'Howe'er that might be, here thou standest, and the proverb thou well mayst know, 355 "Who saveth the life of another, that other shall have for foe." And I do as a wise man doeth--'Tis better a child should weep Than a full-grown man, and bearded,--this charger mine hand shall keep!' Then he spurred him amain, and he rode thence, as fast as his steed might fly, And wroth was Gawain at his dealing, and he spake out right angrily; 360 'Now it fell out in this wise, Lady, King Arthur his court did hold At Dianasdron, and with him rode many a Breton bold. Then as messenger to his kingdom a maiden must take her way, And this fool, for venture seeking, he crossed her path that day, And both to the land were strangers--He burnt with unholy fire, 365 And fierce with the maid he wrestled till he bent her to his desire. As she cried for help we heard her--then the king "To arms" did call, In a wood the thing had chanced thus, thither rode we one and all, And I rode of all the foremost, and I saw the sinner's track, And I made him perforce my captive, and to Arthur I brought him back.' 370 'And the maiden she rode beside us, and sorely did she bemoan That to _force_ she must yield the guerdon that to _service_ was due alone. Of her maidenhood had he robbed her--Yet but lowly his fame shall stand Who vaunteth himself the victor o'er a woman's unarmèd hand-- And wrathful, I ween, was King Arthur, and he spake, 'Ye my servants true, 375 Ye shall hold this deed for accursèd, and the day of its doing rue. Alas! for the woful dawning and the light that this thing hath seen, Alas! that I here am ruler, for the judgment is mine, I ween!' And he spake to the weeping maiden, 'Hast thou wisdom, thy cause then plead.' She spake fearless, e'en as he bade her, and the knights they must list her rede. 380