and well choice, to serve the queen, and them that were with
her.

Was he never born, of any man chosen, clerk nor layman, in ever any
land, that could tell it in speech of any kind, of half the wealth
that was in Kaerleon, of silver and of gold, and good weeds; of high
born men that dwelt among the folk; of horses, and of hawks, of hounds
for deer, and of rich weeds, that were among the people. And of all
the folk that dwelt there in land, the folk of this land was accounted
the fairest of people, and also the women, comely in hue, and most
nobly clothed, and best of all educated. For they all had in
declaration, by their quick lives, that they would have their clothes
of one hue. Some had white, some had red; some had eke good green; and
variegated cloth of each kind was to them wondrous odious; and each
ill-usage they accounted unworthy.

Then had English land the best fame of all; and this country-folk eke
was dearest to the king. The high born women that dwelt in this land
had all declared in their sooth words, that none would take lord
(husband) in this land, never any knight, were he nought (never) so
well formed, unless he were thrice tried in combat, and his courage
made known, and himself approved; then might he boldly ask him a
bride. For that usage the knights were brave, the women excellent, and
the better behaved; then were in Britain blisses enow.

When the king had eaten, and all his people, then proceeded out of the
burgh the thanes most bold; all the kings, and their chieftains; all
the bishops, and all the clerks; all the earls, and all the barons;
all the thanes, and all the swains, fairly clad, spread over the
fields. Some they gan to ride; some they gan to race, some they gan to
leap, some they gan to shoot, some they wrestled, and contest made;
some they in the field played under shield; some they drove balls wide
over the fields. Games of many a kind there they gan to play; and
whoso might win honour of his game, men lead him with song before the
sovereign, and the king for his game gave him gifts good. All the
queens, that there were come, and all the ladies, leaned over the
walls, to behold the people, and the folk play. This lasted three
days, such games and such plays.

Then on the fourth day, the king gan to speak, and gave his good
knights all their rights; he gave silver, he gave gold; he gave
horses, he gave land; castles eke and clothes; his men he
pleased--there was many a bold Bri