er to the Queen of that land,
he thought it wise to assume once more the name of Tremtris.

Soon his fame as a minstrel reached the ears of the Queen of Ireland,
a lady deeply versed in the art of healing. She was, indeed, "the best
Couthe of Medicine"[56] Tristrem had seen, and in order to heal his
wound she applied to it "a plaster kene." Later she invited him to the
Court, where his skill in chess and games astonished every one. So
interested in him did the royal lady become at last that she undertook
to cure him, and effected her object by means of a medicated bath and
other medieval remedies. Then, on account of his fame as a minstrel,
he was given the task of instructing the Princess Ysonde--as the name
'Yseult' is written in this particular version.

This princess was much attached to minstrelsy and poetry, and under
the tuition of Tristrem she rapidly advanced in these arts, until at
length she had no equal in Ireland save her preceptor. And now
Tristrem, his health restored, and having completed Ysonde's
instruction, felt a strong desire to return to the Court of King Mark.
His request to be allowed to depart was most unwillingly granted by
the Queen, who at the leave-taking loaded him with gifts. With the
faithful Gouvernayl he arrived safely in Cornwall, where Mark received
him joyfully. When the King inquired curiously how his wound had been
cured, Tristrem told him of the great kindness of the Irish Queen, and
praised Ysonde so highly that the ardour of his uncle was aroused and
he requested Tristrem to procure him the hand of the damsel in
marriage. He assured Tristrem that no marriage he, the King, might
contract would annul the arrangement whereby Tristrem was to succeed
to the throne of Cornwall. The nobles were opposed to the King's
desires, which but strengthened Tristrem in his resolve to undertake
the embassage, for he thought that otherwise it might appear that he
desired the King to remain unmarried.

_The Marriage Embassy_

With a retinue of fifteen knights Tristrem sailed to Dublin in a ship
richly laden with gifts. Arrived at the Irish capital, he sent
magnificent presents to the King, Queen, and Princess, but did not
announce the nature of his errand. Hardly had his messengers departed
than he was informed that the people of Dublin were panic-stricken at
the approach of a terrible dragon. This monster had so affrighted the
neighbourhood that the hand of the Princess had been offered to a