الفصل الفصل 184 · How Palamides demanded Queen Isoud, and how Lambegus rode

. How Palamides demanded Queen Isoud, and how Lambegus rode

after to rescue her, and of the escape of Isoud.

Sir, said Palamides, I promised your Queen Isoud to bring again Dame

Bragwaine that she had lost, upon this covenant, that she should grant

me a boon that I would ask, and without grudging, outher advisement,

she granted me. What say ye, my lady? said the king. It is as he saith,

so God me help, said the queen; to say thee sooth I promised him his

asking for love and joy that I had to see her. Well, Madam, said the

king, and if ye were hasty to grant him what boon he would ask, I will

well that ye perform your promise. Then, said Palamides, I will that ye

wit that I will have your queen to lead her and govern her whereas me

list. Therewith the king stood still, and bethought him of Sir

Tristram, and deemed that he would rescue her. And then hastily the

king answered: Take her with the adventures that shall fall of it, for

as I suppose thou wilt not enjoy her no while. As for that, said

Palamides, I dare right well abide the adventure. And so, to make short

tale, Sir Palamides took her by the hand and said: Madam, grudge not to

go with me, for I desire nothing but your own promise. As for that,

said the queen, I fear not greatly to go with thee, howbeit thou hast

me at advantage upon my promise, for I doubt not I shall be

worshipfully rescued from thee. As for that, said Sir Palamides, be it

as it be may. So Queen Isoud was set behind Palamides, and rode his

way.

Anon the king sent after Sir Tristram, but in no wise he could be

found, for he was in the forest a-hunting; for that was always his

custom, but if he used arms, to chase and to hunt in the forests. Alas,

said the king, now I am shamed for ever, that by mine own assent my

lady and my queen shall be devoured. Then came forth a knight, his name

was Lambegus, and he was a knight of Sir Tristram. My lord, said this

knight, sith ye have trust in my lord, Sir Tristram, wit ye well for

his sake I will ride after your queen and rescue her, or else I shall

be beaten. Gramercy, said the king, as I live, Sir Lambegus, I shall

deserve it. And then Sir Lambegus armed him, and rode after as fast as

he might. And then within a while he overtook Sir Palamides. And then

Sir Palamides left the queen. What art thou, said Palamides, art thou

Tristram? Nay, he said, I am his servant, and my name is Sir Lambegus.

That me repenteth, said Palamides. I had liefer thou hadst been Sir

Tristram. I believe you well, said Lambegus, but when thou meetest with

Sir Tristram thou shalt have thy hands full. And then they hurtled

together and all to-brast their spears, and then they pulled out their

swords, and hewed on helms and hauberks. At the last Sir Palamides gave

Sir Lambegus such a wound that he fell down like a dead knight to the

earth.

Then he looked after La Beale Isoud, and then she was gone he nist

where. Wit ye well Sir Palamides was never so heavy. So the queen ran

into the forest, and there she found a well, and therein she had

thought to have drowned herself. And as good fortune would, there came

a knight to her that had a castle thereby, his name was Sir Adtherp.

And when he found the queen in that mischief he rescued her, and

brought her to his castle. And when he wist what she was he armed him,

and took his horse, and said he would be avenged upon Palamides; and so

he rode on till he met with him, and there Sir Palamides wounded him

sore, and by force he made him to tell him the cause why he did battle

with him, and how he had led the queen unto his castle. Now bring me

there, said Palamides, or thou shalt die of my hands. Sir, said Sir

Adtherp, I am so wounded I may not follow, but ride you this way and it

shall bring you into my castle, and there within is the queen. Then Sir

Palamides rode still till he came to the castle. And at a window La

Beale Isoud saw Sir Palamides; then she made the gates to be shut

strongly. And when he saw he might not come within the castle, he put

off his bridle and his saddle, and put his horse to pasture, and set

himself down at the gate like a man that was out of his wit that recked

not of himself.