carve ye off their noses, and let their beauty go to destruction; and so I will all destroy the race that he of came.  And if I evermore subsequently hear, that any of my folk, of high or of low, eft arear strife on account of this same slaughter, there shall ransom him neither gold nor any treasure, fine horse nor war-garment, that he should not be dead, or with horses drawn in pieces—­that is of each traitor the law!  Bring ye the reliques, and I will swear thereon; and so, knights, shall ye, that were at this fight, earls and barons, that ye will not it break.”  First swore Arthur, noblest of kings; then swore earls, then swore barons; then swore thanes, then swore swains, that they nevermore the strife would arear.  Men took all the dead, and carried them to burial-place.  Afterwards men blew the trumpets, with noise exceeding merry; were he lief, were he loath, each there took water and cloth, and then sate down reconciled to the board, all for Arthur’s dread, noblest of kings.  Cupbearers there thronged, gleemen there sung; harps gan resound, the people was in joy.  Thus full seven nights was all the folk treated.

Afterwards it saith in the tale, that the king went to Cornwall; there came to him anon one that was a crafty workman, and met the king, and fair him greeted:—­“Hail be thou, Arthur, noblest of kings’ I am thine own man; through many land I have gone; I know of tree-works (carpentry) wondrous many crafts.  I heard say beyond the sea new tidings, that thy knights gan to fight at thy board, on a midwinter’s day many there fell; for their mickle mood wrought murderous play, and for their high lineage each would be within.  But I will thee work a board exceeding fair, that thereat may sit sixteen hundred and more, all turn about, so that none be without; without and within, man against man.  And when thou wilt ride, with thee thou mightest it carry, and set it where thou wilt, after thy will, and then thou needest never fear, to the world’s end, that ever any moody knight at thy board may make fight, for there shall the high be even with the low.”  Timber was caused to be brought, and the board to be begun; in four weeks’ time the work was completed.

At a high day the folk was assembled, and Arthur himself approached soon to the board, and ordered all his knights to the board forth-right.  When all were seated, knights to their meat, then spake each with other, as if it were his brother; all they sate about; was there none without.  Every sort of knight was there exceeding well disposed, all they were one by one (seated), the high and the low, might none there boast of other kind of drink other than his comrades, that were at the board.  This was the same board that Britons boast of, and say many sorts of leasing, respecting Arthur the king.  So doth every man, that another can love; if he is to him too dear, then will he lie, and say of him more honour than he is worth; no man is he so wicked, that his friend will