_How Sir Tristram de Liones was born, and how his mother died at his
birth, wherefore she named him Tristram._
It was a king that hight Meliodas, and he was lord and king of the
country of Liones, and this king Meliodas was a likely knight as any
was that time living. And by fortune he wedded king Mark’s sister of
Cornwall; and she was called Elizabeth, that was called both good and
fair. And at that time king Arthur reigned, and he was whole king of
England, Wales, and Scotland, and of many other realms: howbeit there
were many kings that were lords of many countries, but all they held
their lands of king Arthur. For in Wales were two kings, and in the
north were many kings; and in Cornwall and in the west were two kings;
also in Ireland were two or three kings; and all were under the
obeisance of king Arthur. So was the king of France, and the king of
Britany, and all the lordships unto Rome. And the wife of this king
Meliodas was a full meek lady, and well she loved her lord, and he her
again, and the time came that she should bear a child, so there was
great joy betwixt them. Then was there a lady in that country that had
loved king Meliodas long, and by no mean she never could get his love,
therefore she let ordain upon a day, as king Meliodas rode on hunting,
for he was a great chaser, and there by an enchantment she made him
chase an hart by himself alone till that he came to an old castle, and
there anon he was taken prisoner by the lady that him loved. When
Elizabeth king Meliodas missed, her lord, she was nigh out of her wit,
and she took a gentlewoman with her, and ran into the forest to seek
her lord.
And when she was far in the forest she might no farther, for she began
to travail fast of her child. And she had many grimly throws, and her
gentlewoman holp her all that she might, and so by miracle of our Lady
of heaven she was delivered with great pains. But she had taken such
cold for the default of help that deep draughts of death took her, that
needs she must die and depart out of this world, there was none other
boot. And when this queen Elizabeth saw that there was none other boot,
then she made great dole, and said unto her gentlewoman, When ye see my
lord king Meliodas recommend me unto him, and tell him what pains I
endure here for his love, and how I must die here for his sake, for
default of good help, and let him wit that I am full sorry to depart
out of this world from him, therefore pray him to be friend to my soul.
Now let me see my little child for whom I have had all this sorrow. And
when she saw him she said thus: Ah my little son, thou hast murdered
thy mother, and therefore I suppose, thou that art a murderer so young,
thou art full likely to be a manly man in thine age. And because I
shall die of the birth of thee, I charge thee, gentlewoman, that thou
beseech my lord king Meliodas, that when he is christened let call him
Tristram, that is as much to say as a sorrowful birth. And therewith
this queen gave up the ghost and died. Then the gentlewoman laid her
under the shadow of a great tree, and then she lapped the child as well
as she might for cold. Right so there came the barons, following after
the queen, and when they saw that she was dead, and understood none
other but the king was destroyed;