Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK IX CHAPTER XXIV

CHAPTER XXIV

How Sir Tristram and Sir Dinadan came to a lodging where
they must joust 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 joust with two knights, and if he be but one
knight he must joust 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 an 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 Palomides 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; <393>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 Palomides 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 Palomides 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 madman 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 done now with
you, and he set me a work that a quarter of a year I kept my bed. 
Jesu 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 bade them come forth
both, for I will fight with you.  Then Sir Palomides 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 Palomides, 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 Palomides 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 <394>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 mile 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 thereas 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.