Yvain, son of King Urien, was now superbly armed, and rode straight to the meadow
to avenge Lancelot of the Lake: he’d rather die than leave the knight’s pride untoppled
– he wanted to flatten him! But when he arrived in the field he found him in great shape:
the moment he saw Yvain he charged with all the fresh vigour he’d shown at the start!
Sir Yvain needed no instruction and attacked him in a fury. Their mounts were swift
and they clashed at speed, exchanging blows that smashed their shields apart, such was
the force behind them. Sir Yvain shattered his lance, despite its strength; and his opponent
struck him with such might that he pierced gold shield and bright hauberk alike, for all
that the mail was good and fine. He was wounded in the belly, right below the navel;
the blow would have sent him dead to the ground without uttering a word had the
lance not broken; as it was, it hit him so hard that it drove him from his horse and laid
him out flat with his legs in the air.

Gerbert's Continuation of Perceval