Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER XVII

CHAPTER XVII

How Sir Lamorak jousted with divers knights of the castle
wherein was Morgan le Fay.

SIR PALOMIDES, said Dinadan, here is a castle that I know
well, and therein dwelleth Queen Morgan le Fay, King
Arthur's sister; and King Arthur gave her this castle, the
which he hath repented him sithen a thousand times, for
sithen King Arthur and she have been at debate and
strife; but this castle could he never get nor win of her
by no manner of engine; and ever as she might she made
war on King Arthur.  And all dangerous knights she
withholdeth with her, for to destroy all these knights that
King Arthur loveth.  And there shall no knight pass this
way but he must joust with one knight, or with two, or
with three.  And if it hap that King Arthur's knight be
beaten, he shall lose his horse and his harness and all that
he hath, and hard, if that he escape, but that he shall be
prisoner.  So God me help, said Palomides, this is a
shameful custom, and a villainous usance for a queen to
use, and namely to make such war upon her own lord,
that is called the Flower of Chivalry that is christian or
heathen; and with all my heart I would destroy that
shameful custom.  And I will that all the world wit she
shall have no service of me.  And if she send out any
knights, as I suppose she will, for to joust, they shall have
both their hands full.  And I shall not fail you, said Sir
Dinadan, unto my puissance, upon my life.

So as they stood on horseback afore the castle, there
came a knight with a red shield, and two squires after
him; and he came straight unto Sir Palomides, the good
knight, and said to him:  Fair and gentle knight-errant,
I require thee for the love thou owest unto knighthood,
that ye will not have ado here with these men of this
castle; for this was Sir Lamorak that thus said.  For I
came hither to seek this deed, and it is my request; and
therefore I beseech you, knight, let me deal, and if I be
beaten revenge me.  In the name of God, said Palomides,
let see how ye will speed, and we shall behold you.  Then
anon came forth a knight of the castle, and proffered to
joust with the Knight with the Red Shield.  Anon they
encountered together, and he with the red shield smote
him so hard that he bare him over to the earth.  Therewith
anon came another knight of the castle, and he was
smitten so sore that he avoided his saddle.  And forthwithal
came the third knight, and the Knight with the Red
Shield smote him to the earth.  Then came Sir Palomides,
and besought him that he might help him to joust.  Fair
knight, said he unto him, suffer me as at this time to have
my will, for an they were twenty knights I shall not doubt
them.  And ever there were upon the walls of the castle
many lords and ladies that cried and said:  Well have ye
jousted, Knight with the Red Shield.  But as soon as
the knight had smitten them down, his squire took their
horses, and avoided their saddles and bridles of the horses,
and turned them into the forest, and made the knights to
be kept to the end of the jousts.  Right so came out of
the castle the fourth knight, and freshly proffered to joust
with the Knight with the Red Shield: and he was ready,
and he smote him so hard that horse and man fell to the
earth, and the knight's back brake with the fall, and his
neck also.  O Jesu, said Sir Palomides, that yonder is a
passing good knight, and the best jouster that ever I
saw.  By my head, said Sir Dinadan, he is as good as
ever was Sir Launcelot or Sir Tristram, what knight
somever he be.