had his bed made
next to his own in his own royal chamber. On the morrow the king had
Sir Tristram horsed and armed in the best manner. Then he sent a
trumpeter down to the seashore, and let Sir Marhaus know that a better
born man than he was himself would fight with him, and that his name
was Sir Tristram of Lyones, son of the King of Lyones and his queen
Elizabeth, King Mark's sister. Sir Marhaus was right blithe that he
should have to do with such a gentleman.

Then it was ordained that the two knights should battle on a little
island near the ship of Sir Marhaus, and so young Sir Tristram and his
squire were rowed thereunto, and when he departed, King Mark and his
barons and all the common people were rejoiced to see the young
knight's noble and high bearing, and wished him Godspeed.

When Sir Tristram landed he saw Sir Marhaus waiting armed in the shadow
of his ship. Sir Tristram's squire brought his master's horse to land,
and clad his master in his armour as was right, and then the young
knight mounted upon his horse and rode towards Sir Marhaus.

While he was as yet six spear-lengths from him the knight of the Round
Table cried unto him:

'Young knight, Sir Tristram, what doest thou here? I grieve me of thy
courage, for ye are untried, while I have been well essayed in jousts
and tournaments with some of the best men of their hands as are now
living. I counsel thee to go back.'

'Fair and well-proved knight,' said Sir Tristram, 'I am for thy sake
made knight, and I have promised to fight thee, and I will do so, as
much for mine uncle's sake as for what worship I may win from doing
battle with ye, who are one of the best renowned knights of the world.'

'Then I would have ye know, fair sir,' said Sir Marhaus, 'that no
worship shalt thou lose if thou canst only stand against three strokes
of mine, for, by reason of my noble deeds, seen and proved, King Arthur
made me knight of the Round Table.'

Sir Tristram answered him naught, and then they dressed their spears
and spurred their horses, and ran so fiercely each against the other
that both were smitten to the ground, both horses and men. But Sir
Marhaus had struck a great wound in the side of Sir Tristram, yet so
eager was the young knight that he knew not of it. They leaped up and
avoided their horses, and drew out their swords, and with shield on arm
they lashed at each other like fierce wild boars. Yet for all Sir
Marhaus' strong and bitter strokes he