Than sir Trystram was ware of kynge Arthure with a naked swerde in hys honde, and with hys speare sir Trystram ran uppon kyng Arthure. And than kyng Arthure boldely abode hym, and with hys swerde he smote ato hys speare. And therewithall sir Trystram was astooned, and so kynge Arthure gaff hym three or four strokis or he myght gete oute hys swerde. And so sir Trystram drew hys swerde, and aythir of them assayled othir passyng harde, and with that the grete prease departed.
Than sir Trystram rode here and there and ded hys grete payne, that a twelve of the good knyghtes of the bloode of kynge Ban that were of sir Launcelottis kyn that day sir Trystram smote down, that all the estatis mervayled of their grete dedis, and all people [34] cryede uppon the knyght with the blacke shylde. So thys cry was so large that sir Launcelot harde hit, and than he gate a grete speare in hys honde and cam towardis the cry. Than sir Launcelot cryed, ‘Knyght with the blacke shylde, make ye redy to juste with me!’ Whan sir Trystram harde hym sey so, he gate hys speare in hys honde, and ayther abeysed their hedys downe lowe and cam togydir as thundir, that sir Trystrams speare brake in pecis. And sir Launcelot by malefortune stroke sir Trystram on the syde a depe wounde nyghe to the dethe. But yet sir Trystram avoyded nat hys sadyll, and so the speare brake therewithall. And yete sir Trystram gate oute hys swerde, and he russhed to sir Launcelot and gaff hym three grete strokes uppon the helme, that the fyre sprange oute, that sir Launcelot abeysed hys hede low toward hys sadyll-bow. And so therewithall Trystram departed frome the fylde, for he felte hym so wounded that he wente he sholde have dyed. And sir Dynadan aspyed hym and folowed hym into the foreyste.
Than sir Launcelot abode and ded mervaylous dedys.
So whan sir Trystram was departed by the foreystis syde, he alyght and unlaced hys harneys and freysshed hys wounde. Than wente sir Dynadan that he sholde have dyed, and wepte.
‘Nay, nay,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘never drede you, sir Dynadan, for I am harte-hole, and of thys wounde I shall sone be hole, by the mercy of God!’
And anone sir Dynadan was ware where cam sir Palomydes rydynge streyte uppon them. Than sir Trystram was ware that sir Palomydes com to have destroyed hym, and so sir Dynadan gaff hym warnynge and seyde, ‘Sir Trystram, my lorde, ye ar so sore wounded that ye may nat have ado with hym. Therefore I woll ryde agaynste hym and do to hym what I may, and yf I be slayne ye may pray for my soule. And so in the meanewhyle ye may withdraw you and go into the castell or into the foreyste, that he shall nat mete with you.’
Sir Trystram smyled, and seyde, ‘I thanke you, sir Dynadan, of your good wylle, but ye shall undirstond that I am able to handyll hym.’
And anone hastely he armed hym, and toke hys horse and a grete speare in hys honde, and seyde to sir Dynadan Adew’, and rode toward sir Palomydes a soffte pace.
Whan sir Palomydes saw hym he alyght and made a countenaunce to amende hys horse, but he ded hit for thys cause, for he abode sir Gaherys that cam aftir hym. And whan he was com he rode towards sir Trystram. Than sir Trystram sente unto sir Palomydes and requyred hym to juste with hym; and if he smote downe sir Palomydes he wolde do no more to hym, and if sir Palomydes smote downe sir Trystram, he bade hym do hys utteraunce. And so they were accorded and mette togydirs.
And sir Trystram smote downe sir Palomydes, that he had a vylaunce falle and lay stylle as he had bene dede. And than sir Trystram ran uppon sir Gaherys, and he wold nat have justed, but whethir he wolde or wolde nat sir Trystram smote hym over hys horse croupe, that he lay stylle. And sir Trystram rode hys way and lefft sir Persides hys squyar within the pavelons.
And sir Trystram and sir Dynadan rode to an olde knyghtes place to lodge them; and thys olde knyght had fyve sonnes at the turnement that prayde God hartely for their commynge home. And so, as the Freynshe booke sayeth, they com home all fyve well beatyn.
And whan sir Trystram departed into the foreyste sir Launcelot hylde allwayes the stowre lyke harde, as a man araged that toke none hede to hymselff. And wyte you well there was many a noble knyght ayenste hym. And whan kyng Arthure saw sir Launcelot do so mervaylous dedis of armys he than armed hym and toke hys horse and hys armour, and rode into the fylde to helpe sir Launcelot, and so many knyghtes cam with kynge Arthur.
And to make shorte tale in conclusion, the kyng of North Galis and the Kynge of the Hondred Knyghtes were put to the wars. And bycause sir Launcelot abode and was the laste in the fylde, the pryse was gyvyn hym. But sir Launcelot, nother for kynge, quene, nother knyght, wolde thereoff. And where the cry was cryed thorow the fylde, ‘Sir Launcelot hath wonne the filde thys day!’
Sir Launcelot made another cry contrary, ‘Sir Trystram hath won the fylde, for he began firste, and lengyst hylde on, and so hathe he done the firste day, the secunde, and the thirde day!’
Than all the astatis and degrees, hyghe and lowe, seyde of sir Launcelot grete worship for the honoure that he ded to sir Trystram, and for the honour doyng by sir Launcelot he was at that tyme more praysed and renowmed than and he had overthrowyn fyve hondred knyghtes. And all the peple hole for hys jantilness, firste the astatis, hyghe and lowe, and after the comynalté, at onys cryed, ‘Sir Launcelot hath won the gre, whosoever sayth nay!’
Than was sir Launcelot wrothe and ashamed, and so therewithall he rode to kynge Arthure.
‘Alas,’ seyde the kynge, ‘we ar all dismayde that sir Trystram ys thus departed frome us! Pardé,’ seyde kynge Arthur, ‘he ys one of the nobelyst knyghtes that ever I saw holde speare in honde or swerde, and the moste curtayse knyght in hys fyghtyng. For full harde I sye hym bestad,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘whan he smote sir Palomydes uppon the helme thryse, that he abaysshed hys helme with hys strokis. And also he seyde “here ys a stroke for sir Trystram”, and thus he seyde thryse.’
Than kynge Arthur and sir Launcelot and sir Dodynas le Saveage toke their horsis to seke aftir sir Trystram. And by the meanys of sir Persides he had tolde kynge Arthure where sir Trystramys pavylyon was. But whan they cam there, sir Trystram and sir Dynadan was gone. Than kynge Arthur and sir Launcelot was hevy and returned ayen to the Castell Maydyns makyng grete dole for the hurte of sir Trystram, and hys suddeyne departynge.
‘So God me helpe,’ seyde kynge Arthur, ‘I am more hevy that I can nat mete with hym than I am for all the hurtys that all my knyghtes have had at the turnement.’
And so furthwith cam sir Gaherys and tolde kynge Arthur how sir Trystram had smytten downe sir Palomydes, and hit was at hys owne requeste.
‘Alas,’ seyde kynge Arthur, ‘that was grete dishonoure to sir Palomydes, inasmuch as sir Trystram was so sore wounded. And may we all, kyngis and knyghtes and men of worship, sey that sir Trystram may be called a noble knyght and one of the beste knyghtes that ever y saw dayes of my lyff. For I woll that ye all, kyngis and knyghtes, know,’ seyde kynge Arthur, ‘that I never saw knyght do so mervaylously as he hath done thes three dayes, for he was the firste that began, and the lengyst that hylde on, save thys laste day; and thoughe he were hurte hit was a manly adventure of two noble knyghtes. And whan two noble men encountir, nedis muste the tone have the worse, lyke as God wyll suffir at that tyme.’
‘Sir, as for me,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘for all the londys that ever my fadir leffte I wolde nat have hurt sir Trystram and I had knowyn hym at that tyme that I hurte hym: for I saw nat hys shylde. For and I had seyne hys blacke shylde, I wolde nat have medled with hym for many causis,’ seyde sir Launcelot. ‘For but late he ded as muche for me as ever ded knyght, and that ys well knowyn, that he had ado with thirty knyghtes and no helpe only save sir Dynadan. And one thynge shall I promyse you,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘sir Palomydes shall repente hit, as in hys unknyghtly delynge so for to folow that noble knyght that I be mysfortune hurte hym thus.’ So sir Launcelot seyd all the worship that myght be spokyn by sir Trystram.
Than kyng Arthure made a grete feste to all that wolde com.
And thus we lat passe kynge Arthure, and a lityll we woll turne unto sir Palomydes, that aftir he had a falle of sir Trystram he was nereho
nde araged oute of hys wytte for despite of sir Trystram, and so he folowed hym by adventure. And as he cam by a ryver, in hys woodnes he wolde have made hys horse to have lopyn over the watir, and the horse fayled footyng and felle in the ryver, wherefore sir Palomydes was adrad leste he shulde have bene drowned. And than [36] he avoyde hys horse and swam to the londe, and lete hys horse go downe by adventure. And whan he cam to the londe he toke of hys harnys and sate romynge and cryynge as a man oute of hys mynde.
Ryght so cam a damesell evyn by sir Palomydes, that was sente fro sir Gawayne and hys brothir unto sir Mordred that lay syke in the same place with that olde knyght where sir Trystram was. For, as the booke seythe, sir Persides hurte so sir Mordred a ten dayes afore, and had hit nat bene for the love of sir Gawayne and hys brethirn, sir Persides had slayne sir Mordred.
And so this damysell cam by sir Palomydes, and he and she had langage togyder, whych pleased neythir of them. And so thys damesell rode her wayes tyll she cam to that olde knyghtes place, and there she tolde that olde knyght how she mette with the woodist knyght by adventure that ever she mette withall.
‘What bare he in hys shylde?’ seyde sir Trystram.
‘Sir, hit was endented with whyght and blacke,’ seyde the damesell.
‘A,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘that was Palamydes, the good knyght. For well I know hym,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘for one of the beste knyghtes lyvyng in thys realme.’
Than that olde knyght toke a lityll hakeney and rode for sir Palomydes, and brought hym unto hys owne maner. And full well knew sir Trystram hym, but he sayde but lytill. For at that tyme sir Trystram was walkyng uppon hys feete and well amended of his hurtis, and allwayes whan sir Palomydes saw sir Trystram he wolde beholde hym full mervaylously, and ever hym semed that he had sene hym. Than wolde he sey unto sir Dynadan, ‘And ever I may mete with sir Trystram, he shall nat escape myne hondis.’
‘I mervayle,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘that ye do boste behynde sir Trystram so, for hit ys but late that he was in youre hondys and ye in hys hondis. Why wolde ye nat holde hym whan ye had hym? For I saw myselff twyse or thryse that ye gate but lytyll worship of sir Trystram.’
Than was sir Palomydes ashamed. So leve we them a lytyll whyle in the castell with the olde knyght sir Darras.
Now shall we speke of kynge Arthure, that seyde to sir Launcelot, ‘Had nat ye bene, we had nat loste sir Trystram, for he was here dayly unto the tyme ye mette with hym. And in an evyll tyme,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘ye encountred with hym.’
‘My lorde Arthure,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ye shall undirstonde the cause. Ye put now uppon me that I sholde be causer of hys departicion; God knowith hit was ayenste my wyll! But whan men bene hote in dedis of armys, oftyn hit ys seyne they hurte their frendis as well as their foys. And, my lorde,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘ye shall undirstonde that sir Trystram ys a man that I am ryght lothe to offende to, for he hath done more for me than ever y ded for hym as yet.’
But than sir Launcelot mad brynge forthe a boke, and than seyde sir Launcelot, ‘Here we ar ten knyghtes that woll swere uppon thys booke never to reste one nyght where we reste another thys twelve-month, untyll that we fynde sir Trystram. And as for me,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘I promyse you uppon thys booke that, and I may mete with hym, other with fayrenes othir with fowlnes I shall brynge hym to thys courte, other elles I shall dye therefore.’
And the namys of thes ten knyghtes that had undirtake thys queste were these folowynge: first was sir Launcelot; sir Ector de Marys, sir Bors de Ganys, and sir Bleoberys, sir Blamour de Ganys, sir Lucan de Butler, sir Uwayne, sir Galyhud, sir Lyonel, and sir Galyodyn. So thes ten noble knyghtes departed frome the courte of kynge Arthur, and so they rode uppon theire queste togydirs tyll they com to a crosse where departed four wayes, and there departed the felyship in four to seke sir Trystram.
And as sir Launcelot rode, by adventure he mette with dame Brangwayne that was sente into that contrey to seke sir Trystram, and she fled as faste as her palfrey myght go. So sir Launcelot mette with her and asked why she fled.
‘A, fayre knyght,’ seyde dame Brangwayne, ‘I fle for drede of my lyff, for here folowith me sir Breuse Saunz Pité to sle me.’
‘Holde you nyghe me,’ seyde sir Launcelot.
And whan he sye sir Breuse Saunz Pité he cryed unto hym and seyde, ‘False knyght, destroyer of ladyes and damesels, now thy laste dayes be com!’
Whan sir Breuse Saunce Pité saw sir Launcelottis shylde he knew hit well, for at that tyme he bare nat the shylde of Cornwayle, but he bare hys owne. And than sir Breuse returned and fled, and sir Launcelot folowed aftir hym. But sir Breuse was so well horsed that whan hym lyst to fle he myght fle whan he wolde and abyde whan he wolde. And than sir Launcelot returned unto dame Brangwayne, and she thanked sir Launcelot of hys curtesy and grete laboure.
Now woll we speke of sir Lucan de Butler, that by fortune he cam rydynge to the same place thereas was sir Trystram, and in he cam for none other entente but to aske herberow. Than the porter asked what was hys name.
‘Sir, telle youre lorde that my name ys sir Lucan de Butler, a knyght of the Rounde Table.’
So the porter yode unto sir Darras, lorde of the place, and tolde hym who was there to aske herberow.
‘Nay, nay,’ seyde sir Daname that was nevew unto sir Darras, ‘sey hym that he shall nat be lodged here. But lat hym wete that I, sir Danam, woll mete with hym anone, and byd hym make hym redy.’ So sir Danam com forthe on horseback, and there they met togydirs with spearys. And sir Lucan smote downe sir Danam over hys horse croupe, and than he fled into that place, and sir Lucan rode aftir hym and asked after hym many tymys.
Than sir Dynadan seyde to sir Trystram, ‘Hit ys shame to se the lordys cousyne of thys place defoyled.”Abyde,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘and I shall redresse hit.’
And in the meanewhyle sir Dynadan was on horsebacke, and he justed with sir Lucan, and he smote sir Dynadan thorow the thycke of the thyghe, and so he rode hys way. And sir Trystram was wroth that sir Dynadan was hurte, and he folowed aftir and thought to avenge hym. And within a whyle he overtoke sir Lucan and bade hym turne, and so they mette togydirs. And sir Trystram hurte sir Lucane passynge sore and gaff hym a falle.
So with that com sir Uwayne, a jantill knyght, and whan he saw sir Lucan so hurte he called to sir Trystram to juste.
‘Fayre knyght,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘telle me youre name, I requyre you.’
‘Sir knyght, wite you well my name ys sir Uwayne, le Fyze de Roy Ureyne.’
‘A,’ seyde sir Tristram, ‘be my wylle I wolde nat have ado with you at no tyme.’
‘Sir, ye shall nat do so,’ seyde sir Uwayne, ‘but ye shall have ado with me.’
And than sir Trystram saw none other boote but rode ayenste hym, and overthrew sir Uwayne and hurte hym in the syde, and so he departed unto hys lodgynge agayne.
And whan sir Danam undirstood that sir Trystram had hurte sir Lucan he wolde have ryddyn aftir hym for to have slayne hym. But sir Trystram wolde nat suffir hym. Than sir Uwayne lete ordayne an horse-litter, and brought sir Lucan to the abbay of Ganys. And the castell thereby hyght the Castell off Ganys, of the whych sir Bleoberys was lorde. And at that castell sir Launcelot promysed all hys felowis there to mete in the queste of sir Trystram.
So whan sir Trystram was com to hys lodgynge, there cam a damsell that tolde sir Darras that three of his sunnys were slayne at that turnemente, and two grevously wounded so that they were never lyke to helpe themselff: and all thys was done by a noble knyght that bare a blacke shylde, and that was he that bare the pryce.
Than cam one and tolde sir Darras that the same knyght was within hys courte that bare the blacke shylde. Than sir Darras yode unto sir Trystramys chambir, and there he founde hys shylde and shewed hit to the damesell.
‘A, sir,’ seyde the damesell, ‘thys same ys he that slewe youre three sunnys.’
Than withoute ony taryynyge sir Darras put sir Tristram, sir Palomydes, and sir Dynadan within a stronge preson, and t
here sir Trystram was lyke to have dyed of grete syknes. And every day sir Palomydes wolde repreve sir Trystram of olde hate betwyxt them, and ever sir Trystram spake fayre and seyde lytyll. But whan sir Palomydes se that sir Trystram was falle in syknes, than was he hevy for hym and comforted hym in all the beste wyse he coude.
And, as the Freynshe booke sayth, there cam fourty knyghtes to sir Darras that were of hys owne kynne, and they wolde have slayne sir Trystram and hys felowis, but sir Darras wolde nat suffre that, but kepte them in preson, and mete and drynke they had.
So sir Trystram endured there grete payne, for syknes had undirtake hym, and that ys the grettist payne a presoner may have. For all the whyle a presonere may have hys helth of body, he may endure undir the mercy of God and in hope of good delyveraunce; but whan syknes towchith a presoners body, than may a presonere say all welth ys hym berauffte, and than hath he cause to wayle and wepe. Ryght so ded sir Trystram whan syknes had undirtake hym, for than he toke such sorow that he had allmoste slayne hymselff.
VI. THE ROUND TABLE
[38] Now woll we spek, and leve sir Trystram, sir Palomydes, and sir Dynadan in preson, and speke we of othir knyghtes that sought aftir sir Trystram many dyverse partyes of thys londe.
And some yode into Cornwayle, and by adventure sir Gaherys, nevew unto kynge Arthure, cam unto kynge Marke. And there he was well resseyved and sate at kynge Markys owne table and at hys owne messe. Than kynge Marke asked sir Gaherys what tydynges there was within the realme of Logrys.
‘Sir,’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘the kynge regnys as a noble knyght, and now but late there was a grete justis and turnemente that ever y saw within thys reallme of Logres, and the moste nobelyste knyghtes were at that justis. But there was one knyght that ded mervaylously three dayes, and he bare a blacke shylde, and on all the knyghtes that ever y saw he preved the beste knyght.’
Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory Page 46