“Now, upon what party,” said Sir Tristram, “shall we be to-morrow?”
“Sir,” said Palomides, “if you will take my advice, we shall be against King Arthur, for on his part will be Sir Lancelot and many other good knights; and the more worshipful they, the more worship shall we win.”
“That is full knightly spoken,” said Tristram; “and we will do according to your counsel.”
So the next morning the four knights rode into the field, arrayed with trappings, shields, and spears of green; and Queen Isoude sat at a high window where she could see the jousts. The knights went straight to the party of the King of Scotland. When King Arthur saw them do that, he asked Sir Lancelot who they were.
“I do not certainly know,” answered Lancelot; “but I should guess that Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides are among them.”
Two knights that were brothers, named Sir Edward and Sir Sadocke, asked leave of King Arthur to have the first jousts; and straightway they met the kings of Scotland and Northgalis, and smote them from their saddles. At that was Sir Palomides wroth, and he rode first against Sir Edward and then against Sir Sadocke, and with the same spear he overthrew them both. Then came in Sir Tristram on a black horse, and ere he stinted he smote down with one spear four good knights; and Sir Gareth and Sir Dinadan supported him manfully.
“By my head!” cried King Arthur, “that knight on the black horse does marvellously well.”
“Wait a little,” said Gawaine; “that knight has scarcely yet begun.”
And Sir Tristram remounted the kings of Scotland and North-galis, and then he pressed in among the knights of the opposite party, and smote with his spear and his sword to the right and left, till he had struck down thirty knights, and Sir Palomides twenty; and most of these were proved knights of King Arthur’s court.
“As I live,” said the king to Lancelot, “it is a great shame to see those two smite down so many knights of mine. Therefore make you ready, for we will have to do with them.”