Equitan Summary

Equitan is a popular king. His seneschal, or governor, has very beautiful wife who Equitan falls in love with on sight. He is so affected he cannot sleep, and falls ill. To comfort the king, the seneschal sends his wife to speak to him. Equitan uses the opportunity to tell her of his love and to ask for hers.

She is reluctant. She tells the king that they cannot have a true love between them because they are not equals. She fears that after a while he will find another woman. He promises he will never take another and tells her that in love she is the master and he her subject. With this, she agrees and they exchange rings.

They meet often in secret. Meanwhile, the king's advisers are eager for him to find a noble woman to marry, and are dismayed...