Then Sir Sagramore le Desirous rode after Sir Tristram,and made him to joust with him,and there Sir Tristram smote down Sir Sagramore le Desirous from his horse,and rode his way;and the same day he met with a damosel that told him that he should win great worship of a knight adventurous that did much harm in all that country.When Sir Tristram heard her say so,he was glad to go with her to win worship.So Sir Tristram rode with that damosel a six mile,and then met him Sir Gawaine,and therewithal Sir Gawaine knew the damosel,that she was a damosel of Queen Morgan le Fay.Then Sir Gawaine understood that she led that knight to some mischief.Fair knight,said Sir Gawaine,whither ride you now with that damosel?Sir,said Sir Tristram,I wot not whither I shall ride but as the damosel will lead me.Sir,said Sir Gawaine,ye shall not ride with her,for she and her lady did never good,but ill.And then Sir Gawaine pulled out his sword and said:Damosel,but if thou tell me anon for what cause thou leadest this knight with thee thou shalt die for it right anon:I know all your lady's treason,and yours.
Mercy,Sir Gawaine,she said,and if ye will save my life I will tell you.Say on,said Sir Gawaine,and thou shalt have thy life.Sir,she said,Queen Morgan le Fay,my lady,hath ordained a thirty ladies to seek and espy after Sir Launcelot or Sir Tristram,and by the trains of these ladies,who that may first meet any of these two knights they should turn them unto Morgan le Fay's castle,saying that they should do deeds of worship;and if any of the two knights came there,there be thirty knights lying and watching in a tower to wait upon Sir Launcelot or upon Sir Tristram.Fie for shame,said Sir Gawaine,that ever such false treason should be wrought or used in a queen,and a king's sister,and a king and queen's daughter.
CHAPTER XXVI
How Sir Tristram and Sir Gawaine rode to have foughten with the thirty knights,but they durst not come out.
SIR,said Sir Gawaine,will ye stand with me,and we will see the malice of these thirty knights.Sir,said Sir Tristram,go ye to them,an it please you,and ye shall see I will not fail you,for it is not long ago since I and a fellow met with thirty knights of that queen's fellowship;and God speed us so that we may win worship.So then Sir Gawaine and Sir Tristram rode toward the castle where Morgan le Fay was,and ever Sir Gawaine deemed well that he was Sir Tristram de Liones,because he heard that two knights had slain and beaten thirty knights.And when they came afore the castle Sir Gawaine spake on high and said:Queen Morgan le Fay,send out your knights that ye have laid in a watch for Sir Launcelot and for Sir Tristram.Now,said Sir Gawaine,Iknow your false treason,and through all places where that I ride men shall know of your false treason;and now let see,said Sir Gawaine,whether ye dare come out of your castle,ye thirty knights.Then the queen spake and all the thirty knights at once,and said:Sir Gawaine,full well wottest thou what thou dost and sayest;for by God we know thee passing well,but all that thou speakest and dost,thou sayest it upon pride of that good knight that is there with thee.For there be some of us that know full well the hands of that knight over all well.And wit thou well,Sir Gawaine,it is more for his sake than for thine that we will not come out of this castle.For wit ye well,Sir Gawaine,the knight that beareth the arms of Cornwall,we know him and what he is.
Then Sir Gawaine and Sir Tristram departed and rode on their ways a day or two together;and there by adventure,they met with Sir Kay and Sir Sagramore le Desirous.And then they were glad of Sir Gawaine,and he of them,but they wist not what he was with the shield of Cornwall,but by deeming.And thus they rode together a day or two.And then they were ware of Sir Breuse Saunce Pite chasing a lady for to have slain her,for he had slain her paramour afore.Hold you all still,said Sir Gawaine,and show none of you forth,and ye shall see me reward yonder false knight;for an he espy you he is so well horsed that he will escape away.And then Sir Gawaine rode betwixt Sir Breuse and the lady,and said:False knight,leave her,and have ado with me.When Sir Breuse saw no more but Sir Gawaine he feutred his spear,and Sir Gawaine against him;and there Sir Breuse overthrew Sir Gawaine,and then he rode over him,and overthwart him twenty times to have destroyed him;and when Sir Tristram saw him do so villainous a deed,he hurled out against him.And when Sir Breuse saw him with the shield of Cornwall he knew him well that it was Sir Tristram,and then he fled,and Sir Tristram followed after him;and Sir Breuse Saunce Pite was so horsed that he went his way quite,and Sir Tristram followed him long,for he would fain have been avenged upon him.And so when he had long chased him,he saw a fair well,and thither he rode to repose him,and tied his horse till a tree.
CHAPTER XXVII
How damosel Bragwaine found Tristram sleeping by a well,and how she delivered letters to him from La Beale Isoud.
AND then he pulled off his helm and washed his visage and his hands,and so he fell asleep.In the meanwhile came a damosel that had sought Sir Tristram many ways and days within this land.
And when she came to the well she looked upon him,and had forgotten him as in remembrance of Sir Tristram,but by his horse she knew him,that hight Passe-Brewel that had been Sir Tristram's horse many years.For when he was mad in the forest Sir Fergus kept him.So this lady,Dame Bragwaine,abode still till he was awake.So when she saw him wake she saluted him,and he her again,for either knew other of old acquaintance;then she told him how she had sought him long and broad,and there she told him how she had letters from Queen La Beale Isoud.Then anon Sir Tristram read them,and wit ye well he was glad,for therein was many a piteous complaint.Then Sir Tristram said: