g his tattered
garments. At last he encountered one of the palmers who had guided
Tristrem to the Court of King Mark, and learned of the great honour
accorded to his ward. At Rohand's request the palmer took him to
Mark's hall; but when Rohand arrived thither his tattered and forlorn
appearance aroused the contempt of the porter and usher and they
refused him entrance. Upon bestowing liberal largess, however, he was
at length brought to Tristrem, who presented him to King Mark as his
father, acquainting him at the same time with the cause of their
separation. When Rohand had been refreshed by a bath, and richly
attired by order of King Mark, the whole Court marvelled at his
majestic appearance.

Rohand, seated by King Mark's side at the banquet, imparted to him the
secret of Tristrem's birth, and in proof showed him the ring given him
by Blancheflour, whereupon Mark at once joyfully recognized Tristrem
as his nephew. Rohand further told of the tragic fate of Tristrem's
parents through the treachery of Duke Morgan, and Tristrem, fired by
the tale of wrong, vowed to return at once to Ermonie to avenge his
father's death.

_Tristrem Returns to Ermonie_

Although applauding his pious intention, Mark attempted to dissuade
his nephew from such an enterprise of peril, until, seeing that
Tristrem would not be gainsaid, the King conferred upon him the honour
of knighthood, and furnished him with a thousand men-at-arms. Thus
equipped, Tristrem set sail for Ermonie, and, safely arrived in that
kingdom, he garrisoned Rohand's castle with his Cornish forces.

He had no intention of remaining inactive, however, and once his men
were cared for, he repaired to the Court of the usurper, Duke Morgan,
accompanied by fifteen knights, each bearing a boar's head as a gift.
But Rohand, apprehending rashness on the part of his foster-son, took
the precaution of following with the Cornish men-at-arms and his own
vassals.

When Tristrem arrived the Duke was at the feast-board, and he demanded
Tristrem's name and business. Tristrem boldly declared himself, and at
the end of an angry parley the Duke struck him a sore blow. A moment
later swords were flashing, and it might have gone ill with Tristrem
had not Rohand with his men come up in the nick of time. In the end
Duke Morgan was slain and his followers routed. Having now recovered
his paternal domains Sir Tristrem conferred them upon Rohand, to be
held of himself as liege lord, and hav