r never shall in my
life-days; and therefore, most noble knight, I require thee spare me as
at this day, and I promise you I shall ever be your knight while I live:
an ye put me from my worship now, ye put me from the greatest worship
that ever I had or ever shall have in my life-days. Well, said Sir
Launcelot, I see, for to say thee sooth, ye have done marvellously well
this day; and I understand a part for whose love ye do it, and well I
wot that love is a great mistress. And if my lady were here as she
nis not, wit you well, said Sir Launcelot, ye should not bear away the
worship. But beware your love be not discovered, for an Sir Tristram may
know it ye will repent it; and sithen my quarrel is not here, ye shall
have this day the worship as for me; considering the great travail and
pain that ye have had this day, it were no worship for me to put you
from it. And therewithal Sir Launcelot suffered Sir Palomides to depart.

Then Sir Launcelot by great force and might gat his own horse maugre
twenty knights. So when Sir Launcelot was horsed he did many marvels,
and so did Sir Tristram, and Sir Palomides in like wise. Then Sir
Launcelot smote down with a spear Sir Dinadan, and the King of Scotland,
and the King of Wales, and the King of Northumberland, and the King
of Listinoise. So then Sir Launcelot and his fellows smote down well
a forty knights. Then came the King of Ireland and the King of the
Straight Marches to rescue Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides. There began
a great medley, and many knights were smitten down on both parties; and
always Sir Launcelot spared Sir Tristram, and he spared him. And Sir
Palomides would not meddle with Sir Launcelot, and so there was hurtling
here and there. And then King Arthur sent out many knights of the
Table Round; and Sir Palomides was ever in the foremost front, and Sir
Tristram did so strongly well that the king and all other had marvel.
And then the king let blow to lodging; and because Sir Palomides began
first, and never he went nor rode out of the field to repose, but ever
he was doing marvellously well either on foot or on horseback, and
longest during, King Arthur and all the kings gave Sir Palomides the
honour and the gree as for that day.

Then Sir Tristram commanded Sir Dinadan to fetch the queen La Beale
Isoud, and bring her to his two pavilions that stood by the well. And so
Dinadan did as he was commanded. But when Sir Palomides understood and
wist that Sir Tristr