les were shapen she made them to be fastened upon the selar
of the bed. When Solomon saw this, he said to his wife: Ye have done
marvellously, for though all the world were here right now, he could not
devise wherefore all this was made, but Our Lord Himself; and thou that
hast done it wottest not what it shall betoken. Now let it be, said
she, for ye shall hear tidings sooner than ye ween. Now shall ye hear a
wonderful tale of King Solomon and his wife.

CHAPTER VII. A wonderful tale of King Solomon and his wife.

THAT night lay Solomon before the ship with little fellowship. And when
he was asleep him thought there came from heaven a great company of
angels, and alighted into the ship, and took water which was brought by
an angel, in a vessel of silver, and sprent all the ship. And after he
came to the sword, and drew letters on the hilt. And after went to the
ship's board, and wrote there other letters which said: Thou man that
wilt enter within me, beware that thou be full within the faith, for
I ne am but Faith and Belief. When Solomon espied these letters he was
abashed, so that he durst not enter, and so drew him aback; and the ship
was anon shoven in the sea, and he went so fast that he lost sight of
him within a little while. And then a little voice said: Solomon, the
last knight of thy lineage shall rest in this bed. Then went Solomon and
awaked his wife, and told her of the adventures of the ship.

Now saith the history that a great while the three fellows beheld the
bed and the three spindles. Then they were at certain that they were of
natural colours without painting. Then they lift up a cloth which was
above the ground, and there found a rich purse by seeming. And Percivale
took it, and found therein a writ and so he read it, and devised the
manner of the spindles and of the ship, whence it came, and by whom it
was made. Now, said Galahad, where shall we find the gentlewoman that
shall make new girdles to the sword? Fair sir, said Percivale's sister,
dismay you not, for by the leave of God I shall let make a girdle to the
sword, such one as shall long thereto. And then she opened a box, and
took out girdles which were seemly wrought with golden threads, and
upon that were set full precious stones, and a rich buckle of gold. Lo,
lords, said she, here is a girdle that ought to be set about the sword.
And wit ye well the greatest part of this girdle was made of my hair,
which I loved well while that I