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<h2> CHAPTER XIX. How Sir Tristram soused Dagonet in a well, and how Palomides sent a damosel to seek Tristram, and how Palomides met with King Mark. </h2>
<p>AND upon a day Dagonet, King Arthur's fool, came into Cornwall with two
squires with him; and as they rode through that forest they came by a fair
well where Sir Tristram was wont to be; and the weather was hot, and they
alighted to drink of that well, and in the meanwhile their horses brake
loose. Right so Sir Tristram came unto them, and first he soused Sir
Dagonet in that well, and after his squires, and thereat laughed the
shepherds; and forthwithal he ran after their horses and brought them
again one by one, and right so, wet as they were, he made them leap up and
ride their ways. Thus Sir Tristram endured there an half year naked, and
would never come in town nor village. The meanwhile the damosel that Sir
Palomides sent to seek Sir Tristram, she yede unto Sir Palomides and told
him all the mischief that Sir Tristram endured. Alas, said Sir Palomides,
it is great pity that ever so noble a knight should be so mischieved for
the love of a lady; but nevertheless, I will go and seek him, and comfort
him an I may. Then a little before that time La Beale Isoud had commanded
Sir Kehydius out of the country of Cornwall. So Sir Kehydius departed with
a dolorous heart, and by adventure he met with Sir Palomides, and they
enfellowshipped together; and either complained to other of their hot love
that they loved La Beale Isoud. Now let us, said Sir Palomides, seek Sir
Tristram, that loved her as well as we, and let us prove whether we may
recover him. So they rode into that forest, and three days and three
nights they would never take their lodging, but ever sought Sir Tristram.</p>
<p>And upon a time, by adventure, they met with King Mark that was ridden
from his men all alone. When they saw him Sir Palomides knew him, but Sir
Kehydius knew him not. Ah, false king, said Sir Palomides, it is pity thou
hast thy life, for thou art a destroyer of all worshipful knights, and by
thy mischief and thy vengeance thou hast destroyed that most noble knight,
Sir Tristram de Liones. And therefore defend thee, said Sir Palomides, for
thou shalt die this day. That were shame, said King Mark, for ye two are
armed and I am unarmed. As for that, said Sir Palomides, I shall find a
remedy therefore; here is a knight with me, and thou shalt have his
harness. Nay, said King Mark, I will not have ado with you, for cause have
ye none to me; for all the misease that Sir Tristram hath was for a letter
that he found; for as to me I did to him no displeasure, and God knoweth I
am full sorry for his disease and malady. So when the king had thus
excused him they were friends, and King Mark would have had them unto
Tintagil; but Sir Palomides would not, but turned unto the realm of
Logris, and Sir Kehydius said that he would go into Brittany.</p>
<p>Now turn we unto Sir Dagonet again, that when he and his squires were upon
horseback he deemed that the shepherds had sent that fool to array them
so, because that they laughed at them, and so they rode unto the keepers
of beasts and all to-beat them. Sir Tristram saw them beat that were wont
to give him meat and drink, then he ran thither and gat Sir Dagonet by the
head, and gave him such a fall to the earth that he bruised him sore so
that he lay still. And then he wrast his sword out of his hand, and
therewith he ran to one of his squires and smote off his head, and the
other fled. And so Sir Tristram took his way with that sword in his hand,
running as he had been wild wood. Then Sir Dagonet rode to King Mark and
told him how he had sped in that forest. And therefore, said Sir Dagonet,
beware, King Mark, that thou come not about that well in the forest, for
there is a fool naked, and that fool and I fool met together, and he had
almost slain me. Ah, said King Mark, that is Sir Matto le Breune, that
fell out of his wit because he lost his lady; for when Sir Gaheris smote
down Sir Matto and won his lady of him, never since was he in his mind,
and that was pity, for he was a good knight.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XX. How it was noised how Sir Tristram was dead, and how La Beale Isoud would have slain herself. </h2>
<p>THEN Sir Andred, that was cousin unto Sir Tristram, made a lady that was
his paramour to say and to noise it that she was with Sir Tristram or ever
he died. And this tale she brought unto King Mark's court, that she buried
him by a well, and that or he died he besought King Mark to make his
cousin, Sir Andred, king of the country of Liones, of the which Sir
Tristram was lord of. All this did Sir Andred because he would have had
Sir Tristram's lands. And when King Mark heard tell that Sir Tristram was
dead he wept and made great dole. But when Queen Isoud heard of these
tidings she made such sorrow that she was nigh out of her mind; and so
upon a day she thought to slay herself and never to live after Sir
Tristram's death. And so upon a day La Beale Isoud gat a sword privily and
bare it to her garden, and there she pight the sword through a plum tree
up to the hilt, so that it stuck fast, and it stood breast high. And as
she would have run upon the sword and to have slain herself all this
espied King Mark, how she kneeled down and said: Sweet Lord Jesu, have
mercy upon me, for I may not live after the death of Sir Tristram de
Liones, for he was my first love and he shall be the last. And with these
words came King Mark and took her in his arms, and then he took up the
sword, and bare her away with him into a tower; and there he made her to
be kept, and watched her surely, and after that she lay long sick, nigh at
the point of death.</p>
<p>This meanwhile ran Sir Tristram naked in the forest with the sword in his
hand, and so he came to an hermitage, and there he laid him down and
slept; and in the meanwhile the hermit stole away his sword, and laid meat
down by him. Thus was he kept there ten days; and at the last he departed
and came to the herdmen again. And there was a giant in that country that
hight Tauleas, and for fear of Sir Tristram more than seven year he durst
never much go at large, but for the most part he kept him in a sure castle
of his own; and so this Tauleas heard tell that Sir Tristram was dead, by
the noise of the court of King Mark. Then this Tauleas went daily at
large. And so he happed upon a day he came to the herdmen wandering and
langering, and there he set him down to rest among them. The meanwhile
there came a knight of Cornwall that led a lady with him, and his name was
Sir Dinant; and when the giant saw him he went from the herdmen and hid
him under a tree, and so the knight came to that well, and there he
alighted to repose him. And as soon as he was from his horse this giant
Tauleas came betwixt this knight and his horse, and took the horse and
leapt upon him. So forthwith he rode unto Sir Dinant and took him by the
collar, and pulled him afore him upon his horse, and there would have
stricken off his head. Then the herdmen said unto Sir Tristram: Help
yonder knight. Help ye him, said Sir Tristram. We dare not, said the
herdmen. Then Sir Tristram was ware of the sword of the knight thereas it
lay; and so thither he ran and took up the sword and struck off Sir
Tauleas' head, and so he yede his way to the herdmen.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XXI. How King Mark found Sir Tristram naked, and made him to be borne home to Tintagil, and how he was there known by a brachet. </h2>
<p>THEN the knight took up the giant's head and bare it with him unto King
Mark, and told him what adventure betid him in the forest, and how a naked
man rescued him from the grimly giant, Tauleas. Where had ye this
adventure? said King Mark. Forsooth, said Sir Dinant, at the fair fountain
in your forest where many adventurous knights meet, and there is the mad
man. Well, said King Mark, I will see that wild man. So within a day or
two King Mark commanded his knights and his hunters that they should be
ready on the morn for to hunt, and so upon the morn he went unto that
forest. And when the king came to that well he found there lying by that
well a fair naked man, and a sword by him. Then King Mark blew and
straked, and therewith his knights came to him; and then the king
commanded his knights to: Take that naked man with fairness, and bring him
to my castle. So they did softly and fair, and cast mantles upon Sir
Tristram, and so led him unto Tintagil; and there they bathed him, and
washed him, and gave him hot suppings till they had brought him well to
his remembrance; but all this while there was no creature that knew Sir
Tristram, nor what man he was.</p>
<p>So it fell upon a day that the queen, La Beale Isoud, heard of such a man,
that ran naked in the forest, and how the king had brought him home to the
court. Then La Beale Isoud called unto her Dame Bragwaine and said: Come
on with me, for we will go see this man that my lord brought from the
forest the last day. So they passed forth, and spered where was the sick
man. And then a squire told the queen that he was in the garden taking his
rest, and reposing him against the sun. So when the queen looked upon Sir
Tristram she was not remembered of him. But ever she said unto Dame
Bragwaine: Meseemeth I should have seen him heretofore in many places. But
as soon as Sir Tristram saw her he knew her well enough. And then he
turned away his visage and wept.</p>
<p>Then the queen had always a little brachet with her that Sir Tristram gave
her the first time that ever she came into Cornwall, and never would that
brachet depart from her but if Sir Tristram was nigh thereas was La Beale
Isoud; and this brachet was sent from the king's daughter of France unto
Sir Tristram for great love. And anon as this little brachet felt a savour
of Sir Tristram, she leapt upon him and licked his lears and his ears, and
then she whined and quested, and she smelled at his feet and at his hands,
and on all parts of his body that she might come to. Ah, my lady, said
Dame Bragwaine unto La Beale Isoud, alas, alas, said she, I see it is mine
own lord, Sir Tristram. And thereupon Isoud fell down in a swoon, and so
lay a great while And when she might speak she said: My lord Sir Tristram,
blessed be God ye have your life, and now I am sure ye shall be discovered
by this little brachet, for she will never leave you. And also I am sure
as soon as my lord, King Mark, do know you he will banish you out of the
country of Cornwall, or else he will destroy you; for God's sake, mine own
lord, grant King Mark his will, and then draw you unto the court of King
Arthur, for there are ye beloved, and ever when I may I shall send unto
you; and when ye list ye may come to me, and at all times early and late I
will be at your commandment, to live as poor a life as ever did queen or
lady. O Madam, said Sir Tristram, go from me, for mickle anger and danger
have I escaped for your love.</p>
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<h2> CHAPTER XXII. How King Mark, by the advice of his council, banished Sir Tristram out of Cornwall the term of ten years. </h2>
<p>THEN the queen departed, but the brachet would not from him; and
therewithal came King Mark, and the brachet set upon him, and bayed at
them all. There withal Sir Andred spake and said: Sir, this is Sir
Tristram, I see by the brachet. Nay, said the king, I cannot suppose that.
Then the king asked him upon his faith what he was, and what was his name.
So God me help, said he, my name is Sir Tristram de Liones; now do by me
what ye list. Ah, said King Mark, me repenteth of your recovery. And then
he let call his barons to judge Sir Tristram to the death. Then many of
his barons would not assent thereto, and in especial Sir Dinas, the
Seneschal, and Sir Fergus. And so by the advice of them all Sir Tristram
was banished out of the country for ten year, and thereupon he took his
oath upon a book before the king and his barons. And so he was made to
depart out of the country of Cornwall; and there were many barons brought
him unto his ship, of the which some were his friends and some his foes.
And in the meanwhile there came a knight of King Arthur's, his name was
Dinadan, and his coming was for to seek after Sir Tristram; then they
showed him where he was armed at all points going to the ship. Now fair
knight, said Sir Dinadan, or ye pass this court that ye will joust with me
I require thee. With a good will, said Sir Tristram, an these lords will
give me leave. Then the barons granted thereto, and so they ran together,
and there Sir Tristram gave Sir Dinadan a fall. And then he prayed Sir
Tristram to give him leave to go in his fellowship. Ye shall be right
welcome, said then Sir Tristram.</p>
<p>And so they took their horses and rode to their ships together, and when
Sir Tristram was in the sea he said: Greet well King Mark and all mine
enemies, and say them I will come again when I may; and well am I rewarded
for the fighting with Sir Marhaus, and delivered all this country from
servage; and well am I rewarded for the fetching and costs of Queen Isoud
out of Ireland, and the danger that I was in first and last, and by the
way coming home what danger I had to bring again Queen Isoud from the
Castle Pluere; and well am I rewarded when I fought with Sir Bleoberis for
Sir Segwarides' wife; and well am I rewarded when I fought with Sir
Blamore de Ganis for King Anguish, father unto La Beale Isoud; and well am
I rewarded when I smote down the good knight, Sir Lamorak de Galis, at
King Mark's request; and well am I rewarded when I fought with the King
with the Hundred Knights, and the King of Northgalis, and both these would
have put his land in servage, and by me they were put to a rebuke; and
well am I rewarded for the slaying of Tauleas, the mighty giant, and many
other deeds have I done for him, and now have I my warison. And tell King
Mark that many noble knights of the Table Round have spared the barons of
this country for my sake. Also am I not well rewarded when I fought with
the good knight Sir Palomides and rescued Queen Isoud from him; and at
that time King Mark said afore all his barons I should have been better
rewarded. And forthwithal he took the sea.</p>
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