e
paid for his loan, getting but eleven to the dozen. But the pledge was
offered and taken, the money rendered, and the game continued with
much swearing and cheating, much drinking and quarrelling, with strife
and with anger. Often enough the loser was discontented, and rose
murmuring against his fellow. Two by two the dicers sat at table,
casting the dice. They threw in turn, each throwing higher than his
fellow. You might hear them count, six, five, three, four, two, and
one. They staked their raiment on the cast, so there were those who
threw half naked. Fair hope had he who held the dice, after his fellow
had cried his number. Then the quarrel rose suddenly from the silence.
One called across the table to his companion, "You cheat, and throw
not fairly. Grasp not the dice so tightly in your hand, but shake them
forth upon the board. My count is yet before yours. If you still have
pennies in your pouch bring them out, for I will meet you to your
wish." Thus the dicers wrangled, and to many of Arthur's guests it
chanced that he who sat to the board in furs, departed from the tables
clothed in his skin.

When the fourth day of the week was come, on a certain Wednesday, the
king made knights of his bachelors, granting them rents to support
their stations. He recompensed those lords of his household who held
of him their lands at suit and service. Such clerks as were diligent
in their Master's business he made abbots and bishops; and bestowed
castles and towns on his counsellors and friends. To those stranger
knights who for his love had crossed the sea in his quarrel, the king
gave armour and destrier and golden ornaments, to their desire. Arthur
divided amongst them freely of his wealth. He granted lordship and
delights, greyhound and brachet, furred gown and raiment, beaker
and hanap, sendal and signet, bhaut and mantle, lance and sword and
quivers of sharp barbed arrows. He bestowed harness and buckler and
weapons featly fashioned by the smith. He gave largesse of bears
and of leopards, of palfreys and hackneys, of chargers with saddles
thereon. He gave the helm as the hauberk, the gold as the silver, yea,
he bestowed on his servants the very richest and most precious of his
treasure. Never a man of these outland knights, so only he was worthy
of Arthur's bounty, but the king granted him such gifts as he might
brag of in his own realm. And as with the foreign lords, so to the
kings and the princes, the knights, and