{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart322.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart322.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart322.htm","text":"CHAPTER LXXXV\nHow Sir Tristram made him ready to rescue Sir Palomides,\nbut Sir Launcelot rescued him or he came.\nWHEN Sir Tristram heard how Sir Palomides went to his\ndeath, he was heavy to hear that, and said: Howbeit that\nI am wroth with Sir Palomides, yet will not I suffer him to\ndie so shameful a death, for he is a full noble knight. And\nthen anon Sir Tristram was armed and took his horse and\ntwo squires with him, and rode a great pace toward the\ncastle of Pelownes where Sir Palomides was judged to death.\nAnd these twelve knights that led Sir Palomides passed by\na well whereas Sir Launcelot was, which was alighted there,\nand had tied his horse to a tree, and taken off his helm\nto drink of that well; and when he saw these knights, Sir\nLauncelot put on his helm and suffered them to pass by\nhim. And then was he ware of Sir Palomides bounden,\nand led shamefully to his death. O Jesu, said Launcelot,\nwhat misadventure is befallen him that he is thus led\ntoward his death? Forsooth, said Launcelot, it were shame\nto me to suffer this noble knight so to die an I might help\nhim, therefore I will help him whatsomever come of it,\nor else I shall die for Sir Palomides' sake. And then Sir\nLauncelot mounted upon his horse, and gat his spear in\nhis hand, and rode after the twelve knights that led Sir\nPalomides. Fair knights, said Sir Launcelot, whither lead\nye that knight? it beseemeth him full ill to ride bounden.\nThen these twelve knights suddenly turned their horses\nand said to Sir Launcelot: Sir knight, we counsel thee not\nto meddle with this knight, for he hath deserved death, and\nunto death he is judged. That me repenteth, said Launcelot,\nthat I may not borrow him with fairness, for he is over\ngood a knight to die such a shameful death. And therefore,\nfair knights, said Sir Launcelot, keep you as well as\nye can, for I will rescue that knight or die for it.\nThen they began to dress their spears, and Sir Launcelot\nsmote the foremost down, horse and man, and so he served\nthree more with one spear; and then that spear brast, and\ntherewithal Sir Launcelot drew his sword, and then he\nsmote on the right hand and on the left hand. Then\nwithin a while he left none of those twelve knights, but he\nhad laid them to the earth, and the most part of them\nwere sore wounded. And then Sir Launcelot took the\nbest horse that he found, and loosed Sir Palomides and set\nhim upon that horse; and so they returned again unto\nJoyous Gard, and then was Sir Palomides ware of Sir\nTristram how he came riding. And when Sir Launcelot\nsaw him he knew him well, but Sir Tristram knew him not\nbecause Sir Launcelot had on his shoulder a golden shield.\nSo Sir Launcelot made him ready to joust with Sir Tristram,\nthat Sir Tristram should not ween that he were Sir\nLauncelot. Then Sir Palomides cried aloud to Sir Tristram:\nO my lord, I require you joust not with this knight, for\nthis good knight hath saved me from my death. When\nSir Tristram heard him say so he came a soft trotting pace\ntoward them. And then Sir Palomides said: My lord,\nSir Tristram, much am I beholding unto you of your great\ngoodness, that would proffer your noble body to rescue me\nundeserved, for I have greatly offended you. Notwithstanding,\nsaid Sir Palomides, here met we with this noble\nknight that worshipfully and manly rescued me from twelve\nknights, and smote them down all and wounded them sore.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LXXXV","type":"page"}