[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xxj

THenne the knyght took vp the gyaunts hede / and ba∣re hit with hym vnto kynge Marke / and told hym / what aduenture betyd hym in the forest / and how a naked man rescowed hym / from the grymly gyaunt Tauleas where hadde ye this aduenture said kynge Marke / forsothe sa∣id syr Dynaunt at the fayre fontayne in your foreste / where many aduenturous knyʒtes mete / and there is the madde man wel said kyng Mark I wille see that wild man / So within a day or two kynge Marke commaunded his knyghtes / & his hunters that they shold be redy on the morne for to hunte / and soo vpon the morne he wente vnto that forest / And whanne the kynge came to that welle / he fonde there lyenge by that welle a fayr naked man / and a swerd by hym / Thenne kyng Ma∣rk blewe and straked / and there with his knyghtes came to hym / and thenne the kynge commaunded his knyghtes to ta∣ke that naked man with fayrenes / and brynge hym to my castel / Soo they did saufly & fayre and cast mantels vpon sir Tristram and soo ledde hym vnto Tyntagyll / and there they ba¦thed hym and wasshed hym and gaf hym hote suppynges til they had brought hym wel to his remembraunce / but alle this whyle there was no creature that knewe sir Tristram nor what man he was / Soo hit felle vpon a daye that the quene la beale Isoud herd. of suche a man / that ranne naked in the foreste / and how the kynge had brought hym home to the Courte / Thenne la Beale Isoud called vnto her dame Brangwayne and said come on with me / For we wille goo see this man / that my lord brought from the forest the last daye / So they pas¦sed forthe / and spered where was the seke man / And thenne a squyer told the quene that he was in the gardyn / takynge his rest / and repose hym ageynst the sonne / Soo whan the que¦ne loked vpon sir Tristram she was not remembryd of hym / but euer she heid vnto dame Brangwayne / me semeth I shold haue sene hym here to fore in many places / but as soone as sir Tristram sawe her / he knewe her wel ynough / And thenne he torned awey his vysage / and wepte / Thenne the quene hadde alweyes a lytel brachet with her that sir Tristram gaf her the fyrst tyme that euer she came in to Cornewaile / & neuer wold that brachet departe from her / but yf syre Tristram was nyghe

there as was la Beale Isoud / and this brachet was sente from the kynges doughter of Fraunce vnto syre Tristram for grete loue / and anone as this lytel brachet felte a saueour of syr Tristram she lepte vpon hym and lycked his learys and his erys / and thēne he whyned and quested and she smelled at his feet and at his handes / and on all partyes of his body that she myghte come to / A my lady sayd dame Brangwayn vnto la beale Isoud / Allas allas said she I see it is myn own lord syr Tristram / And therupon Isoud felle doune in a sw∣oune and soo laye a grete whyle / And whan she myght spe∣ke she said / my lord sir Tristram blessid be god ye haue your lyf / and now I am sure ye shalle be discouerd by this lytel bra¦chet / for she wille neuer leue you / And also I am sure as so∣one as my lord kynge Mark doo knowe you / he wil bannyssh you oute of the countrey of Cornewaile / or els he will destroye you / For goddes sake myn owne lord / graunte kynge Marke his wille / and thenne drawe you vnto the Courte of kyng ar∣thur / for there are ye byloued / and euer whan I maye I shalle sende vnto you / And whan ye lyst ye may come to me / and at alle tymes erly and late I wille be at your commaundement / to lyue as poure a lyf as euer dyd quene or lady / O madame said sir Tristram goo from me / for mykel anger and daunger haue I escaped for your loue