Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  Than was the cry huge and grete, how sir Palomydes the Saresyn hath smyttyn downe sir Launcelots horse. Ryght so there were many knyghtes wrothe wyth sir Palomydes bycause he had done that dede, and helde there ayenste hit, and seyde hyt was unknyghtly done in a turnemente to kylle an horse wylfully, othir ellys that hit had bene done in playne batayle lyff for lyff.

  Whan sir Ector de Marys saw sir Launcelot, his brothir, have suche a dispyte and so sette on foote, than he gate a speare egirly and ran ayenst sir Palomydes, and he smote hym so harde that he bare sir Palomydes quyte frome his horse. That sawe sir Trystram, and he smote downe sir Ector de Marys quyte frome his horse. Than sir Launcelot dressed his shylde uppon his shuldir, and wyth his swerde naked in his honde, and so he cam streyte uppon sir Palomydes:

  ‘Wyte thou well thou haste done me this day the grettyste despyte that ever ony worshipfull knyght ded me in turnemente othir in justys, and therefore I woll be avenged uppon the. And therefore take kepe to youreselff!’

  ‘A, mercy, noble knyght’, seyde sir Palomydes, ‘of my dedis! And, jantyll knyght, forgyff me myne unknyghtly dedis, for I have no power nothir myght to wythstonde you. And I have done so muche this day that well I wote I ded never so muche nothir never shall do so muche in my dayes. And therefore, moste noble knyght of the worlde, I requyre the spare me as this day, and I promyse you I shall ever be youre knyght whyle I lyve, for and yf ye put me from my worshyp now, ye put me from the grettyst worship that ever I had or ever shall have.’

  ‘Well,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘I se, for to say the sothe, ye have done mervaylously well this day, and I undirstonde a parte for whos love ye do hit, and well I wote that love is a grete maystry. And yf my lady were here, as she is nat, wyte you well, sir Palomydes, ye shulde nat beare away the worshyp! But beware youre love be nat discoverde, for and sir Trystram may know hit, ye woll repente hit. And sytthyn my quarell is nat here, ye shall have this day the worshyp as for me; consyderynge the grete travayle and payne that ye have had this day, hit were no worship for me to put you frome hit.’

  And therewythall sir Launcelot suffyrd sir Palomydes to departe. Than sir Launcelot by grete forse and myght gate his horse agayne magre twenty knyghtes.

  So whan sir Launcelot was horsed he ded many mervaylouse dedis of armys, and so ded sir Trystram, and sir Palomydes in lyke wyse. Than sir Launcelot smote adowne wyth a speare sir Dynadan, and the kynge off Scotlonde, and the kynge of Northe Walys, and the kynge of Northumbirlonde, and the kynge of Lystenoyse. So than sir Launcelot and his felowys smote downe well-nye a fourty knyghtes.

  Than cam the kynge of Irelonde and the kynge of the Streyte Marchis to rescowe sir Trystram and sir Palomydes, and there began a grete medlé, and many knyghtys were smyttyn downe on bothe partyes. And allwayes sir Launcelot spared sir Trystram, and he spared hym, and sir Palomydes wolde nat meddyll wyth sir Launcelot.

  And so there was hurlynge here and there, and than kynge Arthure sente oute many knyghtes of the Table Rounde, and sir Palomydes was ever in the formyste frunte; and sir Trystram ded so strongly that the kynge and all othir had mervayle.

  And than the kynge let blowe to lodgynge, and bycause sir Palomydes beganne fyrste, and never he wente nor rode oute of the fylde to repose hym, but ever he was doynge on horsebak othir on foote, and lengyst durynge, kynge Arthure and all the kynges gaff sir Palomydes the honoure and the gre as for that day.

  Than sir Trystram commaunded sir Dynadan to fecche the qüene La Beall Isode and brynge her to his two pavelons by the well. And so sir Dynadan ded as he was commaunded, but whan sir Palomydes undirstoode and knew that sir Trystram was he that was in the rede armour and on the rede horse, wyte you well that he was glad, and so was sir Gareth and sir Dynadan, for all they wente that sir Trystram had be takyn presonere.

  And than every knyght drew to his inne. And than kynge Arthure and every kynge spake of tho knyghtes, but of all men they gaff sir Palomydes the pryce, and all knyghtes that knew sir Palomydes had wondir of his dedis.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot unto kynge Arthure, ‘as for sir Palomydes, and he be the grene knyght, I dare sey as for this day he is beste worthy to have the gre, for he reposed hym never, nor never chaunged hys wedis, and he began fyrste and lengyste hylde on. And yet well I wote,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘that there was a better knyght than he, and that ye shall preve or we departe fro them, on payne of my lyff.’

  Thus they talked on aythir party, and so sir Dynadan rayled wyth sir Trystram and sayde, ‘What the devyll ys uppon the this day? For sir Palomydes [72] strengthe fyeblede never this day, but ever he doubled. And sir Trystram fared all this day as he had bene on slepe, and therefore I calle hym a coward.’

  ‘Well, sir Dynadan,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘I was never called cowarde or now of earthely knyght in my lyff. And wyte thou well, sir Dynadan, I calle myself never the more coward though sir Launcelot gaff me a falle, for I outecepte hym of all knyghtes. And doute ye nat, sir Dynadan, and sir Launcelot have a quarell good, he is to over good for ony knyght that now ys lyvynge, and yet of his sufferaunce, larges, bounté, and curtesy I calle hym a knyght pyerles.’

  And so sir Trystram was in maner wrothe wyth sir Dynadan. But all this langayge sir Dynadan sayde because he wolde angur sir Trystram for to cause hym to wake hys speretes, for well knew sir Dynadan that, and sir Trystram were thorowly wrothe, sir Palomydes shulde wynne no worship uppon the morne. And for thys entente sir Dynadan seyde all this raylynge langage ayenste sir Trystram.

  ‘Truly,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘as for sir Launcelot, of noble knyghthode and of his curtesy, proues, and jantylnes I know nat his piere. For this day,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I ded full uncurteysly unto sir Launcelot, and ful unknyghtly. And full knyghtly and curteysly he ded to me agayne, for and he had bene so unjantyll to me as I was to hym, this day had I wonne no worshyp. And therefore,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I shall be sir Launcelottis knyght whyles that I lyve.’

  And all this was talkynge off in all the howsis of the kynges, and all kynges and lordis and knyghtes seyde, of clyere knyghthode and of pure strengthe and of bounté and of curtesy sir Launcelot and sir Trystram bare the pryce of all knyghtes that ever were in kyng Arthurs dayes, and there were no knyghtes in kynge Arthurs dayes that ded halff so many dedis of armys as they two ded. As the booke seyth, no ten knyghtes ded nat halff the dedis that they ded, and there was never knyght in there dayes that requyred sir Launcelot othir ellys sir Trystram of ony queste, so hit were nat to there shame, but they parformed there desyre.

  So on the morne sir Launcelot departed, and sir Trystram was redy, and La Beall Isode wyth sir Palomydes and sir Gareth. And so they rode all in grene, full freysshely besayne, unto the foreyste. And sir Trystram laffte sir Dynadan slepynge in his bedde. And so as they rode hit happened the kynge and sir Launcelot stode in a wyndow and saw sir Trystram ryde and La Beall Isode.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘yondir rydyth the fayreste lady of the worlde excepte youre quene, dame Gwenyver.’

  ‘Who ys that?’ seyde kynge Arthure.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde he, ‘hit is quene Isode that, outetake my lady youre quene, she ys makeles.’

  ‘Take youre horse,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘and aray you at all ryghtes as I woll do, and I promyse you,’ seyde the kynge, ‘I woll se her.’

  And anone they were armed and horsed, and aythir toke a speare and rode unto the foreyste.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘hit is nat good that ye go to nyghe them, for wyte you well there ar two as good knyghtes as ony now ar lyvynge. And therefore, sir, I pray you, be nat to hasty; for peradventure there woll be som knyghtes that woll be displeased and we com suddeynly uppon them.’

  ‘As for that,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘I woll se her, for I take no forse whom I gryeve.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘ye put youreselff in grete jupardé.’

  ‘As for that,’ seyde the kynge, ‘we woll take the adventure.’

  Ryght so anone the kynge rode evyn
to her and seyde, ‘God you save!’

  ‘Sir,’ she seyde, ye ar wellcom.’

  Than the kynge behylde her, and lyked her wondirly well. So wyth that cam sir Palomydes unto kynge Arthure and seyde, ‘Thou uncurteyse knyght, what sekyst thou here? For thou art uncurteyse to com uppon a lady thus suddeynly. Therefore wythdrawe the!’ —

  But kynge Arthure toke none hede of sir Palomydes wordys, but ever he loked stylle uppon quene Isode. Than was sir Palomydes wrothe, and therewyth he toke a speare and cam hurtelynge uppon kynge Arthure and smote hym downe with a speare, a grete falle. Whan sir Launcelot saw that despyte of sir Palomydes, he seyde to hymselff, ‘I am lothe to have ado wyth yondir knyght, and nat for his owne sake, but for sir Trystrams. And of one thynge I am sure of hym: yf I smyte downe sir Palomydes I muste have ado wyth sir Trystram, and that were to muche to macche them bothe for me alone, for they ar two noble knyghtes. Natwythstondynge, whethir I lyve or dye, nedys muste I revenge my lorde Arthure, and so I woll, whatsomever befalle me.’

  And therewyth sir Launcelot cryed to sir Palomydes, ‘Kepe the from me!’

  And therewythall sir Launcelot and sir Palomydes russhed togydyrs wyth two spearys strongly. But sir Launcelot smote sir Palomydes so harde that he wente quyte oute of his sadyll and had a grete falle.

  Whan sir Trystram saw sir Palomydes have that falle, he seyde to sir Launcelot, ‘Sir knyght, kepe the! for I muste juste with the.’

  As for to juste wyth me,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘I woll nat fayle you for no drede that I have of you. But I am lothe to have ado wyth you and I myght chose, for I woll that ye wyte that I muste revenge my speciall lorde and my moste bedrad frynde that was unhorsed unwarely and unknyghtly. And therefore, sir, thoughe I revenge that falle, take ye no displesure, for he is to me suche a frynde that I may nat se hym shamed.’

  Anone sir Trystram undirstood by hys persone and by his knyghtly wordis hit was sir Launcelot du Lake, and truly sir Trystram demed that hit was kynge Arthure that sir Palomydes had smyttyn downe. And than sir Trystram put hys speare frome hym, and gate sir Palomydes agayne on his horse backe; and sir Launcelot gate kynge Arthure agayne to horsebacke, and so departed.

  ‘So God me helpe,’ seyde sir Trystram unto sir Palomydes, ‘ye ded nat worshypfully whan ye smote downe that knyght so suddeynly as ye ded. And wyte you well ye ded youreselff grete shame, for the knyghtes cam hyddir of there jantylnes to se a fayre lady, and that ys every good knyghtes parte to beholde a fayre lady, and ye had nat ado to play suche maystryes for my lady. Wyte thou well hit woll turne to angir, for he that ye smote downe was kynge Arthure, and that othir was the good knyght sir Launcelot. But I shall nat forgete,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘the wordys of sir Launcelot whan that he called hym a man of grete worshyp, and thereby I wyste that hit was kynge Arthure. And as for sir Launcelot, and there had bene an hondred knyghtes in the medow, he wolde nat a refused them, and yet he seyde he wolde refuse me. And by that agayne I knew that hit was sir Launcelot, for ever he forberyth me in every place and shewyth me grete kyndenes. And of all knyghtes — I outetake none, say what men wyll say — he bearyth the floure: assay hym whosomever wyll, and he be well angred and that hym lyst to do his utteraunce wythoute ony favoure, I know hym nat on lyve but sir Launcelot ys over harde over hym, take hym bothe on horsebacke and on foote.’

  ‘Sir, I may never belyeve,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘that kynge Arthure woll ryde so pryvaly as a poure arraunte knyght.’

  ‘A!’ sayd sir Trystrams, ye know nat my lorde kynge Arthure, for all knyghtes may lerne to be a knyght of hym. And therefore ye may be sory,’ seyde sir Trystram, of youre unknyghtly dedys done to so noble a knyght.’

  ‘And a thynge, sir, be done, hit can nat be undone,’ seyde sir Palomydes.

  Than sir Trystram sente quene Isode unto her lodgynge into the pryory, there to beholde all the turnemente.

  [74] Than there was a cry unto all knyghtes made, that whan they herde the horne blow they sholde make justes as they ded the fyrste daye. And lyke as the brethirne sir Edwarde and sir Sadok began the justys the fyrste day, sir Uwayne, the kyngis son Uryen, and sir Lucanere de Butlere, began the justis the secunde day.

  And at the fyrste encountir sir Uwayne smote downe the kynge of Scottys, and sir Lucanere ran ayenste the kynge of Walys, and they brake there spearys all to pecis, and they were so fyrse bothe that they hurteled there horsys togydir that bothe felle to the erthe. Than they off Orkeney horsed agayne sir Lucanere.

  And than cam in syr Trystram de Lyones and smote downe sir Uwayne and sir Lucanere; and sir Palomydes smote downe othir two knyghtes. And than cam sir Gareth and smote downe othir two good knyghtes. Than seyde kynge Arthure unto sir Launcelott, ‘A! se yondir three knyghtes do passyngly well, and namely the fyrste that justed.’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘that knyght began nat yet, but ye shall se hym do mervaylously.’

  And than cam into the place the knyghtes of Orkeney, and than they began to do many dedys of armys. Whan sir Trystram saw them so begyn he seyde to sir Palomydes:

  ‘How feele ye youreselff? May ye do this day as ye ded yestirday?”Nay,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘I feele myselff so wery and so sore brused of the dedis of yestirday that I may nat endure as I ded.”That me repentyth,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘for I shall lacke you this day.’

  ‘But helpe yourselff,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘and truste nat to me, for I may nat do as I ded.’

  And all thes wordis seyde sir Palomydes but to begyle sir Trystram. Than seyde sir Trystram unto sir Gareth, ‘Than muste I truste uppon you, wherefore, I pray you, be nat farre fro me to rescow me and nede be.’

  ‘Sir, I shall nat fayle you,’ seyde sir Gareth, ‘in all that I may do.’ Than sir Palomydes rode by hymselff, and than in despyte of sir Trystram he put hymselff in the thyckyst prees amonges them of Orkeney. And there he ded so mervaylous dedis of armys that all men had wondir of hym, for there myght none stonde hym a stroke.

  Whan sir Trystram saw sir Palomydes do suche dedys he mervayled and sayde to hymselff, ‘Methynkyth he is wery of my company.’

  So sir Trystram behylde hym a grete whyle and ded but lytyll ellys, for the noyse and cry was so grete that sir Trystram mervayled frome whens cam the strengthe that sir Palomydes had there.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Gareth unto sir Trystram, ‘remembir ye nat of the wordis that sir Dynadan seyde to you yestirday, whan he called you cowarde? Pardé, sir, he seyde hit for none ylle, for ye ar the man in the worlde that he lovyth beste, and all that he seyde was for youre worshyp. And therefore,’ seyde sir Gareth, ‘lat me know this day what ye be. And wondir ye nat so uppon sir Palomydes, for he forsyth hymselff to wynne all the honoure frome you.’

  ‘I may well beleve hit,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘and sytthyn I undirstonde his yevil wyll and hys envy, ye shall se, yf that I enforce myselff, that the noyse shall be leffte that is now uppon hym.’

  Than sir Trystram rode into the thyckyst of the prees, and than he ded so mervaylously well and ded so grete dedis of armys that all men seyde that sir Trystram ded dowble so muche dedys of armys as ded sir Palomydes aforehande. And than the noyse wente clene from sir Palomydes, and all the people cryed uppon sir Trystram and seyde, A, Jesu, a! Se how sir Trystram smytyth wyth hys speare so many knyghtes to the erthe! And se,’ seyde they all, ‘how many knyghtes he smytyth downe wyth his swerde, and how many knyghtes he racith of there helmys and there shyldys!’

  And so he bete all of Orkeney afore hym.

  ‘How now?’ seyde sir Launcelot unto kynge Arthure. ‘I tolde you that thys day there wolde a knyght play his pageaunte. For yondir rydyth a knyght: ye may se he dothe all knyghtly, for he hath strengthe and wynde inowe.’

  ‘So God me helpe,’ seyde kynge Arthure to sir Launcelot, ‘ye sey sothe, for I sawe never a bettir knyght, for he passyth farre sir Palomydes.’

  ‘Sir, wyte you well,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘hit muste be so of ryght, for hit is hymselff that noble knyght sir Trystram.’

 
‘I may ryght well belyeve hit,’ seyde kynge Arthure.

  But whan sir Palomydes harde the noyse and the cry was turned frome hym, he rode oute on the tone syde and behylde sir Trystram. And whan he saw hym do so mervaylously well he wepte passyngly sore for dispyte, for he wyst well than he sholde wyn no worshyp that day; for well knew sir Palomydes, whan sir Trystram wolde put forthe his strengthe and his manhode, that he sholde gete but lytyll worshyp that day.

  Than cam kynge Arthure and the kynge of Northe Galys and sir Launcelot du Lake; and sir Bleoberys and sir Bors de Ganys and sir Ector de Marys, thes three knyghtes cam into the fylde wyth sir Launcelot. And so they four ded so grete dedys of armys that all the noyse began uppon sir Launcelot. And so they bete the kynge of Walys and the kynge of Scottys far abacke, and made them to voyde the fylde.

  But sir Trystram and sir Gareth abode stylle in the fylde and endured all that ever there cam, that all men had wondir that ever ony knyght endured so many grete strokys. But ever sir Launcelot and hys kynnesmen forbare sir Trystram and sir Gareth.

  Than seyde kynge Arthure, ‘Ys that sir Palomydes that enduryth so well?’

  ‘Nay,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘wyte you well hit ys the good knyght sir Trystram, for yondir ye may se sir Palomydes beholdyth and hovyth and doth lytyll or naught. And, sir, ye shall undirstonde that sir Trystram wenyth this day to beate us all oute of the fylde. And as for me,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘I shall nat mete hym, mete hym whoso wyll. But, sir,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘ye may se how sir Palomydes hovyth yondir as thoughe he were in a dreame, and wyte you well he ys full hevy that sir Trystram doyth suche dedys of armys.’

  ‘Than ys he but a foole,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘for never yet was sir Palomydes suche a knyght, nor never shall be of suche proues. And yf he have envy at sir Trystram,’ seyde kynge Arthure, ‘and commyth in wyth hym uppon his syde, he ys a false knyght.’

  And as the kynge and sir Launcelot thus spake, sir Trystram rode pryvayly oute of the prees, that no man aspyed hym but La Beall Isode and sir Palomydes, for they two wolde nat leve off there yghesyght of hym. And whan sir Trystram cam to his pavylons he founde sir Dynadan in hys bedde aslepe.