Chapter Chapter 256 · How Sir Palomides would have jousted for Sir Lamorak

. How Sir Palomides would have jousted for Sir Lamorak

with the knights of the castle.

Then forthwithal came a knight out of the castle, with a shield bended

with black and with white. And anon the Knight with the Red Shield and

he encountered so hard that he smote the knight of the castle through

the bended shield and through the body, and brake the horse’s back.

Fair knight, said Sir Palomides, ye have overmuch on hand, therefore I

pray you let me joust, for ye had need to be reposed. Why sir, said the

knight, seem ye that I am weak and feeble? and sir, methinketh ye

proffer me wrong, and to me shame, when I do well enough. I tell you

now as I told you erst; for an they were twenty knights I shall beat

them, and if I be beaten or slain then may ye revenge me. And if ye

think that I be weary, and ye have an appetite to joust with me, I

shall find you jousting enough. Sir, said Palomides, I said it not

because I would joust with you, but meseemeth that ye have overmuch on

hand. And therefore, an ye were gentle, said the Knight with the Red

Shield, ye should not proffer me shame; therefore I require you to

joust with me, and ye shall find that I am not weary. Sith ye require

me, said Sir Palomides, take keep to yourself. Then they two knights

came together as fast as their horses might run, and the knight smote

Sir Palomides sore on the shield that the spear went into his side a

great wound, and a perilous. And therewithal Sir Palomides avoided his

saddle. And that knight turned unto Sir Dinadan; and when he saw him

coming he cried aloud, and said: Sir, I will not have ado with you; but

for that he let it not, but came straight upon him. So Sir Dinadan for

shame put forth his spear and all to-shivered it upon the knight. But

he smote Sir Dinadan again so hard that he smote him clean from his

saddle; but their horses he would not suffer his squires to meddle

with, and because they were knights-errant.

Then he dressed him again to the castle, and jousted with seven knights

more, and there was none of them might withstand him, but he bare him

to the earth. And of these twelve knights he slew in plain jousts four.

And the eight knights he made them to swear on the cross of a sword

that they should never use the evil customs of the castle. And when he

had made them to swear that oath he let them pass. And ever stood the

lords and the ladies on the castle walls crying and saying: Knight with

the Red Shield, ye have marvellously well done as ever we saw knight

do. And therewith came a knight out of the castle unarmed, and said:

Knight with the Red Shield, overmuch damage hast thou done to us this

day, therefore return whither thou wilt, for here are no more will have

ado with thee; for we repent sore that ever thou camest here, for by

thee is fordone the old custom of this castle. And with that word he

turned again into the castle, and shut the gates. Then the Knight with

the Red Shield turned and called his squires, and so passed forth on

his way, and rode a great pace.

And when he was past Sir Palomides went to Sir Dinadan, and said: I had

never such a shame of one knight that ever I met; and therefore I cast

me to ride after him, and to be revenged with my sword, for a-horseback

I deem I shall get no worship of him. Sir Palomides, said Dinadan, ye

shall not meddle with him by my counsel, for ye shall get no worship of

him; and for this cause, ye have seen him this day have had overmuch to

do, and overmuch travailed. By almighty Jesu, said Palomides, I shall

never be at ease till that I have had ado with him. Sir, said Dinadan,

I shall give you my beholding. Well, said Palomides, then shall ye see

how we shall redress our mights. So they took their horses of their

varlets, and rode after the Knight with the Red Shield; and down in a

valley beside a fountain they were ware where he was alighted to repose

him, and had done off his helm for to drink at the well.