{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/mart/mart351.htm","path":"neu/mart/mart351.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/mart351.htm","text":"CHAPTER XII\nHow Sir Tristram departed unarmed and met with Sir\nPalomides, and how they smote each other, and how Sir\nPalomides forbare him.\nAND so when the day came Sir Tristram took his leave at\nLa Beale Isoud, and she sent with him four knights, and\nwithin half a mile he sent them again: and within a mile\nafter Sir Tristram saw afore him where Sir Palomides had\nstricken down a knight, and almost wounded him to the\ndeath. Then Sir Tristram repented him that he was not\narmed, and then he hoved still. With that Sir Palomides\nknew Sir Tristram, and cried on high: Sir Tristram, now\nbe we met, for or we depart we will redress our old sores.\nAs for that, said Sir Tristram, there was yet never\nChristian man might make his boast that ever I fled from\nhim; and wit ye well, Sir Palomides, thou that art a\nSaracen shall never make thy boast that Sir Tristram de\nLiones shall flee from thee. And therewith Sir Tristram\nmade his horse to run, and with all his might he came\nstraight upon Sir Palomides, and brast his spear upon him\nan hundred pieces. And forthwithal Sir Tristram drew\nhis sword. And then he turned his horse and struck at\nPalomides six great strokes upon his helm; and then\nSir Palomides stood still, and beheld Sir Tristram, and\nmarvelled of his woodness, and of his folly. And then\nSir Palomides said to himself: An Sir Tristram were\narmed, it were hard to cease him of this battle, and if I\nturn again and slay him I am ashamed wheresomever that\nI go.\nThen Sir Tristram spake and said: Thou coward\nknight, what castest thou to do; why wilt thou not do\nbattle with me? for have thou no doubt I shall endure all\nthy malice. Ah, Sir Tristram, said Palomides, full well\nthou wottest I may not fight with thee for shame, for thou\nart here naked and I am armed, and if I slay thee,\ndishonour shall be mine. And well thou wottest, said Sir\nPalomides to Sir Tristram, I know thy strength and thy\nhardiness to endure against a good knight. That is truth,\nsaid Sir Tristram, I understand thy valiantness well. Ye\nsay well, said Sir Palomides; now, I require you, tell me\na question that I shall say to you. Tell me what it is, said\nSir Tristram, and I shall answer you the truth, as God me\nhelp. I put case, said Sir Palomides, that ye were armed\nat all rights as well as I am, and I naked as ye be, what\nwould you do to me now, by your true knighthood?\nAh, said Sir Tristram, now I understand thee well, Sir\nPalomides, for now must I say mine own judgment, and\nas God me bless, that I shall say shall not be said for no\nfear that I have of thee. But this is all: wit Sir\nPalomides, as at this time thou shouldest depart from me, for\nI would not have ado with thee. No more will I, said\nPalomides, and therefore ride forth on thy way. As for\nthat I may choose, said Sir Tristram, either to ride or to\nabide. But Sir Palomides, said Sir Tristram, I marvel of\none thing, that thou that art so good a knight, that thou\nwilt not be christened, and thy brother, Sir Safere, hath\nbeen christened many a day.","title":"Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK XII CHAPTER XII","type":"page"}