ses drawn in pieces--that is of each traitor the law! Bring ye
the reliques, and I will swear thereon; and so, knights, shall ye,
that were at this fight, earls and barons, that ye will not it break."
First swore Arthur, noblest of kings; then swore earls, then swore
barons; then swore thanes, then swore swains, that they nevermore the
strife would arear. Men took all the dead, and carried them to
burial-place. Afterwards men blew the trumpets, with noise exceeding
merry; were he lief, were he loath, each there took water and cloth,
and then sate down reconciled to the board, all for Arthur's dread,
noblest of kings. Cupbearers there thronged, gleemen there sung; harps
gan resound, the people was in joy. Thus full seven nights was all the
folk treated.

Afterwards it saith in the tale, that the king went to Cornwall; there
came to him anon one that was a crafty workman, and met the king, and
fair him greeted:--"Hail be thou, Arthur, noblest of kings' I am thine
own man; through many land I have gone; I know of tree-works
(carpentry) wondrous many crafts. I heard say beyond the sea new
tidings, that thy knights gan to fight at thy board, on a midwinter's
day many there fell; for their mickle mood wrought murderous play, and
for their high lineage each would be within. But I will thee work a
board exceeding fair, that thereat may sit sixteen hundred and more,
all turn about, so that none be without; without and within, man
against man. And when thou wilt ride, with thee thou mightest it
carry, and set it where thou wilt, after thy will, and then thou
needest never fear, to the world's end, that ever any moody knight at
thy board may make fight, for there shall the high be even with the
low." Timber was caused to be brought, and the board to be begun; in
four weeks' time the work was completed.

At a high day the folk was assembled, and Arthur himself approached
soon to the board, and ordered all his knights to the board
forth-right. When all were seated, knights to their meat, then spake
each with other, as if it were his brother; all they sate about; was
there none without. Every sort of knight was there exceeding well
disposed, all they were one by one (seated), the high and the low,
might none there boast of other kind of drink other than his comrades,
that were at the board. This was the same board that Britons boast of,
and say many sorts of leasing, respecting Arthur the king. So doth
every man, that another can l