And therewithall kynge Arthure was wrothe and thought to have made hym redy to juste. That aspyed sir Lamerok, that kynge Arthure and his blood was so discomfite. And anone he was redy and axed sir Palomydes if he wolde ony more juste.
‘Why sholde I nat juste?’ seyde sir Palomydes.
So they hurled togydirs and brake their spearys, and all to-shyvird them, that all the castell range of their dyntys. Than aythir gate a gretter speare, and they cam so fyersly togydir that sir Palomydes speare brake, and sir Lamerokes hylde. And therewythall sir Palomydes loste his spurrys, and so he lay upryght on his horse backe. But sir Palomydes recoverde agayne and toke his damesell, and so sir Saffir and he went their way.
So whan he was departed the kynge cam to sir Lamerok and thankyd hym of his goodnes and prayde hym to tell hym his name.
‘Syr,’ seyde sir Lamerok, ‘wyte you well I owghe you my servyse, but as at this tyme I woll nat abyde here, for I se off myne enemyes many aboute you.’
‘Alas!’ seyde kynge Arthure, nowe wote I well hit is sir Lamerok de Galys. A, sir Lamerok, abyde wyth me! And be my crowne, I shall never fayle the: and nat so hardy in sir Gawaynes hede, nothir none of his bretherne, to do the wronge.’
‘Sir, grete wronge have they done me and you bothe.’
‘That is trouthe,’ seyde kynge Arthur, ‘for they slew their owne modir, my sistir. Hit had bene muche fayrer and bettir that ye hadde wedded her, for ye ar a kynges sonne as well as they.’
‘A, Jesu, mercy!’ seyde sir Lamerok. ‘Her deth shall I never forgete, and if hit were nat at the reverence of youre hyghnes, I sholde be revenged uppon sir Gawayne and his bretherne.’
‘Truly,’ seyde kynge Arthour, ‘I woll make you at acorde.’
‘Sir,’ seyde sir Lamerok, ‘as at this tyme I may nat abyde with you, for I muste to the justis where is sir Launcelot and the Haute Prynce sir Galahalte.’
So there was a damesell that was doughtir unto kynge Baudas; and there was a Sarazen knyght that hyght sir Corsabryne, and he loved the damesell and in no wyse he wolde suffir her to be maryed. For ever this Corsabryne noysed her and named her that she was oute of her mynde, and thus he lette her that she myght nat be maryed.
[47] So by fortune this damesell harde telle that sir Palomydes ded muche for damesels. And anone she sente hym a pensell and prayde hym to fyght with sir Corsabroyne for her love, and he sholde have her and all her londis, and of her fadirs that sholde falle aftir hym. Than the damesell sente unto sir Corsabryne and bade hym go unto sir Palomydes that was a paynym as well as he, and she gaff hym warnynge that she had sente hym her pensell; and yf he myght overcome sir Palomydes she wolde wedde hym.
Whan sir Corsabryne wyste of her dedis, than was he wood wrothe. And anone he rode unto Surluse where the Haute Prynce was, and there he founde sir Palomydes redy, the whyche had the pensell. And so there they waged batayle aythir with othir afore sir Galahalte.
‘Well,’ seyde the Haute Prynce, ‘this day muste noble knyghtes juste, and at aftir dyner we shall se how ye can do.’
Than they blew to justys. And in cam sir Dynadan and mette with sir Geryne, a good knyght, and he threw hym downe over his horse crouper. And sir Dynadan overthrew four knyghtes mo, and there he dede grete dedis of armys, for he was a good knyght. But he was a grete skoffer and a gaper, and the meryste knyght amonge felyship that was that tyme lyvynge: and he loved every good knyght and every good knyght loved hym.
So whan the Haute Prynce saw sir Dynadan do so well, he sente unto sir Launcelot and bade hym stryke hym adowne:
‘And whan that ye have done so, brynge hym afore me and quene Gwenyver.’
Than sir Launcelot ded as he was requyred. Than cam sir Lamorak and smote downe many knyghtes, and raced of helmys, and droff all the knyghtes afore hym, and sir Launcelot smote adowne sir Dynadan and made his men to unarme hym. And so brought hym to the quene, and the the Haute Prynce lowghe at sir Dynadan, that they myght nat stonde.
‘Well,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘yet have I no shame, for the olde shrew sir Launcelot smote me downe.’
So they wente to dyner, all the courte, and had grete disporte at sir Dynadan.
So whan the dyner was done, they blew to the fylde to beholde sir Palomydes and sir Corsabryne. Syr Palomydes pyght his pensell in myddys of the fylde, and than they hurled togydirs with her spearys as hit were thundir, and they smote aythir other to the erthe. And than they pulled oute there swerdis and dressed their shyldis and laysshed togydirs myghtyly as myghty knyghtes, that well-nyghe there was no pyse of harneyse wolde holde them, for this Corsabryne was a passynge felownse knyght. Than Corsabryne seyde, ‘Sir Palomydes, wolt thou release me yondir damesell and the pensell?’
Than was he wrothe oute of mesure, and gaff sir Palomydes suche a buffet that he kneled on his kne. Than sir Palomydes arose lyghtly and smote hym uppon the helme, that he fell upryght to the erthe. And therewithall he raced of his helme and seyde, ‘Yelde the, Corsabryne, or thou shalt dye!’
‘Fye on the,’ seyde sir Corsabryne, and do thy warste!’
Than he smote of his hede. And therewithall cam a stynke of his body, whan the soule departed, that there myght nobody abyde the savoure. So was the corpus had away and buryed in a wood, bycause he was a paynym.
Than they blew unto lodgynge, and sir Palomydes was unarmed. Than he wente unto quene Gwenyver, to the Haute Prince, and to sir Launcelot.
‘Sir,’ seyde the Haute Prynce, ‘here have ye seyne this day a grete myracle by Corsabryne, what savoure was there whan the soule departed frome the body. Therefore we all requyre you to take the baptyme upon you, and than all knyghtes woll sette the more be you.’’Sir,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I woll that ye all knowe that into this londe I cam to be crystyned, and in my harte I am crystynde, and crystynde woll I be. But I have made suche a vowe that I may nat be crystynde tyll I have done seven trewe bataylis for Jesus sake, and than woll I be crystynde. And I truste that God woll take myne entente, for I meane truly.’
Than sir Palomydes prayde quene Gwenyver and the Haute Prynce to soupe with hym; and so he ded bothe sir Launcelot and sir Lamerok and many other good knyghtes.
So on the morne they herde there masse, and blewe to the felde, and than many worshipfull knyghtes made them redy.
[48] Here begynnyth the syxth day. Than cam therein sir Gaherys, and there encountyrd with hym sir Ossayse of Surluse, and sir Gaherys smote hym over his horse croupe. And than ayther party encountyrd with othir, and there were many speres broken and many knyghtes caste undir fyete.
So there cam in sir Darnarde and sir Agglovale, that were bretherne unto sir Lamerok, and they mette with other two knyghtes, and aythir smote other so harde that all four knyghtes and horsis fell to the erthe.
Whan sir Lamerok saw his two bretherne downe he was wrothe oute of mesure; and than he gate a grete speare in his honde, and therewithall he smote downe four good knyghtes, and than his speare brake. Than he pulled oute his swerde and smote aboute hym on the ryght honde and on the lyffte honde, and raced of helmys and pulled downe knyghtes, that all men mervayled of suche dedis of armys as he ded, for he fared so that many knyghtes fledde. Than he horsed his bretherne agayne and sayde, ‘Bretherne, ye ought to be ashamed to falle so of your horsis! What is a knyght but whan he is on horsebacke? For I sette nat by a knyght whan he is on foote, for all batayles on foote ar but pyllours in batayles, for there sholde no knyght fyghte on foote but yf hit were for treson or ellys he were dryvyn by forse to fyght on foote. Therefore, bretherne, sytte faste in your sadyls, or ellys fyght never more afore me!’
So with that cam in the deuke Chalence of Claraunce. And there encountyrd with hym the erle of Ulbawys of Surluse, and aythir of hem smote other downe. Than the knyghtes of bothe partyes horsed their lordis agayne, for sir Ector and sir Bleoberys were on foote waytynge on the deuke Chalence, and the Kynge with the Hondred Knyghtes was with the erle of Ulbawes.
So wyth that cam sir Gaherys and laysshed to the Kynge wyth the Hondred Knyghtes a
nd he to hym agayne. Than cam the deuke Chalence and departed them. So they blew to lodgynge, and the knyghtes unarmed them and drewe them to there dyner.
And at the myddys of his dynar in cam sir Dynadan and began to rayle. And than he behelde the Haute Prynce that hym semed wrothe with som faute that he sawe: for he had a condission that he loved no fysshe, and bycause he was served with fysshe and hated hit, therefore he was nat myrry. And whan sir Dynadan had aspyed the Haute Prynce he aspyed where was a fysshe with a grete hede, and anone that he gate betwyxte two disshis and served the Haute Prynce with that fysshe. And than he sayde thus:
‘Sir Galahalte, well may I lykkyn you to a wolff, for he woll never ete fysshe, but fleysshe.’
And anone the Haute Prynce lowghe at his wordis.
‘Well, well,’ seyde sir Dynadan to sir Launcelot, ‘what devyll do ye in this contrey? For here may no meane knyghtes wynne no worship for the.’
‘I ensure the, sir Dynadan,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘I shall no more mete with the, nother with thy grete speare, for I may nat sytte in my sadyll whan thy speare hittyth me. And I be happy, I shall beware of thy boyteous body that thou beryst. Well,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘make good wacche ever. God forbode that ever we mete but hit be at a dysshe of mete!’
Than lowghe the quene and the Haute Prynce, that they myght nat sytte at their table, and thus they made grete joy tyll on the morne. And than they harde masse, and blew to the fylde, and quene Gwenyver and all astatys were sette, and jouges armed clene with their shyldis to kepe the ryghtes.
Now BEGYNNYTH THE SEVENTH BATAYLE. Here cam in the deuke Cambynes and there encountyrd with hym sir Arystaunce that was cownted a good knyght, and they mette so harde that aythir bare other adowne, horse and man. Than there cam in the erle Lambayle and halpe the deuke agayne to horsebacke.
Than there cam in sir Ossayse of Surluse, and he smote the erle Lambayle downe frome his horse. And so they began grete dedis of armys, and many spearys were brokyn and many knyghtes were caste to the erthe. Than the kynge of Northe Galys and the erle Ulbawes smote togydyrs, that all the jouges thought hit was mortall deth.
This meanewhyle quene Gwenyver and the Haute Prynce and sir Launcelot made there sir Dynadan to make hym redy to juste.
‘I woll,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘ryde into the fylde, but than one of you twayne woll mete with me.’
‘Perdeus,’ seyde the Haute Prynce and sir Launcelot, ‘ye may se how we sytte here as jouges with oure shyldis, and allway may ye beholde where we sytte here or nat.’
So sir Dynadan departed and toke his horse, and mette with many knyghtes and ded passyngly well. And as he was departed, sir Launcelot disgysed hymselff and put uppon his armour a maydyns garmente freysshely attyred. Than sir Launcelot made sir Galyhodyn to lede hym thorow the raunge, and all men had wondir what damesell was that. And so as sir Dynadan cam into the raunge, sir Launcelot, that was in the damesels aray, gate sir Galyhodyns speare and ran unto sir Dynadan.
And allwayes he loked up thereas sir Launcelot was, and than he sawe one sytte in the stede of sir Launcelot armed. But whan sir Dynadan saw a maner of a damesell, he dradde perellys lest hit sholde be sir Launcelot disgysed. But sir Launcelot cam on hym so faste that he smote sir Dynadan over his horse croupe. And anone grete coystrons gate sir Dynadan, and into the foreyste there besyde, and there they dispoyled hym unto his sherte and put uppon hym a womans garmente and so brought hym into fylde; and so they blew unto lodgyng, and every knyght wente and unarmed them.
And than was sir Dynadan brought in amonge them all, and whan quene Gwenyver sawe sir Dynadan ibrought in so amonge them all, than she lowghe, that she fell downe; and so dede all that there was.
“Well,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘sir Launcelot, thou arte so false that I can never beware of the.’
Than by all the assente they gaff sir Launcelot the pryce; the next was sir Lameroke de Galys, and the thirde was sir Palomydes; the fourth was kynge Bagdemagus. So thes four knyghtes had the pryce. And there was grete joy and grete nobelay in all the courte. And on the morne quene Gwenyver and sir Launcelot departed unto kynge Arthur; but in no wyse sir Lamerok wolde nat go wyth them.
‘Sir, I shall undirtake,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘that, and ye woll go wyth us, kynge Arthure shall charge sir Gawayne and his bretherne never to do you hurte.’
‘As for that,’ seyde sir Lamerok, ‘I woll nat truste to sir Gawayne, nother none of his bretherne. And wyte you well, sir Lafuncelot, and hit were nat for my lorde kynge Arthurs sake, I shuld macche sir Gawayne and his bretherne well inowghe. But for to say that I shall truste them, that shall I never. And there fore I pray you recommaunde me unto kynge Arthure and all my lordys of the Rounde Table, and in what place that ever I com I shall do you all servyse to my power. And, sir, yet hit is but late that I revenged them whan they were put to the werse by sir Palomydes.’
Than sir Lameroke departed frome sir Launcelot and all the felyship, and aythir of them wepte at her departynge.
[50] NOW TURNE WE FRO THIS MATER AND SPEKE WE OF SIR TRYSTRAM, OF WHOM THIS BOOKE IS PRINCIPALL OFF. AND LEVE WE THE KYNGE AND THE QUENE, AND SIR LAUNCELOT, AND SIR LAMEROK.
X. JOYOUS GARD
AND HERE BEGYNNYTH THE TRESON OF KYNGE MARKE THAT HE ORDAYNED AGAYNE SIR TRYSTRAM.
And there was cryed by the costys of Cornwayle a grete turnemente and justys, and all was done by sir Galahalt the Haute Prynce and kynge Bagdemagus to the entente to sle syr Launcelot other ellys uttirly to destroy hym and shame hym, bycause sir Launcelot had evermore the hygher degré. Therefore this prynce and this kynge made this justys ayenst sir Launcelot.
And thus her counceyle was discovered unto kynge Marke, whereof he was glad. Than kynge Marke unbethought hym that he wolde have sir Trystram unto the turnemente disgysed, that no man sholde knowe hym, to that entente that the Haute Prynce sholde wene that sir Trystram were sir Launcelot.
And so at that justys cam in sir Trystram, and at that tyme sir Launcelot was not there. But whan they sawe a knyght disgysed do suche dedis of armys, they wente hit had bene sir Launcelot, and in especiall kynge Marke seyde hit was sir Launcelot playnly.
Than they sette uppon hym, bothe kynge Bagdemagus and the Haute Prynce, and there knyghtes seyde that hit was wondir that ever sir Trystram myght endure that payne. Notwythstondynge for all the payne that they ded hym, he wan the degré at that turnemente, and there he hurte many knyghtes and brused them wondirly sore.
So whan the justys was all done they knewe well that he was sir Trystran de Lyones, and all they that were on kynge Markis party were glad that sir Trystram was hurte, and all the remenaunte were sory of his hurte, for sir Trystrams was nat so behated as was sir Launcelot, nat wythin the realme of Ingelonde.
Than cam kynge Marke unto sir Trystrams and sayde, ‘Fayre nevew, I am hevy of your hurtys.’
‘Gramercy, my lorde,’ seyde sir Trystram.
Than kynge Marke made hym to be put in an horse letter in grete tokenynge of love and sayde, ‘Fayre cousyne, I shall e be your leche myselff.’
And so he rode forth wyth sir Trystram and brought hym into a castell by daylyght. And than kynge Marke made sir Trystram to ete, and aftir that he gaff hym a drynke; and anone as he hadde drunke he felle on slepe. And whan hit was nyght he made hym to be caryed to another castell, and there he put hym in a stronge preson, and a man and a woman to gyff hym his mete and his drynke. So there he was a grete whyle.
Than was sir Trystram myssed, and no creature wyst where he was becam. And whan La Beall Isode harde how he was myste, pryvayly she wente unto sir Sadocke and prayde hym to aspye where was sir Trystram. And whan sir Sadocke knew how sir Trystram was myste he sought and made spyes for hym.
And than he aspyed that kynge Marke had put the good knyght in preson by his owne assente and the traytoure of Magouns. Than sir Sadocke toke with hym too of his cousyns and he layde them and hymself anone in a bushemente faste by the castell of Tyntagyll in armys.
And as by fortune there cam rydyng kyn
ge Marke and four of his nevewys and a sertayne of the traytoures of Magouns. So whan sir Sadocke aspyed them he brake oute of bushemente and sette there uppon them. And whan that kynge Marke aspyed sir Sadocke he fledde as faste as he myght, and there sir Sadocke slew all the four nevewys of kynge Marke, his cousyns. But thes traytoures of Magouns smote one of sir Sadockes cousyns a grete wounde in the necke, but sir Sadocke smote other twayne to the deth.
Than sir Sadocke rode uppon his way unto the castell that was called Lyonas, and there he aspyde of the treson and felony of kynge Marke. So off that castell they rode wyth sir Sadocke tyll they cam to a castel that hyght Arbray, and there in the towne they founde sir Dynas the Senesciall that was a good knyght. But whan sir Sadock had tolde sir Dynas of all the treson of kynge Marke, than he defyed suche a kynge and seyde he wolde gyff up all his londis that hylde of hym.
And whan he seyde thes wordis all maner knyghtes seyde as sir! Dynas sayde. Than by his advyse and of sir Sadockes he let stuff all the townys and castels wythin the contrey of Lyones and assemble all that they cowde make.
Now turne unto kynge Marke, that whan he was ascaped frome sir Sadocke he rode unto the castell of Tyntagyll, and there he made a grete cry and noyse, and cryed unto harneyse all that myght bere ‘ armys. Than they sought and founde where was dede four cousyns of kynge Marke, and the traytoure of Magouns. Than the kynge lette entyre them in a chapell. Than kynge Marke lette cry in all the contrey that hylde of hym to go unto armys, for he undirstood that to the warre he muste nedis.
So whan kynge Marke harde and undirstood how sir Dynas and sir Sadok were arysyn in the contrey of Lyones, he remembird of treson and wyeles, and so thus he ded lete make and countirfete lettirs from the Pope, and dede make a straunge clarke to brynge the lettyrs unto kynge Marke, the whyche lettyrs specifyed that kynge Marke sholde make hym redy, uppon payne of cursynge, wyth his oste to com to the Pope to helpe hym to go to Jerusalem for to make warre uppon the Saresyns.
Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory Page 57