Book II · HERZELEIDE, part 4 of 10

¶Then the King of Arragon smote him Uther Pendragon old, From his charger adown on the meadow fell the king of the Bretons bold, 250 And the flowers stood fair around him--Ah! I courteous am I, I trow, Since the Breton before Kanvoleis I lay on such couch alow, Where never the foot of a peasant hath trodden unto this day, Nay, perchance they may never tread there--'tis the truth and no lie I say-- No more might he keep his saddle as he sat on his steed of yore, 255 But his peril his friends forgat not, they fought fiercely the hero o'er.

¶And many a course was ridden; and the king of Punturtois Fell prone in his horse's hoof-tracks on the field before Kanvoleis, And low did he lie behind it--'Twas Gamuret dealt the blow-- 'Ride on, on thy course, thou hero, and tread thy foemen low!' 260 Strife giveth whereon to trample! Then Kailet, his kinsman true, Made the Punturtois his captive, tho' he scarce pierced the mêlée thro'. Brandelidelein was prisoner, and his folk they had lost their king, In his stead another monarch to their host did they captive bring. And hither and thither sped they, the heroes, in armour good, 265 And by blows and by trampling kneaded, of alum I ween their food; And dark on their skin the swellings, and many a gallant knight Might speak, as he knew, of bruises he had won him in hard-fought fight.

¶Now as simple truth I say it, little rest was their portion here, By love were they forced to conflict, many shields with their blazon clear, 270 And many a goodly helmet whose covering the dust should be. And the meadow with flowers was sprinkled, and green turf ye there might see, And there fell on it many a hero, who of honour had won such meed-- More modest were my desiring! 'Twould content me to sit my steed.

¶Then the king of Zassamank rode forth a space from the knightly fray 275 Where a rested steed did wait him, and the diamond he loosed alway, With no thought of pride in the doing, but the breezes blew fresh and cool, And the squires unbound his vizor, and his lips shone so red and full.

¶I have named unto ye a lady--Her chaplain did hither ride, And with him three noble pages, and strong squires were there beside; 280 And pack-horses twain they led there, and the will of their queen they'ld do, She was Lady of France, Anflisé--Her chaplain was wise and true, And straightway he knew the hero, and in French should his greeting be, 'Soit le bien venu, mon beau sire' to my lady as e'en to me, As queen of France she reigneth whom the lance of thy love doth smite, 285 And he gave to his hand a letter, and therein read the gallant knight A greeting fair, and a token it held of a finger-ring-- As pledge of the truth of his mission the chaplain the same must bring His lady of old received it from the hand of the Angevin-- Then he bowed as he saw the letter. Would ye hear what was writ therein? 290

¶'Here biddeth thee love and greeting a heart that hath ne'er been free From grief since it knew thy service--Thy love is both lock and key To my heart, and my heart's rejoicing! For thy love am I like to die, If thy love afar abideth, then all love from my heart shall fly. Come thou, and take from my true hand crown, sceptre, and kingdom fair, 295 It falleth to me as heirdom, and thy love well may claim a share. As payment for this thy service rich presents I send to thee, Four pack-horses' chests well laden--I would thou my knight shouldst be In this the land of the Waleis, 'fore the city of Kanvoleis. I care not if the queen shall see it, small harm may therefrom arise, 300 For fairer am I, and richer, and I think me shall better know To take the love that is proffered, and love in return bestow. Wilt thou live in true love as shall 'seem thee? Then here do I bid thee take My crown as thy love's rewarding--This I pray for my true love's sake.' And no more did he find in the letter--Then his squires once more they drew 305 O'er his head the under-helmet; from Gamuret sorrow flew, And he bound on the helm of diamond, 'twas harder than blade might pierce, For he thought again to prove him, and ride forth to conflict fierce. And the messengers did he bid them to lead to the tent for rest: And he cleared a space around him wherever the conflict pressed. 310

¶This was vanquished, and that one victor--Did a knight o'er-long delay To win to him fame in battle, his chance might he find to-day. Here twain would joust together; in troops would these others ride; And the customs of friendly combat for a space did they lay aside, And sworn brotherhood nothing counted 'fore the strength of fierce anger's might, 315 And the crooked was seldom straightened; nor spake they of knightly right, What they captured they kept, uncaring if another's hate they won, And from many lands had they ridden who with brave hands brave deeds had done,

¶And their hurts but little grieved them. Here Gamuret heard her prayer, And e'en as Anflisé bade him, as her knight to the field would fare; 320 'Twas a letter had brought the tidings--Ah! he giveth his courage rein, Is it love or the lust of battle that driveth him on amain? Great love and strong faith they quicken his strength into life anew. Now see where his shield he beareth, King Lot, that hero true, His foemen to flight had forced him save for Gamuret's strong right hand, 325 His charger in gallant onslaught brake its way thro' the threatening band, And Arragon's king was smitten from his horse with a spear of reed, 'Schaffilor was his name, and the spear-point which thrust him from off his steed Bare never a waving pennon, from paynim lands 'twas brought,' And the knight made the king his captive, tho' his folk they had bravely fought. 330 And the inner force drave the outer far back on the grassy plain. 'Twas a good vesper-play, yea, a Tourney; many spears did they smite in twain--

¶Then Lähelein 'gain wax wrathful, 'Shall our honour be reft away? 'Tis the fault of him of the Anchor! Now one of us twain to-day Shall lay in short space the other on a couch that he liketh ill, 335 For here are they well-nigh victors!' Then they cleared them a space at will, And no child's play it was that combat--In such wise with their hands they wrought That a woodland was well-nigh wasted; and alike from their squires they sought 'New spears! New spears! Bring them hither!' Yet Lähelein he must know Sorrow and shame, for his foeman thrust him down from his horse alow, 340 And he smote him the length of the spear-iron in a shaft of reed made fast, And one read of itself his surety, for the knight to the earth was cast. (Yet better I like to read them, sweet pears on the ground that lie As thick as the knights lay round him! for his was the victory!)