am should have had the worse had
not the King with the Hundred Knights been. And then he came with his
fellowship and rescued Sir Tristram, and brought him away from those
knights that bare the shields of Cornwall. And then Sir Tristram saw
another fellowship by themself, and there were a forty knights together,
and Sir Kay, the Seneschal, was their governor. Then Sir Tristram rode
in amongst them, and there he smote down Sir Kay from his horse; and
there he fared among those knights like a greyhound among conies.

Then Sir Launcelot found a knight that was sore wounded upon the head.
Sir, said Sir Launcelot, who wounded you so sore? Sir, he said, a knight
that beareth a black shield, and I may curse the time that ever I met
with him, for he is a devil and no man. So Sir Launcelot departed from
him and thought to meet with Sir Tristram, and so he rode with his sword
drawn in his hand to seek Sir Tristram; and then he espied him how he
hurled here and there, and at every stroke Sir Tristram wellnigh smote
down a knight. O mercy Jesu! said the king, sith the times I bare arms
saw I never no knight do so marvellous deeds of arms. And if I should
set upon this knight, said Sir Launcelot to himself, I did shame to
myself, and therewithal Sir Launcelot put up his sword. And then the
King with the Hundred Knights and an hundred more of North Wales set
upon the twenty of Sir Launcelot's kin: and they twenty knights held
them ever together as wild swine, and none would fail other. And so when
Sir Tristram beheld the noblesse or these twenty knights he marvelled of
their good deeds, for he saw by their fare and by their rule that they
had liefer die than avoid the field. Now Jesu, said Sir Tristram, well
may he be valiant and full of prowess that hath such a sort of noble
knights unto his kin, and full like is he to be a noble man that is
their leader and governor. He meant it by Sir Launcelot du Lake. So when
Sir Tristram had beholden them long he thought shame to see two hundred
knights battering upon twenty knights. Then Sir Tristram rode unto the
King with the Hundred Knights and said: Sir, leave your fighting with
those twenty knights, for ye win no worship of them, ye be so many and
they so few; and wit ye well they will not out of the field I see by
their cheer and countenance; and worship get ye none an ye slay them.
Therefore leave your fighting with them, for I to increase my worship
I will ride to the twenty knights and