CHAPTER LXVIII
 
 How Sir Tristram and his fellowship jousted, and of the
 noble feats that they did in that tourneying.
 
 
 NOW upon what party, said Tristram, is it best we be
 withal as to-morn?  Sir, said Palomides, ye shall have
 mine advice to be against King Arthur as to-morn, for on
 his party will be Sir Launcelot and many good knights of
 his blood with him.  And the more men of worship that
 they be, the more worship we shall win.  That is full
 knightly spoken, said Sir Tristram; and right so as ye
 counsel me, so will we do.  In the name of God, said they
 all.  So that night they were lodged with the best.  And
 on the morn when it was day they were arrayed all in
 green trappings, shields and spears, and La Beale Isoud in
 the same colour, and her three damosels.  And right so
 these four knights came into the field endlong and through.
 And so they led La Beale Isoud thither as she should stand
 and behold all the jousts in a bay window; but always she
 was wimpled that no man might see her visage.  And then
 these three knights rode straight unto the party of the
 King of Scots.
 
 When King Arthur had seen them do all this he asked
 Sir Launcelot what were these knights and that queen.
 Sir, said Launcelot, I cannot say you in certain, but if Sir
 Tristram be in this country, or Sir Palomides, wit ye well
 it be they m certain, and La Beale Isoud.  Then Arthur
 called to him Sir Kay and said:  Go lightly and wit how
 many knights there be here lacking of the Table Round,
 for by the sieges thou mayst know.  So went Sir Kay
 and saw by the writings in the sieges that there lacked ten
 knights.  And these be their names that be not here.  Sir
 Tristram, Sir Palomides, Sir Percivale, Sir Gaheris, Sir
 Epinogris, Sir Mordred, Sir Dinadan, Sir La Cote Male
 Taile, and Sir Pelleas the noble knight.  Well, said Arthur,
 some of these I dare undertake are here this day against us.
 
 Then came therein two brethren, cousins unto Sir
 Gawaine, the one hight Sir Edward, that other hight Sir
 Sadok, the which were two good knights; and they asked
 of King Arthur that they might have the first jousts, for
 they were of Orkney.  I am pleased, said King Arthur.
 Then Sir Edward encountered with the King of Scots, in
 whose party was Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides; and Sir
 Edward smote the King of Scots quite from his horse, and
 Sir Sadok smote down the King of North Wales, and gave
 him a wonder great fall, that there was a great cry on King
 Arthur's party, and that made Sir Palomides passing wroth.
 And so Sir Palomides dressed his shield and his spear, and
 with all his might he met with Sir Edward of Orkney,
 that he smote him so hard that his horse might not stand
 on his feet, and so they hurtled to the earth; and then
 with the same spear Sir Palomides smote down Sir Sadok
 over his horse's croup.  O Jesu, said Arthur, what knight
 is that arrayed all in green? he jousteth mightily.  Wit
 you well, said Sir Gawaine, he is a good knight, and yet
 shall ye see him joust better or he depart.  And yet shall
 ye see, said Sir Gawaine, another bigger knight, in the
 same colour, than he is; for that same knight, said Sir
 Gawaine, that smote down right now my four cousins, he
 smote me down within these two days, and seven fellows
 more.
 
 This meanwhile as they stood thus talking there came
 into the place Sir Tristram upon a black horse, and or
 ever he stint he smote down with one spear four good
 knights of Orkney that were of the kin of Sir Gawaine;
 and Sir Gareth and Sir Dinadan everych of them smote
 down a good knight.  Jesu, said Arthur, yonder knight
 upon the black horse doth mightily and marvellously well.
 Abide you, said Sir Gawaine; that knight with the black
 horse began not yet.  Then Sir Tristram made to horse
 again the two kings that Edward and Sadok had unhorsed
 at the beginning.  And then Sir Tristram drew his sword
 and rode into the thickest of the press against them of
 Orkney; and there he smote down knights, and rashed off
 helms, and pulled away their shields, and hurtled down
 many knights: he fared so that Sir Arthur and all knights
 had great marvel when they saw one knight do so great
 deeds of arms.  And Sir Palomides failed not upon the
 other side, but did so marvellously well that all men had
 wonder.  For there King Arthur likened Sir Tristram that
 was on the black horse like to a wood lion, and likened
 Sir Palomides upon the white horse unto a wood leopard,
 and Sir Gareth and Sir Dinadan unto eager wolves.  But
 the custom was such among them that none of the kings
 would help other, but all the fellowship of every standard
 to help other as they might; but ever Sir Tristram did so
 much deeds of arms that they of Orkney waxed weary of
 him, and so withdrew them unto Lonazep