Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XIX

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 CHAPTER XIX
 
 How Sir Lamorak jousted with Sir Palomides, and hurt
 him grievously.
 
 
 THEN Palomides rode fast till he came nigh him.  And
 then he said:  Knight, remember ye of the shame ye
 did to me right now at the castle, therefore dress thee,
 for I will have ado with thee.  Fair knight, said he to
 Palomides, of me ye win no worship, for ye have seen this
 day that I have been travailed sore.  As for that, said
 Palomides, I will not let, for wit ye well I will be revenged.
 Well, said the knight, I may happen to endure you.  And
 therewithal he mounted upon his horse, and took a great
 spear in his hand ready for to joust.  Nay, said Palomides,
 I will not joust, for I am sure at jousting I get no prize.
 Fair knight, said that knight, it would beseem a knight to
 joust and to fight on horseback.  Ye shall see what I will
 do, said Palomides.  And therewith he alighted down
 upon foot, and dressed his shield afore him and pulled
 out his sword.  Then the Knight with the Red Shield
 descended down from his horse, and dressed his shield
 afore him, and so he drew out his sword.  And then they
 came together a soft pace, and wonderly they lashed
 together passing thick the mountenance of an hour or
 ever they breathed.  Then they traced and traversed, and
 waxed wonderly wroth, and either behight other death;
 they hewed so fast with their swords that they cut in down
 half their swords and mails, that the bare flesh in some
 place stood above their harness.  And when Sir Palomides
 beheld his fellow's sword over-hylled with his blood it
 grieved him sore: some while they foined, some while
 they struck as wild men.  But at the last Sir Palomides
 waxed faint, because of his first wound that he had at the
 castle with a spear, for that wound grieved him wonderly
 sore.  Fair knight, said Palomides, meseemeth we have
 assayed either other passing sore, and if it may please
 thee, I require thee of thy knighthood tell me thy name.
 Sir, said the knight to Palomides, that is me loath to do,
 for thou hast done me wrong and no knighthood to proffer
 me battle, considering my great travail, but an thou wilt
 tell me thy name I will tell thee mine.  Sir, said he, wit
 thou well my name is Palomides.  Ah, sir, ye shall understand
 my name is Sir Lamorak de Galis, son and heir unto
 the good knight and king, King Pellinore, and Sir Tor,
 the good knight, is my half brother.  When Sir Palomides
 heard him say so he kneeled down and asked mercy, For
 outrageously have I done to you this day; considering
 the great deeds of arms I have seen you do, shamefully
 and unknightly I have required you to do battle.  Ah, Sir
 Palomides, said Sir Lamorak, overmuch have ye done and
 said to me.  And therewith he embraced him with his
 both hands, and said:  Palomides, the worthy knight, in
 all this land is no better than ye, nor more of prowess,
 and me repenteth sore that we should fight together.  So
 it doth not me, said Sir Palomides, and yet am I sorer
 wounded than ye be; but as for that I shall soon thereof
 be whole.  But certainly I would not for the fairest castle
 in this land, but if thou and I had met, for I shall love
 you the days of my life afore all other knights except my
 brother, Sir Safere.  I say the same, said Sir Lamorak,
 except my brother, Sir Tor.  Then came Sir Dinadan,
 and he made great joy of Sir Lamorak.  Then their
 squires dressed both their shields and their harness, and
 stopped their wounds.  And thereby at a priory they
 rested them all night.