Aleys, Aylies, Alice the Fair Pilgrim
Alice was called “La Beale Pilgrim” after her father, Duke Ansirus the Pilgrim, “of the kin of Sir Lancelot“.
When Alice heard of the way in which Sir Alisander le Orphelin was defending the remains of the castle La Beale Regard against all comers for a full year, she went to Arthur’s court and announced that whatever knight could defeat Alisander would gain her hand and land. She then set up her pavilion beside the ruins of La Beale Regard. Seeing Alisander defeat Sagramore le Desirous, Alice
leapt out of her pavilion, and took Sir Alisander by the bridle and said: Fair knight, I require thee of thy knighthood show me thy visage.
He did, and she immediately fell in love with him. At this request, she unwimpled and showed him her face, which had a similar effect on him. They wed, and when his year of defending the ruins was up, they
went into their country of Benoye or Bovaine, and lived there in great joy
until King Mark contrived to murder Alisander. Presumably Alice charged their son, Sir Bellengerus le Beuse, to avenge his father’s death, as Alisander’s mother had charged Alisander to avenge the murder of his father, Prince Boudwin.
Sources
Prose Tristan | 1230-1240
Les Prophecies de Merlin | Richart d’Irlande, 1272-1279
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470