{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart227.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart227.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart227.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXXIV\nHow Sir Launcelot hurt Sir Tristram, and how after\nSir Tristram smote down Sir Palomides.\nTHEN this cry was so large that Sir Launcelot heard it. And then\nhe gat a great spear in his hand and came towards the cry. Then\nSir Launcelot cried: The Knight with the Black Shield, make thee\nready to joust with me. When Sir Tristram heard him say so he\ngat his spear in his hand, and either abashed down their heads,\nand came together as thunder; and Sir Tristram's spear brake in\npieces, and Sir Launcelot by malfortune struck Sir Tristram on\nthe side a deep wound nigh to the death; but yet Sir Tristram\navoided not his saddle, and so the spear brake. Therewithal Sir\nTristram that was wounded gat out his sword, and he rushed to Sir\nLauncelot, and gave him three great strokes upon the helm that\nthe fire sprang thereout, and Sir Launcelot abashed his head\nlowly toward his saddle-bow. And therewithal Sir Tristram\ndeparted from the field, for he felt him so wounded that he\nweened he should have died; and Sir Dinadan espied him and\nfollowed him into the forest. Then Sir Launcelot abode and did\nmany marvellous deeds.\nSo when Sir Tristram was departed by the forest's side he\nalighted, and unlaced his harness and freshed his wound; then\nweened Sir Dinadan that he should have died. Nay, nay, said Sir\nTristram, Dinadan never dread <412>thee, for I am heart-whole,\nand of this wound I shall soon be whole, by the mercy of God. By\nthat Sir Dinadan was ware where came Palomides riding straight\nupon them. And then Sir Tristram was ware that Sir Palomides\ncame to have destroyed him. And so Sir Dinadan gave him warning,\nand said: Sir Tristram, my lord, ye are so sore wounded that ye\nmay not have ado with him, therefore I will ride against him and\ndo to him what I may, and if I be slain ye may pray for my soul;\nand in the meanwhile ye may withdraw you and go into the castle,\nor in the forest, that he shall not meet with you. Sir Tristram\nsmiled and said: I thank you, Sir Dinadan, of your good will,\nbut ye shall wit that I am able to handle him. And then anon\nhastily he armed him, and took his horse, and a great spear in\nhis hand, and said to Sir Dinadan: Adieu; and rode toward Sir\nPalomides a soft pace. Then when Sir Palomides saw that, he made\ncountenance to amend his horse, but he did it for this cause, for\nhe abode Sir Gaheris that came after him. And when he was come\nhe rode toward Sir Tristram. Then Sir Tristram sent unto Sir\nPalomides, and required him to joust with him; and if he smote\ndown Sir Palomides he would do no more to him; and if it so\nhappened that Sir Palomides smote down Sir Tristram, he bade him\ndo his utterance. So they were accorded. Then they met\ntogether, and Sir Tristram smote down Sir Palomides that he had a\ngrievous fall, so that he lay still as he had been dead. And\nthen Sir Tristram ran upon Sir Gaheris, and he would not have\njousted; but whether he would or not Sir Tristram smote him over\nhis horse's croup, that he lay still as though he had been dead.\nAnd then Sir Tristram rode his way and left Sir Persides' squire\nwithin the pavilions, and Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode to an\nold knight's place to lodge them. And that old knight had five\nsons at the tournament, for whom he prayed God heartily for their\ncoming home. And so, as the French book saith, they came home\nall five well beaten.\nAnd when Sir Tristram departed into the forest Sir <413>Launcelot\nheld alway the stour like hard, as a man araged that took no heed\nto himself, and wit ye well there was many a noble knight against\nhim. And when King Arthur saw Sir Launcelot do so marvellous\ndeeds of arms he then armed him, and took his horse and his\narmour, and rode into the field to help Sir Launcelot; and so\nmany knights came in with King Arthur. And to make short tale in\nconclusion, the King of Northgalis and the King of the Hundred\nKnights were put to the worse; and because Sir Launcelot abode\nand was the last in the field the prize was given him. But Sir\nLauncelot would neither for king, queen, nor knight, have the\nprize, but where the cry was cried through the field: Sir\nLauncelot, Sir Launcelot hath won the field this day, Sir\nLauncelot let make another cry contrary: Sir Tristram hath won\nthe field, for he began first, and last he hath endured, and so\nhath he done the first day, the second, and the third day.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXXIV","type":"page"}