CHAPTER LXXIX
 
 How Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides did the next day, and
 how King Arthur was unhorsed.
 
 
 THEN Sir Tristram let call Sir Palomides, and bade him
 make him ready, for it was time to go to the field.  When
 they were ready they were armed, and clothed all in red,
 both Isoud and all they; and so they led her passing
 freshly through the field, into the priory where was her
 lodging.  And then they heard three blasts blow, and every
 king and knight dressed him unto the field.  And the first
 that was ready to joust was Sir Palomides and Sir Kainus
 le Strange, a knight of the Table Round.  And so they
 two encountered together, but Sir Palomides smote Sir
 Kainus so hard that he smote him quite over his horse's
 croup.  And forthwithal Sir Palomides smote down another
 knight, and brake then his spear, and pulled out his sword
 and did wonderly well.  And then the noise began greatly
 upon Sir Palomides.  Lo, said King Arthur, yonder
 Palomides beginneth to play his pageant.  So God me
 help, said Arthur, he is a passing good knight.  And
 right as they stood talking thus, in came Sir Tristram as
 thunder, and he encountered with Sir Kay the Seneschal,
 and there he smote him down quite from his horse; and
 with that same spear Sir Tristram smote down three knights
 more, and then he pulled out his sword and did marvellously.
 Then the noise and cry changed from Sir Palomides and
 turned to Sir Tristram, and all the people cried:  O
 Tristram, O Tristram.  And then was Sir Palomides clean
 forgotten.
 
 How now, said Launcelot unto Arthur, yonder rideth
 a knight that playeth his pageants.  So God me help, said
 Arthur to Launcelot, ye shall see this day that yonder two
 knights shall here do this day wonders.  Sir, said Launcelot,
 the one knight waiteth upon the other, and enforceth
 himself through envy to pass the noble knight Sir Tristram,
 and he knoweth not of the privy envy the which Sir
 Palomides hath to him; for all that the noble Sir Tristram
 doth is through clean knighthood.  And then Sir Gareth
 and Dinadan did wonderly great deeds of arms, as two
 noble knights, so that King Arthur spake of them great
 honour and worship; and the kings and knights of Sir
 Tristram's side did passingly well, and held them truly
 together.  Then Sir Arthur and Sir Launcelot took their
 horses and dressed them, and gat into the thickest of the
 press.  And there Sir Tristram unknowing smote down
 King Arthur, and then Sir Launcelot would have rescued
 him, but there were so many upon Sir Launcelot that they
 pulled him down from his horse.  And then the King of
 Ireland and the King of Scots with their knights did their
 pain to take King Arthur and Sir Launcelot prisoner.
 When Sir Launcelot heard them say so, he fared as it had
 been an hungry lion, for he fared so that no knight durst
 nigh him.
 
 Then came Sir Ector de Maris, and he bare a spear
 against Sir Palomides, and brast it upon him all to shivers.
 And then Sir Ector came again and gave Sir Palomides
 such a dash with a sword that he stooped down upon his
 saddle bow.  And forthwithal Sir Ector pulled down Sir
 Palomides under his feet; and then Sir Ector de Maris
 gat Sir Launcelot du Lake an horse, and brought it to him,
 and bade him mount upon him; but Sir Palomides leapt
 afore and gat the horse by the bridle, and leapt into the
 saddle.  So God me help, said Launcelot, ye are better
 worthy to have that horse than I.  Then Sir Ector brought
 Sir Launcelot another horse.  Gramercy, said Launcelot
 unto his brother.  And so when he was horsed again, with
 one spear he smote down four knights.  And then Sir
 Launcelot brought to King Arthur one of the best of the
 four horses.  Then Sir Launcelot with King Arthur and
 a few of his knights of Sir Launcelot's kin did marvellous
 deeds; for that time, as the book recordeth, Sir Launcelot
 smote down and pulled down thirty knights.  Notwithstanding
 the other party held them so fast together that
 King Arthur and his knights were overmatched.  And
 when Sir Tristram saw that, what labour King Arthur
 and his knights, and in especial the noble deeds that Sir
 Launcelot did with his own hands, he marvelled greatly.