wit ye well, said she, that I have none so high a thing which were worthy to sustain so high a sword, and a maid shall bring other knights thereto, but I wot not when it shall be, nor what time.  And there she let make a covering to the ship, of cloth of silk that should never rot for no manner of weather.  Yet went that lady and made a carpenter to come to the tree which Abel was slain under.  Now, said she, carve me out of this tree as much wood as will make me a spindle.  Ah madam, said he, this is the tree the which our first mother planted.  Do it, said she, or else I shall destroy thee.  Anon as he began to work there came out drops of blood:  and then would he have left, but she would not suffer him, and so he took away as much wood as might make a spindle:  and so she made him to take as much of the green tree and of the white tree.  And when these three spindles 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 wotest 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 on sleep him thought there come from heaven a great company of angels, and alit into the ship, and took water which was brought by an angel, in a vessel of silver, and sprente 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