The Boy's King Arthur: Sir Thomas Malory's History of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round TableMalory, Thomas, Sir
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The Boy's King Arthur: Sir Thomas Malory's History of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
Malory, Thomas, Sir
Arthur, King -- Legends; Arthurian romances -- Adaptations; Folklore -- England; Knights and knighthood -- Folklore
"Wit thou well," said he, "I fare much the worse for thee; for I know
thee well, Sir Tristram de Lyonesse, thou slewest my brother, and
therefore I give thee summons that I will slay thee and I may get thee
at large."
"Sir knight," said Sir Tristram, "I am not advised that ever I slew
any brother of yours; and if ye say that I did it, I will make you
amends unto my power."
"I will none of your amends," said the knight, "but keep thee from me."
So when he had dined, Sir Tristram asked his arms and departed; and so
they rode forth on their way. And within a little while Sir Dinadan saw
where came a knight riding all armed and well horsed without shield.
"Sir Tristram," said Sir Dinadan, "take heed to yourself, for I
undertake that yonder cometh your host that will have to do with you."
"Let him come," said Sir Tristram, "I shall abide him as well as I may."
Anon that knight when he came nigh Sir Tristram he cried to him, and
bade him abide and keep him well. So they hurled together, but Sir
Tristram smote the other knight so sore that he bare him to the ground.
And that knight arose lightly, and took his horse again, and so rode
fiercely to Sir Tristram, and smote him twice full hard upon the helm.
"Sir knight," said Sir Tristram, "I pray you to leave off and smite me
no more, for I would be loth to deal with you and I might choose, for
I have your meat and your drink within my body." For all that he would
not leave; and then Sir Tristram gave him such a buffet upon the helm
that he tumbled upside down from his horse, that the blood brast out at
the ventails of his helm; and there he lay still likely to have died.
Then Sir Tristram said, "Me repenteth sore of this buffet that I smote
so sore, for, as I suppose, he is dead."
And so they departed and rode forth on their way. So they had not
ridden but a while but they saw coming against them two full likely
knights, well armed and horsed, and goodly servants about them. The
one was called the king with the hundred knights, and that other was
Sir Segwarides, which were renowned two noble knights. So as they
came either by other, the king looked upon Sir Dinadan, which at that
time had Sir Tristram's helm upon his shoulder, which helm the king
had seen before with the Queen of Northwales, and that helm the Queen
of Northwales had given unto la Belle Isolde, and the Queen la Belle
Isolde gave it unto Sir Tristram.
"Sir knight," said [the king], "where had ye that helm?"
"What would ye?" said Sir Dinadan.
"For I will have ado with thee," said the king, "for the love of her
that owned that helm, and therefore keep you."
So they departed and came together with all the mights of their horses;
and there the king with the hundred knights smote Sir Dinadan, horse
and all, to the earth; and then he commanded his servant, "Go and take
thou his helm off, and keep it."
So the varlet went to unbuckle his helm.
"What helm? What wilt thou do?" said Sir Tristram; "leave that helm."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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