CHAPTER XXVIII
 
 How the knights bare them in the battle.
 
 THEN Sir Brian de les Isles and Grummore Grummursum, knights of
 the castle, encountered with Sir Aglovale, and Sir Tor smote down
 Sir Grummore Grummursum to the earth.  Then came in Sir Carados
 of the dolorous tower, and Sir Turquine, knights of the castle;
 and there encountered with them Sir Percivale de Galis and Sir
 Lamorak de Galis, that were two brethren.  And there encountered
 Sir Percivale with Sir Carados, and either brake their spears
 unto their hands, and then Sir Turquine with Sir Lamorak, and
 either of them smote down other's horse and all to the
 <262>earth, and either parties rescued other, and horsed them
 again.  And Sir Arnold and Sir Gauter, knights of the castle,
 encountered with Sir Brandiles and Sir Kay, and these four
 knights encountered mightily, and brake their spears to their
 hands.  Then came in Sir Tristram, Sir Sadok, and Sir Dinas,
 knights of the castle, and there encountered Sir Tristram with
 Sir Bedivere, and there Sir Bedivere was smitten to the earth
 both horse and man.  And Sir Sadok encountered with Sir Petipase,
 and there Sir Sadok was overthrown.  And there Uwaine les
 Avoutres smote down Sir Dinas, the Seneschal.  Then came in Sir
 Persant of Inde, a knight of the castle, and there encountered
 with him Sir Launcelot du Lake, and there he smote Sir Persant,
 horse and man, to the earth.  Then came Sir Pertolepe from the
 castle, and there encountered with him Sir Lionel, and there Sir
 Pertolepe, the Green Knight, smote down Sir Lionel, brother to
 Sir Launcelot.  All this was marked by noble heralds, who bare
 him best, and their names.
 
 And then came into the field Sir Perimones, the Red Knight, Sir
 Persant's brother, that was a knight of the castle, and he
 encountered with Sir Ector de Maris, and either smote other so
 hard that both their horses and they fell to the earth.  And then
 came in the Red Knight of the Red Launds, and Sir Gareth, from
 the castle, and there encountered with them Sir Bors de Ganis and
 Sir Bleoberis, and there the Red Knight and Sir Bors [either]
 smote other so hard that their spears brast, and their horses
 fell grovelling to the earth.  Then Sir Bleoberis brake his spear
 upon Sir Gareth, but of that stroke Sir Bleoberis fell to the
 earth.  When Sir Galihodin saw that he bade Sir Gareth keep him,
 and Sir Gareth smote him to the earth.  Then Sir Galihud gat a
 spear to avenge his brother, and in the same wise Sir Gareth
 served him, and Sir Dinadan and his brother, La Cote Male Taile,
 and Sir Sagramore le Desirous, and Sir Dodinas le Savage.  All
 these he bare down with one spear.
 
 When King Agwisance of Ireland saw Sir Gareth fare so, he
 marvelled what he might be that one time seemed <263>green, and
 another time, at his again coming, he seemed blue.  And thus at
 every course that he rode to and fro he changed his colour, so
 that there might neither king nor knight have ready cognisance of
 him.  Then Sir Agwisance, the King of Ireland, encountered with
 Sir Gareth, and there Sir Gareth smote him from his horse, saddle
 and all.  And then came King Carados of Scotland, and Sir Gareth
 smote him down horse and man.  And in the same wise he served
 King Uriens of the land of Gore.  And then came in Sir
 Bagdemagus, and Sir Gareth smote him down, horse and man, to the
 earth.  And Bagdemagus' son, Meliganus, brake a spear upon Sir
 Gareth mightily and knightly.  And then Sir Galahault, the noble
 prince, cried on high:  Knight with the many colours, well hast
 thou jousted; now make thee ready that I may joust with thee. 
 Sir Gareth heard him, and he gat a great spear, and so they
 encountered together, and there the prince brake his spear; but
 Sir Gareth smote him upon the left side of the helm that he
 reeled here and there, and he had fallen down had not his men
 recovered him.
 
 So God me help, said King Arthur, that same knight with the many
 colours is a good knight.  Wherefore the king called unto him Sir
 Launcelot, and prayed him to encounter with that knight.  Sir,
 said Launcelot, I may well find in my heart for to forbear him as
 at this time, for he hath had travail enough this day; and when a
 good knight doth so well upon some day, it is no good knight's
 part to let him of his worship, and namely, when he seeth a
 knight hath done so great labour; for peradventure, said Sir
 Launcelot, his quarrel is here this day, and peradventure he is
 best beloved with this lady of all that be here; for I see well
 he paineth him and enforceth him to do great deeds, and
 therefore, said Sir Launcelot, as for me, this day he shall have
 the honour; though it lay in my power to put him from it I would
 not.
 
 
 
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