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THenne they rode thre or foure dayes and neuer mette with aduenture / and by happe they were lodged with a gentyll man that was a ryche man and well at ease / And as they sat at her souper balyn herd ouer complayne greuously by hym in a chayer / what is this noyse said balen / forsothe said his hoost I wylle telle yow / I was but late att a Iustynge / and there I Iusted with a knyghte that is broder vnto kynge Pellam / and twyes smote I hym doune / & thenne
[leaf 46v] he promysed to quyte me on my best frynde / and so he wounded my sone that can not be hole tyll I haue of that knyghtes blood / and he rydeth alwey Inuysyble / but I knowe not his name / A sayd Balyn / I knowe that knyght / his name is Garlon / he hath slayne two knyghtes of myn in the same maner / therfor I had leuer mete with that knyght than alle the gold in this realme / for the despyte he hath done me / wel said his ooste I shalle telle yow kynge Pellam of lystyneyse hath made do crye in all this countrey a grete feest that shal be within these xx dayes / & no knyght may come ther but yf he brynge his wyf wyth hym / or his peramour / & that kynȝte youre enemy and myn ye shalle see that daye / Thenne I behote yow sayd Balyn parte of his blood to hele youre sone with alle / we wille be forward to morne sayd his oost / So on the morne they rode all thre toward Pellam / and they had xv dayes Iourney or they cam thyder / and that same day began the greete feeste / and soo they alyght and stabled theyr horses / and went in to the Castel / but balyns oost myght not be lete in by cause he had no lady / thenne Balyn was wel receyued & brought vnto a chamber and vnarmed hym / and there were brought hym robes to his pleasyr / and wold haue had Balen leue his swerd behynde hym / Nay sayd Balen that doo I not for it is the customme of my Countrey a knyghte alweyes to kepe his wepen with hym and that customme wylle I kepe / or els I wyll departe as I cam / thenne they gaf hym leue to were his swerd / and so he wente vnto the castel / and was sette amonge knyghtes of worship and his lady afore hym / Soone balyn asked a knyght / is ther not a knyghte in this court whos name is Garlon / yonder he goth sayd a knyght / he with the blak face / he is the merueyllest knyȝt that is now lyuyng for he destroyeth many good knyghtes / for he goth Inuysyble A wel said Balen is that he / thēne balyn auysed hym long yf I slee hym here I shall not scape / And yf I leue hym now perauentur I shalle neuer mete with hym ageyne at suche a steuen / and moche harme he wille doo and he lyue / Ther with this Garlon aspyed that this Balen behelde hym / and thenne he came and smote Balyn on the face with the bak of his hand / and sayd knyȝt why beholdest thow me so for shame
[leaf 47r] therfor ete thy mete and doo that thow cam for / Thow sayst sothe said Balyn / this is not the fyrst despyte that thow hast done me / and therfor I will doo that I cam for and rose vp fyersly and claue his hede to the sholders / gyue me the truncheon sayd Balyn to his lady where with he slewe your knyghte / anone she gaf it hym / for alwey she bare the troncheon with her And therwith Balyn smote hym thurgh the body / and sayd openly with that truncheon thow hast slayn a good knyghte / and now it stycketh in thy body / And thenne Balyn called vnto hym his hoost / sayenge / now may ye fetche blood ynough to hele your sone with all /