Le Morte Darthur
him. And when he espied the squire, therewith he started and brake
himself loose, and took his sword in his hand, and ran to have slain
that squire. Then he took his horse and fled all that ever he might
unto dame Bragwaine again, and told her of his adventure. Then she rode
unto Sir Tristram’s pavilion, and told Sir Tristram what adventure she
had found in the forest. Alas, said Sir Tristram, upon my head there is
some good knight at mischief. Then Sir Tristram took his horse and his
sword and rode thither, and there he heard how the knight complained
unto himself, and said, I, woeful knight, Sir Palamides, what
misadventure befalleth me, that thus am defoiled with falsehood and
treason, through Sir Bors and Sir Ector. Alas, he said, why live I so
long! And then he gat his sword in his hands, and made many strange
signs and tokens, and so through his raging he threw his sword into
that fountain. Then Sir Palamides wailed and wrang his hands. And at
the last, for pure sorrow, he ran into that fountain over his middle,
and sought after his sword. Then Sir Tristram saw that, and ran upon
Sir Palamides, and held him in his arms fast. What art thou, said Sir
Palamides, that holdeth me so? I am a man of this forest that would
thee none harm. Alas, said Sir Palamides, I may never win worship where
Sir Tristram is, for ever where he is and I be there then get I no
worship, and if he be away for the most part I have the gree, unless
that Sir Launcelot du Lake be there or Sir Lamorak. Then Sir Palamides
said: Once in Ireland Sir Tristram put me to the worse, and another
time in Cornwall, and in other places in this land. What would ye do,
said Sir Tristram, and ye had Sir Tristram? I would fight with him,
said Sir Palamides, and ease my heart upon him, and yet, to say the
sooth, Sir Tristram is the gentlest knight in this world living. What
will ye do? said Sir Tristram, will ye go with me to your lodging? Nay,
said he, I will go to the king with the hundred knights, for he rescued
me from Sir Bors de Ganis and Sir Ector, and else had I been slain
traitourly. Sir Tristram said him such kind words that Sir Palamides
went with him to his lodging. Then Gouvernail went tofore and charged
dame Bragwaine to go out of the way to her lodging, and bid ye Sir
Persides that he make him no quarrels. And so they rode together till
they came to Sir Tristram’s pavilion, and there Sir Palamides had all
the cheer that might be had all that night. But in no wise Sir
Palamides might not know what was Sir Tristram. And so after supper
they went to rest, and Sir Tristram for great travail slept till it was
day. And Sir Palamides might not sleep for anguish, and in the dawning
of the day he took his horse privily and rode his way unto Sir Gaheris
and to Sir Sagramor le Desirous, where they were in their pavilions,
for they three were fellows at the beginning of the tournament. And
then upon the morn the king blew unto the tournament upon the third day.
CHAP. XXXIII.
_How Sir Tristram smote down Sir Palamides, and how he justed with king
Arthur, and other feats._
So the king of Northgalis and the king with the hundred knights, they
two encountered with king Carados and with the king of Ireland, and
there the king with the hundred knights smote down king Carados, and
the king of Northgalis smote down the king of Ireland. With that came
in Sir Palamides, and when he came he made great work, for by his
indented shield he was well known. So came in king Arthur and did great
deeds of arms together, and put the king of Northgalis and the king
with the hundred knights to the worse. With this came in Sir Tristram
with his black shield, and anon he justed with Sir Palamides, and there
by fine force Sir Tristram smote Sir Palamides over his horse croup.
Then king Arthur cried, Knight with the black shield make thee ready to
me. And in the same wise Sir Tristram smote king Arthur. And then by
force of king Arthur’s knights the king and Sir Palamides were horsed
again. Then king Arthur with a great eager heart gat a spear in his
hand, and there upon the one side he smote Sir Tristram over his horse.
Then foot-hot Sir Palamides came upon Sir Tristram as he was on foot,
to have over-ridden him. Then Sir Tristram was ware of him, and there
he stooped aside, and with great ire he gat him by the arm, and pulled
him down from his horse. Then Sir Palamides lightly arose, and then
they dashed together mightily with their swords, and many kings,
queens, and lords stood and beheld them. And at the last Sir Tristram
smote Sir Palamides upon the helm three mighty strokes, and at every
stroke that he gave him he said, Have this for Sir Tristram’s sake.
With that Sir Palamides fell to the earth groveling. And then came the
king with the hundred knights and brought Sir Tristram an horse, and so
was he horsed again. By then was Sir Palamides horsed, and with great
ire he justed upon Sir Tristram with his spear as it was in the rest,
and gave him a great dash with his spear. Then Sir Tristram avoided his
spear and gat him by the neck with his both hands, and pulled him clean
out of his saddle, and so he bare him afore him the length of ten
spears, and then in the presence of them all he let him fall at his
adventure. Then Sir Tristram was ware of king Arthur with a naked sword
in his hand, and with his spear Sir Tristram ran upon king Arthur, and
then king Arthur boldly abode him, and with his sword he smote a-two
his spear, and therewithal Sir Tristram was astonished, and so king
Arthur gave him three or four great strokes or he might get out his
sword, and at the last Sir Tristram drew his sword and assailed other
passing hard. With that the great press parted, then Sir Tristram rode
here and there and did his great pain, that eleven of the good knights
of the blood of king Ban, that was of Sir Launcelot’s kin, that day Sir
Tristram smote down, that all the estates marvelled of his great deeds,
and all cried upon the knight with the black shield.
CHAP. XXXIV.
_How Sir Launcelot hurt Sir Tristram, and how after Sir Tristram smote
down Palamides._
Then this cry was so large that Sir Launcelot heard it. And then he gat
a great spear in his hand, and came towards the cry. Then Sir Launcelot
cried, The knight with the black shield, make thee ready to just with
me. When Sir Tristram heard him say so, he gat his spear in his hand,
and either abashed down their heads, and came together as thunder, and
Sir Tristram’s spear brake in pieces, and Sir Launcelot by mal-fortune
struck Sir Tristram on the side a deep wound nigh to the death. But yet
Sir Tristram avoided not his saddle, and so the spear brake:
therewithal Sir Tristram that was wounded gat out his sword, and he
rashed to Sir Launcelot, and gave him three great strokes upon the helm
that the fire spang there out, and Sir Launcelot abashed his head lowly
toward his saddle-bow. And therewithal Sir Tristram departed from the
field, for he felt him so wounded that he wend he should have died. And
Sir Dinadan espied him, and followed him into the forest. Then Sir
Launcelot abode and did many marvellous deeds. So when Sir Tristram was
departed by the forest side, he alight, and unlaced his harness and
refreshed his wound. Then wend Sir Dinadan that he should have died.
Nay, nay, said Sir Tristram, Dinadan never dread thee, for I am heart
whole, and of this wound I shall soon be whole by the mercy of God. By
that Sir Dinadan was ware where came Sir Palamides riding straight upon
them. And then Sir Tristram was ware that Sir Palamides came to have
destroyed him. And so Sir Dinadan gave him warning and said, Sir
Tristram, my lord, ye are so sore wounded that ye may not have ado with
him, therefore I will ride against him and do to him what I may; and if
I be slain ye may pray for my soul, and in the meanwhile ye may
withdraw you and go into the castle, or into the forest, that he shall
not meet with you. Sir Tristram smiled and said, I thank you, Sir
Dinadan, of your good will, but ye shall wit that I am able to handle
him. And then anon hastily he armed him and took his horse and gat a
great spear in his hand, and said to Sir Dinadan, Adieu, and rode
toward Sir Palamides a soft pace.
Then when Sir Palamides saw that, he made countenance to amend his
horse; but he did it for this cause, for he abode Sir Gaheris that came
after him. And when he was come, he rode toward Sir Tristram. Then Sir
Tristram sent unto Sir Palamides and required him to just with him; and
if he smote down Sir Palamides he would do no more to him; and if it so
happened that Sir Palamides smote down Sir Tristram he bad him do his
utterance. So they were accorded. Then they met together, and Sir
Tristram smote down Sir Palamides, that he had a grievous fall, so that
he lay still as he had been dead. And then Sir Tristram ran upon Sir
Gaheris, and he would not have justed, but whether he would or not Sir
Tristram smote him over his horse croup, that he lay still as though he
had been dead. And then Sir Tristram rode his way, and left Sir
Persides’ squire within the pavilions, and Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan
rode to an old knight’s place to lodge them. And that old knight had
five sons at the tournament, for whom he prayed heartily for their
coming home. And so, as the French book saith, they came home all five
well beaten.
And when Sir Tristram departed into the forest, Sir Launcelot held
alway the fight like hard as a man enraged that took no heed to
himself, and wit ye well there was many a noble knight against him. And
when king Arthur saw Sir Launcelot do so marvellous deeds of arms, he
then armed him, and took his horse and armour, and rode into the field
to help Sir Launcelot, and so many knights came in with king Arthur.
And to make short tale, in conclusion, the king of Northgalis and the
king of the hundred knights were put to the worse, and because Sir
Launcelot abode and was the last in the field, the prize was given him.
But Sir Launcelot would neither for king, queen, nor knight have the
prize. But where the cry was cried through the field, Sir Launcelot,
Sir Launcelot, hath won the field this day, Sir Launcelot let make
another cry contrary, Sir Tristram hath won the field, for he began
first, and last he hath endured, and so hath he done the first day, the
second, and the third day.
CHAP. XXXV.
_How the prize of the third day was given to Sir Launcelot, and Sir
Launcelot gave it unto Sir Tristram._
Then all the estates and degrees high and low said of Sir Launcelot
great worship for the honour that he did unto Sir Tristram, and for
that honour doing to Sir Tristram he was at that time more praised and
renowned than if he had overthrown five hundred knights: and all the
people wholly for this gentleness, first the estates both high and low,
and after the commonalty, cried at once, Sir Launcelot hath won the
field, whosoever say nay. Then was Sir Launcelot wroth and ashamed, and
so therewithal he rode to king Arthur. Alas, said the king, we are all
dismayed that Sir Tristram is thus departed from us. Truly, said king
Arthur, he is one of the noblest knights that ever I saw hold spear or
sword in hand, and the most courteyest knight in his fighting, for full
hard I saw him, said king Arthur, when he smote Sir Palamides upon his
helm, thrice that he abashed his helm with his strokes, and also he
said, here is a stroke for Sir Tristram, and thus thrice he said. Then
king Arthur, Sir Launcelot, and Sir Dodinas le Savage took their horses
to seek Sir Tristram, and by the means of Sir Persides he had told king
Arthur where Sir Tristram was in his pavilion, but when they came there