dress his horse
rightly, and then, when he was in the saddle well apparelled and his
shield dressed upon his shoulder, he commanded Gouvernail to go to his
vessel again and return to King Mark. "And upon thy life," said he,
"come thou not nigh this island till thou see me overcome or slain, or
else that I win yonder knight." So either departed from other.

When Sir Marhaus perceived this young knight seeking to encounter with
himself, one of the most renowned knights of the world, he said, "Fair
sir, since thou hopest to win honour of me, I let thee wit honour
mayest thou none lose by me if thou mayest stand me three strokes, for
I let thee wit for my noble deeds, proved and seen, King Arthur made me
knight of the Table Round."

Then they put spears in rest and ran together so fiercely that they
smote either other down, horse and all. Anon they pulled out their
swords and lashed together as men that were wild and courageous. Thus
they fought more than half a day, and either was wounded passing sore,
so that the blood ran down freshly from them upon the ground. By then
Sir Tristram waxed more fresh than Sir Marhaus, and better winded, and
bigger, and with a mighty stroke he smote Sir Marhaus upon the helm
such a buffet, that it went through his helm and through the coif of
steel and through the brain-pan, and the sword stuck so fast in the
helm and in his brain-pan that Sir Tristram pulled thrice at his sword
or ever he might pull it out from his head; and there Marhaus fell down
on his knees, the edge of Tristram's sword left in his brain-pan.
Suddenly Sir Marhaus rose grovelling, and threw his sword and his
shield from him, and so ran to his ships and fled his way, sore
groaning.

Anon he and his fellowship departed into Ireland, and, as soon as he
came to the king his brother, he had his wounds searched, and in his
head was found a piece of Sir Tristram's sword. No surgeons might cure
this wound, and so he died of Sir Tristram's sword. That piece of the
sword the queen his sister kept ever with her, for she thought to be
revenged, if she might.

Now turn we again unto Sir Tristram, that was sore wounded by a
spear-thrust of Sir Marhaus so that he might scarcely stir. He sat
down softly upon a little hill, and bled fast. Then anon came
Gouvernail, his man, with his vessel, and Sir Tristram was quickly
taken back into the castle of Tintagil. He was cared for in the best
manner possible, but he lay there