therefore there is
nothing so lief to me. And these knights with the Round Table please me
more than right great riches. And in all haste the king let ordain for
the marriage and the coronation in the most honourable wise that could
be devised. Now, Merlin, said King Arthur, go thou and espy me in all
this land fifty knights which be of most prowess and worship. Within
short time Merlin had found such knights that should fulfil twenty and
eight knights, but no more he could find. Then the Bishop of Canterbury
was fetched, and he blessed the sieges with great royalty and devotion,
and there set the eight and twenty knights in their sieges. And when
this was done Merlin said, Fair sirs, ye must all arise and come to King
Arthur for to do him homage; he will have the better will to maintain
you. And so they arose and did their homage, and when they were gone
Merlin found in every sieges letters of gold that told the knights'
names that had sitten therein. But two sieges were void. And so anon
came young Gawaine and asked the king a gift. Ask, said the king, and I
shall grant it you. Sir, I ask that ye will make me knight that same
day ye shall wed fair Guenever. I will do it with a good will, said King
Arthur, and do unto you all the worship that I may, for I must by reason
ye are my nephew, my sister's son.

CHAPTER III. How a poor man riding upon a lean mare desired King Arthur
to make his son knight.

FORTHWITHAL there came a poor man into the court, and brought with him a
fair young man of eighteen years of age riding upon a lean mare; and
the poor man asked all men that he met, Where shall I find King Arthur?
Yonder he is, said the knights, wilt thou anything with him? Yea, said
the poor man, therefore I came hither. Anon as he came before the king,
he saluted him and said: O King Arthur, the flower of all knights and
kings, I beseech Jesu save thee. Sir, it was told me that at this time
of your marriage ye would give any man the gift that he would ask, out
except that were unreasonable. That is truth, said the king, such cries
I let make, and that will I hold, so it apair not my realm nor mine
estate. Ye say well and graciously, said the poor man; Sir, I ask
nothing else but that ye will make my son here a knight. It is a great
thing thou askest of me, said the king. What is thy name? said the king
to the poor man. Sir, my name is Aries the cowherd. Whether cometh this
of thee or of thy son? said the king. Nay,