The World of Camelot

by Michael Foss

  ‘All that you did,’ agreed Sir Darras, ‘was by force of knighthood, and so I could not put you to death. But since you are Sir Tristram, the good knight, I pray you heartily to be good friend to me and to my sons.’

  This Sir Tristram promised by the faith of his body, for he had done but as a natural knight ought to do. So he reposed him until he was big and strong. Then the three knights took horse and departed, and rode to the crossways, where Sir Tristram said, ‘Now fellows, here we will go our sundry ways’.

  At last Sir Tristram came to Camelot, and King Arthur ran unto Tristram and took him by the hand saying, ‘Sir Tristram, you are as welcome as any knight that ever came to this court.’

  Then came Queen Guenevere and many ladies, and many knights of the Round Table. With one voice they called, ‘Welcome, Sir Tristram.’

  ‘Welcome,’ said Arthur again, ‘for one of the best and gentlest knights of the world. Therefore, gentle knight, grant me a boon, and abide in my court.’

  ‘Sir, thereto I am loath, for I have ado in many countries.’

  ‘Not so,’ said Arthur, ‘you may not say nay.’

  ‘Well, sir,’ replied Sir Tristram, ‘let it be as you wish.’

  Then King Arthur looked about the seats of the Round Table that were void and lacked knights. And in the seat of Marhaus, the dead Irish knight, he saw these words: ‘This is the seat of the noble knight, Sir Tristram’. And with great ceremony and feast King Arthur made Sir Tristram a knight of the Round Table.

  But King Mark felt great despite of the renown of Sir Tristram. He had chased Tristram out of Cornwall, yet he still had suspicion. It seemed to him that there was too much love between his queen, Isoud, and Sir Tristram. So King Mark took his way into England, intending to slay Sir Tristram.

  As King Mark rode forwards, he came upon adventures that did him no honour. Sir Lamorak reproved him for a cowardly knight of Cornwall, and knocked him end over his horse’s tail. And Sir Dinadan reproved him also, when King Mark would have unworthily slain a knight upon the road.

  ‘You knights of Cornwall,’ Dinadan taunted him, ‘are no men of honour. You govern yourselves shamefully. I see you are full of cowardice, and you would be a murderer. That is the greatest shame that a knight can have.’

  And as fast as worthy knights rode forwards to the joust, King Mark rode backwards like a servant boy. When, upon a time, Sir Lancelot came fast at King Mark with a spear, the king made no defence, but tumbled to the earth like a sack and cried Sir Lancelot mercy.

  ‘Arise, recreant knight and king.’ shouted Lancelot.

  ‘I will not fight,’ said Mark humbly, ‘but will go as you wish.’

  ‘Alas, alas,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘that I may not give you one good buffet, for the love of Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud.’

  So he brought King Mark to King Arthur, and there Mark threw his helm upon the ground, and his sword, and fell flat on his face at the feet of Arthur.

  ‘God help me,’ said King Arthur, ‘you are welcome in a manner, and in a manner you are not welcome. You have been ever against me, and a destroyer of my knights. Now, how will you acquit yourself?’

  ‘Sir, as your Lordship will require me, unto my power, I will make large amends.’ For King Mark was always a fair speaker, and false there-under.

  ‘Well,’ said Arthur, ‘give me a gift that I shall ask you. Grant me that you will be a good lord unto Sir Tristram. Take him with you into Cornwall. Let him see his friends, and there cherish him for my sake.’

  So King Mark swore it upon a book, and he and Tristram took each other by the hands hard knit together. Soon after, the two made ready to ride into Cornwall, whereat most of the Round Table were angry and heavy. And in especial Lancelot, Lamorak and Dinadan were angry out of measure, for they feared the false king would slay or destroy Sir Tristram.

  Therewith Sir Lancelot came to King Mark and said, ‘Sir king, beware, I warn you, of treason. For if you mischief Sir Tristram by any manner of falsehood, by the faith I owe to God and to the order of knighthood, I shall slay you with my own hands.’

  Then, with the lamenting of the court, King Mark and Sir Tristram rode together. For it was Tristram’s will that he go with the king. And all was for the intent to see La Beale Isoud. Without the sight of her, he might not endure.

  After this was done, when the knights of the Round Table were going their ways, King Arthur let make a joust at a priory, whereat there was great despite betwixt Sir Lamorak and Sir Gawain and his brethren. There was a cry: ‘Beware the knight with the red shield.’ Thereupon Sir Lamorak came in red and overthrew three of Gawain’s brethren. Then he smote Sir Gawain from his horse and hurt him sore. All the brethren were wonderful angry that they had been put to dishonour that day. So Gawain said privily to his brothers, ‘Know well, my fair brethren, this Sir Lamorak will never love us. We slew his father, King Pellinore, for we deemed that he had slain our father, the King of Orkney. In revenge for Pellinore, Sir Lamorak did us a shame to our mother, whom he did lie with. Therefore I will be avenged.’

  ‘You shall find us ready,’ replied his brethren.

  ‘Then hold you still,’ said Gawain, ‘and we shall espy our time.’

  They sent for their mother, Queen Morgause, to come to a castle fast by Camelot. And Sir Lamorak, when he knew this, made a night assigned when he should come to her. In darkness, Sir Lamorak tied his horse to a privy gate, unarmed himself and went unto the queen’s bed. They had great joy, for each loved the other.

  But Sir Gaheris, brother to Gawain, was aware of this. He saw his time. He came to the bedside all armed, with his sword naked, and of a sudden he got his mother by the hair and struck off her head. When Sir Lamorak felt the blood dash upon him all hot, he leapt from the bed in his shirt as a knight dismayed.

  ‘Ah, Gaheris,’ he cried, ‘knight of the Round Table, foul and evil have you done. Alas, why have you slain the mother that bore you? With more right, you should have slain me.’

  ‘Because you are unclothed, I am ashamed to slay you. But for you to lie with our mother is too much dishonour for us to suffer. So in what place I may get you henceforth, I shall slay you. Now my mother is quit of you. Take your armour and get you gone.’

  When it was known that Gaheris had slain his mother, King Arthur, brother unto the slain queen, was mighty angry and banished Gaheris from out of the court. Sir Gawain also was angry that Gaheris had let Sir Lamorak escape. There was trouble in Camelot, wherefore Sir Lancelot said to the king, ‘Now we shall lose the good knight Lamorak, and that is great pity.’

  ‘God defend,’ said Arthur, ‘that I should lose Sir Lamorak, or Sir Tristram, for then twain of my chief knights were gone.’

  ‘Nay, sir,’ replied Lancelot, ‘I am sure you shall lose Sir Lamorak. Sir Gawain and his brethren have sworn to slay him by one mean or other.’

  About this time, Sir Tristram in Cornwall sent a letter privily unto La Beale Isoud. He prayed her to be his good lady, to make ready a vessel for her and him, and he would flee with her back into Logris, which is the realm of England. Thus it was done by the help of Sir Dinas, the steward. Sir Tristram was secretly delivered out of prison, and in all haste he and Isoud departed.

  They came by water unto this land of Logris, and there Sir Lancelot met with them. He brought them unto Joyous Gard, that was his own castle, a place garnished and furnished as for a royal king and queen.

  And Sir Lancelot charged all his people to honour them and love them, as they would himself. Then King Arthur and Queen Guenevere were glad that Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud had returned.

  So those two made great joy daily, with all manner of mirths. And every day Tristram would ride out hunting, for he was called the best chaser of the world, and the noblest blower of a horn. Daily he rode out armed, for he was in a strange country, with many perilous knights. And who knew what treason King Mark might do?

  So a little before the month of May, as Sir Tristram was chasing a hart most eagerly, he
alighted in his heat to drink of the burbling water of a well. Right then he heard and saw the Questing Beast come to the well. Then he put on his helm quickly, for he deemed that Sir Palomides would be close behind, for that beast was his quest. Withal came the noble Palomides, the Saracen, and either saluted the other warily and in haste. For Sir Palomides would not turn from his quest, but expected to meet Sir Tristram again for the tournament at the Castle Lonazep.

  Soon Sir Dinadan, the merry knight, came into that forest, and when he saw Sir Tristram following the hart he called him to halt, saying, ‘I saw but late a foolish knight lying by a well. And there he lay like a fool grinning, and would not speak. His shield lay by him, and his horse stood still, champing the grass. And I knew well that he was a lover.’

  ‘Fair sir,’ said Tristram, ‘are you not a lover?’

  ‘Fie on that craft.’

  ‘But that is evil said, for a knight may never be of prowess except he be a lover.’

  Anon, as they spoke a knight came riding, and Sir Dinadan knew him for that same doting fellow who lay by the well.

  ‘By his shield of azure,’ said Tristram, ‘he is Epinogrus. I know him well as a great lover. If you require him he will joust with you. Then we shall prove whether a lover or no lover be the better knight.’

  Therewith Sir Dinadan called out, ‘Sir knight, make you ready to joust with me, for this is the custom of knights errant.’

  ‘Is it the rule of you knights errant,’ answered Epinogrus, ‘to make a knight joust whether he will or not?’

  ‘As for that,’ said Dinadan, ‘make ready, for here is me.’

  They spurred forwards and met like the noise of winter storm, so hard that Epinogrus smote Sir Dinadan to earth. Then Sir Tristram pulled Dinadan up by the hand, and said smiling, ‘How now? It seems to me that the lover has sped well. But take your horse and let us go hence.’

  Sir Dinadan mounted grumbling. ‘Fie on you,’ he groaned. ‘God defend me from your fellowship, for I never sped well since I met you.’

  They rode until evening, and when they came to Joyous Gard La Beale Isoud asked of Sir Tristram his adventure.

  ‘But is not Sir Dinadan,’ she said, ‘he who made the song against King Mark?’

  ‘The very same, for he is the best jester and japer, and the best fellow I know. All good knights love his fellowship.’

  Then Isoud went unto Dinadan. Either saluted the other, and they spoke together.

  ‘Madam,’ said Sir Dinadan, ‘I marvel of Sir Tristram and other lovers, what ails them to be so mad and so besotted upon women.’

  ‘Why, sir,’ said she, ‘are you a knight and be no lover? It is your shame. You may not be called a good knight except you make a quarrel for a lady.’

  ‘God defend me, for the joy of love is too short, and the sorrow that comes thereof lasts over long.’

  ‘Now I pray you,’ said Isoud, ‘tell me, will you fight for my love with three knights that do me great wrong? As you be King Arthur’s knight, I require you to do battle for me.’

  ‘Madam,’ replied Sir Dinadan, ‘you are as fair a lady as ever I saw, and much fairer than is my lady Queen Guenevere. But in a word, I will not fight for you with three knights. Jesu defend me.’

  So La Beale Isoud laughed, and had good game with him, with all the good cheer they might. And on the morn early Sir Tristram armed himself, and Isoud gave him a fine helm. Then the two knights got ready to ride to the tournament at Lonazep.

  Thus riding, they met Sir Palomides on the way and together they went to the castle, where they saw four hundred tents and pavilions, and marvellous great command from many nations.

  ‘God help me,’ said Tristram, ‘yonder I see the most noble knights that ever I saw.’

  ‘Nay, sir,’ said Palomides, ‘there was as great a gathering at the Castle of Maidens, where you won the prize. And also in Surluse, where the Haut Prince made the tournament that lasted seven days.’

  ‘Who there was the best?’ said Sir Tristram.

  To this, Sir Gareth gave answer, who had come with his brother Gaheris unto the company: ‘It was Sir Lancelot du Lake, and then the noble knight Sir Lamorak de Gales.’

  Then Sir Tristram looked upon him and sighed, ‘Ah, Sir Gareth, the death of Sir Lamorak was over great pity. I dare say he was the cleanest-mighted man, the biggest and the best-winded of his age, except for Sir Lancelot. I heard say that Sir Gawain, and you his brethren, slew him among you, a better knight than ever you were. It is shame that all you who come from such great and kingly blood be now called the destroyers and murderers of good knights. Had it pleased God, I would I had been by Sir Lamorak at his death.’

  ‘Then should you have gone the same way,’ said Gaheris with contempt, and he spurred his horse away.

  ‘It is for such things done treasonably,’ said Tristram full of thought, ‘that I fear to draw unto the court of my lord Arthur. I would have you know this.’

  ‘Sir, I blame you not,’ said Gareth. ‘Well I understand the vengeance of my brethren Gawain, Agravaine, Gaheris and Mordred. As for me, I meddle not. Therefore there is none of them that loves me. As they be murderers, so I left their company.’

  ‘You say well,’ replied Tristram. ‘But I had rather been there than have all the gold betwixt here and Rome.’

  ‘Iwis, and so would I,’ said Sir Palomides. ‘Yet I never had the prize at any joust where Sir Lamorak was, but he put me to the worse. That day he was slain, he did the most deeds of arms that ever I saw in all my life days. And when my lord Arthur gave him the prize, Sir Gawain and his brethren Agravaine, Gaheris and Mordred set upon Sir Lamorak in a privy place. First they slew his horse and then they rushed upon him on foot, both before and behind. Sir Mordred gave him the death-wound in his back, and then all hewed him apart. So I heard from one of his squires that saw it.’

  ‘Fie upon treason,’ said Sir Tristram, ‘for it kills my heart to hear this tale.’

  ‘So does it mine,’ said Sir Gareth. ‘Though they be my brethren, I shall never love them for that deed.’

  ‘Now speak we of other things,’ said Palomides sadly, ‘and let him be, for his life you may not get again. Sir, let us leave off this matter and see how we shall do at this tournament. Let us four hold together against all that will come’.

  ‘Not by my counsel,’ said Sir Tristram, ‘for I see by their pavilions that there will be four hundred knights, and many good men among them. Be a man never so valiant, nor so big, yet he may be overmatched. So have I seen knights do many times. And when they thought best to have won honour, they lost it. For manhood is not worth, except it be mixed with wisdom. And as for me, I shall keep my own head as well as another.’

  So they rode on through woods and fields to the place, fast by Lonazep, where Sir Tristram had sent his two pavilions. There La Beale Isoud awaited them. But when Sir Palomides heard of this, his heart was ravished out of measure and he would not go in, till Sir Tristram took him by the finger and led him. And when Palomides saw Isoud, he could scarcely speak, but looked and looked and was silent.

  On the morn, as they came to the fighting, it happened that Sir Palomides looked up towards La Beale Isoud as she lay in a window, and he espied how she laughed. Therewith he took such a rejoicing that he smote down all he met. His strength began to double and he did so marvellously that all men had wonder of him, and ever he cast up his eye unto Isoud. Then he fared like a lion, and all the kings gave him the honour for that day.

  That day, Sir Tristram was not foremost in battle, and he fought only in disguise so that few knew him. Then Sir Dinadan railed with Sir Tristram to provoke him to do well, saying, ‘What the devil is upon you this day? Sir Palomides’ strength never feebled, yet you fared all day as if you had been asleep, and therefore I call you coward.’

  ‘Listen, Dinadan,’ said Tristram, ‘I was never called coward in my life. And though Sir Lancelot gave me a fall, I except him from all knights, for he is too over good for any living. Of his suff
erance, largess, bounty and courtesy, I call him knight peerless.’

  Sir Tristram was angry. But Sir Dinadan said all this language to cause him to wake his spirits and to be angry. For well Dinadan knew that if Tristram were thoroughly wroth, Palomides should not get the prize upon the morn.

  ‘Truly, as for Sir Lancelot,’ Sir Palomides said, ‘I know not his peer. This day I did full uncourteously unto him, for I smote his horse’s neck with my sword, and a cry went up huge and great, “See how the infidel Saracen has smitten down Sir Lancelot’s horse.” Then were many angry with me, because it was unknightly done to kill a horse wilfully. But Sir Lancelot was full courteous unto me. And had he been as ungentle to me as I to him, this day I would have won no honour.’

  This talking was in the houses of kings. But all kings, lords and knights said, of clear knighthood, of pure strength, of bounty, of courtesy, Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram bore the prize above all that ever were in Arthur’s days.

  On the morn Sir Tristram rode out with Sir Palomides and La Beale Isoud, and they were all in green as fresh as May, and they left Sir Dinadan sleeping in his bed. And it happed that King Arthur and Sir Lancelot stood at a window and saw Isoud. She was so fair that the king had a great desire to go and see her. So the king beheld her, and liked her wonderly well. But Sir Palomides said to Arthur, ‘Uncourteous knight, what seek you here? Why do you come upon a lady thus suddenly? Therefore withdraw.’

  In anger he took a spear and came hurtling upon King Arthur, and smote him down, though he knew not whom he struck.

  Then Sir Lancelot put the king on horseback, and as they departed Sir Tristram said unto Palomides, ‘You did yourself great shame when you smote that knight. He came of his gentleness to see a fair lady, and that is every good knight’s part, to behold a fair lady. It will turn to anger, for know well that you struck King Arthur, and the other good knight with him was my lord Lancelot.’