الفصل الفصل 255 · How Sir Lamorak jousted with divers knights of the castle

. How Sir Lamorak jousted with divers knights of the castle

wherein was Morgan le Fay.

Sir Palomides, said Dinadan, here is a castle that I know well, and

therein dwelleth Queen Morgan le Fay, King Arthur’s sister; and King

Arthur gave her this castle, the which he hath repented him sithen a

thousand times, for sithen King Arthur and she have been at debate and

strife; but this castle could he never get nor win of her by no manner

of engine; and ever as she might she made war on King Arthur. And all

dangerous knights she withholdeth with her, for to destroy all these

knights that King Arthur loveth. And there shall no knight pass this

way but he must joust with one knight, or with two, or with three. And

if it hap that King Arthur’s knight be beaten, he shall lose his horse

and his harness and all that he hath, and hard, if that he escape, but

that he shall be prisoner. So God me help, said Palomides, this is a

shameful custom, and a villainous usance for a queen to use, and namely

to make such war upon her own lord, that is called the Flower of

Chivalry that is christian or heathen; and with all my heart I would

destroy that shameful custom. And I will that all the world wit she

shall have no service of me. And if she send out any knights, as I

suppose she will, for to joust, they shall have both their hands full.

And I shall not fail you, said Sir Dinadan, unto my puissance, upon my

life.

So as they stood on horseback afore the castle, there came a knight

with a red shield, and two squires after him; and he came straight unto

Sir Palomides, the good knight, and said to him: Fair and gentle

knight-errant, I require thee for the love thou owest unto knighthood,

that ye will not have ado here with these men of this castle; for this

was Sir Lamorak that thus said. For I came hither to seek this deed,

and it is my request; and therefore I beseech you, knight, let me deal,

and if I be beaten revenge me. In the name of God, said Palomides, let

see how ye will speed, and we shall behold you. Then anon came forth a

knight of the castle, and proffered to joust with the Knight with the

Red Shield. Anon they encountered together, and he with the red shield

smote him so hard that he bare him over to the earth. Therewith anon

came another knight of the castle, and he was smitten so sore that he

avoided his saddle. And forthwithal came the third knight, and the

Knight with the Red Shield smote him to the earth. Then came Sir

Palomides, and besought him that he might help him to joust. Fair

knight, said he unto him, suffer me as at this time to have my will,

for an they were twenty knights I shall not doubt them. And ever there

were upon the walls of the castle many lords and ladies that cried and

said: Well have ye jousted, Knight with the Red Shield. But as soon as

the knight had smitten them down, his squire took their horses, and

avoided their saddles and bridles of the horses, and turned them into

the forest, and made the knights to be kept to the end of the jousts.

Right so came out of the castle the fourth knight, and freshly

proffered to joust with the Knight with the Red Shield: and he was

ready, and he smote him so hard that horse and man fell to the earth,

and the knight’s back brake with the fall, and his neck also. O Jesu,

said Sir Palomides, that yonder is a passing good knight, and the best

jouster that ever I saw. By my head, said Sir Dinadan, he is as good as

ever was Sir Launcelot or Sir Tristram, what knight somever he be.