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.
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