Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XXXV

CHAPTER XXXV

How it was told to King Mark of Sir Alisander, and how
he would have slain Sir Sadok for saving his life.


NOW I require thee, and charge thee upon my blessing,
and upon the high order of knighthood, that thou be
revenged upon King Mark for the death of thy father.
And therewithal she swooned.  Then Alisander leapt to
his mother, and took her up in his arms, and said:  Fair
mother, ye have given me a great charge, and here I
promise you I shall be avenged upon King Mark when
that I may; and that I promise to God and to you.  So
this feast was ended, and the Constable, by the advice of
Anglides, let purvey that Alisander was well horsed and
harnessed.  Then he jousted with his twenty fellows that
were made knights with him, but for to make a short
tale, he overthrew all those twenty, that none might
withstand him a buffet.

Then one of those knights departed unto King Mark,
and told him all, how Alisander was made knight, and all
the charge that his mother gave him, as ye have heard
afore time.  Alas, false treason, said King Mark, I weened
that young traitor had been dead.  Alas, whom may I
trust?  And therewithal King Mark took a sword in his
hand; and sought Sir Sadok from chamber to chamber to
slay him.  When Sir Sadok saw King Mark come with
his sword in his hand he said thus:  Beware, King Mark,
and come not nigh me; for wit thou well that I saved
Alisander his life, of which I never repent me, for thou
falsely and cowardly slew his father Boudwin, traitorly for
his good deeds; wherefore I pray Almighty Jesu send
Alisander might and strength to be revenged upon thee.
And now beware King Mark of young Alisander, for he
is made a knight.  Alas, said King Mark, that ever I
should hear a traitor say so afore me.  And therewith
four knights of King Mark's drew their swords to slay Sir
Sadok, but anon Sir Sadok slew them all in King Mark's
presence.  And then Sir Sadok passed forth into his
chamber, and took his horse and his harness, and rode on
his way a good pace.  For there was neither Sir Tristram,
neither Sir Dinas, nor Sir Fergus, that would Sir Sadok
any evil will.  Then was King Mark wroth, and thought
to destroy Sir Alisander and Sir Sadok that had saved him;
for King Mark dreaded and hated Alisander most of any
man living.

When Sir Tristram understood that Alisander was
made knight, anon forthwithal he sent him a letter,
praying him and charging him that he would draw him to the
court of King Arthur, and that he put him in the rule and
in the hands of Sir Launcelot.  So this letter was sent to
Alisander from his cousin, Sir Tristram.  And at that time
he thought to do after his commandment.  Then King
Mark called a knight that brought him the tidings from
Alisander, and bade him abide still in that country.  Sir,
said that knight, so must I do, for in my own country I
dare not come.  No force, said King Mark, I shall give
thee here double as much lands as ever thou hadst of thine
own.  But within short space Sir Sadok met with that false
knight, and slew him.  Then was King Mark wood wroth
out of measure.  Then he sent unto Queen Morgan le
Fay, and to the Queen of North-galis, praying them in his
letters that they two sorceresses would set all the country
in fire with ladies that were enchantresses, and by such that
were dangerous knights, as Malgrin, Breuse Saunce Pit,
that by no mean Alisander le Orphelin should escape, but
either he should be taken or slain.  This ordinance made
King Mark for to destroy Alisander.