Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER X

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 CHAPTER X
 
 How Sir Berluse met with King Mark, and how
 Sir Dinadan took his part.
 
 
 THEN was King Mark sore ashamed, and said but little
 again.  But when Sir Lamorak and Sir Dinadan wist that
 he was King Mark they were sorry of his fellowship.
 So after supper they went to lodging.  So on the morn
 they arose early, and King Mark and Sir Dinadan rode
 together; and three mile from their lodging there met
 with them three knights, and Sir Berluse was one, and
 that other his two cousins.  Sir Berluse saw King Mark,
 and then he cried on high:  Traitor, keep thee from me
 for wit thou well that I am Berluse.  Sir knight, said Sir
 Dinadan, I counsel you to leave off at this time, for he is
 riding to King Arthur; and because I have promised to
 conduct him to my lord King Arthur needs must I take
 a part with him; howbeit I love not his condition, and
 fain I would be from him.  Well, Dinadan, said Sir
 Berluse, me repenteth that ye will take part with him,
 but now do your best.  And then he hurtled to King
 Mark, and smote him sore upon the shield, that he bare
 him clean out of his saddle to the earth.  That saw Sir
 Dinadan, and he feutred his spear, and ran to one of
 Berluse's fellows, and smote him down off his saddle.
 Then Dinadan turned his horse, and smote the third
 knight in the same wise to the earth, for Sir Dinadan
 was a good knight on horseback; and there began a great
 battle, for Berluse and his fellows held them together
 strongly on foot.  And so through the great force of Sir
 Dinadan King Mark had Berluse to the earth, and his
 two fellows fled; and had not been Sir Dinadan King
 Mark would have slain him.  And so Sir Dinadan
 rescued him of his life, for King Mark was but a
 murderer.  And then they took their horses and departed
 and left Sir Berluse there sore wounded.
 
 Then King Mark and Sir Dinadan rode forth a four
 leagues English, till that they came to a bridge where
 hoved a knight on horseback, armed and ready to joust.
 Lo, said Sir Dinadan unto King Mark, yonder hoveth a
 knight that will joust, for there shall none pass this
 bridge but he must joust with that knight.  It is well,
 said King Mark, for this jousts falleth with thee.  Sir
 Dinadan knew the knight well that he was a noble knight,
 and fain he would have jousted, but he had had liefer
 King Mark had jousted with him, but by no mean King
 Mark would not joust.  Then Sir Dinadan might not
 refuse him in no manner.  And then either dressed their
 spears and their shields, and smote together, so that
 through fine force Sir Dinadan was smitten to the earth;
 and lightly he rose up and gat his horse, and required
 that knight to do battle with swords.  And he answered
 and said:  Fair knight, as at this time I may not have ado
 with you no more, for the custom of this passage is such.
 Then was Sir Dinadan passing wroth that he might not be
 revenged of that knight; and so he departed, and in no
 wise would that knight tell his name.  But ever Sir
 Dinadan thought he should know him by his shield that
 it should be Sir Tor.