Sotheymountedupontherhorses,androdetogetheruntothatforest,andtheretheyfoundafarwell,wthclearwaterbubblng。Farsr,sadSrTrstram,todrnkofthatwaterhavecourage;andthentheyalghtedofftherhorses。Andthenweretheywarebythemwherestoodagreathorsetedtoatree,andeverheneghed。
Andthenweretheywareofafarknghtarmed,underatree,lackngnopeceofharness,savehshelmlayunderhshead。Bythegoodlord,sadSrTrstram,yonderlethawell-farngknght;whatsbesttodo?
Awakehm,sadSrPalomdes。SoSrTrstramawakedhmwththebuttofhsspear。Andsotheknghtroseuphastlyandputhshelmuponhshead,andgatagreatspearnhshand;andwthoutanymorewordshehurleduntoSrTrstram,andsmotehmcleanfromhssaddletotheearth,andhurthmontheleftsde,thatSrTrstramlayngreatperl。Thenhewallopedfarther,andfetchedhscourse,andcamehurlnguponSrPalomdes,andtherehestruckhmapartthroughthebody,thathefellfromhshorsetotheearth。Andthenthsstrangeknghtleftthemthere,andtookhswaythroughtheforest。WththsSrPalomdesandSrTrstramwereonfoot,andgattherhorsesagan,andetheraskedcounselofother,whatwasbesttodo。Bymyhead,sadSrTrstram,wllfollowthsstrongknghtthatthushathshamedus。
Well,sadSrPalomdes,andwllreposemeherebywthafrendofmne。Beware,sadSrTrstramuntoPalomdes,thatyefalnotthatdaythatyehavesetwthmetodobattle,for,asdeem,yewllnotholdyourday,forammuchbggerthanye。Asforthat,sadSrPalomdes,betastbemay,forfearyounot,foran
benotscknorprsoner,wllnotfalyou;buthavecausetohavemoredoubtofyouthatyewllnotmeetwthme,foryerdeafteryonderstrongknght。Andfyemeetwthhmtsanhardadventureaneveryeescapehshands。RghtsoSrTrstramandSrPalomdesdeparted,andethertooktherwaysdverse。
HowSrTrstramsoughtastrongknghtthathadsmttenhmdown,andmanyotherknghtsoftheRoundTable。
ANDsoSrTrstramrodelongafterthsstrongknght。
Andatthelasthesawwherelayaladyoverthwartadeadknght。Farlady,sadSrTrstram,whohathslanyourlord?Sr,shesad,herecameaknghtrdng,asmylordandrestedushere,andaskedhmofwhencehewas,andmylordsadofArthur’scourt。Therefore,sadthestrongknght,wlljoustwththee,forhateallthesethatbeofArthur’scourt。Andmylordthatlethheredeadamounteduponhshorse,andthestrongknghtandmylordencounteredtogether,andtherehesmotemylordthroughoutwthhsspear,andthushehathbroughtmengreatwoeanddamage。Thatmerepenteth,sadSrTrstram,ofyourgreatanger;antpleaseyoutellmeyourhusband’sname。Sr,sadshe,hsnamewasGalardoun,thatwouldhaveprovedagoodknght。SodepartedSrTrstramfromthatdolorouslady,andhadmuchevllodgng。ThenonthethrddaySrTrstrammetwthSrGawaneandwthSrBleobersnaforestatalodge,andetherweresorewounded。ThenSrTrstramaskedSrGawaneandSrBleobersftheymetwthsuchaknght,wthsuchacognsance,wthacoveredsheld。
Farsr,sadtheseknghts,suchaknghtmetwthustoourgreatdamage。Andfrsthesmotedownmyfellow,SrBleobers,andsorewoundedhmbecausehebademeshouldnothaveadowthhm,forwhyhewasoverstrongforme。Thatstrongknghttookhswordsatscorn,andsadhesadtformockery。Andthentheyrodetogether,andsohehurtmyfellow。Andwhenhehaddonesomghtnotforshamebutmustjoustwthhm。Andatthefrstcoursehesmotemedownandmyhorsetotheearth。Andtherehehadalmostslanme,andfromushetookhshorseanddeparted,andnanevltmewemetwthhm。Farknghts,sadSrTrstram,sohemetwthme,andwthanotherknghtthathghtPalomdes,andhesmoteusbothdownwthonespear,andhurtusrghtsore。Bymyfath,sadSrGawane,bymycounselyeshalllethmpassandseekhmnofurther;foratthenextfeastoftheRoundTable,uponpanofmyheadyeshallfndhmthere。Bymyfath,sadSrTrstram,shallneverresttllthatfndhm。AndthenSrGawaneaskedhmhsname。Thenhesad:MynamesSrTrstram。Andsoethertoldotherthernames,andthendepartedSrTrstramandrodehsway。
AndbyfortunenameadowSrTrstrammetwthSrKay,theSeneschal,andSrDnadan。Whattdngswthyou,sadSrTrstram,wthyouknghts?Notgood,sadtheseknghts。Whyso?sadSrTrstram;prayyoutellme,forrdetoseekaknght。Whatcognsancebearethhe?sadSrKay。Hebeareth,sadSrTrstram,acoveredsheldclosewthcloth。Bymyhead,sadSrKay,thatsthesameknghtthatmetwthus,forthsnghtwewerelodgedwthnawdow’shouse,andtherewasthatknghtlodged;andwhenhewstwewereofArthur’scourthespokegreatvllanybythekng,andspecallybytheQueenGuenever,andthenonthemornwaswagedbattlewthhmforthatcause。Andatthefrstrecounter,sadSrKay,hesmotemedownfrommyhorseandhurtmepassngsore;andwhenmyfellow,SrDnadan,sawmesmttendownandhurthewouldnotrevengeme,butfledfromme;andthushedeparted。
AndthenSrTrstramaskedthemthernames,andsoethertoldotherthernames。AndsoSrTrstramdepartedfromSrKay,andfromSrDnadan,andsohepassedthroughagreatforestntoaplan,tllhewaswareofaprory,andtherehereposedhmwthagoodmansdays。
HowSrTrstramsmotedownSrSagramoreleDesrousandSrDodnasleSavage。
ANDthenhesenthsmanthathghtGouvernal,andcommandedhmtogotoactytherebytofetchhmnewharness;
fortwaslongtmeaforethatthatSrTrstramhadbeenrefreshed,hsharnesswasbrsedandbroken。AndwhenGouvernal,hsservant,wascomewthhsapparel,hetookhsleaveatthewdow,andmounteduponhshorse,androdehswayearlyonthemorn。AndbysuddenadventureSrTrstrammetwthSrSagramoreleDesrous,andwthSrDodnasleSavage。AndthesetwoknghtsmetwthSrTrstramandquestonedwthhm,andaskedhmfhewouldjoustwththem。Farknghts,sadSrTrstram,wthagoodwllwouldjoustwthyou,but
havepromsedatadayset,nearhand,todobattlewthastrongknght;andthereforeamloathtohaveadowthyou,forantmsfortunedmeheretobehurtshouldnotbeabletodomybattlewhchpromsed。Asforthat,sadSagramore,maugreyourhead,yeshalljoustwthusoryepassfromus。Well,sadSrTrstram,fyeenforcemetheretomustdowhatmay。Andthentheydressedthershelds,andcamerunnngtogetherwthgreatre。ButthroughSrTrstram’sgreatforcehestruckSrSagramorefromhshorse。Thenhehurledhshorsefarther,andsadtoSrDodnas:Knght,maketheeready;andsothroughfneforceSrTrstramstruckDodnasfromhshorse。Andwhenhesawthemleontheearthhetookhsbrdle,androdeforthonhsway,andhsmanGouvernalwthhm。
AnonasSrTrstramwaspassed,SrSagramoreandSrDodnasgatagantherhorses,andmounteduplghtlyandfollowedafterSrTrstram。AndwhenSrTrstramsawthemcomesofastafterhmhereturnedwthhshorsetothem,andaskedthemwhattheywould。tsnotlongagosthensmoteyoutotheearthatyourownrequestanddesre:wouldhaverddenbyyou,butyewouldnotsufferme,andnowmeseemethyewoulddomorebattlewthme。Thatstruth,sadSrSagramoreandSrDodnas,forwewllberevengedofthedespteyehavedonetous。Farknghts,sadSrTrstram,thatshalllttleneedyou,forallthatddtoyouyecausedt;
whereforerequreyouofyourknghthoodleavemeasatthstme,foramsureandobattlewthyoushallnotescapewthoutgreathurts,andassupposeyeshallnotescapealllotless。Andthssthecausewhyamsoloathtohaveadowthyou;formustfghtwthnthesethreedayswthagoodknght,andasvalantasanysnowlvng,andfbehurtshallnotbeabletodobattlewthhm。Whatknghtsthat,sadSrSagramore,thatyeshallfghtwthal?Srs,sadhe,tsagoodknghtcalledSrPalomdes。Bymyhead,sadSrSagramoreandSrDodnas,yehavecausetodreadhm,foryeshallfndhmapassnggoodknght,andavalant。
Andbecauseyeshallhaveadowthhmwewllforbearyouasatthstme,andelseyeshouldnotescapeuslghtly。But,farknght,sadSrSagramore,tellusyourname。Sr,sadhe,mynamesSrTrstramdeLones。
Ah,sadSagramoreandSrDodnas,wellbeyefound,formuchworshphaveweheardofyou。Andthenethertookleaveofother,anddepartedontherway。
HowSrTrstrammetattheperonwthSrLauncelot,andhowtheyfoughttogetherunknown。
THENdepartedSrTrstramandrodestraghtuntoCamelot,totheperonthatMerlnhadmadeto-fore,whereSrLanceor,thatwasthekng’ssonofreland,wasslanbythehandsofBaln。AndnthatsameplacewasthefarladyColombeslan,thatwasloveuntoSrLanceor;forafterhewasdeadshetookhsswordandthrusttthroughherbody。AndbythecraftofMerlnhemadetonterthsknght,Lanceor,andhslady,Colombe,underonestone。AndatthattmeMerlnprophesedthatnthatsameplaceshouldfghttwothebestknghtsthateverwerenArthur’sdays,andthebestlovers。SowhenSrTrstramcametothetombwhereLanceorandhsladywereburedhelookedabouthmafterSrPalomdes。Thenwashewareofaseemlyknghtcamerdngagansthmallnwhte,wthacoveredsheld。WhenhecamenghSrTrstramhesadonhgh:Yebewelcome,srknght,andwellandtrulyhaveyeholdenyourpromse。Andthentheydressedthersheldsandspears,andcametogetherwthallthermghtoftherhorses;andtheymetsofercelythatboththerhorsesandknghtsfelltotheearth,andasfastastheymghtavodedtherhorses,andputthersheldsaforethem;andtheystrucktogetherwthbrghtswords,asmenthatwereofmght,andetherwoundedotherwonderlysore,thatthebloodranoutuponthegrass。
Andthustheyfoughtthespaceoffourhours,thatneveronewouldspeaktootheroneword,andoftherharnesstheyhadhewnoffmanypeces。OLordJesu,sadGouvernal,marvelgreatlyofthestrokesmymasterhathgventoyourmaster。Bymyhead,sadSrLauncelot’sservant,yourmasterhathnotgvensomanybutyourmasterhasrecevedasmanyormore。OJesu,sadGouvernal,tstoomuchforSrPalomdestosufferorSrLauncelot,andyetptytwerethatetherofthesegoodknghtsshoulddestroyother’sblood。Sotheystoodandweptboth,andmadegreatdolewhentheysawthebrghtswordsover-coveredwthbloodoftherbodes。
ThenatthelastspakeSrLauncelotandsad:Knght,thoufghtestwonderlywellaseversawknght,therefore,antpleaseyou,tellmeyourname。Sr,sadSrTrstram,thatsmeloathtotellanymanmyname。Truly,sadSrLauncelot,anwererequredwasneverloathtotellmyname。tswellsad,sadSrTrstram,then
requreyoutotellmeyourname?Farknght,hesad,mynamesSrLauncelotduLake。Alas,sadSrTrstram,whathavedone!foryearethemanntheworldthatlovebest。Farknght,sadSrLauncelot,tellmeyourname?Truly,sadhe,mynamesSrTrstramdeLones。OJesu,sadSrLauncelot,whatadventuresbefallenme!AndtherewthSrLauncelotkneeleddownandyeldedhmuphssword。AndtherewthSrTrstramkneeledadown,andyeldedhmuphssword。Andsoethergaveotherthedegree。Andthentheybothforthwthalwenttothestone,andsetthemdownupont,andtookofftherhelmstocoolthem,andetherkssedotheranhundredtmes。AndthenanonaftertheytookofftherhelmsandrodetoCamelot。AndtheretheymetwthSrGawaneandwthSrGahersthathadmadepromsetoArthurnevertocomeagantothecourttlltheyhadbroughtSrTrstramwththem。
HowSrLauncelotbroughtSrTrstramtothecourt,andofthegreatjoythatthekngandothermadeforthecomngofSrTrstram。
RETURNagan,sadSrLauncelot,foryourquestsdone,forhavemetwthSrTrstram:lo,hereshsownperson!ThenwasSrGawaneglad,andsadtoSrTrstram:Yearewelcome,fornowhaveyeeasedmegreatlyofmylabour。Forwhatcause,sadSrGawane,cameyentothscourt?Farsr,sadSrTrstram,
camentothscountrybecauseofSrPalomdes;forheandhadassgnedatthsdaytohavedonebattletogetherattheperon,andmarvelhearnotofhm。Andthusbyadventuremylord,SrLauncelot,andmettogether。
WththscameKngArthur,andwhenhewstthattherewasSrTrstram,thenheranuntohmandtookhmbythehandandsad:SrTrstram,yeareaswelcomeasanyknghtthatevercametothscourt。AndwhentheknghadheardhowSrLauncelotandhehadfoughten,andetherhadwoundedotherwonderlysore,thenthekngmadegreatdole。ThenSrTrstramtoldtheknghowhecameththerfortohavehadadowthSrPalomdes。
AndthenhetoldtheknghowhehadrescuedhmfromthenneknghtsandBreuseSauncePt;andhowhefoundaknghtlyngbyawell,andthatknghtsmotedownSrPalomdesandme,buthssheldwascoveredwthacloth。SoSrPalomdesleftme,andfollowedafterthatknght;andnmanyplacesfoundwherehehadslanknghts,andforjoustedmany。Bymyhead,sadSrGawane,thatsameknghtsmotemedownandSrBleobers,andhurtussoreboth,hewththecoveredsheld。Ah,sadSrKay,thatknghtsmotemeadownandhurtmepassngsore,andfanwouldhaveknownhm,butmghtnot。Jesu,mercy,sadArthur,whatknghtwasthatwththecoveredsheld?knownot,sadSrTrstram;andsosadtheyall。Now,sadKngArthur,thenwot,fortsSrLauncelot。ThentheyalllookeduponSrLauncelotandsad:Yehavebeguleduswthyourcoveredsheld。tsnotthefrsttme,sadArthur,hehathdoneso。Mylord,sadSrLauncelot,trulywtyewellwasthesameknghtthatbarethecoveredsheld;andbecausewouldnotbeknownthat