Book II · HERZELEIDE, part 10 of 10

¶So spake the squire, and the Waleis who heard it must weep full sore, 795 Cause hast they enow for sorrow! A living child she bore Who of men was left unaided, Herzeleide the gracious queen, With death the mother battled: her maidens were crazed I ween, Since they thought not to help their lady, for within her womb she bare Him who should be flower of all knighthood, if death did not claim him there. 800 Then there came a wise man ancient to weep with his lady's grief, And he saw how with death she struggled, and he brought to her swift relief; For he forced her teeth asunder, and betwixt her lips they pour Water, and at their tending her senses they came once more. Then she spake, and aloud she mourned him, 'My heart's dearest, Ah! where is he? 805 For in sooth my heart's deepest gladness was in Gamuret's chivalry, Yet his valour of this hath robbed me--Now his mother am I and wife, Tho' far younger was I, for within me do I carry his flesh and life; The love that we bore to each other hath been of such flower the root, And if God shall in truth be faithful, He withholdeth not here the fruit. 810 Already too sore my sorrow for my husband so proud and brave, What ill death hath wrought upon me! Her love never woman gave, But his heart it rejoiced in her gladness, and sad for her grief was he, Thus his true heart it gave him counsel who was aye from all falsehood free.'

¶Now hearken yet more the story how the noble queen must mourn, 815 Within her arms would she hold him, her child who was yet unborn, And she spake, 'Now God send me safely the child of my hero fair, For this is my heart's petition; God keep me from dark despair, 'Twere Gamuret's second slaying if I thought myself to slay While I bear of his love the token who was faithful to me alway!' 820

¶Then careless of who might see her, the robe from her neck she tore, And her fair white breasts she tended with the wisdom of mother-lore, To her rosy lips she pressed them, 'Ah, thou food that shall feed my son, He hath sent thee before his coming who life from my life hath won!'

¶And the queen it nothing vexed her that above her heart it lay 825 The milk that her child should nourish, and softly she spake alway, 'Twas true love that brought thee hither, if I yet unbaptized should be From thee had I won my baptism, and the tears which shall flow so free, And openly and in secret will I mourn for my husband dear!' Then the shift with his life-blood crimsoned she bade them to bring anear, 830 (Thus clad in the Baruch's army had Gamuret lost his life, For he chose him a gallant ending in the turmoil and stress of strife), And then for the spear she prayed them wherewith was her husband slain, From Nineveh's Prince Ipomidon such guerdon he needs must gain. And tho' tattered and hewn to pieces yet the queen fain the shift would wear, 835 As aforetime had been her custom when her lord did from Tourney fare, But her maidens who stood around her they took it from out her hand, And they carried them to the Minster, the highest from out her land, And the spear and the blood they buried as men bury a hero dead, And sorrow and bitter mourning thro' Gamuret's kingdom spread. 840

¶And when fourteen days were ended a babe lay the queen beside, 'Twas a son, and so great and goodly that the mother had well-nigh died.

¶Now 'tis cast the die of the venture, and here doth my tale begin, For now is he born who henceforward this song for his own shall win. And now have ye heard the story of his father, his love and grief, 845 Of his gallant life, and the treason that ended its span so brief; And ye know whence he came, the hero of this tale, and how for long He was hidden from deeds of knighthood, till his youth it waxed bold and strong.

¶When the queen found sight and hearing she was fain on her child to look, And her maidens they bare him to her and the babe in her arms she took; 850 And she saw his limbs soft rounded, and she knew she had born a son, And her maidens with her were joyful that the earth had a man-child won. (As he bare of a man the body, so manly was he of heart, As a smith did he wield the sword-blade till fire from the helm would start) And no joy did she know, the mother, save ever her babe to kiss, 855 And with soft words she spake to him ever, 'Bon fils, Cher fils, Beau fils.'

¶And e'en as herself she bare him, so herself she his nurse would be, At his mother's breast was he nourished who was ever from falsehood free. And she thought she had won her husband by her prayers to her arms again, She all folly forsook, and meekness and truth in her heart did reign. 860

¶And musing spake Herzeleide, 'The queen of Heaven high Gave her breast to the dear Lord Jesu Who a bitter death would die As Man on the cross for man's sake, for thus did His love begin: Who thinketh light of His anger his soul's peace shall hardly win, Tho' he else were brave man and worthy--and this tale do I know for true!' 865 Then the queen of the land she bathed her in heart sorrow's bitter dew, And her eyes on the babe rained tear-drops as soft in her arms it lay, For hers was the way of women, where a true heart holdeth sway; She could laugh and weep together, her heart joyed for her baby's birth, Yet the ford of her bitter sorrow had drowned in short space her mirth. 870