第 一百九十一 章 · How Sir Suppinabiles told Sir Tristram how he was

. How Sir Suppinabiles told Sir Tristram how he was

defamed in the court of King Arthur, and of Sir Lamorak.

Then departed Sir Suppinabiles unto Brittany again, and there he found

Sir Tristram, and told him that he had been in King Arthur’s court.

Then said Sir Tristram: Heard ye anything of me? So God me help, said

Sir Suppinabiles, there I heard Sir Launcelot speak of you great shame,

and that ye be a false knight to your lady and he bade me do you to wit

that he will be your mortal enemy in every place where he may meet you.

That me repenteth, said Tristram, for of all knights I loved to be in

his fellowship. So Sir Tristram made great moan and was ashamed that

noble knights should defame him for the sake of his lady. And in this

meanwhile La Beale Isoud made a letter unto Queen Guenever, complaining

her of the untruth of Sir Tristram, and how he had wedded the king’s

daughter of Brittany. Queen Guenever sent her another letter, and bade

her be of good cheer, for she should have joy after sorrow, for Sir

Tristram was so noble a knight called, that by crafts of sorcery ladies

would make such noble men to wed them. But in the end, Queen Guenever

said, it shall be thus, that he shall hate her, and love you better

than ever he did to-fore.

So leave we Sir Tristram in Brittany, and speak we of Sir Lamorak de

Galis, that as he sailed his ship fell on a rock and perished all, save

Sir Lamorak and his squire; and there he swam mightily, and fishers of

the Isle of Servage took him up, and his squire was drowned, and the

shipmen had great labour to save Sir Lamorak’s life, for all the

comfort that they could do.

And the lord of that isle, hight Sir Nabon le Noire, a great mighty

giant. And this Sir Nabon hated all the knights of King Arthur’s, and

in no wise he would do them favour. And these fishers told Sir Lamorak

all the guise of Sir Nabon; how there came never knight of King

Arthur’s but he destroyed him. And at the last battle that he did was

slain Sir Nanowne le Petite, the which he put to a shameful death in

despite of King Arthur, for he was drawn limb-meal. That forthinketh

me, said Sir Lamorak, for that knight’s death, for he was my cousin;

and if I were at mine ease as well as ever I was, I would revenge his

death. Peace, said the fishers, and make here no words, for or ever ye

depart from hence Sir Nabon must know that ye have been here, or else

we should die for your sake. So that I be whole, said Lamorak, of my

disease that I have taken in the sea, I will that ye tell him that I am

a knight of King Arthur’s, for I was never afeard to reneye my lord.