[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram asks his boon] “Lord,” cried out Sir Tristram, “the favor is one I had liever die than ask.  It is this:  that you give me your daughter, the Lady Belle Isoult, for wife unto mine uncle, King Mark of Cornwall.”

Upon these words, King Angus sat in silence for a long while, gazing very strangely upon Sir Tristram.  Then by and by he said:  “Messire, this is a very singular thing you ask of me; for from what you said to me aforetime and from what you said to my daughter I had thought that you desired the Lady Belle Isoult for yourself.  Now I can in no wise understand why you do not ask for her in your name instead of asking for her in the name of King Mark.”

Then Sir Tristram cried out as in great despair:  “Messire, I love that dear lady a great deal more than I love my life; but in this affair I am fulfilling a pledge made upon the honor of my knighthood and unto the King of Cornwall, who himself made me knight.  For I pledged him unaware, and now I am paying for my hastiness.  Yet I would God that you might take the sword which you hold in your hand and thrust it through my heart; for I had liefer die than fulfil this obligation to which I am pledged.”

“Well,” said King Angus, “you know very well that I will not slay you, but that I will fulfil your boon as I have promised.  As for what you do in this affair, you must answer for it to God and to the honor of your own knighthood whether it is better to keep that promise which you made to the King of Cornwall or to break it.”

Then Sir Tristram cried out again in great travail of soul:  “Lord, you know not what you say, nor what torments I am at this present moment enduring.”  And therewith he arose and went forth from that place, for he was ashamed that anyone should behold the passion that moved him.

And now is to be told of that famous battle betwixt Sir Tristram and Sir Blamor de Ganys of which so much hath been written in all the several histories of chivalry that deal with these matters.

Now when the next morning had come—­clear and fair and with the sun shining wonderfully bright—­a great concourse of people began to betake themselves to that place where the lists had been set up in preparation for that ordeal of battle.  That place was on a level meadow of grass very fair bedight with flowers and not far from the walls of the town nor from the high road that led to the gate of the same.

[Sidenote:  Of the meadow of battle] And, indeed, that was a very beautiful place for battle, for upon the one hand was the open countryside, all gay with spring blossoms and flowers; and upon the other hand were the walls of the town.  Over above the top of those walls was to be seen a great many tall towers—­some built of stone and some of brick—­that rose high up into the clear, shining sky all full of slow-drifting clouds, that floated, as it were, like full-breasted swans in a sea of blue.  And beyond the walls of the town you might behold a great many fair houses with bright windows of glass all shining against the sky.  So you may see how fair was all that place, where that fierce battle was presently to be fought.