TRISTRAM AND ISOUDE
MELIADUS was king of Leonois, or Lionesse, a country famous in the
annals of romance, which adjoined the kingdom of Cornwall, but has now
disappeared from the map, having been, it is said, overwhelmed by the
ocean. Meliadus was married to Isabella, sister of Mark, king of
Cornwall. A fairy fell in love with him, and drew him away by
enchantment while he was engaged in hunting. His queen set out in quest
of him, but was taken ill on her journey, and died, leaving an infant
son, whom, from the melancholy circumstances of his birth, she called
Tristram.
Gouvernail, the queen’s squire, who had accompanied her, took charge of
the child, and restored him to his father, who had at length burst the
enchantments of the fairy, and returned home.
Meliadus after seven years married again, and the new queen, being
jealous of the influence of Tristram with his father, laid plots for his
life, which were discovered by Gouvernail, who in consequence fled with
the boy to the court of the king of France, where Tristram was kindly
received, and grew up improving in every gallant and knightly
accomplishment, adding to his skill in arms the arts of music and of
chess. In particular, he devoted himself to the chase and to all
woodland sports, so that he became distinguished above all other
chevaliers of the court for his knowledge of all that relates to
hunting. No wonder that Belinda, the king’s daughter, fell in love with
him; but as he did not return her passion, she, in a sudden impulse of
anger, excited her father against him, and he was banished the kingdom.
The princess soon repented of her act, and in despair destroyed herself,
having first written a most tender letter to Tristram, sending him at
the same time a beautiful and sagacious dog, of which she was very fond,
desiring him to keep it as a memorial of her. Meliadus was now dead, and
as his queen, Tristram’s stepmother, held the throne, Gouvernail was
afraid to carry his pupil to his native country, and took him to
Cornwall, to his uncle Mark, who gave him a kind reception.
King Mark resided at the castle of Tintadel, already mentioned in the
history of Uther and Igerne. In this court Tristram became distinguished
in all the exercises incumbent on a knight; nor was it long before he
had an opportunity of practically employing his valor and skill.
Moraunt, a celebrated champion, brother to the queen of Ireland, arrived
at the court, to demand tribute of King Mark. The knights of Cornwall
are in ill repute in romance for their cowardice, and they exhibited it
on this occasion. King Mark could find no champion who dared to
encounter the Irish knight, till his nephew Tristram, who had not yet
received the honors of knighthood, craved to be admitted to the order,
offering at the same time to fight the battle of Cornwall against the
Irish champion. King Mark assented with reluctance; Tristram received
the accolade, which conferred knighthood upon him, and the place and
time were assigned for the encounter.
Without attempting to give the details of this famous combat, the first
and one of the most glorious of Tristram’s exploits, we shall only say
that the young knight, though severely wounded, cleft the head of
Moraunt, leaving a portion of his sword in the wound. Moraunt, half dead
with his wound and the disgrace of his defeat, hastened to hide himself
in his ship, sailed away with all speed for Ireland, and died soon after
arriving in his own country.
The kingdom of Cornwall was thus delivered from its tribute. Tristram,
weakened by loss of blood, fell senseless. His friends flew to his
assistance. They dressed his wounds, which in general healed readily;
but the lance of Moraunt was poisoned, and one wound which it made
yielded to no remedies, but grew worse day by day. The surgeons could do
no more. Tristram asked permission of his uncle to depart, and seek for
aid in the kingdom of Loegria (England). With his consent he embarked,
and after tossing for many days on the sea, was driven by the winds to
the coast of Ireland. He landed, full of joy and gratitude that he had
escaped the peril of the sea; took his rote,[49] and began to play. It
was a summer evening, and the king of Ireland and his daughter, the
beautiful Isoude, were at a window which overlooked the sea. The strange
harper was sent for, and conveyed to the palace, where, finding that he
was in Ireland, whose champion he had lately slain, he concealed his
name, and called himself Tramtris. The queen undertook his cure, and by
a medicated bath gradually restored him to health. His skill in music
and in games occasioned his being frequently called to court, and he
became the instructor of the princess Isoude in minstrelsy and poetry,
who profited so well under his care, that she soon had no equal in the
kingdom, except her instructor.
At this time a tournament was held, at which many knights of the Round
Table, and others, were present. On the first day a Saracen prince,
named Palamedes, obtained the advantage over all. They brought him to
the court, and gave him a feast, at which Tristram, just recovering from
his wound, was present. The fair Isoude appeared on this occasion in all
her charms. Palamedes could not behold them without emotion, and made no
effort to conceal his love. Tristram perceived it, and the pain he felt
from jealousy taught him how dear the fair Isoude had already become to
him.
Next day the tournament was renewed. Tristram, still feeble from his
wound, rose during the night, took his arms, and concealed them in a
forest near the place of the contest, and, after it had begun, mingled
with the combatants. He overthrew all that encountered him, in
particular Palamedes, whom he brought to the ground with a stroke of his
lance, and then fought him hand to hand, bearing off the prize of the
tourney. But his exertions caused his wound to reopen; he bled fast, and
in this sad state, yet in triumph, they bore him to the palace. The fair
Isoude devoted herself to his relief with an interest which grew more
vivid day by day; and her skilful care soon restored him to health.
It happened one day that a damsel of the court, entering the closet
where Tristram’s arms were deposited, perceived that a part of the sword
had been broken off. It occurred to her that the missing portion was
like that which was left in the skull of Moraunt, the Irish champion.
She imparted her thought to the queen, who compared the fragment taken
from her brother’s wound with the sword of Tristram, and was satisfied
that it was part of the same, and that the weapon of Tristram was that
which reft her brother’s life. She laid her griefs and resentment before
the king, who satisfied himself with his own eyes of the truth of her
suspicions. Tristram was cited before the whole court, and reproached
with having dared to present himself before them after having slain
their kinsman. He acknowledged that he had fought with Moraunt to settle
the claim for tribute, and said that it was by force of winds and waves
alone that he was thrown on their coast. The queen demanded vengeance
for the death of her brother; the fair Isoude trembled and grew pale,
but a murmur rose from all the assembly that the life of one so handsome
and so brave should not be taken for such a cause, and generosity
finally triumphed over resentment in the mind of the king. Tristram was
dismissed in safety, but commanded to leave the kingdom without delay,
and never to return thither under pain of death. Tristram went back,
with restored health, to Cornwall.
King Mark made his nephew give him a minute recital of his adventures.
Tristram told him all minutely; but when he came to speak of the fair
Isoude he described her charms with a warmth and energy such as none but
a lover could display. King Mark was fascinated with the description,
and, choosing a favorable time, demanded a boon[50] of his nephew, who
readily granted it. The king made him swear upon the holy reliques that
he would fulfil his commands. Then Mark directed him to go to Ireland,
and obtain for him the fair Isoude to be queen of Cornwall.
Tristram believed it was certain death for him to return to Ireland; and
how could he act as ambassador for his uncle in such a cause? Yet, bound
by his oath, he hesitated not for an instant. He only took the
precaution to change his armor. He embarked for Ireland; but a tempest
drove him to the coast of England, near Camelot, where King Arthur was
holding his court, attended by the knights of the Round Table, and many
others, the most illustrious in the world.
Tristram kept himself unknown. He took part in many justs; he fought
many combats, in which he covered himself with glory. One day he saw
among those recently arrived the king of Ireland, father of the fair
Isoude. This prince, accused of treason against his liege sovereign,
Arthur, came to Camelot to free himself from the charge. Blaanor, one of
the most redoubtable warriors of the Round Table, was his accuser, and
Argius, the king, had neither youthful vigor nor strength to encounter
him. He must therefore seek a champion to sustain his innocence. But the
knights of the Round Table were not at liberty to fight against one
another, unless in a quarrel of their own. Argius heard of the great
renown of the unknown knight; he also was witness of his exploits. He
sought him, and conjured him to adopt his defence, and on his oath
declared that he was innocent of the crime of which he was accused.
Tristram readily consented, and made himself known to the king, who on
his part promised to reward his exertions, if successful, with whatever
gift he might ask.
Tristram fought with Blaanor, and overthrew him, and held his life in
his power. The fallen warrior called on him to use his right of
conquest, and strike the fatal blow. “God forbid,” said Tristram, “that
I should take the life of so brave a knight!” He raised him up and
restored him to his friends. The judges of the field decided that the
king of Ireland was acquitted of the charge against him, and they led
Tristram in triumph to his tent. King Argius, full of gratitude,
conjured Tristram to accompany him to his kingdom. They departed
together, and arrived in Ireland; and the queen, forgetting her
resentment for her brother’s death, exhibited to the preserver of her
husband’s life nothing but gratitude and good-will.
How happy a moment for Isoude, who knew that her father had promised his
deliverer whatever boon he might ask! But the unhappy Tristram gazed on
her with despair, at the thought of the cruel oath which bound him. His
magnanimous soul subdued the force of his love. He revealed the oath
which he had taken, and with trembling voice demanded the fair Isoude
for his uncle.
Argius consented, and soon all was prepared for the departure of Isoude.
Brengwain, her favorite maid of honor, was to accompany her. On the day
of departure the queen took aside this devoted attendant, and told her
that she had observed that her daughter and Tristram were attached to
one another, and that to avert the bad effects of this inclination she
had procured from a powerful fairy a potent philter (love-draught),
which she directed Brengwain to administer to Isoude and to King Mark on
the evening of their marriage.
Isoude and Tristram embarked together. A favorable wind filled the
sails, and promised them a fortunate voyage. The lovers gazed upon one
another, and could not repress their sighs. Love seemed to light up all
his fires on their lips, as in their hearts. The day was warm; they
suffered from thirst. Isoude first complained. Tristram descried the
bottle containing the love-draught, which Brengwain had been so
imprudent as to leave in sight. He took it, gave some of it to the
charming Isoude, and drank the remainder himself. The dog Houdain licked
the cup. The ship arrived in Cornwall, and Isoude was married to King
Mark. The old monarch was delighted with his bride, and his gratitude to
Tristram was unbounded. He loaded him with honors, and made him
chamberlain of his palace, thus giving him access to the queen at all
times.
In the midst of the festivities of the court which followed the royal
marriage, an unknown minstrel one day presented himself, bearing a harp
of peculiar construction. He excited the curiosity of King Mark by
refusing to play upon it till he should grant him a boon. The king
having promised to grant his request, the minstrel, who was none other
than the Saracen knight, Sir Palamedes, the lover of the fair Isoude,
sung to the harp a lay, in which he demanded Isoude as the promised
gift. King Mark could not by the laws of knighthood withhold the boon.
The lady was mounted on her horse, and led away by her triumphant lover.
Tristram, it is needless to say, was absent at the time, and did not
return until their departure. When he heard what had taken place he
seized his rote, and hastened to the shore, where Isoude and her new
master had already embarked. Tristram played upon his rote, and the
sound reached the ears of Isoude, who became so deeply affected, that
Sir Palamedes was induced to return with her to land, that they might
see the unknown musician. Tristram watched his opportunity, seized the
lady’s horse by the bridle, and plunged with her into the forest,
tauntingly informing his rival that “what he had got by the harp he had
lost by the rote.” Palamedes pursued, and a combat was about to
commence, the result of which must have been fatal to one or other of
these gallant knights; but Isoude stepped between them, and, addressing
Palamedes, said, “You tell me that you love me; you will not then deny
me the request I am about to make?” “Lady,” he replied, “I will perform
your bidding.” “Leave, then,” said she, “this contest, and repair to
King Arthur’s court, and salute Queen Guenever from me; tell her that
there are in the world but two ladies, herself and I, and two lovers,
hers and mine; and come thou not in future in any place where I am.”
Palamedes burst into tears. “Ah, lady,” said he, “I will obey you; but I
beseech you that you will not for ever steel your heart against me.”
“Palamedes,” she replied, “may I never taste of joy again if I ever quit
my first love.” Palamedes then went his way. The lovers remained a week
in concealment, after which Tristram restored Isoude to her husband,
advising him in future to reward minstrels in some other way.
The king showed much gratitude to Tristram, but in the bottom of his
heart he cherished bitter jealousy of him. One day Tristram and Isoude
were alone together in her private chamber. A base and cowardly knight
of the court, named Andret, spied them through a keyhole. They sat at a
table of chess, but were not attending to the game. Andret brought the
king, having first raised his suspicions, and placed him so as to watch
their motions. The king saw enough to confirm his suspicions, and he
burst into the apartment with his sword drawn, and had nearly slain
Tristram before he was put on his guard. But Tristram avoided the blow,
drew his sword, and drove before him the cowardly monarch, chasing him
through all the apartments of the palace, giving him frequent blows with
the flat of his sword, while he cried in vain to his knights to save
him. They were not inclined, or did not dare, to interpose in his
behalf.
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A proof of the great popularity of the tale of Sir Tristram is the fact
that the Italian poets, Boiardo and Ariosto, have founded upon it the
idea of the two enchanted fountains, which produced the opposite effects
of love and hatred. Boiardo thus describes the fountain of hatred:
“Fair was that, fountain, sculptured all of gold,
With alabaster sculptured, rich and rare;
And in its basin clear thou might’st behold
The flowery marge reflected fresh and fair.
Sage Merlin framed the font,—so legends bear,—
When on fair Isoude doated Tristram brave,
That the good errant knight, arriving there,
Might quaff oblivion in the enchanted wave,
And leave his luckless love, and ’scape his timeless grave.
“But ne’er the warrior’s evil fate allowed
His steps that fountain’s charmed verge to gain.
Though restless, roving on adventure proud,
He traversed oft the land and oft the main.”
. . . . . . .
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