e queen,
for her part, came again to her own house, carrying with her that fair
fellowship of ladies, yet making marvellous joy. For the Britons held
still to the custom brought by their sires from Troy, that when the
feast was spread, man ate with man alone, bringing no lady with him
to the board. The ladies and damsels ate apart. No men were in their
hall, save only the servitors, who served them with every observance,
for the feast was passing rich, as became a monarch's court. When
Arthur was seated in his chair upon the dais, the lords and princes
sat around the board, according to the usage of the country, each in
his order and degree. The king's seneschal, hight Sir Kay, served
Arthur's table, clad in a fair dalmatic of vermeil silk. With Sir Kay
were a thousand damoiseaux, clothed in ermine, who bore the dishes
from the buttery. These pages moved briskly about the tables, carrying
the meats in platters to the guests. Together with these were yet
another thousand damoiseaux, gentle and goodly to see, clothed
likewise in coats of ermine. These fair varlets poured the wine from
golden beakers into cups and hanaps of fine gold. Not one of these
pages but served in a vesture of ermine. Bedevere, the king's
cupbearer, himself set Arthur's cup upon the board; and those called
him master who saw that Arthur's servants lacked not drink.

The queen had so many servitors at her bidding, that I may not tell
you the count. She and all her company of ladies were waited on,
richly and reverently. Right worshipfully were they tended. These
ladies had to their table many rich meats, and wines and spiced drink
of divers curious fashions. The dishes and vessels from which they ate
were very precious, and passing fair. I know not how to put before you
the wealth and the splendour of Arthur's feast. Whether for goodly men
or for chivalrous deeds, for wealth as for plenty, for courtesy as for
honour, in Arthur's day England bore the flower from all the lands
near by, yea, from every other realm whereof we know. The poorest
peasant in his smock was a more courteous and valiant gentleman than
was a belted knight beyond the sea. And as with the men, so, and no
otherwise, was it with the women. There was never a knight whose
praise was bruited abroad, but went in harness and raiment and plume
of one and the self-same hue. The colour of surcoat and armour in
the field was the colour of the gown he wore in hall. The dames and
damsels woul