were sorely hurt in the encounter. Upon this, the
other five of those champions, beholding the prowess and strength and skill
of Sir Lamorack said to one another: "Why should we venture against this
man? Of a verity, this knight is no mere man, but a demon of strength and
skill. Wherefore no man may hope to stand against him in an assault of
arms; for lo! if he doth but touch a man with his lance that man
straightway falleth from his saddle." So they withdrew themselves from that
encounter and would not have to do with Sir Lamorack.

Now at that time Sir Tristram was sitting with the court of the King, and
not far from the Lady Belle Isoult, overlooking the meadow of battle.

To him King Mark said: "Messire, why do you take no part against this
knight? Is it that you fear him?"

To this Sir Tristram replied with great calmness: "Nay, I fear not him nor
any man alive, and that you know, Lord, better than anyone in all of the
world."

"I am glad to hear of your courage and fearlessness," quoth King Mark, "for
meseems it is a great shame to all of us that this gentleman, who is a
stranger amongst us, should win so much credit to the disadvantage of all
the knights of Cornwall. Now, as you say you have no fear of him, I pray
you go down into the field and do battle with him in our behalf." So said
King Mark, for he thought to himself: "Perhaps Sir Lamorack may overthrow
Sir Tristram, and so bring him into disrepute with those who praise him so
greatly."

But Sir Tristram said: "No; I will not go down to battle against Sir
Lamorack this day whatever I may do another day. For I have sworn
brotherhood to that noble and gentle champion, and it would ill beseem me
to assault him now, when he is weary and short of breath from this great
battle which he hath done to-day against such odds. For if I should
overthrow him now, it would bring great shame upon him. Some other day and
in some other place I may assay him in friendliness, with honor and credit
both to myself and him."

[Sidenote: King Mark commands Sir Tristram to do battle] "Well," said King
Mark, "as for that, I do not choose to wait. Nor am I pleased that you
should sit by and suffer this knight to carry away all the credit of arms
from Cornwall in despite of the knights of Cornwall. For not only would
this be a great shame to the knights of Cornwall (of whom you are the
acknowledged champion), but it would be equally a shame unto this lady whom
you have fetched h