Chapter 13 - Page 2

knight that sat on a bank; and Sir Tristram saluted him, and he full
weakly saluted him again. "Sir," said Sir Tristram, "I pray you to
lend me your whole armor; for I am unarmed, and I must do battle
with this knight." "Sir," said the hurt knight, "you shall have it,
with a right good will." Then Sir Tristram unarmed Sir Galleron, for
that was the name of the hurt knight, and he as well as he could
helped to arm Sir Tristram. Then Sir Tristram mounted upon his own
horse, and in his hand he took Sir Galleron's spear. Thereupon Sir
Palamedes was ready, and so they came hurtling together, and each
smote the other in the midst of their shields. Sir Palamedes' spear
broke, and Sir Tristram smote down the horse. Then Sir Palamedes leapt
from his horse, and drew out his sword. That saw Sir Tristram, and
therewith he alighted and tied his horse to a tree. Then they came
together as two wild beasts, lashing the one on the other, and so
fought more than two hours; and often Sir Tristram smote such
strokes at Sir Palamedes that he made him to kneel, and Sir
Palamedes broke away Sir Tristram's shield, and wounded him. Then
Sir Tristram was wroth out of measure, and he rushed to Sir
Palamedes and wounded him passing sore through the shoulder, and by
fortune smote Sir Palamedes' sword out of his hand. And if Sir
Palamedes had stooped for his sword, Sir Tristram had slain him.
Then Sir Palamedes stood and beheld his sword with a full sorrowful
heart. "Now," said Sir Tristram, "I have thee at a vantage, as thou
hadst me to-day; but it shall never be said, in court, or among good
knights, that Sir Tristram did slay any knight that was weaponless:
therefore take thou thy sword, and let us fight this battle to the
end." Then spoke Sir Palamedes to Sir Tristram: "I have no wish to
fight this battle any more. The offence that I have done unto you is
not so great but that, if it please you, we may be friends. All that I
have offended is for the love of the queen, La Belle Isoude, and I
dare maintain that she is peerless among ladies; and for that
offence ye have given me many grievous and sad strokes, and some I
have given you again, Wherefore I require you, my lord Sir Tristram,
forgive me all that I have offended you, and this day have me unto the
next church; and first I will be clean confessed, and after that see
you that I be truly baptized, and then we will ride together unto
the court of my lord, King Arthur, so that we may be there at the
feast of Pentecost." "Now take your horse," said Sir. Tristram, "and
as you have said, so shall it be done." So they took their horses, and
Sir Galleron rode with them. When they came to the church of Carlisle,
the bishop commanded to fill a great vessel with water; and when he
had