[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram does battle with Sir Dodinas] Therewith they met in the middle of their course with a great uproar of iron and wood.  But in that onset the spear of Sir Dodinas broke into a great many small pieces, but the spear of Sir Tristram held, so that in the encounter he lifted Sir Dodinas entirely out of his saddle, and out behind the crupper of his horse.  And he flung Sir Dodinas down so violently that his neck was nearly broken, and he lay for a while in a deep swoon like one who has been struck dead.

Then Sir Sagramore said:  “Well, Sir Knight, that was certes a very great buffet that you gave my fellow, but now it is my turn to have ado with you.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram does battle with Sir Sagramore] So therewith he took also his spear in hand and chose his station for an assault as Sir Dodinas had done, and Sir Tristram also took station as he had done before.  Then immediately they two ran together with the same terrible force that Sir Tristram and Sir Dodinas had coursed, and in that encounter Sir Tristram struck Sir Sagramore so direful a buffet with his spear that he overthrew both horse and man, and the horse, falling upon Sir Sagramore, so bruised his leg that he could not for a while arise from where he lay.

Therewith Sir Tristram, having run his course, came back to where those two knights lay upon the ground, and he said, “Fair Knights, will you have any more fighting?” They said, “No, we have had fighting enough.”  Then Sir Tristram said:  “I pray you, tell me, are there any bigger knights at the court of King Arthur than you?  If it is not so, then I should think you would take great shame to yourselves that you have been overthrown the one after the other by a single knight.  For this day a knight of Cornwall hath assuredly matched you both to your great despite.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram acknowledges his degree] Then Sir Sagramore said:  “Sir, I pray you upon your true knighthood to tell us who you are, for you are assuredly one of the greatest knights in the world.”  Upon this Sir Tristram laughed, “Nay,” quoth he, “I am as yet a young knight, who has had but little proof in battle.  As for my name, since you ask it of me, upon my knighthood I am not ashamed to tell you that I am hight Sir Tristram, and that I am King Meliadus’ son of Lyonesse.”

“Ha!” said Sir Sagramore, “if that be so, then there is little shame in being overthrown by you.  For not only do I well remember how at the court of the King of Ireland you overthrew six knights of the Round Table, and how easily you overthrew Sir Palamydes the Saracen, but it is also very well known how you did battle with Sir Marhaus, and of how you overcame him.  Now Sir Marhaus and Sir Palamydes were two of the best knights in the world, so it is not astonishing that you should have done as you did with us.  But, since you have overthrown us, what is it you would have us do?”

“Messires,” said Sir Tristram, “I have only to demand two things of you.  One of them is that you give me your word that you will go to Cornwall and confess to King Mark that you have been overthrown by a Cornish knight; and the second thing is that you tell me if you saw Sir Bleoberis de Ganys pass this way?”