Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VIII CHAPTER XXX

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 CHAPTER XXX
 
 How Palamides demanded Queen Isoud, and how Lambegus
 rode after to rescue her, and of the escape of Isoud.
 
 SIR, said Palamides, I promised your Queen Isoud to bring again
 Dame Bragwaine that she had lost, upon this covenant, that she
 should grant me a boon that I would ask, and without grudging,
 outher advisement, she granted me.  What say ye, my lady? said
 the king.  It is as he saith, so God me help, said the queen; to
 say thee sooth I promised him his asking for love and joy that I
 had to see <328>her.  Well, Madam, said the king, and if ye were
 hasty to grant him what boon he would ask, I will well that ye
 perform your promise.  Then, said Palamides, I will that ye wit
 that I will have your queen to lead her and govern her whereas me
 list.  Therewith the king stood still, and bethought him of Sir
 Tristram, and deemed that he would rescue her.  And then hastily
 the king answered:  Take her with the adventures that shall fall
 of it, for as I suppose thou wilt not enjoy her no while.  As for
 that, said Palamides, I dare right well abide the adventure.  And
 so, to make short tale, Sir Palamides took her by the hand and
 said:  Madam, grudge not to go with me, for I desire nothing but
 your own promise.  As for that, said the queen, I fear not
 greatly to go with thee, howbeit thou hast me at advantage upon
 my promise, for I doubt not I shall be worshipfully rescued from
 thee.  As for that, said Sir Palamides, be it as it be may.  So
 Queen Isoud was set behind Palamides, and rode his way.
 
 Anon the king sent after Sir Tristram, but in no wise he could be
 found, for he was in the forest a-hunting; for that was always
 his custom, but if he used arms, to chase and to hunt in the
 forests.  Alas, said the king, now I am shamed for ever, that by
 mine own assent my lady and my queen shall be devoured.  Then
 came forth a knight, his name was Lambegus, and he was a knight
 of Sir Tristram.  My lord, said this knight, sith ye have trust
 in my lord, Sir Tristram, wit ye well for his sake I will ride
 after your queen and rescue her, or else I shall be beaten. 
 Gramercy, said the king, as I live, Sir Lambegus, I shall deserve
 it.  And then Sir Lambegus armed him, and rode after as fast as
 he might.  And then within a while he overtook Sir Palamides. 
 And then Sir Palamides left the queen.  What art thou, said
 Palamides, art thou Tristram?  Nay, he said, I am his servant,
 and my name is Sir Lambegus.  That me repenteth, said Palamides. 
 I had liefer thou hadst been Sir Tristram.  I believe you well,
 said Lambegus, but when thou meetest with Sir Tristram thou shalt
 have thy hands full.  And then they hurtled together and all to-
 brast their spears, and then they pulled out their <329>swords,
 and hewed on helms and hauberks.  At the last Sir Palamides gave
 Sir Lambegus such a wound that he fell down like a dead knight to
 the earth.
 
 Then he looked after La Beale Isoud, and then she was gone he
 nist where.  Wit ye well Sir Palamides was never so heavy.  So
 the queen ran into the forest, and there she found a well, and
 therein she had thought to have drowned herself.  And as good
 fortune would, there came a knight to her that had a castle
 thereby, his name was Sir Adtherp.  And when he found the queen
 in that mischief he rescued her, and brought her to his castle. 
 And when he wist what she was he armed him, and took his horse,
 and said he would be avenged upon Palamides; and so he rode on
 till he met with him, and there Sir Palamides wounded him sore,
 and by force he made him to tell him the cause why he did battle
 with him, and how he had led the queen unto his castle.  Now
 bring me there, said Palamides, or thou shalt die of my hands. 
 Sir, said Sir Adtherp, I am so wounded I may not follow, but ride
 you this way and it shall bring you into my castle, and there
 within is the queen.  Then Sir Palamides rode still till he came
 to the castle.  And at a window La Beale Isoud saw Sir Palamides;
 then she made the gates to be shut strongly.  And when he saw he
 might not come within the castle, he put off his bridle and his
 saddle, and put his horse to pasture, and set himself down at the
 gate like a man that was out of his wit that recked not of
 himself.