Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XIX

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 CHAPTER XIX
 
 How Sir Tristram soused Dagonet in a well, and how
 Palomides sent a damosel to seek Tristram, and how
 Palomides met with King Mark.
 
 AND upon a day Dagonet, King Arthur's fool, came into Cornwall
 with two squires with him; and as they rode through that forest
 they came by a fair well where Sir Tristram was wont to be; and
 the weather was hot, and they alighted to drink of that well, and
 in the meanwhile their horses brake loose.  Right so Sir Tristram
 came unto them, and first he soused Sir Dagonet in that well, and
 after his squires, and thereat laughed the shepherds; and
 forthwithal he ran after their horses and brought them again one
 by one, and right so, wet as they were, he made them leap up and
 ride their ways.  Thus Sir Tristram endured there an half year
 naked, and would never come in town nor village.  The meanwhile
 the damosel that Sir Palomides sent to seek Sir Tristram, she
 yede unto Sir Palomides and told him all the mischief <383>that
 Sir Tristram endured.  Alas, said Sir Palomides, it is great pity
 that ever so noble a knight should be so mischieved for the love
 of a lady; but nevertheless, I will go and seek him, and comfort
 him an I may.  Then a little before that time La Beale Isoud had
 commanded Sir Kehydius out of the country of Cornwall.  So Sir
 Kehydius departed with a dolorous heart, and by adventure he met
 with Sir Palomides, and they enfellowshipped together; and either
 complained to other of their hot love that they loved La Beale
 Isoud.  Now let us, said Sir Palomides, seek Sir Tristram, that
 loved her as well as we, and let us prove whether we may recover
 him.  So they rode into that forest, and three days and three
 nights they would never take their lodging, but ever sought Sir
 Tristram.
 
 And upon a time, by adventure, they met with King Mark that was
 ridden from his men all alone.  When they saw him Sir Palomides
 knew him, but Sir Kehydius knew him not.  Ah, false king, said
 Sir Palomides, it is pity thou hast thy life, for thou art a
 destroyer of all worshipful knights, and by thy mischief and thy
 vengeance thou hast destroyed that most noble knight, Sir
 Tristram de Liones.  And therefore defend thee, said Sir
 Palomides, for thou shalt die this day.  That were shame, said
 King Mark, for ye two are armed and I am unarmed.  As for that,
 said Sir Palomides, I shall find a remedy therefore; here is a
 knight with me, and thou shalt have his harness.  Nay, said King
 Mark, I will not have ado with you, for cause have ye none to me;
 for all the misease that Sir Tristram hath was for a letter that
 he found; for as to me I did to him no displeasure, and God
 knoweth I am full sorry for his disease and malady.  So when the
 king had thus excused him they were friends, and King Mark would
 have had them unto Tintagil; but Sir Palomides would not, but
 turned unto the realm of Logris, and Sir Kehydius said that he
 would go into Brittany.
 
 Now turn we unto Sir Dagonet again, that when he and his squires
 were upon horseback he deemed that the shepherds had sent that
 fool to array them so, because  <384>that they laughed at them,
 and so they rode unto the keepers of beasts and all to-beat them. 
 Sir Tristram saw them beat that were wont to give him meat and
 drink, then he ran thither and gat Sir Dagonet by the head, and
 gave him such a fall to the earth that he bruised him sore so
 that he lay still.  And then he wrast his sword out of his hand,
 and therewith he ran to one of his squires and smote off his
 head, and the other fled.  And so Sir Tristram took his way with
 that sword in his hand, running as he had been wild wood.  Then
 Sir Dagonet rode to King Mark and told him how he had sped in
 that forest.  And therefore, said Sir Dagonet, beware, King Mark,
 that thou come not about that well in the forest, for there is a
 fool naked, and that fool and I fool met together, and he had
 almost slain me.  Ah, said King Mark, that is Sir Matto le
 Breune, that fell out of his wit because he lost his lady; for
 when Sir Gaheris smote down Sir Matto and won his lady of him,
 never since was he in his mind, and that was pity, for he was a
 good knight.