King Cornwall questioning the strangers, they happen to speak of a certain shrine of Our Lady, from which he gathers that they have been in Little Britain. This leads him to question them concerning King Arthur.
XXI
Our Lady was borne; then thought Cornewall King
‘These palmers had beene in Brittaine.’
XXII
Then bespake him Cornewall King,
These were the words he said there:
‘Did you ever know a comely king,
His name was King Arthùr?’
XXIII
And then bespake him noble King Arthùr,
These were the words said hee:
‘I doe not know that comly king,
But once my selfe I did him see.’
Then bespake Cornewall King againe,
These were the words said he:
XXIV
Sayes, ‘Seven yeere I was clad and fed,
In Litle Brittaine, in a bower;
I had a daughter by King Arthur’s wife,
That now is called my flower;
For King Arthur, that kindly cockward,
Hath none such in his bower.