So Tristram went weeping to where the Queen was bound to the stake; and he cut her bonds with his dagger and set her free.  And he said:  “Lady, thou art free; now go thy way, and may God forgive thee as I do.”  Then the Queen wept also, and said, “Tristram, thou art very good to me.”  And because she was barefoot and in her shift, Tristram took his cloak and wrapped it about her.

[Sidenote:  Tristram departs from Lyonesse] After that, Tristram straightway left Lyonesse, and King Meliadus appointed that a noble and honorable lord of the court, hight Gouvernail, should go with him.  They two went to France, and there they were made very welcome at the court of the King.  So Tristram dwelt in France till he was eighteen years old, and everyone at the court of the King of France loved him and honored him so that he dwelt there as though he were of the blood of France.

During the time that he was in France he became the greatest hunter in the world, and he wrote many books on venery that were read and studied long after he had ceased to live.  Also he became so skilful with the harp that no minstrel in the world was his equal.  And ever he waxed more sturdy of frame and more beautiful of countenance, and more well-taught in all the worship of knighthood.  For during that time he became so wonderfully excellent in arms that there was no one in France who was his equal.

Thus Tristram dwelt at peace in that land for five years, but even he longed for his own home with all the might and main of his heart.  So one day he said to Gouvernail:  “Gouvernail, I cannot deny myself any longer from seeing my father and my own country, for I feel that I must see them or else my heart will certainly break because of its great longing.”  Nor would he listen to anything that Gouvernail might say contrary to this.  So they two took their departure from France, and Tristram travelled as a harper and Gouvernail as his attendant.  Thus they came to Lyonesse in that wise.

[Sidenote:  How Tristram returns to Lyonesse] One day whilst King Meliadus sat at meat, they two came into the hall, and Gouvernail wore a long white beard which altogether disguised him so that no one knew him.  But Tristram shone with such a great radiance of beauty and of youth that all who looked upon him marvelled at him.  And the heart of King Meliadus went out to Tristram very strongly, and he said before all of his court, “Who art thou, fair youth?  And whence comest thou?” To which Tristram made reply:  “Lord, I am a harper, and this is my man, and we have come from France.”  Then King Meliadus said to Tristram:  “Sir, have you seen a youth in France whom men call Tristram?” And Tristram replied, “Yea, I have seen him several times.”  King Meliadus said, “Doth he do well?” “Yea,” said Tristram, “he doeth very well, though at times he is sore oppressed with a great desire for his own country.”  At this King Meliadus turned away his face, for his heart went very strongly out at the thought of his son.  Then by and by he said to Tristram, “Wilt thou play upon thy harp?” And Tristram said, “Yea, if it will please thee to hear me.”  Therewith he took his harp and he set it before him, and he struck the strings and played upon it, and he sang in such a wise that no one who was there had ever heard the like thereof.