“As for that,” said Palomides, “I dare well abide the adventure.” And he took Queen Isoude by the hand, and led her away. Anon King Marke sent for Sir Tristram; but he could not be found, for he was hunting in the forest. Then a knight of Sir Tristram’s named Sir Lambegus proffered to go and essay the rescue of the queen. He followed after Palomides, and challenged him, and they fought a strong battle; but at the last Sir Palomides smote down Sir Lambegus, so that he lay as if dead. But while they were fighting, the queen had run away into the forest. She came to a well, and was going to drown herself in it; but a knight named Sir Andret that had a castle thereby prevented her, and took her into his castle. When he knew what had happened, he armed him, and went out to seek Sir Palomides, to avenge the queen. So he met Palomides, who fought with him, wounded him well-nigh to death, and forced him to say where the queen was. So Palomides rode to the castle; but Isoude saw him coming, and caused all the gates to be shut fast. When Palomides found that he could not gain entrance, he put his horse to pasture, and sat down at the gate raging like a man that had lost his wits.
In the meanwhile, Sir Tristram had come home from hunting, and learned how Sir Palomides had taken away the queen. “Alas!” he cried, “this day am I shamed, for well I know that Sir Lambegus hath not might to withstand Sir Palomides.” He armed as quickly as he might, and followed after them. From Sir Andret, whom he found sore wounded, he learned all that had happened, and that Isoude was safe within his castle. So he thanked that knight much, and rode on till he came to the castle, and there he saw Palomides sleeping at the gate. So he sent Govemale to say that his mortal enemy, Tristram, was there. When Govemale had delivered that message, Sir Palomides arose without saying a word, took his horse and his spear, and ran at Sir Tristram, who smote him over his horse’s tail. Then they took to their swords, and both fought eagerly, for it was for the love of the same lady; and Isoude sat within, and watched them fight. But ever Palomides got the worse, and Queen Isoude said to herself, “Well, I know that by the end Sir Palomides will be but a dead knight, and because he is not yet christened I am loath that he should die a Saracen.” So she came out of the castle, and implored Sir Tristram to fight no more.
“Madam,” he cried, “what mean you? Will you have me shamed? You know well I will be ruled by you.”
“I wish not your dishonour,” answered the queen; “but I ask that for my sake you spare this unhappy Saracen Sir Palomides.”
“Madam,” said Tristram, “at your bidding I will leave fighting for this time.”
“This,” she said to Palomides, “shall be your charge, that you quit this country while I am within it.”
“I will obey your bidding,” answered Palomides, “but sorely against my will.”
“Take then thy way to the court of King Arthur,” said the queen, “and commend me to Queen Guenever, and tell her I send her word that there are in this land but four true lovers—Lancelot du Lake and Guenever and Tristram and Isoude.”
So Sir Palomides departed sadly, and Sir Tristram took home the queen, who was joyfully received by King Marke. Then for a while Tristram was much honoured and cherished at court; but ere long the king grew very suspicious of his love for Queen Isoude; and one day, as they were talking in a window-place, he suddenly drew his sword, and ran at Tristram to take his life, calling him a false traitor. Tristram caught the sword from him, and smote him five or six times on the back with the flat of it, so that he fell on his face. Then he and his knights went into the forest, and waged such warfare against King Marke’s knights that the king was glad to make friendship with him again. So for a time all went smoothly; and the king held a jousting in the forest, to the which came Sir Lamoracke de Galis, who was one of the best knights of the world, and he did mightily, overthrowing thirty knights. Then King Marke asked Sir Tristram to joust with Sir Lamoracke. That he was loath to do, because, he said, both the knight and his horse were tired, and it would be shame to rob him of the worship he had gained. The king, however, required him to joust; so with no good will he rode forth. Sir Lamoracke met him mightily, but his horse was so wearied that with the force of their meeting it fell to the ground, Sir Lamoracke still keeping his seat in the saddle. Then Lamoracke was wroth, and required Sir Tristram to fight on foot; but Sir Tristram would not, and said he had only jousted with him because he was so commanded. But his refusal only made Sir Lamoracke the more angry, and he swore to be quits with Sir Tristram.
Shortly afterward Sir Lamoracke met a knight of Morgan le Fay that was going to King Arthur’s court with a magic drinkinghorn that Morgan had contrived to shame Queen Guenever and Sir Lancelot; for it was of such kind that any wife who did not love her husband best could not drink from it without spilling. When Sir Lamoracke understood the virtue of the horn, he made the knight bear it to King Marke’s court to spite Sir Tristram. The king made his queen Isoude and a hundred ladies of his court drink from it, and very few of them drank clean. Then was the king angered, and swore that the queen and the ladies who had failed should be burned. But his barons plainly said they would not suffer it. Sir Tristram was wroth at Sir Lamoracke because he had sent the horn. And he had cause, for soon fresh quarrels arose between him and the king; and at the last he was driven from the country, and Queen Isoude shut in a close prison. Sir Tristram went to Brittany, and fought in the wars there, and had many adventures; but after a while he returned to Britain to seek Isoude. There he met Sir Lamoracke sitting by a well, and they had a great battle together; but neither could prevail, so they swore friendship together, and that neither of them should fight against the other. Then both of them chanced to meet Sir Palomides, who at that time had taken up the quest of following a strange and dreadful beast that was called the questing-beast. It had a head and neck like a serpent, a body like a leopard, and legs and feet like a deer, and the noise it made was like the cry or questing of thirty couples of hounds. It was while he was seeking this beast that Sir Palomides met Sir Lamoracke and Sir Tristram; and there with one spear he smote them both down; which shows that sometimes the worse knight may put the better knight to reproach.