Agravain came on as fast as he could get the horse to go and struck Morholt so hard on his shield that he shattered his lance, while Morholt struck him so that he knocked him to the ground completely stunned. Hardly had Morholt completed his charge when Guerrehet, who was angry that his brother had fallen, charged at Morholt and struck him so hard that he pierced his shield, but his hauberk was strong and resilient, so that Guerrehet’s lance broke. And Morholt, who was driven to it by necessity, struck Guerrehet so hard that he broke through his shield and his hauberk and gave him a wound in the leftside. He struck Guerrehet well and bore him to the ground in such a state that he did not know if it was day or night. Then Morholt swooped on by like a merlin stooping on its prey. When the companions saw the two brothers thus struck down, they were amazed.

At that Mador of the Gate moved out and called to Morholt, “Sir knight, turn your shield this way, for I’ll avenge
my companions’ shame if I can.” He spurred his horse with all his heart and soul, saying he would knock Morholt down if he could. He struck Morholt with all his strength, so that he shattered his lance. Morholt reached him at the top of his
shield, so that he drove the shield against his neck, and Mador had no strength to stay in the saddle but fell to the ground badly stunned.

When Sagremor and Dodinel saw their companions stricken to the earth, they crossed themselves more than a
hundred times in amazement and said, “Saint Mary, who can this knight be who has so easily rid himself of our three companions?”

‘Truly, God help me,” said Dodinel, “I’d rather join my fallen companions than not do my best to avenge them.” Then he readied himself and cried to Morholt to defend himself. Morholt got ready, and he saw that the matter was at
the point where either he must fall or he must knock down all five companions. Then he took his lance, which was still whole, and saw Dodinel coming, his lance lowered. Morholt rode back toward him, bellowing like thunder, and Dodinel struck him so that he pierced his shield and hauberk and gave him a fairly large wound in his left side, but he could not break his lance, for it was very strong. Morholt struck Dodinel so strongly that he knocked him and his horse all in a heap, and Dodinel was badly hurt in the fall. Morholt passed on to complete his charge, saying to himself that the knight was good who had given him such a great blow. Morholt was happy when he saw he had knocked down the four companions and there remained only one to knock down.

Post-Vulgate Merlin