_How Sir Galahad fought with Sir Tristram, and how Sir Tristram yielded
him and promised to fellowship with Launcelot._
Then came Sir Galahad and the king with the hundred knights with him,
and this Sir Galahad proffered to fight with Sir Tristram hand for
hand. And so they made them ready to go unto battle on horseback with
great courage. Then Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram met together so hard
that either bare other down, horse and all, to the earth. And then they
avoided their horses as noble knights, and dressed their shields and
drew their swords with ire and rancour, and they lashed together many
sad strokes, and one while striking, another while foining, tracing and
traversing as noble knights, thus they fought long, near half a day,
and either were sore wounded. At the last Sir Tristram waxed light and
big, and doubled his strokes, and drove Sir Galahad aback on the one
side and on the other, so that he was like to have been slain. With
that came the king with the hundred knights, and all that fellowship
went fiercely upon Sir Tristram. When Sir Tristram saw them coming upon
him, then he wist well he might not endure. Then as a wise knight of
war, he said to Sir Galahad the haut prince, Sir, ye shew to me no
knighthood, for to suffer all your men to have ado with me all at once,
and as me seemeth ye be a noble knight of your hands, it is a great
shame to you. Truly, said Sir Galahad, there is none other way but thou
must yield thee to me, other else to die, said Sir Galahad to Sir
Tristram. I will rather yield me to you than die, for that is more for
the might of your men than for the might of your hands. And therewith
Sir Tristram took his own sword by the point, and put the pommel in the
hand of Sir Galahad. Therewithall came the king with the hundred
knights, and hard began to assail Sir Tristram. Let be, said Sir
Galahad, be ye not so hardy to touch him, for I have given this knight
his life. That is your shame, said the king with the hundred knights;
hath he not slain your father and your mother? As for that, said Sir
Galahad, I may not blame him greatly, for my father had him in prison,
and enforced him to do battle with him, and my father had such a
custom, that was a shameful custom, that what knight came there to ask
harbour, his lady must needs die but if she were fairer than my mother,
and if my father overcame that knight he must needs die. This was a
shameful custom and usage, a knight for his harbour asking to have such
harbourage. And for this custom I would never draw about him. Truly,
said the king, this was a shameful custom. Yea, said Sir Galahad, so
seemed me, and me seemed it had been great pity that this knight should
have been slain, for I dare say he is the noblest man that beareth
life, but if it were Sir Launcelot du Lake. Now fair knight, said Sir
Galahad, I require thee tell me thy name, and of whence thou art, and
whither thou wilt. Sir, he said, my name is Sir Tristram de Liones, and
from king Mark of Cornwall I was sent on message unto king Anguish of
Ireland, for to fetch his daughter to be his wife, and here she is
ready to go with me into Cornwall, and her name is La Beale Isoud. And
Sir Tristram, said Sir Galahad the haut prince, well be ye found in
these marches, and so ye will promise me to go unto Sir Launcelot du
Lake and accompany with him, ye shall go where ye will, and your fair
lady with you. And I shall promise you never in all my days shall such
customs be used in this castle as have been used. Sir, said Sir
Tristram, now I let you wit I wend ye had been Sir Launcelot du Lake
when I saw you first, and, therefore I dread you the more; and Sir, I
promise you, said Sir Tristram, as soon as I may I will see Sir
Launcelot and enfellowship me with him, for of all the knights of the
world I most desire his fellowship.