King Arthur, that was great
dishonour to Sir Palomides, inasmuch as Sir Tristram was sore wounded,
and now may we all, kings, and knights, and men of worship, say that Sir
Tristram may be called a noble knight, and one of the best knights
that ever I saw the days of my life. For I will that ye all, kings
and knights, know, said King Arthur, that I never saw knight do so
marvellously as he hath done these three days; for he was the first that
began and that longest held on, save this last day. And though he was
hurt, it was a manly adventure of two noble knights, and when two noble
men encounter needs must the one have the worse, like as God will suffer
at that time. As for me, said Sir Launcelot, for all the lands that ever
my father left me I would not have hurt Sir Tristram an I had known him
at that time; that I hurt him was for I saw not his shield. For an I
had seen his black shield, I would not have meddled with him for many
causes; for late he did as much for me as ever did knight, and that is
well known that he had ado with thirty knights, and no help save
Sir Dinadan. And one thing shall I promise, said Sir Launcelot, Sir
Palomides shall repent it as in his unkindly dealing for to follow that
noble knight that I by mishap hurted thus. Sir Launcelot said all the
worship that might be said by Sir Tristram. Then King Arthur made a
great feast to all that would come. And thus we let pass King Arthur,
and a little we will turn unto Sir Palomides, that after he had a fall
of Sir Tristram, he was nigh-hand araged out of his wit for despite of
Sir Tristram. And so he followed him by adventure. And as he came by a
river, in his woodness he would have made his horse to have leapt
over; and the horse failed footing and fell in the river, wherefore
Sir Palomides was adread lest he should have been drowned; and then he
avoided his horse, and swam to the land, and let his horse go down by
adventure.

CHAPTER XXXVI. How Palomides came to the castle where Sir Tristram
was, and of the quest that Sir Launcelot and ten knights made for Sir
Tristram.

AND when he came to the land he took off his harness, and sat roaring
and crying as a man out of his mind. Right so came a damosel even by
Sir Palomides, that was sent from Sir Gawaine and his brother unto Sir
Mordred, that lay sick in the same place with that old knight where Sir
Tristram was. For, as the French book saith, Sir Persides hurt so
Sir Mordred a ten days afore; a