{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart165.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart165.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart165.htm","text":"CHAPTER XII\nHow Sir Tristram departed from the king and La Beale\nIsoud out of Ireland for to come into Cornwall.\nSIR, said Tristram, now I shall tell you all the truth: my\nfather's name is Sir Meliodas, King of Liones, and my <298>mother\nhight Elizabeth, that was sister unto King Mark of Cornwall; and\nmy mother died of me in the forest, and because thereof she\ncommanded, or she died, that when I were christened they should\nchristen me Tristram; and because I would not be known in this\ncountry I turned my name and let me call Tramtrist; and for the\ntruage of Cornwall I fought for my eme's sake, and for the right\nof Cornwall that ye had posseded many years. And wit ye well,\nsaid Tristram unto the king, I did the battle for the love of\nmine uncle, King Mark, and for the love of the country of\nCornwall, and for to increase mine honour; for that same day that\nI fought with Sir Marhaus I was made knight, and never or then\ndid I battle with no knight, and from me he went alive, and left\nhis shield and his sword behind.\nSo God me help, said the king, I may not say but ye did as a\nknight should, and it was your part to do for your quarrel, and\nto increase your worship as a knight should; howbeit I may not\nmaintain you in this country with my worship, unless that I\nshould displease my barons, and my wife and her kin. Sir, said\nTristram, I thank you of your good lordship that I have had with\nyou here, and the great goodness my lady, your daughter, hath\nshewed me, and therefore, said Sir Tristram, it may so happen\nthat ye shall win more by my life than by my death, for in the\nparts of England it may happen I may do you service at some\nseason, that ye shall be glad that ever ye shewed me your good\nlordship. With more I promise you as I am true knight, that in\nall places I shall be my lady your daughter's servant and knight\nin right and in wrong, and I shall never fail her, to do as much\nas a knight may do. Also I beseech your good grace that I may\ntake my leave at my lady, your daughter, and at all the barons\nand knights. I will well, said the king.\nThen Sir Tristram went unto La Beale Isoud and took his leave of\nher. And then he told her all, what he was, and how he had\nchanged his name because he would not be known, and how a lady\ntold him that he should never be whole till he came into this\ncountry where the <299>poison was made, wherethrough I was near\nmy death had not your ladyship been. O gentle knight, said La\nBeale\nIsoud, full woe am I of thy departing, for I saw never man that I\nowed so good will to. And therewithal she wept heartily. Madam,\nsaid Sir Tristram, ye shall understand that my name is Sir\nTristram de Liones, gotten of King Meliodas, and born of his\nqueen. And I promise you faithfully that I shall be all the days\nof my life your knight. Gramercy, said La Beale Isoud, and I\npromise you there-against that I shall not be married this seven\nyears but by your assent; and to whom that ye will I shall be\nmarried to him will I have, and he will have me if ye will\nconsent.\nAnd then Sir Tristram gave her a ring, and she gave him another;\nand therewith he departed from her, leaving her making great dole\nand lamentation; and he straight went unto the court among all\nthe barons, and there he took his leave at most and least, and\nopenly he said among them all: Fair lords, now it is so that I\nmust depart: if there be any man here that I have offended unto,\nor that any man be with me grieved, let complain him here afore\nme or that ever I depart, and I shall amend it unto my power.\nAnd if there be any that will proffer me wrong, or say of me\nwrong or shame behind my back, say it now or never, and here is\nmy body to make it good, body against body. And all they stood\nstill, there was not one that would say one word; yet were there\nsome knights that were of the queen's blood, and of Sir Marhaus'\nblood, but they would not meddle with him.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VIII CHAPTER XII","type":"page"}