{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart311.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart311.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart311.htm","text":"CHAPTER LXXIV\nHow the second day Palomides forsook Sir Tristram, and\nwent to the contrary part against him.\nTHEN there was a cry unto all knights, that when they\nheard an horn blow they should make jousts as they did the\nfirst day. And like as the brethren Sir Edward and Sir\nSadok began the jousts the first day, Sir Uwaine the\nking's son Urien and Sir Lucanere de Buttelere began\nthe jousts the second day. And at the first encounter\nSir Uwaine smote down the King's son of Scots; and\nSir Lucanere ran against the King of Wales, and they\nbrake their spears all to pieces; and they were so fierce\nboth, that they hurtled together that both fell to the\nearth. Then they of Orkney horsed again Sir Lucanere.\nAnd then came in Sir Tristram de Liones; and then\nSir Tristram smote down Sir Uwaine and Sir Lucanere;\nand Sir Palomides smote down other two knights and\nSir Gareth smote down other two knights. Then\nsaid Sir Arthur unto Sir Launcelot: See yonder three\nknights do passingly well, and namely the first that\njousted. Sir, said Launcelot, that knight began not yet\nbut ye shall see him this day do marvellously. And then\ncame into the place the duke's son of Orkney, and then\nthey began to do many deeds of arms.\nWhen Sir Tristram saw them so begin, he said to\nPalomides: How feel ye yourself? may ye do this day\nas ye did yesterday? Nay, said Palomides, I feel myself\nso weary, and so sore bruised of the deeds of yesterday,\nthat I may not endure as I did yesterday. That me\nrepenteth, said Sir Tristram, for I shall lack you this\nday. Sir Palomides said: Trust not to me, for I may\nnot do as I did. All these words said Palomides for to\nbeguile Sir Tristram. Sir, said Sir Tristram unto Sir\nGareth, then must I trust upon you; wherefore I pray\nyou be not far from me to rescue me. An need be,\nsaid Sir Gareth, I shall not fail you in all that I may do.\nThen Sir Palomides rode by himself; and then in despite\nof Sir Tristram he put himself in the thickest press among\nthem of Orkney, and there he did so marvellously deeds\nof arms that all men had wonder of him, for there might\nnone stand him a stroke.\nWhen Sir Tristram saw Sir Palomides do such deeds,\nhe marvelled and said to himself: He is weary of my\ncompany. So Sir Tristram beheld him a great while\nand did but little else, for the noise and cry was so huge\nand great that Sir Tristram marvelled from whence came\nthe strength that Sir Palomides had there in the field\nSir, said Sir Gareth unto Sir Tristram, remember ye not\nof the words that Sir Dinadan said to you yesterday,\nwhen he called you a coward; forsooth, sir, he said it\nfor none ill, for ye are the man in the world that he\nmost loveth, and all that he said was for your worship.\nAnd therefore, said Sir Gareth to Sir Tristram, let me\nknow this day what ye be; and wonder ye not so upon\nSir Palomides, for he enforceth himself to win all the\nworship and honour from you. I may well believe it,\nsaid Sir Tristram. And sithen I understand his evil\nwill and his envy, ye shall see, if that I enforce myself,\nthat the noise shall be left that now is upon him.\nThen Sir Tristram rode into the thickest of the\npress, and then he did so marvellously well, and did so\ngreat deeds of arms, that all men said that Sir Tristram\ndid double so much deeds of arms as Sir Palomides had\ndone aforehand. And then the noise went plain from\nSir Palomides, and all the people cried upon Sir Tristram.\nO Jesu, said the people, see how Sir Tristram smiteth\ndown with his spear so many knights. And see, said\nthey all, how many knights he smiteth down with his\nsword, and of how many knights he rashed off their\nhelms and their shields; and so he beat them all of\nOrkney afore him. How now, said Sir Launcelot unto\nKing Arthur, I told you that this day there would a\nknight play his pageant. Yonder rideth a knight ye\nmay see he doth knightly, for he hath strength and wind.\nSo God me help, said Arthur to Launcelot, ye say sooth,\nfor I saw never a better knight, for he passeth far Sir\nPalomides. Sir, wit ye well, said Launcelot, it must\nbe so of right, for it is himself, that noble knight Sir\nTristram. I may right well believe it, said Arthur.\nBut when Sir Palomides heard the noise and the\ncry was turned from him, he rode out on a part and\nbeheld Sir Tristram. And when Sir Palomides saw Sir\nTristram do so marvellously well he wept passingly\nsore for despite, for he wist well he should no worship\nwin that day; for well knew Sir Palomides, when Sir\nTristram would put forth his strength and his manhood,\nbe should get but little worship that day,","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LXXIV","type":"page"}