[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xxx

SYre said Palamydes I promysed your Quene Isoud to brynge ageyne dame Bragwayne that she had lost vpon this couenaunt that she shold graunte me a bone that I wold aske / and without grutchynge outher auysemēt she graunted me / what saye ye my lady said the kynge / hit is as he saith soo god me help said the quene / to saye the sothe / I promysed hym his askynge for loue and ioye that I had to see her / Wel madame said the kynge / and yf ye were hasty to graunte hym what bone he wold aske / I wylle wel that ye performe your promyse / Thenne said Palamydes I will that ye wete that I wille haue your quene to lede her and gouerne her where as me lyst / There with the kynge stood styll / and be thought hym of sir Trystram / and demed that he wold resco∣we her / And thenne hastely the kynge ansuerd take her with the aduētures that shal falle of hit / for as I suppose thou wylt

not enioye her noo whyle / As for that said Palamydes I dare ryght wel abyde the aduenture / and soo to make short tale / sir Palamydes toke her by the hand / and said Madame grutche not to goo with me / for I desyre no thynge but your own pro¦myse / As for that said the quene I fere not gretely to go with the / hou be it thou hast me at auauntage vpon my promyse / For I doute not I shalle be worshipfully rescowed fro the / As for that said sir Palamydes be it as it be maye / So quene Isoud was sette behynde Palamydes / and rode his way / anon the kynge sente after syr Trystram / but in no wyse he coude be foūde / for he was in the forest an huntyng / for that was alwe∣yes his custome / but yf be vsed armes / to chase and to hunte in the forestes / Allas said the kynge now I am shamed for euer that by myn owne assente my lady and my quene shalle be deuoured / Thenne came forth a knyght his name was lam¦begus / and he was a knyght of syr Trystram / My lord sayd this knyght sythe ye haue truste in my lord sire Tristram / we¦te ye wel for his sake I wille ryde after your quene and re∣scowe her / or els I shal be b••ten / Gramercy saide the kynge / & I lyue sir Lambegus I shal deserue hit / And thenne sir Lam¦begus armed hym / and rode after as fast as he myghte / And thenne within a whyle he ouertoke sir Palamydes / And then∣ne sir Palamydes lefte the quene / what arte thou saide Pala∣mydes / arte thou Trystram / nay he saide I am his seruaunte / and my name is sir Lambegus / that me repenteth saide Pala∣mydes / I hadde leuer thou haddest ben sire Trystram / I bileue you wel said Lambegus / but when thou metest with sir Trys∣tram thou shalt haue thy handes ful / And thenne they hurtled to gyders and alle to braste their speres / and thenne they pul¦led oute their swerdes / and hewed on helmes and hauberkes / At the laste sire Palamydes gaf sir Lambegus suche a wonnd that he felle doun lyke a dede knyghte to the erthe / Thenne he lo¦ked after la beale Isoud / and thēne she was gone he nyst whe¦re / wete ye wel sir Palamydes was neuer soo heuy / So the qu∣ene ranne in to the forest / and there she fond a wel / and theryn she hadde thoughte to haue drouned her self / And as good for¦tune wold ther came a knyght to her that hadde a Castel ther by his name was sire Adtherp / And when he fonde the quene

in that meschyef / he rescowed her / and broughte her to his cas∣tel / And whanne he wyst what she was he armed hym / and took his hors and said / he wold be auengyd vpon palamydes and soo he rode on tyll he mette with hym / and there sir Pala∣mydes wounded hym sore / and by force he made hym to telle hym the cause why he dyd bataille with hym / and how he had ladde the quene vnto his castel / Now brynge me there said pa∣lamydes or thou shalt dye of my handes / Sir said sir Adtherp I am soo wounded I may not folowe / but ryde you this way and hit shalle brynge you in to my castel / and there within is the quene / Thenne sire Palamydes rode styll tyl he came to the Castel / And at a wyndowe La Beale Isoud sawe sir Pa∣lamydes / thenne she made the yates to be shette strongly / And whan he sawe he myght not come within the castel / he putte of his brydel and his sadel / and putte his hors to pasture / and sette hym self doune atte gate lyke a man that was oute of his wytte that retchyd not of hym self /