oward all men." And then
he said: "Bring me hither my harp, that I may play upon it a little, for I
have a desire to chant in this pleasant evening-time."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram sings] So Gouvernail brought to Sir Tristram his
shining harp, and when Sir Tristram had taken it into his hands he tuned
it, and when he had tuned it he struck it and sang; and, because of the
stillness of the evening, his voice sounded marvellously clear and sweet
across the level water, so that those who stood upon the castle walls and
heard it thought that maybe an angel was singing on board of that ship.

That time the Lady Belle Isoult sat at the window of her bower enjoying the
pleasantness of the evening. She also heard Sir Tristram singing, and she
said to those damsels who were with her, "Ha, what is that I hear?"
Therewith she listened for a little while, and then she said: "Meseems that
must be the voice of some angel that is singing." They say: "Nay, Lady, it
is a wounded knight singing, and he came to this harbor in a wonderful ship
some while ago." Then the Lady Belle Isoult said to a page who was in
attendance: "Bid the King and Queen come hither, that they may hear this
singing also, for never did I think to hear such singing beyond the walls
of Paradise."

So the page ran with all speed, and in a little the King and Queen came to
the bower of the Lady Belle Isoult; and she and they leaned upon the
window-ledge and listened to Sir Tristram whilst he sang in the soft
twilight. Then by and by King Angus said: "Now I will have yonder minstrel
brought thither to this castle to do us pleasure, for I believe that he
must be the greatest minstrel in all the world to sing in that wise." And
the Lady Belle Isoult said: "I pray you, sir, do so, for it would be great
joy to everybody to have such singing as that in this place."

So King Angus sent a barge to that ship, and besought that he who sang
should be brought to the castle. At that Sir Tristram was very glad, for he
said: "Now I shall be brought to the Lady the Belle Isoult and maybe she
will heal me." So he had them bare him to the barge of the King of Ireland,
and so they brought him to the castle of King Angus, where they laid him
upon a bed in a fair room of the castle.

[Sidenote: King Angus cometh to Tristram] Then King Angus came to Sir
Tristram where he lay, and he said: "Messire what can I do for you to put
you more at your ease than you are?" "Lord," said Sir Tristram