CHAPTER LIV

Of Sir Palomides, and how he met with Sir Bleoberis
and with Sir Ector, and of Sir Pervivale.


RIGHT so as they stood thus there came Sir Palomides, and
when he saw the shield of Bleoberis lie on the earth, then
said Palomides:  He that oweth that shield let him dress
him to me, for he smote me down here fast by at a fountain,
and therefore I will fight for him on foot.  I am ready,
said Bleoberis, here to answer thee, for wit thou well, sir
knight, it was I, and my name is Bleoberis de Ganis.
Well art thou met, said Palomides, and wit thou well my
name is Palomides the Saracen; and either of them hated
other to the death.  Sir Palomides, said Ector, wit thou
well there is neither thou nor none knight that beareth the
life that slayeth any of our blood but he shall die for it;
therefore an thou list to fight go seek Sir Launcelot or Sir
Tristram, and there shall ye find your match.  With them
have I met, said Palomides, but I had never no worship of
them.  Was there never no manner of knight, said Sir
Ector, but they that ever matched with you?  Yes, said
Palomides, there was the third, a good knight as any of
them, and of his age he was the best that ever I found;
for an he might have lived till he had been an hardier man
there liveth no knight now such, and his name was Sir
Lamorak de Galis.  And as he had jousted at a tournament
there he overthrew me and thirty knights more, and
there he won the degree.  And at his departing there met
him Sir Gawaine and his brethren, and with great pain they
slew him feloniously, unto all good knights' great damage.
Anon as Sir Percivale heard that his brother was dead, Sir
Lamorak, he fell over his horse's mane swooning, and there
he made the greatest dole that ever made knight.  And
when Sir Percivale arose he said:  Alas, my good and noble
brother Sir Lamorak, now shall we never meet, and I trow
in all the wide world a man may not find such a knight as
he was of his age; and it is too much to suffer the death
of our father King Pellinore, and now the death of our
good brother Sir Lamorak.

Then in the meanwhile there came a varlet from the
court of King Arthur, and told them of the great tournament
that should be at Lonazep, and how these lands,
Cornwall and Northgalis, should be against all them that
would come.