{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart228.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart228.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart228.htm","text":"CHAPTER XXXV\nHow the prize of the third day was given to Sir Launcelot,\nand Sir Launcelot gave it to Sir Tristram.\nTHEN all the estates and degrees high and low said of Sir\nLauncelot great worship, for the honour that he did unto Sir\nTristram; and for that honour doing to Sir Tristram he was at\nthat time more praised and renowned than an he had overthrown\nfive hundred knights; and all the people wholly for this\ngentleness, first the estates both high and low, and after the\ncommonalty cried at once: Sir Launcelot hath won the field\nwhosoever say nay. Then was Sir Launcelot wroth and ashamed, and\nso therewithal he rode to King Arthur. Alas, said the king, we\nare all dismayed that Sir Tristram is thus departed from us. By\nGod, said King Arthur, he is one of the noblest knights that ever\nI saw hold spear or sword in hand, and the most courteoust knight\nin his <414>fighting; for full hard I saw him, said King Arthur,\nwhen he smote Sir Palomides upon the helm thrice, that he abashed\nhis helm with his strokes, and also he said: Here is a stroke\nfor Sir Tristram, and thus thrice he said. Then King Arthur, Sir\nLauncelot, and Sir Dodinas le Savage took their horses to seek\nSir Tristram, and by the means of Sir Persides he had told King\nArthur where Sir Tristram was in his pavilion. But when they\ncame there, Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan were gone.\nThen King Arthur and Sir Launcelot were heavy, and returned again\nto the Castle of Maidens making great dole for the hurt of Sir\nTristram, and his sudden departing. So God me help, said King\nArthur, I am more heavy that I cannot meet with him than for all\nthe hurts that all my knights have had at the tournament. Right\nso came Sir Gaheris and told King Arthur how Sir Tristram had\nsmitten down Sir Palomides, and it was at Sir Palomides' own\nrequest. Alas, said King Arthur, that was great dishonour to Sir\nPalomides, inasmuch as Sir Tristram was sore wounded, and now may\nwe all, kings, and knights, and men of worship, say that Sir\nTristram may be called a noble knight, and one of the best\nknights that ever I saw the days of my life. For I will that ye\nall, kings and knights, know, said King Arthur, that I never saw\nknight do so marvellously as he hath done these three days; for\nhe was the first that began and that longest held on, save this\nlast day. And though he was hurt, it was a manly adventure of\ntwo noble knights, and when two noble men encounter needs must\nthe one have the worse, like as God will suffer at that time. As\nfor me, said Sir Launcelot, for all the lands that ever my father\nleft me I would not have hurt Sir Tristram an I had known him at\nthat time; that I hurt him was for I saw not his shield. For an\nI had seen his black shield, I would not have meddled with him\nfor many causes; for late he did as much for me as ever did\nknight, and that is well known that he had ado with thirty\nknights, and no help save Sir Dinadan. And one thing shall I\npromise, said Sir Launcelot, Sir Palomides <415>shall repent it\nas in his unkindly dealing for to follow that noble knight that I\nby mishap hurted thus. Sir Launcelot said all the worship that\nmight be said by Sir Tristram. Then King Arthur made a great\nfeast to all that would come. And thus we let pass King Arthur,\nand a little we will turn unto Sir Palomides, that after he had a\nfall of Sir Tristram, he was nigh-hand araged out of his wit for\ndespite of Sir Tristram. And so he followed him by adventure.\nAnd as he came by a river, in his woodness he would have made his\nhorse to have leapt over; and the horse failed footing and fell\nin the river, wherefore Sir Palomides was adread lest he should\nhave been drowned; and then he avoided his horse, and swam to the\nland, and let his horse go down by adventure.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXXV","type":"page"}