_How Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan came to a lodging where they must
just 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 just with two
knights, and if he be but one knight he must just 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 and 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 Palamides 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 Palamides 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 Palamides 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 mad man, 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 now done with you, and he set me a work that
a quarter of a year I kept my bed. 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 bad them come
forth both, for I will fight with you. Then Sir Palamides 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 Palamides,
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 Palamides 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 miles 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 there as 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.