[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum lxxv

THenne came kynge Arthur and the kynge of North∣galy•• / and sir Launcelot du lake and sire Bleoberis sire Bors de ganys / sir Ector de maris / these thre kny∣ghtes came in to the feld with sire launcelot / And thenne sire Launcelot with the thre knyghtes of his kynne dyd soo grete dedes of armes that alle the noyse beganne vpon sir launcelot / And soo they bete the kynge of walys and the kyng of scot∣tes ferre abak / and made them to auoyde the felde / but sir Tris∣tram and sir Gareth abode stylle in the felde and endured all that euer there came / that alle men had wonder that ony kny∣ght myght endure soo many strokes / But euer sir launcelot & his thre kynnesmen by the cammaūdement of syr launcelot for∣bare sir Tristram / Thenne said sir Arthur is that sir Palomy∣des that endureth soo wel / nay sayd sir launcelot / wete ye wel it is the good knyght sir Tristram / for yonder ye maye see syr Palomydes beholdeth and houeth and doth lytel or noughte / And sire ye shalle vnderstande that sire Tristram weneth thys day to bete vs alle oute of the felde / And as for me said sire launcelot I shal not bete hym / bete hym who soo wil / Sir said Launcelot vnto Arthur ye may see how sir Palomydes houeth yonder / as though he were in a dreme / wete ye wel he is ful he¦uy that Tristram doth suche dedes of armes / Thenne is he but a foole said Arthur / for neuer was sire Palomydes / nor neuer shalle be of suche prowesse as sir Tristram / And yf he haue o∣ny enuy at sir Tristram and cometh in with hym vpon his sy¦de he is a fals knyghte / ¶As the kynge and sir Launcelot thus spake / sir Tristram rode pryuely oute of the prees / that none aspyed hym / but la Beale Isoud and sir Palomydes / for they two wold not lete of their eyen vpon sir Tristram / ¶And whanne sir Tristram cam to his pauelions he fond sire Dynadan in his bedde a slepe / Awake said Tristram / ye ouʒt to be ashamed soo to slepe whan knyghtes haue ado in the feld Thenne syr Dynadan arose lyghtely and said syr what wylle ye that I shalle doo / make yow redy said syr Tristram to ryde with me in to the felde / Soo whan syr Dynadan was armed be loked vpon syre Tristrams helme and on his shelde / and

whan he sawe soo many strokes vpon his helme and vpon his shelde / he said in good tyme was I thus a slepe / For hadde I ben with yow / I must nedes for shame there haue folowed yow / more for shame than ony prowesse / that is in me / that I see wel now by tho strokes that I shold haue ben truly beten as I was yesterdaye / Leue youre Iapes said sire Tristram / & come of that we were in the felde ageyne / what sayd sire Dy∣nadan is your herte vp / yester daye ye ferd as though ye had dremed / Soo thenne sir Tristram was arayed in black harne∣is / O Ihesu said Dynadan what eyleth yow this day / me se∣meth ye be wylder than ye were yesterday / Thenne smyled syr Tristram and sayd to Dynadan awayte wel vpon me / yf ye see me ouermatched / loke that ye be euer behynde me / and I shalle make yow redy way by goddes grace / Soo sir Tristram and syre Dynadan took their horses / Alle this aspyed sir pa¦lomydes / bothe their goynge and their comynge / and soo dyd la Beale Isoud / for she knewe sir Tristram aboue alle other