" And therewith
he turned away and left her.
And thereafter, in due season, the Lady Moeya was brought to trial and was
condemned to be burned at the stake.
[Sidenote: Tristram begs mercy for the Queen] Now when the day came that
she was to be burnt, Tristram was very sorry for her. So when he beheld her
tied fast to the stake he came to where King Meliadus was and he kneeled
before him, and he said, "Father, I crave a boon of thee." Thereupon King
Meliadus looked upon Tristram, and he loved him very tenderly and he said:
"My son, ask what thou wilt, and it shall be thine." Then Tristram said:
"Father, I pray thee, spare the life of this lady, for methinks she hath
repented her of her evil, and surely God hath punished her very sorely for
the wickedness she hath tried to do."
Then King Meliadus was very wroth that Tristram should interfere with the
law; but yet he had granted that boon to his son and could not withdraw. So
after a while of thought he said: "Well, I have promised, and so I will
perform my promise. Her life is thine; go to the stake and take her. But
when thou hast done so I bid thee go forth from this place and show thy
face here no more.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197