cimorene

"If anyone wishes to oppose this, let him now say what he thinks. I am the king, and I must not he nor consent to any villainy or falsity or excess; I must preserve reason and rightness, for a loyal king ought to maintain law, truth, faith, and justice. I would not wish in any way to commit disloyalty or wrong, no more to the weak than to the strong; it is not right that any should complain of me, and I do not want the tradition or the custom, which my line is bound to uphold, to fall into disuse." (This speech was King Arthur's, but it's interesting more for the ideal of kingship presented, which seems comically at odds with the history of the period - to wit, the reign of Henry II!)

Erec had very rich lodgings, for that was what he was accustomed to: there was a profusion of lighted candles, both wax and tallow.

King Evrain was faultlessly courteous when he saw Enide coming: he immediately greeted her and hastened to help her dismount. He led her by her beautiful and delicate hand up into his palace, just as courtesy required, and he honoured her in every way he could – for he knew full well how to do it – without any base or foolish thought. He had perfumed a chamber with incense, myrrh, and aloe; upon entering it everyone praised King Evrain’s fine welcome. Hand in hand they entered the chamber with the king, who had escorted them there, rejoicing greatly over them.

Before the hour of tierce had sounded, King Arthur had dubbed four hundred knights and more, all sons of counts and kings; he gave each of them three horses and three pairs of mantles, to improve the appearance of his court. The king was very powerful and generous: he did not give mantles made of serge, nor of rabbit or dark-brown wool, but of samite and ermine, of whole miniver and mottled silk, bordered with orphrey, stiff and rough.

Guivret led Erec to a delightful room, far from noise and well aired; his sisters laboured to heal him, at Guivret’s urging. Erec put his trust in them, for they inspired great confidence in him. First they removed the dead flesh, then applied ointment and dressing; they showed great diligence in caring for him and, being very skilled, they repeatedly washed his wounds and reapplied the ointment. Each day they made him eat and drink four times or more, and they kept him away from garlic and pepper.