Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XXI

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 CHAPTER XXI
 
 How Sir Elias and Sir Tristram fought together for the
 truage, and how Sir Tristram slew Elias in the field.
 
 
 NOT for then when all this was said, they could find no
 knight that would do battle with him.  Sir king, said they
 all, here is no knight that dare fight with Elias.  Alas,
 said King Mark, then am I utterly ashamed and utterly
 destroyed, unless that my nephew Sir Tristram will take
 the battle upon him.  Wit you well, they said all, he had
 yesterday overmuch on hand, and he is weary for travail,
 and sore wounded.  Where is he? said King Mark.  Sir,
 said they, he is in his bed to repose him.  Alas, said King
 Mark, but I have the succour of my nephew Sir Tristram,
 I am utterly destroyed for ever.
 
 Therewith one went to Sir Tristram where he lay, and
 told him what King Mark had said.  And therewith Sir
 Tristram arose lightly, and put on him a long gown, and
 came afore the king and all the lords.  And when he saw
 them all so dismayed he asked the king and the lords
 what tidings were with them.  Never worse, said the
 king.  And therewith he told him all, how he had word
 of Elias to find a knight to fight for the truage of
 Cornwall, and none can I find.  And as for you, said the king
 and all the lords, we may ask no more of you for shame;
 for through your hardiness yesterday ye saved all our lives.
 Sir, said Sir Tristram, now I understand ye would have my
 succour, reason would that I should do all that lieth in my
 power to do, saving my worship and my life, howbeit I
 am sore bruised and hurt.  And sithen Sir Elias proffereth
 so largely, I shall fight with him, or else I will be slain in
 the field, or else I will deliver Cornwall from the old
 truage.  And therefore lightly call his messenger and he
 shall be answered, for as yet my wounds be green, and
 they will be sorer a seven night after than they be now;
 and therefore he shall have his answer that I will do battle
 to-morn with him.
 
 Then was the messenger departed brought before King
 Mark.  Hark, my fellow, said Sir Tristram, go fast unto
 thy lord, and bid him make true assurance on his part for
 the truage, as the king here shall make on his part; and
 then tell thy lord, Sir Elias, that I, Sir Tristram, King
 Arthur's knight, and knight of the Table Round, will as
 to-morn meet with thy lord on horseback, to do battle as
 long as my horse may endure, and after that to do battle
 with him on foot to the utterance.  The messenger beheld
 Sir Tristram from the top to the toe; and therewithal he
 departed and came to his lord, and told him how he was
 answered of Sir Tristram.  And therewithal was made
 hostage on both parties, and made it as sure as it might
 be, that whether party had the victory, so to end.  And
 then were both hosts assembled on both parts of the field,
 without the Castle of Tintagil, and there was none but Sir
 Tristram and Sir Elias armed.
 
 So when the appointment was made, they departed
 in-sunder, and they came together with all the might that
 their horses might run.  And either knight smote other
 so hard that both horses and knights went to the earth.
 Not for then they both lightly arose and dressed their
 shields on their shoulders, with naked swords in their
 hands, and they dashed together that it seemed a flaming
 fire about them.  Thus they traced, and traversed, and
 hewed on helms and hauberks, and cut away many cantels
 of their shields, and either wounded other passing sore, so
 that the hot blood fell freshly upon the earth.  And by
 then they had foughten the mountenance of an hour Sir
 Tristram waxed faint and for-bled, and gave sore aback.
 That saw Sir Elias, and followed fiercely upon him, and
 wounded him in many places.  And ever Sir Tristram
 traced and traversed, and went froward him here and there,
 and covered him with his shield as he might all weakly,
 that all men said he was overcome; for Sir Elias had given
 him twenty strokes against one.
 
 Then was there laughing of the Sessoins' party, and
 great dole on King Mark's party.  Alas, said the king,
 we are ashamed and destroyed all for ever: for as the
 book saith, Sir Tristram was never so matched, but if it
 were Sir Launcelot.  Thus as they stood and beheld both
 parties, that one party laughing and the other party
 weeping, Sir Tristram remembered him of his lady, La
 Beale Isoud, that looked upon him, and how he was likely
 never to come in her presence.  Then he pulled up his
 shield that erst hung full low.  And then he dressed up
 his shield unto Elias, and gave him many sad strokes,
 twenty against one, and all to-brake his shield and his
 hauberk, that the hot blood ran down to the earth.  Then
 began King Mark to laugh, and all Cornish men, and that
 other party to weep.  And ever Sir Tristram said to Sir
 Elias:  Yield thee.
 
 Then when Sir Tristram saw him so staggering on the
 ground, he said:  Sir Elias, I am right sorry for thee, for
 thou art a passing good knight as ever I met withal, except
 Sir Launcelot.  Therewithal Sir Elias fell to the earth, and
 there died.  What shall I do, said Sir Tristram unto King
 Mark, for this battle is at an end? Then they of Elias'
 party departed, and King Mark took of them many
 prisoners, to redress the harms and the scathes that he had
 of them; and the remnant he sent into their country to
 borrow out their fellows.  Then was Sir Tristram searched
 and well healed.  Yet for all this King Mark would fain
 have slain Sir Tristram.  But for all that ever Sir Tristram
 saw or heard by King Mark, yet would he never beware
 of his treason, but ever he would be thereas La Beale
 Isoud was.