a month and more, and ever he was
like to die of the stroke from Sir Marhaus' spear, for, as the French
book saith, the spear's head was envenomed. Then was King Mark passing
heavy, and he sent after all manner of surgeons, but there was none
that would promise him life.

At last there came a right wise lady, and she said plainly that he
should never be whole unless he went into the same country that the
venom came from, and in that country he should be holpen, or else
never. When King Mark understood that, he let provide for Sir Tristram
a fair vessel, well victualled, and therein was put Sir Tristram and
Gouvernail, with him. Sir Tristram took his harp with him, and so they
put to sea to sail into Ireland.

CHAPTER XIX

SIR TRISTRAM AND THE FAIR ISOUD

By good fortune Sir Tristram with Gouvernail arrived in Ireland fast by
a castle where King Anguish and the queen were. As he came to land he
sat and harped in his bed a merry lay, such as none in Ireland ever
heard afore that time. And when the king and queen were told of this
stranger that was such a harper, anon they sent for him and let search
his wounds, and then asked him his name. Then he answered, "I am of
the country of Lyonesse; my name is Tramtrist, and I was thus wounded
in a battle, as I fought for a lady's right."

"Truly," said King Anguish, "ye shall have all the help in this land
that ye may. But I let you wit in Cornwall I had a great loss as ever
king had, for there I lost the best knight of the world. His name was
Marhaus, a full noble knight of the Table Round." Then he told Sir
Tristram wherefore Sir Marhaus was slain. Sir Tristram made semblant
as if he were sorry, and yet better knew he how it was than the king.

The king for great favour had Tramtrist put in his daughter's keeping,
because she was a noble surgeon. When she searched his wound she found
that therein was poison, and so she healed him within a while.
Therefore Tramtrist cast great devotion to the Fair Isoud, for she was
at that time the fairest maid of the world. He taught her to harp, and
she soon began to have a great fancy unto him. Then soon he showed
himself to be so brave and true a knight in the jousts that she had
great suspicion that he was some man of honour proved, and she loved
him more than heretofore.

Thus was Sir Tramtrist long there well cherished by the king and the
queen and especially by Isoud the Fair. Upon a day as Sir Tramtrist
was