Persides

1. Persides de Blois

   Going to the tournament at the Castle of Maidens, Tristram lodged with old Sir Pellounes (Pellownus), whose castle seems to have been within sight of the Castle of Maidens. At the same time Pellounes' son, Sir Persides de Bloise, gladdened his father's heart by coming home after two years' absence. Tristram remarked to Pellounes,

   I know your son well enough for a good knight.

   Learning that Tristram was of Cornwall, but not his name, Persides described how he had once been in Cornwall and had jousted down ten knights before King Mark, but then Sir Tristram

   overthrew me, and took my lady away from me, and that shall I never forget.

   He may or may not have also told Tristram of a more recent adventure, only a few days before, when he had fought and wounded Sir Mordred and would have slain him "had it not been for the love of Sir Gawaine and his brother (probably Gareth)." As they stood talking at a bay window they could watch "many knights riding to and fro toward the tournament", among whom was one whom Persides recognized with admiration as Palomides, then engaged in jousting down a baker's dozen of knights.

   Fair brother, said Sir Tristram unto Sir Persides, let us cast upon us cloaks, and let us go see the play. Not so, said Sir Persides, we will not go like knaves thither, but we will ride like men and good knights to withstand our enemies.

   As a result of his honesty, Persides got a fall from Palomides. Later, in the tournament proper, he was "smitten down and almost slain" by a large party with Bleoberis and Gaheris at its head, but rescued by Tristram. Presumably Persides learned Tristram's identity and they were reconciled before the end of the tourney.

   Later, Sir Percivale, searching for Lancelot, found Persides chained to a stone pillar outside the Castle of the Uncourteous Lady, rescued him, and sent him back to Arthur's court with various messages. (It is possible, however, that this was a different Persides from the one mentioned above; this Persides is identified as a knight of the Round Table, but not given the surname "de Bloise".)

   Though Persides de Bloise is a minor character, his is one of the few shields that Malory describes: green with a lion of gold.

   
   

2. Persides the Blonde

   A knight who was cuckolded by Tristan.

   
   

3. Persides the Red
   Persides le Rous, Persedes of Gazewilte

   The lord of the castle Gazewilte.

   He married the wondrously beautiful Elaine Sans Per against the wishes of his family and hers. His uncle chastised him and told him he had abandoned his knighthood because of Helen and had humiliated himself. Helen said that she, too, had given up the admiration of others for the sake of Persides - and that her shame was greater because she was more beautiful than Persides was valiant. Persides, angry, locked Helen in a tower and told her she would stay there until a more beautiful lady or a more valiant knight showed up, settling the matter.

   She spent five years in prison, until her sister, looking for Gawain, found Ector de Maris and fetched him instead. Ector defeated Persides and sent him and Helen to Guenevere.