Having arrived in the neighborhood of Camelot, Mark imparted his plan to his two knights, but they rejected it with horror; nay, more, they declared that they would no longer remain in his service; and left him, giving him reason to suppose that they should repair to the court to accuse him before Arthur.  It was necessary for Mark to meet and rebut their accusation; so, leaving Isoude in an abbey, he pursued his way alone to Camelot.

Mark had not ridden far when he encountered a party of knights of Arthur’s court, and would have avoided them, for he knew their habit of challenging to a just every stranger knight whom they met.  But it was too late.  They had seen his armor, and recognized him as a Cornish knight, and at once resolved to have some sport with him.  It happened they had with them Daguenet, King Arthur’s fool, who, though deformed and weak of body, was not wanting in courage.  The knights as Mark approached laid their plan that Daguenet should personate Sir Launcelot of the Lake, and challenge the Cornish knight.  They equipped him in armor belonging to one of their number who was ill, and sent him forward to the cross-road to defy the strange knight.  Mark, who saw that his antagonist was by no means formidable in appearance, was not disinclined to the combat; but when the dwarf rode towards him, calling out that he was Sir Launcelot of the Lake, his fears prevailed, he put spurs to his horse, and rode away at full speed, pursued by the shouts and laughter of the party.

Meanwhile Isoude, remaining at the abbey with her faithful Brengwain, found her only amusement in walking occasionally in a forest adjoining the abbey.  There, on the brink of a fountain girdled with trees, she thought of her love, and sometimes joined her voice and her harp in lays reviving the memory of its pains or pleasures.  One day the caitiff knight, Breuse the Pitiless, heard her voice, concealed himself, and drew near.  She sang: 

    “Sweet silence, shadowy bower, and verdant lair,
       Ye court my troubled spirit to repose,
     Whilst I, such dear remembrance rises there,
       Awaken every echo with my woes

    “Within these woods, by nature’s hand arrayed,
       A fountain springs, and feeds a thousand flowers;
    Ah! how my groans do all its murmurs aid! 
       How my sad eyes do swell it with their showers!

    “What doth my knight the while? to him is given
       A double meed; in love and arms’ emprise,
    Him the Round Table elevates to heaven! 
       Tristram! ah me! he hears not Isoude’s cries.”

Breuse the Pitiless, who like most other caitiffs had felt the weight of Tristram’s arm, and hated him accordingly, at hearing his name breathed forth by the beautiful songstress, impelled by a double impulse, rushed forth from his concealment and laid hands on his victim.  Isoude fainted, and Brengwain filled the air with her shrieks.  Breuse carried Isoude to the place where he had left his horse; but the animal had got away from his bridle, and was at some distance.  He was obliged to lay down his fair burden, and go in pursuit of his horse.  Just then a knight came up, drawn by the cries of Brengwain, and demanded the cause of her distress.  She could not speak, but pointed to her mistress lying insensible on the ground.