Kabanata Kabanata 322 · How Sir Palomides and Sir Safere conducted Sir

. How Sir Palomides and Sir Safere conducted Sir

Epinogris to his castle, and of other adventures.

Then Sir Palomides took the lady by the hand and brought her to Sir

Epinogris, and there was great joy betwixt them, for either swooned for

joy. When they were met: Fair knight and lady, said Sir Safere, it were

pity to depart you; Jesu send you joy either of other. Gramercy, gentle

knight, said Epinogris; and much more thanks be to my lord Sir

Palomides, that thus hath through his prowess made me to get my lady.

Then Sir Epinogris required Sir Palomides and Sir Safere, his brother,

to ride with them unto his castle, for the safeguard of his person.

Sir, said Palomides, we will be ready to conduct you because that ye

are sore wounded; and so was Epinogris and his lady horsed, and his

lady behind him upon a soft ambler. And then they rode unto his castle,

where they had great cheer and joy, as great as ever Sir Palomides and

Sir Safere had in their life-days.

So on the morn Sir Safere and Sir Palomides departed, day until after

noon. And at the last they heard a great weeping and a great noise down

in a manor. Sir, said then Sir Safere, let us wit what noise this is. I

will well, said Sir Palomides. And so they rode forth till that they

came to a fair gate of a manor, and there sat an old man saying his

prayers and beads. Then Sir Palomides and Sir Safere alighted and left

their horses, and went within the gates, and there they saw full many

goodly men weeping. Fair sirs, said Palomides, wherefore weep ye and

make this sorrow? Anon one of the knights of the castle beheld Sir

Palomides and knew him, and then went to his fellows and said: Fair

fellows, wit ye well all, we have in this castle the same knight that

slew our lord at Lonazep, for I know him well; it is Sir Palomides.

Then they went unto harness, all that might bear harness, some on

horseback and some on foot, to the number of three score. And when they

were ready they came freshly upon Sir Palomides and upon Sir Safere

with a great noise, and said thus: Keep thee, Sir Palomides, for thou

art known, and by right thou must be dead, for thou hast slain our

lord; and therefore wit ye well we will slay thee, therefore defend

thee.

Then Sir Palomides and Sir Safere, the one set his back to the other,

and gave many great strokes, and took many great strokes; and thus they

fought with a twenty knights and forty gentlemen and yeomen nigh two

hours. But at the last though they were loath, Sir Palomides and Sir

Safere were taken and yolden, and put in a strong prison; and within

three days twelve knights passed upon them, and they found Sir

Palomides guilty, and Sir Safere not guilty, of their lord’s death. And

when Sir Safere should be delivered there was great dole betwixt Sir

Palomides and him, and many piteous complaints that Sir Safere made at

his departing, there is no maker can rehearse the tenth part. Fair

brother, said Palomides, let be thy dolour and thy sorrow. And if I be

ordained to die a shameful death, welcome be it; but an I had wist of

this death that I am deemed unto, I should never have been yolden. So

Sir Safere departed from his brother with the greatest dolour and

sorrow that ever made knight.

And on the morn they of the castle ordained twelve knights to ride with

Sir Palomides unto the father of the same knight that Sir Palomides

slew; and so they bound his legs under an old steed’s belly. And then

they rode with Sir Palomides unto a castle by the seaside, that hight

Pelownes, and there Sir Palomides should have justice. Thus was their

ordinance; and so they rode with Sir Palomides fast by the castle of

Joyous Gard. And as they passed by that castle there came riding out of

that castle by them one that knew Sir Palomides. And when that knight

saw Sir Palomides bounden upon a crooked courser, the knight asked Sir

Palomides for what cause he was led so. Ah, my fair fellow and knight,

said Palomides, I ride toward my death for the slaying of a knight at a

tournament of Lonazep; and if I had not departed from my lord Sir

Tristram, as I ought not to have done, now might I have been sure to

have had my life saved; but I pray you, sir knight, recommend me unto

my lord, Sir Tristram, and unto my lady, Queen Isoud, and say to them

if ever I trespassed to them I ask them forgiveness. And also I beseech

you recommend me unto my lord, King Arthur, and to all the fellowship

of the Round Table, unto my power. Then that knight wept for pity of

Sir Palomides; and therewithal he rode unto Joyous Gard as fast as his

horse might run, and lightly that knight descended down off his horse

and went unto Sir Tristram, and there he told him all as ye have heard,

and ever the knight wept as he had been mad.