[427]. This knightly practice, evidently borrowed from the East, appears in many romances of chivalry e.g. When Sir Tristran is found by King Mark asleep beside Ysonde (Isentt) with drawn sword between them, the former cried:—
Gif they weren in sinne
Nought so they no lay.
And we are told:—
Sir Amys and the lady bright
To bed gan they go;
And when they weren in bed laid,
Sir Amys his sword out-brayed
And held it between them two.
This occurs in the old French romance of Amys and Amyloun which is taken into the tale of the Ravens in the Seven Wise Masters where Ludovic personates his friend Alexander in marrying the King of Egypt’s daughter and sleeps every night with a bare blade between him and the bride. See also Aladdin and his lamp. An Englishman remarked, “The drawn sword would be little hindrance to a man and maid coming together.” The drawn sword represented only the Prince’s honour.