lyones, and frome kynge Marke of Cornwayle I was sente on messayge unto kyng Angwyshe of Irelonde for to fecche his doughtyr to be his wyff, and here she is redy to go wyth me into Cornwayle, and her name is La Beale Isode.’
Than seyde sir Galahalte unto sir Trystramys, ‘Well be ye founde in this march is! And so ye woll promyse me to go unto sir Launcelot and accompany wyth hym, ye shall go where ye woll and youre fayre lady wyth you. And I shall promyse you never in all my dayes shall none suche custom be used in this castell as hath bene used heretofore.’
‘Sir,’ seyde sir Trystrames, now I late you wete, so God me helpe, I wente ye had bene sir Launcelot du Lake whan I sawe you fyrste, and therefore I dred you the more. And, sir, I promyse you,’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘as sone as I may I woll se sir Launcelot and infelyshyp me with hym, for of all the knyghtes in the worlde I moste desyre his felyshyp.’
And than sir Trystramys toke his leve whan he sawe his tyme, and [28] toke the see.
And meanewhyle worde com to sir Launcelot and to sir Trystramys that kynge Carados, the myghty kynge that was made lyke a gyaunte whyght, fought wyth sir Gawayne and gaff hym suche strokys that he sowned in his sadyll. And after that he toke hym by the coler and pulled hym oute of his sadyll and bounde hym faste to the sadyll-bowghe, and so rode his way with hym towarde his castell. And as he rode, sir Launcelot by fortune mette with kynge Carados, and anone he knew sir Gawayne that lay bounde before hym.
‘A!’ seyde syr Launcelot unto sir Gawayne, ‘how stondyth hit wyth you?’
‘Never so harde,’ seyde sir Gawayne, ‘onles that ye helpe me. For, so God me helpe, withoute ye rescow me I know no knyght that may but you other sir Trystrames,’ wherefor sir Launcelot was hevy at sir Gawaynes wordys. And than sir Launcelot bade sir Carados, ‘Ley downe that knyght and fyght with me!’
‘Thow arte but a foole,’ seyde sir Carados, ‘for I woll serve the in the same wyse.’
‘As for that,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘spare me nat, for I warne the, I woll nat spare the.’
And than he bounde hym hand and foote and so threw hym to the grounde, and than he gate his speare in his honde of his squyre and departed frome sir Launcelot to fecche his course. And so ayther mette with other and brake their speares to theire hondys. And than they pulled oute their swerdys and hurled togydyrs on horsebacke more than an owre. And at the laste sir Launcelot smote sir Carados suche a buffet on the helme that hit perysshed his braynepanne. So than syr Launcelot toke sir Carados by the coler and pulled hym undir his horse fete, and than he alyght and pulled of his helme and strake offe his hede. Than sir Launcelot unbownde sir Gawayne.
So this same tale was tolde to sir Galahalte and to syr Trystrames, and sayde, ‘Now may ye hyre the nobles that folowyth sir Launcelot.’
‘Alas!’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘and I had nat this messayge in hande with this fayre lady, truly I wolde never stynte or I had founde sir Launcelot.’
Than syr Trystrames and La Beale Isode yeode to the see and cam into Cornwayle, and anone all the barownes mette with hym. And anone they were rychely wedded wyth grete nobley. But evir, as the Frenshe booke seyth, sir Trystrames and La Beale Isode loved ever togedyrs.
Than was there grete joustys and grete turnayynge, and many lordys and ladyes were at that feyste, and sir Trystrames was moste praysed of all other. So thus dured the feste longe.
And aftir that feste was done, within a lytyll whyle aftir, by the assente of two ladyes that were with the quene they ordayned for hate and envye for to dis troy dame Brangwayne that was mayden and lady unto La Beale Isode. And she was sente into the foreste for to fecche herbys, and there was she mette and bounde honnde and foote to a tre, and so she was bounden three dayes. And by fortune sir Palomydes founde dame Brangwayne, and there he delyverde hir from the deth and brought hir to a nunry there besyde for to be recoverde.
Whan Isode the quene myssed hir mayden, wete you well she was ryght hevy as evir any quene myght be, for of all erthely women she loved hir beste and moste, cause why she cam with her oute of her contrey. And so uppon a day quene Isode walked into the foreste and put away hir thoughtes, and there she wente hirselff unto a welle and made grete moone. And suddeynly there cam sir Palomydes unto her, and herde all hir complaynte and seyde, ‘Madame Isode, and ye wolde graunte me my boone I shall brynge agayne to you dame Brangwayne sauff and sounde.’
Than the quene was so glad of his profyr that suddaynly unavysed she graunte all his askynge.
‘Well, madame,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I truste to youre promyse, and yf ye woll abyde halff an owre here I shall brynge hir to you.’
‘Sir, I shall abyde you,’ seyde the quene.
Than sir Palomydes rode forth his way to that nunry, and lyghtly he cam agayne with dame Brangwayne; but by hir good wylle she wolde nat have comyn to the quene, for cause she stoode in adventure of hir lyff. Natwythstondynge, halff agayne hir wyll, she cam wyth sir Palomydes unto the quene, and whan the quene sawe her she was passyng glad.
‘Now, madame,’ seyde sir Palomydes, remembir uppon your promyse, for I have fulfylled my promyse.’
‘Sir Palomydes,’ seyde the quene, ‘I wote nat what is your desyre, but I woll that ye wete, howbehit that I profyrde you largely, I thought none evyll, nother, I warne you, none evyll woll I do.’
‘Madame,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘as at this tyme ye shall nat know my desyre.’
‘But byfore my lorde, myne husbande, there shall ye know that ye shall have your desyre that I promysed you.’
And than the quene rode home unto the kynge, and sir Palomydes rode with hir, and whan sir Palomydes com before the kynge he seyde, ‘Sir kynge, I requyre the, as thou arte ryghtuous kynge, that ye woll juge me the ryght.’
‘Telle me your cause,’ seyde the kynge, ‘and ye shall have ryght.’
‘Sir,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I promysed youre quene, my lady dame [30] Isode, to brynge agayne dame Brangwayne that she had loste, uppon this covenaunte, that she sholde graunte me a boone that I wolde aske, and withoute grucchynge othir advysemente she graunted me.”What sey ye, my lady?’ seyde the kynge.
‘Hit is as he seyth, so God me helpe! To sey the soth,’ seyde the quene, ‘I promysed hym his askynge for love and joy I had to se her.”Welle, madame,’ seyde the kynge, ‘and yf ye were hasty to graunte what boone he wolde aske, I wolde well that ye perfourmed your promyse.’
Than seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I woll that ye wete that I woll have youre quene to lede hir and to governe her whereas me lyste.’
There wyth the kynge stoode stylle and unbethought hym of sir Trystrames and demed that he wolde rescowe her. And than hastely the kynge answered and seyde, ‘Take hir to the and the adventures withall that woll falle of hit, for, as I suppose, thou wolt nat enjoy her no whyle.’
‘As for that,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I dare ryght well abyde the adventure.’
And so, to make shorte tale, sir Palomydes toke hir by the honde and seyde, ‘Madame, grucche nat to go with me, for I desyre nothynge but youre owne promyse.’
‘As for that,’ seyde the quene, ‘wete thou well, I feare nat gretely to go with the, howbehit thou haste me at avauntage uppon my promyse. For I doute nat I shall be worshypfully rescowed fro the.”As for that,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘be as hit be may.’
So quene Isode was sette behynde sir Palomydes and rode his way. And anone the kynge sente unto sir Trystrames, but in no wyse he wolde nat be founde, for he was in the foreste an-huntynge; for that was allwayes hys custom, but yf he used
armes, to chace and to hunte in the forestes.
‘Alas!’ seyde the kynge, ‘now am I shamed forever, that be myne owne assente my lady and my quene shall be devoured.’
Than cam there forth a knyght that hyght Lambegus, and he was a knyght of sir Trystrames.
‘My lorde,’ seyde the knyght, ‘syth that ye have suche truste in my lorde sir Trystrames, wete yow well for his sake I woll ryde aftir your quene and rescow her, other ellys shall I be beatyn.’
‘Grauntemercy!’ seyde the kynge. ‘And I lyve, sir Lambegus, I shall deserve hit.’
And than sir Lambegus armed hym and rode aftir them as faste as he myght, and than wythin a whyle he overtoke hem. And than sir Palomydes lefte the quene and seyde, ‘What arte thou?’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘arte thou sir Trystrames?’
‘Nay,’ he seyde, ‘I am his servaunte, and my name is sir Lambegus.”That me repentys,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I had lever thou had bene sir Trystrames.’
‘I leve you well,’ seyde sir Lambegus, ‘but whan thou metyste with sir Trystrames thou shalt have bothe thy hondys full!’
And than they hurteled togydyrs and all to-braste their sperys, and than they pulled oute their swerdys and hewed on there helmys and hawbirkes. At the laste sir Palomydes gaff sir Lambegus suche a wounde that he felle doune lyke a dede man to the erthe. Than he loked aftir La Beale Isode, and than she was gone he woste nat where. Wete you well that sir Palomydes was never so hevy!
So the quene ran into the foreste, and there she founde a welle and therein she had thought to have drowned herselff. And as good fortune wolde, there cam a knyght to her that had a castell there besyde, and his name was sir Adtherpe. And whan he founde the quene in that myscheff he rescowed her and brought hir to his castell. And whan he wyste what he was he armed hym and toke his horse, and seyde he wolde be avenged uppon sir Palomydes.
And so he rode unto the tyme he mette with hym, and there sir Palomydes wounded hym sore. And by force he made hym to telle the cause why he dud batayle wyth hym, and he tolde hym how he ladde the quene La Beale Isode into hys owne castel.
‘Now brynge me there,’ seyde sir Palamydes, ‘or thou shalt of myne handis die!’
‘Sir,’ seyde sir Adtherpe, ‘I am so sore wounded I may nat folow, but ryde you this way and hit shall bryng you to my castell, and therein is the quene.’
Sir Palomydes rode tyll that he cam to the castell. And at a wyndow La Beale Isode saw sir Palomydes, than she made the yatys to be shutte strongely. And whan he sawe he myght nat entir into the castell he put of his horse brydyll and his sadyll, and so put his horse to pasture and sette hymselff downe at the gate, lyke a man that was oute of his wytt that recked nat of hymselff.
Now turne we unto sir Trystrames, that whan he was com home [31] and wyste that La Beale Isode was gone with sir Palomydes, wete you well he was wrothe oute of mesure.
‘Alas!’ seyde sir Trystrames,’I am this day shamed!’ Than he called Gavernayle, his man, and seyde, ‘Haste the that I were armed and on horsebacke, for well I wote sir Lambegus hath no myght nor strength to wythstonde sir Palomydes. Alas I had nat bene in his stede!’
So anone he was armed and horsed and rode aftir into the foreyste, and within a whyle he founde his knyght sir Lambegus allmoste to deth wounded. And sir Trystrames bare hym to a foster and charged hym to kepe hym welle.
And than he rode forth and founde sir Adtherpe sore wounded; and he tolde all, and how the quene had drowned herselff ‘had nat I bene, and how for her sake I toke uppon me to do batayle with sir Palomydes.’
‘Where is my lady?’ seyde sir Trystrames.
‘Sir,’ seyde the knyght, ‘she is sure inowe wythin my castell, and she can holde her within hit.’
‘Grauntemercy,’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘of thy grete goodnesse.’ And so he rode tyll that he cam nyghe his castell. And than sir Palomydes sate at the gate and sawe where sir Trystrames cam, and he sate as he had slepe, and his horse pastured afore hym.
‘Now go thou, Governayle,’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘and bydde hym awake and make hym redy.’
So Governayle rode unto hym and seyde, ‘Sir Palomydes! aryse and take to thyne harneys!’
But he was in suche a study he herde nat what he seyde. So Governayle com agayne to sir Trystrames and tolde hym he slepe ellys he was madde.
‘Go thou agayne,’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘and bydde hym aryse, and telle hym I am here, his mortal foo.’
So Governayle rode agayne, and putte uppon hym with the but of his spere and seyde, ‘Sir Palomydes, make the redy, for wete thou welle sir Trystrames hovyth yondir and sendyth the worde he is thy mortall foo.’
And therewithall sir Palomydes arose stylly withoute ony wordys, and gate hys horse anone and sadylled hym and brydylled hym; and lyghtly he lepe uppon hym and gate his spere in his honde. And aythir feautred their spearys and hurled faste togedyrs, and anone sir Trystrames smote downe sir Palomydes over his horse tayle. Than lyghtly sir Palomydes put his shylde before hym and drew his swerde.
And there began stronge batayle on bothe partyes, for bothe they fought for the love of one lady. And ever she lay on the wallys and behylde them how they fought oute of mesure. And aythir were wounded passynge sore, but sir Palomydes was muche sorer wounded; for they fought thus trasynge and traversynge more than two owres, that well nyghe for doole and sorow La Beale Isode sowned, and seyde, ‘Alas! that one I loved and yet do, and the other I love nat, that they sholde fyght! And yett hit were grete pyté that I sholde se sir Palomydes slayne, for well I know by that the ende be done sir Palomydes is but a dede man, bycause that he is nat crystened, and I wolde be loth that he sholde dye a Sarezen.’ And therewithall she cam downe and besought hem for her love to fyght no more.
‘A, madame’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘what meane you? Woll ye have me shamed? For well ye know that I woll be ruled by you.’
A, myne awne lorde,’ seyde La Beale Isode, ‘full well ye wote I wolde nat your dyshonour, but I wolde that ye wolde for my sake spare this unhappy Sarezen, sir Palomydes.’
‘Madame,’ seyde sir Trystrames, ‘I woll leve for youre sake.’
Than seyde she to sir Palomydes, ‘This shall be thy charge: thou shalt go oute of this contrey whyle I am rtherinV
‘Madame, I woll obey your commaundemente,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘whyche is sore ayenste my wylle.’
‘Than take thy way,’ seyde La Beale Isode, ‘unto the courte of kynge Arthure, and there recommaunde me unto quene Gwenyvere and tell her that I sende her worde that there be within this londe but four lovers, and that is sir Launcelot and dame Gwenyver, and sir Trystrames and quene Isode.’
And so sir Palomydes departed with grete hevynesse, and sir Trystrames toke the quene and brought her agayne unto kynge Marke. And than was there made grete joy of hir home-commynge. Than who was cheryshed but sir Trystrames!
Than sir Trystrames latte fecche home sir Lambegus, his knyght, frome the forsters house; and hit was longe or he was hole, but so at the laste he recovered. And thus they lyved with joy and play a longe whyle. But ever sir Andret, that was nye cosyn unto sir Trystrams, lay in a wayte betwyxte sir Trystrames and La Beale Isode for to take hym and devoure hym.
So uppon a day sir Trystrames talked with La Beale Isode in a wyndowe, and that aspyed sir Andred and tolde the kynge. Than kyng Marke toke a swerde in his honde and cam to sir Trystrames and called hym ‘false traytowre’, and wolde have stryken hym, but sir Trystrames was nyghe hym and ran undir his swerde and toke hit oute of his honde. And than the kynge cryed:
‘Where ar my knyghtes and my men? I charge you, sle this traytowre!’
But at that tyme there was nat one that wolde meve for his wordys.
Whan sir Trystrames sawe there was none that wolde be ayenste hym he shoke hys swerde to the kynge and made countenaunce as he wolde have strykyn hym. And than kynge Marke fledde, and sir Trystrames folowed hym and smote hym fyve or six strokys flatlynge in the necke, that he made hym falle on the nose.
And
than sir Trystrames yode his way and armed hym and toke his horse and his men, and so he rode into the foreste. And there uppon a day sir Trystrames mette with two bretherne that were wyth kynge Marke knyghtes, and there he strake of the hede of the tone brother and wounded that other to the deth, and he made hym to bere the hede in his helme. And thirty me he there wounded. And whan that knyght com before the kynge to say hys message he dyed there before the kynge and the quene. Than kyng Marke called his counceyle unto hym and asked avyce of his barownes, what were beste to do with sir Trystrames.
‘Sir,’ seyde the barowns, and in especiall sir Dynas the Senesciall, ‘we woll gyff you counceyle for to sende for sir Trystrames, for we woll that ye wete many men woll holde with sir Trystrames and he were harde bestadde. And, sir,’ seyde sir Dynas the Senesciall, ‘ye shall undirstonde that sir Trystrames ys called peereless and makeles of ony Crystyn knyght, and of his myght and hardynes we know none so good a knyght but yf hit be sir Launcelot du Lake. And yff he departe frome your courte and go to kyng Arthurs courte, wete you well he woll so frende hym there that he woll nat sette by your malyce. And therefore, sir, I counceyle you to take hym to your grace.’
‘I woll well,’ seyde the kynge, ‘that he be sent fore, that we may be frendys.’
Than the barounes sente for sir Trystrames undir theire conduyte, and so whan sir Trystrames com to the kynge he was wellcom, and no rehersall was made, and than there was game and play.
And than the kynge and the quene wente an-huntynge, and sir [33] Trystrames. So the kynge and the quene made their pavylons and their tentes in the foreste besyde a ryver, and there was dayly justyng and huntyng, for there was ever redy thirty knyghtes to juste unto all that cam at that tyme. And there by fortune com sir Lamorak de Galis and sir Dryaunte. And sir Dryaunte justed well, but at the laste he had a falle. Than sir Lamorak profyrde, and whan he began he fared so wyth the thirty knyghtes that there was nat one off them but he gaff a falle, and som of them were sore hurte.
Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory Page 37
