Then was there a loud outcry, and many knights said that Sir Palomides had acted contrary to the rules of the tournament. When Sir Ector de Maris saw how his brother Sir Lancelot had fared, he rode eagerly against Sir Palomides, and smote him out of his saddle. Then came Sir Lancelot with his sword to Sir Palomides and cried,—
“Thou hast this day done me the greatest despite that ever was done me in tournament or joust. Therefore defend thee, for I will be avenged.”
So Sir Palomides entreated him to forgive his unkindness, and to spare him; “for,” said he, “I know well I have not might to withstand you; and if you put me from my worship now, you put me from the greatest worship I ever had or shall have.”
“Well,” said Lancelot, “it is true that you have done marvellously well this day; and I have a guess for whose love it is. If my lady were here, you should not have borne away the worship; but as she is not here, you shall have it for me, and I will forbear you. But beware that your love be not discovered, for if Sir Tristram knew it, you would have cause to repent.”
So he, of his great nobleness, suffered Palomides to depart. Then Sir Lancelot was remounted, in spite of all the knights of the other side, and did great feats on King Arthur’s part, as Sir Tristram and Sir Palomides did on the other. But Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram always spared one another. But when the tournament was ended for the day, King Arthur and all the kings gave Sir Palomides the prize, for he had begun at the first and had endured to the end. When King Arthur was praising Sir Palomides, Sir Lancelot said,—
“Sir, as for Palomides, he has this day well deserved the prize; and yet, there was on the field a far better knight than he, and that will be proved before the tournament is over.”
When Sir Tristram and his fellows returned to their pavilions, Sir Dinadan was angry because Sir Tristram had let Sir Palomides carry off the prize, and he reproached him with intent to provoke him, so that he might the next day put forth all his powers. Early the next morning Sir Tristram, Sir Palomides, Sir Gareth, and Queen Isoude rode out into the forest to take the fresh air; and as they went, it chanced that King Arthur and Sir Lancelot came near them. “Yonder,” said Sir Lancelot, “rideth the fairest lady in all the world except my lady Queen Guenever.”
“Who is it?” asked King Arthur: and when Lancelot told him, he said he would go nearer and greet Queen Isoude.
“Sir,” said Lancelot, “it is not wise to go too near, for there are with her two as good knights as any now living, and if we come suddenly upon them, they may be displeased.”
“As for that,” replied the king, “I will greet her, for I care not who may be displeased.”