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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account