{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart216.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart216.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart216.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXIII\nHow a damosel sought help to help Sir Launcelot against\nthirty knights, and how Sir Tristram fought with them.\nAND at the next landing, fast by the sea, there met with Sir\nTristram and with Sir Dinadan, Sir Ector de Maris and Sir Bors de\nGanis; and there Sir Ector jousted with Sir Dinadan, and he smote\nhim and his horse down. And then Sir Tristram would have jousted\nwith Sir Bors, and Sir Bors said that he would not joust with no\nCornish knights, for they are not called men of worship; and all\nthis was done upon a bridge. And with this came Sir Bleoberis\nand Sir Driant, and Sir Bleoberis proffered to joust with Sir\nTristram, and there Sir Tristram smote down Sir Bleoberis. Then\nsaid Sir Bors de Ganis: I wist never Cornish knight of so great\nvalour nor so valiant as that knight that beareth the trappings\nembroidered with crowns. And then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan\ndeparted from them into a forest, and there met them a damosel\nthat came for the love of Sir Launcelot to seek after some noble\nknights of King Arthur's court for to rescue Sir Launcelot. And\nso Sir Launcelot was ordained, for-by the treason of Queen Morgan\nle Fay to have slain Sir Launcelot, and for that cause she\nordained thirty knights to lie in await for Sir Launcelot, and\nthis damosel knew this treason. And for this cause the damosel\ncame for to seek noble knights to help Sir Launcelot. For that\nnight, or the day after, Sir Launcelot should come where these\nthirty knights were. And so this damosel met with Sir Bors and\nSir Ector and with Sir Driant, and there she told them all four\nof the treason of Morgan le Fay; and then they promised her that\nthey would be nigh where Sir Launcelot should meet with the\nthirty knights. And if so be they set upon him we will do\nrescues as we can.\nSo the damosel departed, and by adventure the damosel met with\nSir Tristram and with Sir Dinadan, and there <391>the damosel\ntold them all the treason that was ordained for Sir Launcelot.\nFair damosel, said Sir Tristram, bring me to that same place\nwhere they should meet with Sir Launcelot. Then said Sir\nDinadan: What will ye do? it is not for us to fight with thirty\nknights, and wit you well I will not thereof; as to match one\nknight two or three is enough an they be men, but for to match\nfifteen knights that will I never undertake. Fie for shame, said\nSir Tristram, do but your part. Nay, said Sir Dinadan, I will\nnot thereof but if ye will lend me your shield, for ye bear a\nshield of Cornwall; and for the cowardice that is named to the\nknights of Cornwall, by your shields ye be ever forborne. Nay,\nsaid Sir Tristram, I will not depart from my shield for her sake\nthat gave it me. But one thing, said Sir Tristram, I promise\nthee, Sir Dinadan, but if thou wilt promise me to abide with me,\nhere I shall slay thee, for I desire no more of thee but answer\none knight. And if thy heart will not serve thee, stand by and\nlook upon me and them. Sir, said Sir Dinadan, I promise you to\nlook upon and to do what I may to save myself, but I would I had\nnot met with you.\nSo then anon these thirty knights came fast by these four\nknights, and they were ware of them, and either of other. And so\nthese thirty knights let them pass, for this cause, that they\nwould not wrath them, if case be that they had ado with Sir\nLauncelot; and the four knights let them pass to this intent,\nthat they would see and behold what they would do with Sir\nLauncelot. And so the thirty knights passed on and came by Sir\nTristram and by Sir Dinadan, and then Sir Tristram cried on high:\nLo, here is a knight against you for the love of Sir Launcelot.\nAnd there he slew two with one spear and ten with his sword. And\nthen came in Sir Dinadan and he did passing well, and so of the\nthirty knights there went but ten away, and they fled. All this\nbattle saw Sir Bors de Ganis and his three fellows, and then they\nsaw well it was the same knight that jousted with them at the\nbridge; then they took their horses and rode unto Sir Tristram,\nand praised him and thanked him of his good <392>deeds, and they\nall desired Sir Tristram to go with them to their lodging; and he\nsaid: Nay, he would not go to no lodging. Then they all four\nknights prayed him to tell them his name. Fair lords, said Sir\nTristram, as at this time I will not tell you my name.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXIII","type":"page"}