“My lords, it is Tristan that first sends love and homage to the King
and all his Barony, and he adds, ‘O King, when I slew the dragon and
conquered the King of Ireland’s daughter it was to me they gave her. I
was to ward her at will and I yielded her to you. Yet hardly had you
wed her when felons made you accept their lies, and in your anger,
fair uncle, my lord, you would have had us burnt without trial. But
God took compassion on us; we prayed him and he saved the Queen, as
justice was: and me also—though I leapt from a high rock, I was saved
by the power of God. And since then what have I done blameworthy? The
Queen was thrown to the lepers; I came to her succour and bore her
away. Could I have done less for a woman, who all but died innocent
through me? I fled through the woods. Nor could I have come down into
the vale and yielded her, for there was a ban to take us dead or
alive. But now, as then, I am ready, my lord, to sustain in arms
against all comers that never had the Queen for me, nor I for her a
love dishonourable to you. Publish the lists, and if I cannot prove my
right in arms, burn me before your men. But if I conquer and you take
back Iseult, no baron of yours will serve you as will I; and if you
will not have me, I will offer myself to the King of Galloway, or to
him of the Lowlands, and you will hear of me never again. Take
counsel, King, for if you will make no terms I will take back Iseult
to Ireland, and she shall be Queen in her own land.’”
When the barons of Cornwall heard how Tristan offered battle, they
said to the King:
“Sire, take back the Queen. They were madmen that belied her to you.
But as for Tristan, let him go and war it in Galloway, or in the
Lowlands. Bid him bring back Iseult on such a day and that soon.
Then the King called thrice clearly:
“Will any man rise in accusation against Tristan?”
And as none replied, he said to his chaplain:
“Write me a writ in haste. You have heard what you shall write. Iseult
has suffered enough in her youth. And let the writ be hung upon the
arm of the red cross before evening. Write speedily.”
Towards midnight Tristan crossed the Heath of Sand, and found the
writ, and bore it sealed to Ogrin; and the hermit read the letter;
“How Mark consented by the counsel of his barons to take back Iseult,
but not to keep Tristan for his liege. Rather let him cross the sea,
when, on the third day hence, at the Ford of Chances, he had given
back the Queen into King Mark’s hands.” Then Tristan said to the
Queen:
“O, my God! I must lose you, friend! But it must be, since I can thus
spare you what you suffer for my sake. But when we part for ever I
will give you a pledge of mine to keep, and from whatever unknown land
I reach I will send some messenger, and he will bring back word of
you, and at your call I will come from far away.”
Iseult said, sighing:
“Tristan, leave me your dog, Toothold, and every time I see him I will
remember you, and will be less sad. And, friend, I have here a ring of
green jasper. Take it for the love of me, and put it on your finger;
then if anyone come saying he is from you, I will not trust him at all
till he show me this ring, but once I have seen it, there is no power
or royal ban that can prevent me from doing what you bid—wisdom or
folly.”
“Friend,” he said, “here give I you Toothold.”
“Friend,” she replied, “take you this ring in reward.”
And they kissed each other on the lips.
Now Ogrin, having left the lovers in the Hermitage, hobbled upon his
crutch to the place called The Mount, and he bought ermine there and
fur and cloth of silk and purple and scarlet, and a palfrey harnessed
in gold that went softly, and the folk laughed to see him spending
upon these the small moneys he had amassed so long; but the old man
put the rich stuffs upon the palfrey and came back to Iseult.
And “Queen,” said he, “take these gifts of mine that you may seem the
finer on the day when you come to the Ford.”
Meanwhile the King had had cried through Cornwall the news that on the
third day he would make his peace with the Queen at the Ford, and
knights and ladies came in a crowd to the gathering, for all loved the
Queen and would see her, save the three felons that yet survived.
On the day chosen for the meeting, the field shone far with the rich
tents of the barons, and suddenly Tristan and Iseult came out at the
forest’s edge, and caught sight of King Mark far off among his Barony:
“Friend,” said Tristan, “there is the King, your lord—his knights and
his men; they are coming towards us, and very soon we may not speak to
each other again. By the God of Power I conjure you, if ever I send
you a word, do you my bidding.”
“Friend,” said Iseult, “on the day that I see the ring, nor tower, nor
wall, nor stronghold will let me from doing the will of my friend.”
“Why then,” he said, “Iseult, may God reward you.”
Their horses went abreast and he drew her towards him with his arm.
“Friend,” said Iseult, “hear my last prayer: you will leave this land,
but wait some days; hide till you know how the King may treat me,
whether in wrath or kindness, for I am afraid. Friend, Orri the
woodman will entertain you hidden. Go you by night to the abandoned
cellar that you know and I will send Perinis there to say if anyone
misuse me.”
“Friend, none would dare. I will stay hidden with Orri, and if any
misuse you let him fear me as the Enemy himself.”
Now the two troops were near and they saluted, and the King rode a
bow-shot before his men and with him Dinas of Lidan; and when the
barons had come up, Tristan, holding Iseult’s palfrey by the bridle,
bowed to the King and said:
“O King, I yield you here Iseult the Fair, and I summon you, before
the men of your land, that I may defend myself in your court, for I
have had no judgment. Let me have trial at arms, and if I am
conquered, burn me, but if I conquer, keep me by you, or, if you will
not, I will be off to some far country.”
But no one took up Tristan’s wager, and the King, taking Iseult’s
palfrey by the bridle, gave it to Dinas, and went apart to take
counsel.
Dinas, in his joy, gave all honour and courtesy to the Queen, but when
the felons saw her so fair and honoured as of old, they were stirred
and rode to the King, and said:
“King, hear our counsel. That the Queen was slandered we admit, but if
she and Tristan re-enter your court together, rumour will revive
again. Rather let Tristan go apart awhile. Doubtless some day you may
recall him.”
And so Mark did, and ordered Tristan by his barons to go off without
delay.
Then Tristan came near the Queen for his farewell, and as they looked
at one another the Queen in shame of that assembly blushed, but the
King pitied her, and spoke his nephew thus for the first time:
“You cannot leave in these rags; take then from my treasury gold and
silver and white fur and grey, as much as you will.”
“King,” said Tristan, “neither a penny nor a link of mail. I will go
as I can, and serve with high heart the mighty King in the Lowlands.”
And he turned rein and went down towards the sea, but Iseult followed
him with her eyes, and so long as he could yet be seen a long way off
she did not turn.
Now at the news of the peace, men, women, and children, great and
small, ran out of the town in a crowd to meet Iseult, and while they
mourned Tristan’s exile they rejoiced at the Queen’s return.
And to the noise of bells, and over pavings strewn with branches, the
King and his counts and princes made her escort, and the gates of the
palace were thrown open that rich and poor might enter and eat and
drink at will.
And Mark freed a hundred of his slaves, and armed a score of squires
that day with hauberk and with sword.
But Tristan that night hid with Orri, as the Queen had counselled him.