Book II · HERZELEIDE, part 6 of 10

¶'The queen sure will deem thou ravest, if in this wise thou praisest me, Yet I think not that thou shalt sell me, since the buyer the flaw shall see; Thy mouth is o'er-full of praises! Say, how hast thou come again?' 'The worthy folk of Punturtois, this knight from fair Champagne 440 And myself have loosed, and Morhold who this nephew hath stolen of mine Will set him free, if on thy part thou wilt free Brandelidelein; Otherwise are we captive to them, both I and my sister's son, But such grace thou wilt surely show us--Here such vesper-play was run That it cometh not to a Tourney this while before Kanvoleis, 445 And in sooth do I know how it standeth! Here sit they before mine eyes, The strength of the outer army--now speak, tell me when and how They could hold the field against us? Much fame hast thou won, I trow!'

¶Then the queen she spake to the hero from a true heart full tenderly, 'Whate'er be my claim upon thee, I pray thee to let it be. 450 I were fain of thy service worthy--If here I my right shall claim, And thine honour thereby be tarnished, I will leave thee nor mar thy fame!'

¶Then he sprang to his feet, the chaplain of Anflisé the wise and fair, And he quoth, 'Nay, my queen doth claim him, at her will to this land I fare. For his love hath she sent me hither, for his love she afar doth pine, 455 And her love layeth claim upon him and hers shall he be, not thine. O'er all women I ween doth she love him: here as messengers hath she sent Three princes, lads free from falsehood; and the one is hight Lazident Of noble birth from Greenland, and in Kärlingen doth he dwell, And his own hath he made the language; and the second his name I'll tell, 460 Liodarz he, a count his father, and Schyolarz was he hight. And who was the third? Will ye hearken, his kinship I'll tell aright: Belleflur she hath been his mother, Pansamur was his father's name, Liahturteltart they called him, of the race of the fays he came. Then they ran all three before him, and they spake, 'Wouldst thy fortune prove? 465 (The queen of France doth proffer the chance of a worthy love.) Thou shalt play the game, and never a pledge shall be asked from thee, Nor thy joy be to sorrow forfeit, as it waxeth still fair and free!'

¶Then e'en while they spake their errand Kailet he had ta'en his seat 'Neath a fold of the royal mantle, and she spake to him low and sweet, 470 'Now say, hath worse harm befallen? Methinks I the wounds have seen?' In that same hour his wounds and bruises she sought out, the gracious queen, With her white hands so small and shapely, which their wisdom from God must win, And sore was he cut and wounded on nose and on cheek and chin. He had won for his wife the cousin of the queen who such honour fair 475 Would show him, herself would she tend him, and her hands for his hurts should care.

¶Then e'en as courtesy bade her she spake unto Gamuret, 'The fair queen of France, it seemeth, her heart upon thee hath set; Now honour in me all women, and give what I here may claim, Go not till men judge betwixt us, else thou leavest me here to shame.' 480 This he sware unto her, the hero, and leave she from him would crave, And she passed thence, and then King Kailet, that monarch so true and brave, He lifted her to her saddle; and he turned him about once more And came into the pavilion, where his kinsman and friends he saw.

¶Then spake he unto King Hardeiss, 'Aleiss thy sister fair 485 She proffered her love, I took it--Now wedded is she elsewhere, And a better than I is her husband! No longer thus wrathful frown, Prince Lambekein, he hath won her--tho' in sooth she shall wear no crown, Yet honour enough is her portion--Brabant and Hennegau Do her service, and many a brave knight doth unto her bidding bow. 490 If thy mind it shall turn to greet me let thy favour be mine once more, And take thou again my service of a true heart as aye of yore.'

¶Then the king of Gascony answered as befitted a hero brave, 'Yea, soft is thy speech, yet if greeting I give thee as thou dost crave, Who hath offered to me such insult, men will deem fear such grace hath won, 495 For captive am I to thy cousin!' 'Yet ill shall he deal with none, Gamuret, he shall grant thy freedom, that boon my first prayer shall be: No man shall thereto constrain thee, yet my service the day shall see When thou as thy friend shalt claim me. For the shame, 'tis enow I wot, For whate'er thou mayst do against me, thy sister, she slayeth me not!' 500

¶Then all at his words laughed loudly. But their mirth it was soon o'erpast For his true heart the host constrainèd, and desire held him once more fast, And a sharp goad I ween is sorrow--Then the heroes they saw right well How he wrestled anew with sorrow and his joy in the conflict fell; And his cousin he waxed right wrathful, and he spake, 'Now thou doest ill.' 505 'Nay, nay, for I needs must sorrow, and naught may my yearning still For the queen I have left behind me, afar on a heathen shore, Pure wife and true is that lady, and my heart she hath wounded sore.'

¶'And her purity doth constrain me to mourn for her love so sweet, Vassals and lands she gave me; yet joy for a true knight meet 510 Belakané of that hath robbed me! yet shame for a wavering mind I think me is right and manly--With such fetters her love did bind That she held me afar from Tourney, nor in search of strife I went; Then I thought me that deeds of knighthood should free me from ill-content, And here have I somewhat striven--Now many a fool would say 515 That I, for her colour, fled her, to my eyes was she light as day! For her womanhood true I sorrow; o'er all others her worth stood high As the boss from the shield outstandeth. And another grief have I, And here make I my moan unto ye, my brother's arms I saw, But the shield on which they were blazoned, with point up-turned they bore.' 520 (Ah! woe for the words that are spoken, and the tidings of grief they bring!) His eyes they o'erflowed with water, that gallant Spanish king, 'Alas! O queen for thy madness, thro' thy love is Galoes slain, Whom every faithful woman from her heart shall mourn amain If she would that her dealing win her true honour in true man's thought. 525 Ah! queen of Auvergne I think me, tho' small grief it to thee hath brought, Yet thro' thee have I lost my kinsman, tho' his ending was fit and fair, For a knightly joust hath slain him who thy token in strife would bear! And these princes here, his comrades, their heartfelt grief they show, As in funeral train their shield's-breadth do they turn to the earth below, 530 For thus hath great sorrow taught them--In this guise do they knightly deeds, Heavy-hearted that he, my cousin, serveth no more for true love's meed!'