Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  And within three dayes twelve knyghtes passed uppon hem, and they founde sir Palomydes gylty, and sir Saphir nat gylty, of the lordis deth. And whan sir Saphir shulde be delyverde there was grete dole betwyxte his brother and hym. And many peteous complayntis that was made at her departicion, there ys no maker can reherse the tenth parte.

  ‘Now, fayre brother, lat be youre doloure,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘and youre sorow, for and I be ordeyned to dy a shamfull dethe, wellcom be hit. But and I had wyste of this deth that I am demed unto, I sholde never have bene yoldyn.’

  So departed sir Saphir, his brother, with the grettyst sorow that ever made knyght.

  And on the morne they of the castell ordayned twelve knyghtes for to ryde wyth sir Palomydes unto the fadir of the same knyght that sir Palomydes slew. And so they bounde his leggys undir an olde steedis bealy, and than they rode wyth sir Palomydes unto a castell by the seesyde that hyght Pylownes, and there sir Palomydes shulde have his justyse: thus was their ordynaunce.

  And so they rode wyth sir Palomydes faste by the castell of Joyus Garde, and as they passed by that castell there cam rydynge one of that castell by them that knew sir Palomydes. And whan that knyght saw hym lad bounden uppon a croked courser, than the knyght asked sir Palomydes for what cause he was so lad.

  ‘A, my fayre felow and knyght,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I ryde now towarde my dethe for the sleynge of a knyght at the turnemente of Lonezep. And yf I had not departed frome my lorde sir Trystram as I ought not to have done, now myght I have bene sure to have had my lyff saved. But I pray you, sir knyght, recommaunde me unto my lorde sir Trystram and unto my lady quene Isode, and sey to them, yf ever I trespast to them, I aske them forgyffnes. And also, I beseche you, recommaunde me unto my lorde kynge Arthure and to all the felyshyp of the Rounde Table, unto my power.’

  Than the knyght wepte for pité, and therewyth he rode unto Joyus Garde as faste as his horse myght renne, and lyghtly that knyght descended downe of his horse and went unto sir Trystram, and there he tolde hym all as ye have harde. And ever the knyght [85] wepte as he were woode. Whan sir Trystram knew how sir Palomydes wente to his dethward he was hevy to hyre thereof and sayde, ‘Howbehit that I am wrothe wyth hym, yet I woll nat suffir hym to dye so shamefull a dethe, for he ys a full noble knyght.’

  And anone sir Trystram asked his armys, and whan he was armed he toke his horse and two squyars wyth hym and rode a grete pace thorow a foreyste aftir sir Palomydes, the nexte way unto the castell Pelownes where sir Palomydes was jowged to his dethe.

  And as the twelve knyghtes lad hym byfore them, there was the noble knyght sir Launcelot whyche was alyght by a welle, and had tyed hys horse tyll a tre, and had takyn of hys helme to drynke of that welle. And whan he sawe such a route whyche semed knyghtes, sir Launcelot put on hys helme and suffyrd them to passe by hym; and anone he was ware of sir Palomydes bounden and lad shamfully towarde his dethe.

  A, Jesu!’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘what mysseadventure ys befallyn hym that he ys thus lad towarde hys dethe? Yet, pardeus,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘hit were shame to me to suffir this noble knyght thus to dye and I myght helpe hym. And therefore I woll helpe hym whatsomever com of hit, other ellys I shall dye for hys sake!’

  And than sir Launcelot mounted on hys horse and gate hys speare in hys honde and rode aftyr the twelve knyghtes whyche lad sir Palomydes.

  ‘Fayre knyghtes,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘whother lede ye that knyght? For hit besemyth hym full evyll to ryde bounden.’

  Than thes twelve knyghtes returned suddeynly there horsis and seyde to sir Launcelot, ‘Sir knyght, we counceyle you nat to meddyll of this knyght, for he hath deserved deth, and unto deth he ys jouged.’

  ‘That me repentyth,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘that I may nat borow hym wyth fayrenes, for he ys over good a knyght to dye suche a shamefull dethe. And therefore, fayre knyghtes,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘than kepe you as well as ye can! For I woll rescow that knyght, othir ellys dye for hit.’

  Than they began to dresse there spearys, and sir Launcelot smote the formyste downe, horse and man, and so he served three me wyth one spere. And than that speare braste, and therewythall sir Launcelot drewe his swerde, and than he smote on the ryght honde and on the lyffte honde. And so wythin a whyle he leffte none of the knyghtes, but he had leyde them to the erthe, and the moste party of them were sore wounded.

  And than sir Launcelot toke the beste horse and lowsed sir Palomydes and sette hym uppon that horse, and so they returned agayne unto Joyus Garde. And than was sir Palomydes ware of sir Trystram how he cam rydynge. And whan sir Launcelot sy hym he knew hym well; but sir Trystram knew nat hym, because he had on his shuldir a gylden shylde. So sir Launcelot made hym redy to juste wyth sir Trystram, because he sholde nat wene that he were sir Launcelot. Than sir Palomydes cryed on lowde to sir Trystram and seyde, ‘A, my lorde! I requyre you, juste nat wyth this knyght, for he hath saved me frome my dethe.’

  Whan sir Trystram harde hym sey so he cam a soffte trottynge pace towarde hym. And than sir Palomydes seyde, ‘My lorde, sir Trystram, muche am I beholdynge unto you of youre grete goodnes, that wolde proffir youre noble body to rescow me undeserved, for I have greatly offended you. Natwythstondynge,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘here mette we wyth this noble knyght that worshypfully and manly rescowed me frome twelve knyghtes, and smote them downe all and sore wounded hem.’

  ‘Fayre knyght,’ seyde sir Trystram unto sir Launcelot, ‘of whens [86] be ye?’

  ‘I am a knyght arraunte,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘that rydyth to seke many dedis.’

  ‘Sir, what ys youre name?’ seyde sir Trystram.

  ‘Sir, as at this tyme I woll nat telle you.’ Than sir Launcelot seyde unto sir Trystram and to sir Palomydes, ‘Now ar ye mette togydirs aythir wyth other, and now I woll departe frome you.’

  ‘Nat so,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘I pray you and requyre you of knyghthod to ryde wyth me unto my castell.’

  ‘Wyte you well,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘I may nat ryde wyth you, for I have many dedis to do in other placys, that at this tyme I may nat abyde wyth you.’

  ‘A, mercy Jesu!’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘I requyre you, as ye be a trewe knyght to the Order of Knyghthode, play you wyth me this nyght.’

  Than sir Trystram had a graunte of sir Launcelot; howbehit, thoughe he had nat desyred hym, he wolde have rydden with hem, other sone a com aftir hym. For sir Launcelot cam for none other cause into that contrey but for to se sir Trystram.

  And whan they were com wythin Joyus Garde they alyght, and there horsis were lad into a stable, and than they unarmed them. For sir Launcelot, as sone as his helme was of, sir Trystram and sir Palomydes knew hym. Than sir Trystram toke sir Launcelot in his armys, and so ded La Beall Isode, and sir Palomydes kneled downe uppon his kneis and thanked sir Launcelot. And whan he sawe sir Palomydes knele he lyghtly toke hym up and seyde thus:

  ‘Wyte thou well, sir Palomydes, that I, and ony knyght in this londe of worshyp, muste of verry ryght succoure and rescow so noble a knyght as ye ar preved and renowned thorougheoute all this realme, enlonge and overtwarte.’

  Than was there grete joy amonge them. And the ofter that sir Palomydes saw La Beall Isode, the hevyar he waxed day be day. Than sir Launcelot wythin three or four dayes departed, and wyth hym rode sir Ector de Marys and sir Dynadan and sir Palomydes was leffte there wyth sir Trystram a two monethis and more. But ever sir Palomydes faded and mourned, that all men had merveyle wherefore he faded so away.

  So uppon a day, in the dawnynge, sir Palomydes wente into the foreste by hymselff alone; and there he founde a welle, and anone he loked into the welle and in the watir he sawe hys owne vysayge, how he was discolowred and defaded, a nothynge lyke as he was.

  ‘Lorde Jesu, what may this meane?’ seyde sir Palomydes. And thus he seyde to hymselff: A, Palomydes, Palomydes! Why arte thou thus defaded, and ever was wonte to be called one of the fayrest knyghtes of the worlde? Forsothe, I woll no more lyve this lyff, for I love that I may never
gete nor recover.’

  And therewythall he leyde hym downe by the welle, and so began to make a ryme of La Beall Isode and of sir Trystram. And so in the meanewhyle sir Trystram was ryddyn into the same foreyste to chace an harte of grece; but sir Trystram wolde nat ryde an huntynge nevermore unarmed bycause of sir Brewnys Saunze Pité. And so sir Trystram rode into the foreyste up and downe, and as he rode he harde one synge mervaylowsly lowde; and that was sir Palomydes whyche lay by the welle.

  And than sir Trystram rode sofftly thydir, for he demed that there was som knyght arraunte whyche was at the welle. And whan sir Trystram cam nyghe he descended downe frome hys horse and tyed hys horse faste tyll a tre. And so he cam nere on foote, and sone aftir he was ware where lay sir Palomydes by the welle and sange lowde and myryly. And ever the complayntys were of La Beall Isode, whyche was mervaylously well seyde, and pyteuously and full dolefully ‘made”’. And all the hole songe sir Trystram harde worde by worde, and whan he had herde all sir Palomydes complaynte, he was wrothe oute of mesure, and thought for to sle hym thereas he lay.

  Than sir Trystram remembyrde hymselff that sir Palomydes was unarmed, and of so noble a name that sir Palomydes had, and also the noble name that hymselff had. Than he made a restraynte of his angir, and so he wente unto sir Palomydes a soffte pace and seyde, ‘Sir Palomydes, I have harde youre complaynte and of youre treson that ye have owed me longe, and wyte you well, therefore ye shall dye! And yf hit were nat for shame of knyghthode thou sholdyst nat ascape my hondys, for now I know well thou haste awayted me wyth treson. And therefore’, seyde sir Trystram, ‘tell me how thou wolt acquyte the.’

  ‘Sir, I shall acquyte me thus: as for quene La Beall Isode, thou shalt wyte that I love her abovyn all other ladyes in this worlde, and well I wote hit shall befalle by me as for her love as befelle on the noble knyght sir Kayhydyns that dyed for the love of La Beall Isode. And now, sir Trystram, I woll that ye wyte that I have loved La Beall Isode many a longe day, and she hath bene the causer of my worshyp. And ellys I had bene the moste symplyste knyght in the worlde, for by her, and bycause of her, I have wonne the worshyp that I have; for whan I remembred me of quene Isode I wanne the worshyp wheresomever I cam, for the moste party. And yet I had never rewarde nother bounté of her dayes of my lyff, and yet I have bene her knyght longe gwardonles. And therefore, sir Trystram, as for ony dethe I drede nat, for I had as lyeff dye as lyve. And yf I were armed as ye ar, I shulde lyghtly do batayle with the.”Sir, well have ye uttyrd youre treson,’ seyde sir Trystram.

  ‘Sir, I have done to you no treson,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for love is fre for all men, and thoughe I have loved your lady, she ys my lady as well as youres. Howbehyt that I have wronge, if ony wronge be, for ye rejoyse her and have youre desyre of her; and so had I nevir, nor never am lyke to have, and yet shall I love her to the uttermuste dayes of my lyff as well as ye.’

  Than seyde sir Trystram, ‘I woll fyght with you to the utteryste!”I graunte,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for in a bettir quarell kepe I never to fyght. For and I dye off youre hondis, of a bettir knyghtes hondys myght I never be slayne. And sytthyn I undirstonde that I shall never rejoyse La Beall Isode, I have as good wyll to dye as to lyve.’

  ‘Than sette ye a day,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘that we shall do batayle.’

  ‘Sir, this day fyftene dayes,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I woll mete with you hereby, in the medow undir Joyus Garde.’

  ‘Now fye for shame!’ seyde sir Trystram. ‘Woll ye sette so longe a day? Lat us fyght to-morne.’

  ‘Nat so,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for I am megir, and have bene longe syke for the love of La Beall Isode. And therefore I woll repose me tyll I have my strengthe agayne.’

  So than sir Trystram and sir Palomydes promysed faythefully to mete at the welle that day fyftene dayes.

  ‘But now I am remembred,’ seyde sir Trystram to sir Palomydes, ‘that ye brake me onys a promyse whan that I rescowed you frome sir Brewnys Saunze Pité and nyne knyghtes. And than ye promysed to mete me at the perowne and the grave besydis Camelot, whereas that tyme ye fayled of youre promyse.’

  ‘Wyte you well,’ seyde sir Palomydes unto sir Trystram, ‘I was at that day in preson, that I myght nat holde my promyse. But wyte you well,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I shall promyse you now and kepe hit.’

  ‘So God me helpe,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘and ye had holden youre promyse this worke had nat bene here now at this tyme.’

  Ryght so departed sir Trystram and sir Palomydes. And so sir Palomydes toke his horse and hys harneys, and so he rode unto kynge Arthurs courte. And there he gate hym four knyghtes and four sargeauntes of armys, and so he returned agayne unto Joyus Garde.

  And so in the meanewhyle sir Trystram chaced and hunted at all maner of venery. And aboute three dayes afore the batayle that shulde be, as sir Trystram chaced an harte, there was an archer shotte at the harte, and by mysfortune he smote sir Trystram in the thyk of the thyghe, and the same arrow slew sir Trystrams horse undir hym.

  Whan sir Tristram was so hurte he was passynge hevy; and wyte you well he bled passynge sore. And than he toke another horse and rode unto Joyus Garde with grete hevynes, more for the promyse that he had made unto sir Palomydes to do batayle with hym wythin three dayes aftir than for ony hurte. Wherefore there was nother man nother woman that coude chere hym with onythynge that they coude make to hym, for ever he demed that sir Palomydes had smytten hym so, because he sholde nat be able to do batayle with hym at the day appoynted. But in no wyse there was no knyghte [88] aboute sir Trystram that wolde belyeve that sir Palomydes wolde hurte hym, nother by his owne hondis nothir by none other consentynge.

  And so whan the fyftenth day was com sir Palomydes cam to the Welle wyth four knyghtes wyth hym of kynge Arthurs courte and three sargeauntes of armys. And for this entente sir Palomydes brought the knyghtes with hym and the sargeauntes of armys, for they sholde beare recorde of the batayle betwyxt sir Trystram and hym. And one sargeaunte brought in his helme, and the tother his speare, and the thirde his swerde. So sir Palomydes cam into the fylde and there he abode nyghe two owres, and than he sente a squyar unto sir Trystram and desyred hym to com into the fylde to holde his promyse.

  Whan the squyar was com unto Joyus Garde, anone as sir Trystram harde of his commynge he commaunded that the squyar shulde com to his presence thereas he lay in his bedde.

  ‘My lorde, sir Trystram,’ seyde sir Palomydes squyar, ‘wyte you well, my lorde sir Palomydes abydyth you in the fylde, and he wolde wyte whether ye wolde do batayle or nat.’

  ‘A, my fayre brother,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘wyte you well that I am ryght hevy for this tydyngis. But telle youre lorde sir Palomydes, and I were well at ease, I wolde nat lye here, nothir he sholde have had no nede to sende for me and I myght othir ryde or go. And for thou shalt se that I am no lyar’ — sir Trystram shewed hym his thyghe, and the depnes of the wounde was syx inchis depe. ‘And now thou haste sene my hurte, telle thy lorde that this is no fayned mater, and tell hym that I had levir than all the golde that kynge Arthure hath that I were hole. And lat hym wyte that as for me, as sone as I may ryde I shall seke hym endelonge and overtwarte this londe; and that I promyse you as I am a trew knyght. And yf ever I may mete hym, telle youre lorde sir Palomydes he shall have of me hys fylle of batayle.’

  And so the squyar departed. And whan sir Palomydes knew that sir Trystram was hurte, than he seyde thus:

  ‘Truly, I am glad of hys hurte, and for this cause: for now I am sure I shall have no shame. For I wote well, and we had medled, I sholde have had harde handelynge of hym, and by lyklyhode I muste nedys have had the worse. For he is the hardyeste knyght in batayle that now ys lyvynge excepte sir Launcelot.’

  And than departed sir Palomydes whereas fortune lad hym. And within a moneth sir Trystram was hole of hys hurte, and than he toke hys horse and rode frome contrey to contrey, and all straunge adventures he encheved wheresomever he rode. And allwayes he enquyred for sir Palomydes, but off all that quarter of so
mer sir Trystram coude never mete with sir Palomydes.

  But thus as sir Trystram soughte and enquyred after sir Palomydes, sir Trystram encheyved many grete batayles, wherethorow all the noyse and brewte fell to sir Trystram, and the name ceased of sir Launcelot. And therefore sir Launcelottis bretherne and hys kynnysmen wolde have slayne sir Trystram bycause of hys fame. But whan sir Launcelot wyste how hys kynnysmen were sette, he seyde to them opynly, ‘Wyte you well that and ony of you all be so hardy to wayte my lorde sir Trystram wyth ony hurte, shame, or vylany, as I am trew knyght, I shall sle the beste of you all myne owne hondis. Alas, fye for shame, sholde ye for hys noble dedys away te to sle hym! Jesu defende,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘that ever ony noble knyght as sir Trystram ys sholde be destroyed wyth treson.’

  So of this noyse and fame sprang into Cornwayle and unto them of Lyones, whereof they were passynge glad and made grete joy. And than they of Lyones sente lettyrs unto sir Trystram of recommendacion, and many greate gyfftys to mayntene sir Trystrams astate. And ever betwene sir Trystram resorted unto Joyus Garde whereas La Beall Isode was, that lovid hym ever.

  XIV. LAUNCELOT AND ELAINE

  NOW LEVE WE SIR TRYSTRAM DE LYONES AND SPEKE WE OF SIR LAUNCELOT DU LAAKE AND OF SIR GALAHAD, SIR LAUNCELOTTIS SONNE, HOW HE WAS BEGOTYN AND IN WHAT MANER.

  As the booke of Frenshe makyth mencion, afore the tyme that sir Galahad was begotyn or borne, there cam in an ermyte unto kynge Arthure uppon Whitsonday, as the knyghtes sate at the Table Rounde. And whan the ermyte saw the Syege Perelous he asked the kynge and all the knyghtes why that syege was voyde. Than kynge Arthur for all the knyghtes answerde and seyde, ‘There shall never none sytte in that syege but one, but if he be destroyed.’