'And fain, in a joust so knightly, were I to have faced Gawain, Nor feared me aught, for such combat had we sworn fast betwixt us twain. And here had we fought, as fitting, 'neath the eye of the king my lord, And wroth am I now, for dearer, methought, had he held his word! Now swear thou to me, Sir Gawain, when a year from this day be past, 345 To meet me again in combat--If thou 'scape my lord's wrath at last, And thy life for a prey he leave thee, yet we twain must fight our fight. At Plimizöl first I bade thee; at Barbigöl, if it seem thee right, Before Meljanz, the youthful monarch, the strife shall methinks be fought; And around my heart till the day come shall sorrow's wreath be wrought, 350 And gladly I'll hail that dawning, and face thee, thou hero bold, Tho' the guerdon be but of sorrow, that shall there by thine hand be told.' So there, as the Landgrave bade him, the hero Gawain swore, And his oath, and his pledge so knightly, he plighted as erst of yore. But Duke Liddamus, he bethought him of words that he fain would say, 355 And with cunning skill and wisdom his speech did he weave that day. Thus he spake for all men to hear him, for the time of speech was come, 'Now if strife ever call upon me, if the battle be lost or won, If I fight as beseems a hero, or fly as a coward flies, If the meed of my warlike bearing be honour in all men's eyes, 360 Then reward me I pray, Sir Landgrave, with rewarding as I shall win; But if honour or praise be withholden I count it not me for sin!' Nor here did his speech find ending. 'If _Turnus_ thou fain wouldst be, Then good, thou shalt find me _Tranzes_; thou mayst well wreak thy will on me, If so be thou hast aught against me, but 'tis _thou_ who dost boast too loud, 365 Yea, e'en an thou wert the highest of my peers, these princes proud; For Prince am I too, and Landgrave, and I have in Galicia's land Many Burgs so fair and stately that e'en far as Vedrun stand. And tho' thou and this Breton stranger were minded to work me ill, Yet not even a fowl for thy threatening would fly, but abide thee still!' 370