บทที่ บทที่ 316 · How King Arthur and Sir Launcelot came unto their

. How King Arthur and Sir Launcelot came unto their

pavilions as they sat at supper, and of Sir Palomides.

And therewithal two knights armed came unto the pavilion, and there

they alighted both, and came in armed at all pieces. Fair knights, said

Sir Tristram, ye are to blame to come thus armed at all pieces upon me

while we are at our meat; if ye would anything when we were in the

field there might ye have eased your hearts. Not so, said the one of

those knights, we come not for that intent, but wit ye well Sir

Tristram, we be come hither as your friends. And I am come here, said

the one, for to see you, and this knight is come for to see La Beale

Isoud. Then said Sir Tristram: I require you do off your helms that I

may see you. That will we do at your desire, said the knights. And when

their helms were off, Sir Tristram thought that he should know them.

Then said Sir Dinadan privily unto Sir Tristram: Sir, that is Sir

Launcelot du Lake that spake unto you first, and the other is my lord

King Arthur. Then, said Sir Tristram unto La Beale Isoud, Madam arise,

for here is my lord, King Arthur. Then the king and the queen kissed,

and Sir Launcelot and Sir Tristram braced either other in arms, and

then there was joy without measure; and at the request of La Beale

Isoud, King Arthur and Launcelot were unarmed, and then there was merry

talking. Madam, said Sir Arthur, it is many a day sithen that I have

desired to see you, for ye have been praised so far; and now I dare say

ye are the fairest that ever I saw, and Sir Tristram is as fair and as

good a knight as any that I know; therefore me beseemeth ye are well

beset together. Sir, God thank you, said the noble knight, Sir

Tristram, and Isoud; of your great goodness and largess ye are

peerless. Thus they talked of many things and of all the whole jousts.

But for what cause, said King Arthur, were ye, Sir Tristram, against

us? Ye are a knight of the Table Round; of right ye should have been

with us. Sir, said Sir Tristram, here is Dinadan, and Sir Gareth your

own nephew, caused me to be against you. My lord Arthur, said Gareth, I

may well bear the blame, but it were Sir Tristram’s own deeds. That may

I repent, said Dinadan, for this unhappy Sir Tristram brought us to

this tournament, and many great buffets he caused us to have. Then the

king and Launcelot laughed that they might not sit.

What knight was that, said Arthur, that held you so short, this with

the shield of silver? Sir, said Sir Tristram, here he sitteth at this

board. What, said Arthur, was it Sir Palomides? Wit ye well it was he,

said La Beale Isoud. So God me help, said Arthur, that was unknightly

done of you of so good a knight, for I have heard many people call you

a courteous knight. Sir, said Palomides, I knew not Sir Tristram, for

he was so disguised. So God me help, said Launcelot, it may well be,

for I knew not Sir Tristram; but I marvel why ye turned on our party.

That was done for the same cause, said Launcelot. As for that, said Sir

Tristram, I have pardoned him, and I would be right loath to leave his

fellowship, for I love right well his company: so they left off and

talked of other things.

And in the evening King Arthur and Sir Launcelot departed unto their

lodging; but wit ye well Sir Palomides had envy heartily, for all that

night he had never rest in his bed, but wailed and wept out of measure.

So on the morn Sir Tristram, Gareth, and Dinadan arose early, and then

they went unto Sir Palomides’ chamber, and there they found him fast

asleep, for he had all night watched, and it was seen upon his cheeks

that he had wept full sore. Say nothing, said Sir Tristram, for I am

sure he hath taken anger and sorrow for the rebuke that I gave to him,

and La Beale Isoud.