Then the squire he spake unto Gawain, 'Thy leave I, Sir Knight, would pray,' And he turned him again to his master--What should Gawain do alway 190 Save see how this venture ended? Yet awhile he doubted sore, And he thought, 'If I look on conflict, and fight not as aye of yore, Then methinks shall my fame be tarnished; and yet if I here delay, E'en tho' it may be for battle, then in sooth is it reft away, My meed of worldly honour--To fight not, methinks, were best, 195 First must I fulfil my challenge.' But afresh doubt vexed his breast, For he deemed that his warlike errand but little might brook delay, Yet how could he take his journey thro' this army that barred his way? And he quoth, 'Now God give me counsel, and strengthen my manhood's might,' And on to the town of Beaurosch rode Gawain as gallant knight. 200 So before him lay Burg and city; fairer dwelling no man might know; Already it shone before him with its turrets in goodly row, The crown of all other castles--Before it the army lay On the plain 'neath the walls of the city; thro' the lines must he take his way, And right well he marked, Sir Gawain, many tents in a goodly ring, 205 And strange banners waved beside them, which strange folk to the fight would bring; And doubt in his heart found dwelling, by eagerness cleft in twain-- Then straight thro' the host encamped there rode the gallant knight Gawain. One tent-rope it touched the other, tho' the camp it was long and wide, And he saw how they lay, and he noted the task which each one there plied. 210 Quoth they, '_Soit bien venu_' then '_Gramercy_' the knight for an answer gave-- And troops from Semblidag lay there, hired soldiers both strong and brave; And closely they camped beside them, the archers from Kahetei-- And strangers are oft unfriendly; As King Lot's son he passed them by No man of them all bade him tarry, so he rode o'er the grassy plain, 215 And toward the beleaguered city Sir Gawain he turned his rein.