All this espied Sir Palomides, both their going and their coming, and
so did La Beale Isoud, for she knew Sir Tristram above all other.
CHAPTER LXXVI. How Sir Palomides changed his shield and his armour for
to hurt Sir Tristram, and how Sir Launcelot did to Sir Tristram.
Then when Sir Palomides saw that Sir Tristram was disguised, then he
thought to do him a shame. So Sir Palomides rode to a knight that was
sore wounded, that sat under a fair well from the field. Sir knight,
said Sir Palomides, I pray you to lend me your armour and your shield,
for mine is over-well known in this field, and that hath done me great
damage; and ye shall have mine armour and my shield that is as sure as
yours. I will well, said the knight, that ye have mine armour and my
shield, if they may do you any avail. So Sir Palomides armed him
hastily in that knight’s armour and his shield that shone as any
crystal or silver, and so he came riding into the field. And then there
was neither Sir Tristram nor none of King Arthur’s party that knew Sir
Palomides. And right so as Sir Palomides was come into the field Sir
Tristram smote down three knights, even in the sight of Sir Palomides.
And then Sir Palomides rode against Sir Tristram, and either met other
with great spears, that they brast to their hands. And then they dashed
together with swords eagerly. Then Sir Tristram had marvel what knight
he was that did battle so knightly with him. Then was Sir Tristram
wroth, for he felt him passing strong, so that he deemed he might not
have ado with the remnant of the knights, because of the strength of
Sir Palomides. So they lashed together and gave many sad strokes
together, and many knights marvelled what knight he might be that so
encountered with the black knight, Sir Tristram. Full well knew La
Beale Isoud that there was Sir Palomides that fought with Sir Tristram,
for she espied all in her window where that she stood, as Sir Palomides
changed his harness with the wounded knight. And then she began to weep
so heartily for the despite of Sir Palomides that there she swooned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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