Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics)

by Malory, Thomas

  Then the King commanded that all manner of knights that were under his obeisance should make their lodging right there for the love of his two nephews. And so it was done, and all manner of purveyance purveyed, that there lacked nothing that might he gotten for gold nor silver, neither of wild nor tame.* And then by the means of the damosel Savage Sir Gawain and Sir Gareth were healed of their wounds; and there they sojourned eight days.

  Then said King Arthur unto the damosel Savage, ‘I marvel that your sister, Dame Lyonesse, cometh not hither to me, and in especial that she cometh not to visit her knight, my nephew Sir Gareth, that hath had so much travail for her love.’

  ‘My lord,’ said the damosel Lyonet, ‘ye must of your good grace hold her excused, for she knoweth not that my lord Sir Gareth is here.’

  ‘Go ye then for her,’ said King Arthur, ‘that we may be appointed what is best to do, according to the pleasure of my nephew.’

  ‘Sir,’ said the damosel, ‘it shall be done.’

  [34/5]

  And so she rode unto her sister; and as lightly as she might make her ready she came on the morn with her brother Sir Gringamore, and with her forty knights. And so when she was come she had all the cheer that might be done, both of the King, and of many other knights and also queens. And among all these ladies she was named the fairest, and peerless. Then when Sir Gareth met with her, there was many a goodly look and goodly words, that all men of worship had joy to behold them.

  Then came King Arthur and many other kings, and Dame Guenivere and Queen Morgause his mother. And there the King asked his nephew Sir Gareth whether he would have this lady as paramour, or else to have her to his wife.

  ‘My lord, wit you well that I love her above all ladies living.’

  ‘Now, fair lady,’ said King Arthur, ‘what say ye?’

  ‘My most noble king,’ said Dame Lyonesse, ‘wit you well that my lord Sir Gareth is to me more liever* to have and wield as my husband than any king or prince that is christened; and if I may not have him, I promise you I will never have none. For, my lord Arthur,’ said Dame Lyonesse, ‘wit you well he is my first love, and he shall be the last; and if ye will suffer him to have his will and free choice I dare say he will have me.’

  ‘That is truth,’ said Sir Gareth; ‘and I have not you and wield you as my wife, there shall never lady nor gentlewoman rejoice me.’

  ‘What, nephew,’ said the King, ‘is the wind in that door? For wit you well, I would not for the stint* of my crown to be causer to withdraw your hearts; and wit you well, ye cannot love so well but I shall rather increase it than decrease it. And also ye shall have my love and my lordship in the uttermost wise that may lie in my power.’ And in the same wise said Sir Gareth’s mother.

  So anon there was made a provision for the day of marriage; and by the King’s advice it was provided that it should be at Michaelmas following, at Kinkenadon by the seaside, for there is a plenteous country. And so it was cried in all the places through the realm. And then Sir Gareth sent his summons to all those knights and ladies that he had won in battle before, that they should be at his day of marriage at Kinkenadon by the seaside.

  And then Dame Lyonesse and the damosel Lyonet, with Sir Gringamore, rode to their castle; and a goodly and a rich ring she gave to Sir Gareth, and he gave her another. And King Arthur gave her a rich bee* of gold; and so she departed. And King Arthur and his fellowship rode toward Kinkenadon; and Sir Gareth brought his lady on the way, and so came to the King again and rode with him.

  Lord, the great cheer that Sir Lancelot made of Sir Gareth, and he of him! For there was no knight that Sir Gareth loved so well as he did Sir Lancelot; and ever for the most part he would be in Sir Lancelot’s company. For after Sir Gareth had espied Sir Gawain’s conditions, he withdrew himself from his brother Sir Gawain’s fellowship, for he was ever vengeable, and where he hated he would be avenged with murder; and that hated Sir Gareth.*

  [35/6]

  So it drew fast to Michaelmas, that thither came the lady Dame Lyonesse, the lady of the Castle Perilous, and her sister the damosel Lyonet, with Sir Gringamore her brother with them, for he had the conduct of these ladies; and there they were lodged at the device of King Arthur. And upon Michaelmas Day the Bishop of Canterbury made the wedding between Sir Gareth and Dame Lyonesse with great solemnity. And King Arthur made Sir Gaheris to wed the damosel Savage, Dame Lyonet; and Sir Agravain King Arthur made to wed Dame Lyonesse’s niece, a fair lady—her name was Dame Laurel.

  And so when this solemnity was done, then came in the green knight, Sir Pertolepe, with thirty knights, and there he did homage and fealty to Sir Gareth, and these knights to hold their lands of him for evermore. Also Sir Pertolepe said, ‘I pray you that at this feast I may be your chamberlain.’

  ‘With good will,’ said Sir Gareth, ‘sith it like you to take so simple an office.’

  Then came in the red knight with three score knights with him, and did to Sir Gareth homage and fealty, and all those knights to hold of him for evermore. And then Sir Perimones prayed Sir Gareth to grant him to be his chief butler at the high feast.

  ‘I will well’, said Sir Gareth, ‘that ye have this office, and it were better.’*

  Then came in Sir Persant of Inde with a hundred knights with him, and there he did homage and fealty, and all his knights should do him service and hold their lands of him for ever; and there he prayed Sir Gareth to make him his sewer-chief* at that high feast.

  ‘I will well’, said Sir Gareth, ‘that ye have it, and it were better.’*

  Then came the Red Knight of the Red Launds that hight Sir Ironside, and he brought with him three hundred knights; and there he did homage and fealty, and all those knights to hold their lands of him for ever. And then he asked of Sir Gareth to be his carver.

  ‘I will well,’ said Sir Gareth, ‘and it please you.’

  So then the kings, queens, princes, earls, barons, and many bold knights went to meat; and well may ye wit that there were all manner of plenty and all manner of revels and game, with all manner of minstrelsy that was used those days. Also there was great jousts three days; but the King would not suffer Sir Gareth to joust, because of his new bride, for, as the French book saith, that Dame Lyonesse desired of the King that none that were wedded should joust at that feast.*

  But when these jousts were done, Sir Lamorak and Sir Tristram departed suddenly and would not be known, for the which King Arthur and all the court was sore displeased.

  And so they held the court forty days with great solemnity. And this Sir Gareth was a noble knight, that wedded Dame Lyonesse of the Castle Perilous. And also Sir Gaheris wedded her sister, Dame Lyonet, that was called the damosel Savage. And Sir Agravain wedded Dame Laurel, a fair lady with great and mighty lands with great riches given with them, that royally they might live till their lives’ end.

  And I pray you all that readeth this tale to pray for him that this wrote, that God send him good deliverance soon and hastily. Amen.

  Here endeth the tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney.

  THE BOOK OF SIR TRISTRAM DE LYONESSE

  Here beginneth the first book of Sir Tristram de Lyonesse, and who was his father and mother; and how he was born and fostered, and how he was made knight of King Mark of Cornwall*

  [VIII. I]

  There was a king that hight Meliodas, and he was lord of the country of Lyonesse; and this Meliodas was a likely knight as any was that time living. And by fortune he wedded King Mark’s sister of Cornwall, and she was called Elizabeth, that was called both good and fair.*

  So when this King Meliodas had been with his wife, within a while she waxed great with child. And she was a full meek lady, and well she loved her lord, and he her again; so there was great joy betwixt them.

  So there was a lady in that country that had loved King Meliodas long, and by no mean she never could get his love. Therefore she let ordain upon a day, as King Meliodas rode an-hunting (for he was a great chaser of deer), and there by enchantment
she made him chase a hart by himself alone till that he came to an old castle, and there anon he was taken prisoner by the lady that loved him.

  When Elizabeth, King Meliodas’ wife, missed her lord, she was nigh out of her wit; and also, as great with child as she was, she took a gentlewoman with her, and ran into the forest suddenly to seek her lord. And when she was far in the forest she might no further, but right there she began to travail fast of her child; and she had many grimly throes, but her gentlewoman helped her all that she might. And so by miracle of Our Lady of Heaven she was delivered with great pains; but she had taken such cold for the default of help that the deep draughts of death took her, that needs she must die and depart out of this world, there was no other boot.

  When this Queen Elizabeth saw that she might not escape, she made great dole, and said unto her gentlewoman, ‘When ye see my lord, King Meliodas, recommend me unto him, and tell him what pains I endure here for his love, and how I must die here for his sake for default of good help; and let him wit that I am full sorry to depart out of this world from him, therefore pray him to be friend to my soul. Now let me see my little child, for whom I have had all this sorrow.’ And when she saw him she said thus: ‘Ah, my little son, thou hast murdered thy mother! And therefore, I suppose, thou that art a murderer so young, thou art full likely to be a manly man in thine age. And because I shall die of the birth of thee, I charge my gentlewoman that she pray my lord, the King Meliodas, that when he is christened let call him Tristram, that is as much to say as a sorrowful birth.’

  And therewith the queen gave up the ghost and died. Then the gentlewoman laid her under an umber* of a great tree, and then she lapped the child as well as she might from cold.

  [2]

  Right so there came the barons of King Meliodas following after the queen; and when they saw that she was dead, and understood none other but that the king was destroyed, then certain of them would have slain the child, because they would have been lords of that country of Lyonesse. But then through the fair speech of the gentlewoman and by the means that she made, the most part of the barons would not assent thereto. But then they let carry home the dead queen, and much sorrow was made for her.

  Then this meanwhile Merlin had delivered King Meliodas out of prison, on the morn after his queen was dead; and so when the king was come home, the most part of the barons made great joy. But the sorrow that the king made for his queen there might no tongue tell. So then the king let inter her richly, and after he let christen his child as his wife had commanded before her death. And then he let call him Tristram, the sorrowful-born child.

  Then King Meliodas endured after that seven years without a wife, and all this time Tristram was fostered well. Then it befell that the King Meliodas wedded King Howell of Brittany’s daughter, and anon she had children by King Meliodas. Then was she heavy and wroth that her children should not rejoice* the country of Lyonesse, wherefore this queen ordained for to poison young Tristram. So at the last she let poison be put in a piece* of silver in the chamber where Tristram and her children were together, unto that intent that when Tristram were thirsty he should drink that drink. And so it fell upon a day, the queen’s son, as he was in that chamber, espied the piece with poison, and he weened it had been good drink; and because the child was thirsty he took the piece with poison and drank freely, and therewith the child suddenly brast and was dead.

  So when the queen of Meliodas wist of the death of her son, wit ye well that she was heavy. But yet the king understood nothing of her treason. Notwithstanding, the queen would not leave by this, but eft* she let ordain more poison and put it in a piece. And by fortune King Meliodas her husband found the piece with wine wherein was the poison, and as he that was thirsty took the piece for to drink. And as he would have drunk thereof, the queen espied him and ran unto him, and pulled the piece from him suddenly. The king marvelled of her why she did so, and remembered him suddenly how her son was slain with poison. And then he took her by the hand, and said, ‘Thou false traitress, thou shall tell me what manner of drink this is, or else I shall slay thee.’

  And therewith he pulled out his sword, and swore a great oath that he should slay her but if she told him the truth.

  ‘Ah, mercy, my lord,’ said she, ‘and I shall tell you all.’ And then she told him why she would have slain Tristram, because her children should rejoice his land.

  ‘Well,’ said the king, ‘and therefore ye shall have the law.’

  And so she was damned* by the assent of the barons to be burnt; and then was there made a great fire, and right as she was at the fire to take her execution, this same young Tristram kneeled before his father King Meliodas and besought him to give him a done.*

  ‘I will well,’ said the king.

  Then said young Tristram, ‘Give me the life of your queen, my stepmother.’

  ‘That is unrightfully asked,’ said the King Meliodas. ‘For thou ought of right to hate her, for she would have slain thee with poison; and for thy sake most is my cause that she should be dead.’

  ‘Sir,’ said Tristram, ‘as for that, I beseech you of your mercy that ye will forgive her; and as for my part, God forgive her, and I do. And it liked* so much your highness to grant me my boon, for God’s love I require you hold your promise.’

  ‘Sithen it is so,’ said the king, ‘I will that ye have her life,’ and said, ‘I give her you, and go ye to the fire and take her, and do with her what ye will.’

  So thus Sir Tristram* went to the fire, and by the commandment of the king delivered her from the death. But after that King Meliodas would never have ado with her as at bed and at board. But by the means of young Tristram, he made the king and her accorded. But then the king would not suffer young Tristram to abide but little in his court.

  [3]

  And then he let ordain a gentleman that was well learned and taught, and his name was Gouvernail; and then he sent young Tristram with Gouvernail into France to learn the language and nurture and deeds of arms, and there was Tristram more than seven years. So when he had learned what he might in those countries, then he came home to his father King Meliodas again.

  And so Tristram learned to be a harper passing all other, that there was none such called in no country; and so he applied him for to learn in harping and on instruments of music in his youth. And after, as he grew in might and strength, he laboured in hunting and in hawking, never gentleman more that ever we heard read of. And as the book saith, he began good measures of blowing* of beasts of venery, and beasts of chase, and all manner of vermins, and all the terms we have yet of hawking and hunting. And therefore the book of venery, of hawking and hunting, is called the book of Sir Tristram.*

  Wherefore, as me seemeth, all gentlemen that beareth old arms* ought of right to honour Sir Tristram for the goodly terms that gentlemen have and use, and shall do unto the day of doom, that thereby in a manner all men of worship may dissever* a gentleman from a yeoman, and a yeoman from a villein.* For he that gentle is will draw him to gentle tatches,* and to follow the noble customs of gentlemen.

  Thus Tristram endured in Lyonesse until that he was strong and big, unto the age of eighteen years. And then King Meliodas had great joy of young Tristram, and so had the queen his wife; for ever after in her life, because Sir Tristram saved her from the fire, she did never hate him more after, but ever loved him and gave him many great gifts. For every estate loved him, where that he went.

  [4]

  Then it befell that King Angwish of Ireland sent unto King Mark of Cornwall for his truage,* that Cornwall had paid many winters; and all that time King Mark was behind of the truage for seven years. And King Mark and his barons gave unto the messengers of Ireland these words and answer, that they would none pay; and bade the messengers go unto their king Angwish, ‘and tell him we will pay him no truage, but tell your lord, and he will always have truage of us of Cornwall, bid him send a trusty knight of his land that will fight for his right, and we shall find another for to defend us.�
�

  So the messengers departed into Ireland. And when King Angwish understood the answer of the messengers, he was wroth; and then he called unto him Sir Marhalt, the good knight, that was nobly proved and a knight of the Round Table; and this Marhalt was brother unto the Queen of Ireland.

  Then the king said thus: ‘Fair brother, Sir Marhalt, I pray you go unto Cornwall for my sake, to do battle for our truage that we of right ought to have. And whatsoever ye spend, ye shall have sufficiently more than ye shall need.’

  ‘Sir,’ said Marhalt, ‘wit ye well that I shall not be loath to do battle in the right of you and your land with the best knight of the Table Round, for I know them, for the most part, what be their deeds; and for to advance my deeds and to increase my worship, I will right gladly go unto this journey.’

  So in all haste there was made purveyance for Sir Marhalt, and he had all thing that him needed; and so he departed out of Ireland, and arrived up in Cornwall even by the castle of Tintagel. And when King Mark understood that he was there arrived to fight for Ireland, then made King Mark great sorrow when he understood that the good knight Sir Marhalt was come, for they knew no knight that durst have ado with him; for at that time Sir Marhalt was called one of the famousest knights of the world.

  And thus Sir Marhalt abode in the sea, and every day he sent unto King Mark for to pay the truage that was behind seven years, or else to find a knight to fight with him for the truage. This manner of message Sir Marhalt sent unto King Mark.

  Then they of Cornwall let make cries that what knight would fight for to save the truage of Cornwall, he should be rewarded to fare the better, term of his life. Then some of the barons said to King Mark, and counselled him to send to the court of King Arthur for to seek Sir Lancelot du Lake, that was that time named for the marvellest knight of the world. Then there were other barons that said that it was labour in vain, because Sir Marhalt was a knight of the Round Table, therefore any of them would be loath to have ado with other, but if it were so that any knight at his own request would fight disguised and unknown. So the king and all his barons assented that it was no boot to seek after no knight of the Round Table.