ousted with the knight at the fountain, whether
it fall ye be on foot or on horseback, that right so ye shall come
again unto me without making any more debate. I will promise you, said
Griflet, as you desire. Then took Griflet his horse in great haste, and
dressed his shield and took a spear in his hand, and so he rode a great
wallop till he came to the fountain, and thereby he saw a rich pavilion,
and thereby under a cloth stood a fair horse well saddled and bridled,
and on a tree a shield of divers colours and a great spear. Then Griflet
smote on the shield with the butt of his spear, that the shield fell
down to the ground. With that the knight came out of the pavilion, and
said, Fair knight, why smote ye down my shield? For I will joust with
you, said Griflet. It is better ye do not, said the knight, for ye are
but young, and late made knight, and your might is nothing to mine. As
for that, said Griflet, I will joust with you. That is me loath, said
the knight, but sith I must needs, I will dress me thereto. Of whence be
ye? said the knight. Sir, I am of Arthur's court. So the two knights ran
together that Griflet's spear all to-shivered; and there withal he smote
Griflet through the shield and the left side, and brake the spear that
the truncheon stuck in his body, that horse and knight fell down.

CHAPTER XXIII. How twelve knights came from Rome and asked truage for
this land of Arthur, and how Arthur fought with a knight.

WHEN the knight saw him lie so on the ground, he alighted, and was
passing heavy, for he weened he had slain him, and then he unlaced
his helm and gat him wind, and so with the truncheon he set him on his
horse, and so betook him to God, and said he had a mighty heart, and if
he might live he would prove a passing good knight. And so Sir Griflet
rode to the court, where great dole was made for him. But through good
leeches he was healed and saved. Right so came into the court twelve
knights, and were aged men, and they came from the Emperor of Rome, and
they asked of Arthur truage for this realm, other else the emperor would
destroy him and his land. Well, said King Arthur, ye are messengers,
therefore ye may say what ye will, other else ye should die therefore.
But this is mine answer: I owe the emperor no truage, nor none will I
hold him, but on a fair field I shall give him my truage that shall be
with a sharp spear, or else with a sharp sword, and that shall not be
long, by my father's