Then Sir Tristram used daily and nightly to go to Queen Isoud when he
might, and ever Sir Andred his cousin watched him night and day for to
take him with La Beale Isoud. And so upon a night Sir Andred espied the
hour and the time when Sir Tristram went to his lady. Then Sir Andred
gat unto him twelve knights, and at midnight he set upon Sir Tristram
secretly and suddenly and there Sir Tristram was taken naked abed with
La Beale Isoud, and then was he bound hand and foot, and so was he kept
until day. And then by the assent of King Mark, and of Sir Andred, and
of some of the barons, Sir Tristram was led unto a chapel that stood
upon the sea rocks, there for to take his judgment: and so he was led
bounden with forty knights. And when Sir Tristram saw that there was
none other boot but needs that he must die, then said he: Fair lords,
remember what I have done for the country of Cornwall, and in what
jeopardy I have been in for the weal of you all; for when I fought for
the truage of Cornwall with Sir Marhaus, the good knight, I was
promised for to be better rewarded, when ye all refused to take the
battle; therefore, as ye be good gentle knights, see me not thus
shamefully to die, for it is shame to all knighthood thus to see me
die; for I dare say, said Sir Tristram, that I never met with no knight
but I was as good as he, or better. Fie upon thee, said Sir Andred,
false traitor that thou art, with thine avaunting; for all thy boast
thou shalt die this day. O Andred, Andred, said Sir Tristram, thou
shouldst be my kinsman, and now thou art to me full unfriendly, but an
there were no more but thou and I, thou wouldst not put me to death.
No! said Sir Andred, and therewith he drew his sword, and would have
slain him.
When Sir Tristram saw him make such countenance he looked upon both his
hands that were fast bounden unto two knights, and suddenly he pulled
them both to him, and unwrast his hands, and then he leapt unto his
cousin, Sir Andred, and wrested his sword out of his hands; then he
smote Sir Andred that he fell to the earth, and so Sir Tristram fought
till that he had killed ten knights. So then Sir Tristram gat the
chapel and kept it mightily. Then the cry was great, and the people
drew fast unto Sir Andred, mo than an hundred. When Sir Tristram saw
the people draw unto him, he remembered he was naked, and sperd fast
the chapel door, and brake the bars of a window, and so he leapt out
and fell upon the crags in the sea. And so at that time Sir Andred nor
none of his fellows might get to him, at that time.
CHAPTER XXXV. How Sir Tristram was holpen by his men, and of Queen
Isoud which was put in a lazar-cote, and how Tristram was hurt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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