[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xxxj

NOw torne we vnto sir Tristram that whanne he was come home / and wyste la Beale Isoud was gone with syr Palamydes wete ye wel he was wrothe oute of me∣sure / Allas said sir Trystram I am this day shamed / Thenne he cryed to Gouernaile his man / haste the that I were armed and on horsbak / for wel I wote Lambegus hath no myghte nor strengthe to withstande sir Palamydes / Allas that I haue not ben in his stede / Soo anone as he was armed and horsed sir Tristram and Gouernaile rode after in to the forest / and within a whyle he fond his knyght Lambegus al moost woū¦ded to the dethe / and syre Trystram bare hym to a foster / and charged hym to kepe hym wel / And thenne he rode forth and there he fond syr Adtherp sore wounded / and he told hym hou the quene wold haue drouned her self had not he ben / And how for her sake & loue he had taken vpon hym to doo bataille with sir Palamydes / where is my lady said sire Trystram / Syr said the knyght she is sure ynough within my Castel / &

she can hold her within hit / Gramercy said syre Trystram of thy grete goodenes / and soo he rode tyl he came nyghe to that Castel / and thenne syr Trystram sawe where syr Palamydes sat at the gate slepynge / and his hors pastured fast afore hym Now goo thou Gouernaile said sire Tristram / and byd hym awake / and make hym redy / So Gouernayle rode vnto hym / and said sir Palamydes aryse and take to the thyn harneis but he was in suche a study he herd not what Gouernayle said So Gouernaile came ageyne and told syre Trystram he sle∣pte or els he was madde / Goo thou ageyne said sire Tristram / and bydde hym aryse / and telle hym that I am here his mor∣tal foo / So Gouernaile rode ageyne and putte vpon hym the but of his spere / and said sir Palamydes make the redy / for wete ye wel syr Tristram houeth yonder and sendeth the word he is thy mortal foo / And there with all sire Palamydes arose stylly withoute wordes and gate his hors / and sadeled hym / and brydeled hym / and lyghtely he lepte vpon / and gat his spere in his hand / and eyder feutryd their speres and hurt∣led faste to gyders / and there Tristram smote doune sire Pa∣lamydes ouer his hors tayle / Thenne lightely sire Palamydes putte his sheld afore hym and drewe his swerd / And there beganne stronge bataill on bothe partyes / for both they fought for the loue of one lady / and euer she laye on the walles and behelde them / hou they foughte oute of mesure / and eyther we¦re woūded possyng sore / but Palamydes was moche sorer woū¦ded / thus they fought tracynge and trauercyng more than two houres that wel nygh for dole and sorowe la beale Isoud swo∣uned / ¶Allas she said that one I loued and yet doo / and the other I loue not / yet it were grete pyte that I shold see sir pa¦lamydes slayne / for wel I knowe by that tyme the ende be done sir Palamydes is but a dede knyʒt / by cause he is not cry¦stened I wold be bothe that he shold dye a sarasyn / And there with alle she came doune and bisought sire Trystram to fyghte no more / A madame saide he what meane you / wille ye haue me shamed / wel ye knowe I wille be ruled by you / I wylle not your dishonour saide la beale Isoud but I wold that ye wold for my sake spare this vnhappy sarasyn Palamydes / Madame said syre Trystram I wille leue fyghtynge at this

tyme for your sake / ¶Thenne she said to sire Palamydes this shalle be your charge that thou shalt goo oute of this coun∣trey whyle I am therin / I wille obeye your commaundement said sire Palamydes / the whiche is sore ageynst my wylle ¶Thenne take thy waye said la beale Isoud vnto the Courte of kynge Arthur / and there recommaūde me vnto quene Gue¦neuer / and telle her that I send her word / that ther be withyn this land but four louers / that is sire Launcelot du lake and Quene Gueneuer and sire Trystram de lyonas and quene I∣soud