Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  ‘That was,’ seyde kynge Marke, ‘sir Launcelot, other ellis sir Palomydes the paynym.’

  ‘Not so,’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘for they were both of the contrary party agaynste the knyght with the blacke shylde.’

  ‘Than was hit sir Trystram de Lyones,’ seyde the kynge. And therewithall he smote downe hys hede, and in hys harte he feryd sore that sir Trystram sholde gete hym such worship in the realme of Logrys wherethorow hymselff shuld nat be able to withstonde hym.

  Thus sir Gaherys had grete chere with kynge Marke and with the quene. La Beall Isode was glad of his wordis, for well she wyste by hys dedis and maners that hit was sir Trystram.

  And than the kynge made a feste royall, and to that feste cam sir Uwayne le Fyze de Roy Urayne and som called hym sir Uwayne le Blaunche Maynes. And thys sir Uwayne chalenged all the knyghtes of Cornwayle. Than was the kynge wood wrothe that he had no knyghtes to answere hym. Than sir Andred, nevew unto kynge Marke, lepe up and sayde, ‘I woll ancountir with sir Uwayne.’

  Than he yode and armyd hym, and horsed hym in the beste maner. And there sir Uwayne mette with sir Andred and smote hym downe, that he sowned on the erthe. Than was kynge Marke sory and wrothe oute of mesure that he had no knyght to revenge hys nevew, sir Andret. So the kynge called unto hym sir Dynas le Senesciall, and prayde hym for hys sake to take uppon hym for to juste with sir Uwayne.

  ‘Sir,’ seyd sir Dynas, ‘I am full lothe to have ado with ony of the knyghtes of the Rounde Table.’

  ‘Yet, for my love, take uppon you for to juste.’

  So sir Dynas made hym redy to juste, and anone they encountirde togydirs with grete spearys. But sir Dynas was overthrowyn, horse and man, a grete falle. Who was wroth than but kynge Marke!

  ‘Alas!’ he seyde, ‘have I no knyght that woll encounter with yondir knyght?’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘for youre sake I woll just.’

  So sir Gaherys made hym redy, and whan he was armed he rode into the fylde. And whan sir Uwayne saw sir Gaherys shylde he rode to hym and seyde, ‘Sir, ye do nat youre parte, for the firste tyme that ever ye were made knyght of the Rounde Table ye sware that ye shuld nat have ado with none of youre felyship wyttyngly. And, pardé, sir Gaherys, ye know me well inow by my shylde, and so do I know you by youre shylde. And thaughe ye wolde breke youre othe, I woll nat breke myne. For there ys nat one here nother ye that shall thynk I am aferde of you, but that I durst ryght well have ado with you. And yet we be syster sonnys!’

  Than was sir Gaherys ashamed. And so therewithall every knyght wente their way, and sir Uwayne rode oute of the contrey. Than kynge Marke armed hym and toke hys horse and hys speare with a squyar with hym, and than he rode afore sir Uwayne and suddeynly, at a gap, he ran uppon hym as he that was nat ware of hym. And there he smote hym allmoste thorow the body, and so there leffte hym.

  So within a whyle there cam sir Kay and founde sir Uwayne, and asked hym how he was hurte.

  ‘I wote nat,’ seyde sir Uwayne, ‘why nother wherefore, but by treson, I am sure, I gate thys hurte. For here cam a knyght suddeynly uppon me or that I was ware, and suddeynly hurte me.’

  Than there was com sir Andred to seke kyng Marke.

  ‘Thou traytoure knyght!’ seyde sir Kay, ‘and I wyst hit were thou that thus traytourely haste hurte thys noble knyght, thou shuldist never passe my hondys!’

  ‘Sir,’ seyed sir Andred, ‘I ded never hurte hym, and that I reporte me to hymselff.’

  ‘Fy on you, false knyghtes of Cornwayle,’ seyde sir Kay, ‘for ye are naught worth!’

  So sir Kay made cary sir Uwayne to the Abbay of the Black Crosse, and there was he heled.

  Than sir Gaherys toke hys leve of kyng Marke, but or he departed he seyde, ‘Sir kynge, ye ded a fowle shame whan ye flemyd sir Trystram oute of thys contrey, for ye nedid nat to have doughted no knyght and he had bene here.’

  [39] And so he departed. Than there cam sir Kay the Senesciall unto kynge Marke, and there he had god chere shewynge outewarde.

  ‘Now, fayre lordys,’ sayde kynge Marke, ‘woll ye preve ony adventure in this foreyste of Morrys, whych ys an harde adventure as I know ony?’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Kay, ‘I woll preve hit.’

  And sir Gaherys seyde he wolde be avysed, for kynge Marke was ever full of treson. And therewithall sir Gaherys departed and rode hys way. And by the same way that sir Kay sholde ryde, he leyde hym downe to reste, chargynge hys squyar to wayte uppon hym:

  ‘And yf sir Kay comme, warne me whan he commyth.’

  So within a whyle sir Kay com rydyng that way. And than sir Gaherys toke hys horse and mette hym, and seyde, ‘Sir Kay, ye ar nat wyse to ryde at the rekeyste of kynge Marke, for he delith all with treson.’

  Than seyde sir Kay, ‘I requyre you that we may preve well thys adventure.’

  ‘I woll nat fayle you,’ seyde sir Gaherys.

  And so they rode that tyme tylle a lake that was that tyme called the Perelous Lake, and there they abode under the shawe of the wood.

  The meanewhyle kynge Marke within the castell of Tyntagyll avoyded all hys barownes, and all othir, save such as were prevy with hym, were avoyded oute of the chambir. And than he let calle hys nevew, sir Andred, and bade arme hym and horse hym lyghtly, for by that tyme hit was nyghe mydnyght. And so kynge Marke was armed all in blacke, horse and all, and so at a prevy postern they two yssued oute with their verlattes with them, and so rode tylle they cam to that lake.

  Than sir Kay aspyed them firste, and gate hys spear in hys honde, and profirde to juste. And kynge Marke rode ayenst hym, and smote ech other full harde, for the moone shone as the bryght day. And at that justis sir Kayes horse felle downe, for hys horse was nat so bygge as the kynges horse was, and sir Kayes horse brused hym full sore.

  Than sir Gaherys was wrothe that sir Kay had a falle. Than he cryed, ‘Knyght, sitte thou faste in thy sadle, for I wolle revenge my felow!’

  Than kynge Marke was aferde of sir Gaherys, and so with evyll wylle kynge Marke rode ayenste hym, and sir Gaherys gaff hym such a stroke that he felle downe. And so forthwithall sir Gaherys ran unto sir Andred and smote hym frome hys horse quyte, that hys helme smote in the erthe and nyghe had brokyn hys neke. And therewithall sir Gaherys alyght, and gate up sir Kay, and than they yeode bothe on foote to them, and bade them yelde them and telle their namys, othir ellis they sholde dey. Than with grete payne sir Andred spake firste and seyde, ‘Hit ys kynge Marke of Cornwayle, therefore be ye ware what ye do. And I am sir Andred, hys cousyn.’

  ‘Fy on you bothe!’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘for ye ar false traytours, and false treson have ye wrought undir youre semble chere that ye made us. For hit were pité that ye sholde lyve ony lenger,’ seyde sir Gaherys.

  ‘Save my lyff,’ seyde kynge Marke, ‘and I woll make amendys. And concider that I am a kynge anoynted.’

  ‘Hit were the more shame,’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘to save thy lyff! For thou arte a kynge anoynted with creyme, and therefore thou sholdist holde with all men of worship. And therefore thou arte worthy to dye.’

  And so with that he laysshed at kynge Marke, and he coverde hym with hys shylde and defended hym as he myght. And than sir Kay laysshed at sir Andret. And therewithall kynge Marke yelded hym unto sir Gaherys, and than he kneled adowne and made hys othe uppon the crosse of the swerde that never whyle he lyved he wolde be ayenste arraunte knyghtes. And also he sware to be good fryende unto sir Trystram, if ever he cam into Cornwayle. And by that tyme sir Andret was on the erthe, and sir Kay wolde have slayne hym.

  ‘Lat be,’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘sle hym nat, I pray you.’

  ‘Sir, hit were pité,’ seyde syr Kay, ‘that he sholde lyve ony lenger, for he ys cousyn nyghe unto sir Trystram, and ever he hath bene a traytoure unto hym, and by hym he was exhyled oute of Cornwayle. And therefore I woll sle hym,’ seyde sir Kay.

  ‘Ye shall nat do so,’ seyde sir Gaherys, ‘for sytthyn I have yevyn the kynge hys lyff, I pray you gyff hym hys lyffe.’

  And therewithall s
ir Kay lete hym go.

  And so they rode her wayes unto sir Dynas le Senesciall, for bycause they harde sey that he loved well sir Trystram. So they reposed them, and sone aftir they rode unto the realme of Logrys.

  And so within a lityll while they mette with sir Launcelot that allwayes had dame Brangwayne with hym, to that entente, he wente to have mette the sunner with sir Trystram. And sir Launcelot asked what tydynges in Cornwayle, and whethir they harde of sir Trystram. Sir Kay and sir Gaherys answerde that they harde nat of hym, and so they tolde worde by worde of their adventure. Than sir Launcelot smyled and seyde, ‘Harde hit ys to take oute off the fleysshe that ys bredde in the boone!’

  And so they made hem myrry togydirs.

  Now leve we of thys tale and speke we of sir Dynas that had [40] within the castell a paramour, and she loved anothir knyght bettir than hym. And so whan sir Dynas was oute an-huntynge, she slypped downe by a towell, and toke with hir two brachettis, and so she yode to the knyght that she loved.

  And whan sir Dynas cam home and myste hys paramoure and hys brachettes, than was he the more wrother for hys brachettis, more than for hys lady. So than he rode aftir the knyght that had hys paramoure, and bade hym turne and juste. So sir Dynas smote hym downe, that with the falle he brake hys legge and hys arme. And than hys lady and paramour cryed and seyde, ‘Sir Dynas, mercy!’ and she wolde love hym bettir than ever she ded.

  ‘Nay,’ seyde sir Dynas, ‘I shall never truste them that onys betrayeth me, and therefore as ye have begunne so ende, for I woll nevir meddill with you.’

  And so sir Dynas departed and toke his brachettis with hym, and so he rode to hys castell.

  Now woll we turne unto sir Launcelot that was ryght hevy that he cowth never hyre no tydynges of sir Trystram, for all this whyle he was in preson with sir Darras, sir Palomydes, and sir Dynadan. Than dame Brangwayne toke hyr leve to go into Cornwayle, and sir Launcelot, sir Kay, and sir Gaherys rode to seke the contrey of Surluse.

  Now spekith thys tale of sir Trystram and of hys two felowis, for every day sir Palomydes brawled and seyde langayge ayenste sir Tristram.

  Than seyde sir Dynadan, ‘I mervayle of the, sir Palomydes, whethir, and thou haddyst sir Tristram here, I trow, thou woldiste do none harme. For and a wolff and a sheepe were togydir in a preson, the wolff wolde suffir the sheepe to be in pees. And wyte thou well,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘thys same ys sir Trystram at a worde, and now mayst thou do thy beste with hym, and latte se yf ye now skyffte hit with youre handys.’

  Than was sir Palomydes abaysshed, and seyde lityll. Than seyde sir Trystram to sir Palomydes, ‘I have harde muche of youre magré ayenste me, but I woll nat meddill with you at thys tyme be my wylle, bycause I drede the lorde of this place that hath us in governaunce. For and I dred hym nat more than I do the, sone hit sholde be skyffte.’

  And so they peaced hemselff.

  Ryght so cam in a damesell and seyde, ‘Knyghtes, be of good chere, for ye ar sure of youre lyves, and that I harde my lorde sir Darras sey.’

  So than were they all glad, for dayly they wente to have dyed.

  Than sone aftir thys sir Trystram fyll syke, that he wente to have dyed. Than sir Dynadan wepte, and so ded sir Palomydes, undir them bothe makynge grete sorow. So a damesell cam in to them and founde them mournynge. Than she wente unto sir Darras and tolde hym how the myghty knyght that bare the blacke shylde was lykly to dye.

  ‘That shall nat be,’ seyde sir Darras, ‘for God deffende, whan knyghtes com to me for succour, that I sholde suffir hem to dye within my preson. Therefore,’ seyde sir Darras, ‘go fecche me that syke knyght and hys felowis afore me.’

  And whan sir Darras saw sir Trystram ibrought afore hym, he seyde, ‘Sir knyght, me repentis of youre sykenes, for ye ar called a full noble knyght, and so hit semyth by you. And wyte you well that hit shall never be seyde that I, sir Darras, shall destroy such a noble knyght as ye ar in preson, howbehit that ye have slayne three of my sunnes, wherefore I was gretely agreved. But now shalt thou go and thy felowys, and take youre horse and youre armour, for they have bene fayre and clene kepte, and ye shall go where hit lykith you uppon this covenaunte, that ye, knyght, woll promyse me to be good frynde to my sunnys two that bene now on lyve, and also that ye telle me thy name.’

  ‘Sir, as for me, my name ys sir Trystram de Lyones, and in Cornwayle was I borne, and nevew I am unto kyng Marke. And as for the dethe of youre two sunnes, I myght nat do withall. For and they had bene the nexte kyn that I have, I myght have done none othirwyse; and if I had slayne hem by treson other trechory, I had bene worthy to have dyed.’

  ‘All thys I consider,’ seyde sir Darras, ‘that all that ye ded was by fors of knyghthode, and that was the cause I wolde nat put you to dethe. But sith ye be sir Trystram the good knyght, I pray you hartyly to be my good frynde and unto my sunnes.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘I promyse you by the faythe of my body, ever whyle I lyve I woll do you servyse, for ye have done to us but as a naturall knyght ought to do.’

  Than sir Trystram reposed hym there a whyle tyll that he was amended of hys syknes, and whan he was bygge and stronge they toke their leve, and every knyght toke their horses and harneys, and so departed and rode togydirs tyll they cam to a crosseway.

  ‘Now, felowis,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘here woll we departe in sundir.’

  And bycause sir Dynadan had the firste adventure, of hym I woll begyn.

  So as sir Dynadan rode by a well, he founde a lady makyng grete [41] dole.

  ‘What aylith you?’ seyde sir Dynadan.

  ‘Sir knyght,’ seyde the lady, ‘I am the wofullyst lady of the worlde, for within thys fyve dayes here com a knyght called sir Breuse Saunz Pité, and he slewe myne owne brothir, and ever syns he hath kepte me at hys owne wylle, and of all men in the worlde I hate hym moste. And therefore I requyre you of knyghthode to avenge me, for he woll nat tarry but be here anone.’

  ‘Lat hym com!’ seyde sir Dynadan. “And bycause of honoure of all women I woll do my parte.’

  So with this cam sir Breuse, and whan he saw a knyght with his lady he was wood wrothe, and than he seyde, ‘Kepe the, sir knyght, from me!’

  And so they hurled togydirs as the thundir, and aythir smote othir passynge sore. But sir Dynadan put hym thorow the shuldir a grevous wounde, and or ever sir Dynadan myght turne hym sir Breuse was gone and fledde.

  Than the lady prayde hym to brynge hyr to a castell there besyde but four myle; and so sir Dynadan brought her there and she was wellcom, for the lorde of that castell was hir uncle. And so sir Dynadan rode hys way uppon hys adventure.

  Now turnyth thys tale unto sir Trystram, that by adventure he cam to a castell to aske lodgyng, wherein was quene Morgan le Fay. And so whan sir Trystram was let into that castell he had good chere all that nyght. And so uppon the morne, whan he wolde have departed, the quene seyde, ‘Wyte you well ye shall nat departe lyghtly, for ye ar here as a presonere.’

  ‘Jesu deffende me!’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘for I was but late a presonere.’

  ‘Now, fayre knyght,’ seyde the quene, ‘ye shall abyde with me tyll that I wyte what ye ar, and frome whens ye cam.’

  And ever the quene wolde sette sir Trystram on her one syde, and her paramour on hir other syde, and evermore the quene wolde beholde sir Trystram. And thereat thys othir knyght was jeleous, and was in wyll suddeynly to have ronne uppon hym with a swerde, but he forbare for shame. Than the quene seyde unto sir Trystram, ‘Telle me youre name, and I shall suffir you to departe whan ye wyll.’

  ‘Uppon that covenaunte, madame, I woll telle you: my name ys sir Trystram de Lyones.’

  ‘A!’ seyde quene Morgan le Fay, ‘and I had wyst that, thou sholdist nat have departed so sone as thou shalte. But sitthyn I have made a promyse, I wolde holde hit, with that thou wolte promyse me to beare uppon the a shylde I shall delyver the unto the castell of the Harde Roche, where kynge Arthure hath cryed a grete turnemente. And there I pray you that ye woll be, and to do as much of dedys
of armys for me as ye may do. For at the Castell of Maydyns, sir Trystram, ye ded mervaylous dedis of armys as ever I harde knyght do.’

  ‘Madame,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘let me se the shylde that I shall beare.’

  Than the shylde was brought forthe, and the fylde was gouldes with a kynge and a quene therein paynted, and a knyght stondynge aboven them with hys one foote standynge uppon the kynges hede and the othir uppon the quenys hede.

  ‘Madame,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘thys ys a fayre shylde and a myghty, but what signyfyeth this kynge and this quene and that knyght stondynge uppon bothe their hedis?’

  ‘I shall telle you,’ seyde Morgan le Fay. ‘Hit signyfieth kynge Arthure and quene Gwenyver, and a knyght that holdith them bothe in bondage and in servage.’

  ‘Madame, who ys that knyght?’ seyde sir Trystram.

  ‘Sir, that shall ye nat wyte as at thys tyme,’ seyde the quene.

  But, as the Freynshe booke seyde, quene Morgan loved sir Launcelot beste, and ever she desired hym, and he wolde never love her nor do nothynge at her rekeyste, and therefore she hylde many knyghtes togydir to have takyn hym by strengthe. And bycause that she demed that sir Launcelot loved quene Gwenyver paramour and she hym agayne, therefore dame Morgan ordayned that shylde to put sir Launcelot to a rebuke, to that entente, that kynge Arthure myght undirstonde the love betwene them.

  So sir Trystram toke that shylde and promysed hir to beare hit at the turnemente of the castell of Harde Rooche. But sir Trystram knew nat of that shylde that hit was ordayned ayenste sir Launcelot, but aftirwarde he knew hit. So sir Trystram toke hys leve of the [42] quene, and toke the shylde with hym.

  Than cam the knyght that hylde Morgan le Fay, whos name was sir Hemyson, and he made hym redy to folow sir Trystram.

  ‘Now, fayre knyght,’ seyde Morgan, ‘ryde ye nat aftir that knyght, for ye shall wynne no worshyp of hym.’