Meanwhile, great multitudes of people had gathered all about the meadow of battle, and others stood like flies upon the walls of the town and looked down into that fair, pleasant meadow-land, spread with its carpet of flowers.  All along one side of the ground of battle was a scaffolding of seats fair bedraped with fabrics of various colors and textures.  In the midst of all the other seats were two seats hung with cloth of scarlet, and these seats were the one for King Arthur and the other for King Angus of Ireland.

In the centre of the meadow-land Sir Blamor rode up and down very proudly.  He was clad in red armor, and the trappings and the furniture of his horse were all of red, so that he paraded the field like a crimson flame of fire.

“Sir.” quoth King Arthur to King Angus, “yon is a very strong, powerful, noble knight; now where mayst thou find one who can hope to stand against him in this coming battle?”

[Sidenote:  King Angus presents Sir Tristram for his champion] “Lord,” said King Angus, “I do believe that God hath raised up a defender for me in this extremity.  For Sir Tristram of Lyonesse came to me yesterday, and offered for to take this quarrel of mine upon him.  Now I do not believe that there is any better knight in all of Christendom than he, wherefore I am to-day uplifted with great hopes that mine innocence shall be proved against mine accuser.”

“Ha!” quoth King Arthur, “if Sir Tristram is to stand thy champion in this affair, then I do believe that thou hast indeed found for thyself a very excellent, worthy defender.”

So anon there came Sir Tristram riding to that place, attended only by Gouvernail.  And he was clad all in bright, polished armor so that he shone like a star of great splendor as he entered the field of battle.  He came straight to where King Arthur sat and saluted before him.  King Arthur said, “Sir, what knight art thou?” “Lord,” answered he, “I am Sir Tristram of Lyonesse, and I am come to champion King Angus who sits beside you.  For I believe him to be innocent of that matter of which he is accused, and I will emperil my body in that belief for to prove the truth of the same.”

“Well,” quoth King Arthur, “this King accused hath, certes, a very noble champion in thee.  So go and do thy devoirs, and may God defend the right.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram does battle with Sir Blamor] Thereupon each knight took a good stout spear into his hand and chose his place for the encounter, and each set his shield before him and feutered his lance in rest.  Then, when each was ready, the marshal blew a great blast upon his trumpet, and thereupon, in an instant, each knight launched against the other like a bolt of thunder.  So they met in the very middle of the course with such violence that the spear of each knight was shattered all into pieces unto the very truncheon thereof.  Each horse fell back upon his haunches, and each would no doubt, have fallen entirely, had not the knight-rider recovered his steed with the greatest skill and address.