Le Mort d'Arthur: Volume 2

Sir Malory Thomas

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pubOne.info present you this new edition. AND if so be ye can descrive what ye bear, ye are worthy to bear the arms. As for that, said Sir Tristram, I will answer you; this shield was given me, not desired, of Queen Morgan le Fay; and as for me, I can not descrive these arms, for it is no point of my charge, and yet I trust to God to bear them with worship. Truly, said King Arthur, ye ought not to bear none arms but if ye wist what ye bear: but I pray you tell me your name. To what intent? said Sir Tristram. For I would wit, said Arthur. Sir, ye shall not wit as at this time. Then shall ye and I do battle together, said King Arthur. Why, said Sir Tristram, will ye do battle with me but if I tell you my name? and that little needeth you an ye were a man of worship, for ye have seen me this day have had great travail, and therefore ye are a villainous knight to ask battle of me, considering my great travail; howbeit I will not fail you, and have ye no doubt that I fear not you; though you think you have me at a great advantage yet shall I right well endure you

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• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 06 novembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819930662
• Langue: English

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LE MORTE D'ARTHUR
King Arthur and of his Noble Knights of theRound Table
By Sir Thomas Malory
IN TWO VOLS.—VOL. II
BOOK X
CHAPTER I. How Sir Tristram jousted, and smotedown King Arthur, because he told him not the cause why he barethat shield.
AND if so be ye can descrive what ye bear, ye areworthy to bear the arms. As for that, said Sir Tristram, I willanswer you; this shield was given me, not desired, of Queen Morganle Fay; and as for me, I can not descrive these arms, for it is nopoint of my charge, and yet I trust to God to bear them withworship. Truly, said King Arthur, ye ought not to bear none armsbut if ye wist what ye bear: but I pray you tell me your name. Towhat intent? said Sir Tristram. For I would wit, said Arthur. Sir,ye shall not wit as at this time. Then shall ye and I do battletogether, said King Arthur. Why, said Sir Tristram, will ye dobattle with me but if I tell you my name? and that little needethyou an ye were a man of worship, for ye have seen me this day havehad great travail, and therefore ye are a villainous knight to askbattle of me, considering my great travail; howbeit I will not failyou, and have ye no doubt that I fear not you; though you think youhave me at a great advantage yet shall I right well endure you. Andthere withal King Arthur dressed his shield and his spear, and SirTristram against him, and they came so eagerly together. And thereKing Arthur brake his spear all to pieces upon Sir Tristram'sshield. But Sir Tristram hit Arthur again, that horse and man fellto the earth. And there was King Arthur wounded on the left side, agreat wound and a perilous.
Then when Sir Uwaine saw his lord Arthur lie on theground sore wounded, he was passing heavy. And then he dressed hisshield and his spear, and cried aloud unto Sir Tristram and said:Knight, defend thee. So they came together as thunder, and SirUwaine brised his spear all to pieces upon Sir Tristram's shield,and Sir Tristram smote him harder and sorer, with such a might thathe bare him clean out of his saddle to the earth. With that SirTristram turned about and said: Fair knights, I had no need tojoust with you, for I have had enough to do this day. Then aroseArthur and went to Sir Uwaine, and said to Sir Tristram: We have aswe have deserved, for through our orgulyté we demanded battle ofyou, and yet we knew not your name. Nevertheless, by Saint Cross,said Sir Uwaine, he is a strong knight at mine advice as any is nowliving.
Then Sir Tristram departed, and in every place heasked and demanded after Sir Launcelot, but in no place he couldnot hear of him whether he were dead or alive; wherefore SirTristram made great dole and sorrow. So Sir Tristram rode by aforest, and then was he ware of a fair tower by a marsh on that oneside, and on that other side a fair meadow. And there he saw tenknights fighting together. And ever the nearer he came he saw howthere was but one knight did battle against nine knights, and thatone did so marvellously that Sir Tristram had great wonder thatever one knight might do so great deeds of arms. And then within alittle while he had slain half their horses and unhorsed them, andtheir horses ran in the fields and forest. Then Sir Tristram had sogreat pity of that one knight that endured so great pain, and everhe thought it should be Sir Palomides, by his shield. And so herode unto the knights and cried unto them, and bade them cease oftheir battle, for they did themselves great shame so many knightsto fight with one. Then answered the master of those knights, hisname was called Breuse Saunce Pité, that was at that time the mostmischievoust knight living, and said thus: Sir knight, what have yeado with us to meddle? and therefore, an ye be wise, depart on yourway as ye came, for this knight shall not escape us. That werepity, said Sir Tristram, that so good a knight as he is should beslain so cowardly; and therefore I warn you I will succour him withall my puissance.
CHAPTER II. How Sir Tristram saved SirPalomides' life, and how they promised to fight together within afortnight.
So Sir Tristram alighted off his horse because theywere on foot, that they should not slay his horse, and then dressedhis shield, with his sword in his hand, and he smote on the righthand and on the left hand passing sore, that well-nigh at everystroke he struck down a knight. And when they espied his strokesthey fled all with Breuse Saunce Pité unto the tower, and SirTristram followed fast after with his sword in his hand, but theyescaped into the tower, and shut Sir Tristram without the gate. Andwhen Sir Tristram saw this he returned aback unto Sir Palomides,and found him sitting under a tree sore wounded. Ah, fair knight,said Sir Tristram, well be ye found. Gramercy, said Sir Palomides,of your great goodness, for ye have rescued me of my life, andsaved me from my death. What is your name? said Sir Tristram. Hesaid: My name is Sir Palomides. O Jesu, said Sir Tristram, thouhast a fair grace of me this day that I should rescue thee, andthou art the man in the world that I most hate; but now make theeready, for I will do battle with thee. What is your name? said SirPalomides. My name is Sir Tristram, your mortal enemy. It may beso, said Sir Palomides; but ye have done over much for me this daythat I should fight with you; for inasmuch as ye have saved my lifeit will be no worship for you to have ado with me, for ye are freshand I am wounded sore, and therefore, an ye will needs have adowith me, assign me a day and then I shall meet with you withoutfail. Ye say well, said Sir Tristram, now I assign you to meet mein the meadow by the river of Camelot, where Merlin set the peron.So they were agreed.
Then Sir Tristram asked Sir Palomides why the tenknights did battle with him. For this cause, said Sir Palomides; asI rode upon mine adventures in a forest here beside I espied wherelay a dead knight, and a lady weeping beside him. And when I sawher making such dole, I asked her who slew her lord. Sir, she said,the falsest knight of the world now living, and he is the mostvillain that ever man heard speak of and his name is Sir BreuseSaunce Pité. Then for pity I made the damosel to leap on herpalfrey, and I promised her to be her warrant, and to help her tointer her lord. And so, suddenly, as I came riding by this tower,there came out Sir Breuse Saunce Pité, and suddenly he struck mefrom my horse. And then or I might recover my horse this Sir Breuseslew the damosel. And so I took my horse again, and I was soreashamed, and so began the medley betwixt us: and this is the causewherefore we did this battle. Well, said Sir Tristram, now Iunderstand the manner of your battle, but in any wise haveremembrance of your promise that ye have made with me to do battlewith me this day fortnight. I shall not fail you, said SirPalomides. Well, said Sir Tristram, as at this time I will not failyou till that ye be out of the danger of your enemies.
So they mounted upon their horses, and rode togetherunto that forest, and there they found a fair well, with clearwater bubbling. Fair sir, said Sir Tristram, to drink of that waterhave I courage; and then they alighted off their horses. And thenwere they ware by them where stood a great horse tied to a tree,and ever he neighed. And then were they ware of a fair knightarmed, under a tree, lacking no piece of harness, save his helm layunder his head. By the good lord, said Sir Tristram, yonder lieth awell-faring knight; what is best to do? Awake him, said SirPalomides. So Sir Tristram awaked him with the butt of his spear.And so the knight rose up hastily and put his helm upon his head,and gat a great spear in his hand; and without any more words hehurled unto Sir Tristram, and smote him clean from his saddle tothe earth, and hurt him on the left side, that Sir Tristram lay ingreat peril. Then he walloped farther, and fetched his course, andcame hurling upon Sir Palomides, and there he struck him a partthrough the body, that he fell from his horse to the earth. Andthen this strange knight left them there, and took his way throughthe forest. With this Sir Palomides and Sir Tristram were on foot,and gat their horses again, and either asked counsel of other, whatwas best to do. By my head, said Sir Tristram, I will follow thisstrong knight that thus hath shamed us. Well, said Sir Palomides,and I will repose me hereby with a friend of mine. Beware, said SirTristram unto Palomides, that ye fail not that day that ye have setwith me to do battle, for, as I deem, ye will not hold your day,for I am much bigger than ye. As for that, said Sir Palomides, beit as it be may, for I fear you not, for an I be not sick norprisoner, I will not fail you; but I have cause to have more doubtof you that ye will not meet with me, for ye ride after yonderstrong knight. And if ye meet with him it is an hard adventure anever ye escape his hands. Right so Sir Tristram and Sir Palomidesdeparted, and either took their ways diverse.
CHAPTER III
How Sir Tristram sought a strong knight thathad smitten him down, and many other knights of the RoundTable.
AND so Sir Tristram rode long after this strongknight. And at the last he saw where lay a lady overthwart a deadknight. Fair lady, said Sir Tristram, who hath slain your lord?Sir, she said, here came a knight riding, as my lord and I restedus here, and asked him of whence he was, and my lord said ofArthur's court. Therefore, said the strong knight, I will joustwith thee, for I hate all these that be of Arthur's court. And mylord that lieth here dead amounted upon his horse, and the strongknight and my lord encountered together, and there he smote my lordthroughout with his spear, and thus he hath brought me in great woeand damage. That me repenteth, said Sir Tristram, of your greatanger; an it please you tell me your husband's name. Sir, said she,his name was Galardoun, that would have proved a good knight. Sodeparted Sir Tristram from that dolorous lady, and had much evil