{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart221.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart221.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart221.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXVIII\nHow Sir Tristram had a fall with Sir Palomides, and\nhow Launcelot overthrew two knights.\nTHEN they saw much people of the country salute Sir Palomides.\nAnd within a while after there came a squire of the castle, that\ntold Sir Pellounes that was lord of that castle, that a knight\nwith a black shield had smitten down thirteen knights. Fair\nbrother, said Sir Tristram unto Sir Persides, let us cast upon us\ncloaks, and let us go see <400>the play. Not so, said Sir\nPersides, we will not go like knaves thither, but we will ride\nlike men and good knights to withstand our enemies. So they\narmed them, and took their horses and great spears, and thither\nthey went thereas many knights assayed themself before the\ntournament. And anon Sir Palomides saw Sir Persides, and then he\nsent a squire unto him and said: Go thou to the yonder knight\nwith the green shield and therein a lion of gold, and say him I\nrequire him to joust with me, and tell him that my name is Sir\nPalomides. When Sir Persides understood that request of Sir\nPalomides, he made him ready, and there anon they met together,\nbut Sir Persides had a fall. Then Sir Tristram dressed him to be\nrevenged upon Sir Palomides, and that saw Sir Palomides that was\nready and so was not Sir Tristram, and took him at an advantage\nand smote him over his horse's tail when he had no spear in his\nrest. Then stert up Sir Tristram and took his horse lightly, and\nwas wroth out of measure, and sore ashamed of that fall. Then\nSir Tristram sent unto Sir Palomides by Gouvernail, and prayed\nhim to joust with him at his request. Nay, said Sir Palomides,\nas at this time I will not joust with that knight, for I know him\nbetter than he weeneth. And if he be wroth he may right it to-\nmorn at the Castle of Maidens, where he may see me and many other\nknights.\nWith that came Sir Dinadan, and when he saw Sir Tristram wroth he\nlist not to jape. Lo, said Sir Dinadan, here may a man prove, be\na man never so good yet may he have a fall, and he was never so\nwise but he might be overseen, and he rideth well that never\nfell. So Sir Tristram was passing wroth, and said to Sir\nPersides and to Sir Dinadan: I will revenge me. Right so as\nthey stood talking there, there came by Sir Tristram a likely\nknight riding passing soberly and heavily with a black shield.\nWhat knight is that? said Sir Tristram unto Sir Persides. I know\nhim well, said Sir Persides, for his name is Sir Briant of North\nWales; so he passed on among other knights of North Wales. And\nthere came <401>in Sir Launcelot du Lake with a shield of the\narms of Cornwall, and he sent a squire unto Sir Briant, and\nrequired him to joust with him. Well, said Sir Briant, sithen I\nam required to joust I will do what I may; and there Sir\nLauncelot smote down Sir Briant from his horse a great fall. And\nthen Sir Tristram marvelled what knight he was that bare the\nshield of Cornwall. Whatsoever he be, said Sir Dinadan, I\nwarrant you he is of King Ban's blood, the which be knights of\nthe most noble prowess in the world, for to account so many for\nso many. Then there came two knights of Northgalis, that one\nhight Hew de la Montaine, and the other Sir Madok de la Montaine,\nand they challenged Sir Launcelot foot-hot. Sir Launcelot not\nrefusing them but made him ready, with one spear he smote them\ndown both over their horses' croups; and so Sir Launcelot rode\nhis way. By the good lord, said Sir Tristram, he is a good\nknight that beareth the shield of Cornwall, and meseemeth he\nrideth in the best manner that ever I saw knight ride.\nThen the King of Northgalis rode unto Sir Palomides and prayed\nhim heartily for his sake to joust with that knight that hath\ndone us of Northgalis despite. Sir, said Sir Palomides, I am\nfull loath to have ado with that knight, and cause why is, for as\nto-morn the great tournament shall be; and therefore I will keep\nmyself fresh by my will. Nay, said the King of Northgalis, I\npray you require him of jousts. Sir, said Sir Palomides, I will\njoust at your request, and require that knight to joust with me,\nand often I have seen a man have a fall at his own request.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXVIII","type":"page"}