greatest dole that ever any earthly woman
made. And when the damosel found Sir Tristram she made great dole
because she might not amend him, for the more she made of him the more
was his pain. And at the last Sir Tristram took his horse and rode away
from her. And then was it three days or that she could find him, and
then she brought him meat and drink, but he would none; and then another
time Sir Tristram escaped away from the damosel, and it happed him to
ride by the same castle where Sir Palomides and Sir Tristram did battle
when La Beale Isoud departed them. And there by fortune the damosel
met with Sir Tristram again, making the greatest dole that ever earthly
creature made; and she yede to the lady of that castle and told her of
the misadventure of Sir Tristram. Alas, said the lady of that castle,
where is my lord, Sir Tristram? Right here by your castle, said the
damosel. In good time, said the lady, is he so nigh me; he shall have
meat and drink of the best; and an harp I have of his whereupon he
taught me, for of goodly harping he beareth the prize in the world.
So this lady and damosel brought him meat and drink, but he ate little
thereof. Then upon a night he put his horse from him, and then he
unlaced his armour, and then Sir Tristram would go into the wilderness,
and brast down the trees and boughs; and otherwhile when he found the
harp that the lady sent him, then would he harp, and play thereupon and
weep together. And sometime when Sir Tristram was in the wood that the
lady wist not where he was, then would she sit her down and play upon
that harp: then would Sir Tristram come to that harp, and hearken
thereto, and sometime he would harp himself. Thus he there endured a
quarter of a year. Then at the last he ran his way, and she wist not
where he was become. And then was he naked and waxed lean and poor of
flesh; and so he fell in the fellowship of herdmen and shepherds, and
daily they would give him some of their meat and drink. And when he did
any shrewd deed they would beat him with rods, and so they clipped him
with shears and made him like a fool.

CHAPTER XIX. How Sir Tristram soused Dagonet in a well, and how
Palomides sent a damosel to seek Tristram, and how Palomides met with
King Mark.

AND upon a day Dagonet, King Arthur's fool, came into Cornwall with two
squires with him; and as they rode through that forest they came by a
fair well where Sir Tristram was wont to be; and the weather w