T H E R O M A N C E O F TRI STRAM AND ISEULT BOOKS I LLUST RAT ED I N COLOUR

T HE RHINEGOLD A N D THE K Y ichard a er VAL RIE. By R W gn Mar aret ur Tra ns lated by g Armo r h Rac ha Illustrated by A t u r k m I One Vlu e x 3 net n o m . Cr 4to. 5 RIP VAN WINKLE By Washington Irving r hur Rac h a Illustrated by A t k m I n lu e De 8y o i s net n O e Vo m , my , s

’ ALICE S ADVENTURES IN WON a D Lewi Ca r DERLAN . By s r oll With Proe m by Austin Dobson e h r Rac ha Illustrat d by Art u k m I One Vlu e 8vo 65 net n o m , Cr , A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM By Willia m Shakespeare e r hu Rac ha Illu strat d by A t r k m I n One Vlu e i s net o m . Cr 4to . s

a d e l e F u ue UNDINE. By B ron a Mott o q a e L C u e Ad pt d by W. . o rtn y a e r h r R h Illustr t d by A t u ack am I One V lu e s 6d net n o m , Cr 4to , 7

T HE INGOLDSBY LEGENDS of Mirth a nd Marvels

h a Es re. By T om s Ingoldsby, q u a e h Rac h a Ill str t d by Art ur k m I One Vl u e to x s net n o m , Cr 4 , s THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR By William Shakespeare Illu strated by Hugh Thomson I O ne V lu e i s net n o m , Cr 4to , s

LONDON : WILLIAM HEI NEMANN

2 1 BEDFORD ST REET . W C PREFACE F the old romances of

Tristram, those by Chrétien de Troyes and La Chevre have disappeared entirely ’ ’ Berou l s of version, about 300 0 verses

have survived, and

of Thomas of Breil e ’ d o u n e s , ab o ut the same number ; there are also some 1500 verses by an anonymous

. f writer Then there are translations, three o of which give the substance , though not the form , ’ Thomas s poem , while a fourth is a poem closely ’ r l akin to Bé ou s various allusions , often of a very valuable kind ; little episodic poems ; and finally

the formless prose romance, containing some ira ment s g of old lost poems , imbedded in a mass of d absurdities, to which every successive e itor

contributed . What was the architect who wished to resto r e the ancient building to do in the face ' t s i 1 . of : . nense heap of ruins P Two courses were 0 p m to him : he might have adopted the text

e Bér u l of Th m or that of o . The first had this ' n 7 tag , that, thanks to the tra slations, it

ha . e enabled him to reconstruct a complete V

271 4 4 7 PREFACE r and homogeneous nar ative . But it also had this r disadvantage , that it would have estored the least

ancient of the Tristram poems, that in which the old barbaric element was most complete ly assimilated t o the Spirit and action of Anglo , Bédier French chivalry . M . accordingly chose the one second course, a much more difficult , but, for his this very reason , more tempting to his art and t o learning, and also better adapted the end he had in view : to revive the Tristram legend for the f da man o t y in its most ancient form . He began of Bérou l by translating the extant fragment , which middle of occupies, roughly Speaking, the his

narrative . Having thus steeped himself in the of old i Spirit the romancer, assimilated his na ve of manner thought and feeling, even the occasional puerilities of his commentary and the artless

grace of his style, he gave a new head and limbs of to this torso, not by means a mechanical w u x ta osition of re enera e i p , but by a kind organic g on of tion, the model those animals which,

when mutilated, complete themselves by their

inherent energy on the lines of their perfect form . ’ i Bédier i ] M . s work then s a twelfth century ou r own French poem, composed in times, a goem

sea ' d of and forest , whose hero , a demi go rather e a 0 than a man, was repr sented as the m s ter , s even the inventor, of all the barbarou arts , in vi PREFACE vincible in combat , a victor over monsters, the of to protector his followers, pitiless his enemies, living an almost supernatural life, a constant ob ect of . i admiration, devotion and envy This type was no doubt evolved at a very early period in the Celtic world ; it was inevitable that it should have been completed by love . I need not here insist upon the character of the passion which enthrals Tristram and Iseult, and makes this

/ i legend in its various forms a matchless love ep c . I will only point ou t that the idea of symbolising — —b love involuntary, irresistible , and eternal y a philtre the action of which persists throughout life its t o and even after death , evidently owed origin ancient Celtic magic . Q] The element which attracted the French romancers in the story and tempted them to clothe it in the consecrated form of oct os llabic verse in Spite of all its difficulties and obscurities, was the element which secured the success of their undertaking and gave an u nprece a dented popularity to the legend as soon as it became familiar to the Romano f Germanic world : the idea of the fat alit of love which raises it

. I his above all laws idea, incarnated in these two is exceptional beings, the more sympathetic to the hearts of men and women here , because it is purified by suffering and sanctified by death . The a s is is idea touching and attractive it , also a vii PREFACE ( dangerous one . 11This should suffice to attract readers who love both history and poetry . But in addition they will be fascinated as they read this of ancient story by the charm the detail, the mysterious and mythic beauty of certain episodes , of the happy invention others, the freshness of the all Situations and sentiments, that makes the poem a unique combination of hoary age and eternal youth, of Celtic melancholy and French grace, of powerful realism and delicate psychology . GASTON PARIS AUTHOR ’S NOTE I have not encumbered my work by the innumerable foot a note s which would have been necessary had I indicated in the text the many sources from which I have drawn the materials for thisd ittle

a book . But I owe the reader certain general indi cations . Chap . I of our romance is an abstract , f very much compressed, o the various poems deal ’ ing with Tristram s childhood, but more especially that of Thomas in its various versions . Chapters II and III follow Eilhart of Oberg (Lichtenstein ed . Strasburg, Chap . IV is based on the ’ Eilhart s general body of tradition, notably version, while certain features are peculiar to Gottfried of

. Golther Strasburg (ed W . , Berlin and Stuttgart ,

i Eilhar . Chap . V s from t . Chap VI ’ Bérou l s in the middle of this chapter, fragment begins with Iseult ’s arrival at the tryst under the

ine a t ree p , and this I have faithfully preserved

a throughout Chapters VII , VIII , IX, X, XI , inter ’ p reting it here and there by Eilhart s poem and some traditional variations . Chap . XII is a very free abridgment of the fragment which follows ’ Bér ul o s poem . Chap . XIII is an interpolation f“rom a didactic poem of the thirteenth century, man . Le Domnei des A z . Chap XIV is from — : Gottfried of Strasburg . Chapters XV XVII ’ the ep isodes of Karaido and of Tristram s disguise ix AUTHOR’S NOTE are borrowed from Thomas ; the rest is t aken m

ar J' the main from Eilh t . Chap . XVIII is an a dap t ation of a little episodic French poem . Chap . XIX is translated from Thomas ; certain episodes Eilhart are borrowed from , and from the French 10 3 e pros e romance, MS . in the Biblioth que P Nationale, aris . CO NT E NT S

CH T R I. THE ILDHOOD OF RIST AM ’ MAR r II. SIR HAUS OF IRELAND fl l a II L THE QUEST OF THE FAI R ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR IV T HE P . HILTRE v BRAGWAIN E V V T R ‘ . GI EN O ER O THE SE FS VI P /T . THE GREAT INE REE I I FROCI N W V . THE D ARF T P VIII. HE LEA FROM THE c I ! MOROIS . THE FOREST OF OGRIN X. THE HERMIT x 1 T P R . HE FORD E ILOUS ! I L THE ORDEAL BY RED HOT IRON N ’ XIII. THE NIGHTI GALE S SONG ! I V H C B . T E MAGI ELL ! T TH W T H V. ISEUL OF E HI E AND

- ! VI . KAI IERDIN N XVII. DINAS OF LIDA R ’ XVIII. T ISTRAM S MADNESS ! I! R N T . DEATH OF TRIST AM A D ISEUL

ILLUSTRATIONS

Tr r and I Fr nt ist am seult o tsp zece

T he r b the sea f coast a r and r w r castle ose y , f i st ong, ell fo tified against all assa ult and all engines of war She a the h r a Tr ra lone, cunning in use of p ilt es, could s ve ist m Tr istram Spurred his horse against him with such fury At h Bra w ine r nd s w how h az at t is moment g a ente ed, a a t ey g ed h h r ra h and a az eac ot e in silence, vis ed m ed E h da r ha ha v all his ar h ig teen ys f om t t time, ving con oked b ons, e took I seult the Fair to wife A v ii the ra h the K was nd he bo e b nc es ing moved to pity, a smiled gent;y U the K w his h w the r h nless ing ould send nep e out of count y, t ey would r etire into their castles and make war upon him h w r a hr h th Presently t e ne s sp e d t oug out e city in the darkness T he lovers lived crouching in the hollow of a rock All h a hr h the w for the a nig t, p ssing t oug beloved oods l st time, they iou rney ed in silence T he palace gates were thrown open to all comers ; rich and poor might sit down and eat S he r h ou t her ar h r the a st etc ed ms on eit e side, p lms Open Under the trees he pressed her to his heart without a word She the a ra for the a h hr w took m gic bell, ng it l st time, t en t e it into the sea Th the two w h ha r h and ha r en on foot , it s tte ed s ields ube ks unbuckled, defied and assailed each other T he Q ueen sings sweetly K ing Mark and I seult the Fair were seated at chess Tr istram disguised himself as a beggar She gave up the ghost and died beside him for gr ief

0 0 ! Kil l

THE CHILDHOOD OF TRISTRAM ‘ I nva de bele et la riam GOTTFRIED OF STRASBURG 0 please you , gentles, I will tell a fair tale

Of love and death . It is the tale Of Tris , tram and of Iseult

the Queen . Listen h owwith great joy and great grief they v lo ed each other, and then died on the

h e same day, he by r, and She by him . Olden times , King E f “ ark reigned in w “ Riva en, King o M g g - all l se his Lyonnes , having heard that enemies were to warring against him, crossed the sea succour him . He served him with good sword and go od S O counsel , as a vassal would have done, and faithfully that Mark gave him as a reward the fair Blanchefleu r , his Sister, and King Rivalen loved r I her with a ma vellous love . I] He took her to f wife at the monastery o Tintagel . But scarcely t o had he wed her, when news came him that his ancient enemy, Duke Morgan, had fallen upon his Lyonnesse , destroying his Villages, fields and his

. al towns Riv en took Ship in haste, bearing with Blanchefle u r i his him , who was w th child, towards f distant kingdom . He landed before his castle o el his of Ky o , and gave Queen to the safeguard 3 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT Rohalt Roha t his marsh“al2 , l , who for his lo alty y ” y ” M was to all a a Rob alt known men by ! ! f ir name , the

Faith keeper then, having assembled his barons, ( Bl n Rivalen s et out to give battle . ll a chefleu r

waited long for him . Alas ! he was not to return ! One day S he learned that Duke Morgan

had slain him treacherously . She did not weep,

she uttered no cries, no lamentations , but her limbs became weak and useless ; her soul would hal fain have torn itself from her bod”y . Ro t : 1 essayed to comfort her 1] Queen, said he, “what Shall it profit to ”pile sorrow upon sorrow ? Must not all who are born die P Ma”y God receive the dead and preserve the living ! he she fl] But S would not hear him . Three days

waited to rejoin her dear lord . On the fourth day s on She brought fort“h a ”, and having“taken him in I She her arms ] Son, said , I have long see desired to thee, and I see the fairest creature

of . ever born woman Sadly am I brought to bed , f s ad is thy first birthday, and because o thee I am

s ad even unto death . And Since thou hast come into the world in S rrow thou shalt be called she Q] When had said these words, he s kissed him, and as soon as She had kissed

a he . Rob alt Faith kee er him, S died (H the p took ’ charge of the child . Already Duke Morgan s men had encompassed the castle of Kanoel how

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

having lured Tristram into their ship , carried him

off as a rich spoil . Whiles they were beating n towards u known shores, Tristram fought and

struggled like a young wolf taken in the toils . all But this is a proven truth, well known to mariners : the s ea bears treacherous S hips u n f and of willingly, will not help in deeds guile and

violence . It rose in fury, wrapped the vessel in “ da ne rk ss , and drove it eight days and eight nights

hither and thither . At last the sailors saw through the mist a coast bristling with cliffs and sunken

rocks , on which it made as if to cast their vessel . They repented ; and knowing that the wrath of the s ea was on behalf of the youth thus ravished

in an evil hour, they vowed to release him , and t n prepared a boat o put him o shore . Immediately

the winds and the waves abated, the sky brightened, and whiles the Norwegian ship disappeared in the ’ distance, the calm andsmilingwavesboreTristram s P boat to the sandy beach . fl] ainfully he climbed s aw the cliff, and , beyond an undulating and desolate f o . expanse heath, a vast forest Then did he break Gorvenal his out into lamentations for , father Rob alt of , and the land Lyonnesse , when suddenly his heart was uplifted by the distant sound of a

hunting horn and the shouts of hunters . A fine

stag came forth from the forest . Hounds huntsmen followed in his track with a 6 THE CHILDHOOD OF TRISTRAM of clamour horns and of voices . Soon the hounds were hanging on his neck in clusters, and the noble beast , brought to bay a few paces from

t o . Tristram, sank upon his knees die A huntsman despatched him with a spear . Then the hunters, ranging themselves in a circle, sounded the death, and with amazement Tristram saw the chief hu nts e of man cut a large gash in the throat the stag, as if to sever it from the body . He cried aloud sir fl] What are you doing, P Would you cut up the noble beast like a slaughtered pig P Is this ”w of P ( the custom your country “ ll Fair brother , f replied the chief huntsman , why Should this sur prise you P Yes, I Shall first sever the head, and then I shall cut the body into four quarters, which

will on our s addle r bows we carry to our lord ,

King Mark . This is our custom ; thus have the men of Cornwall always done from the earliest times . But if you know of some worthier custom,

r . teach it to us ; take this knife , fair brothe We will willingly learn of thee . Q] So Tristram knelt r r down, and Skinned the stag befo e dismembe ing

thi h a b one it . Then he cut it up , leaving the g bare ,

as is fitting ; then he took the offal , the snout,

dowcets . the tongue, the and the main artery I ] And huntsmen and varlets, leaning ”over him , watched him wit“h delight . fl] Friend, said the s . chief huntsman, these custom are fair In what TRISTRAM AND ISEULT land didst thou lea“rn them P Tell u s thy country and S ir thy name P fl] Gentle , they call me Tristram, and I learned thes“e customs in my native land of Lyonnesse . fl] Tristram, said the huntsman, may God reward the father who brought thee up so nobly . He is doubtless a rich and powerful baron P Q] But Tristram , who could both speak nd : a hold his peace advisedly, replied with guile is fl] No , my lord, my father a merchant . I left his house secretly in a Ship which was sailing to I wished t o trade in distant lands, for learn how men in strange countries bear themselves . But if ‘ of you will accept me as one your huntsmen , I will S ir ou follow you willingly, fa”ir , and I will show y 1 other devices of venery . 1] Then Tristram finished f the cutting up o the stag . He gave the heart and the offal to the dogs, and taught the hunters how to flesh the dogs and wind the horn . Then he stuck the various pieces on prongs and gave them t o the one different huntsmen to the head, to another the haunch and the large steaks , to some the Shoulders, t o . others the thighs, and to another the loins He taught them how to range themselves two and

a two to ride in fair array, and in due order , accord ing to the dignity of the pieces of venison they ( set carried . II Then they out, discoursing by the way, till at last they came to a lordly castle .

Meadows lay about it, with orchards, and running 8 Th e c a s r th e s e a -c a t a zr a nd tr tle ose by o s f s ong, w w r ell f o rtzf ze d aga i nst a ll as sa ult a nd a ll engi nes of a P a ge 9

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT the assembled barons, and sang lays to his harp . ’ Tristram was seated at the King s feet , and when of the harper played the prelude a new melody, : I Tristram Spoke thus ] Master, this lay is one of the most beautiful of all : the ancient Britons f loves of Gra elen made it o yore to celebrate the t . /

The air is sweet , and sweet are the words . Master, thy voice is skilful, harp it well . Q] The Welshman sang, and then he Spoke fl] Youth, what knowest thou of the art of instruments P If the merchants of Lyonnesse also teach their sons to play the harp,. and the rote, an”d the Viol, rise, take this harp, and ( prove thy Skill . HTristram took the harp and sang so bravely that the hearts of the barons were moved astheylistened . And King Mark admired the of harper who had come from that land Lyonnesse, Bl nc fle whither Rivalen had taken a he u r . Q] When the lay was finished, the King was silent for a long

. : S while Q] Then said he at length on, blessed of be thou God, and blessed be the master who God taught thee . loveth good singers . Their voices and the Voice of the harp pierce the hearts of e men, awaken their beloved memories, and mak

them forget many a grief and many a misdeed . u r For o ioy didst tho”u come into this dwelling . A . ( bide with me, friend “II Willingly will I serve ' thee, sire, said Tristram”, as thy harper , thy hunts . fo man, and thy liegeman Q] So did he, and r three 10 THE CHILDHOOD OF TRISTRAM years a mutual tenderness grew in their hearts .

In the daytime, Tristram followed Mark when the sat ou t King in judgment or rode to the chase , and S in at night, leeping the royal chamber among the ’ closest and most faithful of the King s followers, when the King was sad, he played on the harp to soothe his grief . The barons loved him, and above of all, the seneschal Dinas Lidan , as history tells u s . But even more tenderly than Dinas and the l barons did Mark love him . Yet for a l their kindness Tristram ceased not to lament his father l l Roha t , his master Gorvena , and the land of

. of Lyonnesse fl] Gentle lords, the teller tales who desires to please must avoid long histories . The of is s o matter this tale beauteous and varied, it would be bootless t o draw it out . I will therefore briefly tell how, after long wanderings by land and s ea Rohalt Faith / k ee er , the p landed in Cornwall, recognised Tristram, and Showing the King the carbuncle given by him of yore to B“lanchefleu r as : a precious nuptial gift , said fl] King Mark, of s on this is Tristram Lyonnesse, your nephew, of

S Blan chefleu r of . your ister , and King Rivalen Duke Morgan hath wrongfully seized his lands ; it is tim”e that they Should come back to the rightful 1 heir . 1] And I will tell briefly how Tristram, f having received the arms o a knight from his uncle,

crossed the seas in Cornish vessels, caused his 11 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ’ de f father s ancient vassals to recognise him, of fied the murderer Rivalen, killed him, and reco vered his lands . I] Then he bethought him that King Mark could no longer live happily with as out him, and his noble heart always Showed him his the right, he summoned counts and his barons, : and spoke thus to them fl] Nobles of Lyonnesse,

I have reconquered this land, and avenged King ’ Rivalen by God s help and yours . Thus I have f restored the rights o my father . But there were Rohalt two men , and King Mark of Cornwall, who succoured the orphan and the wandering t o youth, and they are me as fathers : should I not also render them their dues P Now a man of has his high degree two things of own, his lands

his . Rohalt and body To therefore, I will give : my lands father, thou shalt hold them, and thy s on shall . Mark I hold them after thee To King , will give my body . I will leave this country, dear h t ough it be to me, and I will go and serve my i lord King Mark in Cornwall . This s my mind but ye are my lieges , lords of Lyonnesse, and ye owe me counsel ; if, therefore, one of you should wish to Show m”e a more excellent way, let him rise and speak ! (11But all the barons approved him with tears , and Tristram, taking only Gorvenal set with him, sail for the land of King

Mark . II . SIR MARHAUS OF IRELAND Y wis

Y wil defende it as knie t SI R TRISTREM N that day when Trist ram came into

Cornwall, he found Mark and all his

barony mourning . For the King of fre e land had equipped a fleet to ravage Corn ; wall if Mark Should

refuse , as he had done for fifteen years his past, to pay a tribute merly paid by r ancestors . You must know that in acco dance with ancient treaties , the Irish had a right of tru a e g in Cornwall, and to levy there the first year 300 pounds of copper, and the second year

300 S r pounds of refined ilver, and the thi d year f 300 pounds o gold . But when the fourth year 300 300 came , they carried away youths and of maidens the age of fifteen years, chosen by lot from among the families of Cornwall . Now in this year the King had sent to bear his message to T inta f M arhau s h gel a gigantic knight , , w ose Sister he had married, and whom none had ever vanquished in battle . But King Mark had sent ou t sealed of hi t letters, summoning all the barons s land o

t o . court hold council fl] At the time appointed, when the barons were assembled in the vaulted l 5 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT hall of the palace and Mark was se“ated upon the da1s Marhau s : , Spake thus fl] King Mark, t t i of hearken for the las me to the behest my lord , the King of Ireland . He requires thee to pay him t o ' at last the tribute due him , and inasmuch as thou hast withheld it over long, he requires thee this day to deliver to me 300 youths and 300 of l t maidens of the age fifteen years , chosen by o from among the families of Cornwall . My Ship, now anchored in the harbour of Tintagel, will hear them away to be our serfs . Nevertheless and I make exception of thyself alone, King Mark, as is fitting— if one of thy barons desires to prove in single combat that the King of Ireland claims this tribute wrongfully, I will accept his gage . of of f Which you, nobles Cornwall, will fight or the freedom of this country P Q] The barons looked askant at each other and hung their heads . : One said to himself See, poor wretch, the stature of this M arhau s of Ireland ; he is stronger than four stout men . Look at his sword ; knowest thou not that it is enchanted, and that by magic it has smitten off the heads of the boldest champions for many years past, since the King of Ireland has been sending this giant to he ar his P challenge to vassal lands . oor weakling, dost thou desire death P Why shouldst thou tempt ' : God P Another thought Did I rear you, 16 c TRISTRAM AND ISEULT barons wept for pity of the valiant you”th and for I shame of themselves . Ah Tristram, said they, not bold baron , fair youth, why did I undertake this quarrel in thy stead P My death would cause

less sorrow upon earth . The bells rang,

and all men, barons and churls, old men, children

and women, weeping and praying, escorted

. hO e Tristram to the shore They still hoped, for p flourishes on scanty pasturage in the hearts of

men . fl] Tristram embarked in a vessel alone, of and Sped towards the island Saint Samson . But Marhaus had bent a sail of rich purple to on ; his mast , and he landed first the island He was mooring his boat to the Shore when his Tristram, landing in his turn, Sp“urned boat his out sea . with foot to fl] Vassal, what Marhau s doest thou P asked , and why didst thou not make thy boat fast like mine P ( fl Vassal, to what end P replied Tristram . Only one of u s will leave this sh”ore alive ; will not a Single boat suffice for him ? If] And the

two , goading each other to battle with insulting ( words, went forward into the island . 11None

witnessed the fierce encounter, but thrice it ‘ seemed as if the sea breeze bore a furio us ci y heir alm to the shore . Then the women smote t p s ’ M arhau s s together in token of mourning, and

comrades, standing apart before their tents, 18 SIR MARHAUS OF IRELAND laughed aloud . Finally, about the hour of none , the purple sail appeared in the distance ; the Irishman’s vessel left the island and a clamour of distress arose : Marhau s ! M arhau s ! But as the boat grew larger to their sight , suddenly,

of o on the crest a wave, it showed a knight stand ing at the prow ; in either hand he brandished a sword ; it was Tristram . Twenty vessels flew across the water to meet him, and the young men jumped in and swam towards him . The valiant youth Sprang upon the beach, and while kneeling his i mothers kissed ma led feet, he cried aloud ’ “ to Marhau s : of comrades (H Nobles Ireland,

M arhau s . fought well See, my sword is damaged ; of a fragment the blade is embedded in his skull . of Take this fragment steel with you, my lords . It is Cornwall’s tribute (flThen he went up on towards Tintagel , and the way the children he had saved waved green branches with loud cries , and rich curtains were hung from the windows . of But when , amidst the songs joy, the sound of b ells of of s o r , trumpets and horns , clamo ous r that none could have heard God thunder, T istram fell arrived at the castle, he swooning into King ’ Mark s arms, and the blood streamed from his rhau wounds . I] Then the fellowship of M a s returned, greatly discomfited, to Ireland . Much had Sir Marhau s rejoiced in former days , when, 19 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT r of coming into the ha bour Wexford , he had seen his liegemen assembled in crowds to greet him, S with the Queen, his ister, and his niece, the fair

Iseult with the golden hair , whose beauty was of already as that the dawning day . They had t o been wont receive him tenderly, and if he had of taken any hurt, they healed him , for they knew balms and potions that would restore wounded who as f men seemed already those dead . But o what avail were now their magic recipes , their herbs gathered at propitious moments, their For philtres P he lay dead, sewed up in the skin ’ of of a stag, and the fragment his enemy s sword was still buried in his skull . Iseult the Fair removed it and enclosed it in an ivory casket, precious as a reliquary . And bending over that mighty body, the mother and daughter repeated of again and again the praises the dead, and called w do n curses on the murderer, leading the funeral lament of the women in turn . From this day Iseult the Fair learnt to hate the name of Tristram ( of Lyonnesse . 11But Tristram lay and languished at Tintagel ; and the blood that flowed from his wounds was envenomed . The surgeons knew that M arhau s had thrust a poisoned spear a he ad into his flesh, and as their potions and their

a Opiates were powerless to save him, they com mended him to the care of God . And the stench no SIR MARHAUS OF IRELAND of his wounds wa s so grievous that his dearest friends fled from him, save only King Mark,

Gorvenal of . , and Dinas Lidan They alone kept watch by his bed and their love overcame their t horror . At last Tristram caused them o carry him

on s ea a shore to a hut built in a lonely place the , and, lying over against the waves, he waited for : death . He thought Hast thou then forsaken e of me, King Mark, m , who saved the honour thy du d e land P No, fair , I know thou wouldst give thy life for mine, but what avails thy tender ; mu t i e ness P I s die . Yet it s sweet t o s e the su n . , and my heart is still bold I will tempt the adventurous sea . It shall bear me away far hence . I know not t o one to what land, but perchance r where I may find healing . And perchance, fai uncle, I shall serve you again some day as you”r v harper, and your huntsman, and your good assal .

(II He entreated so sore, that King Mark yielded to his prayers . He carried him to a boat without or sail oars, and Tristram asked only that his harp should be laid beside him . Of what use were sails to him whose arms could not have hoisted or or on them , oars, a sword P As a mariner a long voyage throws the dead body of a former Gorvenal comrade overboard, so with trembling hands pushed Off the boat in which his clear son

s ea . ( lay , and the bore him hence flSeven days 21 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

and seven nights it bore him gently along . At

times , Tristram played his harp to beguile his woe . sea At last the carried him towards the shore, hi without s knowledge . Now it happened that night that fishermen had put out from the port to sea let down their nets in the Open , and they were r owing, when they heard a melody, sweet and bold and lively, coming to them upon the face of the

. s waters They listened motionless, their oar s upheld over the waves, and in the first whitenes” of dawn they beheld the wandering bark . Thus, s aid they, did a supernatural music enfold the vessel of St . Brendan, when it sailed towards th”e Fortunate Islands on a sea as white as milk . They rowed after the boat ; it was drifting with the tide and there seemed to be nothing living upon it save the voice of the harp ; but as they t he approached, melody grew fainter it died away ’ and when they came alongside, Tristram s hands had fallen powerless upon the strings, which still trembled . They took him on board and put back into the port to take the wounded man to their

compassionate lady, thinking She might haply heal ( . ! him I!Alas the port was Wexford, where M arhau s lay , and their lady was Iseult the Fair .

She alone, cunning in the use of philtre, could save Tristram ; but She alone among women

desired his death . When Tristram came to 2 2 S h e a c i I n th e o h i r lone unn ng use f p lt es, could

a r m s ve T rzs t a . P a g e 2 2

SIR MARHAUS OF IRELAND himself, revived by her art, he understood that the n waves had cast him o a perilous shore . But his and bold to defend life, he swiftly found fair a a cunning words . He told them how he w s minstrel who had embarked on a trading vessel ; he was going to Spain to teach the inhabitants the art of reading the stars ; pirates had attacked the vessel ; he was wounded and had fled in the boat . They believed him ; none of the comrades of M arhau s recognised the gallant knight of the

Island of Saint Samson, for the poison had

his . disfigured features But when, after forty days, Iseult with the golden hair had almost cured of to him, and the grace youth had come life saw again in his supple limbs, he that he must fly ; he escaped, and after many dangers, he appeared one day before King Mark.

23

III . THE Q UEST OF THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR ’ En pa d ore D OS of para: 0 la parole do cheool ' ' Dont je ai p e ts ea grant do! LAI DE LA FOLI E TRISTAN EEI NG then, gentles, the prowess of Tris

tram, and the great love the King bore f him, four barons o

the court, the basest

of men, hated him

with a fierce hatred . And I can tell you : Andret their names ,

Guenelon, Gondome ,

k Andret Du e was , like

Tristram, nephew to King Mark . Knowing that the King had it in his mind to grow old without offspring and to leave his kingdom to Tristram , they i were filled with envy , and by their lies they exc ted the“great men of Cornwall against Tristram”. Q] What marvels have there been in his life ! a re of said these felons ; but you, my lords , men understanding, and you will know how to account S for these . It was prodigious enough that he hould have prevailed against Marhau s but what enchant a o ments can have enabled him to sail the seas al ne, r half dead P Which of us, my lo ds, could conduct a ship without oars or sails P Magicians can do these things, it is said . Then, in what land of sorcery did he find healing for his wounds P Cer f tainl is y, he a magician . Yes, his boat and his 2 7 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

sword were fey, and his harp, which daily Sheds of fresh poison into the heart King Mark, is also

enchanted . He has ensnared that heart by the ! power and charm of sorcery He will be King, il my lords, nd ye w l hold our l nds rom a "a y a f magician . fl] Thus they persuaded most of the

barons , for many men know not that the marvels of the magicians may also be wrought by the heart of the that has the strength love and courage . So barons urged King Mark to take to wife some ’ king s daughter, who would give him heirs ; and

if he refused , they said , then would they withdraw

into their castles and make war upon him . The his a King resisted, and vowed in heart that s long ’ as his dear nephew lived no king s daughter should

to . come his bed But then Tristram, who thought Shame that men Should believe he loved his uncle

for what it might profit him, threatened in his his turn that , unless the King would yield to barons,

he would quit the court , and enter the service f al ie o the rich King Of G vo . Then King Mark

fixed a term with his nobles, and agreed to Show 1 them his mind in forty days . 1] On the appointed

day, alone in his chamber , he awaited their coming and pondered mournfully : Where Shall I hear 'of ’ a king s daughter S O remote and inaccessible that t o I may feign , but only feign , desire her for my ( wife P I!At this moment, two swallows which 28

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT island where I S lew M arhau s but once more I

will adventure my body and my life for thee , fair

uncle . And that thy barons may know that I love : thee loyally, I pledge my faith by this vow either or I will die in the enterprise, I will bring back the Queen w”ith the golden tresses to this castle of I Tintagel . ] Then he equipped a fair Ship , and victualled her with wheat and wine and honey and all good provender . And in it he embarked, besides Gorv enal of , a hundred young knights high lineage , chosen from among the bravest, and he dressed r them in f ieze tunics and in coarse woollen cloaks , s o that they resembled traders but under the deck of the vessel they hid the rich garments of cloth of gold, cendal, and scarlet, which beseem the mes n er f s e g s o a powerful king . Q]“When the ship had : sir W set sail, the pilot asked (1! Fair , to hat ( “ countr shall I ste r P Frie d, steer to Ir la d, y e 1! n " e n of straight to the port Wexford . Q] The pilot trembled . Did not Tristram know that since the death of Marhau s, the King of Ireland gave chase to all Cornish vessels P When he took their sailors, r he hung them from fo ked gallows . Yet the pilot

to . ( obeyed, and came the perilous shore flThen Tristram persuaded the men of Wexford that his companions were English merchants , come to trade peacefully . But as these strange merchants Spent the day playing the lordly games of draughts and 30 THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR chess , and seemed apter to handle the dice than to measure wheat , Tristram feared to be discovered, I and knew not how to undertake his quest . ] Now one so morning at daybreak, he heard a voice terrible that it might have been the yell of a demon . Never had he heard a beast howl in a fashion so marvellous and s o horrible . He ca“lled a wo”man : I u s who w“as passing on the shore ] Tell , he said , fair lady, whence comes this”voic“e that I hear P Hide not the matter from me . fl] Certes , sir . , I will tell you truly It comes from a proud beas t more hideous than any in the world . Every his one day he comes forth from den, and stops at of the gates of the city . Then none may go forth or come in until a young girl has been delivered up as as has his to the dragon, and soon he her in claws, h d v ours h r in less time th n it t kes e e e” “ " a a t o s a . “ y a paternoster fl] Lady, said Tristram, mock me not, but tell me truly if it were possible for a man born of woman to slay the monster P ( sir II Certes , fair , I know not ; but it is certain that twenty approved knights have already adven a tu red themselves against him ; for the King of Ireland has proclaimed by herald that he will give k his daughter, Iseult the Fair, to him who Shall ill the monster ; but the dragon has devour d th m " e e r all . (HT istram left the woman and returned to f his ship . He armed himsel in secret , and it would 31 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT have been a gallant Sight to behold such a costly war horse and such a proud knight coming forth from the vessel of those merchants . But the port to was deserted, for day was but beginning break, and none s aw the valiant youth riding to the gate the woman had shown him . Suddenly, five men came riding down the road with loose reins, spurring A their horses, and fleeing towards the town . s of they passed him, Tristram seized one them by his plaited red hair so roughly that he threw him ’ back on his horse s croup and stopped him : ou ! fl] God save y , fair sir said Tristram, by which road is the dragon coming P Q] And when e f the fugitive had shown him the way, Tristram r leased him . If] The monster drew near . He had the head of a bear, his eyes were red as live coals, on he had two horns his forehead, long hairy ears , ’ ’ of lion s claws , a serpent s tail, and the scaly body r a griffin . fl] Tristram spu red his horse against him with such fury that the steed, though his hair b ristled with terror, rushed against the monster . Tristram’s lance struck against the scales and shivered to splinters . Then the champion drew his sword, lifted it and brought it down upon the ’ c dragon s head, but it did not so much as scrat h felt the Skin . Nevertheless, the monster the blow ; ’ ! he struck at Tristram s shield with his claws, grip ping it and tearing it away from the fastenings . 32 spu rr ed h l S ho rs e a ga i nst h im with suc h

P age 32

THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR r Then, his breast being uncove ed , Tristram again r r had recourse to his sword , and st uck the d agon s o shrewd a blow upon the flanks that it echoed

again . But all in vain, for he could not wound

the beast . Then the dragon belched forth a double stream of poisonous flame from his nostrils ; ’ Tristram s hauberk became black as a dead coal ;

his horse fell to the ground and died . But Tristram,

S pringing to his feet , thrust his good sword into ’ the monster s jaws ; it pierced right down to his

heart and cut it in twain . The dragon uttered his

hideous cry once more and died . !I!Then Tristram

ou t . cut his tongue, and put it in his hose And n bei g dizzy with the acrid smoke, he went towards s aw wa a stagnant pool he gleaming a little y off, ’ t o drink . But the poison distilled by the dragon s

tongue enflamed his body, and the hero fell in

a swoon among the tall grasses of the marsh . I!!Now you must know that the redr haired fugitive

was Agu yngu erran the Red, seneschal of the King

oi . Ireland, and that he coveted Iseult the Fair ! of He was a coward , but such is the power love

that every morning he lay in ambush , armed, to assail the monster ; yet when he heard his cry

t. from afar, he took to fligh On that day, he took

a courage, and retraced his steps, with his four com

panions . He found the Slain dragon, the dead

horse , the broken shield, and he supposed the victor c 33 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT was dying in some neighbouring place . So he cut off of the head the dragon, bore it to the King, and I claimed the promised reward . I] The King could v not believe in his alour, but wishing to do justice , he summoned his vassals to come to the court A n u er n after three days, and the seneschal guy g ra was cited to furnish proof of his victory before the assembled barons . Q] When Iseult the Fair heard that she was to be given to this coward, at first

he she . s laughed aloud, and then lamented But on the next day, suspecting some deceit, she took

Perinis ! with her her servant , , the faithful and fair

a haired, and Bragwaine, her young maid and com ’ r panion , and all three rode secretly to the monste s den, and on the way Iseult took note of strange hoof/ marks ; and she thought that the horse which had made them had not been shod in that country . she Then found the monster without its head, and the dead horse ; and the horse was not caparisoned f after the fashion o Ireland . Certainly a stranger had slain the dragon ; but was he still alive P Perinis Bra waine (I!Iseult, , and g sought him long ; and at length Bragwaine saw the helmet of the

valiant knight gleaming in the marsh . He still Perini breathed . s took him on his horse and ’ carried him secretly to the women s chambers .

There Iseult related the adventure to her mother,

and confided the stranger to her care . And when 34

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT he laughs perhaps because I have forgcf t en to clean ' " i his arms, tarnished by the venom o the dragon . ’ (ll So S he “came where Tristram s a rmou”r was . h elmet of she bestowed This is fine steel,

thought, and will not fail him at need . And this to hauberk is strong and light, and fit be worn by

. the a valiant knight Then she took . sword by the hilt . Tr”uly this is a fair sword and meet for a brave baron . Then S he drew it out of the rich she saw sheath , to wipe the bloody blade , and that a a piece of the steel w s broken away . She noted the Shape of the breach ; was not this the blade that had broken in the head of Sir M arhau s P She

hesitated, looked again , and resolved to set her

. S O she doubts at rest came to her chamber, where s he kept the fragment of steel that had been taken from the skull of Sir M arhau s . She fitted the fragment into the breach, and it could scarcely be seen that it had been broken . !I! Then she came in haste to Tristram, an“d waved the great : sword over his head, crying I]! Thou art Tristram of M arhau s Lyonnesse, the murderer of , my dear ( uncle . Die then in thy turn ! flTristram sought to stay her arm, but in vain his body was power , less, but his tongue“remained cunning . So he : s o Spoke skilfully fl] Be it , I will die ; but if thou wouldst not suffer a long remorse, listen . P rincess, know that thou hast not only the power 36 THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR

but . es the right to kill me Y , thou hast a right

to my life, for twice hast thou preserved it and of given it back to me . The first time, yore ; I was the wounded minstrel thou didst save when ’ thou drewest ou t the venom of Marhau s l ance

from my body . Blush not , maiden, for that thou didst heal these wounds ; did I not receive them in fair fight P did I kill M arhau s t reacherou sly P had he not defied me P and should I not defend my body P The second time thou didst save me when thou didst find me in the marsh . And it was for

S . thee, maiden, that I lew the dragon But enough of these things ; I would but S how thee that thou hast a right to my life, having twice delivered me from death . Slay me then , if it will

t o . be thy praise and glory Doubtless, when thou of liest in the arms thy doughty seneschal, it will be sweet to remember thy wounded guest , who risked his life to win thee, and did win thee , and whom”thou S lewest when he lay helpless in the ( “ bath . 1!Iseult cried : (1! These be strange words that I hear . Why did the murderer of M arhau s seek to win me P Ah doubtless it was because M arhau s once sought to carry off the

maidens of Cornwall on his ship, and so thou, in f thy turn, wouldst vaunt thysel , that by way of reprisal thou hast carried Off as thy serf the maiden whom Marhau s cherished above all others . 37 TRISTRA”M AND ISEULT so P . fl] Not , rincess, said Tristram But one day two swallows flew to Tintagel, and carried thither one of thy golden hairs . I deemed that they came as heralds of peace and love . This is why I am come to seek thee across the seas , and why I braved the monster and his venom . Look at this hair sewed among the gold threads of my surcoat ; the gold of th”e threads is tarnished , but f I not the gold o thy hair . ] Iseult threw down the great sword and took Tristram’s surcoat in her hands . She saw the golden hair, and was silent for a long while ; then She kissed her guest on of the lips in token peace, and dressed him in ( rich raiment . II On the day of assembly of the ’ P erinis barons, Tristram sent , Iseult s servant , secretly to the ship , bidding his comrades to come to the court , arrayed as is seemly for the messengers of a great king ; for he hoped on that same day to r n l come to the issue of his adventure . Go ve a and the hundred knights had lamented the loss of Tristram four days ; they rejoiced greatly at the I one tidings . 1] One by they entered the hall where barons of Ireland without number were assemble" s at They in a row side by side, and the jewels Sparkled on their rich vesture of scarlet and cendal and purple . The Irishmen said one to another g] Who are these lordly knights P Who knows

them P Look at their sumptuous mantles , rich 38 THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR with sable and embroideries . See how the hilts of of their swords, the clasps their mantles, gleam with rubies, beryls, emeralds and many other of has stones we know not . Which us ever seen such splendour P Whence come these knights P Whose men are they P But the hundred knights held their peace, nor moved from their seats for any that entered . Q] When the King of 1 Ireland was seated upon the da s, the seneschal ,

Agu yngu erran the Red, offered to prove by witnesses, and to maintain by combat that he had killed the monster, and that Iseult ought to be delivered to him . Then Iseult bowed herself : I before her father and said ]! King, here is a man who declares that he will convict ou r seneschal of falsehood and felony . Whatever this man may of have done evil in the past, wilt thou promise to pardon him who is ready to prove that he saved thy land from the scourge , and that thy daughter ought not to be delivered into the hands of a 1 coward P 1] The King pondered the matter, and his was in no haste to answer“. Then barons one : I cried with accord ]! Grant this pardon, I sir”e, grant it Q] And the King said ] I grant . I Bu t it II Iseult, kneeling at his feet , said “F f ather, first give me the kiss o mercy and peace”in token that thou wilt also give it to this I she man . IIWhen she had received the kiss 39 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT the went to fetch Tristram, and led him in by hand . At the sight of him the hundred knights rose to n their feet, saluted him with their arms crossed o on their breasts, and ranged themselves either side f s aw o him . So the Irishmen he was their lord .

But many recognised him then, and a great cry of arose It is Tristram Lyonnesse, the murderer f au o M arh s ! ked swords f ashed i the air, Na “l n " and angry voices shouted : Death to him !

But Iseult ried : Father, kiss this man o Q] c " n ( the mouth, according to thy promise . I!Then the King kissed him on the mouth and the clamour I abated . ] And Tristram Showed the tongue of the dragon, and Offered to do battle with the seneschal, who dared not accept the challenge and confessed his misdeed . Then Tristram spoke thus ( M arhau s fl My lords, I killed ; but I have crossed the seas to make you fair amends . To atone for that fault, I have adventured my body and delivered you from the monster, and I have won

Faira haired . Iseult the , the Beautiful And since I

won . have her, I will carry her away in my ship But that there may henceforth be love and not hatred between the countries of Ireland and of t rk Cornwall, know hat my dear lord, King Ma , will marry her . Here are a hundred knights of t o on high degree, ready to swear you the relics of the saints that King Mark greets you in peace and 40 THE FAIR ONE WITH GOLDEN HAIR i a hi love, that it s his desire to honour Iseult s s the of beloved consort, and that all men ”Cornwall will serve her as their Queen and lady . I!!The an d holy relics were brought with great rejoicing, the hundred knights swore thatTristram had spoken

truly . (I!Then the King took Iseult by the hand, and asked Tristram if he would convey her loyally t o

his lord . And Tristram swore S o to do before the

barons of Ireland . Iseult the Fair trembled with

shame and anguish . For Tristram, who had won of her, scorned her ; the sweet tale the golden hair v was a lie, and he was to gi e her up to another . ’ ’ r But the King laid Iseult s right hand in T istram s, and Tristram held it fast in token that he took possession of her in the name of the King of C om ,

. of wall fl] Thus, for love King Mark, Tristram , by of guile and by prowess, achieved the quest the

Queen with the Golden Hair .

4 1

Nein, er a was niht mit wine,

'r ez was (fit: wernde swa e, ' dta endelOse herz enét

' r tat van der s r befde lage : . GOTTFRIED OF ST RASBURG NE day, as the time drew near that Iseult should be given in charge to the knights

o f C ornwall , her m o th er gathered

herbs, flowers and

roots , mi xed them

with win e, a nd brewed a powerful

potion . When she had finished it by science and by magic, she poured it to Bra waine into a phial, and gave it secretly g , saying q] Girl, thou art to follow Iseult into the of land King Mark, and thou lovest her faithfully . of Take therefore this phial wine , and remember my words . Hide it in such wise that no eye may see it and no lip may come near it . But when the wedding night comes , at the moment when thou leavest the wedded pair, pour this aromatic wine into a cup and give it to King Mark and to Queen

Iseult to drink together . See to it , my daughter, that they alone taste this potion , for such is its virtue that they who dr ink it together will lo ve each other with a l their s e s es and a their minds « / fl l n ll m f f r i n . Bra waine O ever, life death q] g — P ' promised th e Qu een that she would do according to ( her will . II The ship, cutting through the deep 45 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

. r waves , carried Iseult hence But the fa ther it of went from the shores Ireland, the more did the maiden lament . Seated in the pavilion whither she

aitin f had withdrawn herself with her w g woma n,

She wept as she thought of her country . Whither were these strangers taking her? T o whom P

To what fate P When Tristram approached her, she and sought to soothe her with gentle words, was angry, She repulsed him, and her heart swelled with hatred . He had come, the ravisher, the murderer of M arhau s he had torn her from her mother and her country by his arts ; he had not was deigned to keep her for himself, and now h“e off . carryin”g her , his prey, to a hostile land Woe is she the s ea me, cried, cursed be that carries me ! Rather would I die in the land of my birth than live in yonder country I]!Then on a day the wind dropped and the sails hung loose along the mast . Tristram gave orders to land on an s ea island, and, weary of the , the hundred knights of l Cornwall and the sailors came glad y to Shore . Iseult alone remained in the ship with a little servin ench . n Then came Tristram to the Queen, u and essayed to calm her heart . Now as the s n was burning and they were athirst, they asked for drink . And the wench sought for wine and ’ found the phi“al Iseult s mother ha”d given to Bra waine he . s . g I have found wine, cried 46 P a ge 47 m the ship with a

I I u , came Tristram to the Q

I n a her heart . Now s the d a they were athirst, they asked the wench sought for wine a ’ h l Iseult 5 mother h d g v p i“a a" i en i l ne . I have found wine, cried

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT Ah what am I thinking P Iseult is thy wife and I

am th vassal , Iseult is thy wife and I am thy son y ” , Iseult is thy wife and cannot love me . (I!But

Iseult loved him . Yet She wished to hate him had he not vilely disdained her ? She wished tn

hate him, and she could not, and her hear sore with this tenderness which was more p Bra aine than hate . I] gw observed them S he anguish, suffering yet more cruelly, for

what evil she had caused . For two days She

nou ri e watched them, and saw them repulsing all sh eac ment, all drink, and all comfort, seeking wretch like blind creatures feeling their way, e

they languished apart, more wretched still when,

together , they trembled before the terror of the I as first avowal . I] On the third day, Tristram was coming towards the pavilion that was set on the of deck the Ship, where Iseult was seated, Ise“ult saw : him app”roaching, and”she said humbly (H Enter, I “ “ my lord . II Queen, replied Tristram, why dost thou call me lord P Am I not thy liegeman , thy vassal, to honour thee, to serve thee and to love thee as my Queen and lady P (JIT hen Iseult answered :

fl] No , thou knowest well that thou art my lord and my master . Thou knowest that thy power rules ! me , and that I am thy slave . Ah why did I not let the wounded minstrel bleed to death P Why did I not leave the slayer of the dragon to perish in the 48 marsh P Why did I not smite him in the bath with the blade I held ready above his head P Alas ! ! I I knew not then what now I know ]! Iseult , what kn owes“t thou now P What is it that grieves thee P fl! Ah , all that I know grieves me, and e all that I s e . The sky above me and the sea ( around, and my body and my life llThen she ’ laid her arm on Tristram s shoulder ; tears quenched of And the brightness her eyes , her lips trembled . one he repe”ated fl] Dear , w“hat is it that torture”s thee P I n : f ] She a swered The love o thee . d t ] Then he pressed his lips o hers . And as they of Bra waine tasted the joy love for the first time, g ,

who had been watching them, uttered a cry, and with arms outstretched, and tears on“her : Un a face , she fell at their feet, crying (I! ! happy ones stop , and turn back, if yet there ! on be time But no , there is no return this path, the power of love already bears you away, and

t e aromat1c W i ne t at possesses you, t e wine that

Iseult the Queen gave to my keeping . King Mark alone was to have drunk of it with you ; but the u s Evil One has mocked , and Tristram drained the

oLIet . g Dear Tristram, dear Iseult, I offer you my body and my life in atonement for the evil guard I kept , for by my fau”lt the accursed cup ! e lovers clasped each other ; desire and life quiv“ered in their fair bodies . : ( And Tristram said I! Then come, death ! 1 1] And when night fell, bound for ever, they gave on themselves up to love, the ship that bore a to the l nd of King Mark . BRAGWAI NE V. GIVEN OVER TO THE SERFS ’ Sabre toz ap raz gran valor

’ ' ’ S aztals camisa m es Jada ’ Cum I seus Jet a l amador

Que mats non era portaala RAMBAUT COUN OF , T ORANGE E igh teen days fr om th a t t zm e h a vmg convoked a ll h zs r e F t wz e ba o ns h took I seult th e a zr o f P a g e 53

BADING Iseult the

Fair by the hand, Tristram delivered 0 her the King, who awaited her on the

shore, and the King took possession of

her, clasping her

hand in his turn . Then he led her with gr e at ho no ur to she Tintagel , and when appeared in the hall in the f midst o thevassals, her beauty Shed such a radiance that the walls were illumined as if the rising sun

had touched them . Then King Mark praised the who swallows, of their courtesy had brought him the golden hair ; he praised Tristram and the who hundred knights , had gone on the adventurous his ship in quest of the joy of his eyes and heart .

Alas to you also, noble King, that ship brought bitter Sorrow and torment . fl] Eighteen days from that time , having convoked all his barons , he took

Iseult the Fair to wife . But when night fell, ’ Bra waine g , in order to hide the Queen s dishonour — m w ' P save her from a and to de th, took her place in the bed brida . In for th v l u rd she l ~ atonement e e i g a n had k t p th ship d for ve s , ep e , an lo of her mistre s the faithful follower sacrificed the purity of her body ; 53 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT the darkness hid her shame and her deceit from the

King . (I!Here the chroniclers relate that Bragwaine

halfa em t sea had not thrown the p y phial into the ,

but that in the morning, after her lady in her ’ Bra wain turn had come into King Mark s bed, g e an poured into a goblet the rest of the philtre, d

gave it to the pair, that Mark drank deep of it, and But that Iseult threw away her draught secretly .

know, gentles, that these chroniclers have corrupted

. e and falsified the story They invented this fabl , because they understood not the marvellous love

King Mark bore always to the Queen . Certes, ee as you shall presently s , never could King Mark

drive Tristram or Iseult from his heart, in spite

of anguish and suffering and terrible reprisals,

but know, gentles, that he never tasted the magic

wine . Neither poison nor magic, but the noble en em e hi hi I f t d ss of s heart inspired s love . ] So wa s she Iseult s Queen, and to all eeming lived

. was she joyously Iseult Queen, and lived in

sadness . Iseult had the love of Mark the King,

the barons honoured her, and the poor cherished

her . Iseult spent the day in rooms richly painted and strewn with flowers she had Splendid jewels, h angings of purple , and carpets from Thessaly, the s songs of harpers , and curtains worked with device of of leopards, eagles, parrots, and all the beasts and the sea and of the woods . Iseult had her fair 54 BRAGWAI NE GIVEN OVER TO THE SERFS lively love, and Tristram at leisure beside her, day is and night, for as the custom among great lords, ’ he Slept in the royal chamber, among the King s trusty and beloved retainers . Yet Iseult trembled . Why did she t remble P Were not their loves hidden P Who would suspect Tristram ? Would any suspect a son P Who saw him P Who watched him P Yes wa What witness was there P , there s a witness

who watched, Bragwaine ; Bragwaine observed

Bra waine Bra waine her, g alone knew her life, g held

. ! Bra waine them at her mercy What, O God if g , tired of preparing daily the bed in which she had t o been the first lie, should denounce them to the King P If Tristram should die for his felony P f Thus fear took possession o the Queen . Yet it was Bra waine not the faithful g , but her own heart

hi . w ch tormented her Listen, gentles, to the great she i as ou treachery dev sed ; but y will hear, God h ad pity on her ; he ye therefore likewise merciful 1 was n to her . 1] It o a day when Tristram and the

King were hunting at a distance , so Tristram knew

not . for of this crime Iseult sent two serfs , and promised them their freedom and sixty golden

besants, if they would swear to do her will . So ( ” “ they swore . ll Iwill give you, shesaid, a certain

young girl . You are to take her into the forest

- far or near as you will, but to a spot where none shall ever discover the adventure— and there 55 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

Re a you shall kill her, and bring me her tongue . member all her words, and report them to me . Go”. When you return you will be rich men and ”free . ( she Bra waine : ( flThen called g fl Friend, said she , thou seest how I pine and languish ; go into the forest and gather the plants that will cure this malady . Here are two serfs to guide thee, they know where grow the right simples . Follow them ; know, Sister, that if I send thee into the forest, i”t is because my peace and my life are in danger . Bra ain fl] Then the serfs led gw e away . And when she was she al come into the forest, would have h ted, for healing herbs grewaroundherin“abundance . But : they led her farther, saying” q] Come, maiden, ( f this is not the best place . II One o the serfs his walked in front of her, companion followed after was her . Then they came where there no path,

brambles and thorns and thistles intertwined . re the man who was walking in front turned and drew his sword ; she ran back to the other to beg for succour ; but he also held a naked sword in his : ! hand and said If] Maiden, we must slay thee (II Bragwaine fell on the grass and tried to ward off the points of the swords with her arms . She begged for mercy in a voice s o gentle and lamentable that : ( they said I! Maiden , since Queen Iseult , our lady and thine , desires thy death, doubtless thou hast wrought some grievouswrong against her . fl] Then 56 BRAGWAINE GIVEN“OVER TO THE SERFS she made answer Q] I know not, friends ; I can n n remember but o e misdeed . Whe we came from us Ireland, weeach broughtwith as our most precious

snowf white adornment, a shift , to wear on our

e ddin a ni h w g g t . It happened while we were upon

sea t ; the , tha Iseult tore hers, and for her wedding night I lent her mine . Friends, this is all the ill I

. i h d e ever did her But since she has ws e ”m dead, l v tell her that I g g, and that I u r she has done was off me from my childhood, when I carried by pirates, and sold to her mother and given to her f hi service . May God o s goodness keep her honour, her body, and her life . Brothers , strike I now ! !!The serfs had pit y on her . They took mi counsel together, and dee ng that such a misdeed of was not perchance worthy death, they bound her t o ( a tree . llThen they killed a young dog ; one of them cut out his tongue , wrapped it in a fold of his“tunic, and both returned hereupon to Iseult . Did She say au ght P asked the Queen .

Yes, Queen . She said you were wroth with her for the one wrong She had ever done you ; on the voyage hither you had torn the snow' white shift you had brought from Ireland, and She lent

a weddin ni ht . she you hers for your g g This, said, her was only crime . She gave you thanks for all she your benefits to her from her childhood, prayed 57 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT she God to protect your honour and your life, sent you love and greeting . Queen , here is her tongue , which we bring you . I] Murderers ! cried

Bra waine i ; Iseult, give me back g , my dear wait ng he woman . Wist ye not that s was my only friend P ! Murderers , give her back to me fl] Queen, truly has it been said : Woman changes in an hour she laughs, cries, loves, and hates at the ”same time .

ou . I We have killed her, as y commanded ]! How should I have commanded this P For what wrong P

Was She not my dear companion, gentle, fair, and You n faithful P k ow it, murderers ; I sent her to gather healing herbs, and I gave her to you that you might protect her on the way . But I will tell on how ye ha”ve slain her, and ye shall be burnt . she live coals [I] Queen , know then that lives”, and we will bring her back to you safe and sound . she as (flBut believed them not, and if distraught, h ‘ by turns s e cursed the murderers and herself .

She kept one of the serfs with her, while the other Bra waine hastened to the tree where g was fastened, : God on crying fl] Fair maiden, ha”s had mercy ( he ou . S you, and your lady calls y back llWhen Bra waine appeared before Iseult, g knelt and asked pardon for her fault but the Queen had also fallen

on her knees, and they embraced each other long

and rapturously .

58

’ ’ I sot ma drue, I sot m amze ' En was ma mart, en oos ma we ! GOTTFRIED OF STRASBURG O U L D t h eir l ove a Sick hearts but have wa been vigilant, it s not the faithful Brag , waine but themselves that the lovers would

have feared . Love as urged them on, thirst drives the pant

ing stag to the river, as or the hawk, after

his . ! a long fast , darts upon prey Alas love i ' cannot be hid . It s true that Bragwaine s prudence guarded the lovers so that none ever ’ surprised them in each other s arms ; but all could see how at every hour, in every place, desire r agitated them, entangled them and ove flowed from k all their senses as new wine rushes from the cas . ( J!The four felons of the court, who hated Tristram his for valour, were already prowling round the k Queen . They already new the story of her

C VCt U e secret love . They were burning with O O S ness, hatred, and joy . They agreed to carry the tale to the King ; then would they see his tender ness changed into fury, Tristram driven out or put to death, and the Queen chastised . Nevertheless, the feared the wrath of Tristram ; but finally thei hatred overcame their terror : one day, the 61 TRISTRAM AND IS EULT four barons craved audience of King Mark, and ndret : A said to him II] Sire , doubtless thy heart will be hot with anger , and we are all four grieved thereat ; but we must needs reveal what we have set discovered . Thou hast thy heart on Tristram, and Tristram puts thee to shame . In vain have we warned thee for the love thou barest to this one man , thou scornest thy kindred and thy nobles, and forsakest u s all . Know then that Tristram i loves the Queen it s a proven t”ruth, and already ( there is much talk of the matter . HThe noble King tottered as he stood and replied (J! Coward ! what baseness hast thou imagined ? Certainly I t have se my heart on Tristram . On the day Marhau when s defied you, you all hung your heads, trembling and dumb, but Tristram braved f hi him for love o this land, and s soul might have left his body by each one of the wounds that he is received . This why you hate him, and this is wh I Andret y love him more than you, , more than

a . you all, more th n any one But what do you claim t o have discovered P What have you seenP I What have you heard P ]! Nothing, in truth, see my lord, but what thine own eyes may and thine own ears hear . Look and listen, Sire ; it may be there is yet time . Q] And they withdrew, ( and left him to drink in the poison . J!King Mark could not cast out the accursed thought . 62 THE GREAT PINE TREE

He watched his nephew, he watched the Queen . Bra waine But g perceived it and warned them, and it was in vain that the King sought to prove Iseult by cunning devices . Soon he came to loathe this vile conflict , and knowing that he could not drive away his suspicions, he sent for Tristram and : I said ] Tristram, quit this castle, and when thou hast left it never dare again to cross the moats and lists . Evil men accuse thee of a great treason . Ask me no questions ; I could not w r s report their ” o d , without shame to myself and to thee . Seek not soothe me by words ; I feel that they would be v i . vertheless, I in a n Ne ~ do not believe these felons ; if I believed them, should — - ‘ fl I not already have condemned thee to a shameful death ? But their evil speaking has troubled my heart, and thy departure alone can calm it . Go, doubtless I shall soon recall thee ; go, my ever dear s on . fl] Now“when the felons heard the news, : is they rejoiced He is gone, the sorcerer gone, u t h driven o like a thief . What will be is fate P Doubtless he will cross the seas to seek adven a tunes and to”offer his disloyal service to some distant king . (flBut Tristram had not strength t o go, and when he had passed the moats and lists of the castle, he knew that he could go no farther. e He halt d in the town of Tintagel itself, and Gorvenal lodged with in the house of a citizen, and 63 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT here he languished , tortured by fever, and more ’ deeply wounded than in the day when M arhau s

earf head . S p had poisoned his body At that time, b u t when he had lain in the on the shore , and all his men had fled from the stench of wounds, three — Gorvenal had succoured him , Dinas of Lidan, G r enal and King Mark . o v and Dinas still watched by his bed, but Mark came no more, a : I and Tristr m lamented thus 1] Truly, fair uncle , my body now exhales a more deadly venom , and thy love can no longer overcome thy horror .

(I!But in the ardour of fever, desire drove him ever like a runaway horse towards the clos e a shut towers which held the Queen horse and rider were Shattered by the stone walls ; but horse and rider rose again and again and rode once more against ( — the castle . ll Behind the close shut towers, Iseult the Fair also languished, more woeful still ; for, among those strangers who were watching her, She had all day to feign joy and merriment and at she night , lying beside King Mark, had to still the f f agitation o her limbs and the tremblings o fever .

She longed to fly to Tristram . And it seemed to her that she rose and hastened to the door ; b u t on set the dark threshold, the felons had great scythes their keen and terrible blades caught her tender she she a knees as passed ; thought th t She fell, and fountain from the gashes of her knees , two red S 64 THE GREAT PINE TREE

rose into the air . fl] Soon would the lovers have

perished, had none succoured them . And who then Should succour them but Bragwaine P At peril of h her life, She crept to the ouse where Tristram lay . G rvenal o Opened to her joyfully, and to save the

she . ( lovers, taught Tristram a device II No , of gentles, never will ye have heard such a fair device ( of love . fl Behind the castle of Tintagel lay a

vast orchard, fenced with stout pales . Goodly trees

without number grew there, loaded with fruit, with

. t birds, and fragrant clusters At the Spot farthes a of from the c stle , close to the stakes the fence , rose

ine a tree a tall straight p , whose mighty trunk upheld it wide Spreading branches . At s roots was a Spring of living water ; the water Spread ou t first into a wide pool, clear and calm , enclosed by a marble terrace ; then it ran through the orchard , between two narrow banks, and entering the castle , passed ’ through the women s apartments . (I! Now by ’ Bra waine s g advice, Tristram every evening cut pieces of bark and little twigs artfully . He climbed — the sharp stakes, and coming under the pine tree, he threw the chips into the fountain . Light as the foam, they rose and floated with it, and Iseult ’ watched for them in the women s chambers . Then , on the evenings when Bragwaine had succeeded in she keeping away Mark and the felons, came at once to her beloved . fl] She came, swift and timid, E 65 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT peering behind the trees at every step to see if the f as elons were lurking there . But soon as Tristram s aw r her, he sprang towards her with outst etched arms . Then night encompa“ssed them, and the of . ( shadow “the great pine H Tristram, said the Queen, do not mariners tell that this castle of

Tintagel is enchanted, and that twice a year, in

winter and summer, sorcery causes it to disap pear

. s o I s from Sight It is now . not this the magic orchard of which the harpers sing P a wall of air encloses on every Side the blossoming trees and fragrant soil ; the hero lives for ever young in the

arms of his beloved, and no hostile power can break through the wall of air fl] Already from the towers of Tintagel were heard th”e troops of watchers I h“eralding the dawn . ]! No , replied Tristram, of the wall air is already shattered , and this is n ot . the magic orchard But one day, beloved, we will go together to the Happy Land whence none r eturni There stands a castle of white marble ; in each of its thousand windows shines a lighted

candle, and in each a minstrel plays and sings an ’ none re a e ndless melody ; no sun shines there, yet gret hi”s radiance this is the blessed country of the ( living . II But on the topmost towers of Tintagel t he dawn was lighting up the great checkered blocks o f sinOple and azure . (HIseult was full of joy ’ again . The King s suspicions died away, but the 66

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

into the orchard by an Opening he knew, and the

/ dwarf led him to the great pine tree . fl] Fair King, f climb up into the branches o this tree . Take your bow and arrows with you— haply they may serve — you and keep quiet . You will not have long to ( “ wait . 11 Away, dog of the Evil One exclaimed

Mark . And the dwarf went away, leading the I horse . ] He had Spoken truly, the King had not

long to wait . The moon was shining that night,

clear and fair . Hidden among the branches , the

King sawhis nephew bound over the pointed stakes . T fis tram came under the tree, and threw the chips

and twigs into the stream . But leaning over the s aw fountain to throw them in, he the image of the ! King reflected in the water . Ah could he but have

stopped the chips as they hurried along . But they

were already speeding through the orchard . In the ’ women s chambers down in the castle, Iseult was watching for them ; already, no doubt , She had

. ! seen them, She was coming God save the lovers ! II] She comes Seated, motionless , Tristram gazes click of at her, and in the tree above he heard the ’

the arrow as it S lipped into the cord of the bow . ( as flShe comes , swiftly and cautiously, is her

she . wont . What can be amiss P thought Why does not Tristram hasten to meet me this evening P ? Can he have seen some enemy fl] She stops,

and peers into the dusky thicket ; suddenly, She 68 THE GREAT PINEa T REE too sees by the moonlight the shadow of th e King h u m th fou t i . S e Showed th sto wisdom in e n a n e g ary A " of woman in that She did not lift her eyes to the ' fl bTanches of : the tree Great God She murmured, grant”me this grace, that I may be the first to ! I speak ] Then She went nearer, and in this wise she forestalled and warned her lover : fl] Sir

over f bold Tristram, you are to send for me in such

a place and at such an hour . Many a time have

you already prayed me to come , that you might crave a boon of me . What is your request P and hO e what do you p from me I have come at li s t, owe for I cannot forget that if I am Queen, I it to

. w you . Here am I , therefore What ould you P ou fl] Queen, I would cry y me”rcy, that you might ’ 1 turn the King s anger from me . 1] She trembles

and weeps . But Tristram praises God, who had ( revealed the peril to his beloved . ll Yes , Queen, I

have craved your presence many times , and always in vain ; never have you deigned to come at my

request since the King drove me out . But take

pity on the wretch before you . The King hates

me , I know not why ; but you perchance may know ; and who could turn away his wrath like his you , loyal Qu”een, courteous Iseult, in whom ? “ heart trusts fl] Truly, Sir Tristram, know

you not that he suspects us both P Must I , for of crown of shame, tell you what treachery P My 69 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT l ou ord believes that I love y with a guilty love.

But God knows, and may He do vengeance on my

body if I lie, never have I given my love to any in man save to him who first took me, a virgin,

. ve his arms And you ask me, Tristram , to cra your pardon of the King ! If he but knew that I

ine wtre e tof ni ht t morrow h came to this p g , e would Scatter my ashes to “the winds of heaven ! fl] Tristram groaned . (fl Fair uncle , it is said, ‘ ’ None is vile save he who does vilely . But in what heart could such a thought have arisen P

fl] Sir Tristram, what mean you P No, my lord the King would not have imagined such a

villainy . It was the felons of this land who made

de f him believe this lie , for loyal hearts are easily

ceive d. They love each other , said they, and the

. Yes felons made it a crime to us , you love me,

Tristram , why Should we deny it P Am I not the

wife of your uncle, and did I not twice save you loved from death Yes, and I you in return ; are ’ I heard you not of the King s lineage, and have not my mother say many a time that a woman loves u he not her lord tr ly unless s also loves his kin .

of T ris f It was for love the King that I loved you,

tram, and now, if he would restore you to favour,

I Should rejoice . But my limbs tremble, I am o greatly af”raid . I must g , I have already tarried t oo long . fl] Above in the branches the King 70

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT lord ! (HWhen he had climbed the fence of the h : I orc ard , the King smiled and said ]! Fair ! : nephew, blessed be this hour See the long journey for which thou didst make ready this i a a ( morning s lre dy at an end . I!In a glade of the Frocin was forest, the dwarf reading the course of the stars ; he learned that the King threatened to put him to death ; he turned black with fear and shame, swelled with rage, and fled swiftly to t he f land o Wales .

72 F VII . ROCI N THE DWARF

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ( u ll No , King , we will no longer s ffer it, for we is know now that this news, once strange enough , no longer surprising to thee , and that thou e t consent s to their crime . What wilt thou do P

P . AS onder, and take counsel for us, if thou wilt not banish thy nephew altogether, we will retire to our baronies and we will also draw away our neighbours from thy court , for we will not suffer them to remain . Such is the choice we give thee .

Choose therefore . (H My lords , once I believed of the evil things you said Tristram, and I repented

it . But you are my liegemen , and I would not

lose your services . Counsel me therefore, I

owe . command you, you who me counsel You kno”w well“that pride and arrogance are far from Frocin . me . fl] Then, sire, send for the dwarf of You mistrust him, because of the adventure the

orchard . But did he not read in the stars that the Queen would come that night to the pine f tree P f He knows many things ; take counsel o him . I“So the accursed dwarf hastened to the King and n len De oa embraced him . Now hear the treachery : ! he counselled to the King J! Sire, charge thy

t o f morrow Cardu el nephew to ride in all haste to ,

to take a sealed parchment to King Arthur . King,

Tristram sleeps near thy bed . Leave thy chamber of at the hour the first sleep , and I swear by God

and by the law of Rome, that if he loves Iseult 76 FROCIN THE DWARF madly, he will desire to come and Speak to her before his departure ; but if he s o come unknown to me and unseen by thee, then kill me . For the as rest, let me order the business I will, and be careful only to Speak to Tri”stram of this”mission . Yes at the moment of retiring fl] , replied “ I Mark, it shall be as thou sayest . ] Then the f dwarf did a deed o treachery . He went to a of baker and bought a parcel flour, which he hid in a fold of his gown . Who could have ? suspected such Villainy At night, when the

King had eaten, and his men were asleep in the great hall adjoining his chamber, Tristram went , as was his wont,”to the disrobing of the King . 1 1] Fair nephew, said Mark, I have an errand Cardu el for thee . Ride to King Arthur at , and bring him this letter . Greet him from me and I “ tarry but one day wi”th him. “ ] Sire, I will z t o f morrow. ( Yes t O morrow take it ” I , , I before daybreak . ] Then was Tristram much ’ troubled . His bed stood about a lance s length from that of the King . He longed greatly to

Speak to the Queen, and he vowed in his heart that towards dawn, if Mark slept , he would come to her . Such was the mad thought he conceived . I as was ] Now the dwarf, was his wont , also ’ sleeping in the King s chamber . When he thought that all were asleep, he rose and strewed the flour 77 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ’ on the ground between Tristram s bed and that of so the Queen that, should either have gone to join

the other , the flour would have shown the foot , as prints . But he strewed it , Tristram, who was

saw . ( awake, him I! What means this P This dwarf is not wont t o do me good service ; but he shall be disappointed ; he would be a fool indee”d of who should leave the imprint his footsteps . I !!At midnight the King rose and left the chamber, wa followed by the hunchback dwarf . It s dark ; a there w s neither lamp nor taper . Tristram stood

up on his bed . Ah ! why did he obey this fatal ! thought He put his feet together, measured the ’ distance , jumped , and fell on the King s bed . But of unhappily, the day before, the tusk a great wild was boar had torn his leg, and the wound not bandaged . The effort of the Spring had Opened the wound, but Tristram saw not the blood that flowed and stained the sheets . And outside , in the moonlight, the dwarf knew by his magic arts that the lovers were conjoined . He trembled with : joy and said to the King fl] Go now, a”nd if they

. ( 8 are not found together, have me hanged 1! 5 they came back to the chamber, the King, the dwarf and the four felons . But Tristram heard them . He rose, jumped , and reached his bed . las ! th blood had dropped from his wound on the A e ‘ as . flour he passed 1!Then in came the King, the 78

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

Sire , have pity on her, for the love of God .

But the barons have bound him with cords, both him and the Queen . Ah ! had he but known that he was not to be permitted to prove his innocence in single combat, he would have been hacked to pieces rather than have suffered himself b e to be vilely bound . fl] But trusted in God , and he knew that none would dare to bear arms against

him in the lists . And certes , he was right to trust in God . When he swore he never had loved the

Queen with a guilty love , the felons laughed at the Bu t insolent imposture . Q I ask you, gentles, who know the truth concerning the philtre drunk on s ea the , and understand the matter, was this a lie P ] is It not the deed that proves the crime , but the

jud me t . e se e the d dL but God se s th g n M n ee ‘ fi — ‘m ,e e M

“ m m n m m an ma th r or ord ‘ d that ever ac used L m y e ef e aine y c 0 N ” " ‘ o . I -I l l u l c .

m i t i his c use by b ttle, d fle a n a n a a an n nc f or the in o ent . This is why Tristram claimed was justice and battle, and careful not to fail in

his duty t o King Mark . But could he have l foreseen what was to happen, he would have ki led ! the felons . Ah , God would he had killed them ! C P VIII . THE FROM THE HA EL Qui a oit son cars et sa faeon Trap par await le cuer felon ’ Q ui nen await d I seut pitié BEROUL

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT such was the King’s wrath that the proudest and fiercest of the barons dared not venture upon a word to turn him from his anger . (II The day approached , the darkness passed away . Before ou t sunrise, Mark rode of the town , to the place where it was his custom to hear causes and give

judgments . He commanded that a pit should be

digged, and that in it should be heaped sere and

knotted branches, and thorns, black and white,

. of torn up by the roots fl] At the hour prime, he caused a proclamation t o be cried throughout the

country to call together the men of Cornwall .

They assembled with a great commotion . All

of . wept, save the dw“arf Tintagel Then the King : I Spake thus ]! My lords, I have caused this pyre to be made f”or Tristram an d the Queen, for ( the“y have sinned . I!But they all cried aloud I ! ene ]! Judgment, O King Judgment first , the ac T o sation and the defence . kill them without trial would be a shame an”d a crime . Respite and mercy 0 ! ( his for them, “King J!Then said Mark in : No nor anger fl] , neither respite nor mercy, defence nor judgment ! By Him who made this

world, if any dare again to make such a request to ” I me , he shall himself burn upon this pyre . I] He

ordered that the fire should be kindled, and that T he Tristram should be fetched from the castle . Q] thorns crackled, all were silent, and the King 84 THE LEAP FROM THE CHAPEL t waited . fl] Servants hastened o the chamber where the lovers were closely guarded . They dragged

Tristram along by his hands, which were tied with

wa h m . cords . Truly it s vile to bind i thus He wept at the affront ; but what availed his tears P h m e He was o away shamefully ; an“d the Queen, : almost mad with misery, cried (I! It would be ”a

t o . joy, beloved, be Slain , if that could save thee If] The guards bore Tristram out of the town

towards the pyre . But a horseman came spurring his behind them, and overtaking them leapt from

as was . steed it went ; it Dinas , the good seneschal He had heard the story and had come from his castle of Lidan sweat and foam and blood dripped ’ “ r his . I son f om horse s flanks ] My , I hasten to ’ men a e at the King s ju dg t s . God will peradventure grant me to find some counsel that shall save you both ; already He gives me occa”sion to serve thee by a slig“ht courtesy . Friends, said he to the ou guards , it is my will that y conduct him without these bonds — and he cut the shameful c s t o ord If he Should essay flee , have you not your swords P fl] Then he kissed Tristram on his the lips , Sprang again into the saddle , and

horse bore him thence . fl] Now listen, and hear how full of pity is the Lord ! He who willeth not a to the de th of a sinner, lent a favourable ear the tears and lamentations of the poor folk who 85 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT for besought Him the tortured lovers . Near the road along which Tristram passed, on t he summit of a cliff and facing the north wind, stood a chapel f overlooking the s ea . (I!The wall o the apse rose h sheer from a lofty rock wit rugged escarpments . was In this apse, over the precipice , a glass

of . window, the skilful work a saint Tristram t o : I said those who were leading him ]! Friends,

behold this chapel ; permit me to enter it . My

death is at hand, and I would fain pray God to h on ave mercy me, having sinned greatly against Y u ee ne him . o s that the chapel has but this o issue ; each of you has his sword ; you know that u t I can only pass o by this door, and when I have lace prayed, I m”ust needs p myself once more in I ne f your hands . !!Then o o the guards said fl] Why should we not grant him this P So they

suffered him to enter . He hastened through the

chapel, crossed the choir, reached the painted

window, flung it Open and Sprang out choosing rather this fall than death at the stake

before all that assembly . But you must know, h d n gentles, that God a mercy o him ; the wind

blew out his garments, lifted him up and landed him on a large stone at the foot of the rock . The “ ’ people”of Cornwall still call this stone Tristram s ( h Leap . ll And is guards still waited for him

o . utside the chapel But in vain, for God had 86

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT now t o I shall be able deliver my beloved . ] No , he Gorvenal. God not over hasty, said , no doubt,

for f reserves some more certain vengeance thee . Re member howimpossible it were for thee to approach is the pyre it encompassed by the townsmen, who all go in terror of the King ; many an one who would in his heart desire thy deliverance, would be

. has among the first to strike thee down Son, it " : i . been truly said Rashness s not courage . Wait 1 NOW a 1] when Tristram sprang from the cliff, f poor man o the people had seen him rise and flee . his to He had run to Tintagel, and had made way ’ t o the Queen s chamber, saying her Queen, l ver h weep no more . ”Your o as escaped . Thank Now God for that ! she cried . whether they or or bind lo”ose me, whether they spare kill me, I ( care not . 11Now they had bound her so cruelly she that the blood gu“shed from her wrists . But : said, smiling Q] I should indeed be faint of heart , t o of if I were weep for such suffering, when God His go”odness has saved my beloved from these felons . Q] When it was told the King that Tristram had escaped by the window, he turned white with anger and ordered his men to bring

Iseult before him . (I!They dragged her forth ; S he appeared outside the hall, on the threshold ; She

ou t . held her delicate hands , streaming with blood

A clamour rose from the street . O God, have 88 THE LEAP FROM THE CHAPEL ! pity on her Fair Queen , honoured Queen, what evil chance sent these men, who have betrayed you, upon earth ! Curses upon them I!!Then the “ Queen was dragged forth to t he flaming pyre . ’ of Then Dinas , lord Lidan, fell at the King s feet ; ( 11 Sire, hearken to me I have served thee long and faithfully, without reward, for there is no poor old man, nor orphan, nor woman , who would give me a farthing for thy seneschalship which I have held ’ all my life . In return , grant me the Queen s pardon . Thou wouldst burn her without trial ; this is u n righteous, for she does not acknowledge the crime

she . of of which is accused Think this, moreover burnest no if thou her, there will be more safety in has this land . Tristram escaped ; he knows all the plains, woods, fords, and passages . True, thou art his S uncle , he will not attack thee ; but he will la”y all the barons thy vassals whom he can surprise . fl] Then the four felons turn pale as they listen ; they seem t o see“Tristr”am watching for them“in ambuscade . fl] King, said the seneschal , if

it be true that I have served thee well all my life , give Iseult into my charg”e ; I will answer for her as her keeper and surety . (I!But the King took

Dinas by the hand, and swore by the saints that d ( he would o instant justice upon her . II Then : Dinas rose , saying King, I go back to Lidan”, and I forswear thy service from this day forth . 89 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

(J!Iseult smiled sadly at him . He mounted his charger and rode away sombre and sorrowful, with bowed head . !I!Iseult stood up before the blazing pyre . The crowd pressed round , cursing the King and cursing the traitors . The tears ran down her

clos e f fittin cheeks . She was clad in a g grey tunic, interwoven with slender threads of gold ; a golden fillet bound her hair , which fell to her feet . He who could have looked at her in her beauty with ’ out pity would have had a felon s heart . God ! how tightly her arms were bound ! (HNow a hundred lepers , deformed and hideous , with white on and cancerous flesh, came along their crutches, to the sound of their rattles, and crowded round the pyre, and their bloodshot eyes glowered under their

. ( Yvain enflamed eyelids, rejoicing at the sight II , of the most hideous the crew, cried to the King in ( a harsh voice I! Sire , thou art about to throw thy wife into this furnace the punishment is just , but overbrief . This great fire will soon burn her, this great wind will soon scatter her ashes abroad . ou t And when this flame dies anon, her penance of will be at an end . Shall I tell thee a more cruel chastisement , causing her to live in dishonour, longing for death P fl] Then the King answered ( “ I Yes , let her live in dishonour, longing for h of death . He w o will tell m”e such a punishment will deserved my thanks . I1] Sire, I will tell oo

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT see to the lepers throw away their cloaks, plant themselves upon their diseased feet, pant , scream, one and brandish their crutches ; threatened, another grunted . But Tristram recoiled from sa striking them . The chroniclers y that he killed Yvain ; this is false ; he was too gallant a knight

. Gorvenal to slay such spawn But , tearing up an ’ Yvain s oak sapling, brought it down upon skull ; the black blood gushed out and streamed down to th his shapeless feet . fl] Thus Tristram regained e e n Queen thenceforth Sh felt o more pain . He cut

the cords from her arms, and leaving the plain, M r i they plunged into the forest of o o s . There in he as t dense woodland , Tristram felt safe behind sun the walls of a fortress . Q] When the sank low they halted all three at the foot of a hill ; fear had wearied the Queen ; she leant her head on ’ ( 111 Tristram s body and slept . 11 the morning Gorvenal stole from a forester a bow and two

arrows well feathered and barbed, and gave them who to Tristram, the good marksman, surprised a G rvenal roe and killed it . o made a heap of dry

branches, struck a Spark from a flint , and lighted

a great fire to cook the venison . Tristram cut

r . b anches, built a hut , and covered it with foliage

Iseult strewed it with thick grass . fl] Then a hard life began for the fugitives in the heart of the

was cl . wild forest, yet it ear to them both 92 O S MOROI S IX . THE F RE T OF Nous afoons perdu le monde et le monde nous que ‘vous en semble Tr a i — A i uan istan, m P m e, q d je va us ai aa ec moi, que me fault il done 2 Se tous Ii mondes estati

orendroit aver: nous, je ne a erroie fars nous seule PROSE ROMANCE OF

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

. O rin f penitent I“Repent, Sir g P o what crime P You who judge us , do you know of the potion

we drank on the sea P Yes, that goodly draught on intoxicates us, and I would rather beg the high

road all my life long, and live on herbs and roots

with Iseult , th n b k g of r k ngdom a‘“e in a fai i without her . B Sir Tristram , then may God

help you, for you have lost both this world and the

xt . It is ord n d th t th tr itor to his lord " fi “ ne ai e a e a n .

Sh ul b tor i" p i c s Mby hors s, and burnt ; o d e “n t hn- n. n e e e will where his ashes fall no grass grow henceforth, and the ground is ploughed in vain trees and

t . grass wi her and die there Tristram, give back the Queen t o him”who espoused her according to f 0 i hi the law o Rome . 1] She s s no longer ; he as gave her to his lepers . It w from the lepers that she I took her . Henceforth is ”mine ; I cannot she . I O rin part from her, nor from me !! g had his was seated himself ; at feet Iseult weeping, her head on the knees of the man who suffered for f God. The hermit repeated the holy words o the B ook to her ; but she shook her head, weeping, ( “ ” . ! O rin and refused to believe fl Alas said g , “ mf ? what co ort can I give to these dead Repent,

in , Tristram, for he who lives in s without repent

is . No . ance dead fl] , I live and I repent not We will return to the forest wh”ich guards and s . . ( protect us Come , Iseult, beloved flIseult rose, 96 THE FOREST OF MOROIS

and they clasped hands . They stepped into the high grasses and heather the trees closed their branches

over them ; they disappeared behind the foliage .

, ( . I!Now listen, gentles, to a fair adventure Tris

tram had reared a fine hound, swift and eager in the chase ; neither king nor baron had his like for

. u en hunting with the bow He was called H sd t . They had been obliged to shut him up in the

donjon with a log hung about his neck . From the day he had missed his master, he had refused all

food, and he ceased not to scratch the ground,

. n to weep and ”to howl Many had pity o him . Hu sdent v fl] , said they, no beast has ever lo ed ‘ s o truly as thou ; well did Solomon s ay : My ’

r . t ue friend is my hound Q] And King Mark, f remembering the days o yore , thought in his heart “The dog shows his good sense when he laments his lord thus ; for where in all Cornwall is there one to equal Tristram P I] Then three barons

. Hu sdent came to the King fl] Sire , cause to be loosed ; we shall see if he grieves thus for the loss

of . his master If not you will see how, directly r he is f ee , he will rush upon men and beasts with

Open jaws and outstretched tongue , to bite them . ( II So he was unbound . He sprang through the doorway and rushed to the chamber where he was wont to find Tristram . He growled, whined, ’ sniffed about, and finally found his master s scent . G 97 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT Then he followed step by step the road Tristram h ad . one taken to the pyre Every followed him . He barked loudly and began to climb towards the r cliff. Then he entered the chapel and sp ang upon ou t the altar ; suddenly he leapt of the window, f ell to the base of the rock, picked up the scent again on the beach, halted for a moment in the f lowery wood where Tristram had lain ambushed, a nd ou t . saw then set “for the fo”rest All who . him i p“itied him . Fair K ng, then said the knights , let us follow him no farther ; he might lead u”s t o a place whence it would be difficult to return .

Q] So they left him and went back . In the forest t he dog gave tongue, and his baying resounded

e a . Gor mong the trees Tristram , the“Queen, and ” H dent venal heard him from afar . It is us .

They were alarmed . Surely the King was pursuing them , and sent hounds to seize them like wild beasts They crept into a thicket . Tristram

k b ow . waited at the outs irts, his strung But when H u sdent his saw and recognised lord, he bounded t owards him, shaking his head and his tail , curving h is . backbone, and rolling himself into a ball Did ever beast Show such joy P Then he ran t o Iseult the Fair, t o Gorve nal, and even greeted the horse . f r ! v T ristram felt sorry o him . fl] Alas what e il c hance brought him to us ! What can a hunted m an ? do with this dog, which cannot keep quiet ‘98

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

v . him, half hidden by the lea es He recognised Gu enelon , and Sprang to his feet in alarm . But his : master cried (I! Fear not, he is dead . I

: s . lew him with this sword Son , was he not thine enemy P Q] AndTristramrejoiced Gu enelon whom he hated was slain . (HThenceforth none dared to enter that wild forest ; Fear stood sentinelat its Op en a ings, and the lovers were its lords . It was then that

—ne f fau t Tristram fashioned the bow Qui , which

‘ or beast never failed to hit the mark, man , at the ’ . ( S spot aimed at J!Gentles, it was a ummer s day at the time of hay harvest, soon after Whitsuntide, and the birds were singing in the dew, of the

. out of approaching dawn Tristram came the hut,

bow uia ne a fau t girded on his sword, prepared the Q , and went alone to hunt in the forest . Before night fell, a great misadventure befell him . Never did lovers love so much, and suffer so greatly for their fault . Q] When Tristram came back from the v chase, o ercome by the heat, he took the Queen in

his arms . (I! Beloved, where hast thou been

I . II Chasing a stag which has wearied me See , the sweat runs from my limbs ; I would lie down of and sleep . fl] Beneath the bower green branches,

Iseult lay down first on the fresh strewn grass,

Tristram stretched himself beside her, and placed

his naked sword between their bodies . Happily,

they kept on their garments . The Queen had on 10 2 A THE FOREST OF MOROIS her finger the gold ring set with fair emeralds which King Mark had given her on their wedding ! day ; her hand had become so thin that the ring would scarcely keep on it . They were sleeping ’ one s thus in a close embrace, of Tristram s arm ’ ‘ under his beloved s neck, the other over her fair not body, but their lips were touching . There was not of a breath wind, not a leaf trembled .

Through the leafy roof, a sunbeam fell upon the

of . N w face Iseult, which gleamed like an icicle [I] o a forester had noted in the wood a place where the grass was trampled . The lovers had slept there the day before ; but not recognising the impress of t their bodies, he followed the track and came o

. saw d their lodging He them sleeping, recognise ’ a them and fled, fearing Tristr m s fierce awakening .

He fled to Tintagel , two leagues thence, and came the of e to King, who was holding a c“ourt justic . ( t among his assembled vassals ll Friend, wha u seekest thou here, breathless as I see thee P Tho art even as a tender of hounds who has been long t running after the dogs . Hast thou also come o complain of some wrong done to thee P Who hath driven thee from my forest P (HThen the“forester : took him aside, and said in his ear Q] I have

! seen Tristram and the Que”en . T“hey were sleep . was ing, and terror“seized me Q] Where the c M r i pla e P Q] In a hut in the o o s . They 10 3 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ’ were sleeping in each other s arms . Come I quickly, if thou wouldst take vengeance . I] Go t o and wait for me at the entrance the wood , at the foot of the Red Cross . Speak to none of what thou hast seen . I will giv”e thee gold

as as . and silver, much thou wilt Q] The forester departed and seated himself under the n Red Cross . Curses o the spy ! But he died ( shamefully, as this history will tell anon . I!The

King caused his horse to be saddled, girded on his sword, and stole away from the city, riding alone . And as he rode he thought of the night when he had seized his nephew ; what tenderness Iseult the

bri ht a faced ! Fair, the g , had shown for Tristram

If he should surprise them again, he would punish

evila doers these , he would be avenged on those who had shamed him . (I!At the Red Cross he found the forester . Go in front ; lead me straight and swiftly . The black shadow of the great trees wrapt them about . The King followed the

spy . He trusts to his sword, which has dealt ! ~ many a valiant blow in the past . Ah if Tris of tram Should wake, one the two , God knoweth which, will not leave the“Spot alive . At last the ; fores”ter whispered : fl] King, we are approach ( l his ing . 1! He he d stirrup, and tied the ’ horse s reins to the branches of a green apple a

tree . Then they drew nearer, till suddenly, in a 10 4

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT face of Iseult“the King ”took his er“mine r trimmed : she gloves (I! It was , he said, who brought them to me from Ireland ! He thrust them among the foliage to fill up the hole through which the sunbeam fell ; then he gently drew off the emerald ring he had given the Queen ; once he t o on had had to force it a little get it her finger, but nowher hand was s o thin that the ring Slipped off easily ; in its place, the King put the ring Iseult f had given him o yore . Then he took the sword that lay between the lovers — he recognised it as the one a splinter of which had been left in the of M arhau s— skull put his own in its place, came of out the bower, sprang into his saddle, and said t o : ( the forester” fl Fly now, and save thy skin, N w a he if thou canst . fl] o Iseult had a dream s s : she was slept in a splendid tent, in the midst of a T great forest . wo lions sprang upon her and fought for her She uttered a cry and woke ; the ermin a e trimmed gloves fell upon her breast . At the cry, Tristram Sprang to his feet, snatched at his f sword, and recognised that o the King by its ’ i golden hilt . And the Queen sa“w Mark s r ng : ! on her finger . She cried fl] Sir,”woe to us a The Ki“ng has tracked us . I]! Yes , said Tris has was tram, he taken away my sword ; he a was has lone, he afraid , he gone to fetch help he will come back, and have us burnt in the sight 10 6 THE FOREST O”F MOROIS

f u s . b o the people . Let fly fl] Accompanied y Gorvenal , they fled, travelling all day, towards

Wales, even to the confines of the forest . pains did they suffer for love !

10 7

Aspre v ie meinent ci dure ' Tant s entraiment de bone amor ’ ’ L uns oar l autre ne sent dolor BEROUL FTER three days , when Tristram had long followed the tracks of a wounded

stag, night came on,

and he began to pon a der“in the dark wood ( was I! No , it not by reason of fear that the King spared

u s . He had taken was my sword, I was asleep, I at his mercy, he might have struck ; what need had he of help P v And if he wished to take me ali e, why, having S disarmed me, hould he have left me his own sword P ! ! was Ah I know thee, my father It not v fear, but pity and love that mo ed thee to ! pardon us ? To pardon P Who could overlook such a crime without abasing himself P No , he i n kne That u der g. W d d pardon, b t he stop He !not u e )( at the stak , in the leap from the chapel , in the God u s ambush against the lepers , had in His keeping . Then he remembered the boy who once how sat harping at his feet , and I had left my land ’ Marh au s S ear a hea d of Lyonnesse for him , and p , and the blood I shed for his honour . He remembered

de f that I did not plead guilty, but that I vainly manded judgment, justice , and battle, and his noble 1 1 1 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT heart inclined him t o understand things that those around him cannot understand ; not that he knows or can ever know the truth of ou r love ; but he doubts , he hopes , he knows that I did not lie, he r wishes me to prove my ight in battle . Ah ! fair ’ uncle, might I but be the victor in battle by God s help, and don hauberk and helmet once more for thee ! What am I saying P He would take back Iseult ; I Should give her up to him P Why did he as not rather Slay me I slept P Formerly, when I was hunted down by him, I could hate him and forget him ; he gave Iseult to the lepers she was his no longer, she was mine . Now by his com e passion he has revived my affection and won back

. she the Queen The Queen P Yes , with him was she a queen, and here in the forest lives like a serf . What have I done with her youth P Instead of chambers with silken hangings, I give her this wild forest ; a hut instead of her costly tapestries ; S he T and it is for me that travels this harsh road . o of the Lord God, King the World, I cry for mercy, and I pray Him to give me strength to give back

t o . she not Iseult Mark Is his wife, espoused according to the laws o”f Rome, before all the great men of his kingdom ? Q] And Tristram leant on . his bow, and wept and lamented in the darkness ] In the thorn f encircled thicket which served them Q ’ for Shelter, Iseult the Fair awaited Tristram s return . 1 1 2

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT of you a guilty love , every knight his kingdom, from Lidan to Durham, who should dare to s ay otherwise should find me ready to meet him in the lists . Then, if the King would consent t o keep me in his retinue, I would serve him honourably, as my lord and father ; and if he c hose rather to keep you and to send me away, I would go to Frisia or to Brittany with Gorvenal as my sole companion . But wheresoever I go ,

Queen, and always , I shall be yours . Iseult , I would of not think this separation , but for the miseries v you ha e so”long “endured - for me, fair one, in this wild region . (5 Tristram, remember the hermit

O rin . t o g in his grove Let us return him, and let of e for us cry to the mighty King H aven mercy, Gorvenal beloved . (HThen they roused ; Iseult le d mounted the horse, which Tristram by the t bridle , and all night, passing hrough their beloved woods for the last time, they journeyed in silence .

fl] At dawn they rested, then they went their way O rin again until they came to the hermitage . g s aw was reading in a book . He them, and called “ ’ to them tenderly from afar : (fl Friends ! how H love drives you from misery to misery . ow long will your madness last P Courage“. Repent . I i : I ]!Then Tr stram said to him ] Listen, Sir

rin . O g . Help us to make peace with the King I ill will restore the Queen to him . Then I w go 1 1 4 All i h as s zn h r h th e w o r th e n g t, p g t oug beloved oods f

a tzm e h r m s zle nc e . l st , t ey Jou neyed P a g e 1 1 5

THE HERMIT OGRIN or far away, to Brittany Frisia ; some day, if i and the K ng will suffer m”e, I will come back Serve him as I ought . I]!Then Iseult said in ’ e her“turn, bowing herself at the hermit s f et n a q I will live o longer thus . I s y not that I repent of having loved Tristram and of loving him now ”and always ; but ou r bodies at least sh“all God : part . (I!The hermit wept and praised O God!mighty King !I thank Thee for having suffere”d me to live long enough to succour these two . h nd He gave them wise counsel, t en he took ink a parchment and wrote a letter in which Tristram offered to make a compact with the King . When he had s et down all the words that Tris tram told

set his t o . him, Tristram seal them will carry this letter”P asked the her I N . o ou will bear it myself fl] , Sir Tristram, y n must not go o this perilous adventure . I will g”o for all of . you, I know the people the castle ( P O rin ll eace, Sir g , the Queen shall stay in your i herm tage ; at nightfall I ”will go with my squire, 1 who shall keep my horse . ] When darkness fell

set ou t Gorvenal. upon the forest , Tristram with f At the gates o Tintagel he left the squire . The n watchers sounded their trumpets o the walls . He slipped into the moat, and passed through the

of . As of old the town at peril his life , he scaled saw the Sharp fence of the orchard, and again 1 15 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

in v marble terrace , the fountain, and the great p e tree ; he approached the window behind which the

K . ing was s“leeping, and called softly Mark r awoke . Who art thou, ”who c“allest me at of ni ht P ( such an hour the g I! Sire, I am

called Tristram, and I bring you a letter ; I will on leave it here, the grating of this window . Send s your answer to the Red Cro s, and fasten it to the ” ( branches . I! For the love of God, fair nephew,

( / wait for me . J!He sprang to the window sill, : ( and cried thrice into the night I! Tristram, s on ! I Tristram, Tristram, my ] But Tristram l had f ed. He joined his squire and ”was in the n r e saddle at o e bound . fl] Mad”man ! said Go venal, hasten, fly by this road . fl] At last they

came to the hermitage, where they found the

hermit praying and Iseult weeping .

u ui Oyez , nous to s q passes par la vote,

V ! ‘ enez ca, cha can de vou voie ’ s s S 71 es t douleur moie ’ C est Tristan que la mort mes troie LE LAI MORTEL r his chaplain and gave

him the letter . The clerk broke the seal and first saluted the King in Tristram’s

name : then, having skilfully deciphered

the written words, he reported T rlS e ’ r t a m s r e qu e s t .

r Ma k listened in silence, rejoicing in his heart , for he still loved the Queen . I1] Then he convoked the most considerable among his barons by name , and when they were all assembled , they held : ( their peace and the King spoke I! My lords,

I have received this letter . I am King over t o you, and ye are my liegemen . Listen the things which are asked of me ; then giv e m”e owe . counsel, I pray, Since you me counsel ( I!The chaplain rose , untied the parchment with both hands , and standing before the King, began

fl] My lords , Tristram first sends love and ‘ ’ he greeting to the King and all his barons . King, won the continues, when I killed the dragon and ’ of v King s daughter Ireland, it was to me they ga e t o her ; I was free keep her, but I would not ; I brought her to your country and gave her up to 1 19 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT you . But scarcely had you taken her to wife, when felons caused you to believe their lies . In your rage , fair lord and uncle , you meant to burn i l G d us without tr a . But o took pity on us ; we

made intreaty to Him . He saved the Queen, and this justly ; and I also escapéd by the power of

God, when I threw myself from a high rock . What have I done Since that can be made a a reproach to me P The Queen w s given over , to ff lepers . I came to her aid and carried her o ; could I have failed in this duty to her who had been was like to die, innocent as She , for my sake P I fled with her into the forest ; could I have come out of the woods and descended into the plain to bring her back to you P Had you not commanded that we should be taken dead or alive P But now t o as then, Sire , I am ready offer my gage, and , to maintain against all comers in battle that never was did the Queen bear me , nor I her, a love that

a crime against you . Ordain a combat ; I will

refuse no adversary, and if I cannot make good my

right , burn me before all your men . But if I ou t o triumph, and if it please y take back Iseult

of the bright face , no baron will serve you more on worthily than I ; if, the other hand, you will of sea none me , I will cross the , and offer myself i of Galvoie or of to the K ng the King Frisia, and

ou . y will never hear of me more Sire, take 1 20

AM AND UL TRISTR ” ISE T “ P . I ! erilous ] Ah God said Tristram, what to ! grief lose you, beloved But so it must be , seeing that I can now save you the suffering you f hear because o me . When the moment comes for ou f us to part I will give y a present, a gage o my love . From the unknown land whither I go , I will send you a messenger ; he will bring me your wishes, beloved , and at your first summons I t o n will hasten you from that dista t country . ( I!Iseult sighed and said fl] Tristram, give me

Hu sdent . , thy dog Never shall a hound of price be held in greater honour . When I s ee him I of shall think thee , and I shall be less sorrowful . s et Beloved, I have a ring with green jasper, take it for love of me and wear it on thy finger ; if ever not a messenger should come as from thee, I will or s a credit him whatsoever he may do y, unless he shows me this ring . But if I have seen it , no force nor royal decree shall hinder”me from obeying

or . I thy behest, be it wisd”om folly 1] Beloved, ( Hu sdent . I give the”e J! Beloved, take in return I i n this ring . !!Then they k ssed each other o the i r . O in the lips llNow g , leaving the lovers in on t o hermitage, had travelled his crutch Saint ’ Michael s Mount , and there he bought vair , i of squirrel fur, and ermine , s lken stuffs purple and scarlet, a shift whiter than lilies, and a palfrey

i . capar soned with gold, which ambled gently 1 22 THE FORD PERILOUS Folk laughed to see him spend the coins he had laid up for s o many years on these strange and sumptuous purchases ; but the old man loaded the t hor“se with the rich stuffs and returned o Iseult . fl] Queen, your garments are in rags ; accept these gifts, that you may be more beautiful the day you go to the Ford Perilous ; I fear they may mislike you ; I ha”ve little Skill in the choice of such adornments . fl] Meanwhile, the King caused it to be proclaimed throughout Cornwall that in the Space of three days he would make P r peace with the Queen at the Ford e ilous . Knights and ladies came in crowds to the assembly all desired to see Iseult the Queen again, and all

who . loved her, save the three felons still lived ( one II But of these three , was to perish by the r sword, another pierced by an ar ow, and the third r t o Perinis by d owning ; as the forester, the Frank ,

Fair r haired the , was to kill him with his cudgel in

. was the forest Thus God, who hates all excess, l t o n heir avenge the lovers o t enemies . (I!On the day appointed , the meadow beyond the Ford P r e ilous gleamed from afar, resplendent with the of rich tents the barons . In the forest , Tristram of rode with Iseult , and for fear an ambush, he had donned his hauberk beneath his rags . Suddenly, e they em rged from the forest, and saw King Mark ( in the distance among his barons . I! Beloved, 1 23 TR“ISTRAM AND ISEULT said Tristram , here is the King thy lord, with his knights and vassals . They are coming towards u s ; in a moment we shall not be able to speak together any more . By the mighty and glorious God : I adjure the”e if e“ver I send thee a message , hid I do as I thee . JI Tristram, my beloved, as soon as I shall have seen the jasper ring neither tower nor wall no”r fortr“ess shall hinder me from doing thy behest . fl] Iseult, may God reward thee ! fl] Their horses were pacing side by side he drew her ”to him and pressed her in his arms . 1 “ “ ] Beloved, said Iseult , hear my last prayer . Thou art about to quit this country ; wait at least a few days ; hide thyself until thou hearest how the

King uses me , whether in kindness or in anger . I am alone who will protect me against the felons P

I am afraid . Orri the forester will give thee secret shelter creep in the night to the ruined cell . I will send Pe rinis t o tell thee if none deal harshly with

. ( . me fl Beloved, none would dare I will stay de it in hiding with Orri ; and if any use thee S p e”:

one . fully, let him fear me as he would the evil I]!The two companies had now drawn close enough together t o exchange greetings . The King rode forward boldly a bow’s shot before his

of . followers , with Dinas Lidan ] When the Q ’ barons had rejoined him, Tristram , leading Iseult s palfrey by the bridle , saluted the King and said 1 24

EFO RE long Denoa a Andret Gon len, , and doine thought them e selves safe : doubtless Tristram was drag ; ging out his life

beyond the seas, in a land too distant to

reach them . Hence ne o day in the chase ,

~ when the King, lis of tening to the barking his pack, had reined in of his horse in the midst a clearing, the three rode

u s . up to him Q! King, hearken to Thou didst was condemn the Queen without trial, and this evil ; but now thou hast absolved her without ? she trial , and is not this also evil Never has of i justified herself, and the barons thy k ngdom blame you both therefor . Counsel her that she he should herself demand the judgment of God . If s n on be in ocent, why should she fear to swear the bones of the saints that she has never sinned P or to lay hold of a redr hot iron P Thus hath custom ordained, and this Simple”ordeal will suffice to drive u t o all former su“spicions . I]!But Mark answered : I ou of wrathfully ] May God destroy y , lords ! Cornwall, who seek continually to shame me I f r have driven away my nephew o you . What 1 31 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT would you more P That I should drive the Queen away t o Ireland P What new cause of complaint ou P have y As for your former griefs, did not Tristram offer himself to defend her P He presented himself as her champion before you all ; why then did you not take lance and buckler against him P My lords, you have exceeded your rights . Tremble”, lest I recall the man I sent away at your desire . fl] Then the cowards feared greatly ; they seemed t see o Tristram returnin“g, and draining the blood s . from their bodie fl] Sire , we give you loyal counsel for your honour, as beseems your vassals but henceforth we will be Silen”t . Forget your u s . I wrath , and leave in “peace ] But Mark rose in his stirrups : fl] Begone from my king , dom ! , felons There is no further peace between out r me and you . For you”I dro“ve Trist am ; ! I o ! begone, in your turn ]! Be it s , Sire Our castles are strong, we”ll fenced with piles, on rocky heights hard to scale . (HAnd they turned ’ I e their horses heads without saluting him . ]!Wait nor ing neither for hounds huntsmen , Mark spurred his horse to Tintagel, and mounted the stair into the great hall . The Queen heard his hasty steps n resounding o the stone flags . She rose and a s came to meet him was her wont, took his sword r from him, and bowed to his feet . Ma k held her by the hands and raised her, and Iseult, looking up 1 32

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT The ordeal is slight to one who is conscious of innocence . What would it cost her P God is the true judge ; He would abolish the old doubts for ever . But enough of these things . I have banished them, as I told you . Iseult trembled ; she

. S looked at the King ire, order them t”o return to thy court . I will justify myself by oath . ” I When P ] On the tenth day from “this . . ( The time is very Short, beloved I! It is all too long . But I require that meantime you his request King Arthur to ride with lords Gawain, Girflet the one of , Sir Kay seneschal, and hundred of his knights to the marches your kingdom, to the P on of White lain, the banks the river that divides your territories . I will make my vow there before not f r them, and before your barons only ; o when

I Shall have sworn, your barons will require you ou r to impose some new ordeal, and torments will have no end . But they will not dare, if Arthur t and his knigh s attest the judgment . fl] While the ’ heralds, King Mark s messengers, were hastening

C ard el de a to u to King Arthur, Iseult secretly

atched Perinis Fair a haired sp her servant the , the ( Perini to . s Faithful , Tristram J! ran through the woods, avoiding the beaten paths, till he reached b ut the of Orri the forester, where Tristram had e Perinis await d him for many days past . told him h new of the things that had appened, of the malice, 1 34 THE ORDEAL BY REDf HOT IRON of the date the ordeal, the appointed hour and

. of u t n place (I! Sir, my lady requires yo o be o P ’ the White lain on the appointed day, in a pilgrim s s o gown, skilfully disguised that none may recognise

. T o lace of m you, and unarmed reach the p judg ent, she will have t o cross the river in a boat ; you are on to await her the Opposite shore, where King ’ Arthur s knights will be gathered . Doubtless you will then be able to help her . My lady dreads the s s hm tr ts t o day of the ordeal ; nevertheles , us the who saved her from the hands of I R t o I] eturn the Queen , fair an”d Perinis gentle friend ; tell her I will obey her .

1 Perinis a 1] Now, gentles, as returned towards Tin tagel, he perceived in a thicket the same forester who had formerly surprised the sleeping lovers and denounced them to the King . One day when he f hi was drunk he had boasted o s treachery. This man had dug a deep pit in the earth, which he had covered skilfully with branches, to snare wolves ’ and boars . He saw the Queen s servant bounding

t o . Perinis towards him, and tried fly But “pressed him back to the e dge of the pit : I]! Spy who be trayed the Queen, why wouldst thou fly P Sta”y here by the grave thou hast digged for thyself ! His cudgel hummed in the air as he whirled it

round . Cudgel and skull cracked at the same

Perinis Fair a haired moment , and the , the Faithful, 1 35 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

Spurned the corpse with his foot into the pit . ( J!On the day appointed for the ordeal, Mark, of Iseult, and the barons Cornwall rode to the P White lain, and came in Splendid array to the ’ on brink of the river ; Arthur s knights, grouped the opposite bank, saluted them with their brilliant ( n a banners . J!Before them o the bank s t a poor was pilgrim, wrapped in his mantle, which hung with scallop Shells ; he held out his wooden bowl and craved alms in sharp complaining tones . ( I!The Cornish boats came over, rowed by oarsmen .

When they drew near the bank, Iseult said to the : knights about her I]! My lords, how shall I reach the land without soiling my long robes in the mud . A ferryman must come and help ( me . j One of the knights hailed the pilgrim ( “ I! Friend, gird up thy mantle, come down into the water and carry the Queen, if indeed, broke”n as . t“hou art , thou dost not fear to fall by the way (I! The man took the Queen in his arms . She : ! whispered in his ear Beloved and then, more

softly still : Fall upon the sand . (I!When he

reached the bank, he stumbled and fell, holding the

Queen closely in his arms . Then the squires and

boat r hooks mariners, seizing oars and , p”ursued the poor wretc“h . fl] Leave him in peace, said the Queen ; no doubt his long pilgrimage has I weakened him . ]!And unfastening a golden 1 36

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT plunged her bare arms into the red coals, seized the of r bar iron, walked nine paces car ying it , then, ou t on dropping it, stretched her arms either side, the palms Open . And every one saw that the

a r e flesh was as whole as the plu ms on a plu m t e . fl] Then a great cry of praise to God every throat .

1 38 S h e r h o u t h e r a r o n e zth e r s zd e th e a n. st etc ed ms , p lms ope P a g e 1 38

’ XIII . THE NIGHTINGALE S SONG Tristan defors e chante e gient Cum mssinol que p rent congé ' D e fin d es té 0 d grand pité LE DOMNEI DB AMANZ

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT of had waited yore for his beloved . The night r was clear and b illiant . At a turn of the road he s aw the sturdy trunk of the great pine—tree rising sk against the clear y not far from the fence . 1 b ] Dear master, wait fo”r me in the wood hard y I will be back presently . (H Where goest thou P

Madman, wilt thou never cease to court death P Q] But Tristram had already cleared the fence at a

t o ine a tree bound . He came the great p , near the

marble balustrade . What would it avail him now to throw welle fashioned chips into the fountain ? Iseult would come no more ! With soft and supple footsteps he ventured to approach the castle by the

path the Queen had traversed in former days . q In her chamber Iseult lay awake in the arms of

the sleeping King . Suddenly, through the open casement where the moonbeams played came the f voice o a nightingale . fl] Iseult listened to the melodiou s sounds that came to add enchantment She s o to the night ; rose sadly, sadly that she

; would have touched the cruellest, the most murder

ous heart . The Queen thought Whence comes this melody P Suddenly She understood : Ah !

it is Tristram . Thus was he wont to charm me in

i e the forest of Moro s by imitating s ong birds . He is Ho is going and this his last farewell . w he laments ! Like to the nightingale when he takes

his . leave at the close of summer, in great sadness 1 42 Unde r th e tr ees h e pr esse d h e r to h as h ea r t wzth o u t a wo r d P a ge 1 43

THE NIGHTINGALE’S SONG a Beloved, never shall I listen to thy voice gain . Q] The mel ody thrilled yet more ardently through ( “ ! the night . 1! Ah what wouldst thou P That O rin I should come to thee P No, remember g the

hermit, and the vows we made . Cease , death lies r in wait for us . What do I eck of death ! Thou 4 callest me , I come , I come ] She disengaged herself from the King’s arms and threw a mantle

lined with squirrel upon her almost naked body . to She had cross the neighbouring hall, where ten knights kept watch by turns ; the while five of

them slept, five others stood armed by doors and

casements . But it chanced that they were all

asleep , five upon beds and five upon the floor .

Iseult stepped over the Scattered bodies, and lifted of the bar the door ; the ring clanked, but none of the sleepers wakened . She crossed the threshold and the song ceased . fl] Under the trees he pressed her t o his heart without a word ; their arms wound ’ closely about each other s bodies, they clasped each other as if they had been bound together by cords until daybreak . In Spite of King and guards, the f lovers taste o joy and love . fl] This night had r bewitched the love s and in the days that followed, as the King had left Tintagel to hold his court of judgment at Saint Lubin, Tristram, who had ’ i returned to Orri s hut, ventured every morn ng, in broad daylight , to creep through the orchard to the I 43 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ’

b r . S u women s cham e s (HA serf rprised him, and u r Denoalen Gond in went in search of A d et, , and o e . ( j My lords , the beast you tho”ught “you ha”d dislodged has c”ome back t o his lair . Q] Who ? ( Tristram . ll When didst thou see him P

r ~ This morning, I ma ked him well . And to morrow morning you too may see him come at one dawn, his Sword girt round him, a“bow in two . 1 S hall hand, arrows in the other 1] Where we s ee him P fl] By a certain window which I t o ou know . But“if I Show it y what will you give me P Q!“A gold mark and you will be “a rich churl . fl] Then listen, said the serf . One ’ can s ee into the Queen s chamber by a narrow

window which commands it, for it is pierced very

high in the wall . But a great curtain hung across

T a m rr the room masks the Opening . O o owmorning of let one you come boldly into the orchard, cut a long thorn Shoot and Sharpen the end ; let him r then climb up to the window, and th ust the shoot like a spit into the stuff of the curtain ; he will ble t then be a o draw it a little aside, and you shall n t give my body to be burnt, my lords, if you do o” ou See what I have told y behind the curtain . ( Andret Gondoine Denoalen fl , , and debated which among them Should first enjoy this Spectacle, and Gond ine finally they agreed to yield it to o . They parted, to meet again the next morning at dawn . 1 44

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT rejoice the heart of his beloved . Alas, he thought, ‘ what has become of Gondoine P He has escaped ! Would I had been able to pay him in the same ! coin fl] He wiped his sword, put it back into the sheath , dragged the trunk of a tree over the body, and went his way to his beloved, his head Shrouded ‘ Gondoine in his hood . fl] had arrived before him at the castle of Tintagel ; he had already climbed up to the high window, thrust his thorn stick into the curtain and drawn aside two widths of the stuff ; he looked into the freshly strown chamber . At first he could s ee no one but Perinis ; then he perceived Bra waine g , still holding in her hand the comb with ’ which she had just combed Iseult s golden hair . e But presently Iseult ntered and then Tristram .

In one hand he still carried his bow and two arrows, of in the other two long locks hair . fl] He b dropped his cloak and his fair ody appeared .

Iseult the Fair bowed herself to greet him, and as

Sh e rose, lifting her head towards him, She s aw ‘ ’ Gondoine s on the S hadow of head the hanging . Tristram said to her : 11] Seest thou these fine ’ Den l n tresses P They are oa e s . I have avenged thee on him . Never“again will he buy or sell shield or lance . Q] It is well , my lord ; but bend this bow”, I pray you ; I wish to see if it is easy to draw . !I!So Tristram bent the bow, surprised and scarcely understanding . Then Iseult 1 46 THE NIGHTINGALE’S SONG of took one the two arrows , strung it , looked to make sure that “the cord was stout, and said low and swift : (J! I see som”ething that displeases 1 me . Aim well, Tristram . ] He stood ready, on raised his head, and high up the curtain he saw ‘ ” of Gondoine . the shadow May God, said he, guide my Shaft Then he turned t o the wall and shot . The long arrow whistled through the air ’ or ll swifter than merlin swa ow, pierced the traitor s his eye, passed through brain as through the flesh of an apple, and stopped quivering against the ‘ Gondoine Skull . Without a cry, dropped and fell n o “a stake . fl] Then said Iseult to Tristram (1! Fly now, beloved . Thou seest, the felons

. Andret know thy refuge still lives , he will report it t o the King ; thou art no longer safe in the ’ Perini forester s hut . Fly, beloved, s the Faithful Shall hide this body in the forest s o well that the f King shall never hear any tidings o it . But fle”e from this country for thy safety and for mine ! Tristram said How can I live without thee P v Yes, beloved , our li es are bound and woven

r thee P togethe . I , too, how can I live without My“body remains here , my heart goes with thee . ( n fl Iseult , beloved, I go , I k ow not to what country . But if ever thou seest again the green jasper ring, wilt thou do my behest P Q] Yes, thou knowest I will when I see again the green 147 no e jasper ring, tower, no fortress, no royal com mand will prevent me from doing my beloved’s ” ( will, be it wisdom or folly . J! Beloved , may the Go”d born at Bethlehem bless the”e for words . Beloved, God keep thee .

1 48

‘ Ne membre vas, ma belle amt

LA FOLI E T RIS TAN R I S T R A M took

refuge in Wales , on the domain of the n ble lain o Duke Gi .

The Duke wasyoung,

puissant , and debo nair ; he received him as a welcome guest ; sparing no pains to do him honour and give him joy ; but neither adv entures nor festivals could appease Tris a ’ tram s anguish . fl] One day, when he was sitting by the young Duke , his heart was so full of grief that he sighed unconsciously . Then the Duke, to ease his pain, ordered his favourite pastime one to be brought to his private chamber, which charmed his eyes and his heart by magic power

of . in hours sadness On a table, covered with of a rich cloth purple, his servants placed his

P e i e r dog t t C fi. It was an enchanted dog ; it r I sle of ; had came f om the Avalon a fairy sent ” l a it to him as a ove t oken . No words could t d nd Suffice o escribe its nature a its beauty . Its hair was tinted with shades s o marvellously dis ! posed that it was not possible to s ay of what colour it was at first its neck seemed whiter than snow, its croup greener than clover , one of its 1 51 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ' as as saffron its Sides red scarlet, the other yellow ,

as ro e e c l u red. belly blue lapis lazuli , its back s o o But when one looked longer all these colours

danced before the eyes and shifted, showing in

turn white , green, yellow, blue, purple, dark and

light . From a slender gold chain about his neck

hung a tiny gold bell , which tinkled with so gay, as clear, and sweet a sound that , he heard it , Tris ’ was his tram s heart soothed, and pain melted

away . He remembered no more all the miseries ’ he had suffered for the Queen s sake ; for this was the magic virtue of the little bell : the heart forgot

s o eal . all its griefs when it rang gaily, cl r y and

sweetly . Now while Tristram, moved by the

Spell, caressed the little enchanted animal which

took away his grief, and whose coat felt softer than

samite to the touch , he bethought him that it

would be a fair present for Iseult . But what could he do P Duke Gilain prized P etit e Crfi above all o things, and none could have btained the animal r ( from him either by entreaties o cunnin“g . 1!One : ( day Tristram said to the Duke 1! Sir, what would you give to one who should deliver your

land from the giant Urgan the Hairy, who extorts ou I wou ld heavy tributes from y P fl] Truly, let the victor choose among my treasures what he Should hold most precious”; but“no one would venture to attack the giant . (H These are mar e 1 52

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT goldsmith to make a kennel incrusted with gold and precious stones for the dog, and everywhere S he went she carried it with her in memory of her lover . And every time she looked at it, sorrow, ( anguish, and regret faded from her heart . HAt first She did not understand the marvel ; when she s o S he found it sweet to gaze at the little animal, thought it was because it came from Tristram ; it was, no doubt , the thought of her lover that soothed her pain thus . But one day S he understood that the it was an enchantment , and that it was t“inkling ! Of the little be“ll that charmed her heart . fl] Ah r she thought, is it well that I Should take comfo t while Tristram is wretched P He might have kept this enchanted dog and S O have forgotten all his grief . Of his courtesy he chose rather to send it to me, to give me his joy and take back his misery . But it is not well that it Should be so . Tristram”, beloved, I will suffer as long as thou sufferest . ( flShe took the magic bell , rang it for the last ea time, untied it gently, then threw it into the s from the Open window . S h e th e m a l c ra zt o r the a tzm e took g bell, ng f l st , h h r w t en t e zt znto th e s e a . P a g e 1 54

XV . ISEULT OF THE WHITE HAND I re de femme est a Juter ’ Mot s en deft bien chasmns garder ’ ’ Cam oe leger cotent [ear amar De leger revient lar haiir THOMAS THE RHYMER

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

am weary and exhausted . What do all these adven e

tures avail me P My lady is far from me, never . F r Shall I s ee her more . o two whole years She has

not sent in search of me . I have had no word

from her . At Tintagel the King serves and ’ she f . honours her ; lives joy ully Certes, the dog s enchanted bell has done its work ! She has for e

gotten me , and little does she reck Of the joys and of She of griefs yore, little does reck the wretch who wanders in this desolate land . Should I not in my turn forget her who has forgotten me P Shall I never find one to heal my woe P fl] For two days Tristram and Gorvenal passed through fields and or villages without seeing a man, a cock, a dog .

On the third day at none, they approached a hill ’ on which was an Old chapel, and hard by, a hermit s

. was cell The hermit clad, not in a woven garment, but in a goatskin, with woollen rags upon his back . P rostrate upon the ground, his knees and elbows to bare , he implored Mary Magdalen inspire him with salutary prayers . He bade the travellers Gorvenal r welcome, and while stalled the ho ses, he disarmed Tristram and then brought forth foOd.

He Offered them no delicate meats , but barley bread kneaded with cinders and spring water . After the f ll n meal, as night was a i g and they s at round the

was . fire , Tristram”asked what this ruine“d country sir fl] Fair , replied the hermit , it is the land 158 ISEULT OF THE WHITE HAND r e Of B ittany, held by Duke Ho l . It was once a and fair land , rich in meadows ploughed fields, — mills , apple trees, and farms . But Count Riol of Nantes has laid it waste ; his foragers have set

fire to it on every S ide and carried Off spoil . His men have been enrich”ed for m“any a lon”g day ; such v r Of war . T riS is the “fo tune q] Brother , said tram, why did Count Riol thus shame your lord, '‘ “ Hoel P (U I will tell you, sir, the cause of the H l’ war . You must know that Riol is Duke oe s h as vassal . Now the Duke a daughter, fairest ’ among kings daughters, and Count Riol wished

to take her to wife . But her father refused to give her to a vassal, and Count Riol tried to carry he”r Off by force . Many have perishe“d in this quarrel . (llThen Tristram asked : (J! Can Duke Hoel still carry on the war P fl] Scarcely , my lord .

Nevertheless, his last fortress, Carhaix, still holds ou t t oo , for the walls are stout, and stout is the ’ of Hoél s s on Kaherdin heart Duke , , the good E W knight . But the enemy preSS S and “ “ l am/es S ”them ; they can hardly hold out much 1 longer . ] Tristram ask“ed how far it was to th”e Carha castle of ix w fl] Sir, but two miles .

e Se . (HThen th y parated and slept In the morning, after the hermit had sung matins and shared his r v barley b ead with them, Tristram took lea e of the

holy man and rode towards Carhaix . Q] When 1 59 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT a they stopped at the foot Of the walls , they saw band of men standing on the covered way and they H él asked for the Duke . o was among these men Kaherdin with his son . “He made himself known , : and Tristram said !I! I am Tristram, King of of Lyonnesse, and Mark, King Cornwall, is my

uncle . I have learnt, my lord, that your vassals u are doing yo”u wron“g, and I have come to offer yo . ! r my service fl] Alas Sir Tristram, go you

way and may God reward you . How can we P no receive you here We have no more victuals, ” corn“, nothing but be”ans and barley to l“ive on . Q] What matt er P said Tristram . I have on lived in a forest for two years , herbs and roots and venison, and know that this life pleased m”e well . Order your men to Open the gate for me . ( K aherdin : ( m ll Then said ll Receive him, y father, since he hath su”ch courage, and let him r share ou good and evil . (flThey received him Kaherdin his with great honour . showed guest

the stout walls and the main tower, well flanked with grated loopholes where the cross—bowmen

stood in ambush . From the battlements he showed him in the plain at a distance the tents and et W re banners s up by Count Riol . hen they of Kaherdin turned to the thre“shold the castle , said Now to Tristram fl] , fair friend, we will go u”p to the chamber where are my mother and my Sister . 160

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

harassed and killed his men , and never did they t re urn to Carhaix without some spoil . Hereupon, Tristram and Kaherdin began to bear faith and

affection one to another, so that they swore friend

Ship and brotherhood together . Never did they as break their bond, this story will Show you .

Now e q when they rode back from sallies , con

versing of chivalry and courtesy, Often would Kaherdin praise to his clear comrade his sister

Iseult of the White Hand, Iseult the fair, the

. h simple (11One morning, at daybreak , a watc his r n man came down in haste from “tower, and a : ou through the halls, crying Q] My lords, y have sle”pt too long . Rise, Riol advances to the assault . fl] Knights and citizens armed and ran to the walls ; in the plain they sawhelmets gleam e ' Of ing, pennons cendal fluttering, and all Riol s

host advancing in fair array . Duke Hoel and Kaherdin at once deployed their first company of

knights before the gates . When they came within of bowshot length each other, they Spurred their

horses, lances in rest, and the arrows fell upon

them like April rain . fl] But Tristram armed in

his turn, with those whom the watchman had

e . his his waken d last He laced hose, put on

c his close a fittin le a ieces his sur oat , g g p , and golden

Spurs he donned his hauberk, adjusted his helmet his he mounted, spurred horse into the plain, and 16 2 ISEULT OF THE WHITE HAND appeared, his buckler raised before his breast , ” ’ “ H l Shouting Carhaix . It was time ; oé s men fallin were already g back towards the outworks . Then was it fair to see the melee of fallen horses

and wounded vassals, the blows dealt by the

young knights , and the grass growing red beneath

their feet . In the forefront of the battle, Kaherdin

had halted proudly, seeing a hardy baron rise up

a gainst him, the brother of Count Riol . Both

were struck by the lowered lances . The Nantais Kaher in broke his without unhorsing d , whose ’ S surer thrust hattered his adversary s shield, and his carried the steel into side up to the Shaft . was Lifted from his saddle, the knight unseated

. his and fell (1!At the cry uttered by brother , Kah rdin Riol rushed with loose rein upon e . But

e . AS T riS Tristram barred the way they met, ’ ’ his a tram s lance was shivered in h nds, and Riol s , ’ directed against his adversary s horse , pierced its breast and laid it dead upon the field . Tristram” S : ( prang to h“is feet , sword in hand J! Coward, cried he , death to him who avoids the rider and kills th”e horse“. Thou Sha”lt not leave this l ! i field a ive fl] Thou liest , answered R ol, r ( S pu ring his charger against him . flBut Tristram his parried the attack, and lifting arm, brought his ’ sword down heavily on Riol s helmet, piercing the T he circlet and carrying away the nasal . blade 163 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ’ slipped from the knight s shoulder to the flank of the horse , who staggered and fell in his turn . Riol disengaged himself and rose t o his feet ; then

on e the two foot , with Shattered Shields, and hau berks unbuckled, defied and assailed each other ; finally, Tristram struck Riol upon the carbuncle

. and of his helmet The circlet gave way, the blow was S O shrewd that the count fell upon his”hands and knees . fl] Rise if thou canst , vassal, cried Tristram ; it was an evil chanc”e that brought thee t o this plain ; thou must die ! !I!Riol rose to his feet, but Tristram struck him down again with a blow which cleft the helmet, cut through the

. for coif, and left the Skull bare Riol begged mercy, asked for his life, and handed his sword to

Tristram . He took it just in time , for the Nantais ’ n t came up o every side o their lord s rescue . But ( he was already recreant . HRiol promised to go ’ to Hoél s Duke prison, to swear homage and fealty t o him once more, and to restore the towns and his villages he had ravaged . At command the b attle off. th ceased, and his host drew Q] When e Kaherdin t victors had returned to Carhaix , said o : 1 his father 1] Sir, call Tristram, and keep him with you ; there is no better knight O”n earth , and your land needs a baron of his prowess . q!Having Hoél f r taken counsel w“ith his men, Duke sent o : Tristram fl] Friend, I cannot show you too 164

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

and simple . He had broken faith with both . of q Meanwhile, Iseult the White Hand was as surprised to hear him sigh he lay beside her . she : At last spoke, ashamed fl] Dear lord, have ? I offended you in aught Why do you not give w me a single kiss P Tell me, that I may kno m”y ou fau“lt, and I will make y fair am“ends, if I can . 1 not ] Dear one, said Tristram, be angry,

vow. but I have made a In times past, in another was land, I fought a dragon, and I ready to perish , when I remembered the Mother of God ; I promised her that if she would of her courtesy deliver me from the dragon, I would, if ever I took a wife”, refr“ain for a w”hole year from her embraces . , I q“ Well then said seu”lt of the White Hand, l a I wil bear it s I may . (1!But when in the morning her maidens put On her the habit of

married women, she smiled sadly, thinking that She

had no right to this adornment .

166

La dame chante dalcement ’ Sa toot: accorde a l es trument

’ lr Les mains sont beles, lais bans Dulce [a p ot): et bas It tons T HOMAS T HE RHYMER

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

huntin e l d three rode in silence to the g o ge . There Kaherdin called Tristram to Speak with him and : ( said J! Sir Tristram, my sister has confessed the truth to me touching her marriage . I held you for my peer and comrade . But you have failed in

. ou your troth, and shamed my kindred If y do not

he nc e n make”amends to me, know that I def“y you . : 1 forth fl] Tristram answered ] Yes , I came among you to your misfortune . But know my misery, fair and gentle friend , my brother and comrade, and perchance thy heart will be softened n towards me . K ow that I have another Iseult , has the fairest among women, who suffered and still suffers many hard things for me . Certes , thy of Sister loves and honours me ; but for love me, the other Iseult treats even a dog that I gave her with greater honour than thy sister treats me .

Come ; leave the chase , and follow where I shall lead thee ; I will tell thee the grief of my life .

fl] Tristram turned his bridle and spurred his horse , i Kaherdin pressed forward in h s track . Without

to of . a word, they hastened the heart the forest Kaherdin There Tristram unfolded his whole life to . He told how he had drunk love and death upon the sea ; he told of the treachery of the barons and t o the dwarf, of how the Queen was led the pyre o and given Over to the lepers , he told Of their l ves in the wild forest ; how he had given her back to 170 T h e Queen s l u gs sweetly P a ge 1 71

KAHERDIN i K ng Mark, and how, having fled from her, he had of desired to love Iseult the White Hand, and how he knew now that henceforth he could neither live y n r 1 Kaherdin o die without the Queen . 1] held his t peace in amazement . He felt hat his anger”was of . he appeased in sp“ite himself fl] Friend, said at length , I hear marvellous words , and you have moved my heart to pity ; for you have suffered griefs from which may God protect us all ! Return to Carhaix on the th”ird day from this I will , if I can , tell you my mind . (I!In her chamber at Tintagel Iseult the fair sighs and calls on . Tristram She has no thought , no hope , no i will but to love him always . All her desire s to r she him, and for two yea s has heard nothing of i him . Where s he P in what land P is he even alive P [1] In her chamber Iseult the Fair sits and u a makes a sad love lay . She sings how G ron w s surprised and killed for love of the lady he loved e abov all things , and how by a stratagem the ’ Guron s his Count gave heart to wife to eat , and ( all her grief. HThe Queen Sings sweetly ; her voice is in harmony with the harp . The hands is that touch the strings are fair , the lay good, the

low . Now tone , and sweet the voice fl] presently c Kariado . ame , a rich count from a distant isle

‘ He had come to Tintagel to Offer his service to the 1 71 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ’ Queen , and many times Since Tristram s departure he had implored her love . But the Queen repuls ed his prayer and treated it as folly . He was a goodly knight, proud and arrogant and fair of ’ for speech, but he was fitter a lady s chamber than

e battle field. for a He found Iseult Singing her lay, : 1 and said, laughing 1] Lady, what a mournful

sad . DO song, as that of the osprey not men say that the Osprey sings to herald death P It is my death, no doubt”, that your lay f”oretells ; for I d“ie for love of you . Q] So be it , said Iseult . I am well pleased that my song foretells your death, for never do you come hither without some doleful i tidings . It s you who have always been the Osprey

ech a l f or the scre ow to Speak evil o Tristram . What evil news do you bring me tod ay P fl] Kariado s an wered fl] Queen , you are angry and I know not why ; but none save a fool would take your Speech amiss ! Whatever be the death which the

Osprey announces, here is the evil news that the

r a S c eech owl brings you . Tristram your friend is lost to you, Lady Iseult . He has taken a wife in another land . Henceforth you must look elsewhere , for he t despises your love . He has taken o wife with great

honour Iseult Of the White Hand, daughter of the

f . Kariad Duke o Brittany fl] o went out in wrath .

Iseult the Fair hung her head and began to weep . (I!On the third day Kaherdin called Tristram 1 72

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT without seeing them , for he was dozing in th”e saddle . Tristr“am recognised him . fl] Brother, said he softly, it is Dinas of Lidan himself . He sleeps . No doubt he is returning from his lady and he is still dreaming of her ; it would not be courteous to awake him, but follow me at a i distance . ] He came up with Dinas, took his horse gently by the bridle, and rode noiselessly beside him . At last the horse stumbled and

. saw awoke the sleeper He opened his“eyes, : ( Tristram, hesitated , then cried I! It is thou, ! it is thou, Tristram Blessed be the hour whe”n

e . I s e thee again I have waited long for it . ( ! J! Friend, God save”you “What news can you v give me of the Queen ? (I! Alas ! e il news . The King cherishes her and seeks to make her happy but since thine exile She languishes and weeps for ! r thee . Ah why hast thou returned to he P Wouldst thou seek her death and thine own once

P , on more Tristr”am hav“e pity ”the Queen, leave her in peace . fl] Friend, said Tristram, a grant me one guerdon ; hide me at Lidan, t ke s ee my message to he”r, and let me her once again , f r o the last time . Q] Dinas replied : I grieve for my lady, and I will not give her thy message unless I know that she is still dear to thee above

. ! sir she all other ladies fl] Ah , tell her is still dear to me above all other ladies, and it will be 1 74 M F K zng a rk a nd I seult th e a t r we r e se a ted a t c h ess P a g e 1 75

“ KAHERDIN truth . fl] Then foll”ow me, Tristram ; I will help thee in thy need . Q] So the seneschal Gorvenal sheltered Tristram at Lidan, with , and

Kaherdin and his Squire, and when Tristram had told him the adventures of his life from point to point Dinas set ou t for Tintagel to get news of ’ the court . He learnt that in three days time i and Queen Iseult, K ng Mark all his retinue, his T inta e t squires, and his huntsmen, would leave g l( o P visit the Castle of the White lain, where a great r hunt was to be held . Then Trist am gave the seneschal his green jasper ring and the message he was to take to the Queen .

1 75

' Bele amte sz es t de nus

Ne p as sans met, no je sans o us MARIE DE FRANCE NAS therefore re a r tu ned to Tintagel, mounted the steps and entered the great

r hall . King Ma k and Iseult the Fair were seated at chess under ’ th dai Dina l e s . S p ac e d himself onastoolnear

the Queen, as if to her watch play, and t o ou t twice , feigning point the chessmen, he put on his hand the board ; the second time, Iseult r n recognised the jasper ing o his finger . Then she ’ could play no more . She pushed Dinas arm Slightly in such fashion“that several Of the pieces . she fell into disorder fl] See , seneschal, said, you h”ave disturbed my game and I cannot go on r ! with it . Q] Ma k quitted the hall . Iseult with drew to her chamber , and sent for the seneschal . “ ' ( m messen er P ll “Friend, are you Tristra s g fl] Y”es, Queen , he is at Lidan, hidden in my S castle . (HI it t“rue that he hath taken a wife in ? . Brittany fl] Queen, it is true But he declares he has not betrayed you ; that he has n ever for ' a single day ceased to love you above all women ; that he will die unless he may see you

once more ; he implores you to grant him this , by 1 79 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT the promi”se you gave him the last time he spoke with you . Th Qu was Sil t for a tim Q] e een en e, of thinking the other Iseult . At last she made 1 Y s answer 1] e , the last time he Spoke with me I remember that I said : If ever I see the green w a jasper ring, neither to er nor fortress nor roy l command Shall hinder me from do”ing the will of m my beloved, be it folly or wisdo . fl] Queen, two days hence the court is to leave Tintagel and P go to the White lain . Tristram sends you word h that he will be idden on the road, in a thor”n n thicket . He begs you to have pity o him . fl] I have said : neither tower nor castle nor royal command sh”all hinder me from doing the of . will my beloved (II On the morrow, while all ’ t o Mark s court made ready leave Tintagel, Gorvenal Kaherdin Tristram and , and his squire donned their hauberks , took swords and shields, and set out by secret paths to the appointed place . Two roads led to the White Plain through the one t forest ; fair and well me alled , on which the

was r . procession to pass, the other stony and dese ted On this Tristram and Kaherdin posted their two squires ; they were to await them in this place, keeping their horses and their shields . They themselves crept through the bushes and hid in a thicket . On the road in front of this thicket Tristram laid a hazel branch entwined by a Spray 180

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT pinker than a rose her clear eyes Shine like stars in a fo”untain . (I! Now I s“ee her, it ”is the ! Kaherdin . ( ! Queen “said fl Oh, ”no said Bra waine the Tristram, it is g Faithful . fl] Then

the road grew bright suddenly, as if the sun had of pierced through the foliage the great trees, and

. Andret Iseult the Fair appeared Duke , whom

God confound, rode on her right . fl] At this moment songs of linnets and of larks burst from

the thicket, and Tristram put all his tenderness

into these melodies . The Queen understood her ’ ~ n lover s message . She noticed o the ground the She hazel branch entwined with honeysuckle, and thought in her heart Thus it is with us, b”eloved ! neither thee without me nor I without thee . She checked her palfrey, dismounted and went towards a hackney which carried a kennel adorned with on precious stones ; there, a rug of purple, lay the ’ do P etit e Crti g ; she took it in her arms , smoothed

it with her hand, caressed it with her ermine

mantle, and made much of it . Then, replacing it s in its shrine, she turned to the thicket and aid loudly fl] Birds of the wood who have charmed

me with your songs , I take you into my service . P While my lord Mark is riding to the White lain,

I shall sojourn in my Castle of Saint Lubin . Birds , follow thither in my train ; t o”e night I will reward

ou . y richly, like good minstrels fl] Tristram heard 1 82 DINAS OF LIDAN her words and rejoiced . But Au dret the felon r was al eady disquieted . He lifted the Queen again n into her saddle , and the train passed o . Q] Now “ you must hear of an evil chance . While the royal m - e a ssin t h a m k i cort ge was p g g, an r ed fight; “ m u b- “ ' Bleheri,appeared on the road where Gorvena afid ’ ’ Kaherdin s lordS h OrseS squire were guarding their ,

e afar . What do I see P he thought it is”Gor venal and the other must be Tristram himself . He spurred his horse towards them and cried, Tris tram ! But the two squires had already turned ’

fled. Bl heri their horses heads, and “ e galloped : ( ! after them, repeating fl T”ristram halt, in the name Of valour I conjure thee . (I!But “the squires Bleheri : ( turned not . Then cried fl Tristram”, hold, in the name of Iseult the Fair I conjure thee . fl] Thrice he conjured the fugitives in the name of

' Iseult the Fair, but in vain ; they disappeared and Bleheri one of only overtook their horses, which f he carried of a s his capture . He arrived at the Castle of Saint Lubin at the moment after the

Queen had entered there . And having found her : ( is alone, he said J Queen, Tristram in this on country . I saw him the deserted road that comes from Tintagel . He took flight . Thrice I called upon him to halt, conjuring him in the name f o Iseult the Fair ; but he had taken fright, and he 183 TRISTRAM”AND “ISEULT . sir dared not wait for me fl] Fair , what you s ay is folly and falsehood . How can Tristram be here P Why should he have fled from you P And would he not have halted if conjured in my name P saw fl] Nevertheless , lady, I him, and in proof

one of his . thereof I have taken horses Look, Bleher there it stands . fl] But i saw that Iseult as for w angered, and it grieved him, he loved her and Tristram . He left her, regretting that he had : Spoken . Then Iseult wept and said Woe is me I , have lived too long, Since I have seen the day when Tristram mocks and Shames me ! What of old enemy would he not have defied , when conjured by my name P He is brave ; if he fled f Bleheri be ore , if he deigned not to hold at the of his name lady, it must be that the other Iseult possesses him . Why did he come back P He has betrayed me, and he wishes further to shame me . Have I not already suffered enough for him P Let his t o of him go back then , ”shamed in turn , Iseult P erinis the White Hand . fl] Then she called Bleheri the Faithful, and told him the tidings had

. : ( brought She added H Friend, seek out Tristram on th e deserted highway that leads

from Tintagel to Saint Lubin . Tell him that al s o I will not s ute him, and that if he be bold as to dare approach me , I will have him driven Perinis et out by the guards and se rvants . (H s 184

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT r Tristram w apped himself in a great ragged cloak . He painted his face in places with vermilion and ‘ walnut juice, so that he resembled a wretch ‘ devoured by leprosy . He took in his hands a ’ ' wooden bowl for alms, and a leper s rattle . a of (I!Then he c me into the streets Saint Lubin, of and changing his voice, begged all comers , desiring only that he might but see the Queen . (HPresently she came forth from the castle ; Bra waine her g and her women accompanied , with guards and servants . She took the road that led to the church . The leper followed the servants, : soun“ded his rattle, and begged in dolorous tones fl] Queen, give me an alms ; you know not how needy I am . fl] Iseult recognised him by his fair body and his stature . She trembled, but deigned not to look at him . The leper implored her, and it was pitiful to hear him ; he dragged himself along the ground after her . dare fl] Queen, if I approach you, be n”ot angry v have mercy on me . I have deser ed it . Q] But the“Queen called her gua”rds and servants ( . 1! Drive away this beggar, she said (HThe ff servants drove him O and beat him . He resiste”d

: . them and cried fl] Queen , have pity d] Then Iseult laughed aloud . She was still laughing when she entered the church . When he heard her laughter, the leper went away . The 1 86 i Tr zs tra m d tsgu zs ed h mself a s a begga r . P a ge 1 86

DINAS OF LIDAN Queen advanced a few paces up the aisle of the church then her limbs failed her she fell to her on knees, her face the ground, her arms outstretched . fl] On that same day Tristram took leave of Dinas in such discomfiture that he seemed to have lost

et . his senses , and his ship s sail for Brittany fl] Alas ! very soon the Queen repented her ! When she heard from Dinas of Lidan that Tristram she t o had gone in such bitter sorrow, began think that P erinis had told her the truth ; that Tristram had not fled when conjured in her name to halt ; and that she had done him a great wro“ng in driving . ! she him away What thought, I drove you

ou . away, y , Tristram, my beloved Never will you know of my repentance, nor what a chastisement I will im”pose on myself as a small token of my ( e remorse . 11From that day forth, to punish her self for her error and her folly, Iseult the Fair wore a hair e shirt against her skin .

187

El befo re in la nostre mort RI S T RA M came

again to Brittany, to

Carhaix, to Duke ' ‘ Hoel, and his wife Iseult Of the White

e H and . All wel

comed him, but Iseult the Fair had driven him away ; nothing else was of moment

to him . Long he till one languished far from her, day he thought that he would see her again, even if she should once more cause him t o be shamefully beaten by her

guards and servants . Far from her, he knew that his death would be sure if lingering ; it were better f to die o a blow than to perish slowly day by day . He who lives always in pain is no better than a

dead man . Tristram desired death, he longed for it ; but he would have had the Queen know that he died for love of her ; he would die more p eace a ( fully if she could learn this . ll He left Carhaix one or without a word to any , either kinsfolk friends

or K aherdin cl . set ou t even , his ear comrade He poorly clad and on foot for none take note of the a poor begg rs who tramp along the high roads . ea ( He walked till he came to the s coast . J In the port a great merchant ship was making ready ; 191 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT the sailors were already bending the sails and for hau“ling up the anchor to make the Open sea u fl] God keep you, gentlemen , and may your voyage be prospe”rous . “Whither do you sail P (I! To . T o ! Tintagel Tintagel Ah , sirs, take me r with you . He emba ked . A favourable wind swelled the sails, the vessel flew over the waves . Five days and five nights she sailed straight for

Cornwall, and on the sixth day cast anchor in the port of Tintagel . fl] Above the port the castle sea well on rose over the , enclosed every side . one The only entrance was by iron door, and two a guards kept it day and night . How w s he to get in P Q] Tristram left the ship and sat down on

as er e b the shore . He learnt from a p s y that Mark was at the castle, and that he had just held a great court there . q] But where is the Queen P

Bra waine waitin r woman and“ g , her fair g P and saw Q] They too are at Tintagel, I them”

sad as . lately . Queen Iseult seemed is her wont of fl] At the name Iseult, Tristram sighed, and thought that neither valour nor cunning would help him to s ee his beloved again : for King Mark ( “ would kill him . ll But what matters it if he slay me P Iseult , should I not die for love Of thee P do And what I daily but die P And you, Iseult, if ou y knew me to be here, would you even deign to speak to your lover P would you not order me to 1 92

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT all Besancon to the Mount, priests, abbots, monks, and clerks were bidden to the nuptials ; and all , bearing staves and croziers, jump , play, and dance in the shade Of the great trees . But I left them to ’ come h”ither ; for I am to serve at the King“s table d ( : to ay . I!The porter said to him Enter

, s on of U ; then, my lord rgan the Hai”ry you are tall and hairy and like to your father . Q] When he entered the courtyard swinging his club, the grooms and servants c“rowded round him, chasing : ! him like a wolf (I! Look at the fool hi , hi , hi (11They threw stones at him and struck at him with their sticks ; but he defended himself, leaping and gambolling, and let them do their will ; on when he was attacked the left , he turned, and f dealt blows to the right . Q] In the midst o shouts and laughter, drawing the excited rabble after him, of he came to the threshold the great hall, where King Mark was seated beside the Queen under the i da s . He approached the door, slung the club s aw round his neck and entered . The King him and sa”id fl] This is a lusty fellow, let him come hither . q They brought him forward, the clu”b hanging from his neck . (fl Friend, be welcome . ( fl] Tristram replied in his feigned voice ll Sire, best and noblest of kings , I knew that your heart would melt with pity”at th“e sight of me . God sir . protect you, fair fl] Friend, what 194 TRISTRAM’S MADNESS

seekest thou here P q Iseult, whom I have s o greatly loved . I have a sister whom I You bring to you, the fair Brunhilda . are weary of the Queen , try this other . Let us make an exchange, I will give you my sister, grant m”e Iseult, I will take her and will serve you for love“. q The King laughed and said t o the fool : Q] If I give thee the Queen, what wilt thou do “with her P Whither wilt thou take her ? fl] Up sk above ; between the y and the clouds, in my fair house of glass . The sunbeams pass through it , the winds cannot shake it I will bring the Queen there to a crystal chamber decked with roses, al”l radiant in the morning when the sun strikes on it . The King and the barons said to eac”h other This is a good fool, skilled in speech . fl] He was“seated ”on a carpet g“azing tenderly at Iseult . Q] Friend, said Mark, what hope canst thou have that m”y lady“will take heed of a hideous fool S ; like thee P Q] ire , it is my right I have done much labour for her sake , and“it was because of her that I lost my wits . Q] Who art thou ( “ e then P J! I am Tristram, he who loved the s o Quee”n dearly, and who will love her till he dies . fl] At this name Iseult “sighed, changed : Begone ! what colour, and said angrily fl] ” r r . brought thee he e P Begone, w etched“fool Q] The fool noted her anger and said : (1! Queen 195 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT ou not Iseult, do y remember the day when pierced ’ M arhau s by poisoned blade, and bearing my harp across the seas, I was borne to your shores . Yo”u healed me . Have you“forgotten this, O Queen P : Q] Iseult replied fl] Get thee henc”e, fool ; thy follies please me not , nor dost thou . fl] Then the fool turned at once to the barons, and drove : them towards the door, crying fl] Madmen ! t o all , away Leave me alone hold co”unsel with Iseult ; for I came hither to love her . Q] The

. S , King laugh”ed, Iseult blushed fl] ire drive this fool away . (11But the fool replied in his strange

voice fl] Queen Iseult, do you not remember the great dragon I killed in your land P I hid his fell tongue in my hose , and seared by the venom, I

near the marsh . I was then a marvellous knight , and I was at the point of death when you s“uccoured : me . fl] Then Iseult answered fl] Silence ,

shamest . thou knighthood, for thou art a born fool

Cursed be the mariners who brought thee hither, f e instead o throwing thee into the s a . Q] The fool burst ou t laughing and continued fl] Queen ou Iseult , do y not remember the bath where you were about to kill me with my Own sword P and the story of the Golden Hair which appeased your wrath P and how I defended you against the

? ( . cowardly seneschal fl Silence, evil dreamer Why come you here to babble of your dreams P 196

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT e roes foxes with my falcons , har s with my merlins . t o And when I come back my protector, I can wield the club , and divide the faggots among the grooms, and tune my harp and sing, and love fair

welle cut queens, and throw chips into the brooks .

Truly, am not I a good minstrel P You have seen

r h to day ow I can wield my staff . And he laid about him with his club, crying Away, my lords of Cornwall ! Why do you linger here P Have you not eaten P are you not full P q!The

King, having thus diverted himself with the fool, Ordered his horse and his falcons and went ou t t”o

his . ( hunt with knights and squires J! Sire, “ P said Iseult, I am weary and sorrowful . ermit

me to go and rest in my chamber . I cannot listen

any longer to this folly . fl] She went pensive to on her chamber, seated her“self her bed and made . is great lamentation (I! Woe me, why was I

. Bra waine born P My heart is sore and heavy g , is s o dear sister, my life hard and bitter that I

. his would fain die There is a fool below, with of hair cut in the form a cross, who came hither in

an evil hour . This fool or minstrel is a wizard, for he knows all my life and my history from point to point ; he knows things that are known to none but you and me and Tristram this beggar

n ( e knows them by sorcery or enchantme t . llBrag waine answered : !I! May it not be Tristram 198 TRISTRAM’S MADNESS himself P Q] No, for Tristram is goodly and the noblest of knights ; but this man is hideous of G d and deformed . Cursed be he o ; cursed be the hour when he was born, and cursed the ship that bore him hither instead of drow”ning “him in f ea ( the deep waters ”o the Open s . “1! Calm Bra waine . You yourself, my lady, said g are too apt to curse and to excommunicate in these days . Where did you learn this trade P Perhaps this“man may be a messenger from Tristram ? Q] I think not so, I did not recognise him . But o to see g and find him, fa”ir friend, speak him, if ( Bra aine you recognise him . fl gw went to the hall where the fool had been left alone, seated on a bench . Tristram recognised her, dropped his : Bra waine Bra waine club and said fl] g , dear g , on ! I conjure you by God, have pity me Vile i fool, whence knowest thou my name P Fa r one, I have known it long . By my head which was Once fair, if reason no longer dwells in that head, u n t ou s yo are the cause . Was it o y who hould have guarded the philtre I drank upon the high seas P I drank in the great heat from a silver goblet, and ne . You o ; I handed it to Iseult ”alone kn“ew it”, fair ? r do you not remember fl] No , eplied Bra waine g , much troubled, and she hastened back ’ to Iseult s chamber . But the fool ran after her, “ ! crying, Have pity fl] He enters, sees Iseult, 199 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

bounds towards her with outstretched arms, eager she to clasp her to his breast but , ashamed, and of moist with a sweat anguish, draws back and she evades him . Seeing that shrank from his

touch , Tristram trembles with shame and anger, and draws back against the wall, near to t“he door , : and in his feigned voice he speaks fl] Truly, I have lived too long, Since I have seen the day t o when Iseult repulses me, does not deign love me , h ! accounts me vile . A Iseult , slowly forgets he

who loves well . Iseult, a fair and precious thing is an abundant spring that gushes ou t in a full clear stream ; when it dries up, i”t is worth nothing . So is it with a love that fails . (I!Iseult made ou dou bt I answer Q] Brother, I behold y , I , trem“ble , I know not, I do not recognise Tristram . (I! Queen Iseult, I am Tristram, he who loved DO you s o truly . you not remember the dwarf who strewed the flour between our beds and the how leap I made, and the blood flowed from my

wound P and the gift that I sent you, the dog Petit e Crfi with the magic bell ? Do you not remember the”pieces of wood I cut and threw in ? the stream fl] Iseult looked at him, sighed, and knew not what to do or s ay ; she saw that he knew everything, but thought it would be folly to confess that he was Tristram . Then Tristram said fl] My Queen and lady, I know that you 20 0

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

Speak in a feigned voice . fl] Beloved, how could s o t o you have been long recognise me, longer than the dog here P What matters the ring ? Do you not feel that it would have been sweeter to have been remembered at the recital of ou r past loves P What is the sound of my voice to thee P It is the so“und of my heart that th“ou shouldst hear . fl] Beloved, said Iseult , I heard it perchance sooner than thou thinkest but there are cunning eyes and ears around us . Should I have e follow d my desire like this dog, at the risk of causing thee to be taken and slain before mine eyes P I kept watch for thee and for me . Neither of the tale of our past lives, nor the sound thy voice, nor even this ring could prove aught, for they

f e r h e might be the evil devices o a wizard . N ve t e of less, I yield at the sight the ring, for did I not aw swear that when I s it again, even if I should perish, I would do thy commands, were they r or wisdom o folly . Wisdom folly, here am I

. 1 on take me, Tristram 1] She fell swooning her ’ t o lover s breast . When she came herself,

Tristram held her in his arms , and kissed her

eyes and her face . He passed with her behind

the curtain . In his arms he clasped the SA] Q] T he varlets kept the fool for their amusement on . the steps of the hall, like a dog in a kennel 20 2 TRISTRAM’S MADNESS

He bore their jests and blows patiently, for some own times, restored to his shape and comeliness, he ’ passed from his lair to the Queen s chamber . ( 1!But when some days had passed, two of the

er in a maid s v g s suspected the fraud . They warned Andret , who placed three spies well armed at the ’ of door the women s chambers . When Tristram

would have entered they cried Back, fool, f return to thy bundle o straw . What ! fair n t gentlemen, said the fool, must I o go this evening to embrace the Queen P Knowyou not that she loves me P q Tristram brandished his

club . They were afraid, and let him enter . He took Iseult in his arms fl] Beloved, I must fly, for soon I shall be discovered . I must fly, and

doubtless I shall never return here more . But my dea”th is nigh without thee I shall die of my desire . (I! Beloved, close thine arms, and clasp me so closely that our hearts may break in this

embrace and our souls may go hence . Take me to the Fortunate Land of which thou t oldst me of

yore the land whence none return , where skilful minstre”ls sing “songs that have no end . Take me a thither . fl] Yes, I will take thee to the For tunat e Land of the Living . The time is at hand have We not tasted all misery and all joy P The

time is at hand . When it is accomplished, if I call - ( “ thee, Iseult, wilt thou come P fl Beloved, call 20 3 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT)

! . me Thou knowest I will come fl] Beloved, may God reward thee P (J!When he passed the threshold, the Spies fell upon him . But the“fool : laughed aloud, swung his club and cried Q] You

. T o drive me away, fair sirs what end P I have naught to do here henceforth, for my lady has sent t o e me prepare the bright house I promis d her, the crystal house decked with roses, and rad”iant in“the n morning when the s u shines thr”ough it . JJ] Be off then, fool, and curses on thee . Q] The servants and made way, the fool, without haste, went

dancing .

20 4

DANTE FTER hehadreturned to Carhaix inBritt any

it fell out that Tris a tram fought against a baron named Be e dalis on behalf of his

cl a earcomrade, Kaher

din . He fell into an ambush prepared by B e d a l i s an d h i s

brothers . Tristram r killed the seven b others , but he himself was wounded with a lance, and the lance was poisoned . (flHe came back with great difficulty to the Castle of Carhaix, and caused his wounds to be dressed .

The doctors came in great numbers, but none could cure the poison, for they did not even discover ou t it . They used no plasters to draw the poison it was in vain that they beat and ground their roots , gathered their herbs and compounded potions .

Tristram grew worse, the poison Spread through his body, he became livid, and his bones began to

S how through his skin . (I!He felt his life ebbing away, he knew that he must die . Then he longed to see Iseult the Fair . But how could he go to her ? H e was s o weak that the s ea would have killed him, and even could he have got to Cornwall , how would he have escaped his enemies there ? 20 7 He made lament, the poison worked in his body, f he waited or death . fl] He sent secretly for Kaherdin to tell him his grief, for they loved each other with a loyal love . He would have no one Kaherdin in his chamber but , and would not even one suffer any in the adjoining rooms . His wife

Iseult marvelled in her heart at this strange fancy . She came Outside and leant against the wall that ’ was behind Tristram s bed . There She listened ; one of her most faithful attendants watched ou t side that none might surprise her . fl] Tristram , gathering all his strength, sat up , leaning against aherdin h the wall . K sat beside him, and bot

. t e wept, tenderly They wept for heir good com r adeship, so soon broken, their great friendship and their love ; and each l”amented for the “other . fl] Fair and gentle friend, said Tristram, I am in a strange land, where I have no kinsman and no friend save you ; you alone have offered me joy and solace in this land . I am dying, and I desire greatly to see Iseult the Fair . But how, by what device can I let her know my necessity P Ah ! if I had a messenger who would go to her she would cl Kaherdin come, so early does she love me . , dear comrade , by our friendship , by your noble r ou r hea t, by comradeship, I implore you ; essay this adventure for me, and if you take my message , I will be your liegeman and I will love you above 20 8

AND I SEULT / J TRISTRAM i g ,

days and bring back Iseult the Fair . or your departure from your Sister, tell her you are going in search of a leech . Take my ship , and take with you two sails, one white the other black . If you bring back Iseult

Queen, hoist the white sail when you return ; if you bring her not , journey with the black

s a . Friend, I have no more to y May God you and bring you back safe and sound . Kaherdin sighed, wept and lamented, and we also , kissed Tristram, and departed . g] He p to sea with the first wind . The mariners hauled up the anchors , bent their sails, flew before a light wind, and their prow cut through the high deep waves . They took rich merchandise with them ; silken cloths dyed with rare colours, fine

P e pottery from Tours , wines from oitou, ger Kaherdin falcons from Spain , and by this device

hoped to get access t o Iseult . Eight days and

eight nights they breasted the waves , and came ( ’ with full sail to Cornwall . HA woman s wrath

is a terrible thing, let each man beware of

it . There, where she has loved best , will a

woman avenge herself most cruelly . The love of women comes swiftly, and swiftly comes their

hate ; their enmity, once it has come, lasts longer

than their friendship . They can restrain their love,

. w but not their hate Standing against the all, 2 10 DEATH OF TRISTRAM AND ISEULT I seult of the White Hand had heard every word . She had loved Tristram so dearly ! and at last f She knew o his love for another . She remembered

all she had heard . If she should be able , how will she be avenged some day upon him she loves best ! in the world Nevertheless, she dissembled, and when the doors were Opened again she entered ’ Tristram s chamber, and hiding her wrath, she continued to serve and cherish him in loving fashion . She spoke to him gently, kissed him on Kaherdin the lips, and asked if would soon come

back with the leech to cure him . But all the Kaherdin time she pondered her vengeance . fl] held on his course till he dropped anchor in the

port of Tintagel . He took a large falcon on his

wrist , a cloth of rare colour, and a finely chased

goblet . He presented these to King Mark, and begged him courteously for safeguard and peace , that he might traffic in his domain without fear of n chamberlai or Viscount . And the King granted

him his request before all the men of his palace . 11] Then Kaherdin offered th”e Queen a “golden clasp n finely chased . fl] Quee , said he , the gold is ” ’ good ; and drawing Tristram s ring “from his finger, he placed it beside the jewel . Behold, Queen, the gold of the clasp is”richer, yet the gold of this ring is also of price . Q] When Iseult recognised the jasper ring her heart beat and her 2 1 1 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT colour changed, and fearing what she was about t she Kaherdin hear, drew aside to a casement; as

to . Kaherdi to see better, and bargain for the ring : said quickly (I! Lady, Tristram lies by a poisoned blade , and he is nigh unto de He sends you word that you alone can b comfort t o him . He reminds you of the grief and pains you suffered together . Keep the ring, he sen“ds it t o you . Q] Iseult answered faintly ou . fl] Friend, I will follow y Let your ship be

e m rro ready to sail t O o w morning . fl] On the morrow in the morning, the Queen said she would go hawking, and ordered her birds and dogs to be

ot . Andret g ready But Duke , who watched her continually, went with her . When they were in

s ea e shore the fields, not far from the , a pheasant

. Andret of rose loosed a falcon in pursuit it, but the weather was clear and fine , the falcon”took Andret flight and disappeared . q See, Sir , said has the Queen , the falcon perched over there in the

on of . is port , the mast a ship I know not “Whose Andret this vessel P (fl Lady, said , it is the Ship of that merchant from Brittany who gave you the golden ”clasp yesterday . Let us go and claim ( Kaherdin our falcon . fl had placed a plank like a footbridge from his sh“ip to the shore . He came t o . to meet the Queen (I! Lady, may it please you

enter my ship, and I will Show you my rich 2 1 2

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT she colour changed, and fearing what was about to Kaherdin i hear , she drew aside to a casement, as f

and to . Kaherdin to see better, bargain for the ring : said quickly (I! Lady, Tristram lies wounded by a poisoned blade , and he is nigh unto death . He sends you word that you alone can bring f comfort t o him . He reminds you o the grief and pains you suffered together . Keep the ring, he sen“ds it t o you . Q] Iseult answered faintly ou . fl] Friend, I will follow y Let your Ship be

e m rr ready t o sail t O o ow morning . (II On the he morrow in the morning, the Queen said s would go hawking, and ordered her birds and dogs to be

ot . Andret who g ready But Duke , watched her

continually, went with her . When they were in

s ea e shore the fields, not far from the , a pheasant

. Andret of rose loosed a falcon in pursuit it, but was the weather clear and fine , the falcon”took

. Andret flight and disappeared fl] See, Sir , said

the Queen, the falcon has perched over there in the

on . port , the mast of a ship I know not “Whose is u ~ this vessel P fl] Lady, said A dret, it is the ship of that merchant from Brittany who gave you the golden ”clasp yesterday . Let us go and claim Kaher our falcon . fl] din had placed a plank like

a footbridge from his ship to the Shore . He came

t o . ( meet the Queen J! Lady, may it please you to enter my ship, and I will Show you my rich 21 2 DEA O S AM AND SE TH F T“RI TR ”I ULT merchandise . (HWillingly, sir, said the Queen . 1 1] She dismounted , went straight to the plank . crossed it, and entered the ship . Andret was about s et on to follow her, and foot the plank ; but Kaherdin , standing on the bulwark, struck at him with an oar ; Andret staggered and fell into the r sea . He t ied to recover himself ; but Kah“erdin : beat him down under the water, crying fl] Die, traitor ! This is thy reward for all the evil tho”u r hast brought upon Trist am and Queen Iseult . (1!Thus God avenged the lovers on the felons who

. : Gu enelon had hated them All four were dead , ‘

Gondoine Denoalen Andret . , , and Q] The anchor was weighed, the mast set, the sail bent . The fresh breeze of morning rustled in the rigging and

. of swelled the sails Out the port, towards the

Open sea, all white and luminous in the distance

n . u der the sunbeams , darted the vessel fl] At r Ca haix Tristram languished . He yearned for

of . the coming Iseult Nothing comforted him, and if he still lived it was because he waited for her . Every day he sent to the shore to see if the f vessel were in sight, and o what colour was her P sail ; his heart had no other desires . resently he caused himself to be carried upon the cliff at

Penmarch, and as long as the sun showed above 1 ou t r . the horizon, he looked seawa ds ] Now hearken, gentles, to a dolorous adventure, pitiable 2 1 3 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT to all who love . Iseult was drawing near ; the cliffs of Penmarch were already seen from the r vessel, and she bounded fo ward joyously . Then

st orm a wind a rose suddenly, struck the sail full, and swept the vessel round . The marine rs to r ran the luff, and went about against thei will . The wind howled, the deep waves surged round them, the air was thick and dark, the sea

grew black, the rain burst over them in squalls .

Rigging and bowlines cracked, the sailors hauled in the sail and drifted at the will of wind and water . They had unhappily forgotten to hoist up the boat that was made fast to the poop, and followed in v the wake of the vessel . A wave broke o er it and“carried it away . (I! Iseult cried aloud fl] Alas ! woe is me ! God will not permit me to live long enough to see Tristram o nce again ; it is His will that I should be drowned in this sea .

Tristram, had I but once more spoken with thee , I would have cared little that I should die thereafter . God Beloved , if I come not to thee, it is because wills . it so, and this is the greatest of my griefs

My death is nothing to me ; since God desires it , learnes t I accept it ; but beloved, when thou th thou wilt die, I know . Our love is such that

canst not die without me, nor I without thee . see thy death before me at the same time as

own . ! Alas beloved, my desire is not to 2 1 4

TRISTRAM AND ISEULT t o of P watch from the cliffs enmarch , and all the long r days he lay in his chamber far f om the shore, he wept for Iseult who came not . Faint and weary, he sighed, lamented, and tossed on his couch he seemed like to die of his yearning. fl] At last the wind freshened, and the white sail appeared . of W Then Iseult the hite Hand avenged herself . ’ q S he came to Tristram s bedside and said Kaherdin Beloved, comes . I have seen his ship on the s ea ; it is making slowly for the shore”; but I recognised it ; may it bring you healing . q Tristram trembled . Fair wife , are you sur”e it i“s his ship P Tell me what like is the sail ? s aw a o q I it well, they h ve h isted it high and Spread”it wide , for there is little wind . It is all black . (I!Then“Tristram turned his face”to the : r wall and said “ I can live n”o longe . He repeated thrice Iseult, beloved , and the fourth

time he gave up the ghost . fl] Then throughout ’ the house the knights , Tristram s comrades , wept r and bewailed him . They took him f om his bed, on laid him a rich carpet, and wrapped his body

in n e e in a w di g she t . q On the sea the wind had

risen and filled the sail . It bore the ship to land .

Iseult the Fair disembarked . She heard wailing in

the streets , and bells tolling from chapels and monas erie t s . She asked the country people the meaning 2 16 DEATH OF TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

of these bells and tears . fl] An old man answered : 1 r r her 1] Lady, we are in g eat grief, T istram,

the free and valiant knight , is dead . He was

generous to the poor , helpful to the suffering . It is th”e worst disaster that has ever befallen this she land . fl] Iseult heard, and could not utter a

word . She went up to the palace , passing through

the street with her bodice unlaced . The Bretons

marvelled as they looked at her . Never had they

seen s o fair a lady . Who was she P Whither was

? of e she going (I!Iseult the White Hand, dis

tracted by the evil she had wrought, hung Over ’ Tristram s body, uttering loud cries . “The other : r Iseult entered and said to her (I! Lady, ise,

and let me come near . Believe me, I have a greater right to ”weep for him than you ; I loved him more . (I!She turned towards the r east and prayed t o God . Then she uncove ed the

body a little, and laid down beside her lover, kissed him on the mouth and cheeks and clasped him closely in her arms ; mouth t o mouth and body

to body, she gave up the ghost and died beside him f for grief . Q] When King Mark heard o the death of the lovers , he crossed the seas , and coming to

Brittany, he caused two coffins to be fashioned, one of c for of halcedony Iseult, the other beryl for r T istram . He carried their beloved bodies back

hi . t o with him in s Ship to Tintagel Near a chapel , p 2 1 7 TRISTRAM AND ISEULT

right and left of the apse, he buried them in two

tombs . But during the night, a green and leafy brier with strong shoots and perfumed flowers grew ’ up from Tristram s tomb , and rising over the chapel , ’ struck into Iseult s grave . The country people cut on down the brier, but the morrow it sprang up

again, green and blooming and vigorous as before, and once more thrust itself into the bed of Iseult the

Fair . Thrice they essayed to destroy it , but in vain . of Finally, they told King Mark the miracle, and he forbade them to cut down the brier henceforth .

e of fl] Gentles , the good trouv res olden times, ’ Beroul Eilhart , and Thomas and and Master

Gottfried , told this tale for all those who love, and not for others . They give you greeting by me . They greet those who are pensive and those who are happy, the dissatisfied and the desirous , those who who are joyous and those are troubled, all lovers whatsoever . May they find here consolation e for unfaithfulness, injustice , despit , and grief, for all the woes of love ! ” m ‘ 5 H Q WW q m

Q N e m 9 VY W W w m o -

’ ' P i ed b AL Y IMIT ED r nt y B LAN I NE a: CO L T avis c k S e e ove Ga de L d to tr t, C nt r n , on on