'Thou shalt leave thy Moorish lady for my love; stronger far shall be The blessing that baptism giveth! From heathendom set thee free, And wed me in Christian marriage, since my heart for thy love doth yearn. Or say shall the French queen's message to my shame and my sorrow turn? 570 Sweet words did they speak her people, and thou heardest them to the end!' 'Yea, she is in truth my lady. When I back to Anjou must wend, Then fair counsels and courteous customs with me from her land I brought; Yea, even to-day doth she help me whom from childhood to man she taught. She hath fled all that mars a woman--We were children then, she and I, 575 Yet gladly we saw each other in the days that are long gone by! The noble queen Anflisé, in true womanhood hath she share, From her lands a goodly income she gave me, that lady fair, (In those days was I still a poor man), yet I took it right willingly, As a poor man thou still shalt count me, and Lady, shalt pity me, 580 He is dead, my gallant brother--Of thy courtesy press me not, Turn thy love where thou findest gladness, for sorrow is aye my lot!' 'Nay, let me not longer sorrow; how wilt thou deny my claim?' 'Thy question I'll gladly answer, here a _Tourney_ thou didst proclaim, That Tourney hath not been holden, as many shall witness bear' 585 'For the vesper-play hath marred it! The knights who had foughten there So well have they tamed their ardour that the Tourney hath come to naught,' 'I did but defend thy city with others that bravely fought; Thou shouldst force me not to withstand thee, here have others done more than I, Mine the greeting that _all_ may claim here, other right would I still deny!' 590 Then, so hath the venture told me, they chose them, both man and maid, A judge o'er the claim of the lady, and their cause they before him laid, And it drew near to middle morning, and thus did the verdict run, 'What knight hath bound on his helmet, and hath hither for conflict come, And hath fought, and the prize hath holden, then that knight he shall wed the queen.' 595 And unto the judgment spoken the knights gave consent I ween. Spake the queen, 'Mine thou art, and I'll yield thee fair service thy love to gain, And will give thee of joy such portion that thy life shall be free of pain!'