And made it thicker; while the phantom king
Sent out at times a voice; and here or there
Stood one who pointed toward the voice, the rest
Slew on and burnt, crying, ’No king of ours,
No son of Uther, and no king of ours;’
Till with a wink his dream was changed, the haze
Descended, and the solid earth became
As nothing, but the king stood out in heaven,
Crown’d.  And Leodogran awoke, and sent

* * * * *

Back to the court of Arthur answering yea.

Then Arthur charged his warrior whom he loved
And honor’d most, Sir Lancelot, to ride forth
And bring the Queen, and watched him from the gates: 
And Lancelot past away among the flowers—­
For then was latter April—­and return’d—­
Among the flowers, in May, with Guinevere. 
To whom arrived, by Dubric the high saint,
Chief of the church in Britain, and before
The stateliest of her altar-shrines, the King
That morn was married, while in stainless white,
The fair beginners of a noble time,
And glorying in their vows and him, his knights
Stood around him, and rejoicing in his joy. 
Far shone the fields of May thro’ open door,
The sacred altar blossom’d white with May,
The sun of May descended on their King,
They gazed on all earth’s beauty in their Queen,
Roll’d incense, and there past along the hymns
A voice as of the waters, while the two
Sware at the shrine of Christ a deathless love. 
And Arthur said, ’Behold, thy doom is mine. 
Let chance what will, I love thee to the death!’
To whom the Queen replied with drooping eyes,
‘King and my Lord, I love thee to the death!’
And holy Dubric spread his hands and spake: 
’Reign ye, and live and love, and make the world
Other, and may the Queen be one with thee,
And all this Order of thy Table Round
Fulfil the boundless purpose of their King!’

* * * * *

And Arthur’s knighthood sang before the King:—­

’Blow trumpet, for the world is white with May!!  Blow trumpet, the long night hath roll’d away!  Blow thro’ the living world—­“Let the King reign!”

’Shall Rome or Heathen rule in Arthur’s realm?  Flash brand and lance, fall battle-axe on helm, Fall battle-axe, and flash brand!  Let the King reign!

’Strike for the King and live! his knights have heard That God hath told the King a secret word.  Fall battle-axe and flash brand!  Let the King reign!

* * * * *

’Strike for the King and die! and if thou diest, The king is king, and ever wills the highest.  Clang battle-axe, and clash brand!  Let the King reign!

* * * * *

’The King will follow Christ, and we the King, In whom high God hath breathed a secret thing.  Fall battle-axe, and clash brand!  “Let the King reign!”