Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LXVI

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 CHAPTER LXVI
 
 How Sir Palomides jousted with Sir Galihodin, and after
 with Sir Gawaine, and smote them down.
 
 
 THEN this squire departed and told Galihodin; and then
 he dressed his shield, and put forth a spear, and Sir
 Palomides another; and there Sir Palomides smote
 Galihodin so hard that he smote both horse and man to
 the earth.  And there he had an horrible fall.  And then
 came there another knight, and in the same wise he
 served him; and so he served the third and the fourth,
 that he smote them over their horses' croups, and always
 Sir Palomides' spear was whole.  Then came six knights
 more of Galihodin's men, and would have been avenged
 upon Sir Palomides.  Let be, said Sir Galihodin, not so
 hardy, none of you all meddle with this knight, for he
 is a man of great bount and honour, and if he would ye
 were not able to meddle with him.  And right so they
 held them still.  And ever Sir Palomides was ready to
 joust; and when he saw they would no more he rode
 unto Sir Tristram.  Right well have ye done, said Sir
 Tristram, and worshipfully have ye done as a good
 knight should.  This Galihodin was nigh cousin unto
 Galahalt, the haut prince; and this Galihodin was a king
 within the country of Surluse.
 
 So as Sir Tristram, Sir Palomides, and La Beale Isoud
 rode together they saw afore them four knights, and every
 man had his spear in his hand: the first was Sir Gawaine,
 the second Sir Uwaine, the third Sir Sagramore le Desirous,
 and the fourth was Dodinas le Savage.  When Sir Palomides
 beheld them, that the four knights were ready to
 joust, he prayed Sir Tristram to give him leave to have
 ado with them all so long as he might hold him on horseback.
 And if that I be smitten down I pray you revenge
 me.  Well, said Sir Tristram, I will as ye will, and ye are
 not so fain to have worship but I would as fain increase
 your worship.  And therewithal Sir Gawaine put forth
 his spear, and Sir Palomides another; and so they came
 so eagerly together that Sir Palomides smote Sir Gawaine
 to the earth, horse and all; and in the same wise he served
 Uwaine, Sir Dodinas, and Sagramore.  All these four
 knights Sir Palomides smote down with divers spears
 And then Sir Tristram departed toward Lonazep.
 
 And when they were departed then came thither
 Galihodin with his ten knights unto Sir Gawaine, and
 there he told him all how he had sped.  I marvel, said
 Sir Gawaine, what knights they be, that are so arrayed
 in green.  And that knight upon the white horse smote
 me down, said Galihodin, and my three fellows.  And so
 he did to me, said Gawaine; and well I wot, said Sir
 Gawaine, that either he upon the white horse is Sir Tristram
 or else Sir Palomides, and that gay beseen lady is Queen
 Isoud.  Thus they talked of one thing and of other.
 
 And in the meanwhile Sir Tristram passed on till that
 he came to the well where his two pavilions were set; and
 there they alighted, and there they saw many pavilions
 and great array.  Then Sir Tristram left there Sir Palomides
 and Sir Gareth with La Beale Isoud, and Sir
 Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode to Lonazep to hearken
 tidings; and Sir Tristram rode upon Sir Palomides' white
 horse.  And when he came into the castle Sir Dinadan
 heard a great horn blow, and to the horn drew many
 knights.  Then Sir Tristram asked a knight:  What
 meaneth the blast of that horn?  Sir, said that knight,
 it is all those that shall hold against King Arthur at this
 tournament.  The first is the King of Ireland, and the
 King of Surluse, the King of Listinoise, the King of
 Northumberland, and the King of the best part of Wales,
 with many other countries.  And these draw them to a
 council, to understand what governance they shall be of;
 but the King of Ireland, whose name was Marhalt, and
 father to the good knight Sir Marhaus that Sir Tristram
 slew, had all the speech that Sir Tristram might hear it.
 He said:  Lords and fellows, let us look to ourself, for
 wit ye well King Arthur is sure of many good knights,
 or else he would not with so few knights have ado
 with us; therefore by my counsel let every king have a
 standard and a cognisance by himself, that every knight
 draw to their natural lord, and then may every king and
 captain help his knights if they have need.  When Sir
 Tristram had heard all their counsel he rode unto King
 Arthur for to hear of his counsel.