And when he came there he saw many knights joust and tourney;and so Sir Tristram dressed him to the range,and to make short conclusion,he overthrew fourteen knights of the Round Table.When Sir Launcelot saw these knights thus overthrown,Sir Launcelot dressed him to Sir Tristram.That saw La Beale Isoud how Sir Launcelot was come into the field.Then La Beale Isoud sent unto Sir Launcelot a ring,and bade him wit that it was Sir Tristram de Liones.When Sir Launcelot under stood that there was Sir Tristram he was full glad,and would not joust.Then Sir Launcelot espied whither Sir Tristram yede,and after him he rode;and then either made of other great joy.And so Sir Launcelot brought Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud unto Joyous Gard,that was his own castle,that he had won with his own hands.
And there Sir Launcelot put them in to wield for their own.And wit ye well that castle was garnished and furnished for a king and a queen royal there to have sojourned.And Sir Launcelot charged all his people to honour them and love them as they would do himself.
So Sir Launcelot departed unto King Arthur;and then he told Queen Guenever how he that jousted so well at the last tournament was Sir Tristram.And there he told her how he had with him La Beale Isoud maugre King Mark,and so Queen Guenever told all this unto King Arthur.When King Arthur wist that Sir Tristram was escaped and come from King Mark,and had brought La Beale Isoud with him,then was he passing glad.So because of Sir Tristram King Arthur let make a cry,that on May Day should be a jousts before the castle of Lonazep;and that castle was fast by Joyous Gard.And thus Arthur devised,that all the knights of this land,and of Cornwall,and of North Wales,should joust against all these countries,Ireland,Scotland,and the remnant of Wales,and the country of Gore,and Surluse,and of Listinoise,and they of Northumberland,and all they that held lands of Arthur on this half the sea.When this cry was made many knights were glad and many were unglad.
Sir,said Launcelot unto Arthur,by this cry that ye have made ye will put us that be about you in great jeopardy,for there be many knights that have great envy to us;therefore when we shall meet at the day of jousts there will be hard shift among us.As for that,said Arthur,I care not;there shall we prove who shall be best of his hands.So when Sir Launcelot understood wherefore King Arthur made this jousting,then he made such purveyance that La Beale Isoud should behold the jousts in a secret place that was honest for her estate.
Now turn we unto Sir Tristram and to La Beale Isoud,how they made great joy daily together with all manner of mirths that they could devise;and every day Sir Tristram would go ride a-hunting,for Sir Tristram was that time called the best chaser of the world,and the noblest blower of an horn of all manner of measures;for as books report,of Sir Tristram came all the good terms of venery and hunting,and all the sizes and measures of blowing of an horn;and of him we had first all the terms of hawking,and which were beasts of chase and beasts of venery,and which were vermins,and all the blasts that long to all manner of games.First to the uncoupling,to the seeking,to the rechate,to the flight,to the death,and to strake,and many other blasts and terms,that all manner of gentlemen have cause to the world's end to praise Sir Tristram,and to pray for his soul.
CHAPTER LIII
How by the counsel of La Beale Isoud Sir Tristram rode armed,and how he met with Sir Palomides.
SO on a day La Beale Isoud said unto Sir Tristram:Imarvel me much,said she,that ye remember not yourself,how ye be here in a strange country,and here be many perilous knights;and well ye wot that King Mark is full of treason;and that ye will ride thus to chase and to hunt unarmed ye might be destroyed.My fair lady and my love,I cry you mercy,I will no more do so.So then Sir Tristram rode daily a-hunting armed,and his men bearing his shield and his spear.So on a day a little afore the month of May,Sir Tristram chased an hart passing eagerly,and so the hart passed by a fair well.And then Sir Tristram alighted and put off his helm to drink of that bubbly water.Right so he heard and saw the Questing Beast come to the well.When Sir Tristram saw that beast he put on his helm,for he deemed he should hear of Sir Palomides,for that beast was his quest.Right so Sir Tristram saw where came a knight armed,upon a noble courser,and he saluted him,and they spake of many things;and this knight's name was Breuse Saunce Pit .
And right so withal there came unto them the noble knight Sir Palomides,and either saluted other,and spake fair to other.
Fair knights,said Sir Palomides,I can tell you tidings.
What is that?said those knights.Sirs,wit ye well that King Mark is put in prison by his own knights,and all was for love of Sir Tristram;for King Mark had put Sir Tristram twice in prison,and once Sir Percivale delivered the noble knight Sir Tristram out of prison.And at the last time Queen La Beale Isoud delivered him,and went clearly away with him into this realm;and all this while King Mark,the false traitor,is in prison.Is this truth?
said Palomides;then shall we hastily hear of Sir Tristram.
And as for to say that I love La Beale Isoud paramours,I dare make good that I do,and that she hath my service above all other ladies,and shall have the term of my life.
