Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK VIII CHAPTER XXVII

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 CHAPTER XXVII
 
 How Sir Galahad fought with Sir Tristram, and how Sir
 Tristram yielded him and promised to fellowship with Launcelot.
 
 THEN came Sir Galahad, and the King with the Hundred Knights with
 him; and this Sir Galahad proffered to fight with Sir Tristram
 hand for hand.  And so they made them ready to go unto battle on
 horseback with great courage.  Then Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram
 met together so hard that either bare other down, horse and all,
 to the earth.  And then they avoided their horses as noble
 knights, and dressed their shields, and drew their swords with
 ire and rancour, and they lashed together many sad strokes, and
 one while striking, another while foining, tracing and traversing
 as noble knights; thus they fought long, near half a day, and
 either were sore wounded.  At the last Sir Tristram waxed light
 and big, and doubled his strokes, and drove Sir Galahad aback on
 the one side and on the other, so that he was like to have been
 slain.
 
 With that came the King with the Hundred Knights, and all that
 fellowship went fiercely upon Sir Tristram.  When Sir Tristram
 saw them coming upon him, then he wist well he might not endure. 
 Then as a wise knight of war, he said to Sir Galahad, the haut
 prince:  Sir, ye show to me no knighthood, for to suffer all your
 men to have ado with me all at once; and as meseemeth ye be a
 noble knight of your hands it is great shame to you.  So God me
 help, said Sir Galahad, there is none other way but thou must
 yield thee to me, other else to die, said Sir Galahad to Sir
 Tristram.  I will rather yield me to you than die for that is
 more for the might of your men than of your hands.  And
 therewithal Sir Tristram took his own sword by the point, and put
 the pommel in the hand of Sir Galahad.
 
 Therewithal came the King with the Hundred Knights, <324>and hard
 began to assail Sir Tristram.  Let be, said Sir Galahad, be ye
 not so hardy to touch him, for I have given this knight his life. 
 That is your shame, said the King with the Hundred Knights; hath
 he not slain your father and your mother?  As for that, said Sir
 Galahad, I may not wite him greatly, for my father had him in
 prison, and enforced him to do battle with him; and my father had
 such a custom that was a shameful custom, that what knight came
 there to ask harbour his lady must needs die but if she were
 fairer than my mother; and if my father overcame that knight he
 must needs die.  This was a shameful custom and usage, a knight
 for his harbour-asking to have such harbourage.  And for this
 custom I would never draw about him.  So God me help, said the
 King, this was a shameful custom.  Truly, said Sir Galahad, so
 seemed me; and meseemed it had been great pity that this knight
 should have been slain, for I dare say he is the noblest man that
 beareth life, but if it were Sir Launcelot du Lake.  Now, fair
 knight, said Sir Galahad, I require thee tell me thy name, and of
 whence thou art, and whither thou wilt.  Sir, he said, my name is
 Sir Tristram de Liones, and from King Mark of Cornwall I was sent
 on message unto King Anguish of Ireland, for to fetch his
 daughter to be his wife, and here she is ready to go with me into
 Cornwall, and her name is La Beale Isoud.  And, Sir Tristram,
 said Sir Galahad, the haut prince, well be ye found in these
 marches, and so ye will promise me to go unto Sir Launcelot du
 Lake, and accompany with him, ye shall go where ye will, and your
 fair lady with you; and I shall promise you never in all my days
 shall such customs be used in this castle as have been used. 
 Sir, said Sir Tristram, now I let you wit, so God me help, I
 weened ye had been Sir Launcelot du Lake when I saw you first,
 and therefore I dread you the more; and sir, I promise you, said
 Sir Tristram, as soon as I may I will see Sir Launcelot and
 infellowship me with him; for of all the knights of the world I
 most desire his fellowship.
 
 
 
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