Bab Bab 320 · How Epinogris complained by a well, and how Sir

. How Epinogris complained by a well, and how Sir

Palomides came and found him, and of their both sorrowing.

Now leave we of this matter and speak we of Sir Palomides, that rode

and lodged him with the two kings, whereof the kings were heavy. Then

the King of Ireland sent a man of his to Sir Palomides, and gave him a

great courser, and the King of Scotland gave him great gifts; and fain

they would have had Sir Palomides to have abiden with them, but in no

wise he would abide; and so he departed, and rode as adventures would

guide him, till it was nigh noon. And then in a forest by a well Sir

Palomides saw where lay a fair wounded knight and his horse bounden by

him; and that knight made the greatest dole that ever he heard man

make, for ever he wept, and therewith he sighed as though he would die.

Then Sir Palomides rode near him and saluted him mildly and said: Fair

knight, why wail ye so? let me lie down and wail with you, for doubt

not I am much more heavier than ye are; for I dare say, said Palomides,

that my sorrow is an hundred fold more than yours is, and therefore let

us complain either to other. First, said the wounded knight, I require

you tell me your name, for an thou be none of the noble knights of the

Round Table thou shalt never know my name, whatsomever come of me. Fair

knight, said Palomides, such as I am, be it better or be it worse, wit

thou well that my name is Sir Palomides, son and heir unto King

Astlabor, and Sir Safere and Sir Segwarides are my two brethren; and

wit thou well as for myself I was never christened, but my two brethren

are truly christened. O noble knight, said that knight, well is me that

I have met with you; and wit ye well my name is Epinogris, the king’s

son of Northumberland. Now sit down, said Epinogris, and let us either

complain to other.

Then Sir Palomides began his complaint. Now shall I tell you, said

Palomides, what woe I endure. I love the fairest queen and lady that

ever bare life, and wit ye well her name is La Beale Isoud, King Mark’s

wife of Cornwall. That is great folly, said Epinogris, for to love

Queen Isoud, for one of the best knights of the world loveth her, that

is Sir Tristram de Liones. That is truth, said Palomides, for no man

knoweth that matter better than I do, for I have been in Sir Tristram’s

fellowship this month, and with La Beale Isoud together; and alas, said

Palomides, unhappy man that I am, now have I lost the fellowship of Sir

Tristram for ever, and the love of La Beale Isoud for ever, and I am

never like to see her more, and Sir Tristram and I be either to other

mortal enemies. Well, said Epinogris, sith that ye loved La Beale

Isoud, loved she you ever again by anything that ye could think or wit,

or else did ye rejoice her ever in any pleasure? Nay, by my knighthood,

said Palomides, I never espied that ever she loved me more than all the

world, nor never had I pleasure with her, but the last day she gave me

the greatest rebuke that ever I had, the which shall never go from my

heart. And yet I well deserved that rebuke, for I did not knightly, and

therefore I have lost the love of her and of Sir Tristram for ever; and

I have many times enforced myself to do many deeds for La Beale Isoud’s

sake, and she was the causer of my worship-winning. Alas, said Sir

Palomides, now have I lost all the worship that ever I won, for never

shall me befall such prowess as I had in the fellowship of Sir

Tristram.