se by any man. So
thou mayst slay me, but I will not yield myself to thee."

Then Sir Tristram cried out: "Sir Knight, I beseech thee to yield thyself,
for thou art not fit to fight any more this day."

Sir Blamor said, "I will not yield, so strike and have done with it."

So Sir Tristram wist not what to do, but stood there in doubt looking down
upon Sir Blamor. Then Sir Blamor said, again: "Strike, Sir Knight, and have
done with it."

Upon this Sir Tristram said: "I may not strike thee, Sir Blamor de Ganys,
to slay thee, for thou art very nigh of blood to Sir Launcelot of the Lake,
and unto him I have sworn brotherhood in arms; wherefore I pray thee now to
yield thyself to me."

Sir Blamor said, "Nay, I will not yield me to thee."

"Well," said Sir Tristram, "then I must fain act this day in a manner like
as I acted yesterday."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram gives Sir Blamor back his sword] Therewith
speaking, he took his sword into both his hands and he swung it several
times around his head and when he had done that he flung it to a great
distance away, so that he was now entirely unarmed saving only for his
misericordia. After that he gave Sir Blamor his hand and lifted him up upon
his feet. And he stooped and picked up Sir Blamor's sword out of the grass
and gave it back to Sir Blamor into his hands, and he said: "Sir Knight,
now thou art armed and I am entirely unarmed, and so thou hast me at thy
mercy. Now thou shalt either yield thyself to me or slay me as I stand here
without any weapon; for I cannot now strike thee, and though I have
overcome thee fairly yet thou hast it now in thy power to slay me. So now
do thy will with me in this matter."

Then Sir Blamor was greatly astonished at the magnanimity of Sir Tristram,
and he said, "Sir Knight, what is thy name?" Sir Tristram said, "It is
Tristram, surnamed of Lyonesse."

Upon this Sir Blamor came to Sir Tristram and put his arms about his
shoulders, and he said: "Tristram, I yield myself to thee, but in love and
not in hate. For I yield myself not because of thy strength of arms (and
yet I believe there is no knight in the world, unless it be my cousin Sir
Launcelot of the Lake, who is thy peer), but I yield me because of thy
exceeding nobility. Yet I would that I might only be satisfied that this
King of Ireland is no traitor."

"Messire," said Sir Tristram, "of that I have assured myself very strongly
ere I entered into this contest, wherefore I may now