Lines 433–864

Thus he rode thro' the forest ways alone
And deemed that no man might hear his moan,
For no man was there in sight;
Yet sudden a horseman was at his side,
And spake to him hastily in that tide,
Thereof was he sore affright:
The horseman, he rode a milk-white steed,
And milk-white, I ween, was all his weed
He seemed a full gallant knight.
Tho' Sir Amadace was to sorrow brought
In courtesy was he lacking naught,
Greeting he gave aright.

Quoth the White Knight: "Say, Friend, shalt thou be he
Who maketh his moan thus bitterly,
With sad and sorry cheer?"
Sir Amadace, he made answer, "Nay!"
Quoth the knight: "That availeth thee naught alway,
This long while have I been here;
I rede thee to mourn not in such wise,
He who falls, by the grace of God may rise,
For His help is ever near.
Riches are but a loan, I wot.
Which thou hast, and again thou hast it not,
Thou shalt find full many a peer!

"Now think thou on Him Who died on Rood,
Who shed for the world His Precious Blood,
For thee, and for mankind all;
The man who giveth in fashion free
To his fellow of high, or of low, degree
Shall reap his reward withal;
He who ever dealeth in customs kind
A courteous man, forsooth, shall find
Who shall his need forestall.
Repent thee of naught that thou hast done,
For God, He Who shapeth moon and sun,
Shall yet repay thee all.

"Say, would'st thou love him o'er everything
Who should thee out of thy sorrow bring,
And set thee free from care?
To the land of a king art thou full near
Who hath no treasure so close and dear
As his daughter young and fair:
He hath sworn to no man her hand to yield
Save to him whom men reckon the first in field,
Who the prize of the joust shall bear,
Now I hold thee well for the goodliest knight
That ever mine eyes have seen with sight
Of all men who harness wear.

"Thou shalt ride to the joust in such fair array
As ever a knight of worship may,
But thou needs must go alone:
Thou shalt say: the folk who set forth with thee
Were drowned in a tempest upon the sea,
Thou hast lost them every one.
Rich gifts shalt thou scatter with open hand,
And shalt win thee the nobles of the land,
I would have thee spare for none;
See thou be fair of speech and free
Till thou draw a following unto thee,
From me is their payment won!

He quoth: "Be thou free of hand alway,
The cost of thy household will I pay
Tho' it count ten thousand head:
For mickle honour thy deeds shall crown,
Fair fields and forests, tower and town,
That lady shalt thou wed!
And when thou hast won thy friends to thee
Then look thou again my face to see,
I will seek thee in that stead.
But a covenant make ere hence I fare
That thou wilt freely with me share
In such wise as thou hast sped! "

Then answered him fair, Sir Amadace:
"An thou hast power, by God's good grace,
In this wise to comfort me,
Thou shalt find me in all things true and leal,
All that I have will I fairly deal
In twain, 'twixt me and thee."
The White Knight quoth: "Now Friend, Farewell,
The blessing of God upon thee dwell,
And work with thee verily."
Sir Amadace answered: "Friend, God speed,
I trow thou shalt find me in act and deed
True as a man may be!" Fytte

Sir Amadace came to the salt sea strand,
And lo! ships lay broken upon the sand,
A marvel it was to see!
Wreckage lay scattered here and there,
Knights in armour and minevere,
And strong steeds white and gray.
Riches and goods in every guise
That the heart of man might well devise
Cast up by the waters lay;
Chests and coffers of gold and good,
Scattered among the wreckage stood,
No man had borne aught away

Sir Amadace robed himself with speed
In a web of gold, a goodly weed,
Better there might not be;
He chose him a steed whereon to ride,
A better methinks, might none bestride,
Who jousting were fain to see.
This chance befell him beside a tower,
Thereafter he won to him great honour
Within that fair citie.
The king beheld that goodly knight,
He, and his daughter fair and bright,
The prize of the joust was she.

The king to his daughter quoth that tide:
"Lo! yonder a gallant knight doth ride."
Messengers took he there,
His body-squire, and of good knights three,
And saith: "Go, see who yon man may be
And whence he did hither fare.
Tell him his goods shall be held in hand
Wholly as he shall here command,
For that shall he have no care.
If he asketh aught that ye well may do
Say ye that your will is good thereto,
If hither in peace he fare."

The messengers came to the salt sea strand,
They took Sir Amadace by the hand,
Tidings of him they pray: U
"Our lord, the king, us hath hither sent
To welcome your coming with good intent
An ye your will shall say.
He saith, your goods shall be held in hand
Wholly as ye shall here command,
No lie do we speak to-day.
Whatsoever ye will that the king's men do
Ye have but to give them command thereto
For service right glad and gay."

Quoth Sir Amadace: "I was a prince of pride,
And I had bethought me at this tide,
At the tourney here to be
I was victualled well with meat and wine,
With gallant steeds and harness fine,
And good knights, verily,
But such a storm did upon us break
That my goodly ships are gone to wreck,
As ye yourselves may see.
Of gold and silver have I enow,
But the men who sailed with me, I trow,
Not one is left to me."

Sir Amadace on his gallant steed
Anon to the castle gates they lead,
And told the king his case;
The king, he quoth: "Thou art welcome here,
I rede thee to be of joyful cheer,
Thank Jesu for His Grace!
So fierce a tempest hast thou been in,
'T was a right fair hap that thou should'st win
To shelter in this place.
But of all the men I have seen, I trow,
None have come so near to my heart as thou
Who art fair of speech and face."

Thereon the king, for that good knight's sake,
A cry through the city bade them make,
And stablished it by decree,
That all who a master were fain to find
Of knight or squire, of knave or hind,
Each man in his degree,
Should get him unto Sir Amadace,
Who found himself in such sorry case,
His men had been drowned at sea.
He would give them payment as much and more
As any master had done before,
An they would with him be.

The gentlemen all who heard that cry
They gat them to him right hastily,
Of his service were they fain,
So when the Tourney abroad was cried
There was no lord on either side
With half such gallant train
There did he win to him great renown
In field and meadow, tower and town,
Castles he held again;
A hundred steeds and more he won,
One half he gave to the King anon,
Parting his prize in twain.

Thence to the palace the knights would fare,
Thither they went, and would not spare,
As fast as they might ride;
The King made that knight full noble cheer,
And saith: "Now welcome my friend so dear,
Ye be come in a happy tide! "
He called him his daughter so fair and sweet,
And they sat them down to the board at meat,
The knight by the maiden's side;
Each on the other to gaze was fain,
The love-light was kindled betwixt the twain,
True lovers were they and tried!

Then the king, he led Sir Amadace
Aside with him for a little space,
And thus to him did say
"Sir Knight, I have but one daughter fair,
Of all my lands shall she be the heir,
She ate with thee to-day
An thou be a man who would wed a wife,
I swear to thee truly by my life,
I will give thee that gentle may;
And another gift I will with her give,
The half of my kingdom while I live,
And the whole when I be away!"

"Gramercy, Sire!" quoth Sir Amadace:
He thanked the king for his royal grace,
And for his gifts so good.
Thereafter, so the tale doth say,
They made forthwith to the kirk their way,
He wedded her, by the Rood!
Of gold he gave freely in that stound,
Largesse of silver, many a pound,
As on their way they rode;
Then they sat them down to feast in hall
Full many a lord and lady, all
Who were of gentle blood.

Thus came Sir Amadace forth of woe,
God grant us His grace, that we find it so —
Great feasting did they make
The revel lasted a good fortnight,
With meat and drink the board was dight,
Nor spears they spared to break;
A year and a half with that lady fair
He dwelt, and a son unto him she bare,
Great mirth made for his sake!
Now listen, lordings, and ye shall hear
How there came to him his comrade dear,
His share of all to take.

He came in raiment so sheen and fair,
Even as he an angel were,
Clad was he all in white:
The porter his errand fain would know,
He quoth: "Do thou to thy master go
And bear my words aright;
Go quickly, and if he ask aught of me,
Whence I be come, and of what countrie,
Say, I ride all in white;
And say that we twain have together been,
Methinks, he aforetime my face hath seen,
If he be a loyal knight!"

The porter, he sped to the castle hall,
Full soon he had sought out his lord withal,
And he hailed him thus anon
"Lord, lord, there be come the fairest knight
Whom ever mine eyes have seen with sight,
Beneath or sun or moon,
White as the snow his gallant steed,
White as the snow his knightly weed,
He asketh of thee no boon,
He saith that ye have together been —
I trow who aforetime his face hath seen
Shall know him again eftsoon!"

"Is he come?" quoth the knight, "my comrade dear,
I trow me he is right welcome here,
As behoveth him well to be!
Now one and all, here I make command
That ye do to this knight, with foot and hand,
Such service as due to me!"
Sir Amadace straight to the portal drew,
And with him she went, his lady true,
Who was right fair to see;
And she made him welcome with right good cheer,
For the friends of her lord to her heart were dear,
Blessed such wives as she!

Who should stable his charger then?
Knight, squire, yeoman, nor serving men,
No one with him he brought:
Gentlemen gladly would take his steed,
Knights would him fain to his chamber lead,
Thereof would he have naught.
He saith: "Nay, certes, the sooth to tell,
Here will I eat, nor drink, nor dwell,
By Christ, Who dear me bought!
But now shalt thou deal thy goods in two,
Give me my portion, and let me go,
If I be worthy aught!"

Then quoth Sir Amadace fair and free
"For the love of God, let such words be,
They grieve my heart full sore,
For we may not part in equal share
Our lands that lie so broad and fair,
In a fortnight's space, and more!
But let us dwell together here,
E'en as we twain were brethren dear,
And thine the treasure store!
'T were well the rest should not parted be,
But we hold it all as due to thee,
Methinks 't were the better lore!"

The White Knight quoth: "Keep thy lands so wide,
Thy towers, and castles, on every side,
Of these do I covet none:
Keep thou thy woods, thy waters clear,
Thy fields and forests far and near,
Thy rings with sparkling stone;
Thy silver and thy gold so red,
I trow they may stand me in no stead,
I swear it by Saint John!
But upon thy faith, and without strife,
Give me half thy child, and half thy wife,
To fare with me anon!

Then Sir Amadace cried with woeful cheer:
"Alas, that I won this lady dear,
Or aught of this world's good!
For the love of Him Who died on tree,
Whatsoever thou wilt, that do with me,
By Him Who died on Rood
Yea, take all the goods that here I have
With thee, but her life I prithee save!"
The knight, he understood,
And he sware: "By God, Who dear me bought,
Of other things I will have naught
Of all thy worldly good!

"Think thou on the covenant that we made
In the wood, when thou wast so sore dismayed,
How thou didst speak me fair!" —
Sir Amadace quoth: "'T is truth alway,
But methinks should I now my lady slay
A deadly sin it were!"
The lady fair, right well she knew
How the matter stood betwixt the two,
She stayed her weeping there —
And spake: "As thou art a loyal knight
Thy covenant shalt thou keep aright,
Nor for love of me forbear!"

Then bravely she spake, that lady bright,
"Thou shalt keep thy faith with this goodly knight,
By the Blessed Trinity;
Ye made a covenant true and fast,
Look it be holden to the last,
By Him Who died on Tree!
If the Will of Christ must needs be so
Take me, and part me here in two,
My lord art thou verily!
God forbid that for true love's sake
A scorn of thy name in the land I make,
And falsehood of fealty!"

Steadfast she stood, and fair of face,
Nor shed a tear, a little space,
Then quoth that lady dear:
"Fetch me my little son so fair
Whom a while since I of my body bare,
Lay him my heart anear." —
"Now," quoth the White Knight: "answer me,
Which of the twain shall more precious be?"
He saith: "My wife so dear!"
"Then since thou lovest her the best
Thou shalt part her in twain at my behest,
Her flesh asunder shear!"

Then when Sir Amadace needs must see
That never a better lot might be
He fared as he were wood;
And all the men who were in that hall
Swooning for sorrow adown they fall,
Who erst by their master stood:
They made ready a board whereon to lie,
She kissed her lord full tenderly,
And signed her with Holy Rood.
Then meekly she laid her down in place,
And they drew a cloth across her face,
That lady mild of mood!

Quoth the White Knight: "I would not do thee wrong,
The goods which of right unto thee belong,
Thou shalt part them at thy will:" —
Then answered Sir Amadace fair and free
"E'en as thou sayest, so shall it be,
Thy wish would I fulfil."
Sir Amadace lifted his sword alway
To smite the lady who lowly lay —
Quoth the White Knight: "Peace, be still!"
He lifted the lady and child so fair,
And gave them again to Sir Amadace there,
And quoth, "That were little skill!

"I blame thee little, by this my troth,
If to slay such lady thou wert full loth,
Tho' it were thy pledge to save:
But now shalt thou know I was e'en as glad
When thou gavest all that ever thou had
My body to lay in grave!
Unburied, I lay, doomed the hounds to feed,
First thirty pounds didst thou pay at need,
Then all that thou didst have.
I prayed God to bring thee forth from care
Who hadst made thyself of goods so bare,
Mine honour and name to save

"Now, farewell," he said: "my comrade dear,
For no longer may I linger here
Nor speak with thee at will:
But see thou cherish her as thy life
Who had given her body withouten strife
Thy covenant to fulfil!"
With that he swift from their sight did pass
As dew it melteth from off the grass,
And the twain abode there still;
Then down they knelt them upon their knee,
And gave thanks to God, and to Mary free,
Who had guarded them from ill!

Thus Sir Amadace, and his gentle wife,
With joy and bliss they passed their life
Unto their dying day.
I wot there be ladies not a few
To-day, who had been to their lord as true,
Yet some would have said him nay!
But whoso serveth right faithfully
Our Lord, and His Mother Maid Marie
Of him would I soothly say,
Tho' like misfortune at times befall
Yet God shall grant Him his will withal,
And lead him in Heaven's way.

His messengers then that good knight sent,
Far and near thro' the land they went
E'en to his own countrie,
Till all unto whom his lands he sold,
Field or forest, town or hold,
Were bought out rightfully.
His steward and those who to him were dear
He sent, and called them again anear,
And dowered with gold and fee,
That they with him their days might spend
Evermore, unto their life's end,
In gladness and peace to be.

And then it chanced, at God's good will,
The king died, and the knight abode there still,
As ye shall understand:
And now was he lord of town and tower,
They came to his bidding in that hour
The knights throughout the land:
They crowned Sir Amadace on that day
With golden crown, in royal array,
And bowed to his command. —
Now pray we One God, in Persons Three,
To gladden and comfort this companie,
And keep us safe in His Hand!