Kabanata Kabanata 260 · How King Arthur made King Mark to be accorded with Sir

. How King Arthur made King Mark to be accorded with Sir

Tristram, and how they departed toward Cornwall.

Now pass we our matter, and leave we Sir Gawaine, and speak of King

Arthur, that on a day said unto King Mark: Sir, I pray you give me a

gift that I shall ask you. Sir, said King Mark, I will give you

whatsomever ye desire an it be in my power. Sir, gramercy, said Arthur.

This I will ask you, that ye will be good lord unto Sir Tristram, for

he is a man of great honour; and that ye will take him with you into

Cornwall, and let him see his friends, and there cherish him for my

sake. Sir, said King Mark, I promise you by the faith of my body, and

by the faith that I owe to God and to you, I shall worship him for your

sake in all that I can or may. Sir, said Arthur, and I will forgive you

all the evil will that ever I ought you, an so be that you swear that

upon a book before me. With a good will, said King Mark; and so he

there sware upon a book afore him and all his knights, and therewith

King Mark and Sir Tristram took either other by the hands hard knit

together. But for all this King Mark thought falsely, as it proved

after, for he put Sir Tristram in prison, and cowardly would have slain

him.

Then soon after King Mark took his leave to ride into Cornwall, and Sir

Tristram made him ready to ride with him, whereof the most part of the

Round Table were wroth and heavy, and in especial Sir Launcelot, and

Sir Lamorak, and Sir Dinadan, were wroth out of measure. For well they

wist King Mark would slay or destroy Sir Tristram. Alas, said Dinadan,

that my lord, Sir Tristram, shall depart. And Sir Tristram took such

sorrow that he was amazed like a fool. Alas, said Sir Launcelot unto

King Arthur, what have ye done, for ye shall lose the most man of

worship that ever came into your court. It was his own desire, said

Arthur, and therefore I might not do withal, for I have done all that I

can and made them at accord. Accord, said Sir Launcelot, fie upon that

accord, for ye shall hear that he shall slay Sir Tristram, or put him

in a prison, for he is the most coward and the villainest king and

knight that is now living.

And therewith Sir Launcelot departed, and came to King Mark, and said

to him thus: Sir king, wit thou well the good knight Sir Tristram shall

go with thee. Beware, I rede thee, of treason, for an thou mischief

that knight by any manner of falsehood or treason, by the faith I owe

to God and to the order of knighthood, I shall slay thee with mine own

hands. Sir Launcelot, said the king, overmuch have ye said to me, and I

have sworn and said over largely afore King Arthur in hearing of all

his knights, that I shall not slay nor betray him. It were to me

overmuch shame to break my promise. Ye say well, said Sir Launcelot,

but ye are called so false and full of treason that no man may believe

you. Forsooth it is known well wherefore ye came into this country, and

for none other cause but for to slay Sir Tristram. So with great dole

King Mark and Sir Tristram rode together, for it was by Sir Tristram’s

will and his means to go with King Mark, and all was for the intent to

see La Beale Isoud, for without the sight of her Sir Tristram might not

endure.