him to be best. Then, when they were in all wise
prepared, they rushed together with such astonishing vehemence that the
earth shook and trembled beneath them.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram does battle with Sir Dodinas] Therewith they met
in the middle of their course with a great uproar of iron and wood. But in
that onset the spear of Sir Dodinas broke into a great many small pieces,
but the spear of Sir Tristram held, so that in the encounter he lifted Sir
Dodinas entirely out of his saddle, and out behind the crupper of his
horse. And he flung Sir Dodinas down so violently that his neck was nearly
broken, and he lay for a while in a deep swoon like one who has been struck
dead.

Then Sir Sagramore said: "Well, Sir Knight, that was certes a very great
buffet that you gave my fellow, but now it is my turn to have ado with
you."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram does battle with Sir Sagramore] So therewith he
took also his spear in hand and chose his station for an assault as Sir
Dodinas had done, and Sir Tristram also took station as he had done before.
Then immediately they two ran together with the same terrible force that
Sir Tristram and Sir Dodinas had coursed, and in that encounter Sir
Tristram struck Sir Sagramore so direful a buffet with his spear that he
overthrew both horse and man, and the horse, falling upon Sir Sagramore, so
bruised his leg that he could not for a while arise from where he lay.

Therewith Sir Tristram, having run his course, came back to where those two
knights lay upon the ground, and he said, "Fair Knights, will you have any
more fighting?" They said, "No, we have had fighting enough." Then Sir
Tristram said: "I pray you, tell me, are there any bigger knights at the
court of King Arthur than you? If it is not so, then I should think you
would take great shame to yourselves that you have been overthrown the one
after the other by a single knight. For this day a knight of Cornwall hath
assuredly matched you both to your great despite."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram acknowledges his degree] Then Sir Sagramore said:
"Sir, I pray you upon your true knighthood to tell us who you are, for you
are assuredly one of the greatest knights in the world." Upon this Sir
Tristram laughed, "Nay," quoth he, "I am as yet a young knight, who has had
but little proof in battle. As for my name, since you ask it of me, upon my
knighthood I am not ashamed to tell you that I am hight Sir Tristram, and
that I am King Meliadus'