So spake Sir Tristram, promising them much for to comfort them a little.

As to that treasure he spake of, ye shall immediately be told how it was.  For when Sir Tristram had summoned the treasurer of that place, he brought Sir Tristram down into the vaults of the castle and there he beheld seven strong chests bolted and locked.  Then Sir Tristram summoned the locksmith of that castle; and the smith came and burst open the chests; and lo! the eyes of all were astonished and bedazzled with the treasure which they therewith beheld; for in those chests was heaped an incalculable treasure of gold and silver and precious gems of many divers sorts.

And besides this treasure, you are to know that they found in that vault many bales of cloths—­some of silk and velvet, and some of tissues of cloth of gold and silver; and they found many precious ornaments, and many fine suits of armor, and many other valuable things.  For in several years Sir Nabon had gathered all that treasure in toll from those ships that had sailed past that land.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram divides the treasure amongst the captives] All this treasure Sir Tristram had them bring forth into the light of day, and he divided it into seven equal parcels.  Then he said to those sad, sorrowful captives:  “Look!  See! all this shall be yours for to comfort ye!  Take each of you one parcel and depart hence in joy!” Then all they were greatly astonished at Sir Tristram’s generosity, and they said:  “Lord, how is this?  Do you not then take any of this treasure for yourself?”

To them Sir Tristram made reply:  “Nay, why should I take it?  I am not sad, nor sick, nor troubled at heart as you poor captives are.  All this I have taken for to comfort you, and not for to satisfy my own covetousness.  So let each take his share of it and see that ye all use it in comfort and peace and for the advantage of other men and women who are in trouble as ye have been.  For, as hitherto this treasure hath been used for evil purpose, so shall it be henceforth that it shall be used to good purpose.”

So there was great rejoicing amongst all those poor people who had been so sad and sorrowful before.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram appoints Sir Segwarides governor of the castle] Now, after all this had been settled, Sir Tristram cast about how he might put that land under good government upon behalf of the Lady Loise.  To this intent he chose from amongst those captives whom he had liberated a certain very worthy honorable knight of Cornwall hight Sir Segwarides.  Him Sir Tristram appointed to be governor of that island, giving him liberty to rule it as he chose saving only that he should do homage to the Lady Loise as lady paramount.  And Sir Tristram ordained that Sir Segwarides should pay tribute to that lady every year such an amount as should be justly determined upon betwixt them.  For Sir Tristram wist that some strong worthy knight should rule that island, or else, from its position, it might again some time fall from the Lady Loise’s possession into the hands of such an evil and malignant overlord as Sir Nabon had been.