Book VI · ARTHUR, part 10 of 12

¶Yet Beaucorps he prayed him straitly--then out spake the stranger knight, 795 'A man whom I ne'er have heard of now lusteth with me to fight! I spake not of him, and no evil, methinks, hath he done to me. Strong, gallant, and fair to look on, and faithful and rich is he, And well might he be my hostage, yet against him no wrath I bear-- My lord and my kinsman was he for whose death I this strife declare, 800 And brothers twain were our fathers, as comrades and kinsmen true; And were he a crownèd monarch against whom my sword I drew, By my birth might I give him battle, and vengeance of right demand, Of a royal race, and a princely, was I born in a distant land. And Askalon is my country, I am Landgrave of Schamfanzon, 805 Kingrimursel do they call me; if Gawain's fame be not outrun No otherwise may he free him, but conflict with me must dare. Yet safe-conduct throughout my kingdom, from all save my hand, I swear, In peace may he ride, and safety, to the field where I vengeance claim; God keep in His grace those I leave here, save one, and ye know his name!' 810

¶So passed he, the gallant hero, from the plain of Plimizöl, And e'en as his name was namèd, all men knew Kingrimursel, For the fame of this knight so valiant was known thro' the far lands wide, And it seemèd them well that to Gawain might ill thro' this strife betide When they thought of the strength and the manhood of this knight who rode swift away. 815 And many must sorely vex them that no honour he won that day; Yet full often a message cometh, I myself shall such venture know, Of such wise, that the guest who bears it, of his host must ungreeted go!

¶From Kondrie they heard the tidings of Parzival's name and kin, How a queen, she had been his mother, and his sire was an Angevin. 820 And they spake--''Twas at fair Kanvoleis, and the story we know full well, He served her with deeds of knighthood, and many a joust befell, And there by his dauntless manhood he won him that lady bright; And the noble Queen Anflisé, she taught him, that gallant knight, Such courtesy as befitted a hero of lineage high; 825 And no Breton but shall rejoice him, that his son now draweth nigh, For of him, e'en as of his father, may this tale of a truth be told That honour is his yoke-fellow, as she was of his sire of old.'

¶Thus joy alike and sorrow came to Arthur's host that day, And mingled, the life of the heroes, since the twain they must have their way. 830 Upstood they all as one man, and all with one voice they wept, And the bravest knights among them within the circle stept, And they looked on Gawain and the Waleis where each by the other stood, And they wove them fair words of comfort to pleasure the heroes good.

¶But Klamidé the king bethought him that the loss which should be his share 835 Was greater than that of another, and too sharp was his pain to bear, And to Parzival he quoth thus, 'If the Grail thee for lord must own, Yet still would I mourn my sorrow, and of true heart my woe make known. For the kingdom of Tribalibot, and Kaucasus' golden strand, Whatsoe'er shall be writ of riches in Christian or paynim land, 840 Yea, even the Grail and its glory, they had failèd the hurt to cure Which at Pelrapär was my portion, or the grief that I here endure! Ah me! Of all men most wretched am I since thy valiant hand Of joy and of blessing robbed me!--See the princess of fair Lalande, Know thou that this noble lady she keepeth such faith with thee, 845 That no service else she craveth, and none other knight will she; Yet well might she crown his service who served her for love alone! And that I am so long her captive, methinks may she well bemoan. If my joy thou to life wouldst quicken, then give me thine aid, I pray, And teach her herself to honour in such wise that her love repay 850 In a measure the ill thou didst me, and that which thro' thee I lost, When the goal of my joy fled from me and my pathway by thee was crossed, But for thee, I, methinks, had reached it, and if thou art foeman true Thou wilt help me with this fair maiden, and my gladness shall wax anew!'

¶'Right gladly will I,' quoth the Waleis, 'if so be she will grant my prayer, 855 For fain would I bring thee comfort, since mine is that maiden fair For whose sake thou sore didst sorrow, my wife and my queen is she, Kondwiramur, the fairest of all women on earth that be!' Then the heathen Queen of Ianfus, King Arthur, and Guinevere, Kunnewaaré of Lalande, and Jeschuté of Karnant, who these words must hear, 860 Came near with sweet words of comfort--what would ye they should do more? Kunnewaaré they gave to Klamidé, who yearned for her love so sore, And he gave her, as her rewarding, himself, his body fair, And a queenly crown and golden henceforth on her head she bare!

¶Quoth the heathen unto the Waleis, 'Kondrie a man hath named, 865 Whom thou as in truth thy brother, rejoicing, might well have claimed; For far and wide he ruleth in the power of a double crown, And alike by land and water men in fear to his hand bow down. And Assagog is one kingdom, Zassamank shall the other be, Two mighty lands and powerful from fear and from weakness free. 870 And naught shall be like his riches save those the Baruch doth own, Or those of far Tribalibot, he is worshipped as God alone! A marvel his skin to look on, and like unto none his face, For 'tis black, and 'tis white, as his parents, who sprang of a diverse race. Thro' one of his lands I journeyed as hither I took my way, 875 And full fain had he been my wanderings in a far-off land to stay. Yet but little his will prevailèd, tho' I am his near of kin, The cousin unto his mother, and he is a mighty king! Yet hear thou more of his prowess; his saddle no man may keep Who rideth a joust against him, and fame doth he richly reap. 880 And no gentler knight or truer e'er lay on a mother's breast, And falsehood it fleeth from him, and truth in his heart doth rest. Yea, true and fair in his dealings is Feirefis Angevin, And women he serveth duly, tho' he pain thro' his service win!'