Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XXII

CHAPTER XXII

How King Arthur made King Mark to be accorded with
Sir Tristram, and how they departed toward Cornwall.

NOW pass we our matter, and leave we Sir Gawaine, and
speak of King Arthur, that on a day said unto King Mark:
Sir, I pray you give me a gift that I shall ask you.  Sir, said
King Mark, I will give you whatsomever ye desire an it be
in my power.  Sir, gramercy, said Arthur.  This I will ask
you, that ye will be good lord unto Sir Tristram, for he is a
man of great honour; and that ye will take him with you
into Cornwall, and let him see his friends, and there cherish
him for my sake.  Sir, said King Mark, I promise you by
the faith of my body, and by the faith that I owe to God
and to you, I shall worship him for your sake in all that I
can or may.  Sir, said Arthur, and I will forgive you all
the evil will that ever I ought you, an so be that you swear
that upon a book before me.  With a good will, said King
Mark; and so he there sware upon a book afore him and
all his knights, and therewith King Mark and Sir Tristram
took either other by the hands hard knit together.  But
for all this King Mark thought falsely, as it proved after,
for he put Sir Tristram in prison, and cowardly would
have slain him.

Then soon after King Mark took his leave to ride into
Cornwall, and Sir Tristram made him ready to ride with
him, whereof the most part of the Round Table were
wroth and heavy, and in especial Sir Launcelot, and Sir
Lamorak, and Sir Dinadan, were wroth out of measure
For well they wist King Mark would slay or destroy Sir
Tristram.  Alas, said Dinadan, that my lord, Sir Tristram,
shall depart.  And Sir Tristram took such sorrow that he
was amazed like a fool.  Alas, said Sir Launcelot unto
King Arthur, what have ye done, for ye shall lose the most
man of worship that ever came into your court.  It was
his own desire, said Arthur, and therefore I might not do
withal, for I have done all that I can and made them at
accord.  Accord, said Sir Launcelot, fie upon that accord,
for ye shall hear that he shall slay Sir Tristram, or put him
in a prison, for he is the most coward and the villainest
king and knight that is now living.

And therewith Sir Launcelot departed, and came to
King Mark, and said to him thus:  Sir king, wit thou well
the good knight Sir Tristram shall go with thee.  Beware,
I rede thee, of treason, for an thou mischief that knight
by any manner of falsehood or treason, by the faith I owe
to God and to the order of knighthood, I shall slay thee
with mine own hands.  Sir Launcelot, said the king,
overmuch have ye said to me, and I have sworn and said over
largely afore King Arthur in hearing of all his knights,
that I shall not slay nor betray him.  It were to me
overmuch shame to break my promise.  Ye say well, said Sir
Launcelot, but ye are called so false and full of treason
that no man may believe you.  Forsooth it is known well
wherefore ye came into this country, and for none other
cause but for to slay Sir Tristram.  So with great dole
King Mark and Sir Tristram rode together, for it was by
Sir Tristram's will and his means to go with King Mark,
and all was for the intent to see La Beale Isoud, for
without the sight of her Sir Tristram might not endure.