And thus spake the noble maiden, 'Now had it but been God's will, That I, a man born, might sword bear, and knightly tasks fulfil, To strive with me hadst thou come here, methinks thou hadst come too late,-- 275 But now am I all defenceless, a maiden, and no man's mate. And yet a shield I carry, and fair its device shall be, And honoured of all--Its blazon would I read here, Sir King, to thee, That thou henceforth mayst know it--Pure heart and upright mind, That true man beneath its cover a shelter may ever find. 280 And that, o'er the gallant hero whom thou sentest unto my care, Did I hold, and 'gainst thee, his foeman, I did, as beseemed me, bear, For none other armour had I--And if thou repent the ill Thou hast done to thy guest, me, thy sister, hast thou wronged more deeply still; For this is the right of woman, so ever 'twas told to me, 285 That if ever unto the shelter of a maiden a knight shall flee, Then they who as foemen follow shall straightway leave their chase-- In such wise they ever bear them who would not their shield disgrace-- Now, Sir Vergulacht, that thy guest fled to _me_ as his hope of life, Hath loaded with shame thine honour, since thou aided, nor checked, thestrife!' 290 Then Kingrimursel quoth sternly, 'Yea, Sire, 'twas at _thy_ command, That on Plimizöl's plain I bade him, Sir Gawain, to seek this land. On thy royal word safe conduct I sware him, that should he ride Hither we twain were pledged him no evil should here betide, Save but from _one_ foeman only--Now, Sire, thou hast here done ill 295 In that, spite of thine oath so knightly, thy word thou didst not fulfil. And here shall my fellows hearing give judgment betwixt us twain, If thus thou wrongest _princes_, what as _king_ mayst thou hope to gain From us of faith and honour?--If honoured thou fain wouldst be, Then, courteous, make confession that near of kin are we; 300 True cousin am I, no bastard, and e'en if such chance had been, Even then, in this thy dealing, thou hadst done me a wrong, I ween! A knight am I in whom no man hath found a taint of shame, And I think me that free from falsehood, yea, to death will I guard my fame, For in God have I ever trusted, and, methinks, He holds not in store 305 Such fate for the days of the future as I knew not in days of yore. Yet they who shall hear the story, how the nephew of Arthur rode To Schamfanzon 'neath my safe-conduct, where'er shall be his