Chapter Chapter 263 · How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred met with a knight

. How Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred met with a knight

fleeing, and how they both were overthrown, and of Sir Dinadan.

Now leave we of Sir Lamorak, and speak of Sir Gawaine’s brethren, and

specially of Sir Agravaine and Sir Mordred. As they rode on their

adventures they met with a knight fleeing, sore wounded; and they asked

him what tidings. Fair knights, said he, here cometh a knight after me

that will slay me. With that came Sir Dinadan riding to them by

adventure, but he would promise them no help. But Sir Agravaine and Sir

Mordred promised him to rescue him. Therewithal came that knight

straight unto them, and anon he proffered to joust. That saw Sir

Mordred and rode to him, but he struck Mordred over his horse’s tail.

That saw Sir Agravaine, and straight he rode toward that knight, and

right so as he served Mordred so he served Agravaine, and said to them:

Sirs, wit ye well both that I am Breuse Saunce Pité, that hath done

this to you. And yet he rode over Agravaine five or six times. When

Dinadan saw this, he must needs joust with him for shame. And so

Dinadan and he encountered together, that with pure strength Sir

Dinadan smote him over his horse’s tail. Then he took his horse and

fled, for he was on foot one of the valiantest knights in Arthur’s

days, and a great destroyer of all good knights.

Then rode Sir Dinadan unto Sir Mordred and unto Sir Agravaine. Sir

knight, said they all, well have ye done, and well have ye revenged us,

wherefore we pray you tell us your name. Fair sirs, ye ought to know my

name, the which is called Sir Dinadan. When they understood that it was

Dinadan they were more wroth than they were before, for they hated him

out of measure because of Sir Lamorak. For Dinadan had such a custom

that he loved all good knights that were valiant, and he hated all

those that were destroyers of good knights. And there were none that

hated Dinadan but those that ever were called murderers. Then spake the

hurt knight that Breuse Saunce Pité had chased, his name was Dalan, and

said: If thou be Dinadan thou slewest my father. It may well be so,

said Dinadan, but then it was in my defence and at his request. By my

head, said Dalan, thou shalt die therefore, and therewith he dressed

his spear and his shield. And to make the shorter tale, Sir Dinadan

smote him down off his horse, that his neck was nigh broken. And in the

same wise he smote Sir Mordred and Sir Agravaine. And after, in the

quest of the Sangreal, cowardly and feloniously they slew Dinadan, the

which was great damage, for he was a great bourder and a passing good

knight.

And so Sir Dinadan rode to a castle that hight Beale-Valet. And there

he found Sir Palomides that was not yet whole of the wound that Sir

Lamorak gave him. And there Dinadan told Palomides all the tidings that

he heard and saw of Sir Tristram, and how he was gone with King Mark,

and with him he hath all his will and desire. Therewith Sir Palomides

waxed wroth, for he loved La Beale Isoud. And then he wist well that

Sir Tristram enjoyed her.