บทที่ บทที่ 207 · How Sir Palomides followed the Questing Beast, and smote

. How Sir Palomides followed the Questing Beast, and smote

down Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak with one spear.

And this meanwhile there came Sir Palomides, the good knight, following

the Questing Beast that had in shape a head like a serpent’s head, and

a body like a leopard, buttocks like a lion, and footed like an hart;

and in his body there was such a noise as it had been the noise of

thirty couple of hounds questing, and such a noise that beast made

wheresomever he went; and this beast ever more Sir Palomides followed,

for it was called his quest. And right so as he followed this beast it

came by Sir Tristram, and soon after came Palomides. And to brief this

matter he smote down Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak both with one spear;

and so he departed after the beast Galtisant, that was called the

Questing Beast; wherefore these two knights were passing wroth that Sir

Palomides would not fight on foot with them. Here men may understand

that be of worship, that he was never formed that all times might

stand, but sometime he was put to the worse by mal-fortune; and at

sometime the worse knight put the better knight to a rebuke.

Then Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak gat Sir Kehydius upon a shield

betwixt them both, and led him to a forester’s lodge, and there they

gave him in charge to keep him well, and with him they abode three

days. Then the two knights took their horses and at the cross they

departed. And then said Sir Tristram to Sir Lamorak: I require you if

ye hap to meet with Sir Palomides, say him that he shall find me at the

same well where I met him, and there I, Sir Tristram, shall prove

whether he be better knight than I. And so either departed from other a

sundry way, and Sir Tristram rode nigh thereas was Sir Kehydius; and

Sir Lamorak rode until he came to a chapel, and there he put his horse

unto pasture. And anon there came Sir Meliagaunce, that was King

Bagdemagus’ son, and he there put his horse to pasture, and was not

ware of Sir Lamorak; and then this knight Sir Meliagaunce made his moan

of the love that he had to Queen Guenever, and there he made a woful

complaint. All this heard Sir Lamorak, and on the morn Sir Lamorak took

his horse and rode unto the forest, and there he met with two knights

hoving under the wood-shaw. Fair knights, said Sir Lamorak, what do ye

hoving here and watching? and if ye be knights-errant that will joust,

lo I am ready. Nay, sir knight, they said, not so, we abide not here to

joust with you, but we lie here in await of a knight that slew our

brother. What knight was that, said Sir Lamorak, that you would fain

meet withal? Sir, they said, it is Sir Launcelot that slew our brother,

and if ever we may meet with him he shall not escape, but we shall slay

him. Ye take upon you a great charge, said Sir Lamorak, for Sir

Launcelot is a noble proved knight. As for that we doubt not, for there

nis none of us but we are good enough for him. I will not believe that,

said Sir Lamorak, for I heard never yet of no knight the days of my

life but Sir Launcelot was too big for him.