Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VIII CHAPTER XXXVII

CHAPTER XXXVII

How Sir Suppinabiles told Sir Tristram how he was defamed
in the court of King Arthur, and of Sir Lamorak.

THEN departed Sir Suppinabiles unto Brittany again, and there he
found Sir Tristram, and told him that he had been in King
Arthur's court.  Then said Sir Tristram:  Heard ye anything of
me?  So God me help, said Sir Suppinabiles, there I heard Sir
Launcelot speak of you great shame, and that ye be a false knight
to your lady and he bade me do you to wit that he will be your
mortal enemy in every place where he may meet you.  That me
repenteth, said Tristram, for of all knights I loved to be in his
fellowship.  So Sir Tristram made great moan and was ashamed that
noble knights should defame him for the sake of his lady.  And in
this meanwhile La Beale <341>Isoud made a letter unto Queen
Guenever, complaining her of the untruth of Sir Tristram, and how
he had wedded the king's daughter of Brittany.  Queen Guenever
sent her another letter, and bade her be of good cheer, for she
should have joy after sorrow, for Sir Tristram was so noble a
knight called, that by crafts of sorcery ladies would make such
noble men to wed them.  But in the end, Queen Guenever said, it
shall be thus, that he shall hate her, and love you better than
ever he did to-fore.

So leave we Sir Tristram in Brittany, and speak we of Sir Lamorak
de Galis, that as he sailed his ship fell on a rock and perished
all, save Sir Lamorak and his squire; and there he swam mightily,
and fishers of the Isle of Servage took him up, and his squire
was drowned, and the shipmen had great labour to save Sir
Lamorak's life, for all the comfort that they could do.

And the lord of that isle, hight Sir Nabon le Noire, a great
mighty giant.  And this Sir Nabon hated all the knights of King
Arthur's, and in no wise he would do them favour.  And these
fishers told Sir Lamorak all the guise of Sir Nabon; how there
came never knight of King Arthur's but he destroyed him.  And at
the last battle that he did was slain Sir Nanowne le Petite, the
which he put to a shameful death in despite of King Arthur, for
he was drawn limb-meal.  That forthinketh me, said Sir Lamorak,
for that knight's death, for he was my cousin; and if I were at
mine ease as well as ever I was, I would revenge his death. 
Peace, said the fishers, and make here no words, for or ever ye
depart from hence Sir Nabon must know that ye have been here, or
else we should die for your sake.  So that I be whole, said
Lamorak, of my disease that I have taken in the sea, I will that
ye tell him that I am a knight of King Arthur's, for I was never
afeard to reneye my lord.

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