With that came the King with the Hundred Knights, and all that
fellowship went fiercely upon Sir Tristram. When Sir Tristram saw them
coming upon him, then he wist well he might not endure. Then as a wise
knight of war, he said to Sir Galahad, the haut prince: Sir, ye show to
me no knighthood, for to suffer all your men to have ado with me all at
once; and as meseemeth ye be a noble knight of your hands it is great
shame to you. So God me help, said Sir Galahad, there is none other way
but thou must yield thee to me, other else to die, said Sir Galahad to
Sir Tristram. I will rather yield me to you than die for that is more
for the might of your men than of your hands. And therewithal Sir
Tristram took his own sword by the point, and put the pommel in the
hand of Sir Galahad.
Therewithal came the King with the Hundred Knights, and hard began to
assail Sir Tristram. Let be, said Sir Galahad, be ye not so hardy to
touch him, for I have given this knight his life. That is your shame,
said the King with the Hundred Knights; hath he not slain your father
and your mother? As for that, said Sir Galahad, I may not wite him
greatly, for my father had him in prison, and enforced him to do battle
with him; and my father had such a custom that was a shameful custom,
that what knight came there to ask harbour his lady must needs die but
if she were fairer than my mother; and if my father overcame that
knight he must needs die. This was a shameful custom and usage, a
knight for his harbour-asking to have such harbourage. And for this
custom I would never draw about him. So God me help, said the King,
this was a shameful custom. Truly, said Sir Galahad, so seemed me; and
meseemed it had been great pity that this knight should have been
slain, for I dare say he is the noblest man that beareth life, but if
it were Sir Launcelot du Lake. Now, fair knight, said Sir Galahad, I
require thee tell me thy name, and of whence thou art, and whither thou
wilt. Sir, he said, my name is Sir Tristram de Liones, and from King
Mark of Cornwall I was sent on message unto King Anguish of Ireland,
for to fetch his daughter to be his wife, and here she is ready to go
with me into Cornwall, and her name is La Beale Isoud. And, Sir
Tristram, said Sir Galahad, the haut prince, well be ye found in these
marches, and so ye will promise me to go unto Sir Launcelot du Lake,
and accompany with him, ye shall go where ye will, and your fair lady
with you; and I shall promise you never in all my days shall such
customs be used in this castle as have been used. Sir, said Sir
Tristram, now I let you wit, so God me help, I weened ye had been Sir
Launcelot du Lake when I saw you first, and therefore I dread you the
more; and sir, I promise you, said Sir Tristram, as soon as I may I
will see Sir Launcelot and in fellowship me with him; for of all the
knights of the world I most desire his fellowship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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