ady Belle Isoult was shut and locked inside
thereof.

Now it hath already been told how the letter of King Mark had said to Sir
Tristram that two knights of Cornwall went both against Sir Palamydes for
to challenge him and to rescue the Lady Belle Isoult.

The second of these knights was Sir Adthorp, and he had followed Sir
Palamydes so closely through the forest that he had come to the forest
tower not more than an hour after Sir Palamydes had brought the Lady Belle
Isoult thither.

Therewith Sir Adthorp gave loud challenge to Sir Palamydes to come forth
and do him battle, and therewith Sir Palamydes came immediately out against
him, full of anger that Sir Adthorp should have meddled in that affair.

But immediately Sir Palamydes had thus issued forth to do battle with Sir
Adthorp, the Lady Belle Isoult ran down the tower stairs and immediately
shut the door through which he had passed, and she locked it and set a
great bar of oak across the door.

[Sidenote: How Sir Palamydes came without the tower] So when Sir Palamydes
had overthrown the Cornish knight, and when he would have returned to the
tower, he could not, for lo! it was fastened against him. So now for three
days he had set there at the foot of the tower and beside the moat, sunk in
sorrow like to one who had gone out of his mind.

So Sir Tristram found him, and perceiving that it was Sir Palamydes who was
sitting there, he said to Gouvernail: "Go thou and bid that knight to come
and do battle with me."

So Gouvernail went to Sir Palamydes and he said: "Sir, arise, for here is a
knight would speak with you!" But Sir Palamydes would not move. Then
Gouvernail touched him with his lance, and said: "Sir Palamydes, arise and
bestir yourself, for here is Sir Tristram come to do battle with you." With
that, Sir Palamydes awoke from his stupor and arose very slowly and
stiffly. And he gathered up his helmet which was lying beside him and put
it upon his head. Then he took down his shield from where it hung against
the wall and he mounted upon his horse, doing all as though he were moving
in a dream.

But as soon as he was upon horseback he suddenly aroused himself, for his
fierce spirit had come back to him once more. Then he gnashed his teeth,
crying out in a loud voice, "Tristram, this time either thou or I shall
perish."

[Sidenote: Sir Tristram overcomes Sir Palamydes] Therewith he rushed upon
Sir Tristram and smote him so violently that Sir Tristram ha