_How Sir Tristram met with Sir Dinadan, and of their devices, and what
he said to Sir Gawaine’s brethren._
Now turn we unto Sir Tristram, that as he rode on hunting he met with
Sir Dinadan, that was come into that country to seek Sir Tristram. Then
Sir Dinadan told Sir Tristram his name, but Sir Tristram would not tell
his name, wherefore Sir Dinadan was wroth. For such a foolish knight as
ye are, said Sir Dinadan, I saw but late this day lying by a well, and
he fared as he slept, and there he lay like a fool grinning, and would
not speak, and his shield lay by him, and his horse stood by him, and
well I wot he was a lover. Ah, fair sir, said Sir Tristram, are ye not
a lover? Marry, fie on that craft, said Sir Dinadan. That is evil said,
said Sir Tristram, for a knight may never be of prowess, but if he be a
lover. It is well said, said Sir Dinadan: now tell me your name, sith
ye be a lover, or else I shall do battle with you. As for that, said
Sir Tristram, it is no reason to fight with me but I tell you my name:
and as for that, my name shall ye not wit as at this time. Fie for
shame, said Dinadan, art thou a knight, and darest not tell thy name to
me? therefore I will fight with thee. As for that, said Sir Tristram, I
will be advised, for I will not fight but if me list; and if I do
battle, said Sir Tristram, ye are not able to withstand me. Fie on
thee, coward, said Sir Dinadan. And thus as they hoved still, they saw
a knight came riding against them. Lo, said Sir Tristram, see where
cometh a knight riding will just with you. Anon as Sir Dinadan beheld
him, he said, That is the same doted knight that I saw lie by the well,
neither sleeping nor waking. Well, said Sir Tristram, I know that
knight well with the covered shield of azure, he is the king’s son of
Northumberland, his name is Epinegris, and he is as great a lover as I
know, and he loveth the king’s daughter of Wales, a full fair lady. And
now I suppose, said Sir Tristram, and ye require him he will just with
you; and then shall ye prove whether a lover be a better knight or ye
that will not love no lady. Well, said Sir Dinadan, now shalt thou see
what I shall do. Therewithal Sir Dinadan spake on high and said, Sir
knight, make thee ready to just with me, for it is the custom of errant
knights one to just with other. Sir, said Epinegris, is it the rule of
you errant knights for to make a knight to just will he or nill? As for
that, said Dinadan, make thee ready, for here is for me. And
therewithal they spurred their horses, and met together so hard that
Epinegris smote down Sir Dinadan. Then Sir Tristram rode to Sir
Dinadan, and said, How now? me seemeth the lover hath well sped. Fie on
thee coward, said Sir Dinadan, and if thou be a good knight revenge me.
Nay, said Sir Tristram, I will not just as at this time, but take your
horse, and let us go hence. Defend me, said Sir Dinadan, from thy
fellowship, for I never sped well since I met with thee. And so they
departed. Well, said Sir Tristram, peradventure I could tell you
tidings of Sir Tristram. Defend me, said Dinadan, from thy fellowship,
for Sir Tristram were mickle the worse and he were in thy company. And
then they departed. Sir, said Sir Tristram, yet it may happen I shall
meet with you in other places. So rode Sir Tristram unto Joyous Gard,
and there he heard in that town great noise and cry. What is this
noise, said Sir Tristram. Sir, said they, here is a knight of this
castle that hath been long among us, and right now he is slain with two
knights, and for none other cause but that our knight said that Sir
Launcelot were a better knight than Sir Gawaine. That was a simple
cause, said Sir Tristram, for to slay a good knight for to say well by
his master. That is little remedy to us, said the men of the town, for
and Sir Launcelot had been here, soon we should have been revenged upon
the false knights. When Sir Tristram heard them say so, he sent for his
shield and for his spear, and lightly within a little while he had
overtaken them, and bade them turn and amend what they had misdone.
What amends wouldest thou have? said the one knight. And therewith they
took their course, and either met other so hard, that Sir Tristram
smote down that knight over his horse tail. Then the other knight
dressed him to Sir Tristram; and in the same wise he served the other
knight. And then they gat off their horses as well as they might, and
dressed their shields and swords to do their battle to the utterance.
Knights, said Sir Tristram, ye shall tell me of whence ye are and what
be your names; for such men ye might be ye should hard escape my hands;
and ye might be such men of such a country that for all your evil deeds
ye should pass quit. Wit thou well, sir knight, said they, we fear us
not to tell thee our names, for my name is Sir Agravaine, and my name
is Gaheris, brethren unto the good knight Sir Gawaine, and we be
nephews unto king Arthur. Well, said Sir Tristram, for king Arthur’s
sake I shall let you pass as at this time. But it is shame, said Sir
Tristram, that Sir Gawaine and ye that be come of so great a blood,
that ye four brethren are so named as ye be. For ye be called the
greatest destroyers and murderers of good knights that be now in this
realm; for it is but as I heard say, that Sir Gawaine and ye slew among
you a better knight than ever ye were, that was the noble knight Sir
Lamorak de Galis; and it had pleased God, said Sir Tristram, I would I
had been by Sir Lamorak at his death. Then shouldest thou have gone the
same way, said Sir Gaheris. Fair knight, said Sir Tristram, there must
have been many more knights than ye are. And therewithal Sir Tristram
departed from them toward Joyous Gard. And when he was departed they
took their horses, and the one said to the other, We will overtake him
and be revenged upon him in the despite of Sir Lamorak.