CHAPTER XVIII

How Sir Palomides would have jousted for Sir Lamorak
with the knights of the castle.


THEN forthwithal came a knight out of the castle, with
a shield bended with black and with white.  And anon
the Knight with the Red Shield and he encountered so
hard that he smote the knight of the castle through the
bended shield and through the body, and brake the horse's
back.  Fair knight, said Sir Palomides, ye have overmuch
on hand, therefore I pray you let me joust, for ye had
need to be reposed.  Why sir, said the knight, seem ye
that I am weak and feeble? and sir, methinketh ye proffer
me wrong, and to me shame, when I do well enough.  I
tell you now as I told you erst; for an they were twenty
knights I shall beat them, and if I be beaten or slain then
may ye revenge me.  And if ye think that I be weary,
and ye have an appetite to joust with me, I shall find you
jousting enough.  Sir, said Palomides, I said it not
because I would joust with you, but meseemeth that ye have
overmuch on hand.  And therefore, an ye were gentle,
said the Knight with the Red Shield, ye should not proffer
me shame; therefore I require you to joust with me, and
ye shall find that I am not weary.  Sith ye require me,
said Sir Palomides, take keep to yourself.  Then they two
knights came together as fast as their horses might run,
and the knight smote Sir Palomides sore on the shield
that the spear went into his side a great wound, and
a perilous.  And therewithal Sir Palomides avoided his
saddle.  And that knight turned unto Sir Dinadan; and
when he saw him coming he cried aloud, and said:  Sir,
I will not have ado with you; but for that he let it not,
but came straight upon him.  So Sir Dinadan for shame
put forth his spear and all to-shivered it upon the knight.
But he smote Sir Dinadan again so hard that he smote
him clean from his saddle; but their horses he would not
suffer his squires to meddle with, and because they were
knights-errant.

Then he dressed him again to the castle, and jousted
with seven knights more, and there was none of them
might withstand him, but he bare him to the earth.  And
of these twelve knights he slew in plain jousts four.  And
the eight knights he made them to swear on the cross of
a sword that they should never use the evil customs of the
castle.  And when he had made them to swear that oath
he let them pass.  And ever stood the lords and the
ladies on the castle walls crying and saying:  Knight with
the Red Shield, ye have marvellously well done as ever
we saw knight do.  And therewith came a knight out of
the castle unarmed, and said:  Knight with the Red Shield,
overmuch damage hast thou done to us this day, therefore
return whither thou wilt, for here are no more will have
ado with thee; for we repent sore that ever thou camest
here, for by thee is fordone the old custom of this castle.
And with that word he turned again into the castle, and
shut the gates.  Then the Knight with the Red Shield
turned and called his squires, and so passed forth on his
way, and rode a great pace.

And when he was past Sir Palomides went to Sir
Dinadan, and said:  I had never such a shame of one
knight that ever I met; and therefore I cast me to
ride after him, and to be revenged with my sword, for
a-horseback I deem I shall get no worship of him.  Sir
Palomides, said Dinadan, ye shall not meddle with him
by my counsel, for ye shall get no worship of him; and
for this cause, ye have seen him this day have had
overmuch to do, and overmuch travailed.  By almighty
Jesu, said Palomides, I shall never be at ease till that I
have had ado with him.  Sir, said Dinadan, I shall give
you my beholding.  Well, said Palomides, then shall ye
see how we shall redress our mights.  So they took their
horses of their varlets, and rode after the Knight with the
Red Shield; and down in a valley beside a fountain they
were ware where he was alighted to repose him, and had
done off his helm for to drink at the well.