Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XL

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 CHAPTER XL
 
 How after that Sir Tristram, Sir Palomides, and Sir
 Dinadan had been long in prison they were delivered.
 
 NOW leave we off this tale, and speak we of sir Dinas that had
 within the castle a paramour, and she loved <425>another knight
 better than him.  And so when sir Dinas went out a-hunting she
 slipped down by a towel, and took with her two brachets, and so
 she yede to the knight that she loved, and he her again.  And
 when sir Dinas came home and missed his paramour and his
 brachets, then was he the more wrother for his brachets than for
 the lady.  So then he rode after the knight that had his
 paramour, and bade him turn and joust.  So sir Dinas smote him
 down, that with the fall he brake his leg and his arm.  And then
 his lady and paramour cried sir Dinas mercy, and said she would
 love him better than ever she did.  Nay, said sir Dinas, I shall
 never trust them that once betrayed me, and therefore, as ye have
 begun, so end, for I will never meddle with you.  And so sir
 Dinas departed, and took his brachets with him, and so rode to
 his castle.
 
 Now will we turn unto sir Launcelot, that was right heavy that he
 could never hear no tidings of sir Tristram, for all this while
 he was in prison with sir Darras, Palomides, and Dinadan.  Then
 Dame Bragwaine took her leave to go into Cornwall, and sir
 Launcelot, sir Kay, and sir Gaheris rode to seek sir Tristram in
 the country of Surluse.
 
 Now speaketh this tale of sir Tristram and of his two fellows,
 for every day sir Palomides brawled and said language against sir
 Tristram.  I marvel, said sir Dinadan, of thee, sir Palomides, an
 thou haddest sir Tristram here thou wouldst do him no harm; for
 an a wolf and a sheep were together in a prison the wolf would
 suffer the sheep to be in peace.  And wit thou well, said sir
 Dinadan, this same is sir Tristram at a word, and now must thou
 do thy best with him, and let see now if ye can skift it with
 your hands.  Then was sir Palomides abashed and said little.  Sir
 Palomides, then said sir Tristram, I have heard much of your
 maugre against me, but I will not meddle with you as at this time
 by my will, because I dread the lord of this place that hath us
 in governance; for an I dread him not more than I do thee, soon
 it should be skift: so they peaced themself.  Right so came in a
 damosel and
 said:  Knights, be of good cheer, for ye are sure of your
 <426>lives, and that I heard say my lord, Sir Darras.  Then were
 they glad all three, for daily they weened they should have died.
 
 Then soon after this Sir Tristram fell sick that he weened to
 have died; then Sir Dinadan wept, and so did Sir Palomides under
 them both making great sorrow.  So a damosel came in to them and
 found them mourning.  Then she went unto Sir Darras, and told him
 how that mighty knight that bare the black shield was likely to
 die.  That shall not be, said Sir Darras, for God defend when
 knights come to me for succour that I should suffer them to die
 within my prison.  Therefore, said Sir Darras to the damosel,
 fetch that knight and his fellows afore me.  And then anon Sir
 Darras saw Sir Tristram brought afore him.  He said:  Sir knight,
 me repenteth of thy sickness for thou art called a full noble
 knight, and so it seemeth by thee; and wit ye well it shall never
 be said that Sir Darras shall destroy such a noble knight as thou
 art in prison, howbeit that thou hast slain three of my sons
 whereby I was greatly aggrieved.  But now shalt thou go and thy
 fellows, and your harness and horses have been fair and clean
 kept, and ye shall go where it liketh you, upon this covenant,
 that thou, knight, wilt promise me to be good friend to my sons
 two that be now alive, and also that thou tell me thy name.  Sir,
 said he, as for me my name is Sir Tristram de Liones, and in
 Cornwall was I born, and nephew I am unto King Mark.  And as for
 the death of your sons I might not do withal, for an they had
 been the next kin that I have I might have done none otherwise. 
 And if I had slain them by treason or treachery I had been worthy
 to have died.  All this I consider, said Sir Darras, that all
 that ye did was by force of knighthood, and that was the cause I
 would not put you to death.  But sith ye be Sir Tristram, the
 good knight, I pray you heartily to be my good friend and to my
 sons.  Sir, said Sir Tristram, I promise you by the faith of my
 body, ever while I live I will do you service, for ye have done
 to us but as a natural knight ought to do.  Then Sir Tristram
 reposed him there till that he was <427>amended of his sickness;
 and when he was big and strong they took their leave, and every
 knight took their horses, and so departed and rode together till
 they came to a cross way.  Now fellows, said Sir Tristram, here
 will we depart in sundry ways.  And because Sir Dinadan had the
 first adventure of him I will begin.