NOW turn we unto Sir Tristram,that when he was come home and wist La Beale Isoud was gone with Sir Palamides,wit ye well he was wroth out of measure.Alas,said Sir Tristram,I am this day shamed.Then he cried to Gouvernail his man:Haste thee that I were armed and on horseback,for well I wot Lambegus hath no might nor strength to withstand Sir Palamides:alas that I have not been in his stead!So anon as he was armed and horsed Sir Tristram and Gouvernail rode after into the forest,and within a while he found his knight Lambegus almost wounded to the death;and Sir Tristram bare him to a forester,and charged him to keep him well.And then he rode forth,and there he found Sir Adtherp sore wounded,and he told him how the queen would have drowned herself had he not been,and how for her sake and love he had taken upon him to do battle with Sir Palamides.Where is my lady?said Sir Tristram.Sir,said the knight,she is sure enough within my castle,an she can hold her within it.
Gramercy,said Sir Tristram,of thy great goodness.And so he rode till he came nigh to that castle;and then Sir Tristram saw where Sir Palamides sat at the gate sleeping,and his horse pastured fast afore him.Now go thou,Gouvernail,said Sir Tristram,and bid him awake,and make him ready.So Gouvernail rode unto him and said:Sir Palamides,arise,and take to thee thine harness.But he was in such a study he heard not what Gouvernail said.So Gouvernail came again and told Sir Tristram he slept,or else he was mad.Go thou again,said Sir Tristram,and bid him arise,and tell him that I am here,his mortal foe.
So Gouvernail rode again and put upon him the butt of his spear,and said:Sir Palamides,make thee ready,for wit ye well Sir Tristram hoveth yonder,and sendeth thee word he is thy mortal foe.
And therewithal Sir Palamides arose stilly,without words,and gat his horse,and saddled him and bridled him,and lightly he leapt upon,and gat his spear in his hand,and either feutred their spears and hurtled fast together;and there Tristram smote down Sir Palamides over his horse's tail.Then lightly Sir Palamides put his shield afore him and drew his sword.And there began strong battle on both parts,for both they fought for the love of one lady,and ever she lay on the walls and beheld them how they fought out of measure,and either were wounded passing sore,but Palamides was much sorer wounded.Thus they fought tracing and traversing more than two hours,that well-nigh for dole and sorrow La Beale Isoud swooned.Alas,she said,that one I loved and yet do,and the other I love not,yet it were great pity that I should see Sir Palamides slain;for well I know by that time the end be done Sir Palamides is but a dead knight:
because he is not christened I would be loath that he should die a Saracen.And therewithal she came down and besought Sir Tristram to fight no more.Ah,madam,said he,what mean you,will ye have me shamed?Well ye know I will be ruled by you.Iwill not your dishonour,said La Beale Isoud,but I would that ye would for my sake spare this unhappy Saracen Palamides.Madam,said Sir Tristram,I will leave fighting at this time for your sake.Then she said to Sir Palamides:This shall be your charge,that thou shalt go out of this country while I am therein.I will obey your commandment,said Sir Palamides,the which is sore against my will.Then take thy way,said La Beale Isoud,unto the court of King Arthur,and there recommend me unto Queen Guenever,and tell her that I send her word that there be within this land but four lovers,that is,Sir Launcelot du Lake and Queen Guenever,and Sir Tristram de Liones and Queen Isoud.
CHAPTER XXXII
How Sir Tristram brought Queen Isoud home,and of the debate of King Mark and Sir Tristram.
AND so Sir Palamides departed with great heaviness.And Sir Tristram took the queen and brought her again to King Mark,and then was there made great joy of her home-coming.Who was cherished but Sir Tristram!Then Sir Tristram let fetch Sir Lambegus,his knight,from the forester's house,and it was long or he was whole,but at the last he was well recovered.
Thus they lived with joy and play a long while.But ever Sir Andred,that was nigh cousin to Sir Tristram,lay in a watch to wait betwixt Sir Tristram and La Beale Isoud,for to take them and slander them.So upon a day Sir Tristram talked with La Beale Isoud in a window,and that espied Sir Andred,and told it to the King.Then King Mark took a sword in his hand and came to Sir Tristram,and called him false traitor,and would have stricken him.But Sir Tristram was nigh him,and ran under his sword,and took it out of his hand.And then the King cried:
Where are my knights and my men?I charge you slay this traitor.
But at that time there was not one would move for his words.
When Sir Tristram saw that there was not one would be against him,he shook the sword to the king,and made countenance as though he would have stricken him.And then King Mark fled,and Sir Tristram followed him,and smote upon him five or six strokes flatling on the neck,that he made him to fall upon the nose.
And then Sir Tristram yede his way and armed him,and took his horse and his man,and so he rode into that forest.
And there upon a day Sir Tristram met with two brethren that were knights with King Mark,and there he struck off the head of the one,and wounded the other to the death;and he made him to bear his brother's head in his helm unto the king,and thirty more there he wounded.And when that knight came before the king to say his message,he there died afore the king and the queen.
Then King Mark called his council unto him,and asked advice of his barons what was best to do with Sir Tristram.Sir,said the barons,in especial Sir Dinas,the Seneschal,Sir,we will give you counsel for to send for Sir Tristram,for we will that ye wit many men will hold with Sir Tristram an he were hard bestead.
