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¶ The tenth book
¶ Capitulum primum
ANd yf so be ye can descryue what ye bere / ye ar worthy to bere the armes / As for that said syr Tristram I wille ansuere you / this sheld was yeuen me / not desyred / of quene Morgan le fay And as for me I can not descryue these armes for it is no poynt of my charge / and yet I truste to god to bere hem with worship / Truly sayd kynge Arthur ye oughte not to bere none armes / but yf ye wist what ye bare / But I pray you telle me youre name / to what entente said syre Tristram / for I wold wete said Arthur / Syre ye shalle not wete as at this tyme / thenne shalle ye and I doo bataille to gyders sayd Kyng Arthur / why said syre Tristram wylle ye doo bataille with me but yf I telle you my name / and that lytyl nedeth you and ye were a man of worshyp / for ye haue sene me thys day haue had grete traueylle / And therfore ye are a vylaynous knyght to aske bataille of me consyderynge my grete traueylle / how be hit I wyl not fayle you / and haue ye no doubte that I feare not you / though ye thynke ye haue me atte a grete auauntage / yet shalle I ryght wel endure you / And there with all kynge Arthur dressid his shelde and his spere and syre Tristram ageynst hym / and they came soo egerly to gyders / And there kynge Arthur brake his spere all to pyeces vpon syr Tristrams shelde / But sir Tristram hitte Arthur ageyne that hors and man felle to the erthe / And there was kynge Arthur wounded on the lyfte syde a grete wounde and a peryllous / Thenne whanne sir Vwayne sawe his lord Arthur lye on the ground sore wounded he was passynge heuy / And thenne he dressid his shelde and his spere / and cryed