So Gouvernail went to Sir Palamydes and he said:  “Sir, arise, for here is a knight would speak with you!” But Sir Palamydes would not move.  Then Gouvernail touched him with his lance, and said:  “Sir Palamydes, arise and bestir yourself, for here is Sir Tristram come to do battle with you.”  With that, Sir Palamydes awoke from his stupor and arose very slowly and stiffly.  And he gathered up his helmet which was lying beside him and put it upon his head.  Then he took down his shield from where it hung against the wall and he mounted upon his horse, doing all as though he were moving in a dream.

But as soon as he was upon horseback he suddenly aroused himself, for his fierce spirit had come back to him once more.  Then he gnashed his teeth, crying out in a loud voice, “Tristram, this time either thou or I shall perish.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram overcomes Sir Palamydes] Therewith he rushed upon Sir Tristram and smote him so violently that Sir Tristram had much ado to defend himself.  And Sir Palamydes smote him again and again; and with that Sir Tristram smote in return.  And if the blows of Sir Palamydes were terrible, the blows of Sir Tristram were terrible likewise.  Then by and by Sir Tristram smote Sir Palamydes so sore a buffet that the Saracen knight fell down from his horse and was unable immediately to arise.  Then Sir Tristram ran to him and rushed off his helmet and catched him by the hair with intent to cut his head from off his body.

But with that the Lady Belle Isoult came running from out the tower and cried out:  “Tristram, is it thou?  Spare that mistaken knight and have mercy upon him as thou hopest for mercy.”

“Lady,” said Sir Tristram, “for thy sake and at thy bidding I will spare him.”  Then he said to Sir Palamydes, “Arise.”  And Sir Palamydes arose very painfully, and Sir Tristram said:  “Get thee hence, and go to the court of King Arthur and make thy confession to the King and ask him to forgive thee, and if he forgive thee, then also I will forgive thee.”

Therewith Sir Palamydes mounted upon his horse and rode away without speaking another word, his head bowed with sorrow upon his breast for shame and despair.

Then Sir Tristram took the Lady Belle Isoult up behind him on his horse, and he and she and Gouvernail departed from that place.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram brings Belle Isoult back to Cornwall] So Sir Tristram brought the Lady Isoult back to Cornwall, and there he was received with loud praise and great rejoicing, for everybody was glad that Belle Isoult had been brought safely back again.

And now it shall be told what reward Sir Tristram received for this deed of arms.

For, though at first King Mark was greatly beholden to Sir Tristram, that he had thus rescued the Lady Belle Isoult, yet, by little and little, he grew to hate that noble knight more bitterly than ever.  For he heard men say to one another:  “Lo, Sir Tristram is, certes, the very champion of Cornwall, for who is there in this country is his equal?” So King Mark, hearing these things said to himself:  “The more noble Tristram is, the more ignoble will men deem me to be who am under obligations to such an enemy.”  So he would say in his heart, “Yea, Tristram; I hate thee more than death.”