{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart212.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart212.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart212.htm","text":"CHAPTER XIX\nHow Sir Tristram soused Dagonet in a well, and how\nPalomides sent a damosel to seek Tristram, and how\nPalomides met with King Mark.\nAND upon a day Dagonet, King Arthur's fool, came into Cornwall\nwith two squires with him; and as they rode through that forest\nthey came by a fair well where Sir Tristram was wont to be; and\nthe weather was hot, and they alighted to drink of that well, and\nin the meanwhile their horses brake loose. Right so Sir Tristram\ncame unto them, and first he soused Sir Dagonet in that well, and\nafter his squires, and thereat laughed the shepherds; and\nforthwithal he ran after their horses and brought them again one\nby one, and right so, wet as they were, he made them leap up and\nride their ways. Thus Sir Tristram endured there an half year\nnaked, and would never come in town nor village. The meanwhile\nthe damosel that Sir Palomides sent to seek Sir Tristram, she\nyede unto Sir Palomides and told him all the mischief <383>that\nSir Tristram endured. Alas, said Sir Palomides, it is great pity\nthat ever so noble a knight should be so mischieved for the love\nof a lady; but nevertheless, I will go and seek him, and comfort\nhim an I may. Then a little before that time La Beale Isoud had\ncommanded Sir Kehydius out of the country of Cornwall. So Sir\nKehydius departed with a dolorous heart, and by adventure he met\nwith Sir Palomides, and they enfellowshipped together; and either\ncomplained to other of their hot love that they loved La Beale\nIsoud. Now let us, said Sir Palomides, seek Sir Tristram, that\nloved her as well as we, and let us prove whether we may recover\nhim. So they rode into that forest, and three days and three\nnights they would never take their lodging, but ever sought Sir\nTristram.\nAnd upon a time, by adventure, they met with King Mark that was\nridden from his men all alone. When they saw him Sir Palomides\nknew him, but Sir Kehydius knew him not. Ah, false king, said\nSir Palomides, it is pity thou hast thy life, for thou art a\ndestroyer of all worshipful knights, and by thy mischief and thy\nvengeance thou hast destroyed that most noble knight, Sir\nTristram de Liones. And therefore defend thee, said Sir\nPalomides, for thou shalt die this day. That were shame, said\nKing Mark, for ye two are armed and I am unarmed. As for that,\nsaid Sir Palomides, I shall find a remedy therefore; here is a\nknight with me, and thou shalt have his harness. Nay, said King\nMark, I will not have ado with you, for cause have ye none to me;\nfor all the misease that Sir Tristram hath was for a letter that\nhe found; for as to me I did to him no displeasure, and God\nknoweth I am full sorry for his disease and malady. So when the\nking had thus excused him they were friends, and King Mark would\nhave had them unto Tintagil; but Sir Palomides would not, but\nturned unto the realm of Logris, and Sir Kehydius said that he\nwould go into Brittany.\nNow turn we unto Sir Dagonet again, that when he and his squires\nwere upon horseback he deemed that the shepherds had sent that\nfool to array them so, because <384>that they laughed at them,\nand so they rode unto the keepers of beasts and all to-beat them.\nSir Tristram saw them beat that were wont to give him meat and\ndrink, then he ran thither and gat Sir Dagonet by the head, and\ngave him such a fall to the earth that he bruised him sore so\nthat he lay still. And then he wrast his sword out of his hand,\nand therewith he ran to one of his squires and smote off his\nhead, and the other fled. And so Sir Tristram took his way with\nthat sword in his hand, running as he had been wild wood. Then\nSir Dagonet rode to King Mark and told him how he had sped in\nthat forest. And therefore, said Sir Dagonet, beware, King Mark,\nthat thou come not about that well in the forest, for there is a\nfool naked, and that fool and I fool met together, and he had\nalmost slain me. Ah, said King Mark, that is Sir Matto le\nBreune, that fell out of his wit because he lost his lady; for\nwhen Sir Gaheris smote down Sir Matto and won his lady of him,\nnever since was he in his mind, and that was pity, for he was a\ngood knight.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XIX","type":"page"}