ed it from his hands.

At that King Meliodas, wondering greatly, called to mind the sudden death
of his young child, and taking her fiercely by the hand he cried:

"Traitress, tell me what drink is in this cup or I will slay thee in a
moment;" and therewith pulling out his sword he swore by a great oath to
slay her if she straightway told him not the truth.

"Ah, mercy, lord," said she, and fell down at his feet; "mercy, and I will
tell thee all."

And then she told him of her plot to murder Tristram, that her own sons
might enjoy the kingdom.

"The law shall judge thee," said the king.

And so anon she was tried before the barons, and condemned to be burnt to
death.

But when the fire was made, and she brought out, came Tristram kneeling at
his father's feet and besought of him a favour.

"Whatsoever thou desirest I will give thee," said the king.

"Give me the life, then, of the queen, my stepmother," said he.

"Thou doest wrong to ask it," said Meliodas; "for she would have slain
thee with her poisons if she could, and chiefly for thy sake she ought to
die."

"Sir," said he, "as for that, I beseech thee of thy mercy to forgive it
her, and for my part may God pardon her as I do; and so I pray thee grant
me my boon, and for God's sake hold thee to thy promise."

"If it must be so," said the king, "take thou her life, for to thee I give
it, and go and do with her as thou wilt."

Then went young Tristram to the fire and loosed the queen from all her
bonds and delivered her from death.

And after a great while by his good means the king again forgave and lived
in peace with her, though never more in the same lodgings.

Anon was Tristram sent abroad to France in care of one named Governale.
And there for seven years he learned the language of the land, and all
knightly exercises and gentle crafts, and especially was he foremost in
music and in hunting, and was a harper beyond all others. And when at
nineteen years of age he came back to his father, he was as lusty and
strong of body and as noble of heart as ever man was seen.

Now shortly after his return it befell that King Anguish of Ireland sent
to King Mark of Cornwall for the tribute due to Ireland, but which was now
seven years behindhand. To whom King Mark sent answer, if he would have it
he must send and fight for it, and they would find a champion to fight
against it.

So King Anguish called for Sir Marhaus, his wife's brother, a good knight
o