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 Iwon,for never shall me befall such prowess as I had in the fellowship of Sir Tristram.
CHAPTER LXXXIII
How Sir Palomides brought Sir Epinogris his lady;and how Sir Palomides and Sir Safere were assailed.
NAY,nay,said Epinogris,your sorrow is but japes to my sorrow;for I rejoiced my lady and won her with my hands,and lost her again:alas that day!Thus first Iwon her,said Epinogris;my lady was an earl's daughter,and as the earl and two knights came from the tournament of Lonazep,for her sake I set upon this earl and on his two knights,my lady there being present;and so by fortune there I slew the earl and one of the knights,and the other knight fled,and so that night I had my lady.And on the morn as she and I reposed us at this well-side there came there to me an errant knight,his name was Sir Helior le Preuse,an hardy knight,and this Sir Helior challenged me to fight for my lady.And then we went to battle first upon horse and after on foot,but at the last Sir Helior wounded me so that he left me for dead,and so he took my lady with him;and thus my sorrow is more than yours,for I have rejoiced and ye rejoiced never.That is truth,said Palomides,but sith I can never recover myself I shall promise you if I can meet with Sir Helior I shall get you your lady again,or else he shall beat me.
Then Sir Palomides made Sir Epinogris to take his horse,and so they rode to an hermitage,and there Sir Epinogris rested him.And in the meanwhile Sir Palomides walked privily out to rest him under the leaves,and there beside he saw a knight come riding with a shield that he had seen Sir Ector de Maris bear beforehand;and there came after him a ten knights,and so these ten knights hoved under the leaves for heat.And anon after there came a knight with a green shield and therein a white lion,leading a lady upon a palfrey.Then this knight with the green shield that seemed to be master of the ten knights,he rode fiercely after Sir Helior,for it was he that hurt Sir Epinogris.And when he came nigh Sir Helior he bade him defend his lady.I will defend her,said Helior,unto my power.And so they ran together so mightily that either of these knights smote other down,horse and all,to the earth;and then they won up lightly and drew their swords and their shields,and lashed together mightily more than an hour.All this Sir Palomides saw and beheld,but ever at the last the knight with Sir Ector's shield was bigger,and at the last this knight smote Sir Helior down,and then that knight unlaced his helm to have stricken off his head.And then he cried mercy,and prayed him to save his life,and bade him take his lady.Then Sir Palomides dressed him up,because he wist well that that same lady was Epinogris'lady,and he promised him to help him.
Then Sir Palomides went straight to that lady,and took her by the hand,and asked her whether she knew a knight that hight Epinogris.Alas,she said,that ever he knew me or I him,for I have for his sake lost my worship,and also his life grieveth me most of all.Not so,lady,said Palomides,come on with me,for here is Epinogris in this hermitage.Ah!well is me,said the lady,an he be alive.Whither wilt thou with that lady?
said the knight with Sir Ector's shield.I will do with her what me list,said Palomides.Wit you well,said that knight,thou speakest over large,though thou seemest me to have at advantage,because thou sawest me do battle but late.Thou weenest,sir knight,to have that lady away from me so lightly?nay,think it never not;an thou were as good a knight as is Sir Launcelot,or as is Sir Tristram,or Sir Palomides,but thou shalt win her dearer than ever did I.And so they went unto battle upon foot,and there they gave many sad strokes,and either wounded other passing sore,and thus they fought still more than an hour.
Then Sir Palomides had marvel what knight he might be that was so strong and so well breathed during,and thus said Palomides:Knight,I require thee tell me thy name.Wit thou well,said that knight,I dare tell thee my name,so that thou wilt tell me thy name.I will,said Palomides.Truly,said that knight,my name is Safere,son of King Astlabor,and Sir Palomides and Sir Segwarides are my brethren.Now,and wit thou well,my name is Sir Palomides.Then Sir Safere kneeled down upon his knees,and prayed him of mercy;and then they unlaced their helms and either kissed other weeping.And in the meanwhile Sir Epinogris arose out of his bed,and heard them by the strokes,and so he armed him to help Sir Palomides if need were.
CHAPTER LXXXIV