m what you said to me aforetime
and from what you said to my daughter I had thought that you desired the
Lady Belle Isoult for yourself. Now I can in no wise understand why you do
not ask for her in your name instead of asking for her in the name of King
Mark."

Then Sir Tristram cried out as in great despair: "Messire, I love that dear
lady a great deal more than I love my life; but in this affair I am
fulfilling a pledge made upon the honor of my knighthood and unto the King
of Cornwall, who himself made me knight. For I pledged him unaware, and now
I am paying for my hastiness. Yet I would God that you might take the sword
which you hold in your hand and thrust it through my heart; for I had
liefer die than fulfil this obligation to which I am pledged."

"Well," said King Angus, "you know very well that I will not slay you, but
that I will fulfil your boon as I have promised. As for what you do in this
affair, you must answer for it to God and to the honor of your own
knighthood whether it is better to keep that promise which you made to the
King of Cornwall or to break it."

Then Sir Tristram cried out again in great travail of soul: "Lord, you know
not what you say, nor what torments I am at this present moment enduring."
And therewith he arose and went forth from that place, for he was ashamed
that anyone should behold the passion that moved him.

And now is to be told of that famous battle betwixt Sir Tristram and Sir
Blamor de Ganys of which so much hath been written in all the several
histories of chivalry that deal with these matters.

Now when the next morning had come--clear and fair and with the sun shining
wonderfully bright--a great concourse of people began to betake themselves
to that place where the lists had been set up in preparation for that
ordeal of battle. That place was on a level meadow of grass very fair
bedight with flowers and not far from the walls of the town nor from the
high road that led to the gate of the same.

[Sidenote: Of the meadow of battle] And, indeed, that was a very beautiful
place for battle, for upon the one hand was the open countryside, all gay
with spring blossoms and flowers; and upon the other hand were the walls of
the town. Over above the top of those walls was to be seen a great many
tall towers--some built of stone and some of brick--that rose high up into
the clear, shining sky all full of slow-drifting clouds, that floated, as
it were, like full-breasted swa