So when La Beale Isoud knew Sir Tristram again upon his horse-back she
was passing glad, and then she laughed and made good cheer. And as it
happened, Sir Palomides looked up toward her where she lay in the
window, and he espied how she laughed; and therewith he took such a
rejoicing that he smote down, what with his spear and with his sword,
all that ever he met; for through the sight of her he was so enamoured
in her love that he seemed at that time, that an both Sir Tristram and
Sir Launcelot had been both against him they should have won no worship
of him; and in his heart, as the book saith, Sir Palomides wished that
with his worship he might have ado with Sir Tristram before all men,
because of La Beale Isoud. Then Sir Palomides began to double his
strength, and he did so marvellously that all men had wonder of him,
and ever he cast up his eye unto La Beale Isoud. And when he saw her
make such cheer he fared like a lion, that there might no man withstand
him; and then Sir Tristram beheld him, how that Sir Palomides bestirred
him; and then he said unto Sir Dinadan: So God me help, Sir Palomides
is a passing good knight and a well enduring, but such deeds saw I him
never do, nor never heard I tell that ever he did so much in one day.
It is his day, said Dinadan; and he would say no more unto Sir
Tristram; but to himself he said: An if ye knew for whose love he doth
all those deeds of arms, soon would Sir Tristram abate his courage.
Alas, said Sir Tristram, that Sir Palomides is not christened. So said
King Arthur, and so said all those that beheld him. Then all people
gave him the prize, as for the best knight that day, that he passed Sir
Launcelot outher Sir Tristram. Well, said Dinadan to himself, all this
worship that Sir Palomides hath here this day he may thank the Queen
Isoud, for had she been away this day Sir Palomides had not gotten the
prize this day.
Right so came into the field Sir Launcelot du Lake, and saw and heard
the noise and cry and the great worship that Sir Palomides had. He
dressed him against Sir Palomides, with a great mighty spear and a
long, and thought to smite him down. And when Sir Palomides saw Sir
Launcelot come upon him so fast, he ran upon Sir Launcelot as fast with
his sword as he might; and as Sir Launcelot should have stricken him he
smote his spear aside, and smote it a-two with his sword. And Sir
Palomides rushed unto Sir Launcelot, and thought to have put him to a
shame; and with his sword he smote his horse’s neck that Sir Launcelot
rode upon, and then Sir Launcelot fell to the earth. Then was the cry
huge and great: See how Sir Palomides the Saracen hath smitten down Sir
Launcelot’s horse. Right then were there many knights wroth with Sir
Palomides because he had done that deed; therefore many knights held
there against that it was unknightly done in a tournament to kill an
horse wilfully, but that it had been done in plain battle, life for
life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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