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Part 3

   
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A forest fled thai tille,
Tristrem and Ysonde the schene.
No hadde thai no won to wille
Bot the wode so grene.
Bi holtes and bi hille
Fore Tristrem and the Quene.
Ysonde of joie hath her fille
And Tristrem, withouten wene,
As thare.
So blithe al bidene
Nar thai never are.
   
Tristrem and that may
Wer flemed for her dede.
Hodain, soth to say,
And Peticrowe with hem yede.
In on erthe hous thai lay;
Tho raches with hem thai lede.
Tristrem hem taught o day
Bestes to take at nede
An hast.
In that forest fede
Tristrem Hodain gan chast.
   
Tristrem with Hodain
A wilde best he slough.
In on erthe house thai layn
Ther hadde thai joie ynough.
Etenes bi old dayn
Had wrought it, withouten wough.
Ich night, soth to sain,
Thertil thai bothe drough
With might.
Under wode bough
Thai knewen day and night.
   
In winter it was hate;
In somer it was cold.
Thai hadden a dern gat
That thai no man told.
No hadde thai no wines wat,
No ale that was old;
No no gode mete thai at.
Thai hadden al that thai wold
With wille.
For love ich other bihalt,
Her non might of other fille. 23
   
Tristrem on an hille stode
As he biforn hadde mett.
He fond a wele ful gode;
Al white it was, the grete.
Therto Tristrem yode
And hende Ysonde the swete.
That was al her fode
And wilde flesche thai ete
And gras.
Swiche joie hadde thai never yete
Tuelmoneth thre woukes las.
   
Tristrem on a day
Tok Hodain wel erly;
A best he tok to pray
Bi a dern sty.
He dight it, withouten nay,
And hom it brought an heighe.
Aslepe Ysonde lay;
Tristrem him layd hir bi,
The Quen.
His swerd he drough titly
And laid it hem bituene.
   
An hert Mark at ran
Opon that ilke day;
His hunters after wan;
A path tho founden thai.
Tristrem seighen hye than
And Ysonde, sothe to say.
Seighe thai never swiche man
No non so fair a may
With sight.
Bituen hem ther lay
A drawen swerd wel bright.
   
The huntes wenten right
And teld Mark bidene.
The levedi and the knight
Bothe Mark hath sene.
He knewe hem wele bi sight.
The swerd lay hem bituene.
A sonnebem ful bright
Schon opon the Quen
At a bore
On her face so schene.
And Mark rewed therfore.
   
His glove he put therinne,
The sonne to were oway.
Wrethe Mark gan winne;
Than seyd he, "Wel ay,
Yif thai weren in sinne,
Nought so thai no lay.
Lo hou thai line atuinne!
Thai no hede nought of swiche play 24
Ywis."
The knightes seyden, "Ay,
For trewe love it is."
   
Tho waked Tristrem the trewe
And swete Ysonde the schene,
The glove oway thai drewe
And seyden hem bituene
For Markes thai it knewe.
Thai wist he had ther bene.
Tho was her joie al newe,
That he hem hadde ysene
With sight.
With that com knightes kene
To feche tho to ful right.
   
To court were comen tho to
That in the forest were;
Mark kist Ysonde tho
And Tristrem trewe fere.
Forgeven hem was her wo;
No were thai never so dere.
Tristrem the bailif gan to
Swiftly for to stere
A stounde.
Of love who wil lere,
Listen now the grounde.
   
So bifel bidene
Opon a somers day
Tristrem and the Quen
Stalked to her play.
The duerve hem hath sene;
To Mark gan he say,
"Sir King, withouten wene,
Thi wiif is now oway
And thi knight.
Wende fast as thou may,
Oftake hem, yif thou might."
   
Mark King after ran;
That thai bothe ysé.
Tristrem seyd than,
"Ysonde, schent er we
For thoughtes that we can,
For hole no may it be."
Nas never so sori man,
Tristrem than was he,
That hende.
"For dout of deth Y fle,
In sorwe and wo Y wende.
   
"Y fle for dout of deth;
Y dar no leng abide
In wo mi liif to lede
Bi this forestes side."
A ring Ysonde him bede
To tokening at that tide.
He fleighe forth in gret drede
In wode him for to hide
Bidene.
To seken him fast thai ride;
Thai founden bot the Quene.
   
Tristrem is went oway
As it nought hadde ybene.
Forthi the knightes gan say
That wrong Markes had sen.
For her than prayd thai
That Mark forgaf the Quene.
Tristrem with Ysonde lay
That night, withouten wene,
And wok
And plaiden ay bituene.
His leve of hir he tok.
   
Tristrem is went oway
Withouten coming ogain
And siketh, for sothe to sain,
With sorwe and michel pain.
Tristrem fareth ay
As man that wald be slain,
Bothe night and day,
Fightes for to frain,
That fre.
Spaine he hath thurchsayn;
Geauntes he slough thre.
   
Out of Spaine he rade,
Rohande sones to se.
Gamen and joie thai made;
Welcom to hem was he.
As lord he ther abade,
As gode skil wald be.
Thai boden him landes brade
That he wan hem fre.
He thought;
He seyd, "Thank have ye.
Your londes kepe Y nought."
   
Into Bretein he ches,
Bicome the Doukes knight.
He set his lond in pes
That arst was ful of fight.
Al that the Doukes wes
He wan ogain with right.
He bede him, withouten les, 25
His douhter that was bright
In land.
That maiden Ysonde hight
With the White Hand.
   
Tristremes love was strong
On swete Ysonde the Quene.
Of Ysonde he made a song
That song Ysonde bidene.
The maiden wende al wrong
Of hir it hadde ybene.
Hir wening was so long, 26
To hir fader hye gan mene
For nede.
Ysonde with hand schene
Tristrem to wive thai bede.
   
Tristrem a wil is inne,
Has founden in his thought:
"Mark, mi nem, hath sinne;
Wrong he hath ous wrought.
Icham in sorwe and pine;
Therto hye hath me brought.
Hir love, Y say, is mine;
The Boke seyt it is nought
With right."
The maiden more he sought
For sche Ysonde hight.
   
That in his hert he fand
And trewely thought he ay.
The forward fast he band
With Ysonde; that may
With the white hand
He spoused that day.
O night, ich understand,
To boure wenten thai
On bedde.
Tristrem ring fel oway
As men to chaumber him ledde.
   
Tristrem biheld that ring;
Tho was his hert ful wo.
"Ogain me swiche a thing
Dede never Ysonde so.
Mark, her lord, the King,
With tresoun may hir to.
Mine hert may no man bring
For no thing hir fro,
That fre.
Ich have tuinned ous to;
The wrong is al in me."
   
Tristrem to bedde yede
With hert ful of care.
He seyd, "The dern dede,
Do it Y no dare."
The maiden he forbede
Yif it hir wille ware.
The maide answerd in lede,
"Therof have thou no care
Al stille.
Y nil desiri na mare
Bot at thine owen wille."
   
Her fader on a day
Gaf hem londes wide
Fer in that cuntray -
Markes were set biside.
Bituene the Douke thai had ben ay
And a geaunt unride.
No most ther no man play 27
That he no dede him abide
And fight.
Lesen he schuld his pride,
Were he king or knight.
   
"Tristrem, Y the forbede,
For the love of me,
No hunte thou for no nede
Biyond the arm of the se.
Beliagog is unrede;
A stern geaunt is he.
Of him thou owest to drede;
Thou slough his brether thre
In fight:
Urgan and Morgan unfre
And Moraunt the noble knight.
   
"Yif thine houndes an hare wele hayre
And comen ogain to the fre,
Al so be thou bonaire
When his houndes comen to the."
The forest was wel faire
With mani a selly tre.
Tristrem thought repaire,
Houso it ever be,
To bide.
"That cuntré will Y se
What aventour so bitide."
   
Tristrem on huntinge rade;
An hert chaci bigan.
Ther the merkes were made
His houndes, over thai ran.
The water was blac and brade.
Tristrem com as a man
Ther the douke was fade;
Fast he folwed than
Right thare.
He blewe priis as he can
Thre mot other mare.
   
Beliagog com that tide
And asked wat he is.
"An hunting ther Y ride,
Tristrem ich hat, ywis."
"O! thou slough Moraunt with pride -
Tristrem artow this? -
And seththen Urgan unride;
Unkinde were ous to kis
As kenne.
Mendi thou most that mis,
Now thou mi lond art inne."
   
"Y slough Urgan, Y the telle.
So hope Y the to sla.
This forest wil Y felle
And castel wil Y ma.
Her is miri to duelle;
Forthi this lond Y ta."
The geaunt herd that spelle;
Forthi him was ful wa
Unwise.
So bituen hem tua
The cuntek gan arise.
   
Dartes wel unride
Beliagog set gan.
Tristremes liif that tide
Ferly neighe he wan.
Bituene the hauberk and side
The dart thurch out ran.
Tristrem bleynt biside;
God he thonked than
Almight.
Tristrem, as a man,
Fast he gan to fight.
   
Beliagog the bold,
As a fende he faught.
Tristrem liif neighe he sold,
As Tomas hath ous taught.
Tristrem smot, as God wold,
His fot of at a draught.
Adoun he fel yfold,
That man of michel maught,
And cride,
"Tristrem, be we saught,
And have min londes wide.
   
"Overcomen hastow me
In bataile and in fight.
Helden ogaines the
No wil Y never with right."
His tresour lete he se
Tristrem the noble knight.
Tristrem knewe him fre.
Beliagog in hight,
Nought lain,
An halle to maken him bright
To Ysonde and Bringwain.
   
The geaunt him gan lede
Til he fond an hald
The water about yede;
It was his eldren hald.
The geaunt bad Tristrem belde
With masouns that were bald.
Beliagog in that nede
Fond him riche wald
To fine.
Ysonde have there he wald,
Luffsum under line.
   
The geaunt him taught that tide
A ford ther it was yare
There he might wele ride
When his wille ware.
In the hold he gan him hide,
Seyd he nought he was thare.
Nold he nought long abide;
Ogain tho gan he fare,
That fre.
At the castel forthermare
His werkmen wald he se.
   
Ogain went Tristrem than;
Beliagog had masouns sought.
Tristrem, that michel can,
A werk hem hath ybrought.
Nas ther never yete man
That wist what other wrought.
Arere when thai bigan
Swiche a werk nas nought
At nede.
Thei al men hadde it thought,
It nas to large no gnede.
   
At his des in the halle
Swete Ysonde was wrought;
Hodain and Pencru, to calle;
The drink hou Brengwain brought;
Mark yclad in palle;
And Meriadok ful of thought;
(So liifliche weren thai alle
Ymages semed it nought
To abide); 28
And Tristrem, hou he faught
With Beliagog unride.
   
So it bifel a cas
In Seyn Matheus toun
That a fair fest was
Of lordes of renoun.
A baroun that hight Bonifas
Spoused a levedi of Lyoun.
Ther was miche solas
Of alle maner soun
And gle
Of minestrals up and doun
Bifor the folk so fre.
   
The riche Douke Florentin
To that fest gan fare
And his sone Ganhardin;
With hem rode Ysonde thare.
Her hors a polk stap in;
The water her wat aywhare.
It was a ferly gin,
So heye under hir gare
It fleighe.
The levedi lough ful smare,
And Ganhardin it seighe.
   
Ganhardin unblithe
His soster tho cald he,
"Abide now, dame, and lithe.
What is ther tidde to the?
Do now telle me swithe,
Astow lovest me,
Whi lough thou that sithe.
For what thing may it be?
Withouten oth,
Thi frendschip schal Y fle
Til Y wite that soth."
   
"Brother, no wrathe the nought;
The sothe Y wil the say.
Mine hors the water up brought
Of o polk in the way.
So heighe it fleighe, me thought,
That in mi sadel it lay.
Ther never man no sought
So neighe, for sothe to say,
In lede.
Brother, wite thou ay
That Y lough for that dede."
   
Quath Ganhardin, "Y finde
That schamely schent ar we;
To wive on our kinde
Hetheliche holdeth he.
Ther he gan treuthe binde
Fain Y wald it se,
For alle the gold of Ynde,
Ybroken no schal it be.
To bete,
His frendeschip wil Y fle.
Our on schal tine swete." 29
   
Wroth is Ganhardin
And that Tristrem yses.
What thought he is in
Fast he asketh, ywis.
"Thou hast bi Ysonde lin
While thi wille is.
Whi nas hye never thine?
Tristrem, tel me this
In lede.
What hath hye don amis?
What wites thou hir of dede?" 30
   
"Yif it hir wille ware
Forhole it might have be;
Sche hath ytold it you yare:
Quite sche is of me.
Of hir kepe Y namare;
A gift Y geve the.
To a levedi wil Y fare
Is fairer than swiche thre
To frain."
Ganhardin longeth to se
That levedi, naught to lain.
   
Ganhardin the fest fles.
He bicom Tristremes frende;
He seyd his liif he les
Bot he with Tristrem wende.
Quath Tristrem, "Yif it so bes
In Inglond that we lende,
No say nought what thou ses
Bot hold, astow art hende,
And hele.
Lay it al under hende,
To steven yif thai it stele."
   
Ganhardin his treuthe plight;
To ben his brother he bede,
To ben a trewe knight
In al Tristremes nede.
Bothe busked that night
To Beliagog in lede.
Ganhardin seighe that sight
And sore him gan adrede.
"To brink
To sle thou wilt me lede
To Beliagog, me think."
   
"Ganhardin, wrong have thou alle.
Wel, whi seistow so?
Maugré on me falle
Yif Y the wold slo!
The geaunt is mi thralle,
His liif thei Y wil to."
Tristrem tho gan him calle;
On a stilt he com tho
Ful swithe.
"Lord, thi wille to do,
Tharto ar we blithe."
   
"Beliagog, go thare
And loke it boun be;
Ganhardin and Y wil fare
The levedi for to se."
Swiche castel fond he thare
Was maked of ston and tre.
Ganhardin wist nou are
Ther duelled Tristrem and he,
To lithe,
Ysonde for to se
In halle, bright and blithe.
   
To Ysonde bright so day
To halle gun thai go.
Ysonde tho seighe thai
And Bringwain, bothe to,
Tristrem, for sothe to say,
And Beliagog al blo.
As Ganhardin stert oway,
His heved he brac tho
As he fleighe.
Ganhardin was ful wo
That he com Ysonde so neighe.
   
Ganhardin schamed sore;
His heved ran on blod.
Ysonde he seighe thore
And Brengwain fair and gode.
Brengwain the coupe bore.
Him rewe, that frely fode, 31
He swore bi Godes ore.
In her hond fast it stode
Al stille.
"Tristrem, we ar wode
To speken ogain thi wille.
   
"Nis it bot hertbreke,
That swithe wele finde we,
And foly ous to speke
Ani worde ogaines the.
Mi wille yif Y might gete,
That levedi wold Y se.
Mine hert hye hath ysteke,
Brengwain bright and fre,
That frende.
Blithe no may ich be
Til Y se that hende."
   
Tristrem and Ganhardin,
Treuthe plighten thay
In wining and in tin,
Trewe to ben ay,
In joie and in pin,
In al thing, to say,
Til he with Brengwain have lin,
Yif that Tristrem may,
In lede.
To Inglond thai toke the way,
Tho knightes stithe on stede.
   
Sir Canados was than
Constable, the Quen ful neighe.
For Tristrem Ysonde wan,
So weneth he be ful sleighe,
To make hir his leman
With broche and riche beighe.
For nought that he do can
Hir hert was ever heighe
To hold;
That man hye never seighe
That bifor Tristrem wold.
   
Tristrem made a song
That song Ysonde the sleighe
And harped ever among.
Sir Canados was neighe.
He seyd, "Dame, thou hast wrong,
For sothe, who it seighe.
As oule and stormes strong
So criestow on heye
In herd.
Thou lovest Tristrem dreighe;
To wrong thou art ylerd.
   
"Tristrem, for thi sake,
For sothe, wived hath he.
This wil the torn to wrake.
Of Breteyne douke schal he be.
Other semblaunt thou make,
Thiselven yif thou hir se.
Thi love hir dede him take
For hye hight as do ye
In land.
`Ysonde' men calleth that fre
`With the White Hand."'
   
"Sir Canados, the waite!
Ever thou art mi fo.
Febli thou canst hayte
There man schuld menske do.
Who wil lesinges layt
Tharf him no ferther go.
Falsly canestow fayt
That ever worth the wo.
Forthi
Malisoun have thou also
Of God and Our Levedy.
   
"A gift ich give the:
Thi thrift mot thou tine!
That thou asked me,
No schal it never be thine.
Yhated also thou be
Of alle that drink wine.
Hennes yern thou fle
Out of sight mine
In lede.
Y pray to Seyn Katerine
That ivel mot thou spede."
   
The Quen was wratthed sore;
Wroth to chaumber sche yede.
"Who may trowe man more,
Than he hath don this dede?"
A palfray asked sche there
That wele was loved in lede.
Dight sche was ful yare;
Hir pavilouns with hir thai lede
Ful fine.
Bifore was stef on stede
Tristrem and Ganhardine.
   
Ful ner the gat thai abade
Under a figer tre.
Thai seighe where Ysonde rade
And Bringwain, bothe seighe he
With tuo houndes mirie made;
Fairer might non be.
Her blis was ful brade;
A tale told Ysonde fre;
Thai duelle.
Tristrem that herd he
And seyd thus in his spelle:
   
"Ganhardin, ride thou ay.
Mi ring of finger thou drawe;
Thou wende forth in thi way
And gret hem al on rawe.
Her houndes praise thou ay;
Thi finger forth thou schawe.
The Quen, for sothe to say,
The ring wil sone knawe,
That fre.
Aski sche wil in plawe
And say thou comest fro me."
   
Tho rode Ganhardin kene
And overtaketh hem now.
First he greteth the Quen
And after Bringwain, Y trowe.
The knight himself bidene
Stroked the hounde Pencru.
The Quen the ring hath sene
And knewe it wele ynough,
That fre.
Hye seyd, "Say me, hou
Com this ring to the?"
   
"He that aught this ring
To token sent it to the."
Tho seyd that swete thing,
"Tristrem, that is he!"
"Dame, withouten lesing,
He sent it you bi me."
Sche sayd, "Bi heven King,
In longing have we be,
Naught lain.
Al night duelle we,"
Seyd Ysonde to Bringwain.
   
Thai wende the Quen wald dye,
So sike sche was bi sight.
Thai sett pavilouns an heye
And duelled, clerk and knight.
Ysonde biheld that lye
Under leves light.
Tristrem hye ther seyghe,
So dede Brengwain that night
In feld.
Ganhardine treuthe plight
Brengwain to wive weld.
   
Tuo night ther thai lye
In that fair forest.
Canados hadde a spie;
Her pavilouns he to-kest.
Ther come to Canados crie
The cuntré est and west.
Governayl was forthi
Therout, as it was best
To abide.
He seyd Tristrem prest,
"Now it were time to ride."
   
Governayl, his man was he,
And Ganhardine his knight.
Armed knightes thai se
To felle hem doun in fight.
Governaile gan to fle;
He ran oway ful right.
Tho folwed bond and fre
And lete the loge unlight
That tide.
Oway rode Tristrem that night
And Ganhardine biside.
   
Sir Canados the heighe,
He ladde the Quen oway.
Tristrem, of love so sleighe,
No abade him nought that day.
Brengwain bright so beighe,
Wo was hir tho ay.
On Canados sche gan crie
And made gret deray
And sede,
"This lond nis worth an ay
When thou darst do swiche a dede."
   
Ganhardine gan fare
Into Bretaine oway;
And Tristrem duelled thare
To wite what men wald say.
Coppe and claper he bare
Til the fiftenday
As he a mesel ware;
Under walles he lay,
To lithe.
So was Ysonde, that may,
That alle sche wald to-writhe.
   
Tristrem in sorwe lay;
Forthi wald Ysonde awede.
And Brengwain thretned ay
To take hem in her dede.
Brengwain went oway;
To Marke the King sche yede
And redily gan to say
Hou thai faren in lede:
"Nought lain,
Swiche knight hastow to fede
Thi schame he wald ful fain.
   
"Sir King, take hede therto:
Sir Canados wil have thi Quen;
Bot thou depart hem to,
A schame ther worth ysene.
Hye dredeth of him so
That wonder is to wene.
His wille for to do
Hye werneth him bituene
Ful sone.
Yete thai ben al clene;
Have thai no dede ydone."
   
Marke, in al thing,
Brengwain thanked he.
After him he sent an heigheing;
Fram court he dede him be.
"Thou deservest for to hing;
Miselven wele ich it se."
So couthe Brengwain bring
Canados for to fle,
That heighe.
Glad was Ysonde the fre
That Bringwain couthe so lighe
   
Than to hir seyd the Quen,
"Leve Brengwain the bright
That art fair to sene,
Thou wost our wille bi sight.
Whare hath Tristrem bene?
Nis he no douhti knight?"
"Thai leighen al bidene
That sain he dar nought fight
With his fo."
Brengwain biheld that right,
Tristrem to bour lete go.
   
Tristrem in bour is blithe;
With Ysonde playd he thare.
Brengwain badde he lithe,
"Who ther armes bare,
Ganhardin and thou that sithe
Wightly oway gun fare."
Quath Tristrem, "Crieth swithe
A turnament ful yare
With might.
Noither of ous nil spare
Erl, baroun no knight."
   
A turnament thai lete crie.
The parti Canados tok he;
And Meriadok, sikerly,
In his help gan he be.
Tristrem ful hastilye
Ofsent Ganhardin the fre.
Ganhardin com titly
That turnament to se
With sight.
Fro the turnament nold thai fle
Til her fon were feld dounright.
   
Thai com into the feld
And founde ther knightes kene;
Her old dedes thai yeld
With batayle al bidene.
Tristrem gan biheld
To Meriadok bituene.
For the tales he teld
On him he wrake his tene
That tide.
He gaf him a wounde kene
Thurchout bothe side.
   
Bituene Canados and Ganhardin
The fight was ferly strong.
Tristrem thought it pin
That it last so long.
His stirops he made him tine;
To grounde he him wrong.
Sir Canados ther gan lyn;
The blod thurch brini throng
With care.
On him he wrake his wrong
That he no ros na mare.
   
Her fon fast thai feld,
And mani of hem thai slough.
The cuntré with hem meld;
Thai wrought hem wo ynough.
Tristrem hath hem teld
That him to schame drough.
Thai token the heighe held
And passed wele anough
And bade.
Under wode bough
After her fomen thai rade.
   
Ther Tristrem turned ogain
And Ganhardin stithe and stille.
Mani thai han yslain
And mani overcomen with wille.
The folk fleighe unfain
And socour criden schille.
In lede, nought to layn,
Thai hadde woundes ille
At the nende.
The wraiers that weren in halle,
Schamly were thai schende.
   
Than that turnament was don,
Mani on slain ther lay.
Ganhardin went sone
Into Bretaine oway.
Brengwain hath her bone;
Ful wele wreken er thay.
A knight that werd no schon
Hete Tristrem, sothe to say.
Ful wide
Tristrem sought he ay,
And he fond him that tide.
   
He fel to Tristremes fet
And merci crid he:
"Mi leman fair and swete
A knight hath reved me,
Of love that can wele let.
So Crist hir sende the.
Mi bale thou fond to bet
For love of Ysonde fre.
Nought lain,
Seven brethern hath he
That fighteth me ogain.
   
"This ich day thai fare
And passeth fast biside.
Y gete hir nevermare
Yif Y tine hir this tide.
Fiftene knightes thai are
And we bot to, to abide."
"Dathet who hem spare,"
Seyd Tristrem that tide.
"This night
Thai han ytint her pride
Thurch grace of God Almight."
   
Thai gun hem bothe armi
In iren and stiel that tide.
Thai metten hem in a sty
Bi o forestes side.
Ther wex a kene crie
Togider tho thai gun ride.
The yong Tristrem forthi
Sone was feld his pride
Right thore.
He hadde woundes wide
That he no ros no more.
   
Thus the yong knight
Forsothe yslawe was thare.
Tristrem, that trewe hight,
Awrake him al with care.
Ther he slough in fight
Fiftene knightes and mare.
Wel louwe he dede hem light
With diolful dintes sare,
Unsounde.
Ac an aruwe oway he bare
In his eld wounde.
   
[The leaf containing the ending of the poem
is missing from the manuscript. In his edition,
Sir Walter Scott wrote as a conclusion the
following stanzas.]
   
The companyons fiftene,
To death did thai thringe;
And sterveth bidene,
Tho Tristrem the yinge;
Ac Tristrem hath tene,
His wounde gan him wring,
To hostel he hath gene,
On bedde gan him flinge
In ure;
Fele salven thai bringe,
His paine to recure.
   
But never thai no might,
With coste, nor with payn,
Bring Tristrem the wight,
To heildom ogayn:
His wounde brast aplight,
And blake was the bane;
Non help may that knight,
The sothe for to sayne,
Bidene,
Save Ysonde the bright,
Of Cornwal was quene.
   
Tristrem clepeth aye,
On Ganhardin trewe fere;
"Holp me, brother, thou may,
And bring me out of care;
To Ysonde the gaye,
Of Cornwail do thou fare;
In tokening I say,
Mi ring with the thou bare,
In dern;
Bot help me sche dare,
Sterven wol ich gern.
   
"Mi schip do thou take,
With godes that bethe new;
Tuo seyles do thou make,
Beth different in hew;
That tone schall be blake,
That tother white so snewe;
And tho thou comest bake,
That tokening schal schew
The end,
Gif Ysonde me forsake,
The blake schalt thou bende."
   
Ysonde of Britanye,
With the white honde,
In dern can sche be,
And wele understonde,
That Ysonde the fre,
Was sent for from Inglonde;
"Y-wroken wol Y be
Of mi fals husbonde
Saunfayle,
Bringeth he haggards to honde,
And maketh me his stale?"
   
Ganhardin to Inglonde fares,
Als merchaunt, Y you saye;
He bringeth riche wares
And garmentes were gaye;
Mark he giftes bares,
Als man that miche maye, 32
A cup he prepares,
The ring tharein can laye,
Bidene;
Brengwain the gaye,
Y-raught it the quene.
   
Ysonde the ring knewe,
That riche was of gold,
As tokening trewe,
That Tristrem her yold;
Ganhardin gan schewe,
And priviliche hir told,
That Tristrem hurt was newe,
In his wounde that was old,
Al right:
Holp him gif sche nold,
Sterven most that knight.
   
Wo was Ysonde than,
The tale tho sche hard thare;
Sche schope hir as a man,
With Ganhardin to fare;
O bord are thai gan,
A wind at wil thame bare;
Ysonde was sad woman,
And wepeth bitter tare,
With eighe:
The seyls that white ware,
Ganhardin lete fleighe.
   
Ysonde of Britanye,
With the white honde,
The schip sche can se,
Seyling to londe;
The white seyl tho marked sche,
"Yonder cometh Ysonde,
For to reve fro me,
Miin fals husbonde;
Ich sware,
For il tho it schal be,
That sche hir hider bare."
   
To Tristrem sche gan hye,
O bed thare he layne,
"Tristrem, so mot ich thye,
Heled schalt thou bene,
Thi schippe I can espye
The sothe for to sain,
Ganhardin is comen neighe,
To curen thi paine,
Aplight."
"What seyl doth thare flain,
Dame, for God almight?"
   
Sche weneth to ben awrake,
Of Tristrem the trewe,
Sche seyth, "Thai ben blake,
As piche is thare hewe."
Tristrem threw hym bake,
Trewd Ysonde untrewe,
His kind hert it brake,
And sindrid in tuo;
Above,
Cristes merci him take!
He dyed for true love.
   
Murneth olde and yinge,
Murneth lowe and heighe;
For Tristrem, swete thinge,
Was mani wate eighe;
Maidens thare hondes wringe,
Wives iammeren and crii;
The belles con thai ring,
And masses con thai seye,
For dole;
Prestes praied aye,
For Tristremes sole.
   
Ysonde to land wan,
With seyl and with ore;
Sche mete an old man,
Of berd that was hore:
Fast the teres ran,
And siked he sore,
"Gone is he than,
Of Inglond the flore,
In lede;
We se him no more:
Schir Tristrem is dede!"
   
When Ysonde herd that,
Fast sche gan to gonne,
At the castel gate
Stop hir might none:
Sche passed in thereat,
The chaumbre sche won;
Tristrem in cloth of stat
Lay stretched thare as ston
So cold.
Ysonde loked him on,
And faste gan bihold.
   
Fairer ladye ere
Did Britannye never spye,
Swiche murning chere,
Making on heighe:
On Tristremes bere,
Doun con sche lye;
Rise ogayn did sche nere,
But thare con sche dye
For woe:
Swiche lovers als thei
Never schal be moe.
to
beautiful
dwelling at their disposal
   
woods
Lived
   
   
   
   
Were not; before
   
woman
exiled
   
went
a cave
Those hunting dogs
   
   
Quickly
(see note)
train
   
   
slew
a cave
Where; enough
Giants in the old days
truly
Each; say
Thereto; approached
Eagerly
In the woods
experienced
   
warm
cool
secret entrance
   
liquid
   
ate
wanted
   
(see note)
   
   
   
chanced upon
well
gravel
   
   
their sustenance
ate
   
   
(see note)
   
   
   
as prey
secluded path
dressed; truly
in haste
   
   
   
drew quickly
   
   
hart; pursued
very day
went
   
they saw
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
hunters; directly
   
   
   
   
   
sunbeam
   
crevice
   
had pity
   
   
ward off
Mark overcame [his] wrath
   
   
They would not lie thus
lie apart; (see note)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
(see note)
   
Then was their joy totally changed
   
   
   
those two
   
those two
had been
then
companion
them; their
   
office of bailiff; take
govern
For a time
learn
substance of the tale
   
   
   
   
Walked cautiously; sexual play
dwarf
   
   
   
   
Go
Overtake
   
   
see
   
undone
(see note)
rectified
   
   
noble man
fear
go
   
fear
longer
   
   
gave
As a token
fled
   
   
look for
only
   
gone
   
   
   
pleaded
forgave
   
   
   
made love
   
   
   
   
sighs
much
conducts himself
wanted to be
   
seek
   
searched through; (see note)
Giants; slew
   
rode
   
They were pleased and joyful
them
resided
As was reasonable
promised; spacious
That he freed for them by fighting
   
   
   
   
went
   
   
in the past
All that belonged to the Duke
conquered
   
beautiful
   
was called
   
   
   
For
   
celebrated; indeed
thought entirely erroneously
About
   
she complained
   
bright
offered
   
Tristrem has formed an opinion; (see note)
[Which he] has arrived at in his sorrow
my uncle
us; (see note)
   
she
   
Bible
   
   
was called
   
(see note)
continuously
agreement; made
maiden
   
married
At night
bedroom
   
Tristrem's
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
take
   
   
   
separated the two of us
   
   
   
grief
private act
   
   
If she should wish it
   
Don't worry about that
Ever
will not
   
   
   
   
   
Boundary markers
   
fearsome
might; enjoy himself
   
   
Lose
   
   
   
   
   
sea
fearsome
fierce
ought to fear
slew; brothers; (see note)
   
ignoble
   
   
pursue
come back to you; (see note)
courteous
   
   
marvellous
set out
Whatever the outcome
   
   
the chance arises
   
rode
hart to hunt
boundary markers (see note)
   
dark; (see note)
   
(see note)
   
   
(see note); knows how
notes
   
   
who he is
A-hunting where
am called
   
Are you that Tristrem
   
It would be unnatural for us
As [if we were] relatives
You must atone for that offense
   
   
slew
to kill you
   
construct
pleasant to live
   
discourse
angered
   
the two of them
conflict
   
powerful
hurl
   
He very nearly took
coat of mail
   
turned quickly aside
   
   
   
Vigorously
   
   
fiend
(see note)
us
wished
off with one blow
defeated
great strength
   
reconciled
   
   
   
   
Oppose you
   
   
   
(see note)
   
   
   
   
   
   
shelter
   
shelter of his ancestors
Tristrem told the giant to build [the hall]
powerful
   
forest
finish [his work]; (see note)
wanted
Beautiful in her clothing
   
showed
ready for use
   
When he wanted to
refuge
   
   
Back
   
   
would
   
Back
   
who knew much
To
   
   
Build
   
   
Though
was not too large or too small
   
dais
   
(see note)
   
dressed in fine clothing
   
lifelike
   
   
   
powerful
   
by chance
(see note)
celebration
   
was called
married
entertainment
music
song
   
   
   
   
celebration; go
   
   
puddle stepped
wet everywhere
strange happening
high; dress
splashed up
laughed; contemptuously
saw
   
unhappily
   
listen
has happened to you
   
As you
laughed; time
   
(see note)
   
know
   
do not be angry
   
   
From a puddle in the road
splashed it seemed to me
   
reached
near
   
   
event
   
   
shamefully disgraced
take a wife in our family
He holds in derision
Where he pledged his troth
   
India
   
To remedy [this]
   
   
   
   
sees
state of mind
   
lain
   
she
   
   
she
   
   
   
Kept secret
readily
Free
About her I care no more
   
   
   
To seek [a lady's] favor
   
   
   
leaves the celebration
   
would lose
Unless; went
   
arrive
observe
desist; noble
conceal
(see note)
   
   
gave his word
promised
   
   
went
(see note)
saw
be afraid
shore
slay
it seems to me
   
   
   
Disgrace
slay
servant
Even if I wanted to take his life
then
peg leg
   
   
happy
   
   
ready
   
   
Such
wood
formerly; (see note)
Where
(see note)
   
   
   
as
   
saw
two
   
dark-skinned; (see note)
drew back
head
fled
sad
near
   
was ashamed
was covered with blood
saw there
   
cup
   
mercy
   
   
mad
against
   
heartbreak
   
[for] us
against you
have
   
pierced
   
   
   
   
   
   
pledged
getting; loss
   
sorrow
   
lain
might [bring it about]
   
made their way
bold on horseback
   
   
near
Because; won
he expects to be very clever
lover
jewelry; gem
Despite all his efforts
proud
To remain faithful
saw
Who would [be] before Tristrem
   
   
celebrated; wise
continuously
near
   
whoever might consider it
owl; fierce
   
At court
mightily
instructed
   
   
married
turn you to vengeance
   
pretense
   
   
is named as you are
   
noblewoman
   
   
watch out for yourself
   
Weakly; show hatred; (see note)
do honor
lies look for
It is necessary for him
dissemble
may grief come to you
   
Curse
   
   
   
good luck may you lose
   
   
   
   
From here quickly
   
   
(see note)
you may have bad luck
   
angered
   
trust
When
riding horse
   
Prepared; quickly
   
   
strong
   
   
waited
fig tree
saw; rode
   
charmingly
   
abundant
   
linger
   
speech
   
   
   
go
greet them all in turn
   
stretch out
   
   
   
amiably
   
   
boldly
   
greets
believe
   
Petted
   
   
   
   
   
   
owned
As a token
   
   
truly
   
heaven's
distress
   
remain [here]
   
   
thought
sick; in appearance
set up; in haste
remained [there]; (see note)
that [one]
   
she; saw
   
   
pledged [his] word
as [his] wife to have
   
Two; lay
   
   
surveyed (see note)
Canados' summons
people of the region
   
Outside
remain
quickly
   
   
   
   
   
strike them
   
   
followed; (see note)
left the shelter unhappily
   
   
   
   
   
   
wise
fought
as a jewel
   
Against; complain
disturbance
   
egg
   
   
   
   
   
discover
(see note)
Until the fifteenth day
leper
   
(see note to l. 2968)
In such a state
writhe about
   
sorrow
Therefore; grow insane
threatened constantly
(see note)
   
went
   
   
   
do you have as an enemy
desired
   
heed
   
Unless; separate the two of them
will become apparent
She is so afraid of him
imagine
   
denies him
   
Still; pure
sexual act
   
   
   
in a hurry
caused him to be
hang
   
knew how
flee
Dear
   
lie
   
   
Dear
   
know
   
bold
lie
say
   
understood
chamber
   
chamber
   
asked that he listen
Whoever [it was who] bore arms there
time
Quickly
Announce
   
   
Neither of us
   
   
had announced
combat
certainly
On his side
   
Sent for
quickly
   
   
   
foes; overthrown
   
field
bold
(see note)
   
look
   
   
avenged; anger
   
painful
Throughout
   
   
marvelously fierce
was displeased
lasted
lose; (see note)
wrenched
lie
through [his] mail burst out
grief
avenged
arose
   
Their foes; overcame
slew
people of the region; fought
   
reckoned with
Who dragged him into shame
hill
advanced
halted
   
enemies; rode
   
   
valiant and unwavering
   
eagerly
fled unhappily
aid; loudly
   
   
end
accusers
Shamefully; disgraced
   
When; finished
Many a one
   
   
has what she wanted
avenged are
(see note)
Was [also] called
   
   
   
   
feet
   
lover
deprived me of
(see note)
   
sorrow; undertake; make better
   
   
brothers
   
   
very
very near
   
If; lose
   
only two
(see note to line 1875)
   
   
lost
   
   
to arm [themselves]
steel
encountered each other on a road
   
arose a loud tumult
   
   
   
there
gaping
arose
   
   
slain
was called
Avenged
slew
more
brought them to the ground
painful blows
Unhealthy
But; arrow
old
   
   
   
   


   
throw down
dies
young
But; anger
pain sharply
gone
   
At that time
Many salves
cure
   
   
   
strong
health
burst open quickly
black; bone
   
   
   
   
[Who] was queen of Cornwall
   
calls
trusty companion
Help
   
   
   
As a sign
   
secret
Unless
Die; soon
   
   
which are
Two sails
[Which] are; color
one; black
other; as snow
when
sign
outcome
If
fly
   
   
   
Was in hiding
   
   
   
Avenged
   
Without fail
(see note)
   
   
   
As a merchant
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Gave
   
   
   
sign
gave
   
privately
anew
   
   
Help; if; would not
Die must
   
   
heard
disguised herself
   
Aboard
according to their will; carried
   
tears
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Sailing
   
   
rob
   
   
   
hither
   
hasten
where he lay
as I might thrive
Healed
   
   
near
   
At once
   
   
   
avenged
   
black
   
   
Believed
   
split; two
   
   
   
   
Mourn; young
low-born and noble
   
wet eyes
   
lament
   
   
sorrow
   
soul
   
arrived
sail; oar
   
   
   
sighed
   
flower
   
   
Sir; dead
   
   
   
   
   
   
reached
   
stone
   
   
   
   
before
   
sorrowful display (of emotion)
   
bier
   
never
she died
   
   
again