nce ever since that time,
should accompany her to the Court of Cornwall. And the name of this lady
was the Lady Bragwaine.

[Sidenote: The Queen of Ireland provides a love potion for King Mark and
Belle Isoult] Now the day before the Lady Belle Isoult was to take her
departure from Ireland, the Queen of Ireland came to the Lady Bragwaine and
she bare with her a flagon of gold very curiously wrought. And the Queen
said: "Bragwaine, here is a flask of a very singular and precious sort of
an elixir; for that liquor it is of such a sort that when a man and a woman
drink of it together, they two shall thereafter never cease to love one
another as long as they shall have life. Take this flask, and when you have
come to Cornwall, and when the Lady Belle Isoult and King Mark have been
wedded, then give them both to drink of this elixir; for after they have
drunk they shall forget all else in the world and cleave only to one
another. This I give you to the intent that the Lady Isoult may forget Sir
Tristram, and may become happy in the love of King Mark whom she shall
marry."

Soon thereafter the Lady Belle Isoult took leave of the King and the Queen
and entered into that ship that had been prepared for her. Thus, with Sir
Tristram and with Dame Bragwaine and with their attendants, she set sail
for Cornwall.

Now it happened that, whilst they were upon that voyage, the Lady Bragwaine
came of a sudden into the cabin of that ship and there she beheld the Lady
Belle Isoult lying upon a couch weeping. Dame Bragwaine said, "Lady, why do
you weep?" Whereunto the Lady Belle Isoult made reply: "Alas, Bragwaine,
how can I help but weep seeing that I am to be parted from the man I love
and am to be married unto another whom I do not love?"

Dame Bragwaine laughed and said: "Do you then weep for that? See! Here is a
wonderful flask as it were of precious wine. When you are married to the
King of Cornwall, then you are to quaff of it and he is to quaff of it and
after that you will forget all others in the world and cleave only to one
another. For it is a wonderful love potion and it hath been given to me to
use in that very way. Wherefore dry your eyes, for happiness may still lay
before you."

When the Lady Belle Isoult heard these words she wept no more but smiled
very strangely. Then by and by she arose and went away to where Sir
Tristram was.

When she came to him she said, "Tristram, will you drink of a draught with
me?" He sai