Complete Works of Sir Thomas Malory

by Thomas Malory

  Than cam sir Ector de Marys, and he bare a speare ayenst sir Palomydes and braste hit uppon hym all to shyvyrs. And than sir Ector cam agayne and gaff sir Palomydes suche a daysshe with a swerde that he stowped adowne uppon his sadyll-bowe. And forthwythall sir Ector pulled downe sir Palomydes undir his horse fyete, and than he gate sir Launcelot an horse and brought hit to hym and badde hym mounte upon hym. But sir Palomydes lepe before and gate the horse by the brydyll and lepe into the sadyll.

  ‘So God me helpe,’ seyde sir Launcelot, ‘ye ar bettir worthy to have that horse than I.’

  Than sir Ector brought sir Launcelot another horse.

  ‘Grauntemercy,’ seyde sir Launcelot unto his brother.

  And so, whan he was horsed agayne, with one speare he smote down four good knyghtes, and than sir Launcelot gate kynge Arthur e a good horse. Than kyng Arthure and sir Launcelot wyth a feawe of his knyghtes of sir Launcelottis kynne ded mervaylouse dedis of armys; for that tyme, as the booke recordyth, sir Launcelot smote downe and pulled downe thirty knyghtes.

  Natwithstondynge the other parté hylde them so faste togydir that kynge Arthure and his knyghtes were overmacched. And whan sir Trystram saw that, what laboure kynge Arthure and his knyghtes, and in especiall the grete noble dedis that sir Launcelot ded with hys owne hondis, than sir Trystram called unto hym sir Palomydes, sir Gareth and sir Dynadan, and seyde thus to them: ‘My fayre fealowys, wyte you well that I woll turne unto kynge Arthures party, for I saw never so feawe men do so well. And hit woll be shame unto us that bene knyghtes of the Rounde Table to se oure lorde kynge Arthure and that noble knyght, sir Launcelot, to be dishonoured.’

  ‘Sir, hit wyll be well do,’ seyde sir Gareth and sir Dynadan.

  ‘Sir, do your beste,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for I woll nat chaunge my party that I cam in wythall.’

  That is for envy of me,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘but God spede you well in your journey!’

  And so departed sir Palomydes frome them.

  Than sir Trystram, sir Gareth and sir Dynadan turned with sir Launcelot. And than sir Launcelot smote downe the kynge of Irelonde quyte frome his horse, and he smote downe the kynge of Scottes and the kynge of Walys. And than the kynge Arthure ran unto sir Palomydes and smote hym quyte frome his horse. And than sir Trystram bare downe all that ever he mette wythall, and sir Gareth and sir Dynadan ded there as noble knyghtes. And anone all the todir party began to fle.

  ‘Alas,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘that ever I sholde se this day! For now I have loste all the worshyp that I wan.’

  And than sir Palomydes wente hys way waylynge, and so wythdrewe hym tylle he cam to a welle. And there he put his horse from hym and ded of his armoure and wayled and wepte lyke as he had bene a wood man.

  Than they gaff the pryce unto sir Trystram, many knyghtes; and there were many me that gaff the pryce unto sir Launcelot.

  ‘Now, fayre lordys, I thanke you of youre honoure that ye wolde gyff me, but I pray you hartely that ye woll gyff youre voyce unto sir Launcelot, for, be my fayth, I woll gyff sir Launcelot my voyce,’ seyde sir Trystram.

  But sir Launcelot wolde none of hit, and so the pryce was gyffyn betwyxte them bothe; and so every man rode to his lodgynge. And sir Bleoberys and sir Ector rode wyth sir Trystram and La Beall Isode unto her pavelons.

  Than as sir Palomydes was at the welle waylynge and wepynge, there cam fleynge the kynge of Walys and of Scotlonde, and they sawe sir Palomydes in that rayge.

  Alas,’ seyde they, ‘so noble a man as ye be sholde be in this aray!’

  And than the kynge gate sir Palomydes horse agayne, and made hym to arme hym and mownte uppon his horse agayne, and so he rode wyth them makyng grete dole. So whan sir Palomydes cam nygh sir Trystram and La Beall Isode pavelons, than sir Palomydes pray de the two kynges to abyde hym there the whyle that he spake wyth sir Trystram. And whan he cam to the porte of the pavelon sir Palomydes seyde an hyghe, ‘Where art thou, sir Trystram de Lyones?’

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Dynadan, ‘that ys sir Palomydes.’

  ‘What, sir Palomydes, woll ye nat com nere amonge us?’

  ‘Fye on the, traytoure!’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for wyte thou well, and hit were daylyght as hit is nyght, I sholde sle the myn awne hondis. And yf ever I may gete the,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘thou shalt dye for this dayes dede.’

  ‘Sir Palomydes,’ seyde sir Trystram, ‘ye wyte me wyth wronge, for, had ye done as I ded, ye sholde have had worshyp. But sytthyn ye gyff me so large warnynge, I shall be well ware of you.’

  ‘Fye on the, traytoure!’ seyde sir Palomydes, and therewythall he departed.

  Than on the morne sir Trystram, sir Bleoberys, sir Ector de Marys, sir Gareth, and sir Dynadan, what by londe and by watir, they brought La Beall Isode unto Joyus Garde. And there they reposed them a sevennyght and made all the myrthis and desportys that they cowde devyse. And kynge Arthure and his knyghtes drew unto Camelot.

  And sir Palomydes rode wyth the two kynges, and ever he made the grettyst dole that ony man cowde thynke, for he was nat all only so dolorous for the departynge frome La Beall Isode, but he was as sorowful a parte to go frome the felyshyp of sir Trystram. For he was so kynde and so jantyll that whan sir Palomydes remembyrd hym he myght never be myrry.

  So at the sevennyghtes ende sir Bleoberys and sir Ector departed frome sir Trystram and frome the quene, and thes two knyghtes had grete gyfftys. And ever sir Gareth and sir Dynadan abode wyth sir Trystram.

  And whan sir Bleoberys and sir Ector were comyn thereas quene Gwenyver was lodged in a castell by the seside and thorow the grace of God the quene was recovirde of hir malady, than she asked the two knyghtes fro whens they cam. And they seyde they cam frome sir Trystram and frome La Beall Isode.

  ‘How doth sir Trystram,’ seyde the quene, ‘and La Beall Isode?”Truly, madame,’ seyde the knyghtes, ‘he doth as a noble knyght shulde do. And as for the quene, she is pyerles of all ladyes; for to speake of her beauté, bounté, and myrthe, and of hir goodnes, we sawe never hir macche as far as we have ryddyn and gone.’

  ‘A, mercy Jesu!’ seyde quene Gwenyvir, ‘thus seyth all folkys that hath sene her and spokyn wyth her. God wolde,’ seyde she, ‘that I had parte of her condycions! And was now myssefortuned me of my syknesse whyle that turnemente endured, for, as I suppose, I shall never se in all my lyff such asemblé of noble knyghtes and fayre ladyes.’

  And than the knyghtes tolde the quene how sir Palomydes wan the gre the fyrste day wyth grete nobles, ‘and the secunde day sir Trystram wan the gre, and the thirde day sir Launcelot wan the gre.”Well,’ seyde quene Gwenyvir, ‘who ded beste all three dayes?”So God me helpe,’ seyde thes knyghtes, ‘sir Launcelot and sir Trystram had there leste dishonour. And wyte you well sir Palomydes ded passyngly well and myghtyly, but he turned ayenste the party that he cam in wythall, and that caused hym to loose a grete parte of his worshyp, for hit semed that sir Palomydes ys passynge envyous.’

  ‘Than shall he never wynne worshyp,’ seyde the quene, ‘for and hyt happyn an envyous man onys to wynne worshyp, he shall be dishonoured twyse therefore. And for this cause all men of worshyp hate an envyous man and woll shewe hym no favoure, and he that ys curteyse and kynde and jantil hath favoure in every place.’

  XIII. SIR PALOMIDES

  [82] NOW leve we of this mater and speke we of sir Palomides that rode and lodged with the two kynges all that nyght.

  And on the morne sir Palomydes departed frome the two kynges, whereof they were hevy. Than the kynge of Irelonde lente a man of his to sir Palomydes and gaff hym a grete courser. And the kynge of Scotlonde gaff hym grete gyfftes, and fayne they wolde have had hym abyde wyth them, but he wolde nat in no wyse.

  And so he departed and rode as adventures wolde gyde hym tyll hitte was nyghe none. And than in a foreyste by a well sir Palomydes saw where lay a fayre wounded knyght, and his horse bounden by hym. And that knyght made the grettyst dole that ever he herde man make, for ever he wepte and therewyth syghed as he wolde dye. Than sir Palomy
des rode nere hym and salewed hym myldely and sayde, ‘Fayre knyght, why wayle you so? Lat me lye downe by you and wayle also, for dowte ye nat, I am muche more hevyar than ye ar. For I dare say,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘that my sorow ys an hondredfolde more than youres ys. And therefore lat us complayne aythir to other.’

  ‘Fyrst,’ seyde the woundid knyght, ‘I requyre you telle me youre name. For and thou be none of the noble knyghtes of the Rounde Table thou shalt never know my name, whatsomever com of me.”Fayre knyght,’ seyde sir Palomydes, suche as I am, be hit bettir be hit worse, wyte thou well that my name ys sir Palomydes, sunne and ayre unto kynge Asclabor, and sir Saphir and sir Segwarydes ar my two brethirne. And wyte thou well, as for myselff, I was never crystynde, but my two brethirne ar truly crystynde.’

  ‘A, noble knyght!’ seyde that woundid knyght, ‘well ys me that I have mette wyth you. And wyte you well that my name ys sir Epynogrys, the kynges sonne of Northumbirlonde. Now sytte ye downe,’ seyde sir Epynogrys, ‘and let us aythir complayne to othir.’ Than sir Palomydes alyght and tyed his horse faste. And thus sir Palomydes began hys complaynte and sayde, ‘Now shall I tell you what we I endure. I love the fayryst quene and lady that ever bare lyff, and wyte you well her name ys La Beall Isode, kynge Markes wyff of Cornwayle.’

  ‘That ys grete foly,’ seyde sir Epynogrys, ‘for to love quene Isode.

  For one of the beste knyghtes of the worlde lovyth her, that ys sir Trystram de Lyones.’

  ‘That ys trouthe,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for no man knowyth that mater bettir than I do. For I have bene in sir Trystrams felyshyp this moneth and more, and wyth La Beall Isode togydyrs. And, alas!’ seyde sir Palomydes, unhappy man that I am, now have I loste the felyshyp of sir Trystram and the love of La Beall Isode for ever, and I am never lykly to se her more. And sir Trystram and I bene aythir to othir mortall enemyes.’

  ‘Well,’ seyde sir Epynogrys, syth that ye loved La Beall Isode, loved she ever you agayne by onythynge that ye cowde wyte, othir ellys ded ye ever rejoyse her in ony plesure?’

  ‘Nay, be my knyghthode,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘for I never aspyed that ever she loved me more than all the worlde ded, nor never had I pleasure wyth her, but the laste day she gaff me the grettyst rebuke that ever I had, whyche shall never go fro my harte. And yet I well deservyd that rebuke, for I ded nat knyghtly, and therefore I have loste the love of her and of sir Trystram for ever. And I have many tymes enforsed myselff to do many dedis of armys for her sake, and ever she was the causer of my worship-wynnynge. And alas! now have I loste all the worshyp that ever I wanne, for never shall befalle me suche proues as I had in the felyshyp of sir Trystram.’

  ‘Nay, nay,’ seyde sir Epynogrys, ‘youre sorow ys but japys to my [83] sorow; for I rejoysed my lady and wan her wyth myne hondis and loste her agayne: alas that day! And fyrst thus I wan her: my lady was an erlys doughtir, and as the erle and two knyghtes cam home fro the turnement of Lonezep, and for her sake I sette uppon this erle myselff and on his two knyghtes, and my lady there beynge presente. And so by fortune there I slew the erle and one of the knyghtes, and the othir knyght fledde. And so that nyght I had my lady.

  ‘And on the morne, as she and I reposed us at this wellesyde, than cam there to me an arraunte knyght, his name was sir Helyor le Prewse, an hardy knyght, and he chalenged me to fyght for my lady.

  And than we wente to batayle, fyrst uppon horsebacke and aftir uppon foote, but at the laste sir Helyor wounded me so that he lefft me for dede, and so he toke my lady with hym. And thus my sorow ys more than youres, for I have rejoysed, and ye nevir rejoysed.’

  ‘That ys trouthe,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘but syth I can nat recover myselff, I shall promyse you, yf I can mete with sir Helyor, that I shall gete to you your lady agayne, other ellys he shall beate me.’

  Than sir Palomydes made sir Epynogrys to take his horse, and so they rode untyll an ermytage, and there sir Epynogrys rested hym. And in the meanewhyle sir Palomydes walked prevayly oute to reste hym under the levis, and there besydes he sawe a knyght com rydynge wyth a shylde that he had sene sir Ector de Marys beare aforehonde. And there cam aftir hym a ten knyghtes, and so thes knyghtes hoved undir the levys for hete.

  And anone aftir, there cam a knyght with a grene shylde and therein a whyght lyon, ledynge a lady uppon a palfrey. Than this knyght with the shylde he semed to be maystir of the ten knyghtes; and he rode fyersly aftir sir Helyor, for hit was he that hurte sir Epynogrys. And whan he cam nygh sir Helyor he bade hym deffende his lady.

  ‘I woll deffende her,’ seyde sir Helyor, ‘unto my power!’

  And so they ran togydirs so myghtyly that ayther smote other downe, horse and all, to the erthe. And than they wan up lyghtly and drewe swerdys and dressed their shyldis, and laysshed togydyrs wondir fyersly more than an owre. And all this sir Palomydes saw and behylde.

  But ever at the laste the knyght with sir Ectors shylde was far bigger, and at the laste he smote downe sir Helyor. And than that knyght unlaced his helme to have strykyn off his hede. And than he cryed mercy and prayed hym to save his lyff and bade hym take his lady.

  Than sir Palomydes dressed hym up, bycause he wyste well that that same lady was sir Epynogrys lady, and he had promysed hym to helpe hym. Than sir Palomydes went streyte to that lady and toke her by the honde and asked her whether she knew a knyght whyche was called sir Epynogrys.

  ‘Alas,’ she seyde, ‘that evir I knew hym other he me! For I have for his sake loste my worshyp and also hys lyff; that greveth me moste of all.’

  ‘Nat so, fayre lady!’ sayde sir Palomydes. ‘Commyth on with me, for here ys sir Epynogrys in this ermytage.’

  ‘A, well ys me,’ seyde that lady, ‘and he be on lyve!’

  Than cam the tother knyght and seyde, ‘Whythir wolt thou with that lady?’

  ‘I woll do wyth her what me lyste,’ seyde sir Palomydes.

  ‘Wyte thou well,’ seyde that knyght, ‘thou spekyst over large, thoughe thou semyst thou haste me at avauntayge, bycause thou sawyst me do batayle but late. Thou wenyst, sir knyght, to have that lady away fro me so lyghtly? Nay, thynke hit never! And thou were as good a knyght as ys sir Launcelot or sir Trystram other ellys sir Palomydes, but thou shalt wyn her more derar than ever ded I.’

  And so they wente unto battayle uppon foote, and there they gaff many sad strokys togydir, and aythir wounded other wondirly sore. And thus they faught togydir styll more than an owre. Than sir Palomydes had mervayle what knyght he myght be that was so stronge and so well-brethid durynge, and at the laste thus seyde sir Palomydes:

  ‘Knyght, I requyre the telle me thy name!’

  ‘Wyte thou well,’ seyde that knyght, ‘I dare telle the my name, so that thou wolt tell me thy name.’

  ‘I woll,’ seyde sir Palomydes.

  ‘Truly,’ seyde that knyght, and my name ys sir Saphir, sonne of kynge Asclabor, and sir Palomydes and sir Segwarydes ar my bretherne.’

  ‘Now, and wyte thou well, my name ys sir Palomydes!’

  Than sir Saphir kneled adowne uppon his kneis and prayde hym of mercy, and than they unlaced their helmys and aythir kyssed other wepynge. And the meanewhyle sir Epynogrys rose of his bedde and harde them by the strokys, and so he armed hym to helpe sir Palomydes yf nede were. Than sir Palomydes toke the lady by the honde [84] and brought her to sir Epynogrys, and there was grete joy betwyxte them, for aythir sowned for joy whan they were mette.

  ‘Now, fayre knyght and lady,’ sayde sir Saphir, ‘hit were pité to departe you too, and therefore Jesu sende you joy ayther of othir!”Grauntemercy, jantyll knyght,’ seyde sir Epynogrys, ‘and muche more thanke to my lorde sir Palomydes that thus hath thorow his proues made me to gete my lady.’

  Than sir Epynogrys requyred sir Palomydes and sir Saffir, his brother, to ryde with hym unto his castell for the sauffgarde of his persone.

  ‘Syr,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘we woll be redy to conduyte you, because that ye ar sore woundid.’

  And so was sir Epynogrys and hys lady h
orsed uppon a soffte ambler, and than they rode unto his castell. And there they had grete chere and grete joy, as ever sir Palomydes and sir Saffir had in their lyvys.

  So on the morne sir Saphir and sir Palomydes departed and rode but as fortune lad them, and so they rode all that day untyll aftir noone. And at the laste they harde a grete wepynge and a grete noyse downe in a maner.

  ‘Sir,’ seyde sir Saffir, ‘lette us wyte what noyse this ys.’

  ‘I woll well,’ seyde sir Palomydes.

  And so they rode tyll that they com to a fayre gate of a maner, and there sate an olde man sayynge his prayers and beadis. Than sir Palomydes and sir Saphir alyght and leffte their horsis and wente within the gatys. And there they saw full goodly men wepynge many.

  ‘Now, fayre sirrys,’ seyde sir Palomydes, ‘wherefore wepe ye and make thys sorow?’

  And anone one of the knyghtes of the castel behylde sir Palomydes and knew hym, and than he wente to his felowys and sayde, ‘Fayre fealowys, wyte you well all, we have within this castell the same knyght that slew oure lorde at Lonezep, for I know hym well for sir Palomydes.’

  Than they wente unto harneys, all that myght beare harneys, som on horsebak and som uppon foote, to the numbir of three score. And whan they were redy they cam freysshly uppon sir Palomydes and uppon sir Saphir wyth a grete noyse, and sayde thus:

  ‘Kepe the, sir Palomydes, for thou arte knowyn! And be ryght thou muste be dede, for thou haste slayne oure lorde, and therefore wyte thou well we may do the none other favoure but sle the. And therefore deffende the!’

  Than sir Palomydes and sir Saphir, the tone sette his bak to the todir and gaff many sad strokes, and also toke many grete strokes. And thus they faught wyth twenty knyghtes and forty jantyllmen and yomen nyghe a two owres. But at the laste, though they were never so lothe, sir Palomydes and sir Saphir were takyn and yoldyn and put in a stronge preson.