t and Sir Tristram drink the love draught]

Chapter Seventh

_How Sir Tristram had speech with King Angus of Ireland; how he undertook
to champion the cause of King Angus and of what happened thereafter_.

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram hears news of King Angus] Now, as Sir Tristram and
King Arthur and Sir Launcelot sat together in the pavilion of Sir Tristram
in pleasant, friendly discourse, as aforetold, there came Gouvernail of a
sudden into that place. He, coming to Sir Tristram, leaned over his
shoulder and he whispered into his ear: "Sir, I have just been told that
King Angus of Ireland is at this very time at Camelot at the court of the
King."

Upon this Sir Tristram turned to King Arthur and said: "Lord, my esquire
telleth me that King Angus of Ireland is here at Camelot; now I pray you
tell me, is that saying true?" "Yea," said King Arthur, "that is true; but
what of it?" "Well," said Sir Tristram, "I had set forth to seek King Angus
in Ireland, when I and my companions were driven hither by a great storm of
wind. Yet when I find him, I know not whether King Angus may look upon me
as a friend or as an unfriend."

[Sidenote: How Sir Bertrand was killed in Ireland] "Ha," said King Arthur,
"you need not take trouble concerning the regard in which King Angus shall
hold you. For he is at this time in such anxiety of spirit that he needs to
have every man his friend who will be his friend, and no man his enemy whom
he can reconcile to him. He is not just now in very good grace, either with
me or with my court, for the case with him is thus: Some while ago, after
you left the court of Ireland, there came to that place Sir Blamor de Ganys
(who is right cousin to Sir Launcelot of the Lake) and with Sir Blamor a
knight-companion hight Sir Bertrand de la Riviere Rouge. These two knights
went to Ireland with intent to win themselves honor at the court of
Ireland. Whilst they were in that kingdom there were held many jousts and
tourneys, and in all of them Sir Blamor and Sir Bertrand were victorious,
and all the knights of Ireland who came against them were put to shame at
their hands. Many of the Irish knights were exceedingly angry at this, and
so likewise was the King of Ireland. Now it happened one day that Sir
Bertrand was found dead and murdered at a certain pass in the King's
forest, and when the news thereof was brought to Sir Blamor, he was very
wroth that his knight-companion should have been thus treacherousl