So he rode at such a gait for a considerable pass until, by and by, he perceived Sir Palamydes upon the road before him; and Sir Palamydes was at that time come to the edge of a woods where there were several stone windmills with great sails swinging very slowly around before a strong wind that was blowing.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram overthrows Palamydes again] Now this was a lonely place, and one very fit to do battle in, wherefore Sir Tristram cried out to Sir Palamydes in a loud voice:  “Sir Palamydes!  Sir Palamydes!  Turn you about!  For here is the chance for you to recover the honor that you have lost to me.”  Thereupon Sir Palamydes, hearing that loud voice, turned him about.  But when he beheld that the knight who called was he who had just now wrought such shame upon him, he ground his teeth together with rage, and therewith drave his horse at Sir Tristram, drawing his sword so that it flashed like lightning in the bright sunlight.  And when he came nigh to Sir Tristram, he stood up in his stirrups and lashed a blow at him with all his might and main; for he said to himself:  “Maybe I shall now recover mine honor with one blow which I lost to this knight a while since.”  But Sir Tristram put aside that blow of Sir Palamydes with his shield with very great skill and dexterity, and thereupon, recovering himself, he lashed at Sir Palamydes upon his part.  And at that first stroke Sir Tristram smote down the shield of Sir Palamydes, and gave him such a blow upon the head that Sir Palamydes fell down off his horse upon the earth.  Then Sir Tristram voided his own horse very quickly, and running to Sir Palamydes where he lay he plucked off his helmet with great violence.  Therewith he cried out very fiercely:  “Sir Knight, yield thee to me, or I will slay thee.”  And therewithal he lifted up his sword as though to strike off the head of Sir Palamydes.

Then when Sir Palamydes saw Sir Tristram standing above him in that wise, he dreaded his buffets so that he said:  “Sir Knight, I yield me to thee to do thy commands, if so be thou wilt spare my life.”

Thereupon Sir Tristram said, “Arise,” and at that Sir Palamydes got him up to his knees with some ado, and so remained kneeling before Sir Tristram.

“Well,” said Sir Tristram, “I believe you have saved your life by thus yielding yourself to me.  Now this shall be my commandment upon you.  First of all, my commandment is that you forsake the Lady Belle Isoult, and that you do not come near her for the space of an entire year.  And this is my second commandment; that from this day you do not assume the arms of knighthood for an entire year and a day.”

“Alas!” said Sir Palamydes, “why do you not slay me instead of bringing me to such shame as this!  Would that I had died instead of yielding myself to you as I did.”  And therewith he wept for shame and despite.

“Well,” said Sir Tristram, “let that pass which was not done.  For now you have yielded yourself to me and these are my commands.”  So with that Sir Tristram set his sword back again into its sheath, and he mounted his horse and rode away, leaving Sir Palamydes where he was.