Then Sir Palomides made Sir Epinogris to take his horse, and so they
rode to an hermitage, and there Sir Epinogris rested him. And in the
meanwhile Sir Palomides walked privily out to rest him under the
leaves, and there beside he saw a knight come riding with a shield that
he had seen Sir Ector de Maris bear beforehand; and there came after
him a ten knights, and so these ten knights hoved under the leaves for
heat. And anon after there came a knight with a green shield and
therein a white lion, leading a lady upon a palfrey. Then this knight
with the green shield that seemed to be master of the ten knights, he
rode fiercely after Sir Helior, for it was he that hurt Sir Epinogris.
And when he came nigh Sir Helior he bade him defend his lady. I will
defend her, said Helior, unto my power. And so they ran together so
mightily that either of these knights smote other down, horse and all,
to the earth; and then they won up lightly and drew their swords and
their shields, and lashed together mightily more than an hour. All this
Sir Palomides saw and beheld, but ever at the last the knight with Sir
Ector’s shield was bigger, and at the last this knight smote Sir Helior
down, and then that knight unlaced his helm to have stricken off his
head. And then he cried mercy, and prayed him to save his life, and
bade him take his lady. Then Sir Palomides dressed him up, because he
wist well that that same lady was Epinogris’ lady, and he promised him
to help him.
Then Sir Palomides went straight to that lady, and took her by the
hand, and asked her whether she knew a knight that hight Epinogris.
Alas, she said, that ever he knew me or I him, for I have for his sake
lost my worship, and also his life grieveth me most of all. Not so,
lady, said Palomides, come on with me, for here is Epinogris in this
hermitage. Ah! well is me, said the lady, an he be alive. Whither wilt
thou with that lady? said the knight with Sir Ector’s shield. I will do
with her what me list, said Palomides. Wit you well, said that knight,
thou speakest over large, though thou seemest me to have at advantage,
because thou sawest me do battle but late. Thou weenest, sir knight, to
have that lady away from me so lightly? nay, think it never not; an
thou were as good a knight as is Sir Launcelot, or as is Sir Tristram,
or Sir Palomides, but thou shalt win her dearer than ever did I. And so
they went unto battle upon foot, and there they gave many sad strokes,
and either wounded other passing sore, and thus they fought still more
than an hour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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