all the birds and beasts in
nature; so that it looked like a miracle. 'On my faith,' exclaimed the
Queen, 'this cloth can only have been made by that Lord who can do
everything.' 'It is the work of man,' said the old knight; 'but rarely
will one be found to make its fellow: it should belong to wife rather
than maiden, for she that weareth it _shall never have dispute with
her husband_.' Britna answered, 'If that be true, it is above all
price; I will give you for it whatsoever you ask.' And Lisuarte bade
him demand what he would for the mantle and crown."[53]

But the robe which occupied the busy fingers of the Saracen king's
daughter for seven long years, and of which the jewelled ornaments
inwrought in it--as was then very usual--were sought far and wide, has
often been referred to (albeit wanting in fairy gifts) as a crowning
proof of female industry and talent. We give the full description from
the Romance of 'EMARE,' in Ritson's collection:--

"Sone aftur yu a whyle,
The ryche Kynge of Cesyle
To the Emperour gaun wende,
A ryche present wyth hym he browght,
A cloth that was wordylye wroght,
He wellcomed hym at the hende.[54]

"Syr Tergaunte, that nobyll knyghte hyghte,
He presented the Emperour ryght,
And sette hym on hys kne,
Wyth that cloth rychyly dyght.
Full of stones ther hit was pyght,
At thykke as hit myght be,
Off topaze and rubyes,
And other stones of myche prys,
That semely wer to se,
Of crapowtes and nakette,
As thykke ar they sette
For sothe as y say the.

"The cloth was displayed sone,
The Emperoer lokede therupone,
And myght hyt not se,
For glysteryng of the ryche ston
Redy syght had he non,
And sayde, How may thys be?
The Emperour sayde on hygh,
Sertes thys ys a fayry,
Or ellys a vanyte.
The Kyng of Cysyle answered than,
So ryche a jewell ys ther non
In all Crystyante.

"The amerayle[55] dowghter of hethennes
Made this cloth withouten lees,
And wrowghte hit all with pride,
And purtreyed hyt with gret honour,
Wyth ryche golde and asowr,[56]
And stones on ylke a side;
And, as the story telles in honde,
The stones that yn this cloth stonde
Sowghte they wer full wyde.
Seven wynter hit was yn makynge,
Or hit was browght to endynge,
In herte ys not to hyde.