Chương Chương 218 · How Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan came to a lodging where

. How Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan came to a lodging where

they must joust with two knights.

Then Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan rode forth their way till they came

to the shepherds and to the herdmen, and there they asked them if they

knew any lodging or harbour there nigh hand. Forsooth, sirs, said the

herdmen, hereby is good lodging in a castle; but there is such a custom

that there shall no knight be harboured but if he joust with two

knights, and if he be but one knight he must joust with two. And as ye

be therein soon shall ye be matched. There is shrewd harbour, said Sir

Dinadan; lodge where ye will, for I will not lodge there. Fie for

shame, said Sir Tristram, are ye not a knight of the Table Round?

wherefore ye may not with your worship refuse your lodging. Not so,

said the herdmen, for an ye be beaten and have the worse ye shall not

be lodged there, and if ye beat them ye shall be well harboured. Ah,

said Sir Dinadan, they are two sure knights. Then Sir Dinadan would not

lodge there in no manner but as Sir Tristram required him of his

knighthood; and so they rode thither. And to make short tale, Sir

Tristram and Sir Dinadan smote them down both, and so they entered into

the castle and had good cheer as they could think or devise.

And when they were unarmed, and thought to be merry and in good rest,

there came in at the gates Sir Palomides and Sir Gaheris, requiring to

have the custom of the castle. What array is this? said Sir Dinadan, I

would have my rest. That may not be, said Sir Tristram; now must we

needs defend the custom of this castle, insomuch as we have the better

of the lords of this castle, and therefore, said Sir Tristram, needs

must ye make you ready. In the devil’s name, said Sir Dinadan, came I

into your company. And so they made them ready; and Sir Gaheris

encountered with Sir Tristram, and Sir Gaheris had a fall; and Sir

Palomides encountered with Sir Dinadan, and Sir Dinadan had a fall:

then was it fall for fall. So then must they fight on foot. That would

not Sir Dinadan, for he was so sore bruised of the fall that Sir

Palomides gave him. Then Sir Tristram unlaced Sir Dinadan’s helm, and

prayed him to help him. I will not, said Sir Dinadan, for I am sore

wounded of the thirty knights that we had but late ago to do withal.

But ye fare, said Sir Dinadan unto Sir Tristram, as a madman and as a

man that is out of his mind that would cast himself away, and I may

curse the time that ever I saw you, for in all the world are not two

such knights that be so wood as is Sir Launcelot and ye Sir Tristram;

for once I fell in the fellowship of Sir Launcelot as I have done now

with you, and he set me a work that a quarter of a year I kept my bed.

Jesu defend me, said Sir Dinadan, from such two knights, and specially

from your fellowship. Then, said Sir Tristram, I will fight with them

both. Then Sir Tristram bade them come forth both, for I will fight

with you. Then Sir Palomides and Sir Gaheris dressed them, and smote at

them both. Then Dinadan smote at Sir Gaheris a stroke or two, and

turned from him. Nay, said Sir Palomides, it is too much shame for us

two knights to fight with one. And then he did bid Sir Gaheris stand

aside with that knight that hath no list to fight. Then they rode

together and fought long, and at the last Sir Tristram doubled his

strokes, and drove Sir Palomides aback more than three strides. And

then by one assent Sir Gaheris and Sir Dinadan went betwixt them, and

departed them in-sunder. And then by assent of Sir Tristram they would

have lodged together. But Sir Dinadan would not lodge in that castle.

And then he cursed the time that ever he came in their fellowship, and

so he took his horse, and his harness, and departed.

Then Sir Tristram prayed the lords of that castle to lend him a man to

bring him to a lodging, and so they did, and overtook Sir Dinadan, and

rode to their lodging two mile thence with a good man in a priory, and

there they were well at ease. And that same night Sir Bors and Sir

Bleoberis, and Sir Ector and Sir Driant, abode still in the same place

thereas Sir Tristram fought with the thirty knights; and there they met

with Sir Launcelot the same night, and had made promise to lodge with

Sir Colgrevance the same night.