The Death of King Arthur (15 page)

‘I will not lie to you, sir,' Tristram replied. ‘The name of my father is Melodias, King of Liones, and my mother is Queen Elizabeth, who is the sister of King Mark of Cornwall. My mother died at the time of my birth, which is why I am named Tristram, or “sorrowful coming”. I called myself Tramtrist here because I did not wish to be known. Yet I must tell you, sir, that I fought your knight on behalf of King Mark of Cornwall. I wished to be called a true knight who fought for those he loved.'

‘As God is my judge,' King Angwish told him, ‘I hold no grudge against you. You were behaving according to the proper forms of knighthood. But I cannot let you stay here. My barons, and my family, would be very displeased.'

‘I thank you, sir, for your kindness to me. You have been a good lord to me. And I thank your daughter, too, for all the benefits she has given me. She healed me when my life was in danger. I believe that I will be able to help you more in life than in death, because I will always be at your service. Whenever you come to England, I will be happy to ride at your side. And I also promise you this. I will be devoted to your daughter, Isolde, and I will never fail her. Will you allow me now to say farewell to her?'

‘With all my heart.'

So Tristram went to Isolde's chamber. She began weeping when he told her of his departure. ‘Ah, gentle knight,' she said, ‘I am so filled with sorrow that I scarcely know what to say.'

‘Madam,' he replied, ‘my real name is Sir Tristram de Liones. I am of royal blood. Rest assured that I will be your knight for the remainder of my life.'

‘Is that your promise? Thank you. I will make a pledge to you in turn. For the next seven years I will not marry except with your assent. You may pick my husband for me.'

Then they exchanged rings.

Tristram now came into the court of King Angwish and addressed the lords assembled there. ‘Good lords,' he said, ‘the time has come for me to leave you all. If I have offended any man here, let him tell me now. I will make amends, if I can. And if there is any man who bears ill will to me, let him declare it now. I will prove myself by force of arms.'

Yet they all stood still. Not one of them said a word. There were some of Sir Marhalt's kin among them, but even they would not meddle with him. So Tristram departed and, taking to sea, was brought by a fair wind to Tintagel on the coast of Cornwall. When King Mark learned that he had returned, completely healed, he rejoiced. Tristram then rode to the domain of his father, where the king and queen were so pleased by his return that they granted him many lands. After that, with their permission, he went back to the court of King Mark.

Tristram lived at the Cornish court for a long time until, in an evil season, strife rose up between him and the king. They both loved the same lady, the wife of Earl Segwarides, but the lady loved only Tristram. King Mark grew jealous. It so happened that one day the lady sent a dwarf to Tristram, entreating him to visit her on the following night. ‘Also,' the dwarf told him, ‘she urges you to come well armed. Her husband is a tough fighter.'

‘Send my respects to the lady, fellow, and tell her that I will not fail her. I will be with her tomorrow night.'

The king received news that the lady's dwarf had visited Tristram, and so he sent for the dwarf. Under threat of torture, the dwarf revealed the message he had brought. ‘Very well then,' the king said to him, ‘now go on your way. But tell nobody that you have spoken to me. Do you understand?' The dwarf nodded, and left hurriedly.

Secretly King Mark arranged a plan to ambush Tristram on his way to the lady. He chose two of his best knights, and rode ahead along the path he knew Tristram would take. As soon as Tristram came into sight, the king rushed for him with his spear aloft; his two companions followed, swords drawn, and cut at him. Tristram was badly wounded in the breast, but not before he had beaten down the two knights. Then he launched his spear against King Mark, and brought him down to the ground, where he lay unconscious.

Tristram then made his way to his lady, who took him in her arms and led him to her bed. They made love so madly that he paid no heed to his wound; but his blood was all over the sheets and pillows. Then there came word that her husband, Sir Segwarides, was on his way. She urged Sir Tristram to leave her bed, arm himself, and ride off as fast as he could. When Segwarides entered the chamber, he saw that the bed had been disturbed. He came closer and, by the light of a lantern, saw that the sheets were covered in blood. ‘You have been false to me,' he told her. ‘Why have you betrayed me?' He took out his sword. ‘I will slay you on the spot if you do not tell me who has been here with you.'

‘Mercy, my lord!' she cried out. ‘I will tell you his name!'

‘Who is it?'

‘Tristram. He was wounded while on his way to me.'

‘Traitors, both of you! Where is he now?'

‘He left on his horse a few minutes ago. He cannot have gone far.'

‘Then I will find him.' Segwarides leaped on his horse, and rode straight for Tintagel. He overtook Tristram, and turned on him with his spear and sword. ‘Defend yourself,' he called out. ‘False traitor knight!'

‘I advise you to desist,' Tristram told him. ‘I know that I have done wrong to you, and I do not want to fight you.'

‘That may not be,' he replied. ‘Either you or I must die.'

He charged him, but Tristram parried his blows with his sword before knocking him from his horse; he fell to the earth in a swoon.

So Tristram left him, and rode on to Tintagel. He took secret lodgings because he did not want the world to know that he had been wounded. Segwarides's men found him and carried him home on his shield. It was a long time before he recovered, but in the end he was well again.

Here is the knot. King Mark did not want to reveal that he had waited in ambush for Tristram, and in turn Tristram did not know that the king was involved in the attack. So Mark, when he discovered that his knight lay wounded in bed, came to visit him under cover of goodwill and compassion. He muttered fair words, but there was no love in his heart.

Many weeks passed. All was forgiven and forgotten. Segwarides did not want to challenge Tristram any further. Who would wish to add public shame to private hurt?

There came a time when a knight of the Round Table, Sir Bleoberis by name, arrived at the court of King Mark. He asked the king for a favour. ‘I believe,' he said, ‘that I have the right.'

The king wondered at his words but, since this knight was of great renown, he consented to his request.

‘I wish to take as my lover the fairest lady to be found in your court.'

‘I cannot refuse you,' King Mark told him. ‘You may choose as you wish.'

So Bleoberis took the wife of Segwarides, and rode off with her on his horse. He made her sit behind his squire. When Segwarides heard of this, he set off in pursuit. The whole court was angered at the affair. Certain ladies knew of the love between Tristram and Segwarides's wife. One of them rebuked Tristram, in the most insulting terms, for failing to come to that lady's defence. ‘You are a coward,' she said. ‘Shame on you for allowing a strange knight to carry her off.'

‘Fair lady,' he answered, ‘it is not my part to defend her when her husband is here. If her lord had not been at court, of course I would have been her champion. If it happens that Segwarides does not succeed in rescuing her, then I may well ride in pursuit of Bleoberis.'

The squire of Segwarides soon came back to the court, with the message that he had been badly wounded by Bleoberis and was now close to death. King Mark was disconsolate. So Tristram, moved and saddened by this news, prepared himself to do battle with Bleoberis. Gouvernail, his companion, went with him, carrying his sword and spear. They rode a long way until they came to a valley, where they saw ahead of them Bleoberis, his squire and the lady herself.

Sir Tristram galloped hard after them. ‘Knight of Arthur's court,' he called out. ‘Stay! Return this lady or surrender her to me.'

‘I will do neither. I have no fear of any Cornish knight.'

‘No fear? Then fight.'

So they rode down upon each other and clashed with a sound like thunder. They jumped from their saddles, and lashed at each other with their swords. They fought for more than two hours, and were sometimes so weary that they lay gasping on the ground. Eventually Sir Bleoberis stood back. ‘Gentle knight, rest your arm a little. Let us speak together.'

‘Say what you will. I am listening.'

‘I would like to know, sir, your name and your descent.'

‘I will tell you. I am the son of King Melodias, and my mother was the sister of King Mark. I am called Sir Tristram de Liones.'

‘I am very glad to meet you. You are the knight who defeated Marhalt in hand-to-hand combat over the tribute due to Cornwall. You are the knight who overcame Sir Palomides at the tournament.'

‘I am the man. Now I have told you my name, you must tell me yours.'

‘I am Bleoberis de Ganis, brother of Blamoure and cousin of Sir Lancelot du Lake.'

‘Cousin of Lancelot? I will fight you no longer. I have too great a love for that peerless knight.'

‘I will return the compliment. Since you have come this way to rescue the lady, I will leave her free to decide her own fate. I will place her midway between us. She may choose whomever she pleases.'

‘I believe, sir, that she will come to me.'

‘Well, sir, we will see.'

So the lady dismounted and stood between them. Then she spoke to Sir Tristram. ‘You know well enough that you were the knight I trusted and honoured most in the world. I supposed that you loved me above all others. But when you saw this knight ride off with me, you made no attempt to rescue me. You left it to my husband. I had thought you had more concern for me than that. So now I forsake you, and renounce my faith in you.' With that, she went over to Bleoberis. Tristram was incensed with her. How could he return to court without her?

‘I believe you are to blame,' Bleoberis said to him. ‘I hear that this lady loved you but in the end, as she says, you deceived her. But I am not eager to keep her. A bolter is always a bolter. What will happen when she becomes tired of me? Here. Take her back.'

‘Oh no, my lord,' she said, ‘I will never go with him. He forsook me in my hour of need. Ride off, Sir Tristram. Even if you had defeated this knight, I would still not have been yours.' She turned to Sir Bleoberis. ‘Before you leave this land,' she pleaded with him, ‘I ask you to take me to the abbey where my husband lies wounded.'

‘Do you hear her, Sir Tristram?' Bleoberis asked him. ‘She does not want you. As for me, I have completed my quest. But for your sake, sir, I will now escort her to her husband.'

‘Thank you,' Tristram replied. ‘I will be more wary in future where I put my affections. Had her husband been absent from the court, I would have been the first to ride to her rescue. But now – farewell.'

Tristram rode back to Tintagel, heavy of heart, while Bleoberis took the lady to her husband. Segwarides was greatly comforted by the sight of her, and was grateful to Tristram for fighting to save her. When she came back to court, she told the story of the battle to King Mark. When she praised Tristram for ensuring that she was returned to her husband, the king was secretly enraged. He resolved to kill Tristram, and pondered on the means of doing this. He decided to send him to Ireland, where he might be dispatched by his enemies. Tristram had often told him of the beauty and grace of Isolde, so now he asked the knight to bring her back to Cornwall; the king told him that he wished to marry her. Tristram was aware of the danger in returning there, but he could not refuse his uncle's request. He made himself ready for the journey, and took with him some worthy knights.

They had just set sail when a storm at sea sent them eastward along the coast of England, not far from Arthur's court at Camelot. They came to land, sick and weary, at the place now known as Portsmouth. They scrambled for the shore and, when they reached dry land, Tristram set up a pavilion from which he suspended his shield as a token of his willingness to fight. He had not reached Ireland, after all, but the King of Ireland was closer than he thought. It so happened that Sir Bleoberis and Sir Blamoure had summoned King Angwish to the court of King Arthur, the King of Ireland's overlord; they accused him of killing their cousin. In those far-off days, murder was considered to be a form of treason; so King Angwish had to fight the charge in his own person or find a champion. There was no other remedy. The judges granted him three days to give his answer. Gouvernail came to Tristram's pavilion and told him of the plight of the king. ‘God save me,' Tristram said, ‘this is the best news I have heard in seven years. The King of Ireland now has need of my help. I dare say that there is no knight in the kingdom, outside Arthur's court, that would dare to do battle with Sir Blamoure. I will take it upon myself to be the king's champion, so that he will gladly give me Isolde.'

Gouvernail went at once to King Angwish. ‘I know a knight who wishes to speak to you, sire. He desires to serve you.'

‘What is his name?'

‘Sir Tristram de Liones. For the favours you showed him in your own country, he wishes to fight on your behalf.'

‘Come with me,' the king replied. ‘We will call upon Sir Tristram.'

With a few friends they took horse and rode to the pavilion. When Tristram saw the king coming, he would have taken his stirrup. But the king dismounted lightly and held Tristram in his arms.