Book VI · ARTHUR, part 9 of 12

¶Thus had the sorceress Kondrie, that maiden fierce and proud, Wrought evil upon the Waleis, and his fame to the earth had bowed. Naught they helped him, his bold heart's counsel, his manhood and knightly fame, And high o'er all other virtues, the virtue of knightly shame. 710 (For falsehood he ne'er had hearkened,) and true shame doth rewarding bring, And it crowneth the soul with honour as the circlet doth crown a king. And he who true shame doth cherish his work shall for ever stand-- Then she lifted her voice o'er the maidens, the maiden of fair Lalande, And she wept for the words of Kondrie, and the sorrow of Parzival, 715 For the fairest of men did she deem him; and swiftly the teardrops fell From the eyes of many a woman, for the sake of that hero bold, And they sorrowed at heart, and their weeping must many a knight behold!

¶Now sorrow had Kondrie brought them; and e'en as her way she went Another must ride towards them on a warlike errand bent; 720 A knight of a haughty bearing, and his harness was fair to see, From his foot to the goodly helmet, and royal its cost must be, And richly plumed was the helmet; and, e'en as the man, the steed Was clad in such glittering armour as serveth for knightly need. And he found them, both man and maiden, heavy and sad at heart, 725 As he rode nigh unto the circle; hear ye how he bare his part-- Tho' his mien it was high and haughty, yet his heart it was full of woe, Of the twain shall ye learn the reason; thro' his manhood he pride must know, Yet grief to his heart taught mourning--Thus rode he unto the ring, Were it well he should come within it? Then squires to his aid did spring, 730 And the gallant knight they greeted, yet were he and his shield unknown, Nor he doffed from his head the helmet, and sorrow was his alone; And his hand bare a sword unsheathèd, and he asked for those heroes twain, 'Where are they whom I fain would speak with, King Arthur and Knight Gawain?'

¶Then straight thro' the ring he passed him, and a costly coat he bare, 735 And 'twas wrought of silk all shining, in Orient woven fair; And before the host he halted as he sate there within the ring, And he spake aloud, 'God's favour be on thee, thou gracious king, And upon these knights and ladies--To all whom mine eyes here see, I offer, in greeting, service, yet be one from my greeting free; 740 For ne'er will I do him service, nay, rather I choose his hate, If ill-will he beareth to me, mine ill-will with his may mate!'

¶'And 'twere well that I name him to ye. Alas! alas! woe is me! My heart he so sore hath wounded, mine anguish o'er-great shall be! And here doth he sit, Sir Gawain, whom all men were wont to praise, 745 High standeth his fame, yet dishonour it ruleth, methinks, his ways; Since avarice to this betrayed him, in greeting my lord he slew, The kiss once by Judas given, it taught him such guile anew. Many thousand hearts hath he wounded--'Twas murder base, abhorred, And he, upon whom he wrought it, erewhile was my dearest lord. 750 An Sir Gawain would here deny it, true answer our strife shall yield, Forty days from to-day shall he meet me, and face me on battlefield, Before Askalon's king and ruler, in the city of Schamfanzon; Thus I bid him in honour face me, and for conflict his armour don.'

¶'And this grace shall he not refuse me, but thither his shield shall bear; 755 And yet further shall he bethink him, by the helmet he weareth fair, And the life that a knight beseemeth, who two treasures in pledge doth hold, True shame, and a faith unwavering, and their fame shall be new, as old. But from shame may Gawain ne'er free him, if a knight of the Table Round, Whose heroes stand here before me, he thinketh he may be found. 760 For its honour and fame are vanished, if false knight sit its board beside-- Methinks ye have heard mine errand, and ye know I came not to chide, For here would I not blame, but battle, and death shall my guerdon be, An it be not a life of honour, that Good Fortune shall hold for me!'

¶Then sad was the king and silent, yet answer at last he gave, 765 'Know, Sir Knight, that Gawain is my nephew, and myself would the conflict brave Ere his bones should lie dishonoured--If Good Fortune by Gawain stand In strife shalt thou well acknowledge, 'neath the might of his strong right hand That his body in faith he keepeth, and falsehood afar doth hold. If another hath done thee evil methinks art thou over-bold, 770 His shame dost thou speak too loudly, who never hath done thee ill-- If he winneth, perchance, thine homage, and thou ownest him guiltless still, Yet hast thou in short space spoken such words of a blameless knight As have shamèd for aye thine honour, if this folk read the thing aright!'

¶Then upsprang the proud Knight Beaucorps, brother to Gawain he, 775 And he spake in his wrath, 'Wouldst thou fight him? Then myself his pledge will be, For thou speakest false of Gawain; and know that thy words of shame Have kindled anew within me fierce wrath's devouring flame. An thou speakest not Gawain guiltless of all dishonour, I Stand here to fight his battle, and to be his surety. 780 Think not by thy words of scorning to lower his lofty fame, Unstainèd is Gawain's honour, and thy words are but words of shame!'

¶Then he turned him to his brother, and he spake of true heart and free, 'Bethink thee now, my brother, of all thou hast done for me, Thou hast helped me unto the winning of fame, for thy toil's reward 785 Bid me here to be hostage for thee, and bid me thine honour guard. If Good Fortune be here my portion, and I win here my meed of fame, Then thine be the crown of honour, and thy foeman hath naught but shame.' By his knighthood and love as a brother he besought him right earnestly; Quoth Gawain, 'Now in sooth, my brother, too wise shall I surely be 790 To hearken to thee, and to grant thee what thou askest of right good-will; What meaneth this strife, I wot not, and of fighting have had my fill, Of good-will would I ne'er deny thee what boon thou from me shouldst crave, Yet shame must I bear for ever if this conflict I fail to brave!'