_How Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud came into England, and how Sir
Launcelot brought them to Joyous Gard._
Then La Beale Isoud and Sir Tristram took their vessel, and came by
water into this land. And so they were not in this land four days but
there came a cry of a justs and tournament that king Arthur let make.
When Sir Tristram heard tell of that tournament, he disguised himself
and La Beale Isoud, and rode unto that tournament. And when he came
there he saw many knights just and tourney, and so Sir Tristram dressed
him to the range. And to make short conclusion, he overthrew fourteen
knights of the Round Table. When Sir Launcelot saw these knights thus
overthrown Sir Launcelot dressed him to Sir Tristram. That saw La Beale
Isoud, how Sir Launcelot was come into the field. Then La Beale Isoud
sent unto Sir Launcelot a ring, and bad him wit that it was Sir
Tristram de Liones. When Sir Launcelot understood that there was Sir
Tristram, he was full glad, and would not just. Then Sir Launcelot
espied whither Sir Tristram went, and after him he rode, and then
either made of other great joy. And so Sir Launcelot brought Sir
Tristram and La Beale Isoud unto Joyous Gard, that was his own castle
that he had won with his own hands. And there Sir Launcelot put them in
to weld for their own. And wit ye well that castle was garnished and
furnished for a king and a queen royal there to have sojourned. And Sir
Launcelot charged all his people to honour them and love them as they
would do himself.
So Sir Launcelot departed unto king Arthur; and then he told queen
Guenever how he that justed so well at the last tournament was Sir
Tristram. And there he told her how he had with him La Beale Isoud,
maugre king Mark; and so queen Guenever told all this unto king Arthur.
When king Arthur wist that Sir Tristram was escaped, and come from king
Mark, and had brought La Beale Isoud with him, then was he passing
glad. So because of Sir Tristram king Arthur let make a cry, that on
May-day should be a justs, before the castle of Lonazep; and that
castle was fast by Joyous Gard. And thus king Arthur devised, that all
the knights of this land, and of Cornwall, and of North Wales, should
just against all these countries,—Ireland, Scotland, and the remnant
of Wales, and the country of Gore, and Surluse, and of Listinoise, and
they of Northumberland, and all they that held lands of king Arthur on
this half the sea. When this cry was made, many knights were glad and
many were unglad. Sir, said Launcelot unto Arthur, by this cry that ye
have made, ye will put us that be about you in great jeopardy, for
there be many knights that have great envy to us, therefore when we
shall meet at the day of justs, there will be hard shift among us. As
for that, said Arthur, I care not, there shall we prove who shall be
the best of his hands. So when Sir Launcelot understood wherefore king
Arthur made this justing, then he made such purveyance that La Beale
Isoud should behold the justs in a secret place that was honest for her
estate.
Now turn we unto Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud, how they made great
joy daily together with all manner of mirths that they could devise;
and every day Sir Tristram would go ride on hunting, for Sir Tristram
was that time called the best chaser of the world, and the noblest
blower of an horn of all manner of measures. For, as books report, of
Sir Tristram came all the good terms of venery and hunting, and all the
sizes and measures of blowing of an horn; and of him we had first all
the terms of hawking, and which were beasts of chase, and beasts of
venery, and which were vermins; and all the blasts that belong to all
manner of games. First to the uncoupling, to the seeking, to the
rechate, to the flight, to the death, and to strake; and many other
blasts and terms, that all manner of gentlemen have cause to the
world’s end to praise Sir Tristram and to pray for his soul.