And one who fall well discernèd the manner of men was Kay, 315 Thus he did to his lord good service, for his harsh words drave far away The men who would falsely vaunt them good knights and true to be, Ill was he to them as a hailstorm, sharp as sting of an angry bee. Small wonder that these deny him his honour and knightly fame, True servant and wise they found him, and for this cause upon his name 320 Their hatred doth still heap slander--Prince Herman, Thuringia's lord, Thou with vassals that crowd around thee, and strangers who seek thy board, Good service might Kay have done thee, since so free art thou aye of hand, That true men and men dishonoured, side by side in thine hall they stand; And therefore Knight Walter singeth, 'Now greeting to all I bring, 325 Men evil and good!' And I trow well, where a singer such song may sing, There the false are too highly honoured--Nay, far other Sir Kay had taught, (Yea, and Heinrich of Rispach also)--Now hearken ye in what sort On Plimizöl's plain men bare them; from the field Sir Kay was borne To the tent of his king, and around him, o'er his ill-fate his friends did mourn; 330 And maiden and knight they stood there; to the tent where his comrade lay Came Gawain, and he quoth in sadness, 'Alas! for the woeful day That so ill a joust was ridden that hath robbed me of a friend!' Then out spake Kay in his anger, 'Now make of thy moan an end, If comfort thou here wouldst bring me, do not as the women do, 335 Since thou art my monarch's nephew! I would do to thee service true, As of free heart I ever did it, in the day that God gave me power, Nor long for my aid hadst thou prayed me! There cometh, perchance, an hour When I, as of old, may serve thee: now cease thou thy moan I pray, For tho' mine be the pain, yet my monarch shall ne'er find another Kay, 340 And I wot that for mine avenger art thou all too nobly born; An yet hadst _thou_ lost a finger I had counted myself forsworn An I risked not mine head to pay it! Let that be as it may, Believe me or not, as shall please thee, yet sooth are the words I say!'