Many wearied knights thronged after--The cloth had they borne away Ere she came to the fair pavilion; then the host he uprose straightway, 390 And the monarchs four his captives (and many a prince was there), And she welcomed him with due honour, and she saw him, and deemed him fair. Then glad spake the queen of the Waleis, 'Thou art host where we twain do stand, And I, even so I think me, am hostess o'er all this land, If thou deem it well I should kiss thee, such kiss seemeth good to me!' 395 'Thy kiss shall be mine if these heroes, e'en as I, shall be kissed by thee, But if princes and kings must forego it, 'twere unfit I such boon should crave!' 'Yea, e'en as thou wilt, so be it, tho' ne'er saw I these heroes brave!' Then she kissed, e'en as Gamuret prayed her, these princes of noble line, And he prayed her to sit, and beside her sat the King Brandelidelein! 400 Then lightly they strewed, o'er the carpet, green rushes yet wet with dew, And he sat him down upon them whose presence brought joy anew To the gracious queen of the Waleis; and love did her soul constrain, And as Gamuret sat before her his hand did she clasp again, And she drew him once more towards her, and she set him her seat beside. 405 No wife was she, but a maiden, from whose hand did such grace betide. Would ye know the name they called her? Herzeleide the queen was she, (And her cousin was hight Rischoydè, King Kailet should her husband be, And _he_ was Gamuret's cousin), and so radiant the queen, and bright, That e'en though they quenched the tapers, in her presence 'twould still be light! 410 (Were it not that a mighty sorrow his joy which aloft would fly Had beaten to earth, I think me he had wooed her right readily.) And courteous they spake to each other: then cup-bearers drew anigh, And from Assagog the vessels, and their cost might no man deny; And noble pages bare them, many costly bowls and fair, 415 Of precious jewels wroughten, and wide, none too small, they were, And none of them all were golden--'twas the tribute of that fair land, Which Eisenhart oft had proffered, when love's need nerved his knightly hand. And the drink unto each they proffered in many a coloured stone, And of emerald some, and of sardius, and of ruby some wrought alone. 420