Le Morte Darthur
Palamides, that is me loth to do, for thou hast done me wrong and no
knighthood to proffer me battle, considering my great travail: but and
thou wilt tell me thy name, I will tell thee mine. Sir, said he, wit
thou well my name is Palamides. Ah sir, ye shall understand my name is
Sir Lamorak de Galis, son and heir unto the good knight and king, king
Pellinore; and Sir Tor the good knight is my half brother. When Sir
Palamides heard him say so, he kneeled down and asked mercy: For
outrageously have I done to you this day, considering the great deeds
of arms I have seen you do, shamefully and unknightly I have required
you to do battle. Ah, Sir Palamides, said Sir Lamorak, over much have
ye done and said to me. And therewith he embraced him with both his
hands, and said, Palamides the worthy knight, in all this land is no
better than ye, nor of more prowess, and me repented sore that we
should fight together. So it doth not me, said Sir Palamides, and yet
am I sorer wounded than ye be; but as for that, I shall soon thereof be
whole. But certainly I would not for the fairest castle in this land
but if thou and I had met, for I shall love you the days of my life
afore all other knights, except my brother Sir Safere. I say the same,
said Sir Lamorak, except my brother Sir Tor. Then came Sir Dinadan, and
he made great joy of Sir Lamorak. Then their squires dressed both their
shields and their harness, and stopped their wounds. And thereby at a
priory they rested them all night.
CHAP. XX.
_How it was told Sir Launcelot that Dagonet chased king Mark, and how a
knight overthrew him and six knights._
Now turn we again, when Sir Uwaine and Sir Brandiles with his fellows
came to the court of king Arthur: they told the king, Sir Launcelot,
and Sir Tristram how Sir Dagonet the fool chased king Mark through the
forest, and how the strong knight smote them down all seven with one
spear. There was great laughing and jesting at king Mark and at Sir
Dagonet. But all these knights could not tell what knight it was that
rescued king Mark. Then they asked king Mark if that he knew him. And
he answered and said, He named himself the knight that followed the
questing beast, and on that name he sent one of my varlets to a place
where was his mother, and when she heard from whence he came, she made
passing great dole, and discovered to my varlet his name, and said, O
my dear son, Sir Palamides, why wilt thou not see me? and therefore,
Sir, said king Mark, it is to understand his name is Sir Palamides, a
noble knight. Then were all these seven knights glad that they knew his
name. Now turn we again, for on the morn they took their horses, both
Sir Lamorak, Palamides, and Dinadan, with their squires and varlets,
till they saw a fair castle that stood on a mountain well closed. And
thither they rode, and there they found a knight that hight Galahalt,
that was lord of that castle. And there they had great cheer, and were
well eased. Sir Dinadan, said Sir Lamorak, what will ye do? O sir, said
Dinadan, I will to-morrow to the court of king Arthur. By my head, said
Sir Palamides, I will not ride these three days, for I am sore hurt and
much have I bled, and therefore I will repose me here. Truly, said Sir
Lamorak, and I will abide here with you. And when ye ride then will I
ride, unless that ye tarry over long, then will I take my horse.
Therefore I pray you, Sir Dinadan, abide and ride with us. Faithfully,
said Dinadan, I will not abide, for I have such a talent to see Sir
Tristram that I may not abide long from him. Ah, Dinadan, said Sir
Palamides, now do I understand that ye love my mortal enemy, and
therefore how should I trust you? Well, said Dinadan, I love my lord
Sir Tristram above all other, and him will I serve and do honour. So
shall I, said Sir Lamorak, in all that may lie in my power. So on the
morn Sir Dinadan rode unto the court of king Arthur. And by the way as
he rode he saw where stood an errant knight, and made him ready for to
just. Not so, said Sir Dinadan, for I have no will to just. With me
shall ye just, said the knight, or that ye pass this way. Whether ask
ye justs? by love or by hate? The knight answered, Wit ye well I ask it
for love, and not for hate. It may well be so, said Sir Dinadan, but ye
proffer me hard love, when ye will just with me with a sharp spear. But
fair knight, said Sir Dinadan, sith ye will just with me, meet with me
in the court of king Arthur, and there shall I just with you. Well,
said the knight, sith ye will not just with me, I pray you tell me your
name. Sir knight, said he, my name is Sir Dinadan. Ah, said the knight,
full well know I you for a good knight and a gentle, and wit you well I
love you heartily. Then shall here be no justs, said Dinadan, betwixt
us. So they departed. And the same day he came to Camelot where lay
king Arthur. And there he saluted the king and the queen, Sir Launcelot
and Sir Tristram. And all the court was glad of Sir Dinadan, for he was
gentle, wise, and courteous, and a good knight. And in especial the
valiant knight Sir Tristam loved Sir Dinadan passing well above all
other knights save Sir Launcelot. Then the king asked Sir Dinadan what
adventures he had seen. Sir, said Dinadan, I have seen many adventures,
and of some king Mark knoweth, but not all. Then the king hearkened Sir
Dinadan how he told that Sir Palamides and he were afore the castle of
Morgan le Fay, and how Sir Lamorak took the justs afore them, and how
he forjusted twelve knights, and of them four he slew, and how after he
smote down Sir Palamides and me both. I may not believe that, said the
king, for Sir Palamides is a passing good knight. That is very truth,
said Sir Dinadan, but yet I saw him better proved hand for hand. And
then he told the king all that battle, and how Sir Palamides was more
weaker and more hurt, and more lost of his blood. And without doubt,
said Sir Dinadan, had the battle longer lasted Palamides had been
slain. Oh, said king Arthur, this is to me a great marvel. Sir, said
Tristram, marvel ye no thing thereof, for at mine advice there is not a
valianter knight in all the world living, for I know his might. And now
I will say you, I was never so weary of knight but if it were Sir
Launcelot. And there is no knight in the world except Sir Launcelot I
would did so well as Sir Lamorak. Truly, said the king, I would that
knight Sir Lamorak came to this court. Sir, said Dinadan, he will be
here in short space and Sir Palamides both. But I fear that Palamides
may not yet travel.
CHAP. XXI.
_How king Arthur let do cry a justs, and how Sir Lamorak came in and
overthrew Sir Gawaine and many other._
Then within three days after the king let make a justing at a priory.
And there made them ready many knights of the Round Table. For Sir
Gawaine and his brethren made them ready to just. But Tristram,
Launcelot, nor Dinadan, would not just, but suffered Sir Gawaine, for
the love of king Arthur, with his brethren, to win the gree if they
might. Then on the morn they apparelled them to just, Sir Gawaine and
his four brethren, and did there great deeds of arms. And Sir Ector de
Maris did marvellously well; but Sir Gawaine passed all that
fellowship, wherefore king Arthur and all the knights gave Sir Gawaine
the honour at the beginning. Right so king Arthur was ware of a knight
and two squires the which came out of a forest side, with a shield
covered with leather, and then he came slily and hurtled here and
there, and anon with one spear he had smitten down two knights of the
Round Table. Then with his hurtling he lost the covering of his shield.
Then was the king and all other ware that he bare a red shield. Oh,
said king Arthur, see where rideth a stout knight, he with the red
shield. And there was noise and crying, Beware the knight with the red
shield. So within a little while he had overthrown three brethren of
Sir Gawaine’s. Truly, said king Arthur, me seemeth yonder is the best
juster that ever I saw. With that he saw him encounter with Sir
Gawaine, and he smote him down with so great force, that he made his
horse to avoid his saddle. How now, said the king, Sir Gawaine hath a
fall, well were me and I knew what knight he were with the red shield.
I know him well, said Dinadan, but as at this time ye shall not know
his name. By my head, said Sir Tristram, he justed better than Sir
Palamides, and if ye list to know his name, wit ye well his name is Sir
Lamorak de Galis. As they stood thus talking, Sir Gawaine and he
encountered together again, and there he smote Sir Gawaine from his
horse, and bruised him sore. And in the sight of king Arthur he smote
down twenty knights beside Sir Gawaine and his brethren. And so clearly
was the prize given him as a knight peerless. Then slily and
marvellously Sir Lamorak withdrew him from all the fellowship into the
forest side. All this espied king Arthur, for his eye went never from
him.
Then the king, Sir Launcelot, Sir Tristram, and Sir Dinadan took their
hacknies and rode straight after the good knight Sir Lamorak de Galis,
and there found him. And thus said the king, Ah fair knight, well be ye
found. When he saw the king he put off his helm and saluted him. And
when he saw Sir Tristram he alight down off his horse, and ran to him
for to take him by the thighs; but Sir Tristram would not suffer him,
but he alight or that he came, and either took other in arms, and made
great joy of other. The king was glad, and also was all the fellowship
of the Round Table, except Sir Gawaine and his brethren. And when they
wist that he was Sir Lamorak, they had great despite at him, and were
wonderly wroth with him, that he had put them to dishonour that day.
Then Gawaine called privily in counsel all his brethren, and to them
said thus: Fair brethren, here may ye see whom that we hate king Arthur
loveth, and whom that we love he hateth. And wit ye well, my fair
brethren, that this Sir Lamorak will never love us, because we slew his
father king Pellinore, for we deemed that he slew our father, king of
Orkney. And for the despite of Pellinore Sir Lamorak did us a shame to
our mother, therefore I will be revenged. Sir, said Sir Gawaine’s
brethren, let see how ye will or may be revenged, and ye shall find us
ready. Well, said Sir Gawaine, hold you still, and we shall espy our
time.
CHAP. XXII.
_How king Arthur made king Mark to be accorded with Sir Tristram, and
how they departed toward Cornwall._
Now pass we our matter, and leave we Sir Gawaine, and speak of king
Arthur that on a day said unto king Mark, Sir, I pray you to give me a
gift that I shall ask you. Sir, said king Mark, I will give you
whatsoever ye desire, and it be in my power. Sir, gramercy, said king
Arthur: this I will ask you, that ye will be good lord unto Sir
Tristram, for he is a man of great honour; and that ye will take him
with you into Cornwall, and let him see his friends, and there cherish
him for my sake. Sir, said king Mark, I promise you by the faith of my
body, and by the faith I owe to God and to you, I shall worship him for
your sake in all that I can or may. Sir, said Arthur, and I will
forgive you all the evil will that ever I owed you, and so be that ye
swear that upon a book afore me. With a good will, said king Mark. And
so he there sware upon a book afore him and all his knights, and
therewith king Mark and Sir Tristram took either other by the hands
hard knit together. But for all this king Mark thought falsely, as it
proved after, for he put Sir Tristram in prison, and cowardly would
have slain him. Then soon after king Mark took his leave to ride into
Cornwall, and Sir Tristram made him ready to ride with him, wherefore