บทที่ บทที่ 246 · How King Mark came to a fountain where he found Sir

. How King Mark came to a fountain where he found Sir

Lamorak complaining for the love of King Lot’s wife.

Then King Mark rode till he came to a fountain, and there he rested

him, and stood in a doubt whether he would ride to Arthur’s court or

none, or return again to his country. And as he thus rested him by that

fountain there came by him a knight well armed on horseback; and he

alighted, and tied his horse until a tree, and set him down by the

brink of the fountain; and there he made great languor and dole, and

made the dolefullest complaint of love that ever man heard; and all

this while was he not ware of King Mark. And this was a great part of

his complaint: he cried and wept, saying: O fair Queen of Orkney, King

Lot’s wife, and mother of Sir Gawaine, and to Sir Gaheris, and mother

to many other, for thy love I am in great pains. Then King Mark arose

and went near him and said: Fair knight, ye have made a piteous

complaint. Truly, said the knight, it is an hundred part more ruefuller

than my heart can utter. I require you, said King Mark, tell me your

name. Sir, said he, as for my name I will not hide it from no knight

that beareth a shield, and my name is Sir Lamorak de Galis. But when

Sir Lamorak heard King Mark speak, then wist he well by his speech that

he was a Cornish knight. Sir, said Sir Lamorak, I understand by your

tongue ye be of Cornwall, wherein there dwelleth the shamefullest king

that is now living, for he is a great enemy to all good knights; and

that proveth well, for he hath chased out of that country Sir Tristram,

that is the worshipfullest knight that now is living, and all knights

speak of him worship; and for jealousness of his queen he hath chased

him out of his country. It is pity, said Sir Lamorak, that ever any

such false knight-coward as King Mark is, should be matched with such a

fair lady and good as La Beale Isoud is, for all the world of him

speaketh shame, and of her worship that any queen may have. I have not

ado in this matter, said King Mark, neither nought will I speak

thereof. Well said, said Sir Lamorak. Sir, can ye tell me any tidings?

I can tell you, said Sir Lamorak, that there shall be a great

tournament in haste beside Camelot, at the Castle of Jagent; and the

King with the Hundred Knights and the King of Ireland, as I suppose,

make that tournament.

Then there came a knight that was called Sir Dinadan, and saluted them

both. And when he wist that King Mark was a knight of Cornwall he

reproved him for the love of King Mark a thousand fold more than did

Sir Lamorak. Then he proffered to joust with King Mark. And he was full

loath thereto, but Sir Dinadan edged him so, that he jousted with Sir

Lamorak. And Sir Lamorak smote King Mark so sore that he bare him on

his spear end over his horse’s tail. And then King Mark arose again,

and followed after Sir Lamorak. But Sir Dinadan would not joust with

Sir Lamorak, but he told King Mark that Sir Lamorak was Sir Kay, the

Seneschal. That is not so, said King Mark, for he is much bigger than

Sir Kay; and so he followed and overtook him, and bade him abide. What

will you do? said Sir Lamorak. Sir, he said, I will fight with a sword,

for ye have shamed me with a spear; and therewith they dashed together

with swords, and Sir Lamorak suffered him and forbare him. And King

Mark was passing hasty, and smote thick strokes. Sir Lamorak saw he

would not stint, and waxed somewhat wroth, and doubled his strokes, for

he was one of the noblest knights of the world; and he beat him so on

the helm that his head hung nigh on the saddle bow. When Sir Lamorak

saw him fare so, he said: Sir knight, what cheer? meseemeth you have

nigh your fill of fighting, it were pity to do you any more harm, for

ye are but a mean knight, therefore I give you leave to go where ye

list. Gramercy, said King Mark, for ye and I be not matches.

Then Sir Dinadan mocked King Mark and said: Ye are not able to match a

good knight. As for that, said King Mark, at the first time I jousted

with this knight ye refused him. Think ye that it is a shame to me?

said Sir Dinadan: nay, sir, it is ever worship to a knight to refuse

that thing that he may not attain, there fore your worship had been

much more to have refused him as I did; for I warn you plainly he is

able to beat such five as ye and I be; for ye knights of Cornwall are

no men of worship as other knights are. And because ye are no men of

worship ye hate all men of worship, for never was bred in your country

such a knight as is Sir Tristram.