Thus they fought for above an hour and
in all that time neither knight gave ground or gained any vantage over the
other.
[Sidenote: Sir Tristram falls in the battle] Then after a while Sir
Tristram grew more weary of fighting than ever he had been in all of his
life before, and he was aware that this was the greatest knight whom he had
ever met. But still he would not give ground, but fought from this side and
from that side with great skill and address until of a sudden, he slipped
upon some of that blood that he himself had shed, and because of his great
weariness, fell down upon his knees, and could not for the instant rise
again.
Then that white knight might easily have struck him down if he had been
minded to do so. But, instead, he withheld the blow and gave Sir Tristram
his hand and said: "Sir Knight, rise up and stand upon thy feet and let us
go at this battle again if it is thy pleasure to do so; for I do not choose
to take advantage of thy fall."
Then Sir Tristram was as greatly astonished at the extraordinary courtesy
of his enemy as he had been at his prowess.
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