[Sidenote:  King Mark assaults Sir Tristram] And when King Mark reached the bower of the Lady Isoult he flung open the door and found Sir Tristram and the Lady Isoult sitting together in the seat of a deep window.  And he perceived that the Lady Isoult wept and that Sir Tristram’s face was very sorrowful because of her sorrow.  Then King Mark twisted him about and bent double as with a great pain, and then he cried out thrice in a voice very hoarse and loud:  “Traitor!  Traitor!  Traitor!” Saying those words three times.  Therewith he ran at Sir Tristram and struck furiously at him with that sword he held, with intent to slay him.

Now Sir Tristram was at that time altogether without armor and was clad in clothes of scarlet silk.  Accordingly, he was able to be very quick and alert in his movements.  So perceiving King Mark rushing upon him with intent to slay him he leaped aside and so avoided the blow.  Then immediately he rushed in upon King Mark and catched him by the wrist and wrenched the sword out of his hand.

Then Sir Tristram was blinded with his rage and might have slain his uncle, but the Lady Isoult, beholding the fury in his face, shrieked in a very piercing voice, “Forbear!  Forbear!” And therewith he remembered him how that King Mark was his mother’s brother and that it was his hand that had made him a knight.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram beats King Mark] So he turned the sword in his hand and he smote King Mark with the flat thereof again and again, and at those blows King Mark was filled with terror so that he howled like a wild beast.  And King Mark fled away from that place, striving to escape, but Sir Tristram ever pursued him, grinding his teeth like a wild boar in rage, and smiting the King as he ran, over and over again, with the flat of the sword so that the whole castle was filled with the tumult and uproar of that assault.

Then many of the knights of Cornwall came running with intent to defend the King, and with them came Sir Andred.  But when Sir Tristram saw them, his rage suddenly left the King and went out toward them; so therewith, naked of armor as he was, he rushed at them, and he struck at them so fiercely that they were filled with the terror of his fury, and fled away from before his face.  And Sir Tristram chased them through the courts of the castle, striking right and left until he was weary with striking, and many he struck down with the fierceness of his blows, and amongst them was Sir Andred who was sorely wounded.  So after a while Sir Tristram grew weary of that battle, and he cried out, “Certes, these are not knights, but swine!” And therewith he ceased striking, and allowed those who could do so to escape.

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram departs from Tintagel] Thereafter he went to his chamber and armed himself without summoning Gouvernail, and after that he took horse and rode away altogether from that place.  And not even Gouvernail went with him, but only his favorite hound, hight Houdaine, which same followed him into the forest as he rode thitherward.  And in his going Sir Tristram looked neither to the right nor to the left but straight before him very proudly and haughtily, and no one dared to stay him in his going.