"She seyde, Syr Knight, gentyl and hende,[50]
I wot thy stat, ord, and ende,
Be naught aschamed of me;
If thou wylt truly to me take,
And alle wemen for me forsake
Ryche i wyll make the.
I wyll the geve an alner,[51]
Imad of sylk and of gold cler,
Wyth fayr ymages thre;
As oft thou puttest the hond therinne
A mark of gold thou schalt wynne,
In wat place that thou be."[52]

But infinitely more marvellous is the following:--"King Lisuarte was
so content with the tidings of Amadis and Galaor, which the dwarf had
brought him, that he determined to hold the most honourable court that
ever had been held in Great Britain. Presently three knights came
through the gate, two of them armed at all points, the third unarmed,
of good stature and well proportioned, his hair grey, but of a green
and comely old age. He held in his hand a coffer; and, having inquired
which was the king, dismounted from his palfrey and kneeled before
him, saying, 'God preserve you, Sir! for you have made the noblest
promise that ever king did, if you hold it.' 'What promise was that?'
quoth Lisuarte. 'To maintain chivalry in its highest honour and
degree: few princes now-a-days labour to that end; therefore are you
to be commended above all other.' 'Certes, knight, that promise shall
hold while I live.' 'God grant you life to complete it!' quoth the old
man: 'and because you have summoned a great court to London, I have
brought something here which becomes such a person, for such an
occasion.' Then he opened the coffer and took out a Crown of Gold, so
curiously wrought and set with pearls and gems, that all were amazed
at its beauty; and it well appeared that it was only fit for the brow
of some mighty lord. 'Is it not a work which the most cunning artists
would wonder at?' said the old knight. Lisuarte answered, 'In truth it
is.' 'Yet,' said the knight, 'it hath a virtue more to be esteemed
than its rare work and richness: whatever king hath it on his head
shall always increase his honour; this it did for him for whom it was
made till the day of his death: since then no king hath worn it. I
will give it you, sir, for one boon.'----'You also, Lady,' said the
knight, 'should purchase a rich mantle that I bring:' and he took from
the coffer the richest and most beautiful mantle that ever was seen;
for besides the pearls and precious stones with which it was
beautified, there were figured on it