{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart224.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart224.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart224.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXXI\nHow Sir Tristram returned against King Arthur's party\nbecause he saw Sir Palomides on that party.\nTHEN upon the morn Sir Palomides returned from the King of\nNorthgalis, and rode to King Arthur's side, where was King\nCarados, and the King of Ireland, and Sir Launcelot's kin, and\nSir Gawaine's kin. So Sir Palomides sent the damosel unto Sir\nTristram that he sent to seek him when he was out of his mind in\nthe forest, and this damosel asked Sir Tristram what he was and\nwhat was his name? As for that, said Sir Tristram, tell Sir\nPalomides ye shall not wit as at this time unto the time I have\nbroken two spears upon him. But let him wit thus much, said Sir\nTristram, that I am the same knight that he smote down in over-\nevening[*10] at the tourna<405>ment; and tell him plainly on what\nparty that Sir Palomides be I will be of the contrary party.\nSir, said the damosel, ye shall understand that Sir Palomides\nwill be on King Arthur's side, where the most noble knights of\nthe world be. In the name of God, said Sir Tristram, then will I\nbe with the King of Northgalis, because Sir Palomides will be on\nKing Arthur's side, and else I would not but for his sake. So\nwhen King Arthur was come they blew unto the field; and then\nthere began a great party, and so King Carados jousted with the\nKing of the Hundred Knights, and there King Carados had a fall:\nthen was there hurling and rushing, and right so came in knights\nof King Arthur's, and they bare aback the King of Northgalis'\nknights.\n[*10] ``the evening afore,'' W. de W.\nThen Sir Tristram came in, and began so roughly and so bigly that\nthere was none might withstand him, and thus Sir Tristram dured\nlong. And at the last Sir Tristram fell among the fellowship of\nKing Ban, and there fell upon him Sir Bors de Ganis, and Sir\nEctor de Maris, and Sir Blamore de Ganis, and many other knights.\nAnd then Sir Tristram smote on the right hand and on the left\nhand, that all lords and ladies spake of his noble deeds. But at\nthe last Sir Tristram should have had the worse had not the King\nwith the Hundred Knights been. And then he came with his\nfellowship and rescued Sir Tristram, and brought him away from\nthose knights that bare the shields of Cornwall. And then Sir\nTristram saw another fellowship by themself, and there were a\nforty knights together, and Sir Kay, the Seneschal, was their\ngovernor. Then Sir Tristram rode in amongst them, and there he\nsmote down Sir Kay from his horse; and there he fared among those\nknights like a greyhound among conies.\nThen Sir Launcelot found a knight that was sore wounded upon the\nhead. Sir, said Sir Launcelot, who wounded you so sore? Sir, he\nsaid, a knight that beareth a black shield, and I may curse the\ntime that ever I met with him, for he is a devil and no man. So\nSir Launcelot departed from him and thought to meet with Sir\nTristram, <406>and so he rode with his sword drawn in his hand to\nseek Sir Tristram; and then he espied him how he hurled here and\nthere, and at every stroke Sir Tristram wellnigh smote down a\nknight. O mercy Jesu! said the king, sith the times I bare arms\nsaw I never no knight do so marvellous deeds of arms. And if I\nshould set upon this knight, said Sir Launcelot to himself, I did\nshame to myself, and therewithal Sir Launcelot put up his sword.\nAnd then the King with the Hundred Knights and an hundred more of\nNorth Wales set upon the twenty of Sir Launcelot's kin: and they\ntwenty knights held them ever together as wild swine, and none\nwould fail other. And so when Sir Tristram beheld the noblesse\nor these twenty knights he marvelled of their good deeds, for he\nsaw by their fare and by their rule that they had liefer die than\navoid the field. Now Jesu, said Sir Tristram, well may he be\nvaliant and full of prowess that hath such a sort of noble\nknights unto his kin, and full like is he to be a noble man that\nis their leader and governor. He meant it by Sir Launcelot du\nLake. So when Sir Tristram had beholden them long he thought\nshame to see two hundred knights battering upon twenty knights.\nThen Sir Tristram rode unto the King with the Hundred Knights and\nsaid: Sir, leave your fighting with those twenty knights, for ye\nwin no worship of them, ye be so many and they so few; and wit ye\nwell they will not out of the field I see by their cheer and\ncountenance; and worship get ye none an ye slay them. Therefore\nleave your fighting with them, for I to increase my worship I\nwill ride to the twenty knights and help them with all my might\nand power. Nay, said the King with the Hundred Knights, ye shall\nnot do so; now I see your courage and courtesy I will withdraw my\nknights for your pleasure, for evermore a good knight will favour\nanother, and like will draw to like.\n<407>","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXXI","type":"page"}