[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xxv

BVt anone as the noble Knyghte syre launcelot herd of the shelde of Cornewayle thenne wyst he wel that hy••

was sire Tristram that fought with his enemyes / And thenne syre Launcelot praysed syre Tristram / and called hym the man of moost worship in the world / ¶Soo there was a knyght in that pryory that hyght Pellinore / and he desyred to wete the name of sire Tristram / but in no wyse he coude not / and so syr Tristram departed and lefte sir Dynadan in the pryory / for he was soo wery and soo sore brysed that he myghte not ryde / Thenne this knyght syre Pellinore said to sire Dynadan / sy∣then that ye wille not telle me that knyghtes name I will ry¦de after hym / and make hym to telle me his name / or he shall dye therfore / Beware sir knyght said sir Dynadan / for and ye folowe hym / ye shalle repente hit / Soo that knyghte sire Pelli∣nore rode after sire Tristram and requyred hym of Iustes / thē∣ne si•• Tristram smote hym doune and wounded hym thoruʒ the sholder / and soo he past on his way / And on the next day folowyng syr Tristram mette with pursyuaūts / and they told hym that there was made a grete crye of turnement bitwene kynge Carados of scotland and the kynge of Northwalys / & eyther shold Iuste ageyne other at the castel of maydens / and these pursyuaūtes sought alle the coūtrey after the good knyʒ∣tes / and in especyal kynge Carados lete make sekynge for sir launcelot du lake / and the kyng of Northgalys lete seke af∣ter sir Tristram de lyonas / ¶And at that tyme syr Tristram thought to be at that Iustes / and soo by aduenture they mette with sire kay the seneschal and syr Sagramor le desyrus / and syr kay requyred sir Tristram to Iuste / and sire Tristram in a maner refused hym / by cause he wold not be hurte nor brysed ageynste the grete Iustes that shold be bifore the castel of may¦dens / and therfore he thought to repose hym and to reste hym / And alway sir kay cryed sir knyʒt of Cornewaile Iust with me / or els yelde the to me as recreaunte / whan sir Tristram herd hym saye soo / he torned to hym / and thenne sire kay refused hym and torned his bak / Thenne syr Tristram said as I fyn¦de the / I shalle take the / Thenne sire Kay torned with euylle wylle / and syre Tristram smote syr kay doune / and soo he ro∣de forthe / ¶ Thenne syre Sagramor le desyrus rode after syre Tristram / and maade hym to Iuste with hym / and there syre Tristram smote doune syre Sagramor le desyrus from his hors

and rode his way / and the same day he mette with a damoysel that told hym that he shold wynne grete worship of a knyʒt aduenturous that dyd moche harme in alle that countrey / ¶Whanne sir Tristram herd her say soo / he was gladde to goo with her to wynne worship / So sire Tristram rode with that da¦moysel a vj myle / and thenne mette hym syre Gawayne / and there with alle syre Gawayne knewe the damoysel / that she was a damoysel of Quene Morgan le fay / Thenne sir Gawa∣yne vnderstode that she ladde that knyght to somme meschyef / Faire knyght said sire Gawayne whyder ryde you now wyth that damoysel / Syr said sire Tristram I wote not whyder I shalle ryde / but as the damoysel wylle lede me / Syr saide syre Gawayne ye shalle not ryde with her / for she and her lady did neuer good but ylle / And thenne sir Gawayne pulled oute his swerd / and said / damoysel / but yf thou telle me anon / for what what cause thou ledest this knyʒt with the thou shalt dye for hit ryght anone / I knowe alle your ladyes treason / & yo∣urs / Mercy syre Gawayne she said / and yf ye wille saue my lyf / I wille telle you / Saye on said sir Gawayne / and thow shalte haue thy lyf / Syre she said Quene Morgan le fay my lady hath ordeyned a xxx ladyes to seke & aspye after sir la¦ūcelot or sir tristram / & by y^e trainys of these ladyes who y^• may fyrst mete ony of these two knyghtes they shold torne hem vn¦to Morgan le fays castel / sayenge that they shold doo dedes of worship / & yf ony of tho two knyʒtes cam there / there be xxx knyghtes lyenge and watchyng in a toure to wayte vpon sir launcelot or vpon syre tristram / Fy for shame said sire Gawa¦yne that euer suche fals treason shold be wrought or vsed in a quene and a kynges syster / and a kynge and quenes dough¦ter