{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart263.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart263.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart263.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXVI\nHow King Arthur, the Queen, and Launcelot received letters\nout of Cornwall, and of the answer again.\nNOW leave we Sir Palomides and Sir Dinadan in the Castle\nof Beale-Valet, and turn we again unto King Arthur.\nThere came a knight out of Cornwall, his name was Fergus,\na fellow of the Round Table. And there he told the king\nand Sir Launcelot good tidings of Sir Tristram, and there\nwere brought goodly letters, and how he left him in the\ncastle of Tintagil. Then came the damosel that brought\ngoodly letters unto King Arthur and unto Sir Launcelot,\nand there she had passing good cheer of the king, and of\nthe Queen Guenever, and of Sir Launcelot. Then they\nwrote goodly letters again. But Sir Launcelot bade ever\nSir Tristram beware of King Mark, for ever he called him\nin his letters King Fox, as who saith, he fareth all with\nwiles and treason. Whereof Sir Tristram in his heart\nthanked Sir Launcelot. Then the damosel went unto La\nBeale Isoud, and bare her letters from the king and from\nSir Launcelot, whereof she was in passing great joy. Fair\ndamosel, said La Beale Isoud, how fareth my Lord Arthur,\nand the Queen Guenever, and the noble knight, Sir\nLauncelot? She answered, and to make short tale: Much\nthe better that ye and Sir Tristram be in joy. God reward\nthem, said La Beale Isoud, for Sir Tristram suffereth great\npain for me, and I for him.\nSo the damosel departed, and brought letters to King\nMark. And when he had read them, and understood\nthem, he was wroth with Sir Tristram, for he deemed that\nhe had sent the damosel unto King Arthur. For Arthur\nand Launcelot in a manner threated King Mark. And\nas King Mark read these letters he deemed treason by Sir\nTristram. Damosel, said King Mark, will ye ride again\nand bear letters from me unto King Arthur? Sir, she\nsaid, I will be at your commandment to ride when ye will.\nYe say well, said the king; come again, said the king,\nto-morn, and fetch your letters. Then she departed and told\nthem how she should ride again with letters unto Arthur.\nThen we pray you, said La Beale Isoud and Sir Tristram,\nthat when ye have received your letters, that ye would\ncome by us that we may see the privity of your letters.\nAll that I may do, madam, ye wot well I must do for Sir\nTristram, for I have been long his own maiden.\nSo on the morn the damosel went to King Mark to\nhave had his letters and to depart. I am not avised, said\nKing Mark, as at this time to send my letters. Then\nprivily and secretly he sent letters unto King Arthur, and\nunto Queen Guenever, and unto Sir Launcelot. So the\nvarlet departed, and found the king and the queen in\nWales, at Carlion. And as the king and the queen were\nat mass the varlet came with the letters. And when mass\nwas done the king and the queen opened the letters privily\nby themself. And the beginning of the king's letters\nspake wonderly short unto King Arthur, and bade him\nentermete with himself and with his wife, and of his\nknights; for he was able enough to rule and keep his\nwife.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XXVI","type":"page"}