Book I · GAMURET, part 7 of 11

¶'I looked not to find such welcome as, Lady, thou gavest me, Too much must I deem the honour! If rede I might give to thee, Then to-day I had claimed naught from thee save was due to my worth alone, 525 Nor adown the hill hadst thou ridden, nor such service to me hadst shown. And, Lady, if I may venture to make unto thee request, Let me live but as best befits me, thou dost honour o'ermuch thy guest!'

¶Yet her kindly care she stayed not; for she stept to his page's seat And with gentle words and friendly she prayed them to freely eat, 530 This she did her guest to honour: and the noble lads, I trow, Bare goodwill to the royal lady. Nor the queen methinks was slow To pass where the host was seated and his lady, the Burg-gravine, And she raised the golden goblet, and she spake as should fit a queen: 'Now unto your care I give him, our guest, and I rede ye both 535 Since the honour is yours, to hearken, and do my will nothing loth!' And she bade them farewell, and she turned her, and passed to her guest once more, Whose heart for her sake was heavy; and such sorrow for him she bore, And her heart and her eyes they answered, and they spake to her sorrow yea! And courteous she spake, the lady, 'Sir Knight, thou the word shalt say, 540 And whate'er be thy will, I will do it, for I hold thee a worthy guest. Now give me, I pray, dismissal; if here thou in peace shalt rest, Of that shall we all be joyful.' Her torch-holders were of gold, And four tapers they bare before her, so she rode to her fortress-hold.

¶Nor long at the board they lingered--The hero was sad, and gay, 545 He was glad for the honour done him, yet a sorrow upon him lay, And that was strong Love's compelling, that a proud heart and courage high Can bend to her will, and gladness shall oft at her bidding fly.

¶Then the hostess she passed to her chamber, yea, e'en as the meal was o'er; And a couch did they spread for the hero, and love to the labour bore. 550 And the host to his guest spake kindly, 'Now here shall thy sleep be sweet, Thou shalt rest thro' the night that cometh, to thy need shall such rest be meet.' Then he spake to his men, and he bade them they should hence from the hall away, And the noble youths his pages, their couches around his lay Each one with the head toward his master, for so was the custom good; 555 And tapers so tall and flaming alight round the chamber stood. Yet ill did it please the hero that so long were the hours of night, For the Moorish queen so dusky, had vanquished his heart of might. And he turned as a willow wand bendeth, till his joints they were heard to crack, The strife and the love that he craved for he deemed he o'er-long did lack. 560 And his heart-beats they echoed loudly, as it swelled high for knighthood fain, And he stretched himself as an archer who bendeth a bow amain. And so eager his lust for battle that sleepless the hero lay Till he saw the grey light of morning, though as yet it should scarce be day. And his chaplain for Mass was ready, and to God and the knight they sing, 565 For so did he give commandment. Then he bade them his harness bring,

¶And he rode where a joust should wait him, and that self-same hour would ride A horse that could charge the foeman, and turn swiftly to either side, And answer to bit and bridle if its rider would backward draw. And the watchers, both man and woman, his helm in the gateway saw, 570 And the anchor shone fair upon it; and no man ere this might see So wondrous fair a hero, for like to a god was he!

¶And strong spears they bare for his using--How then was he decked, the knight? With iron was his charger covered, as should serve for a shield in fight, And above lay another covering, nor heavy methinks it weighed, 575 'Twas a samite green; and his surcoat and blazoned coat were made Of Achmardi, green to look on, and in Araby fashioned fair, And no lie I tell, but the shield-thongs that the weight of the shield should bear Were of silk and gold untarnished, and jewel-bedecked their pride, And the boss of the shield was covered with red gold, in the furnace tried. 580 He served but for love's rewarding; sharp conflict he held it light; And the queen she looked from her window, with many a lady bright. And see, there Heuteger held him, who the prize ne'er had failed to gain; When he saw the knight draw nearer, in swift gallop across the plain, He thought, 'Now whence came this Frenchman? Who hither this knight hath sent? 585 If a Moor I had thought this hero, my wit were to madness bent!'

¶No whit they delayed the onslaught, from gallop to swifter flight Each man spurred amain his charger; and as fitting a valiant knight Nor one would evade the other, but would meet him in jousting fair, From brave Heuteger's spear the splinters flew high thro' the summer air, 590 But his foeman so well withstood him that he thrust him from off his steed Adown on the grass; but seldom might he win for his joust such meed! And his foe in his course rode o'er him, and trode him unto the ground, Yet he sprang up again, and valiant, fresh lust for the strife he found, But Gamuret's lance had pierced him thro' the arm, and he bade him yield, 595 And he knew he had found his master, and he spake from the foughten field, 'Now who shall have o'erthrown me?' and the victor he swiftly spake, 'Gamuret Angevin do men call me!' then he quoth, 'Thou my pledge canst take!'

¶Then his pledge the knight took, and straightway he sent him within the wall, And much praise did he win from the women who looked from the castle hall. 600 And swiftly there came towards him, Gaschier of Normandy, A proud and wealthy hero and mighty in strife was he. And Gamuret made him ready, for a second joust he'ld ride, And strong and new was his spear-shaft, and the iron was both sharp and wide, And the strangers they faced each other--But unequal their lot, I trow, 605 For Gaschier and his gallant charger full swiftly were they laid low, And the knight with his arms and harness he fell in the shock of strife; If he thought it for good or for evil, by his pledge must he win his life.