The damosel that came from La Beale Isoud unto Sir Tristram,all the while the tournament was a-doing she was with Queen Guenever,and ever the queen asked her for what cause she came into that country.Madam,she answered,I come for none other cause but from my lady La Beale Isoud to wit of your welfare.For in no wise she would not tell the queen that she came for Sir Tristram's sake.So this lady,Dame Bragwaine,took her leave of Queen Guenever,and she rode after Sir Tristram.And as she rode through the forest she heard a great cry;then she commanded her squire to go into the forest to wit what was that noise.And so he came to a well,and there he found a knight bounden till a tree crying as he had been wood,and his horse and his harness standing by him.And when he espied that squire,therewith he abraid and brake himself loose,and took his sword in his hand,and ran to have slain the squire.Then he took his horse and fled all that ever he might unto Dame Bragwaine,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,woful knight Sir Palomides,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 Palomides wailed and wrang his hands.And at the last for pure sorrow he ran into that fountain,over his belly,and sought after his sword.Then Sir Tristram saw that,and ran upon Sir Palomides,and held him in his arms fast.What art thou,said Palomides,that holdeth me so?I am a man of this forest that would thee none harm.Alas,said Sir Palomides,Imay never win worship where Sir Tristram is;for ever where he is an 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 be there or Sir Lamorak.Then Sir Palomides 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,an ye had Sir Tristram?I would fight with him,said Sir Palomides,and ease my heart upon him;and yet,to say thee 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 traitorly.Sir Tristram said him such kind words that Sir Palomides went with him to his lodging.
Then Gouvernail went to-fore,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 Palomides had all the cheer that might be had all that night.But in no wise Sir Palomides might not know what was Sir Tristram;and so after supper they yede to rest,and Sir Tristram for great travail slept till it was day.And Sir Palomides 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 unto Sir Sagramore 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.
CHAPTER XXXIII
How Sir Tristram smote down Sir Palomides,and how he jousted 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 Palomides,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 jousted with Sir Palomides,and there by fine force Sir Tristram smote Sir Palomides over his horse's 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 Palomides were horsed again.Then King Arthur with a great eager heart he gat a spear in his hand,and there upon the one side he smote Sir Tristram over his horse.Then foot-hot Sir Palomides came upon Sir Tristram,as he was upon foot,to have overridden 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 Palomides 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 Palomides upon the helm three mighty strokes,and at every stroke that he gave him he said:This for Sir Tristram's sake.With that Sir Palomides fell to the earth grovelling.