SEGWARIDES

1. Segwarides
   Segurades?
   
   Vulgate III has a Sir Segurades whom Gawaine fought and defeated on behalf of the Lady of Roestoc. Malory may have two different Sirs Segwarides, but I am going on the theory that Palomides' brother Segwarides, who was already christened by the time of Dame Lyonors' tournament at Castle Dangerous, to which he came with his brothers, is the same Segwarides who appears in Cornwall, apparently having settled there in time to become embroiled with Tristram.
   
   After first meeting La Beale Isoud in Ireland, Tristram returned to Cornwall. Before being sent back to Ireland to bring Isoud to Mark, and thus before drinking the love potion with her, the great knight had an affair with Sir Segwarides' wife. Mark also was in love with this lady, and ambushed Tristram on his way to her one night. Tristram left Mark and his two helpers in sorry state, but was wounded himself and left some of his blood in his paramours' bed. Finding it, Segwarides threatened his wife until she told him who her lover was. Segwarides pursued Tristram, was defeated [of course], and did not dare meddle with the great knight thereafter, "for he that hath a privy hurt is loath to have a shame outward."
   
   After Segwarides' recovery, but still before Isoud's coming to Cornwall, Bleoberis de Ganis rode into Mark's court one day and asked a boon. When Mark granted it, Bleoberis rode off with Segwarides' wife. When Segwarides got wind of it, he set off after Bleboris and was wounded severly in the fight. Then Tristram followed anf fought Bleoberis until they decided to let the lady choose between them. She said that she would not return to Tristram, since he had not come to save her at once but had let her husband chase Bleoberis first. She begged Bleoberis to take her to the abbey where Segwarides lay wounded and Bleoberis obliged. So husband and wife were reconciled, at least outwardly, and the news of Tristram's battle with Bleoberis "pleased Sir Segwarides right well."
   
   Much later, after Tristram's marriage, when he, Isoud la Blanche Mains, and Kehydius were blown ashore near the Isle of Servage, Segwarides turned up again, traveling in the forest with an unnamed damsel. Segwarides greeted Tristram with the words:
   
   
   I know you for Sir Tristram de Liones, the man in the world that I have most cause to hate, because ye departed the love between me and my wife; but as for that, I will never hate a noble knight for a light lady; and therefore, I pray you, be my friend, and I will be yours unto my power; for wit ye well ye are hard bestead in this valley, and we shall have enough to do either of us to succour other.
   
   
   This is a masterpiece of reasoning.
   
   
   And then Sir Segwarides brought Sir Tristram to a lady thereby that was born in Cornwall and she told him all the perils of that valley.
   
   
   It was possibly the same damsel mentioned earlier as riding with Segwarides. It was the valley of the wicked Sir Nabon le Noire, and after killing him Tristram made Segwarides lord of the Isle of Servage.
   
   Sir Segwarides turned up yet again, in company with the King of the Hundred Knights, riding by Joyous Garde when Tristram was living there with Isoud. Tristram and his friend were preparing for the Lonazep tournament and, in som apparently lighthearted jousting, Segwarides unhorsed Gareth before, as it seems, joining the merry group in Joyous Garde. [If there are indeed two knights of this name in Malory, the Segwarides who unhorsed Gareth before Joyous Garde would probably be Palomides' brother as distinct from the Segwarides of Cornwall.]
   
   Segwarides was almost certainly a companion of the Round Table, like his brothers Palomides and Safere. He was killed during Lancelot's rescue of the Queen from the stake, which is interesting, since both Palomides and Safere clove to Lancelot's party.
   
   
   
2. Segwarides' Wife
   
   Before the arrival of La Beale Isoud, Bleoberis de Ganis chose her as the loveliest lady at King Mark's court. She was an early paramour of Tristram's and also attracted the amorous devotion of Mark, but eventually chose to return to her husband.
   
   If their reconciliation lasted, she would presumably have become lady of the Isle of Servage when Segwarides became its lord.