CHAPTER XII. How Sir Tristram departed from the king and La Beale Isoud
out of Ireland for to come into Cornwall.
Sir, said Tristram, now I shall tell you all the truth: my father’s
name is Sir Meliodas, King of Liones, and my mother hight Elizabeth,
that was sister unto King Mark of Cornwall; and my mother died of me in
the forest, and because thereof she commanded, or she died, that when I
were christened they should christen me Tristram; and because I would
not be known in this country I turned my name and let me call
Tramtrist; and for the truage of Cornwall I fought for my eme’s sake,
and for the right of Cornwall that ye had posseded many years. And wit
ye well, said Tristram unto the king, I did the battle for the love of
mine uncle, King Mark, and for the love of the country of Cornwall, and
for to increase mine honour; for that same day that I fought with Sir
Marhaus I was made knight, and never or then did I battle with no
knight, and from me he went alive, and left his shield and his sword
behind.
So God me help, said the king, I may not say but ye did as a knight
should, and it was your part to do for your quarrel, and to increase
your worship as a knight should; howbeit I may not maintain you in this
country with my worship, unless that I should displease my barons, and
my wife and her kin. Sir, said Tristram, I thank you of your good
lordship that I have had with you here, and the great goodness my lady,
your daughter, hath shewed me, and therefore, said Sir Tristram, it may
so happen that ye shall win more by my life than by my death, for in
the parts of England it may happen I may do you service at some season,
that ye shall be glad that ever ye shewed me your good lordship. With
more I promise you as I am true knight, that in all places I shall be
my lady your daughter’s servant and knight in right and in wrong, and I
shall never fail her, to do as much as a knight may do. Also I beseech
your good grace that I may take my leave at my lady, your daughter, and
at all the barons and knights. I will well, said the king.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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