Book II · HERZELEIDE, part 5 of 10

¶And the cry arose from many who had fallen in joust before, 345 'Fly! Fly! For the Anchor cometh!' Then a knight towards him bore, (A prince of the Angevin country) and grief was his comrade true, For he bare a shield inverted, and sorrow it taught anew To the King, for the badge he knew it--Ah! why did he turn aside? If ye will, I the truth will tell ye, 'twas given in royal pride 350 By Galoes the son of Gandein, Gamuret's brother true, Ere Love this guerdon gave him that the hero in joust she slew.

¶Then he loosed from his head the helmet: nor thro' grass, nor thro' dust and sand Did he make him a way to the conflict, but he yielded to grief's command; And his thoughts within him battled, that he sought not ere this to hear 355 From Kailet, his friend and kinsman, how it fared with his brother dear That he came not here to the Tourney--Alas! tho' he knew it not, He had fallen before Monthorie--Sore sorrow was there his lot, For to anguish did love constrain him, the love of a noble queen; For his loss had she grieved so sorely that death had her portion been. 360

¶And tho' sorely Gamuret sorrowed, yet had he in half a day So many spear-shafts broken, were it Tourney indeed this fray Then had he a woodland wasted. Did I think me to count each spear One hundred in fight had he shattered, each blazoned with colours clear-- But the heralds, they won his pennons, in sooth were they theirs of right-- 365 Then toward the fair pavilion he turned him, the gallant knight. And the Waleis squire rode after; and his was the coat so fair, All pierced and hewn with sword-thrust, which he did to his lady bear; And yet with gold was it precious, and it shone with a fiery glow, And right well might ye see its richness. Then joy did the queen's heart know, 370 And she spake, 'A fair woman sent thee, with this knight, to this distant land! Now, courteous, I must bethink me lest these heroes ashamed shall stand Who have risked their fate in this venture--goodwill unto all I bear, For all do I count my kinsmen, since Adam's flesh we share, Yet Gamuret's hand, I think me, the highest prize hath won.' 375 But by wrath constrained they battled till the shadows of night drew on, And the inner host the outer by force to their tents had brought, Save for Askalon's king and Morhold thro' the camp they their way had fought.

¶Some were winners, and some were losers, and many sore shame had earned, While others won praise and honour. Then the foe from each other turned, 380 Here no man might see--He who holdeth the stakes, if no light he show, Who would cast the dice in the darkness? To such sport were the weary slow!

¶Men well might forget the darkness where Gamuret did abide, 'Twas as day--That in sooth it was not, but light shone on every side From many small tapers clustered. There, laid on the olive wood, 385 Was many a costly cushion, and by each couch a carpet good. Then the queen, she rode to the doorway with many a maid of rank, For fain would they see, those ladies, the brave king of Zassamank.

¶Many wearied knights thronged after--The cloth had they borne away Ere she came to the fair pavilion; then the host he uprose straightway, 390 And the monarchs four his captives (and many a prince was there), And she welcomed him with due honour, and she saw him, and deemed him fair. Then glad spake the queen of the Waleis, 'Thou art host where we twain do stand, And I, even so I think me, am hostess o'er all this land, If thou deem it well I should kiss thee, such kiss seemeth good to me!' 395 'Thy kiss shall be mine if these heroes, e'en as I, shall be kissed by thee, But if princes and kings must forego it, 'twere unfit I such boon should crave!' 'Yea, e'en as thou wilt, so be it, tho' ne'er saw I these heroes brave!' Then she kissed, e'en as Gamuret prayed her, these princes of noble line, And he prayed her to sit, and beside her sat the King Brandelidelein! 400

¶Then lightly they strewed, o'er the carpet, green rushes yet wet with dew, And he sat him down upon them whose presence brought joy anew To the gracious queen of the Waleis; and love did her soul constrain, And as Gamuret sat before her his hand did she clasp again, And she drew him once more towards her, and she set him her seat beside. 405 No wife was she, but a maiden, from whose hand did such grace betide. Would ye know the name they called her? Herzeleide the queen was she, (And her cousin was hight Rischoydè, King Kailet should her husband be, And he was Gamuret's cousin), and so radiant the queen, and bright, That e'en though they quenched the tapers, in her presence 'twould still be light! 410 (Were it not that a mighty sorrow his joy which aloft would fly Had beaten to earth, I think me he had wooed her right readily.)

¶And courteous they spake to each other: then cup-bearers drew anigh, And from Assagog the vessels, and their cost might no man deny; And noble pages bare them, many costly bowls and fair, 415 Of precious jewels wroughten, and wide, none too small, they were, And none of them all were golden--'twas the tribute of that fair land, Which Eisenhart oft had proffered, when love's need nerved his knightly hand. And the drink unto each they proffered in many a coloured stone, And of emerald some, and of sardius, and of ruby some wrought alone. 420

¶Then there drew near to his pavilion two knights who their word must swear, (To the outer host were they captive and from thence to the town would fare.) And one of them was King Kailet; and he looked upon Gamuret, And he saw him sit heavy-hearted, and he spake, 'Dost thou sorrow yet For all men they own thy valour; Herzeleide and kingdoms twain 425 Hast thou won, and all tongues have said it, to thy praises all men are fain, Be they Britons or men of Ireland--Who speaketh with foreign tongue, If France be their land, or Brabant, with one voice they thy praise have sung, That none here both skill and wisdom in strife like to thine have shown. True letter it is I read thee! No slumber thy strength hath known, 430 When these knights thou hast put in peril who surety ne'er sware of old, Brandelidelein the monarch, and Lähelein, hero bold; And Hardeiss and King Schaffilor; yea, and Rassalig the Moor, Whom thine hand before Patelamunt o'erthrew and he surety swore, Such lesson thou there didst teach him--Yea, this doth thy fame desire 435 That with every coming conflict it broader shall wax and higher.'