Kabanata Kabanata 267 · How Sir Tristram overcame the battle, and how Elias

. How Sir Tristram overcame the battle, and how Elias

desired a man to fight body for body.

So on the morn Elias the captain came, and bade King Mark: Come out and

do battle; for now the good knight Sir Tristram is entered it will be

shame to thee, said Elias, for to keep thy walls. When King Mark

understood this he was wroth and said no word, but went unto Sir

Tristram and asked him his counsel. Sir, said Sir Tristram, will ye

that I give him his answer? I will well, said King Mark. Then Sir

Tristram said thus to the messenger: Bear thy lord word from the king

and me, that we will do battle with him to-morn in the plain field.

What is your name? said the messenger. Wit thou well my name is Sir

Tristram de Liones. Therewithal the messenger departed and told his

lord Elias all that he had heard. Sir, said Sir Tristram unto King

Mark, I pray you give me leave to have the rule of the battle. I pray

you take the rule, said King Mark. Then Sir Tristram let devise the

battle in what manner that it should be. He let depart his host in six

parties, and ordained Sir Dinas the Seneschal to have the foreward, and

other knights to rule the remnant. And the same night Sir Tristram

burnt all the Sessoins’ ships unto the cold water. Anon, as Elias wist

that, he said it was of Sir Tristram’s doing: For he casteth that we

shall never escape, mother son of us. Therefore, fair fellows, fight

freely to-morrow, and miscomfort you nought; for any knight, though he

be the best knight in the world, he may not have ado with us all.

Then they ordained their battle in four parties, wonderly well

apparelled and garnished with men of arms. Thus they within issued, and

they without set freely upon them; and there Sir Dinas did great deeds

of arms. Not for then Sir Dinas and his fellowship were put to the

worse. With that came Sir Tristram and slew two knights with one spear;

then he slew on the right hand and on the left hand, that men marvelled

that ever he might do such deeds of arms. And then he might see

sometime the battle was driven a bow-draught from the castle, and

sometime it was at the gates of the castle. Then came Elias the captain

rushing here and there, and hit King Mark so sore upon the helm that he

made him to avoid the saddle. And then Sir Dinas gat King Mark again to

horseback. Therewithal came in Sir Tristram like a lion, and there he

met with Elias, and he smote him so sore upon the helm that he avoided

his saddle. And thus they fought till it was night, and for great

slaughter and for wounded people everych party drew to their rest.

And when King Mark was come within the Castle of Tintagil he lacked of

his knights an hundred, and they without lacked two hundred; and they

searched the wounded men on both parties. And then they went to

council; and wit you well either party were loath to fight more, so

that either might escape with their worship. When Elias the captain

understood the death of his men he made great dole; and when he wist

that they were loath to go to battle again he was wroth out of measure.

Then Elias sent word unto King Mark, in great despite, whether he would

find a knight that would fight for him body for body. And if that he

might slay King Mark’s knight, he to have the truage of Cornwall

yearly. And if that his knight slay mine, I fully release my claim

forever. Then the messenger departed unto King Mark, and told him how

that his lord Elias had sent him word to find a knight to do battle

with him body for body. When King Mark understood the messenger, he

bade him abide and he should have his answer. Then called he all the

baronage together to wit what was the best counsel. They said all at

once: To fight in a field we have no lust, for had not been Sir

Tristram’s prowess it had been likely that we never should have

escaped; and therefore, sir, as we deem, it were well done to find a

knight that would do battle with him, for he knightly proffereth.