{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart287.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart287.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart287.htm","text":"CHAPTER L\nHow by treason Sir Tristram was brought to a tournament\nfor to have been slain, and how he was put in prison.\nNOW turn we from this matter, and speak we of Sir Tristram,\nof whom this book is principally of, and leave we\nthe king and the queen, Sir Launcelot, and Sir Lamorak, and\nhere beginneth the treason of King Mark, that he ordained\nagainst Sir Tristram. There was cried by the coasts of\nCornwall a great tournament and jousts, and all was done\nby Sir Galahalt the haut prince and King Bagdemagus, to\nthe intent to slay Launcelot, or else utterly destroy him\nand shame him, because Sir Launcelot had always the\nhigher degree, therefore this prince and this king made\nthis jousts against Sir Launcelot. And thus their counsel\nwas discovered unto King Mark, whereof he was full\nglad.\nThen King Mark bethought him that he would have\nSir Tristram unto that tournament disguised that no man\nshould know him, to that intent that the haut prince\nshould ween that Sir Tristram were Sir Launcelot. So\nat these jousts came in Sir Tristram. And at that time Sir\nLauncelot was not there, but when they saw a knight\ndisguised do such deeds of arms, they weened it had been Sir\nLauncelot. And in especial King Mark said it was Sir\nLauncelot plainly. Then they set upon him, both King\nBagdemagus, and the haut prince, and their knights, that\nit was wonder that ever Sir Tristram might endure that\npain. Notwithstanding for all the pain that he had, Sir\nTristram won the degree at that tournament, and there\nhe hurt many knights and bruised them, and they hurt\nhim and bruised him wonderly sore. So when the jousts\nwere all done they knew well that it was Sir Tristram de\nLiones; and all that were on King Mark's party were glad\nthat Sir Tristram was hurt, and the remnant were sorry of\nhis hurt; for Sir Tristram was not so behated as was Sir\nLauncelot within the realm of England.\nThen came King Mark unto Sir Tristram and said:\nFair nephew, I am sorry of your hurts. Gramercy my\nlord, said Sir Tristram. Then King Mark made Sir\nTristram to be put in an horse bier in great sign of love,\nand said: Fair cousin, I shall be your leech myself. And\nso he rode forth with Sir Tristram, and brought him to\na castle by daylight. And then King Mark made Sir\nTristram to eat. And then after he gave him a drink, the\nwhich as soon as he had drunk he fell asleep. And when\nit was night he made him to be carried to another castle,\nand there he put him in a strong prison, and there he\nordained a man and a woman to give him his meat and\ndrink. So there he was a great while.\nThen was Sir Tristram missed, and no creature wist\nwhere he was become. When La Beale Isoud heard how\nhe was missed, privily she went unto Sir Sadok, and prayed\nhim to espy where was Sir Tristram. Then when Sadok\nwist how Sir Tristram was missed, and anon espied that\nhe was put in prison by King Mark and the traitors of\nMagouns, then Sadok and two of his cousins laid them in\nan ambushment, fast by the Castle of Tintagil, in arms.\nAnd as by fortune, there came riding King Mark and four\nof his nephews, and a certain of the traitors of Magouns.\nWhen Sir Sadok espied them he brake out of the bushment,\nand set there upon them. And when King Mark\nespied Sir Sadok he fled as fast as he might, and there Sir\nSadok slew all the four nephews unto King Mark. But\nthese traitors of Magouns slew one of Sadok's cousins with\na great wound in the neck, but Sadok smote the other to\nthe death. Then Sir Sadok rode upon his way unto a\ncastle that was called Liones, and there he espied of the\ntreason and felony of King Mark. So they of that castle\nrode with Sir Sadok till that they came to a castle that\nhight Arbray, and there in the town they found Sir Dinas\nthe Seneschal, that was a good knight. But when Sir\nSadok had told Sir Dinas of all the treason of King Mark\nhe defied such a king, and said he would give up his lands\nthat he held of him. And when he said these words all\nmanner knights said as Sir Dinas said. Then by his advice\nand of Sir Sadok's, he let stuff all the towns and castles\nwithin the country of Liones, and assembled all the people\nthat they might make.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER L","type":"page"}