{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart320.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart320.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart320.htm","text":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LXXXIII\n \n Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends and Sagas\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n BOOK X\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n CHAPTER LXXXIII\n \n How Sir Palomides brought Sir Epinogris his lady; and\n how Sir Palomides and Sir Safere were assailed.\n \n \n NAY, nay, said Epinogris, your sorrow is but japes to my\n sorrow; for I rejoiced my lady and won her with my\n hands, and lost her again: alas that day! Thus first I\n won her, said Epinogris; my lady was an earl's daughter,\n and as the earl and two knights came from the tournament\n of Lonazep, for her sake I set upon this earl and\n on his two knights, my lady there being present; and so\n by fortune there I slew the earl and one of the knights,\n and the other knight fled, and so that night I had my\n lady. And on the morn as she and I reposed us at this\n well-side there came there to me an errant knight, his name\n was Sir Helior le Preuse, an hardy knight, and this Sir\n Helior challenged me to fight for my lady. And then\n we went to battle first upon horse and after on foot, but\n at the last Sir Helior wounded me so that he left me for\n dead, and so he took my lady with him; and thus my\n sorrow is more than yours, for I have rejoiced and ye\n rejoiced never. That is truth, said Palomides, but sith\n I can never recover myself I shall promise you if I can\n meet with Sir Helior I shall get you your lady again, or\n else he shall beat me.\n \n Then Sir Palomides made Sir Epinogris to take his\n horse, and so they rode to an hermitage, and there Sir\n Epinogris rested him. And in the meanwhile Sir Palomides\n walked privily out to rest him under the leaves, and\n there beside he saw a knight come riding with a shield\n that he had seen Sir Ector de Maris bear beforehand; and\n there came after him a ten knights, and so these ten\n knights hoved under the leaves for heat. And anon after\n there came a knight with a green shield and therein a\n white lion, leading a lady upon a palfrey. Then this\n knight with the green shield that seemed to be master of\n the ten knights, he rode fiercely after Sir Helior, for it was\n he that hurt Sir Epinogris. And when he came nigh Sir\n Helior he bade him defend his lady. I will defend her,\n said Helior, unto my power. And so they ran together\n so mightily that either of these knights smote other down,\n horse and all, to the earth; and then they won up lightly\n and drew their swords and their shields, and lashed\n together mightily more than an hour. All this Sir Palomides\n saw and beheld, but ever at the last the knight with\n Sir Ector's shield was bigger, and at the last this knight\n smote Sir Helior down, and then that knight unlaced his\n helm to have stricken off his head. And then he cried\n mercy, and prayed him to save his life, and bade him take\n his lady. Then Sir Palomides dressed him up, because he\n wist well that that same lady was Epinogris' lady, and he\n promised him to help him.\n \n Then Sir Palomides went straight to that lady, and\n took her by the hand, and asked her whether she knew a\n knight that hight Epinogris. Alas, she said, that ever he\n knew me or I him, for I have for his sake lost my\n worship, and also his life grieveth me most of all. Not\n so, lady, said Palomides, come on with me, for here is\n Epinogris in this hermitage. Ah! well is me, said the\n lady, an he be alive. Whither wilt thou with that lady?\n said the knight with Sir Ector's shield. I will do with\n her what me list, said Palomides. Wit you well, said that\n knight, thou speakest over large, though thou seemest me\n to have at advantage, because thou sawest me do battle\n but late. Thou weenest, sir knight, to have that lady\n away from me so lightly? nay, think it never not; an\n thou were as good a knight as is Sir Launcelot, or as is\n Sir Tristram, or Sir Palomides, but thou shalt win her\n dearer than ever did I. And so they went unto battle\n upon foot, and there they gave many sad strokes, and\n either wounded other passing sore, and thus they fought\n still more than an hour.\n \n Then Sir Palomides had marvel what knight he might\n be that was so strong and so well breathed during, and\n thus said Palomides: Knight, I require thee tell me thy\n name. Wit thou well, said that knight, I dare tell thee\n my name, so that thou wilt tell me thy name. I will, said\n Palomides. Truly, said that knight, my name is Safere,\n son of King Astlabor, and Sir Palomides and Sir Segwarides\n are my brethren. Now, and wit thou well, my name is\n Sir Palomides. Then Sir Safere kneeled down upon his\n knees, and prayed him of mercy; and then they unlaced\n their helms and either kissed other weeping. And in the\n meanwhile Sir Epinogris arose out of his bed, and heard\n them by the strokes, and so he armed him to help Sir\n Palomides if need were.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LXXXIII","type":"page"}