NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

La Beale Regard


Morgan le Fay was holding this castle, but it was not the one Arthur had given her. She usurped it from an unnamed but lively Damsel, the niece of the Earl of Pase. When Morgan imprisoned Sir Alisander le Orphelin here, the Damsel of La Beale Regard helped him escape by writing to her uncle the earl, asking him to come and destroy La Beale Regard with wildfire. Alisander afterward defended the site against all comers and thus met his love, Alice la Beale Pilgrim.

Alisander had started out, on Tristram’s (Tristan) advice, for London. Presumablyhe left from Magouns Castle (Arundel), but “by fortune he went by the seaside, and went wrong.” At a tournament made by King Carados, he caught the eye of Morgan, who, after a side-battle of Alisander’s against one Sir Malgrin, got Alisander into La Beale Regard.

Since it is difficult to see how Alisander could miss London and end up in Scotland, I suspect that here Sir Cador of Cornwall is meant as the giver of this tournament, and not King Carados of Scotland.

In southwest Southampton is a town called Beaulieu. “Beautiful place,” “beautiful view,” La Beale Regard?