Thereupon he went back into his tent and armed himself and mounted his horse and took a good stout spear of ash-wood into his hand.

Then all the knights of Cornwall who were with Sir Tristram came forth to behold what their champion would do, and all their esquires, pages, and attendants came forth for the same purpose, and it was a very pleasant time of day for jousting.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram overthrows Sir Morganor] Then first of all Sir Morganor essayed Sir Tristram, and in that encounter Sir Tristram smote him so dreadful, terrible a blow that he cast him a full spear’s length over the crupper of his horse, and that so violently that the blood gushed out of the nose and mouth and ears of Sir Morganor, and he groaned very dolorously and could not arise from where he lay.

“Hah,” quoth Sir Ector, “that was a very wonderful buffet you struck my fellow.  But now it is my turn to have ado with you, and I hope God will send me a better fortune.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram overthrows Sir Ector] So he took stand for battle as did Sir Tristram likewise, and when they were in all wise prepared they rushed very violently to the assault.  In that encounter Ector suffered hardly less ill fortune than Sir Morganor had done.  For he brake his spear against Sir Tristram into as many as an hundred pieces, whilst Sir Tristram’s spear held so that he overthrew both the horse and the knight-rider against whom he drove.

Then all the knights of Cornwall gave loud acclaim that their knight had borne himself so well in those encounters.  But Sir Tristram rode back to where those two knights still lay upon the ground, and he said:  “Well, Messires, this is no very good hap that you have had with me.”

Upon that speech Sir Ector de Maris gathered himself up from the dust and said:  “Sir Knight, I pray you of your knighthood to tell us who you be and what is your degree, for I declare to you, I believe you are one of the greatest knights-champion of the world.”

“Sir,” said Sir Tristram, “I am very willing to tell you my name and my station; I am Sir Tristram, the son of King Meliadus of Lyonesse.”

“Ha,” quoth Sir Ector, “I would God I had known that before I had ado with you, for your fame hath already reached to these parts, and there hath been such report of your prowess and several songs have been made about you by minstrels and poets.  I who speak to you am Sir Ector, surnamed de Maris, and this, my companion, is Sir Morganor of Lisle.”

“Alas!” cried out Sir Tristram, “I would that I had known who you were ere I did battle with you.  For I have greater love for the knights of the Round Table than all others in the world, and most of all, Sir Ector, do I have reverence for your noble brother Sir Launcelot of the Lake.  So I take great shame to myself that any mishap should have befallen you this day through me.”