Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  ‘Well,’ seyde sir Bryaunte, sytthyn that I am requyred to juste, I woll do what I may.’

  And there sir Launcelot smote downe sir Bryaunte frome hys horse a grete falle. And than sir Trystram mervayled what knyght he was that bar the shylde of Cornwayle.

  ‘Sir, whatsoever he be,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘I warraunte he ys of king Bannys blode, whych bene knyghtes of the nobelyst proues in the worlde, for to accompte so many for so many.’

  Than there cam in two knyghtes of North Galys, that one hyght sir Hew de la Mountayne, and the other sir Madok de la Mountayne, and they chalenged sir Launcelot footehote, sir Launcelot not refusynge hem, but made hym redy, and with one grete speare he smote downe bothe over their horse taylis, and so sir Launcelot rode hys way.

  ‘By the good Lorde,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘he ys a good knyght that beryth the shylde of Cornwayle, and mesemyth he rydith on the beste maner that ever I saw knyght ryde.’

  Than the kynge of North Galis rode unto sir Palomydes and prayed him hartely for hys sake ‘to juste with that knyght that hath done us of North Galis dispite.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I am full lothe to have ado with that knyght, and cause why as to-morne the grete turnemente shall be. And therefore I wolde kepe myselff freyssh be my wyll.’

  ‘Nay,’ seyde the kynge of North Galis, ‘I pray you, requyre hym of justis.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I woll juste at youre requeste, and requyre that knyght to juste with me. And oftyn I have seyne a man at hys owne requeste have a grete falle.’

  Than sir Palomydes sente unto sir Launcelot a squyre and requyred hym to juste, ‘Fayre felow,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘tell me thy lordis name.’

  ‘Sir, my lordys name ys sir Palomydes, the good knyght.’

  ‘In good owre,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘for there ys no knyght I saw thys seven yere that I had levir have ado withall.’

  And so ayther knyghtes made them redy with two grete spearys.

  ‘Nay,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘ye shall se that sir Palomydes woll quyte hym ryght well.’

  ‘Hyt may be so,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘but I undirtake that knyght with the shylde of Cornwayle shall gyff hym a falle.’

  ‘I beleve hit nat,’ seyde sir Dynadan.

  Ryght so they spurred their horsis and feautred their spearys, and aythir smote other. And sir Palomydes brake a speare uppon sir Launcelot, and he sate and meved nat. But sir Launcelot smote hym so harde that he made hys horse to avoyde the sadill, and the stroke brake hys shylde and the hawbarke, and had he nat fallyn he had be slayne.

  ‘How now?’ seyde sir Trystram. ‘I wyst well by the maner of their rydynge bothe that sir Palomydes shulde have a falle.’

  Ryght so sir Launcelot rode hys way, and rode to a well to drynke and repose hym. And they of North Galis aspyed hym whother he wente. And than there folowed hym twelve knyghtes for to have myscheved hym for thys cause, that upon the morne at the turnemente at the Castell of Maydyns that he sholde nat wyn the victory.

  So they com uppon sir Launcelot suddeynly, and unnethe he myght put on hys helme and take hys horse but they were in hondis with hym. And than sir Launcelot gate hys speare in hys honde and ran thorow them, and there he slew a knyght and brake hys speare in hys body. Than he drew hys swerde and smote uppon the ryght honde and uppon the lyffte honde, that within a few strokis he had slayne other three knyghtes, and the remenaunte that abode he wounded hem sore, all that ded abyde. Thus sir Launcelot ascaped fro hys enemyes of Northe Walis.

  And than sir Launcelot rode hys way tylle a frynde, and lodged hym tylle on the morowe, for he wolde nat the firste day have ado in the turnemente bycause of hys grete laboure. And on the first day he was with kynge Arthur, thereas he was sette on hye uppon a chafflet to discerne who was beste worthy of hys dedis. So sir Launcelot was with kynge Arthur and justed nat the first day.

  V. THE MAIDENS’ CASTLE

  HERE BEGYNNYTH THE TURNEMENT OF THE CASTEL MAYDYNS.

  THE FYRSTE DAY.

  [30] Now turne we unto sir Trystramys de Lyones that commaunded Governayle, hys servaunte, to ordayne hym a blacke shylde with none other remembraunce therein, and so sir Persides and sir Trystramys departed from sir Pellownes. And they rode erly toward the turnemente, and than they drew them to kynge Carydos syde of Scotlonde.

  And anone knyghtes began the filde, what of the kynge of North Galys syde and of kynge Carydos; and there began a grete party. Than there was hurlyng and russhyng. Ryght so cam in sir Persides and sir Trystram, and so they ded fare that day that they put the kyng of North Galis abacke.

  Than cam in sir Bleoberys de Ganys and sir Gaherys with them of North Galis. And than was sir Persides smyttyn adowne and allmoste slayne, for me than forty horsemen wente over hym. For sir Bleoberys ded grete dedes of armys, and sir Gaherys fayled hym not.

  Whan sir Tristram behylde them and sye them do such dedis of armys he mervayled what they were. Also sir Trystram thought shame that sir Persides was so done to. And than he gate a grete speare in hys honde, and rode to sir Gaherys and smote hym down frome hys horse.

  And than sir Bleoberys was wrothe, and gate a speare and rode ayenste sir Trystram in grete ire. And there sir Trystram smote sir Bleoberys frome hys horse. So than the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes was wrothe, and he horsed sir Bleoberys and sir Gaherys agayne, and there began a grete medlé. And ever sir Trystram hylde them passyng shorte, and ever sir Bleoberys was passyng bysy uppon sir Trystram.

  And there cam in sir Dynadan ayenst sir Trystram, and sir Trystram gaff hym such a buffette that he sowned uppon hys horse. And so anone sir Dynadan cam to sir Trystram and seyde, ‘Sir, I know the bettir than thou wenyst, but here I promyse the my trouth, I woll never com agaynst the more, for I promyse the that swerde of thyne shall never com on my helme.’

  So with that come sir Bleoberys, and sir Trystram gaff hym such a buffett that downe he abaysshed hys hede; and than he taught hym so sore by the helme that he pulled hym undir hys hors feete. And than kyng Arthure blew to lodgyng.

  Than sir Trystram departed to hys pavylion, and sir Dynadan rode with hym, and sir Persides. And kynge Arthure than, and the kyngis uppon bothe partyes, mervayled what knyght that was with the blacke shylde. Many knyghtis seyde their avyse; and som knew hym for sir Trystram and hylde their peace and wolde nat say. So that firste day kynge Arthure and all the kynges and lordis that were juges gaff sir Trystram the pryce, howbehyt they knew hym nat, but named hym the Knyght with the Blacke Shylde.

  [31] Than uppon the morne sir Palomydes returned from the kynge of North Galis, and rode to kynge Arthurs syde, where was kynge Carados and the kynge of Irelonde, and sir Launcelottis kynne, and sir Gawaynes kynne. So sir Palomydes sent the damesell unto sir Trystram that he sente to seke hym whan he was oute of hys mynde in the foreyst, and this damesell asked sir Trystramys what was hys name and what he was.

  ‘As for that, telle sir Palomydes that he shall nat wete as at thys tyme, unto the tyme I have brokyn two spearis uppon hym. But lat hym wete thys much, that I am the same knyght that he smote downe in the over-evenynge at the turnemente, and telle hym playnly on what party that he be, I woll be of the contrary party.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde the damesell, ‘ye shall undirstonde that sir Palomydes woll be on kynge Arthurs party where the moste noble knyghtes of the worlde be.’

  ‘In the name of God,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘than woll I be with the kynge of Northe Galis, because of sir Palomydes woll be on kynge Arthurs syde, and ellis I wolde nat but for hys sake.’

  So whan kyng Arthure was com they blew unto the fylde, and than there began a grete party. And so kynge Carados justed with the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes, and there kynge Carados had a falle. Than was there hurlyng and russhynge. And ryght so com in knyghtes of kyng Arthurs, and they bare on bak the kynge of North Galis knyghtes.

  Than sir Trystram cam in, and began so rowghly and so bygly that there was none myght withstonde hym, and thus he endured longe. And at the
laste by fortune he felle amonge the felyshyp of kyng Ban. So there fylle uppon hym sir Bors de Ganys, and sir Ector de Marys, and sir Blamour de Ganys, and many othir knyghtes.

  And than sir Trystram smote on the ryght honde and on the lyff te honde, that all lordis and ladyes spake of hys noble dedis. But at the last sir Trystram sholde have had the wars, had nat the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes bene. And than he cam with hys felyshyp and rescowed sir Trystram, and brought hym away frome the knyghtes that bare the shyldis of Cornwayle.

  And than sir Trystram saw another felyship by themselff, and there was a forty knyghtes togydir, and sir Kay le Senescial was their governoure. Than sir Trystram rode in amongyst them, and there he smote downe sir Kay frome hys horse, and there he fared amonge the knyghtis as a grehounde amonge conyes.

  Than sir Launcelot founde a knyght that was sore wounded uppon the hede.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘who wounded you so sore?’

  ‘Sir,’ he seyde, a knyght that bearyth a blacke shylde. And I may curse the tyme that ever I mette with hym, for he ys a devyll and no man.’

  So sir Launcelot departed from hym, and thought to mete with sir Trystram, and so he rode with hys swerde idrawyn in hys honde to seke sir Trystram. And than he aspyed hym hurlynge here and there, and at every stroke sir Trystram well-nyghe smote downe a knyght.

  ‘A! mercy Jesu!’ seyde sir Launcelot, syth the firste tyme that ever I bare armys saw I never one knyght do so mervaylous dedys of armys. And if I sholde,’ seyde sir Launcelot to hymselff, ‘sette uppon thys knyght now, I ded shame to myselff.’

  And therewithall sir Launcelot put up hys swerde.

  And than the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes, and an hondred me of North Walis, sette uppon the twenty knyghtes of sir Launcelottes kynne, and they twenty knyghtes hylde them ever togydir as wylde swyne, and none wolde fayle other. So sir Trystram, whan he behylde die nobles of thes twenty knyghtes, he mervayled of their good dedys, for he saw by their fare and rule that they had levyr dye than to avoyde the fylde.

  ‘Now, Jesu,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘well may he be called valyaunte and full of proues that hath such a sorte of noble knyghtes unto hys kynne. And full lyke ys he to be a nobleman that ys their leder and governoure.’

  He mente hit by sir Launcelot du Lake.

  So whan sir Trystram had beholde them longe he thought shame to se two hondred knyghtes batteryng uppon twenty knyghtes. Than sir Trystram rode unto the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes and seyde, ‘Sir, leve your fyghtynge with the twenty knyghtes, for ye wynne no worship of them, ye be so many and they so feaw. And wyte you well, they woll nat oute of the fylde, I se by their chere and countenaunce, and worship get you none and ye sle them. Therefore leve your fyghtynge with them, for I, to encrese my worship, I woll ryde unto the twenty knyghtes and helpe them with all my myght and power.’

  ‘Nay,’ seyde the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes, ‘ye shall nat do so. Now I se youre corayge and curtesye, I woll withdraw my knyghtes for youre plesure, for evermore a good knyght woll favoure another, and lyke woll draw to lyke.’

  [32] Than the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes withdrew hys knyghtes.

  And all thys whyle and longe tofore sir Launcelot had wacched uppon sir Trystram in veary purpose to have felyshipped with hym. And than suddenly sir Trystram, sir Dynadan and Governayle, hys man, rode their way into the foreyste, that no man perceyved where they wente. So than kynge Arthure blew unto lodgynge, and gaff the kynge of North Galis the pryce, bycause sir Trystram was uppon hys syde. Than sir Launcelot rode here and there as wode as a lyon that faughted hys fylle, because he had loste sir Trystram, and so he returned unto kynge Arthure.

  And than all the felde was in a noyse, that with the wynde hit myght be harde two myle how the lordys and ladyes cryed:

  ‘The Knyght with the Blacke Shylde hath won the fylde!’

  ‘Alas,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘where ys that knyght becom? Hit ys shame to all the in the fylde so to lette hym ascape away frome you, but with jantylnes and curtesye ye myght have brought hym unto me to thys Castell of Maydyns.’

  Than kynge Arthur wente to hys knyghtes and comforted them, and seyde, ‘My fayre felowis, be nat dismayde thoughe ye have loste the fylde thys day.’ And many were hurte and sore wounded, and many were hole. ‘My felowys,’ seyde kyng Arthur, ‘loke that ye be of good chere, for to-morn I woll be in the fylde with you and revenge you of youre enemyes.’

  So that nyght kynge Arthure and hys knyghtes reposed themselff.

  So the damesell that com frome La Beall Isod unto sir Trystram, all the whyle the turnement was a-doyng she was with quyene Gwenyvere, and ever the quene asked her for what cause she cam into that contrey.

  ‘Madame,’ she answerde, ‘I com for none other cause but frome my lady, La Beall Isode, to wete of youre wellfare.’

  For in no wyse she wold nat telle the quene that she cam for sir Trystramys sake.

  So thys lady, dame Brangwayn, toke hir leve of quene Gwenyver, and she rode aftir sir Trystram. And as she rode thorow the foreyste she harde a grete cry. Than she commaunded hir squyar to go into that foreyste to wyte what was that noyse. And so he cam to a welle, and there he founde a knyght bounden tyll a tre, cryyng as he had bene woode, and his horse and hys harneys stondyng by hym.

  And whan he aspyed the squyar, with a brayde he brake hymselff lowse, and toke hys swerde in hys honde and ran to have slayne that squyer. Than he toke hys horse and fledde to dame Brangwayne and tolde hir of hys adventure. Than she rode unto sir Trystramys pavylon, and tolde sir Trystram what adventure she had founde in the foreyste.

  ‘Alas,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘uppon my hede, there ys som good knyght at myschyff.’

  Than sir Trystram toke hys horse and hys swerde, and rode thyder, and there he harde how the knyght complayned unto hymselff and sayde, ‘I, wofull knyght, sir Palomydes! What mysseadventure befallith me that thus am defoyled with falsehed and treson, thorow sir Bors and sir Ector! Alas!’ he seyde, ‘why lyve I so longe?’

  And than he gate his swerde in hys honde and made many straunge sygnes and tokyns, and so thorow the rageynge he threw hys swerd in that fountayne. Than sir Palomydes wayled and wrange hys hondys, and at the laste, for pure sorow, he ran into that fountayne and sought aftir hys swerde. Than sir Trystram saw that, and ran uppon sir Palomydes and hylde hym in hys armys faste.

  ‘What art thou,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘that holdith me so?’

  ‘I am a man of thys foreyste that wold the none harme.’

  ‘Alas!’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I may never wyn worship where sir Trystram ys, for ever where he ys and I be, there gete I no worshyp. And yf he be away, for the moste party I have the gre, onles that sir Launcelot be there, othir ellis sir Lamerok.’ Than sir Palomydes sayde, ‘Onys in Irelonde sir Trystram put me to the wors, and anothir tyme in Cornwayle and in other placis in thys londe.’

  ‘What wolde ye do,’ seyde sir Trystram, and ye had sir Trystram?”I wolde fyght with hym,’ seyde sir Palomydes, and ease my harte uppon hym. And yet, to say the sothe, sir Trystram ys the jantyllyste knyght in thys worlde lyvynge.’

  ‘Sir, what woll ye do?’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘woll ye go with me to youre lodgyng?’

  ‘Nay,’ he seyde, ‘to the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes, for he rescowed me frome sir Bors de Ganys and sir Ector, and ellis had I bene slayne traytourly.’

  And sir Trystram seyde hym such kynde wordys that sir Palomydes wente with hym to hys lodgynge. Than Governayle wente tofore and charged dame Brangwayne to go oute of the way to hir lodgynge, ‘and byd ye sir Persides that he make hym no quarels.’

  And so they rode togedirs tyll they cam to sir Trystramys pavylon, and there had sir Palomydes all the chere that myght be had all that nyght. But in no wyse sir Trystram myght nat be knowyn with sir Palomydes. And so aftir souper they yeode to reste, and sir Trystram for grete travayle slepte tylle hit was day. And sir Palomydes myght nat slepe for angwysshe, and so in the dawnyng of the day he toke hy
s horse prevayly and rode hys way unto Gaherys and to sir Sagramoure le Desirous, where they were in their pavylons, for they three were felowis at the begynnynge of the turnemente.

  And than uppon the morne the kynge blew unto the turnemente uppon the third day.

  So the kynge of Northe Galis and the Kynge of the Hondred [33] Knyghtes, they two encountird with kynge Carados and the kynge of Irelonde. And there the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes smote downe kynge Carados, and the kynge of Northe Galis smote downe the kynge of Irelonde. So with that cam in sir Palomydes, and he made grete worke, for by hys endented shylde he was well knowyn.

  So there cam in kynge Arthur and ded grete dedis of armys togydirs, and put the kynge of North Gales and the Kyng with the Hondred Knyghtes to the wars.

  So with this cam in sir Trystram with hys blak shylde, and anone he justed with sir Palomydes, and there by fyne force sir Trystram smote sir Palomydes over hys horse croupe. Than kynge Arthure cryed, ‘Knyght with the blacke shylde, make the redy to me!’

  And in the same wyse sir Trystram smote kynge Arthure.

  And than by forse of kynge Arthurs knyghtes the kynge and sir Palomydes were horsed agayne. Than kynge Arthur with a grete egir harte, he gate a grete speare in hys honde, and there uppon the one syde he smote sir Trystram over hys horse. Than foote-hote sir Palomydes cam uppon sir Trystram, as he was uppon foote, to have overryddyn hym. Than sir Trystram was ware off hym, and stowped a lytyll asyde, and with grete ire he gate hym by the arme and pulled hym downe frome hys horse.

  Than sir Palomydes lyghtly arose, and they daysshed togydirs with theire swerdys myghtyly, that many kynges, quenys, lordys and ladyes stoode and behelde them. And at the last sir Trystram smote sir Palomydes uppon the helme three myghty strokes, and at every stroke that he gaff he seyde, ‘Have thys for sir Trystramys sake!’

  And with that sir Palomydes felle to the erthe grovelynge.

  Than cam the Kynge of the Hondred Knyghtes and brought sir Trystram an horse, and so was he horsed agayne. And by that tyme was sir Palomydes horsed, and with grete ire he justed uppon sir Trystram with hys speare as hit was in the reyste, and gaff hym a grete dayssh with hys swerde. Than sir Trystram avoyded hys speare, and gate hym by the nek with hys bothe hondis, and pulled hym clene oute of hys sadle, and so he bare hym afore hym the lengthe of ten spearys, and than he lete hym falle at hys adventure.