[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xij

SYr said Trystram now I shalle telle you alle the tro∣uthe / my faders name is sir Melyodas kynge of Lyo∣nas / & my moder hyʒt Elyzabeth that was sister vnto kynge Marke of Cornewaile / & my moder dyed of me in the foreste / And by cause therof she commaunded or she dyed that whan I were crystened / they shold crystene me Trystram / & by cause I wold not be knowen in this countrey I turned my name and lete me calle Tramtryst / & for the truage of Corne¦wayle I fought for myn emes sake / & for the ryght of Cor∣newaile that ye had posseded many yeres / And wete ye well said Trystram vnto the kynge I dyd the bataille for the loue of myn vnkel kynge Marke / and for the loue of the countreye of Cornewaile / and for to encreace myn honoure / For that sa∣me day that I fought with sir Marhaus I was made knyʒt And neuer or than dyd I no bataile with no knyght / & fro¦me he went alyue & lefte his sheld & his suerd behynde / so god me helpe said the kyng I may not say but ye dyd as a kny∣ght shold / & it was your part to doo for your quarel / & to en¦creace your worship as a knyght shold / how be it I may not mayntene you in this countrey with my worship onles that I shold displease my barons & my wyf / & her kyn / Syr said Tr∣ystram I thanke you of your good lordship that I haue had with you here / and the grete goodenes my lady your doughter hath shewed me / & therfor said sir Tristram it may so happen that ye shalle wynne more by my lyf than by my dethe / for in the partyes of Englond it may happen I may doo you scruyse at some season that ye shal be glad that euer ye shewed me yo¦ur good lordship / ¶With more I promyse you as I am true knyʒt that in all places I shal be my lady your douʒters ser∣uaunt / & knyʒt in ryght & in wrong / & I shal neuer fayle her to doo as moche as a knyght maye doo

¶Also I byseche your good grace that I may take my leue at my lady your doughter and at alle the Barons and kny∣ghtes / I wille wel said the kynge / ¶Thenne sire Tristram wente vnto la beale Isoud / and tooke his leue of her / And thenne he tolde her all what he was and how he had chaunged his name by cause he wold not be knowen / & hou a lady told hym he y^t shold neuer be hole tyl he cam in to this coūtrey where

the poyson was made / where thorou I was nere my dethe had not your ladyship ben / O gentyl knyght said la beale Isoud ful wo am I of thy departynge / for I sawe neuer man that I oughte soo good wille to / and there with all she wepte her¦tely / Madame said sire Trystram ye shalle vnderstande that my name is sir Trystram de lyones goten of kyng Melyodas and borne of his quene / And I promyse you feythfully that I shal be alle the dayes of my lyf your knyghte / Gramercy sa¦id La beale Isoud / and I promyse you there ageynste that I shalle not be maryed this seuen yeres but by your assent / and to whome that ye wille I shalle be maryed to / hym wylle I haue / and he wille haue me yf ye wil consente / And thenne syre Trystram gaf her a rynge and she gaf hym another / and ther with he departed fro her / leuynge her / makynge grete dole and lamentacion / and he streyghte wente vnto the Courte a∣monge alle the Barons / and there he took his leue at moost and leest / and openly he said amonge them all / Faire lordes now it is soo that I muste departe / Yf there be ony man here that I haue offended vnto / or that ony man be with me gre∣ued / lete complayne hym here afore me or that euer I depart and I shal amende it vnto my power / And yf there be ony that wil profer me wronge or say of me wrong / or shame be∣hynde my bak / saye hit now or neuer / and here is my body to make it good body ageynst body / And alle they stood stylle / ther was not one that wold saye one word / yet were there some knyghtes that were of the quenes blood and of sire Mar∣baus blood / but they wold not medle with hym /