{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart244.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart244.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart244.htm","text":"CHAPTER VII\nHow for the despite of Sir Tristram King Mark came with\ntwo knights into England, and how he slew one of the\nknights.\nTHEN King Mark had great despite of the renown of Sir\nTristram, and then he chased him out of Cornwall: yet\nwas he nephew unto King Mark, but he had great suspicion\nunto Sir Tristram because of his queen, La Beale Isoud;\nfor him seemed that there was too much love between\nthem both. So when Sir Tristram departed out of Cornwall\ninto England King Mark heard of the great prowess that\nSir Tristram did there, the which grieved him sore. So\nhe sent on his part men to espy what deeds he did. And\nthe queen sent privily on her part spies to know what\ndeeds he had done, for great love was between them twain.\nSo when the messengers were come home they told the\ntruth as they had heard, that he passed all other knights\nbut if it were Sir Launcelot. Then King Mark was right\nheavy of these tidings, and as glad was La Beale Isoud.\nThen in great despite he took with him two good knights\nand two squires, and disguised himself, and took his way\ninto England, to the intent for to slay Sir Tristram.\nAnd one of these two knights hight Bersules, and the\nother knight was called Amant. So as they rode King\nMark asked a knight that he met, where he should find\nKing Arthur. He said: At Camelot. Also he asked that\nknight after Sir Tristram, whether he heard of him in the\ncourt of King Arthur. Wit you well, said that knight,\nye shall find Sir Tristram there for a man of as great\nworship as is now living; for through his prowess he won\nthe tournament of the Castle of Maidens that standeth by\nthe Hard Rock. And sithen he hath won with his own\nhands thirty knights that were men of great honour.\nAnd the last battle that ever he did he fought with Sir\nLauncelot; and that was a marvellous battle. And not\nby force Sir Launcelot brought Sir Tristram to the court,\nand of him King Arthur made passing great joy, and so\nmade him Knight of the Table Round; and his seat was\nwhere the good knight's, Sir Marhaus, seat was. Then\nwas King Mark passing sorry when he heard of the honour\nof Sir Tristram; and so they departed.\nThen said King Mark unto his two knights: Now\nwill I tell you my counsel: ye are the men that I trust\nmost to alive, and I will that ye wit my coming hither is\nto this intent, for to destroy Sir Tristram by wiles or by\ntreason; and it shall be hard if ever he escape our hands.\nAlas, said Sir Bersules, what mean you? for ye be set in\nsuch a way ye are disposed shamefully; for Sir Tristram\nis the knight of most worship that we know living, and\ntherefore I warn you plainly I will never consent to do\nhim to the death; and therefore I will yield my service,\nand forsake you. When King Mark heard him say so,\nsuddenly he drew his sword and said: Ah, traitor; and\nsmote Sir Bersules on the head, that the sword went to\nhis teeth. When Amant, the knight, saw him do that\nvillainous deed, and his squires, they said it was foul done,\nand mischievously: Wherefore we will do thee no more\nservice, and wit ye well, we will appeach thee of treason\nafore Arthur. Then was King Mark wonderly wroth\nand would have slain Amant; but he and the two squires\nheld them together, and set nought by his malice. When\nKing Mark saw he might not be revenged on them, he\nsaid thus unto the knight, Amant: Wit thou well, an\nthou appeach me of treason I shall thereof defend me\nafore King Arthur; but I require thee that thou tell not\nmy name, that I am King Mark, whatsomever come of\nme. As for that, said Sir Amant, I will not discover your\nname; and so they departed, and Amant and his fellows\ntook the body of Bersules and buried it.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER VII","type":"page"}