{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart296.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart296.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart296.htm","text":"CHAPTER LIX\nHow they came to Humber bank, and how they found a ship\nthere, wherein lay the body of King Hermance.\nSIR, said Palomides, let us leave of this matter, and let us\nsee how we shall do at this tournament. By mine advice,\nsaid Palomides, let us four hold together against all that\nwill come. Not by my counsel, said Sir Tristram, for I\nsee by their pavilions there will be four hundred knights,\nand doubt ye not, said Sir Tristram, but there will be\nmany good knights; and be a man never so valiant nor\nso big, yet he may be overmatched. And so have I seen\nknights done many times; and when they weened best to\nhave won worship they lost it, for manhood is not worth\nbut if it be medled with wisdom. And as for me, said\nSir Tristram, it may happen I shall keep mine own head\nas well as another.\nSo thus they rode until that they came to Humber\nbank, where they heard a cry and a doleful noise. Then\nwere they ware in the wind where came a rich vessel\nhilled over with red silk, and the vessel landed fast by\nthem. Therewith Sir Tristram alighted and his knights.\nAnd so Sir Tristram went afore and entered into that\nvessel. And when he came within he saw a fair bed\nrichly covered, and thereupon lay a dead seemly knight,\nall armed save the head, was all be-bled with deadly\nwounds upon him, the which seemed to be a passing good\nknight. How may this be, said Sir Tristram, that this\nknight is thus slain? Then Sir Tristram was ware of a\nletter in the dead knight's hand. Master mariners, said\nSir Tristram, what meaneth that letter? Sir, said they,\nin that letter ye shall hear and know how he was slain,\nand for what cause, and what was his name. But sir,\nsaid the mariners, wit ye well that no man shall take that\nletter and read it but if he be a good knight, and that\nhe will faithfully promise to revenge his death, else shall\nthere be no knight see that letter open. Wit ye well,\nsaid Sir Tristram, that some of us may revenge his death\nas well as other, and if it be so as ye mariners say his\ndeath shall be revenged. And therewith Sir Tristram\ntook the letter out of the knight's hand, and it said thus:\nHermance, king and lord of the Red City, I send unto\nall knights errant, recommending unto you noble knights\nof Arthur's court. I beseech them all among them to\nfind one knight that will fight for my sake with two\nbrethren that I brought up of nought, and feloniously\nand traitorly they have slain me; wherefore I beseech\none good knight to revenge my death. And he that\nrevengeth my death I will that he have my Red City and\nall my castles.\nSir, said the mariners, wit ye well this king and knight\nthat here lieth was a full worshipful man and of full\ngreat prowess, and full well he loved all manner knights\nerrants. So God me help, said Sir Tristram, here is a\npiteous case, and full fain would I take this enterprise\nupon me; but I have made such a promise that needs I\nmust be at this great tournament, or else I am shamed.\nFor well I wot for my sake in especial my lord Arthur let\nmake this jousts and tournament in this country; and\nwell I wot that many worshipful people will be there at\nthat tournament for to see me; therefore I fear me to\ntake this enterprise upon me that I shall not come again\nby time to this jousts. Sir, said Palomides, I pray you\ngive me this enterprise, and ye shall see me achieve it\nworshipfully, other else I shall die in this quarrel. Well,\nsaid Sir Tristram, and this enterprise I give you, with\nthis, that ye be with me at this tournament that shall be\nas this day seven night. Sir, said Palomides, I promise\nyou that I shall be with you by that day if I be unslain\nor unmaimed.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LIX","type":"page"}