ome in her presence. Then he pulled up his shield that
erst hung full low. And then he dressed up his shield unto Elias, and
gave him many sad strokes, twenty against one, and all to-brake his
shield and his hauberk, that the hot blood ran down to the earth. Then
began King Mark to laugh, and all Cornish men, and that other party to
weep. And ever Sir Tristram said to Sir Elias: Yield thee.

Then when Sir Tristram saw him so staggering on the ground, he said: Sir
Elias, I am right sorry for thee, for thou art a passing good knight as
ever I met withal, except Sir Launcelot. Therewithal Sir Elias fell to
the earth, and there died. What shall I do, said Sir Tristram unto King
Mark, for this battle is at an end? Then they of Elias' party departed,
and King Mark took of them many prisoners, to redress the harms and the
scathes that he had of them; and the remnant he sent into their country
to borrow out their fellows. Then was Sir Tristram searched and well
healed. Yet for all this King Mark would fain have slain Sir Tristram.
But for all that ever Sir Tristram saw or heard by King Mark, yet would
he never beware of his treason, but ever he would be thereas La Beale
Isoud was.

CHAPTER XXXI. How at a great feast that King Mark made an harper came
and sang the lay that Dinadan had made.

NOW will we pass of this matter, and speak we of the harpers that Sir
Launcelot and Sir Dinadan had sent into Cornwall. And at the great
feast that King Mark made for joy that the Sessoins were put out of his
country, then came Eliot the harper with the lay that Dinadan had made
and secretly brought it unto Sir Tristram, and told him the lay that
Dinadan had made by King Mark. And when Sir Tristram heard it, he said:
O Lord Jesu, that Dinadan can make wonderly well and ill, thereas it
shall be. Sir, said Eliot, dare I sing this song afore King Mark? Yea,
on my peril, said Sir Tristram, for I shall be thy warrant. Then at the
meat came in Eliot the harper, and because he was a curious harper men
heard him sing the same lay that Dinadan had made, the which spake the
most villainy by King Mark of his treason that ever man heard.

When the harper had sung his song to the end King Mark was wonderly
wroth, and said: Thou harper, how durst thou be so bold on thy head to
sing this song afore me. Sir, said Eliot, wit you well I am a minstrel,
and I must do as I am commanded of these lords that I bear the arms of.
And sir, wit ye well that Si