hereof, but the tree grew and waxed marvellously fair, and it
was the fairest tree and the most delectable that any man might behold
and see; and so died the plants that grew out of it tofore that Abel
was slain under it. So long dured the tree till that Solomon, King
David's son, reigned, and held the land after his father. This Solomon
was wise, and knew all the virtues of stones and trees, and so he knew
the course of the stars, and many other divers things. This Solomon
had an evil wife, wherethrough he weened that there had been no good
women, and so he despised them in his books. So answered a voice him
once: Solomon, if heaviness come to a man by a woman, ne reck thou
never; for yet shall there come a woman whereof there shall come
greater joy to man an hundred times more than this heaviness giveth
sorrow; and that woman shall be born of thy lineage. Then when Solomon
heard these words he held himself but a fool, and the truth he
perceived by old books. Also the Holy Ghost showed him the coming of
the glorious Virgin Mary. Then asked he of the voice, if it should be
in the yerde of his lineage. Nay, said the voice, but there shall come
a man which shall be a maid, and the last of your blood, and he shall
be as good a knight as Duke Josua, thy brother-in-law.

CHAPTER VI

HOW SOLOMON TOOK DAVID'S SWORD BY THE COUNSEL OF HIS WIFE, AND OF
OTHER MATTERS MARVELLOUS

Now have I certified thee of that thou stoodest in doubt. Then was
Solomon glad that there should come any such of his lineage; but ever
he marvelled and studied who that should be, and what his name might
be. His wife perceived that he studied, and thought she would know it
at some season; and so she waited her time, and asked of him the cause
of his studying, and there he told her all together how the voice told
him. Well, said she, I shall let make a ship of the best wood and most
durable that men may find. So Solomon sent for all the carpenters of
the land, and the best. And when they had made the ship the lady said
to Solomon:

Sir, said she, syne it is so that this knight ought to pass all
knights of chivalry which have been tofore him and shall come after
him, moreover I shall tell you, said she, ye shall go into Our Lord's
temple, where is King David's sword, your father, the which is the
marvelloust and the sharpest that ever was taken in any knight's hand.
Therefore take that, and take off the pommel, and thereto make ye a
pommel of