_How king Mark let do counterfeit letters from the Pope, and how Sir
Percivale delivered Sir Tristram out of prison._
Now turn we unto king Mark, that when he was escaped from Sir Sadok he
rode unto the castle of Tintagil, and there he made great cry and
noise, and cried unto harness all that might bear arms. Then they
sought and found where were dead four cousins of king Mark’s, and the
traitors of Magons. Then the king let inter them in a chapel. Then the
king let cry in all the country that held of him, to go unto arms, for
he understood to the war he must needs. When king Mark heard and
understood how Sir Sadok and Sir Dinas were risen in the country of
Liones, he remembered of wiles and treason. Lo, thus he did: he let
make and counterfeit letters from the Pope, and did make a strange
clerk to bear them unto king Mark. The which letters specified, that
king Mark should make him ready, upon pain of cursing, with his host to
come to the Pope, to help to go to Jerusalem, for to make war upon the
Saracens. When this clerk was come by the mean of the king, anon withal
king Mark sent these letters unto Sir Tristram, and bad him say thus;
That and he would go war upon the miscreants, he should be had out of
prison, and to have all his power. When Sir Tristram understood this
letter, then he said thus to the clerk: Ah, king Mark, ever hast thou
been a traitor, and ever wilt be: but clerk, said Sir Tristram, say
thou thus unto king Mark. Since the apostle Pope hath sent for him, bid
him go thither himself, for tell him, traitor king as he is, I will not
go at his command, get I out of my prison as I may. For I see I am well
rewarded for my true service. Then the clerk returned unto king Mark,
and told him of the answer of Sir Tristram. Well, said king Mark, yet
shall he be beguiled. So he went into his chamber, and counterfeited
letters, and the letters specified that the Pope desired Sir Tristram
to come himself to make war upon the miscreants. When the clerk was
come again unto Sir Tristram and took him these letters, then Sir
Tristram beheld these letters, and anon espied they were of king Mark’s
counterfeiting. Ah, said Sir Tristram, false hast thou been ever, king
Mark, and so wilt thou end. Then the clerk departed from Sir Tristram,
and came to king Mark again. By then there were come four wounded
knights within the castle of Tintagil, and one of them his neck was
nigh broken in twain, another had his arm stricken away, the third was
borne through with a spear, the fourth had his teeth stricken in twain.
And when they came afore king Mark they cried and said, King, why
fleest thou not, for all this country is arisen clearly against thee.
Then was king Mark wroth out of measure. And in the mean while there
came into the country Sir Percivale de Galis, to seek Sir Tristram. And
when he heard that Sir Tristram was in prison, Sir Percivale made
clearly the deliverance of Sir Tristram by his knightly means. And when
he was so delivered he made great joy of Sir Percivale, and so each one
of other. Sir Tristram said unto Sir Percivale, And ye will abide in
these marches, I will ride with you. Nay, said Percivale, in this
country may I not tarry, for I must needs into Wales. So Sir Percivale
departed from Sir Tristram, and rode straight unto king Mark, and told
him how he had delivered Sir Tristram. And also he told the king that
he had done himself great shame for to put Sir Tristram in prison, for
he is now the knight of most renown in all this world living. And wit
thou well the most noble knights of the world love Sir Tristram, and if
he will make war upon you ye may not abide it. That is truth, said king
Mark, but I may not love Sir Tristram because he loveth my queen and my
wife, La Beale Isoud. Ah fie for shame, said Sir Percivale, say ye
never so more. Are ye not uncle unto Sir Tristram, and he your nephew?
Ye should never think that so noble a knight as Sir Tristram is, that
he would do himself so great a villany to hold his uncle’s wife,
howbeit, said Sir Percivale, he may love your queen sinless, because
she is called one of the fairest ladies of the world. Then Sir
Percivale departed from king Mark. So when he was departed king Mark
bethought him of more treason, notwithstanding king Mark granted Sir
Percivale never by no manner of means to hurt Sir Tristram. So anon
king Mark sent unto Sir Dinas the seneschal, that he should put down
all the people that he had raised, for he sent him an oath that he
would go himself unto the Pope of Rome to war upon the miscreants, and
this is a fairer war than thus to raise the people against your king.
When Sir Dinas the seneschal understood that king Mark would go upon
the miscreants, then Sir Dinas in all the haste put down all the
people; and when the people were departed every man to his home, then
king Mark espied where was Sir Tristram with La Beale Isoud. And there
by treason king Mark let take him and put him in prison, contrary to
his promise that he made unto Sir Percivale. When queen Isoud
understood that Sir Tristram was in prison she made as great sorrow as
ever made lady or gentlewoman. Then Sir Tristram sent a letter unto La
Beale Isoud, and prayed her to be his good lady; and if it pleased her
to make a vessel ready for her and him, he would go with her unto the
realm of Logris, that is this land. When La Beale Isoud understood Sir
Tristram’s letters and his intent, she sent him another, and bad him be
of good comfort, for she would do make the vessel ready, and all things
to purpose. Then La Beale Isoud sent unto Sir Dinas, and to Sadok, and
prayed them in any wise to take king Mark and put him in prison, unto
the time that she and Sir Tristram were departed unto the realm of
Logris. When Sir Dinas the seneschal understood the treason of king
Mark, he promised her again, and sent to her word that king Mark should
be put in prison. And as they devised it so it was done. And then Sir
Tristram was delivered out of prison, and anon in all the haste queen
Isoud and Sir Tristram went and took their counsel with that they would
have with them when they departed.