Then there came a great content into the heart of Sir Tristram, wherefore he said to Gouvernail:  “Gouvernail, either I shall soon be healed of this wound, or else I shall presently die and enter into Paradise free of pain, for I am become very full of content and of peace toward all men.”  And then he said:  “Bring me hither my harp, that I may play upon it a little, for I have a desire to chant in this pleasant evening-time.”

[Sidenote:  Sir Tristram sings] So Gouvernail brought to Sir Tristram his shining harp, and when Sir Tristram had taken it into his hands he tuned it, and when he had tuned it he struck it and sang; and, because of the stillness of the evening, his voice sounded marvellously clear and sweet across the level water, so that those who stood upon the castle walls and heard it thought that maybe an angel was singing on board of that ship.

That time the Lady Belle Isoult sat at the window of her bower enjoying the pleasantness of the evening.  She also heard Sir Tristram singing, and she said to those damsels who were with her, “Ha, what is that I hear?” Therewith she listened for a little while, and then she said:  “Meseems that must be the voice of some angel that is singing.”  They say:  “Nay, Lady, it is a wounded knight singing, and he came to this harbor in a wonderful ship some while ago.”  Then the Lady Belle Isoult said to a page who was in attendance:  “Bid the King and Queen come hither, that they may hear this singing also, for never did I think to hear such singing beyond the walls of Paradise.”

So the page ran with all speed, and in a little the King and Queen came to the bower of the Lady Belle Isoult; and she and they leaned upon the window-ledge and listened to Sir Tristram whilst he sang in the soft twilight.  Then by and by King Angus said:  “Now I will have yonder minstrel brought thither to this castle to do us pleasure, for I believe that he must be the greatest minstrel in all the world to sing in that wise.”  And the Lady Belle Isoult said:  “I pray you, sir, do so, for it would be great joy to everybody to have such singing as that in this place.”

So King Angus sent a barge to that ship, and besought that he who sang should be brought to the castle.  At that Sir Tristram was very glad, for he said:  “Now I shall be brought to the Lady the Belle Isoult and maybe she will heal me.”  So he had them bare him to the barge of the King of Ireland, and so they brought him to the castle of King Angus, where they laid him upon a bed in a fair room of the castle.

[Sidenote:  King Angus cometh to Tristram] Then King Angus came to Sir Tristram where he lay, and he said:  “Messire what can I do for you to put you more at your ease than you are?” “Lord,” said Sir Tristram, “I pray you to permit the Lady Belle Isoult to search a great wound in my side that I received in battle.  For I hear that she is the most skilful leech in all the world, and so I have come hither from a great distance, being in such pain and dole from my grievous hurt that I shall die in a little while unless it be healed.”