Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII

How Sir Palomides followed the Questing Beast, and smote
down Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak with one spear.

AND this meanwhile there came Sir Palomides, the good knight,
following the Questing Beast that had in shape a head like a
serpent's head, and a body like a leopard, buttocks like a lion,
and footed like an hart; and in his body there was such a noise
as it had been the noise of thirty couple of hounds questing, and
such a noise that beast made wheresomever he went; and this beast
ever more Sir Palomides followed, for it was called his quest. 
And right so as he followed this beast it came by Sir Tristram,
and soon after came Palomides.  And to brief this matter he smote
down Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak both with one spear; and so he
departed after the beast Galtisant, that was called the Questing
Beast; wherefore these two knights were passing wroth that Sir
Palomides would not fight on foot with them.  Here men may
understand that be of worship, that he was never formed <371>that
all times might stand, but sometime he was put to the worse by
mal-fortune; and at sometime the worse knight put the better
knight to a rebuke.

Then Sir Tristram and Sir Lamorak gat Sir Kehydius upon a shield
betwixt them both, and led him to a forester's lodge, and there
they gave him in charge to keep him well, and with him they abode
three days.  Then the two knights took their horses and at the
cross they departed.  And then said Sir Tristram to Sir Lamorak: 
I require you if ye hap to meet with Sir Palomides, say him that
he shall find me at the same well where I met him, and there I,
Sir Tristram, shall prove whether he be better knight than I. 
And so either departed from other a sundry way, and Sir Tristram
rode nigh thereas was Sir Kehydius; and Sir Lamorak rode until he
came to a chapel, and there he put his horse unto pasture.  And
anon there came Sir Meliagaunce, that was King Bagdemagus' son,
and he there put his horse to pasture, and was not ware of Sir
Lamorak; and then this knight Sir Meliagaunce made his moan of
the love that he had to Queen Guenever, and there he made a woful
complaint.  All this heard Sir Lamorak, and on the morn Sir
Lamorak took his horse and rode unto the forest, and there he met
with two knights hoving under the wood-shaw.  Fair knights, said
Sir Lamorak, what do ye hoving here and watching? and if ye be
knights-errant that will joust, lo I am ready.  Nay, sir knight,
they said, not so, we abide not here to joust with you, but we
lie here in await of a knight that slew our brother.  What knight
was that, said Sir Lamorak, that you would fain meet withal? 
Sir, they said, it is Sir Launcelot that slew our brother, and if
ever we may meet with him he shall not escape, but we shall slay
him.  Ye take upon you a great charge, said Sir Lamorak, for Sir
Launcelot is a noble proved knight.  As for that we doubt not,
for there nis none of us but we are good enough for him.  I will
not believe that, said Sir Lamorak, for I heard never yet of no
knight the days of my life but Sir Launcelot was too big for him.

<372>