Then samite of Ethnisé the wise mistress she bade them bear And rich stuffs as yet unsevered, and silk of Tabronit fair From far Tribalibot's kingdom--Red the gold on Kaucasus' strand, And fair is I ween the raiment which the heathen, with cunning hand, Wrought from silk, with the gold inwoven--And Lippaut, the prince, he bade 595 That therefrom for his little daughter fitting garments should straight be made. Nor the best would he grudge to the maiden, and they shaped her a garment fair, Of silk that with gold was heavy; but one white arm they left yet bare, And a sleeve that the arm had covered from the vesture they cut away, This should Gawain win for his token and badge in the coming fray. 600 So this was the gift that she gave him, a rich silk of Orient bright, That was brought from the land of the paynim, and had covered her arm so white. But they sewed it not to the garment, nor wrought it at all with thread, And Clauditté to Gawain bare it, when home from the Burg she sped. And free from all care was the hero; and three were his shields so bright, 605 And on one straightway he bound it, and glad was the gallant knight; And fairest thanks he gave her, and oft would he praise the road On which the maid had trodden when she sought him in his abode, And so gently bade him welcome, and with sweet words and maiden wile Had made him rich in gladness, and made joy on his path to smile. 610 Now the daylight had waned, and the night fell,--many valiant knights and good, A mighty force, lay on each side,--the besiegers were e'en a flood. Were they less, for the folk of the city their army enow should be. And now by the light of the moonbeams they would fain to their outworks see; Nor terror nor cowardice moved them, they were ready ere break of day, 615 Twelve breast-works wide, and a deep moat before every earth-work lay. Thus they shielded them well from onslaught, and to every earth-work wide Were barbicans three, that the army might forth to the conflict ride.