Le Morte d'Arthur BOOK X CHAPTER LXXXIV

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 CHAPTER LXXXIV
 
 How Sir Palomides and Sir Safere conducted Sir Epinogris
 to his castle, and of other adventures.
 
 
 THEN Sir Palomides took the lady by the hand and
 brought her to Sir Epinogris, and there was great joy
 betwixt them, for either swooned for joy.  When they
 were met:  Fair knight and lady, said Sir Safere, it were
 pity to depart you; Jesu send you joy either of other.
 Gramercy, gentle knight, said Epinogris; and much more
 thanks be to my lord Sir Palomides, that thus hath
 through his prowess made me to get my lady.  Then Sir
 Epinogris required Sir Palomides and Sir Safere, his
 brother, to ride with them unto his castle, for the safeguard
 of his person.  Sir, said Palomides, we will be ready to
 conduct you because that ye are sore wounded; and so
 was Epinogris and his lady horsed, and his lady behind
 him upon a soft ambler.  And then they rode unto his
 castle, where they had great cheer and joy, as great as ever
 Sir Palomides and Sir Safere had in their life-days.
 
 So on the morn Sir Safere and Sir Palomides departed,
 day until after noon.  And at the last they heard a great
 weeping and a great noise down in a manor.  Sir, said
 then Sir Safere, let us wit what noise this is.  I will well,
 said Sir Palomides.  And so they rode forth till that they
 came to a fair gate of a manor, and there sat an old man
 saying his prayers and beads.  Then Sir Palomides and
 Sir Safere alighted and left their horses, and went within
 the gates, and there they saw full many goodly men
 weeping.  Fair sirs, said Palomides, wherefore weep ye and
 make this sorrow?  Anon one of the knights of the castle
 beheld Sir Palomides and knew him, and then went to his
 fellows and said:  Fair fellows, wit ye well all, we have in
 this castle the same knight that slew our lord at Lonazep,
 for I know him well; it is Sir Palomides.  Then they
 went unto harness, all that might bear harness, some on
 horseback and some on foot, to the number of three score.
 And when they were ready they came freshly upon Sir
 Palomides and upon Sir Safere with a great noise, and said
 thus:  Keep thee, Sir Palomides, for thou art known, and
 by right thou must be dead, for thou hast slain our lord;
 and therefore wit ye well we will slay thee, therefore
 defend thee.
 
 Then Sir Palomides and Sir Safere, the one set his back
 to the other, and gave many great strokes, and took many
 great strokes; and thus they fought with a twenty knights
 and forty gentlemen and yeomen nigh two hours.  But
 at the last though they were loath, Sir Palomides and Sir
 Safere were taken and yolden, and put in a strong prison;
 and within three days twelve knights passed upon them,
 and they found Sir Palomides guilty, and Sir Safere not
 guilty, of their lord's death.  And when Sir Safere should
 be delivered there was great dole betwixt Sir Palomides
 and him, and many piteous complaints that Sir Safere
 made at his departing, there is no maker can rehearse the
 tenth part.  Fair brother, said Palomides, let be thy dolour
 and thy sorrow.  And if I be ordained to die a shameful
 death, welcome be it; but an I had wist of this death that
 I am deemed unto, I should never have been yolden.  So
 Sir Safere departed from his brother with the greatest
 dolour and sorrow that ever made knight.
 
 And on the morn they of the castle ordained twelve
 knights to ride with Sir Palomides unto the father of the
 same knight that Sir Palomides slew; and so they bound
 his legs under an old steed's belly.  And then they rode
 with Sir Palomides unto a castle by the seaside, that hight
 Pelownes, and there Sir Palomides should have justice.
 Thus was their ordinance; and so they rode with Sir
 Palomides fast by the castle of Joyous Gard.  And as
 they passed by that castle there came riding out of that
 castle by them one that knew Sir Palomides.  And when
 that knight saw Sir Palomides bounden upon a crooked
 courser, the knight asked Sir Palomides for what cause he
 was led so.  Ah, my fair fellow and knight, said Palomides,
 I ride toward my death for the slaying of a knight at a
 tournament of Lonazep; and if I had not departed from
 my lord Sir Tristram, as I ought not to have done, now
 might I have been sure to have had my life saved; but I
 pray you, sir knight, recommend me unto my lord, Sir
 Tristram, and unto my lady, Queen Isoud, and say to
 them if ever I trespassed to them I ask them forgiveness.
 And also I beseech you recommend me unto my lord,
 King Arthur, and to all the fellowship of the Round
 Table, unto my power.  Then that knight wept for pity
 of Sir Palomides; and therewithal he rode unto Joyous
 Gard as fast as his horse might run, and lightly that
 knight descended down off his horse and went unto Sir
 Tristram, and there he told him all as ye have heard, and
 ever the knight wept as he had been mad.