THEN Palomides rode fast till he came nigh him.And then he said:Knight,remember ye of the shame ye did to me right now at the castle,therefore dress thee,for I will have ado with thee.Fair knight,said he to Palomides,of me ye win no worship,for ye have seen this day that I have been travailed sore.As for that,said Palomides,I will not let,for wit ye well I will be revenged.
Well,said the knight,I may happen to endure you.And therewithal he mounted upon his horse,and took a great spear in his hand ready for to joust.Nay,said Palomides,I will not joust,for I am sure at jousting I get no prize.
Fair knight,said that knight,it would beseem a knight to joust and to fight on horseback.Ye shall see what I will do,said Palomides.And therewith he alighted down upon foot,and dressed his shield afore him and pulled out his sword.Then the Knight with the Red Shield descended down from his horse,and dressed his shield afore him,and so he drew out his sword.And then they came together a soft pace,and wonderly they lashed together passing thick the mountenance of an hour or ever they breathed.Then they traced and traversed,and waxed wonderly wroth,and either behight other death;they hewed so fast with their swords that they cut in down half their swords and mails,that the bare flesh in some place stood above their harness.And when Sir Palomides beheld his fellow's sword over-hylled with his blood it grieved him sore:some while they foined,some while they struck as wild men.But at the last Sir Palomides waxed faint,because of his first wound that he had at the castle with a spear,for that wound grieved him wonderly sore.Fair knight,said Palomides,meseemeth we have assayed either other passing sore,and if it may please thee,I require thee of thy knighthood tell me thy name.
Sir,said the knight to Palomides,that is me loath to do,for thou hast done me wrong and no knighthood to proffer me battle,considering my great travail,but an thou wilt tell me thy name I will tell thee mine.Sir,said he,wit thou well my name is Palomides.Ah,sir,ye shall understand my name is Sir Lamorak de Galis,son and heir unto the good knight and king,King Pellinore,and Sir Tor,the good knight,is my half brother.When Sir Palomides heard him say so he kneeled down and asked mercy,For outrageously have I done to you this day;considering the great deeds of arms I have seen you do,shamefully and unknightly I have required you to do battle.Ah,Sir Palomides,said Sir Lamorak,overmuch have ye done and said to me.And therewith he embraced him with his both hands,and said:Palomides,the worthy knight,in all this land is no better than ye,nor more of prowess,and me repenteth sore that we should fight together.So it doth not me,said Sir Palomides,and yet am I sorer wounded than ye be;but as for that I shall soon thereof be whole.But certainly I would not for the fairest castle in this land,but if thou and I had met,for I shall love you the days of my life afore all other knights except my brother,Sir Safere.I say the same,said Sir Lamorak,except my brother,Sir Tor.Then came Sir Dinadan,and he made great joy of Sir Lamorak.Then their squires dressed both their shields and their harness,and stopped their wounds.And thereby at a priory they rested them all night.
CHAPTER XX
How it was told Sir Launcelot that Dagonet chased King Mark,and how a knight overthrew him and six knights.
Now turn we again.When Sir Ganis and Sir Brandiles with his fellows came to the court of King Arthur they told the king,Sir Launcelot,and Sir Tristram,how Sir Dagonet,the fool,chased King Mark through the forest,and how the strong knight smote them down all seven with one spear.There was great laughing and japing at King Mark and at Sir Dagonet.But all these knights could not tell what knight it was that rescued King Mark.Then they asked King Mark if that he knew him,and he answered and said:He named himself the Knight that followed the Questing Beast,and on that name he sent one of my varlets to a place where was his mother;and when she heard from whence he came she made passing great dole,and discovered to my varlet his name,and said:Oh,my dear son,Sir Palomides,why wilt thou not see me?And therefore,sir,said King Mark,it is to understand his name is Sir Palomides,a noble knight.Then were all these seven knights glad that they knew his name.
Now turn we again,for on the morn they took their horses,both Sir Lamorak,Palomides,and Dinadan,with their squires and varlets,till they saw a fair castle that stood on a mountain well closed,and thither they rode,and there they found a knight that hight Galahalt,that was lord of that castle,and there they had great cheer and were well eased.Sir Dinadan,said Sir Lamorak,what will ye do?Oh sir,said Dinadan,I will to-morrow to the court of King Arthur.By my head,said Sir Palomides,I will not ride these three days,for I am sore hurt,and much have I bled,and therefore I will repose me here.Truly,said Sir Lamorak,and I will abide here with you;and when ye ride,then will I ride,unless that ye tarry over long;then will I take my horse.Therefore I pray you,Sir Dinadan,abide and ride with us.Faithfully,said Dinadan,I will not abide,for I have such a talent to see Sir Tristram that I may not abide long from him.Ah,Dinadan,said Sir Palomides,now do Iunderstand that ye love my mortal enemy,and therefore how should I trust you.Well,said Dinadan,I love my lord Sir Tristram,above all other,and him will I serve and do honour.So shall I,said Sir Lamorak,in all that may lie in my power.
So on the morn Sir Dinadan rode unto the court of King Arthur;and by the way as he rode he saw where stood an errant knight,and made him ready for to joust.
