_How Sir Tristram departed from Tintagil, and how he sorrowed, and was
so long in a forest till he was out of his mind._
Then Sir Tristram dread sore lest he were discovered unto the king that
he was there, wherefore he drew him to the strength of the tower, and
armed him in such armour as he had, for to fight with them that would
withstand him. And so when Sir Tristram saw there was no resistance
against him, he sent Gouvernail for his horse and for his spear, and
knightly he rode forth out of the castle openly that was called the
castle of Tintagil. And even at the gate he met with Gingalin, Sir
Gawaine’s son. And anon Sir Gingalin put his spear in his rest, and ran
upon Sir Tristram, and brake his spear, and Sir Tristram at that time
had but a sword, and gave him such a buffet upon the helm that he fell
down from his saddle, and his sword slid down and carved asunder his
horse neck. And so Sir Tristram rode his way into the forest, and all
this doing saw king Mark. And then he sent a squire unto the hurt
knight, and commanded him to come to him, and so he did. And when king
Mark wist that it was Sir Gingalin, he welcomed him, and gave him a
horse, and asked him what knight it was that had encountered with him.
Sir, said Sir Gingalin, I wot not what knight he was, but well I wot
that he sigheth, and maketh great dole. Then Sir Tristram within a
while met with a knight of his own, that hight Sir Fergus. And when he
had met with him he made great sorrow, insomuch that he fell down off
his horse in a swoon, and in such sorrow he was in three days and three
nights. Then at the last Sir Tristram sent unto the court by Sir
Fergus, for to ask what tidings. And so as he rode by the way he met
with a damsel that came from Sir Palamides, to know and seek how Sir
Tristram did. Then Sir Fergus told her how he was almost out of his
mind. Alas, said the damsel, where shall I find him? In such a place,
said Sir Fergus. Then Sir Fergus found queen Isoud sick in her bed,
making the greatest dole that ever any earthly woman made. And when the
damsel found Sir Tristram, she made great dole because she might not
amend him; for the more she made of him the more was his pain. And at
the last Sir Tristram took his horse and rode away from her. And then
was it three days or that she could find him, and then she brought him
meat and drink, but he would none. And then another time Sir Tristram
escaped away from the damsel, and it happed him to ride by the same
castle where Sir Palamides and Sir Tristram did battle when La Beale
Isoud departed them. And there by fortune the damsel met with Sir
Tristram again, making the greatest dole that ever earthly creature
made, and she went to the lady of that castle, and told her of the
misadventure of Sir Tristram. Alas, said the lady of that castle, where
is my lord Sir Tristram? Right here by your castle, said the damsel. In
good time, said the lady, is he so nigh me: he shall have meat and
drink of the best, and a harp I have of his whereupon he taught
me,—for of goodly harping he beareth the prize in the world. So this
lady and the damsel brought him meat and drink, but he eat little
thereof. Then upon a night he put his horse from him, and then he
unlaced his armour, and then Sir Tristram would go into the wilderness,
and brast down the trees and boughs; and otherwhile, when he found the
harp that the lady sent him, then would he harp and play thereupon and
weep together. And sometime when Sir Tristram was in the wood, that the
lady wist not where he was, then would she sit her down and play upon
that harp: then would Sir Tristram come to that harp and hearken
thereto, and sometime he would harp himself. Thus he there endured a
quarter of a year. Then at the last he ran his way, and she wist not
where he was become. And then was he naked, and waxed lean and poor of
flesh, and so he fell into the fellowship of herdmen and shepherds, and
daily they would give him of their meat and drink. And when he did any
shrewd deed they would beat him with rods, and so they clipped him with
shears and made him like a fool.