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there。　And　the　Greeks　follow　them；　striking　with　lances　and
swords。　Many　heads　there　were　cut　open；　but　of　the　Greeks　there
was　not　a　single　one　wounded。　They　have　proved　themselves　well
that　day。　But　Alexander　won　the　greatest　distinction；　for　he
leads　away　four　knights　bound　to　his　person　and　taken　prisoners。
And　the　dead　lie　on　the　strand；　for　many　there　lay　headless；　and
many　wounded　and　maimed。

Alexander　from　courtesy　gives　and　presents　the　first　fruits　of
his　　knighthood　to　the　queen。　He　does　not　wish　that　the　king
should　have　possession　of　the　captives；　for　he　would　have　had
them　all　hanged。　The　queen　has　had　them　taken　and　has　had　them
guarded　in　prison　as　accused　of　treason。　Men　speak　of　the　Greeks
throughout　the　army；　all　say　that　Alexander　is　right　courteous
and　debonair　as　regards　the　knights　whom　he　had　taken　inasmuch　as
he　had　not　given　them　up　to　the　king；　who　would　have　had　them
burned　or　hanged。　But　the　king　is　in　earnest　in　the　matter。
Forthwith　he　bids　the　queen　that　she　come　and　speak　to　him　and
keep　not　her　traitors；　for　it　will　behove　her　to　give　them　up　or
he　will　take　them　against　her　will。　Then　the　queen　has　come　to
the　king；　they　have　had　converse　together　about　the　traitors　as
it　behoved　them；　and　all　the　Greeks　had　been　left　in　the　queen's
tent　with　the　ladies。　Much　do　the　twelve　say　to　them；　but
Alexander　does　not　say　a　word。　Soredamors　observed　it；　she　had
sat　down　near　him。　He　has　rested　his　cheek　on　his　hand；　and　it
seems　that　he　is　deep　in　thought。　Thus　have　they　sat　full　long
till　Soredamors　saw　on　his　arm　and　at　his　neck　the　hair　with
which　she　had　made　the　seam。　She　has　drawn　a　little　nearer　him；
for　now　she　has　opportunity　of　speaking　with　him；　but　she
considers　beforehand　how　she　can　be　the　one　to　speak；　and　what
the　first　word　shall　be；　whether　she　will　call　him　by　his　name；
and　she　takes　counsel　of　it　with　herself。　〃What　shall　I　say
first？〃　thinks　she。　Shall　I　address　him　by　his　name；　or　as
'friend'。　Friend？　Not　I。　How　then？　Call　him　by　his　name？　God！　The
word　friend　is　so　fair　and　so　sweet　to　say。　What　if　I　dared　to
call　him　friend？　Dared？　What　forbids　it　me？　The　fact　that　I　think
I　should　be　telling　a　lie。　A　lie？　I　know　not　what　it　will　be；　but
if　I　lie　it　will　be　a　weight　on　my　mind。　For　that　reason　it　must
be　allowed　that　I　should　not　desire　to　lie　in　the　matter。　God！　He
would　not　lie　now　a　whit　if　he　called　me　his　sweet　friend。　And
should　I　lie　in　so　calling　him？　Both　of　us　ought　indeed　to　speak
truth；　but　if　I　lie　the　wrong　will　be　his。　And　why　is　his　name　so
hard　to　me　that　I　wish　to　add　a　name　of　courtesy？　It　seems　to　me
there　are　too　many　letters　in　it；　and　I　should　become　tongue…tied
in　the　middle。　But　if　I　called　him　friend；　I　should　very　quickly
say　this　name。　But　just　because　I　fear　to　stumble　in　the　other
name；　I　would　have　given　of　my　heart's…blood　if　only　his　name
might　have　been　'my　sweet　friend'。〃

She　delays　so　long　in　thus　thinking　that　the　queen　returns　from
the　king；　who　had　sent　for　her。　Alexander　sees　her　coming；　and
goes　to　meet　her；　and　asks　her　what　the　king　commands　to　be　done
with　his　prisoners；　and　what　will　be　their　fate。　〃Friend；〃　says
she；　〃he　requires　me　to　yield　them　up　to　his　discretion　and　to
let　him　do　his　justice　on　them。　He　is　very　wroth　that　I　have　not
yet　given　them　up　to　him　and　I　must　send　them；　for　I　see　no　other
way　out。〃　Thus　they　have　passed　this　day；　and　on　the　morrow　the
good　and　loyal　knights　have　assembled　together　before　the　royal
tent　to　pronounce　justice　and　judgment　as　to　with　what　penalty
and　with　what　torture　the　four　traitors　should　die。　Some　doom
that　they　be　flayed；　others　that　they　be　hanged　or　burnt；　and　the
king　himself　deems　that　traitors　should　be　drawn。　Then　he　bids
them　be　brought：　they　are　brought；　he　has　them　bound；　and　tells
them　that　they　shall　not　be　quartered　till　they　are　in　view　of
the　castle；　so　that　those　within　shall　see　them。　When　the　parley
is　done；　the　king　addresses　Alexander　and　calls　him　his　dear
friend。　〃Friend；〃　quoth　he；　〃I　saw　you　yesterday　make　a　fair
attack　and　a　fair　defence。　I　will　give　you　the　due　guerdon：　I
increase　your　following　by　500　Welsh　knights　and　by　1000　footmen
of　this　land。　When　I　shall　have　finished　my　war；　in　addition　to
what　I　have　given　you；　I　will　have　you　crowned　king　of　the　best
realm　in　Wales。　Market…towns　and　strong　castles；　cities　and
halls；　will　I　give　you；　meanwhile；　till　the　land　shall　be　given
to　you　which　your　father　holds　and　of　which　you　must　become
emperor。〃　Alexander　heartily　thanks　the　king　for　this　grant；　and
his　comrades　thank　him　likewise。　All　the　barons　of　the　Court　say
that　the　honour　which　the　king　designs　for　him　is　well　vested　in
Alexander。

When　Alexander　sees　his　men　his　comrades　and　his　footmen；　such　as
the　king　willed　to　give　him；　then　they　begin　to　sound　horns　and
trumpets　throughout　the　host。　Good　and　bad　all；　I　would　have　you
know；　without　exception　take　their　arms；　those　of　Wales　and　of
Brittany　of　Scotland　and　of　Cornwall；　for　from　all　sides　without
fail　strong　reinforcements　had　come　in　for　the　host。　Thames　had
shrunk；　for　there　had　been　no　rain　all　the　summer；　rather　there
had　been　such　a　drought　that　the　fish　in　it　were　dead　and　the
ships　leaky　in　the　harbour；　and　one　could　pass　by　the　ford　there
where　the　water　was　widest　of　a　hair　and　has　delight　and　joyaunce
thereof；　but　the　host　has　crossed　Thames；　some　beset　the　valley
and　others　mount　the　height。　The　defenders　of　the　castle　perceive
it；　and　see　coming　the　wondrous　host　which　is　preparing　outside
to　overthrow　and　take　the　castle；　and　they　prepare　to　defend　it。
But　before　any　attack　is　made　the　king　has　the　traitors　dragged
by　four　horses　round　the　castle；　through　the　valleys；　and　over
mounds　and　hillocks。　Count　Engres　is　sore　grieved　when　he　sees
those　whom　he　held　dear　dragged　round　his　castle；　and　the　others
were　much　dismayed；　but　for　all　the　dismay　that　they　feel　thereat
they　have　no　desire　to　surrender。　Needs　must　they　defend
themselves；　for　the　king　displays　openly　to　all　his　displeasure
and　his　wrath；　and　full　well　they　see　that　if　he　held　them　he
would　make　them　die　shamefully。

When　the　four　had　been　drawn　and　their　limbs　lay　o'er　the　field；
then　the　attack　begins；　but　all　their　toil　is　vain；　for　howsoever
they　may　hurl　and　throw　their　missiles；　they　can　avail　nought。
And　yet　they　try　hard；　they　throw　and　hurl　a　thick　cloud　of　bolts
and　javelins　and　darts。　The　catapults　and　slings　make　a　great　din
on　all　sides；　arrows　and　round　stone　fly　likewise　in　confusion　as
thick　as　rain　mingled　with　hail。　Thus　they　toil　all　day：　these
defend；　and　those　attack　until　night　separates　them；　one　from　the
other；　nor　need　they　trouble　to　flee；　nor　do　they　see。　And　the
king　on　his　part　has　it　cried　through　the　host　and　made　known
what　gift　that　man　will　have　of　him　by　whom　the　castle　shall　have
been　taken：　a　goblet　of　very　great　price；　worth　fifteen　golden
marks；　the　richest　in　his　treasure；　will　he　give　him。　The　goblet
will　be　very　fair　and　rich；　and　he　whose　judgement　goes　not
astray　ought　to　hold　it　dearer　for　the　workmanship　than　for　the
material。　The　goblet　is　very　precious　in　workmanship；　and　if　I
were　to　disclose　the　whole　truth；　the　jewels　on　the　outside　were
worth　more　than　the　workmanship　or　the　gold。　If　he　by　whom　the
castle　will　be　taken　is　but　a　foot　soldier；　he　shall　have　the
cup。　And　if　it　is　taken　by　a　knight；　never　shall　he　seek　any
reward　besides　the　cup；　but　he　will　have　it　if　it　can　be　found　in
the　world。　When　this　matter　was　proclaimed　Alexander；　who　went
each　evening　to　see　the　queen；　had　not　forgotten　his　custom。　On
this　evening　he　had　again　gone　thither；　they　were　seated　side　by
side；　both　Alexander　and　the　queen。　Before　them　Soredamors　was
sitting　alone　nearest　to　them；　and　she　looked　at　him　as　gladly　as
though　she　would　not　have　preferred　to　be　in　Paradise。　The　queen
held　Alexander　by　his　right　hand；　and　looked　at　the　golden　thread
which　had　become　greatly　tarnished；　and　the　hair　was　becoming　yet
fairer　whereas　the　gold　thread　was　growing　pale；　and　she
remembered　by　chance　that　Soredamors　had　done　the　stitching　and
she　laughed　thereat。　Alexander　observed　it　and　asks　her；　if　it
may　be　told；　to　tell　him　what　makes　her　laugh。　The　queen　delays
to　tell　him；　and　looks　towards　Soredamors；　and　has　called　her
before　her。　She　has　come　very　gladly　and　kneels　before　her。
Alexander　was　much　joyed　when　he　saw　her　approach　so　near　that　he
could　have　touched　her；　but　he　has　not　so　much　courage　as　to　dare
even　to　look　at　her；　but　all　his　senses　have　so　left　him　that　he
has　almost　become　dumb。　And　she；　on　the　other　hand；　is　so
bewildered　that　she　has　no　use　of　her　eyes；　but　fixes　her　gaze　on
the　ground；　and　dares　not　direct　it　elsewhere。　The　queen　greatly
marvels；　she　sees　her　now　pale；　now　flushed；　and　notes　well　in
her　heart　the　bearing　and　appearance　of　each　and　of　the　two
together。　She　sees　clearly　and　truly；　it　seems　to　her；　judging　by
the　changes　of　colour；　that　these　are　signs　of　love；　but　she　does
not　wish　to　cause　them　anguish：　she　feigns　to　know　nothing　of
what　she　sees。　She　did　just　what　it　behoved　her　to　do；　for　she
gave　no　look　or　hint　save　that　she　said　to　the　maiden：　〃Damsel；
look　yonder　and　tellhide　it　not　from　uswhere　the　shirt　that
this　knight　has　donned　was　sewn；　and　whether　you　had　a　hand　in
it；　and　put　in　it　somewhat　of　yours？〃　The　maiden　is　ashamed　to
say　it；　nevertheless；　she　tells　it　to　him　gladly；　for　she　wishes
that　he　should　hear　the　truth；　and　he　has　such　joy　of　hearing　it
when　she　tells　and　describes　to　him　the　making　of　the　shirt；　that
with　great　difficulty　he　restrains　himself　when　he　sees　the　hair
from　worshipping　and　doing　reverence　to　it。　His　comrades　and　the
queen；　who　were　there　with　him；　cause　him　great　distress　and
annoyance；　for　on　account　of　them　he　refrains　from　raising　it　to
his　eyes　and　to　his　lips　where　he　would　fain　have　pressed　it　if
he　had　not　thought　that　they　would　see　him。　He　is　blithe　that　he
has　so　much　of　his　lady…love；　but　he　does　not　think　or　expect　to
have　ever　any　other　boon　of　her。　His　desire　makes　him　fear；
nevertheless；　when　he　is　alone　he　kisses　it　more　than　a　hundred
thousand　times