and put the tomb upon them, and
wrote the names of them both on the tomb. How here lieth Lanceor the
king's son of Ireland, that at his own request was slain by the hands
of Balin; and how his lady, Colombe, and paramour, slew herself with her
love's sword for dole and sorrow.

CHAPTER VIII. How Merlin prophesied that two the best knights of the
world should fight there, which were Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram.

THE meanwhile as this was a-doing, in came Merlin to King Mark, and
seeing all his doing, said, Here shall be in this same place the
greatest battle betwixt two knights that was or ever shall be, and the
truest lovers, and yet none of them shall slay other. And there Merlin
wrote their names upon the tomb with letters of gold that should fight
in that place, whose names were Launcelot de Lake, and Tristram. Thou
art a marvellous man, said King Mark unto Merlin, that speakest of such
marvels, thou art a boistous man and an unlikely to tell of such deeds.
What is thy name? said King Mark. At this time, said Merlin, I will not
tell, but at that time when Sir Tristram is taken with his sovereign
lady, then ye shall hear and know my name, and at that time ye shall
hear tidings that shall not please you. Then said Merlin to Balin, Thou
hast done thyself great hurt, because that thou savest not this lady
that slew herself, that might have saved her an thou wouldest. By the
faith of my body, said Balin, I might not save her, for she slew herself
suddenly. Me repenteth, said Merlin; because of the death of that lady
thou shalt strike a stroke most dolorous that ever man struck, except
the stroke of our Lord, for thou shalt hurt the truest knight and the
man of most worship that now liveth, and through that stroke three
kingdoms shall be in great poverty, misery and wretchedness twelve
years, and the knight shall not be whole of that wound for many years.
Then Merlin took his leave of Balin. And Balin said, If I wist it were
sooth that ye say I should do such a perilous deed as that, I would slay
myself to make thee a liar. Therewith Merlin vanished away suddenly. And
then Balan and his brother took their leave of King Mark. First, said
the king, tell me your name. Sir, said Balan, ye may see he beareth two
swords, thereby ye may call him the Knight with the Two Swords. And so
departed King Mark unto Camelot to King Arthur, and Balin took the
way toward King Rience; and as they rode together they met with Merlin
dis