Thanking for Gloves

	Ifor was extravagant with his gold,

	from his court no finger would go without gold.

	Yesterday I was dining

4	in his court, receiving wine from his hand.

	With this tongue I swear,

	weaver of praise, as the day does turn:

	[you are] the best wife as far as Ceri,

8	and your husband is the best of men.

	Whilst he has travelled willingly,

	it's with praise that he has done so.

	The day I came from his court

12	with his gloves doubly filled with money,

	Ifor, receiver of poets,

	lent his gloves to his bard.

	White gloves, fair and thick,

16	with money in each glove:

	gold in one (possessed by two,

	a sure sign) from the best hand of all,

	and silver (praised by thousands)

20	inside the other, this was my reward.

	Girls are always asking me

	whether they may borrow my gloves.

	I'll not give away (I'll keep them entirely)

24	the gift of kind–minded Ifor.

	Despite asking for them, no girl,

	no more than any man, shall have my gloves.

	I'll not wear any niggardly gloves

28	of ram–skin to wrinkle up my finger.

	I'll wear (I do not desire his wrath)

	the deer–skin of the welcoming man,

	gentle gloves upon my hands,

32	it's not often the rain will wet them.

	On him I bestow — I know his favour,

	regarding the fluent patronage of the hall of Rheged —

	the blessing of Taliesin, provider of wine,

36	which will last forever without a boastful word.

	At the end of the table in time for dinner,

	there in the hearth may my blessing go,

	where I'll present a part of my greeting,

40	where men are brave, where maids are chaste,

	where true nobility dwells

	in feasts, in luxuries, in sustenance,

	in women of fair offspring,

44	in hawks, in greyhounds, in wine,

	in scarlet garments (a splendid gift),

	in pure gold, in fine words.

	There's not a tree in the Wennallt

48	whose head and hair are not green,

	its branches woven closely

	and its gown and tunic all one grove.

	Is it not pleasant for a master–poet

52	to see (fair lively thronging)

	the lordship of the fine dukedom

	which is based in Basaleg?

	I was given gloves from his home,

56	unlike some Saxon's English gloves,

	a lord's gloves (a faultless gift),

	pleasant wealth, the gloves of Ifor.

	To the court of Ifor Hael

60	will my winnowed blessing come.