shed
together passing thick the mountenance of an hour or ever they breathed.
Then they traced and traversed, and waxed wonderly wroth, and either
behight other death; they hewed so fast with their swords that they cut
in down half their swords and mails, that the bare flesh in some place
stood above their harness. And when Sir Palomides beheld his fellow's
sword over-hylled with his blood it grieved him sore: some while
they foined, some while they struck as wild men. But at the last Sir
Palomides waxed faint, because of his first wound that he had at the
castle with a spear, for that wound grieved him wonderly sore. Fair
knight, said Palomides, meseemeth we have assayed either other passing
sore, and if it may please thee, I require thee of thy knighthood tell
me thy name. Sir, said the knight to Palomides, that is me loath to
do, for thou hast done me wrong and no knighthood to proffer me battle,
considering my great travail, but an thou wilt tell me thy name I will
tell thee mine. Sir, said he, wit thou well my name is Palomides. Ah,
sir, ye shall understand my name is Sir Lamorak de Galis, son and heir
unto the good knight and king, King Pellinore, and Sir Tor, the good
knight, is my half brother. When Sir Palomides heard him say so he
kneeled down and asked mercy, For outrageously have I done to you this
day; considering the great deeds of arms I have seen you do, shamefully
and unknightly I have required you to do battle. Ah, Sir Palomides,
said Sir Lamorak, overmuch have ye done and said to me. And therewith
he embraced him with his both hands, and said: Palomides, the worthy
knight, in all this land is no better than ye, nor more of prowess, and
me repenteth sore that we should fight together. So it doth not me, said
Sir Palomides, and yet am I sorer wounded than ye be; but as for that I
shall soon thereof be whole. But certainly I would not for the fairest
castle in this land, but if thou and I had met, for I shall love you the
days of my life afore all other knights except my brother, Sir Safere.
I say the same, said Sir Lamorak, except my brother, Sir Tor. Then came
Sir Dinadan, and he made great joy of Sir Lamorak. Then their squires
dressed both their shields and their harness, and stopped their wounds.
And thereby at a priory they rested them all night.

CHAPTER XX. How it was told Sir Launcelot that Dagonet chased King Mark,
and how a knight overthrew him and six knights.

Now turn we again. When