SIR TRISTRAM'S FIRST BATTLE
King Melodias sought out a gentleman that was well learned, and taught,
and with him, named Gouvernail, he sent young Tristram away from
Lyonesse court into France, to learn the language and customs and deeds
of arms. There he learned to be a harper passing all others of his
time, and he also applied himself well to the gentlemanly art of
hawking and hunting, for he that gentle is will draw unto him gentle
qualities and follow the customs of noble gentlemen. The old chronicle
saith he adopted good methods for the chase, and the terms he used we
have yet in hawking and hunting. Therefore the book of forest sports
is called the Book of Sir Tristram.
When he well could speak the language and had learned all that he might
in that country, he came home again, and remained in Cornwall until he
was big and strong, of the age of nineteen years, and his father, King
Meliodas, had great joy of him.
Then it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent to King Mark of
Cornwall for the tribute long paid him, but now seven years behind.
King Mark and his barons gave unto the messenger of Ireland the answer
that they would no tribute pay, and bade him tell his king that if he
wished tribute he should send a trusty knight of his land to fight for
it against another that Cornwall should find to defend its right. With
this the messenger departed into Ireland.
When King Anguish understood the answer, he was wonderfully wroth, and
called unto him Sir Marhaus, the good and proved knight, brother unto
the queen of Ireland, and a knight of the Round Table, and said to him:
"Fair brother, I pray you go into Cornwall for my sake, and do battle
for the tribute that of right we ought to have."
Sir Marhaus was not loath to do battle for his king and his land, and
in all haste he was fitted with all things that to him needed, and so
he departed out of Ireland and arrived in Cornwall even fast by the
castle of Tintagil.
When King Mark understood that the good and noble knight Sir Marhaus
was come to fight for Ireland, he made great sorrow, for he knew no
knight that durst have ado with him. Sir Marhaus remained on his ship,
and every day he sent word unto King Mark that he should pay the
tribute or else find a champion to fight for it with him.
Then they of Cornwall let make cries in every place, that what knight
would fight to save the tribute should be rewarded so that he should
fare the better the term of his life. But no one came to do the
battle, and some counselled King Mark to send to the court of King
Arthur to seek Sir Launcelot of the Lake, that at that time was named
for the marvellousest knight of all the world. Others said it were
labour in vain to do so, because Sir Marhaus was one of the knights of
the Round Table, and any one of them would be loath to have ado with
other. So the king and all his barons at the last agreed that it was
no boot to seek any knight of the Round Table.
Meanwhile came the language and the noise unto young Tristram how Sir
Marhaus abode battle fast by Tintagil, and how King Mark could find no
manner of knight to fight for him. Then Sir Tristram was wroth and
sore ashamed that there durst no knight in Cornwall have ado with Sir
Marhaus, and he went unto his father, King Meliodas, and said: "Alas,
that I am not made knight; if I were, I would engage with him. I pray
you give me leave to ride to King Mark to be made knight by him."
"I will well," said the father, "that ye be ruled as your courage will
rule you."
So Tristram went unto his uncle, who quickly gave him the order of
knighthood, and anon sent a messenger unto Sir Marhaus with letters
that said he had found a young knight ready to take the battle to the
uttermost. Then in all haste King Mark had Sir Tristram horsed and
armed in the best manner that might be had or gotten for gold or
silver, and he was put into a vessel, both his horse and he, and all
that to him belonged both for his body and for his horse, to be taken
to an island nigh Sir Marhaus' ships, where it was agreed that they
should fight. And when King Mark and his barons beheld young Sir
Tristram depart to fight for the right of Cornwall, there was neither
man nor woman of honour but wept to see so young a knight jeopard
himself for their right.
When Sir Tristram was arrived at the island, he commanded his servant
Gouvernail to bring his horse to the land and to dress his horse
rightly, and then, when he was in the saddle well apparelled and his
shield dressed upon his shoulder, he commanded Gouvernail to go to his
vessel again and return to King Mark. "And upon thy life," said he,
"come thou not nigh this island till thou see me overcome or slain, or
else that I win yonder knight." So either departed from other.
When Sir Marhaus perceived this young knight seeking to encounter with
himself, one of the most renowned knights of the world, he said, "Fair
sir, since thou hopest to win honour of me, I let thee wit honour
mayest thou none lose by me if thou mayest stand me three strokes, for
I let thee wit for my noble deeds, proved and seen, King Arthur made me
knight of the Table Round."
Then they put spears in rest and ran together so fiercely that they
smote either other down, horse and all. Anon they pulled out their
swords and lashed together as men that were wild and courageous. Thus
they fought more than half a day, and either was wounded passing sore,
so that the blood ran down freshly from them upon the ground. By then
Sir Tristram waxed more fresh than Sir Marhaus, and better winded, and
bigger, and with a mighty stroke he smote Sir Marhaus upon the helm
such a buffet, that it went through his helm and through the coif of
steel and through the brain-pan, and the sword stuck so fast in the
helm and in his brain-pan that Sir Tristram pulled thrice at his sword
or ever he might pull it out from his head; and there Marhaus fell down
on his knees, the edge of Tristram's sword left in his brain-pan.
Suddenly Sir Marhaus rose grovelling, and threw his sword and his
shield from him, and so ran to his ships and fled his way, sore
groaning.
Anon he and his fellowship departed into Ireland, and, as soon as he
came to the king his brother, he had his wounds searched, and in his
head was found a piece of Sir Tristram's sword. No surgeons might cure
this wound, and so he died of Sir Tristram's sword. That piece of the
sword the queen his sister kept ever with her, for she thought to be
revenged, if she might.
Now turn we again unto Sir Tristram, that was sore wounded by a
spear-thrust of Sir Marhaus so that he might scarcely stir. He sat
down softly upon a little hill, and bled fast. Then anon came
Gouvernail, his man, with his vessel, and Sir Tristram was quickly
taken back into the castle of Tintagil. He was cared for in the best
manner possible, but he lay there a month and more, and ever he was
like to die of the stroke from Sir Marhaus' spear, for, as the French
book saith, the spear's head was envenomed. Then was King Mark passing
heavy, and he sent after all manner of surgeons, but there was none
that would promise him life.
At last there came a right wise lady, and she said plainly that he
should never be whole unless he went into the same country that the
venom came from, and in that country he should be holpen, or else
never. When King Mark understood that, he let provide for Sir Tristram
a fair vessel, well victualled, and therein was put Sir Tristram and
Gouvernail, with him. Sir Tristram took his harp with him, and so they
put to sea to sail into Ireland.