us at this well-side there
came there to me an errant knight, his name was Sir Helior le Preuse,
an hardy knight, and this Sir Helior challenged me to fight for my lady.
And then we went to battle first upon horse and after on foot, but at
the last Sir Helior wounded me so that he left me for dead, and so he
took my lady with him; and thus my sorrow is more than yours, for I have
rejoiced and ye rejoiced never. That is truth, said Palomides, but sith
I can never recover myself I shall promise you if I can meet with Sir
Helior I shall get you your lady again, or else he shall beat me.

Then Sir Palomides made Sir Epinogris to take his horse, and so they
rode to an hermitage, and there Sir Epinogris rested him. And in the
meanwhile Sir Palomides walked privily out to rest him under the leaves,
and there beside he saw a knight come riding with a shield that he had
seen Sir Ector de Maris bear beforehand; and there came after him a ten
knights, and so these ten knights hoved under the leaves for heat. And
anon after there came a knight with a green shield and therein a white
lion, leading a lady upon a palfrey. Then this knight with the green
shield that seemed to be master of the ten knights, he rode fiercely
after Sir Helior, for it was he that hurt Sir Epinogris. And when he
came nigh Sir Helior he bade him defend his lady. I will defend her,
said Helior, unto my power. And so they ran together so mightily that
either of these knights smote other down, horse and all, to the earth;
and then they won up lightly and drew their swords and their shields,
and lashed together mightily more than an hour. All this Sir Palomides
saw and beheld, but ever at the last the knight with Sir Ector's shield
was bigger, and at the last this knight smote Sir Helior down, and then
that knight unlaced his helm to have stricken off his head. And then
he cried mercy, and prayed him to save his life, and bade him take his
lady. Then Sir Palomides dressed him up, because he wist well that that
same lady was Epinogris' lady, and he promised him to help him.

Then Sir Palomides went straight to that lady, and took her by the hand,
and asked her whether she knew a knight that hight Epinogris. Alas, she
said, that ever he knew me or I him, for I have for his sake lost my
worship, and also his life grieveth me most of all. Not so, lady, said
Palomides, come on with me, for here is Epinogris in this hermitage. Ah!
well is me, said the lady, an he be al