I fn=91r SIÞEN þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye, Þe borʒ brittened and brent to brondeʒ and askez, Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wroʒt Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe: Hit watz Ennias þe athel, and his highe kynde, Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome Welneʒe of al þe wele in þe west iles. Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swyþe, With gret bobbaunce þat burʒe he biges vpon fyrst, And neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now hat; Tirius to Tuskan and teldes bigynnes, Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes, And fer ouer þe French flod Felix Brutus On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he settez wyth wynne, Where werre and wrake and wonder Bi syþez hatz wont þerinne, And oft boþe blysse and blunder Ful skete hatz skyfted synne. Ande quen þis Bretayn watz bigged bi þis burn rych, Bolde bredden þerinne, baret þat lofden, In mony turned tyme tene þat wroʒten. Mo ferlyes on þis folde han fallen here oft Þen in any oþer þat I wot, syn þat ilk tyme. Bot of alle þat here bult, of Bretaygne kynges, Ay watz Arthur þe hendest, as I haf herde telle. fn=91v Forþi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, Þat a selly in siʒt summe men hit holden, And an outtrage awenture of Arthurez wonderez. If ʒe wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile, I schal telle hit as-tit, as I in toun herde, with tonge, As hit is stad and stoken In stori stif and stronge, With lel letteres loken, In londe so hatz ben longe. Þis kyng lay at Camylot vpon Krystmasse With mony luflych lorde, ledez of þe best, Rekenly of þe Rounde Table alle þo rich breþer, With rych reuel oryʒt and rechles merþes. Þer tournayed tulkes by tymez ful mony, Justed ful jolilé þise gentyle kniʒtes, Syþen kayred to þe court caroles to make. For þer þe fest watz ilyche ful fiften dayes, With alle þe mete and þe mirþe þat men couþe avyse; Such glaum ande gle glorious to here, Dere dyn vpon day, daunsyng on nyʒtes, Al watz hap vpon heʒe in hallez and chambrez With lordez and ladies, as leuest him þoʒt. With all þe wele of þe worlde þay woned þer samen, Þe most kyd knyʒtez vnder Krystes seluen, And þe louelokkest ladies þat euer lif haden, And he þe comlokest kyng þat þe court haldes; For al watz þis fayre folk in her first age, on sille, Þe hapnest vnder heuen, Kyng hyʒest mon of wylle; Hit were now gret nye to neuen So hardy a here on hille. Wyle Nw Ʒer watz so ʒep þat hit watz nwe cummen, Þat day doubble on þe dece watz þe douth serued. Fro þe kyng watz cummen with knyʒtes into þe halle, Þe chauntré of þe chapel cheued to an ende, Loude crye watz þer kest of clerkez and oþer, fn=92r Nowel nayted onewe, neuened ful ofte; And syþen riche forth runnen to reche hondeselle, Ʒeʒed ʒeres-ʒiftes on hiʒ, ʒelde hem bi hond, Debated busyly aboute þo giftes; Ladies laʒed ful loude, þoʒ þay lost haden, And he þat wan watz not wrothe, þat may ʒe wel trawe. Alle þis mirþe þay maden to þe mete tyme; When þay had waschen worþyly þay wenten to sete, Þe best burne ay abof, as hit best semed, Whene Guenore, ful gay, grayþed in þe myddes, Dressed on þe dere des, dubbed al aboute, Smal sendal bisides, a selure hir ouer Of tryed tolouse, and tars tapites innoghe, Þat were enbrawded and beten wyth þe best gemmes Þat myʒt be preued of prys wyth penyes to bye, in daye. Þe comlokest to discrye Þer glent with yʒen gray, A semloker þat euer he syʒe Soth moʒt no mon say. Bot Arthure wolde not ete til al were serued, He watz so joly of his joyfnes, and sumquat childgered: His lif liked hym lyʒt, he louied þe lasse Auþer to longe lye or to longe sitte, So bisied him his ʒonge blod and his brayn wylde. And also an oþer maner meued him eke Þat he þurʒ nobelay had nomen, he wolde neuer ete Vpon such a dere day er hym deuised were Of sum auenturus þyng an vncouþe tale, Of sum mayn meruayle, þat he myʒt trawe, Of alderes, of armes, of oþer auenturus, Oþer sum segg hym bisoʒt of sum siker knyʒt To joyne wyth hym in iustyng, in jopardé to lay, Lede, lif for lyf, leue vchon oþer, As fortune wolde fulsun hom, þe fayrer to haue. Þis watz þe kynges countenaunce where he in court were, At vch farand fest among his fre meny fn=92v in halle. Þerfore of face so fere He stiʒtlez stif in stalle, Ful ʒep in þat Nw Ʒere Much mirthe he mas withalle. Thus þer stondes in stale þe stif kyng hisseluen, Talkkande bifore þe hyʒe table of trifles ful hende. There gode Gawan watz grayþed Gwenore bisyde, And Agrauayn a la dure mayn on þat oþer syde sittes, Boþe þe kynges sistersunes and ful siker kniʒtes; Bischop Bawdewyn abof biginez þe table, And Ywan, Vryn son, ette with hymseluen. Þise were diʒt on þe des and derworþly serued, And siþen mony siker segge at þe sidbordez. Þen þe first cors come with crakkyng of trumpes, Wyth mony baner ful bryʒt þat þerbi henged; Nwe nakryn noyse with þe noble pipes, Wylde werbles and wyʒt wakned lote, Þat mony hert ful hiʒe hef at her towches. Dayntés dryuen þerwyth of ful dere metes, Foysoun of þe fresche, and on so fele disches Þat pine to fynde þe place þe peple biforne For to sette þe sylueren þat sere sewes halden on clothe. Iche lede as he loued hymselue Þer laght withouten loþe; Ay two had disches twelue, Good ber and bryʒt wyn boþe. Now wyl I of hor seruise say yow no more, For vch wyʒe may wel wit no wont þat þer were. An oþer noyse ful newe neʒed biliue, Þat þe lude myʒt haf leue liflode to cach; For vneþe watz þe noyce not a whyle sesed, And þe fyrst cource in þe court kyndely serued, Þer hales in at þe halle dor an aghlich mayster, On þe most on þe molde on mesure hyghe; Fro þe swyre to þe swange so sware and so þik, And his lyndes and his lymes so longe and so grete, fn=93r Half etayn in erde I hope þat he were, Bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene, And þat þe myriest in his muckel þat myʒt ride; For of bak and of brest al were his bodi sturne, Both his wombe and his wast were worthily smale, And alle his fetures folʒande, in forme þat he hade, ful clene; For wonder of his hwe men hade, Set in his semblaunt sene; He ferde as freke were fade, And oueral enker-grene. Ande al grayþed in grene þis gome and his wedes: A strayte cote ful streʒt, þat stek on his sides, A meré mantile abof, mensked withinne With pelure pured apert, þe pane ful clene With blyþe blaunner ful bryʒt, and his hod boþe, Þat watz laʒt fro his lokkez and layde on his schulderes; Heme wel-haled hose of þat same, Þat spenet on his sparlyr, and clene spures vnder Of bryʒt golde, vpon silk bordes barred ful ryche, And scholes vnder schankes þere þe schalk rides; And alle his vesture uerayly watz clene verdure, Boþe þe barres of his belt and oþer blyþe stones, Þat were richely rayled in his aray clene Aboutte hymself and his sadel, vpon silk werkez. Þat were to tor for to telle of tryfles þe halue Þat were enbrauded abof, wyth bryddes and flyʒes, With gay gaudi of grene, þe golde ay inmyddes. Þe pendauntes of his payttrure, þe proude cropure, His molaynes, and alle þe metail anamayld was þenne, Þe steropes þat he stod on stayned of þe same, And his arsounz al after and his aþel skyrtes, Þat euer glemered and glent al of grene stones; Þe fole þat he ferkkes on fyn of þat ilke, sertayn, A grene hors gret and þikke, A stede ful stif to strayne, In brawden brydel quik— fn=93v To þe gome he watz ful gayn. Wel gay watz þis gome gered in grene, And þe here of his hed of his hors swete. Fayre fannand fax vmbefoldes his schulderes; A much berd as a busk ouer his brest henges, Þat wyth his hiʒlich here þat of his hed reches Watz euesed al vmbetorne abof his elbowes, Þat half his armes þer-vnder were halched in þe wyse Of a kyngez capados þat closes his swyre; Þe mane of þat mayn hors much to hit lyke, Wel cresped and cemmed, wyth knottes ful mony Folden in wyth fildore aboute þe fayre grene, Ay a herle of þe here, an oþer of golde; Þe tayl and his toppyng twynnen of a sute, And bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bryʒt grene, Dubbed wyth ful dere stonez, as þe dok lasted, Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte, Þer mony bellez ful bryʒt of brende golde rungen. Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke þat hym rydes, Watz neuer sene in þat sale wyth syʒt er þat tyme, with yʒe. He loked as layt so lyʒt, So sayd al þat hym syʒe; Hit semed as no mon myʒt Vnder his dynttez dryʒe. Wheþer hade he no helme ne hawbergh nauþer, Ne no pysan ne no plate þat pented to armes, Ne no schafte ne no schelde to schwue ne to smyte, Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe, Þat is grattest in grene when greuez ar bare, And an ax in his oþer, a hoge and vnmete, A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle, quoso myʒt. Þe lenkþe of an elnʒerde þe large hede hade, Þe grayn al of grene stele and of golde hewen, Þe bit burnyst bryʒt, with a brod egge As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores, Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi grypte, fn=94r Þat watz wounden wyth yrn to þe wandez ende, And al bigrauen with grene in gracios werkes; A lace lapped aboute, þat louked at þe hede, And so after þe halme halched ful ofte, Wyth tryed tasselez þerto tacched innoghe On botounz of þe bryʒt grene brayden ful ryche. Þis haþel heldez hym in and þe halle entres, Driuande to þe heʒe dece, dut he no woþe, Haylsed he neuer one, bot heʒe he ouer loked. Þe fyrst word þat he warp, ‘Wher is’, he sayd, ‘Þe gouernour of þis gyng? Gladly I wolde Se þat segg in syʒt, and with hymself speke raysoun.’ To knyʒtez he kest his yʒe, And reled hym vp and doun; He stemmed, and con studie Quo walt þer most renoun. Ther watz lokyng on lenþe þe lude to beholde, For vch mon had meruayle quat hit mene myʒt Þat a haþel and a horse myʒt such a hwe lach, As growe grene as þe gres and grener hit semed, Þen grene aumayl on golde glowande bryʒter. Al studied þat þer stod, and stalked hym nerre Wyth al þe wonder of þe worlde what he worch schulde. For fele sellyez had þay sen, bot such neuer are; Forþi for fantoum and fayryʒe þe folk þere hit demed. Þerfore to answare watz arʒe mony aþel freke, And al stouned at his steuen and stonstil seten In a swoghe sylence þurʒ þe sale riche; As al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lotez in hyʒe— I deme hit not al for doute, Bot sum for cortaysye— Bot let hym þat al schulde loute Cast vnto þat wyʒe. Þenn Arþour bifore þe hiʒ dece þat auenture byholdez, And rekenly hym reuerenced, for rad was he neuer, And sayde, ‘Wyʒe, welcum iwys to þis place, fn=94v Þe hede of þis ostel Arthour I hat; Liʒt luflych adoun and lenge, I þe praye, And quat-so þy wylle is we schal wyt after.’ ‘Nay, as help me,’ quoþ þe haþel, ‘he þat on hyʒe syttes, To wone any quyle in þis won, hit watz not myn ernde; Bot for þe los of þe, lede , is lyft vp so hyʒe, And þy burʒ and þy burnes best ar holden, Stifest vnder stel-gere on stedes to ryde, Þe wyʒtest and þe worþyest of þe worldes kynde, Preue for to play wyth in oþer pure laykez, And here is kydde cortaysye, as I haf herd carp, And þat hatz wayned me hider, iwyis, at þis tyme. Ʒe may be seker bi þis braunch þat I bere here Þat I passe as in pes, and no plyʒt seche; For had I founded in fere in feʒtyng wyse, I haue a hauberghe at home and a helme boþe, A schelde and a scharp spere, schinande bryʒt, Ande oþer weppenes to welde, I wene wel, als; Bot for I wolde no were, my wedez ar softer. Bot if þou be so bold as alle burnez tellen, Þou wyl grant me godly þe gomen þat I ask bi ryʒt.’ Arthour con onsware, And sayd, ‘Sir cortays knyʒt, If þou craue batayl bare, Here faylez þou not to fyʒt.’ ‘Nay, frayst I no fyʒt, in fayth I þe telle, Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdlez chylder. If I were hasped in armes on a heʒe stede, Here is no mon me to mach, for myʒtez so wayke. Forþy I craue in þis court a Crystemas gomen, For hit is Ʒol and Nwe Ʒer, and here ar ʒep mony: If any so hardy in þis hous holdez hymseluen, Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede, Þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer, I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche, Þis ax, þat is heué innogh, to hondele as hym lykes, fn=95r And I schal bide þe fyrst bur as bare as I sitte. If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle, Lepe lyʒtly me to, and lach þis weppen, I quit-clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen, And I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on þis flet, Ellez þou wyl diʒt me þe dom to dele hym an oþer barlay, And ʒet gif hym respite, A twelmonyth and a day; Now hyʒe, and let se tite Dar any herinne oʒt say.’ If he hem stowned vpon fyrst, stiller were þanne Alle þe heredmen in halle, þe hyʒ and þe loʒe. Þe renk on his rouncé hym ruched in his sadel, And runischly his rede yʒen he reled aboute, Bende his bresed broʒez, blycande grene, Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse. When non wolde kepe hym with carp he coʒed ful hyʒe, Ande rimed hym ful richly, and ryʒt hym to speke: ‘What, is þis Arthures hous,’ quoþ þe haþel þenne, ‘Þat al þe rous rennes of þurʒ ryalmes so mony? Where is now your sourquydrye and your conquestes, Your gryndellayk and your greme, and your grete wordes? Now is þe reuel and þe renoun of þe Rounde Table Ouerwalt wyth a worde of on wyʒes speche, For al dares for drede withoute dynt schewed!’ Wyth þis he laʒes so loude þat þe lorde greued; Þe blod schot for scham into his schyre face and lere; He wex as wroth as wynde, So did alle þat þer were. Þe kyng as kene bi kynde Þen stod þat stif mon nere, Ande sayde, ‘Haþel, by heuen, þyn askyng is nys, And as þou foly hatz frayst, fynde þe behoues. I know no gome þat is gast of þy grete wordes; Gif me now þy geserne, vpon Godez halue, And I schal bayþen þy bone þat þou boden habbes.’ fn=95v Lyʒtly lepez he hym to, and laʒt at his honde. Þen feersly þat oþer freke vpon fote lyʒtis. Now hatz Arthure his axe, and þe halme grypez, And sturnely sturez hit aboute, þat stryke wyth hit þoʒt. Þe stif mon hym bifore stod vpon hyʒt, Herre þen ani in þe hous by þe hede and more. Wyth sturne schere þer he stod he stroked his berde, And wyth a countenaunce dryʒe he droʒ doun his cote, No more mate ne dismayd for hys mayn dintez Þen any burne vpon bench hade broʒt hym to drynk of wyne. Gawan, þat sate bi þe quene, To þe kyng he can enclyne: ‘I beseche now with saʒez sene Þis melly mot be myne. ‘Wolde ʒe, worþilych lorde,’ quoþ Wawan to þe kyng, ‘Bid me boʒe fro þis benche, and stonde by yow þere, Þat I wythoute vylanye myʒt voyde þis table, And þat my legge lady lyked not ille, I wolde com to your counseyl bifore your cort ryche. For me þink hit not semly, as hit is soþ knawen, Þer such an askyng is heuened so hyʒe in your sale, Þaʒ ʒe ʒourself be talenttyf, to take hit to yourseluen, Whil mony so bolde yow aboute vpon bench sytten, Þat vnder heuen I hope non haʒerer of wylle, Ne better bodyes on bent þer baret is rered. I am þe wakkest, I wot, and of wyt feblest, And lest lur of my lyf, quo laytes þe soþe— Bot for as much as ʒe ar myn em I am only to prayse, No bounté bot your blod I in my bodé knowe; And syþen þis note is so nys þat noʒt hit yow falles, And I haue frayned hit at yow fyrst, foldez hit to me; And if I carp not comlyly, let alle þis cort rych bout blame.’ Ryche togeder con roun, And syþen þay redden alle same To ryd þe kyng wyth croun, And gif Gawan þe game. fn=96r Þen comaunded þe kyng þe knyʒt for to ryse; And he ful radly vpros, and ruchched hym fayre, Kneled doun bifore þe kyng, and cachez þat weppen; And he luflyly hit hym laft, and lyfte vp his honde, And gef hym Goddez blessyng, and gladly hym biddes Þat his hert and his honde schulde hardi be boþe. ‘Kepe þe cosyn,’ quoþ þe kyng, ‘þat þou on kyrf sette, And if þou redeʒ hym ryʒt, redly I trowe Þat þou schal byden þe bur þat he schal bede after.’ Gawan gotz to þe gome with giserne in honde, And he baldly hym bydez, he bayst neuer þe helder. Þen carppez to Sir Gawan þe knyʒt in þe grene, ‘Refourme we oure forwardes, er we fyrre passe. Fyrst I eþe þe, haþel, how þat þou hattes Þat þou me telle truly, as I tryst may.’ ‘In god fayth,’ quoþ þe goode knyʒt, ‘Gawan I hatte, Þat bede þe þis buffet, quat-so bifallez after, And at þis tyme twelmonyth take at þe an oþer Wyth what weppen so þou wylt, and wyth no wyʒ ellez on lyue.’ Þat oþer onswarez agayn, ‘Sir Gawan, so mot I þryue As I am ferly fayn Þis dint þat þou schal dryue. ‘Bigog,’ quoþ þe grene knyʒt, ‘Sir Gawan, me lykes Þat I schal fange at þy fust þat I haf frayst here. And þou hatz redily rehersed, bi resoun ful trwe, Clanly al þe couenaunt þat I þe kynge asked, Saf þat þou schal siker me, segge, bi þi trawþe, Þat þou schal seche me þiself, where-so þou hopes I may be funde vpon folde, and foch þe such wages As þou deles me to-day bifore þis douþe ryche.’ ‘Where schulde I wale þe,’ quoþ Gauan, ‘where is þy place? I wot neuer where þou wonyes, bi hym þat me wroʒt, Ne I know not þe, knyʒt, by cort ne þi name. Bot teche me truly þerto, and telle me how þou hattes, And I schal ware alle my wyt to wynne me þeder, fn=96v And þat I swere þe for soþe, and by my seker traweþ.’ ‘Þat is innogh in Nwe Ʒer, hit nedes no more’, Quoþ þe gome in þe grene to Gawan þe hende; ‘Ʒif I þe telle trwly, quen I þe tape haue And þou me smoþely hatz smyten, smartly I þe teche Of my hous and my home and myn owen nome, Þen may þou frayst my fare and forwardez holde; And if I spende no speche, þenne spedez þou þe better, For þou may leng in þy londe and layt no fyrre— bot slokes! Ta now þy grymme tole to þe, And let se how þou cnokez.’ ‘Gladly, sir, for soþe’, Quoþ Gawan; his ax he strokes. Þe grene knyʒt vpon grounde grayþely hym dresses, A littel lut with þe hede, þe lere he discouerez, His longe louelych lokkez he layd ouer his croun, Let þe naked nec to þe note schewe. Gauan gripped to his ax, and gederes hit on hyʒt, Þe kay fot on þe folde he before sette, Let him doun lyʒtly lyʒt on þe naked, Þat þe scharp of þe schalk schyndered þe bones, And schrank þurʒ þe schyire grece, and schade hit in twynne, Þat þe bit of þe broun stel bot on þe grounde. Þe fayre hede fro þe halce hit to þe erþe, Þat fele hit foyned wyth her fete, þere hit forth roled; Þe blod brayd fro þe body, þat blykked on þe grene; And nawþer faltered ne fel þe freke neuer þe helder, Bot styþly he start forth vpon styf schonkes, And runyschly he raʒt out, þere as renkkez stoden, Laʒt to his lufly hed, and lyft hit vp sone; And syþen boʒez to his blonk, þe brydel he cachchez, Steppez into stelbawe and strydez alofte, And his hede by þe here in his honde haldez; And as sadly þe segge hym in his sadel sette As non vnhap had hym ayled, þaʒ hedlez he were in stedde. He brayde his bulk aboute, fn=97r Þat vgly bodi þat bledde; Moni on of hym had doute, Bi þat his resounz were redde. For þe hede in his honde he haldez vp euen, Toward þe derrest on þe dece he dressez þe face, And hit lyfte vp þe yʒe-lyddez and loked ful brode, And meled þus much with his muthe, as ʒe may now here: ‘Loke, Gawan, þou be grayþe to go as þou hettez, And layte as lelly til þou me, lude, fynde, As þou hatz hette in þis halle, herande þise knyʒtes; To þe grene chapel þou chose, I charge þe, to fotte Such a dunt as þou hatz dalt—disserued þou habbez To be ʒederly ʒolden on Nw Ʒeres morn. Þe knyʒt of þe grene chapel men knowen me mony; Forþi me for to fynde if þou fraystez, faylez þou neuer. Þerfore com, oþer recreaunt be calde þe behoues.’ With a runisch rout þe raynez he tornez, Halled out at þe hal dor, his hed in his hande, Þat þe fyr of þe flynt flaʒe fro fole houes. To quat kyth he becom knwe non þere, Neuer more þen þay wyste from queþen he watz wonnen. What þenne? Þe kyng and Gawen þare At þat grene þay laʒe and grenne, Ʒet breued watz hit ful bare A meruayl among þo menne. Þaʒ Arþer þe hende kyng at hert hade wonder, He let no semblaunt be sene, bot sayde ful hyʒe To þe comlych quene wyth cortays speche, ‘Dere dame, to-day demay yow neuer; Wel bycommes such craft vpon Cristmasse, Laykyng of enterludez, to laʒe and to syng, Among þise kynde caroles of knyʒtez and ladyez. Neuer þe lece to my mete I may me wel dres, For I haf sen a selly, I may not forsake.’ He glent vpon Sir Gawen, and gaynly he sayde, ‘Now, sir, heng vp þyn ax, þat hatz innogh hewen’; fn=97v And hit watz don abof þe dece on doser to henge, Þer alle men for meruayl myʒt on hit loke, And bi trwe tytel þerof to telle þe wonder. Þenne þay boʒed to a borde þise burnes togeder, Þe kyng and þe gode knyʒt, and kene men hem serued Of alle dayntyez double, as derrest myʒt falle; Wyth alle maner of mete and mynstralcie boþe, Wyth wele walt þday, til worþed an ende in londe. Now þenk wel, Sir Gawan, For woþe þat þou ne wonde Þis auenture for to frayn Þat þou hatz tan on honde.

II THIS hanselle hatz Arthur of auenturus on fyrst In ʒonge ʒer, for he ʒerned ʒelpyng to here. Thaʒ hym wordez were wane when þay to sete wenten, Now ar þay stoken of sturne werk, stafful her hond. Gawan watz glad to begynne þose gomnez in halle, Bot þaʒ þe ende be heuy haf ʒe no wonder; For þaʒ men ben mery in mynde quen þay han mayn drynk, A ʒere ʒernes ful ʒerne, and ʒeldez neuer lyke, Þe forme to þe fynisment foldez ful selden. Forþi þis Ʒol ouerʒede, and þe ʒere after, And vche sesoun serlepes sued after oþer: After Crystenmasse com þe crabbed lentoun, Þat fraystez flesch wyth þe fysche and fode more symple; Bot þenne þe weder of þe worlde wyth wynter hit þrepez, Colde clengez adoun, cloudez vplyften, Schyre schedez þe rayn in schowrez ful warme, Fallez vpon fayre flat, flowrez þere schewen, Boþe groundez and þe greuez grene ar her wedez, Bryddez busken to bylde, and bremlych syngen For solace of þe softe somer þat sues þerafter bi bonk; And blossumez bolne to blowe Bi rawez rych and ronk, Þen notez noble innoʒe fn=98r Ar herde in wod so wlonk. After þe sesoun of somer wyth þe soft wyndez Quen Zeferus syflez hymself on sedez and erbez, Wela wynne is þe wort þat waxes þeroute, When þe donkande dewe dropez of þe leuez, To bide a blysful blusch of þe bryʒt sunne. Bot þen hyʒes heruest, and hardenes hym sone, Warnez hym for þe wynter to wax ful rype; He dryues wyth droʒt þe dust for to ryse, Fro þe face of þe folde to flyʒe ful hyʒe; Wroþe wynde of þe welkyn wrastelez with þe sunne, Þe leuez lancen fro þe lynde and lyʒten on þe grounde, And al grayes þe gres þat grene watz ere; Þenne al rypez and rotez þat ros vpon fyrst, And þus ʒirnez þe ʒere in ʒisterdayez mony, And wynter wyndez aʒayn, as þe worlde askez, no fage, Til Meʒelmas mone Watʒ cumen wyth wynter wage; Þen þenkkez Gawan ful sone Of his anious uyage. Ʒet quyl Al-hal-day with Arþer he lenges; And he made a fare on þat fest for þe frekez sake, With much reuel and ryche of þe Rounde Table. Knyʒtez ful cortays and comlych ladies Al for luf of þat lede in longynge þay were, Bot neuer þe lece ne þe later þay neuened bot merþe: Mony ioylez for þat ientyle iapez þer maden. For aftter mete with mournyng he melez to his eme, And spekez of his passage, and pertly he sayde, ‘Now, lege lorde of my lyf, leue I yow ask; Ʒe knowe þe cost of þis cace, kepe I no more To telle yow tenez þerof neuer bot trifel; Bot I am boun to þe bur barely to-morne To sech þe gome of þe grene, as God wyl me wysse.’ Þenne þe best of þe burʒ boʒed togeder, Aywan, and Errik, and oþer ful mony, fn=98v Sir Doddinaual de Sauage, þe duk of Clarence, Launcelot, and Lyonel, and Lucan þe gode, Sir Boos, and Sir Byduer, big men boþe, And mony oþer menskful, with Mador de la Port. Alle þis compayny of court com þe kyng nerre For to counseyl þe knyʒt, with care at her hert. Þere watz much derue doel driuen in þe sale Þat so worþé as Wawan schulde wende on þat ernde, To dryʒe a delful dynt, and dele no more wyth bronde. Þe knyʒt mad ay god chere, And sayde, ‘Quat schuld I wonde? Of destinés derf and dere What may mon do bot fonde?’ He dowellez þer al þat day, and dressez on þe morn, Askez erly hys armez, and alle were þay broʒt. Fyrst a tulé tapit tyʒt ouer þe flet, And miche watz þe gyld gere þat glent þeralofte; Þe stif mon steppez þeron, and þe stel hondelez, Dubbed in a dublet of a dere tars, And syþen a crafty capados, closed aloft, Þat wyth a bryʒt blaunner was bounden withinne. Þenne set þay þe sabatounz vpon þe segge fotez, His legez lapped in stel with luflych greuez, With polaynez piched þerto, policed ful clene, Aboute his knez knaged wyth knotez of golde; Queme quyssewes þen, þat coyntlych closed His thik þrawen þyʒez, with þwonges to tachched; And syþen þe brawden bryné of bryʒt stel ryngez Vmbeweued þat wyʒ vpon wlonk stuffe, And wel bornyst brace vpon his boþe armes, With gode cowters and gay, and glouez of plate, And alle þe godlych gere þat hym gayn schulde þat tyde; Wyth ryche cote-armure, His gold sporez spend with pryde, Gurde wyth a bront ful sure With silk sayn vmbe his syde. fn=99r When he watz hasped in armes, his harnays watz ryche: Þe lest lachet ouer loupe lemed of golde. So harnayst as he watz he herknez his masse, Offred and honoured at þe heʒe auter. Syþen he comez to þe kyng and to his cort-ferez, Lachez lufly his leue at lordez and ladyez; And þay hym kyst and conueyed, bikende hym to Kryst. Bi þat watz Gryngolet grayth, and gurde with a sadel Þat glemed ful gayly with mony golde frenges, Ayquere naylet ful nwe, for þat note ryched; Þe brydel barred aboute, with bryʒt golde bounden; Þe apparayl of þe payttrure and of þe proude skyrtez, Þe cropore and þe couertor, acorded wyth þe arsounez; And al watz rayled on red ryche golde naylez, Þat al glytered and glent as glem of þe sunne. Þenne hentes he þe helme, and hastily hit kysses, Þat watz stapled stifly, and stoffed wythinne. Hit watz hyʒe on his hede, hasped bihynde, Wyth a lyʒtly vrysoun ouer þe auentayle, Enbrawden and bounden wyth þe best gemmez On brode sylkyn borde, and bryddez on semez, As papiayez paynted peruyng bitwene, Tortors and trulofez entayled so þyk As mony burde þeraboute had ben seuen wynter in toune. Þe cercle watz more o prys Þat vmbeclypped hys croun, Of diamauntez a deuys Þat boþe were bryʒt and broun. THEN þay schewed hym þe schelde, þat was of schyr goulez Wyth þe pentangel depaynt of pure golde hwez. He braydez hit by þe bauderyk, aboute þe hals kestes, Þat bisemed þe segge semlyly fayre. And quy þe pentangel apendez to þat prynce noble I am in tent yow to telle, þof tary hyt me schulde: Hit is a syngne þat Salamon set sumquyle In bytoknyng of trawþe, bi tytle þat hit habbez, fn=99v For hit is a figure þat haldez fyue poyntez, And vche lyne vmbelappez and loukez in oþer, And ayquere hit is endelez; and Englych hit callen Oueral, as I here, þe endeles knot. Forþy hit acordez to þis knyʒt and to his cler armez, For ay faythful in fyue and sere fyue syþez Gawan watz for gode knawen, and as golde pured, Voyded of vche vylany, wyth vertuez ennourned in mote; Forþy þe pentangel nwe He ber in schelde and cote, As tulk of tale most trwe And gentylest knyʒt of lote. Fyrst he watz funden fautlez in his fyue wyttez, And efte fayled neuer þe freke in his fyue fyngres, And alle his afyaunce vpon folde watz in þe fyue woundez Þat Cryst kaʒt on þe croys, as þe crede tellez; And quere-so-euer þys mon in melly watz stad, His þro þoʒt watz in þat, þurʒ alle oþer þyngez, Þat alle his forsnes he feng at þe fyue joyez Þat þe hende heuen-quene had of hir chylde; At þis cause þe knyʒt comlyche hade In þe inore half of his schelde hir ymage depaynted, Þat quen he blusched þerto his belde neuer payred. Þe fyft fyue þat I finde þat þe frek vsed Watz fraunchyse and felaʒschyp forbe al þyng, His clannes and his cortaysye croked were neuer, And pité, þat passez alle poyntez, þyse pure fyue Were harder happed on þat haþel þen on any oþer. Now alle þese fyue syþez, for soþe, were fetled on þis knyʒt, And vchone halched in oþer, þat non ende hade, And fyched vpon fyue poyntez, þat fayld neuer, Ne samned neuer in no syde, ne sundred nouþer, Withouten ende at any noke I oquere fynde, Whereeuer þe gomen bygan, or glod to an ende. Þerfore on his schene schelde schapen watz þe knot Ryally wyth red golde vpon rede gowlez, fn=100r Þat is þe pure pentaungel wyth þe peple called with lore. Now grayþed is Gawan gay, And laʒt his launce ryʒt þore, And gef hem alle goud day, He wende for euermore. He sperred þe sted with þe spurez and sprong on his way, So stif þat þe ston-fyr stroke out þerafter. Al þat seʒ þat semly syked in hert, And sayde soþly al same segges til oþer, Carande for þat comly: ‘Bi Kryst, hit is scaþe Þat þou, leude, schal be lost, þat art of lyf noble! To fynde hys fere vpon folde, in fayth, is not eþe. Warloker to haf wroʒt had more wyt bene, And haf dyʒt ʒonder dere a duk to haue worþed; A lowande leder of ledez in londe hym wel semez, And so had better haf ben þen britned to noʒt, Hadet wyth an aluisch mon, for angardez pryde. Who knew euer any kyng such counsel to take As knyʒtez in cauelaciounz on Crystmasse gomnez!’ Wel much watz þe warme water þat waltered of yʒen, When þat semly syre soʒt fro þo wonez þad daye. He made non abode, Bot wyʒtly went hys way; Mony wylsum way he rode, Þe bok as I herde say. Now ridez þis renk þurʒ þe ryalme of Logres, Sir Gauan, on Godez halue, þaʒ hym no gomen þoʒt. Oft leudlez alone he lengez on nyʒtez Þer he fonde noʒt hym byfore þe fare þat he lyked. Hade he no fere bot his fole bi frythez and dounez, Ne no gome bot God bi gate wyth to karp, Til þat he neʒed ful neghe into þe Norþe Walez. Alle þe iles of Anglesay on lyft half he haldez, And farez ouer þe fordez by þe forlondez, Ouer at þe Holy Hede, til he hade eft bonk In þe wyldrenesse of Wyrale; wonde þer bot lyte fn=100v Þat auþer God oþer gome wyth goud hert louied. And ay he frayned, as he ferde, at frekez þat he met, If þay hade herde any karp of a knyʒt grene, In any grounde þeraboute, of þe grene chapel; And al nykked hym wyth nay, þat neuer in her lyue Þay seʒe neuer no segge þat watz of suche hwez of grene. Þe knyʒt tok gates straunge In mony a bonk vnbene, His cher ful oft con chaunge Þat chapel er he myʒt sene. Mony klyf he ouerclambe in contrayez straunge, Fer floten fro his frendez fremedly he rydez. At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wyʒe passed He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were, And þat so foule and so felle þat feʒt hym byhode. So mony meruayl bi mount þer þe mon fyndez, Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole. Sumwhyle wyth wormez he werrez, and with wolues als, Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarrez, Boþe wyth bullez and berez, and borez oþerquyle, And etaynez, þat hym anelede of þe heʒe felle; Nade he ben duʒty and dryʒe, and Dryʒtyn had serued, Douteles he hade ben ded and dreped ful ofte. For werre wrathed hym not so much þat wynter nas wors, When þe colde cler water fro þe cloudez schadde, And fres er hit falle myʒt to þe fale erþe; Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes Mo nyʒtez þen innoghe in naked rokkez, Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne rennez, And henged heʒe ouer his hede in hard iisse-ikkles. Þus in peryl and payne and plytes ful harde Bi contray cayrez þis knyʒt, tyl Krystmasse euen, al one; Þe knyʒt wel þat tyde To Mary made his mone, Þat ho hym red to ryde fn=101r And wysse hym to sum wone. Bi a mounte on þe morne meryly he rydes Into a forest ful dep, þat ferly watz wylde, Hiʒe hillez on vche a halue, and holtwodez vnder Of hore okez ful hoge a hundreth togeder; Þe hasel and þe haʒþorne were harled al samen, With roʒe raged mosse rayled aywhere, With mony bryddez vnblyþe vpon bare twyges, Þat pitosly þer piped for pyne of þe colde. Þe gome vpon Gryngolet glydez hem vnder, Þurʒ mony misy and myre, mon al hym one, Carande for his costes, lest he ne keuer schulde To se þe seruyse of þat syre, þat on þat self nyʒt Of a burde watz borne oure baret to quelle; And þerfore sykyng he sayde, ‘I beseche þe, lorde, And Mary, þat is myldest moder so dere, Of sum herber þer heʒly I myʒt here masse, Ande þy matynez to-morne, mekely I ask, And þerto prestly I pray my pater and aue and crede.’ He rode in his prayere, And cryed for his mysdede, He sayned hym in syþes sere, And sayde ‘Cros Kryst me spede!’ NADE he sayned hymself, segge, bot þrye, Er he watz war in þe wod of a won in a mote, Abof a launde, on a lawe, loken vnder boʒez Of mony borelych bole aboute bi þe diches: A castel þe comlokest þat euer knyʒt aʒte, Pyched on a prayere, a park al aboute, With a pyked palays pyned ful þik, Þat vmbeteʒe mony tre mo þen two myle. Þat holde on þat on syde þe haþel auysed, As hit schemered and schon þurʒ þe schyre okez; Þenne hatz he hendly of his helme, and heʒly he þonkez Jesus and sayn Gilyan, þat gentyle ar boþe, fn=101v Þat cortaysly had hym kydde, and his cry herkened. ‘Now bone hostel,’ coþe þe burne, ‘I beseche yow ʒette!’ Þenne gerdez he to Gryngolet with þe gilt helez, And he ful chauncely hatz chosen to þe chef gate, Þat broʒt bremly þe burne to þe bryge ende in haste. Þe bryge watz breme vpbrayde, Þe ʒatez wer stoken faste, Þe wallez were wel arayed, Hit dut no wyndez blaste. Þe burne bode on blonk, þat on bonk houed Of þe depe double dich þat drof to þe place; Þe walle wod in þe water wonderly depe, Ande eft a ful huge heʒt hit haled vpon lofte Of harde hewen ston vp to þe tablez, Enbaned vnder þe abataylment in þe best lawe; And syþen garytez ful gaye gered bitwene, Wyth mony luflych loupe þat louked ful clene: A better barbican þat burne blusched vpon neuer. And innermore he behelde þat halle ful hyʒe, Towres telded bytwene, trochet ful þik, Fayre fylyolez þat fyʒed, and ferlyly long, With coruon coprounes craftyly sleʒe. Chalkwhyt chymnees þer ches he innoʒe Vpon bastel rouez, þat blenked ful quyte; So mony pynakle payntet watz poudred ayquere, Among þe castel carnelez clambred so þik, Þat pared out of papure purely hit semed. Þe fre freke on þe fole hit fayr innoghe þoʒt, If he myʒt keuer to com þe cloyster wythinne, To herber in þat hostel whyl halyday lested, auinant. He calde, and sone þer com A porter pure plesaunt, On þe wal his ernd he nome, And haylsed þe knyʒt erraunt. ‘Gode sir,’ quoþ Gawan, ‘woldez þou go myn ernde To þe heʒ lorde of þis hous, herber to craue?’ fn=102r ‘Ʒe, Peter,’ quoþ þe porter, ‘and purely I trowee Þat ʒe be, wyʒe, welcum to won quyle yow lykez.’ Þen ʒede þe wyʒe ʒerne and com aʒayn swyþe, And folke frely hym wyth, to fonge þe knyʒt. Þay let doun þe grete draʒt and derely out ʒeden, And kneled doun on her knes vpon þe colde erþe To welcum þis ilk wyʒ as worþy hom þoʒt; Þay ʒolden hym þe brode ʒate, ʒarked vp wyde, And he hem raysed rekenly, and rod ouer þe brygge. Sere seggez hym sesed by sadel, quel he lyʒt, And syþen stabeled his stede stif men innoʒe. Knyʒtez and swyerez comen doun þenne For to bryng þis buurne wyth blys into halle; Quen he hef vp his helme, þer hiʒed innoghe For to hent hit at his honde, þe hende to seruen; His bronde and his blasoun boþe þay token. Þen haylsed he ful hendly þo haþelez vchone, And mony proud mon þer presed þat prynce to honour. Alle hasped in his heʒ wede to halle þay hym wonnen, Þer fayre fyre vpon flet fersly brenned. Þenne þe lorde of þe lede loutez fro his chambre For to mete wyth menske þe mon on þe flor; He sayde, ‘Ʒe ar welcum to welde as yow lykez Þat here is; al is yowre awen, to haue at yowre wylle and welde.’ ‘Graunt mercy,’ quoþ Gawayn, ‘Þer Kryst hit yow forʒelde.’ As frekez þat semed fayn Ayþer oþer in armez con felde. Gawayn glyʒt on þe gome þat godly hym gret, And þuʒt hit a bolde burne þat þe burʒ aʒte, A hoge haþel for þe nonez, and of hyghe eldee; Brode, bryʒt, watz his berde, and al beuer-hwed, Sturne, stif on þe stryþþe on stalworth schonkez, Felle face as þe fyre, and fre of hys speche; And wel hym semed, for soþe, as þe segge þuʒt, To lede a lortschyp in lee of leudez ful gode. fn=102v Þe lorde hym charred to a chambre, and chefly cumaundez To delyuer hym a leude, hym loʒly to serue; And þere were boun at his bode burnez innoʒe, Þat broʒt hym to a bryʒt boure, þer beddyng watz noble, Of cortynes of clene sylk wyth cler golde hemmez, And couertorez ful curious with comlych panez Of bryʒt blaunner aboue, enbrawded bisydez, Rudelez rennande on ropez, red golde ryngez, Tapitez tyʒt to þe woʒe of tuly and tars, And vnder fete, on þe flet, of folʒande sute. Þer he watz dispoyled, wyth spechez of myerþe, Þe burn of his bruny and of his bryʒt wedez. Ryche robes ful rad renkkez hym broʒten, For to charge, and to chaunge, and chose of þe best. Sone as he on hent, and happed þerinne, Þat sete on hym semly wyth saylande skyrtez, Þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed Welneʒ to vche haþel, alle on hwes Lowande and lufly alle his lymmez vnder, Þat a comloker knyʒt neuer Kryst made hem þoʒt. Wheþen in worlde he were, Hit semed as he moʒt Be prynce withouten pere In felde þer felle men foʒt. A cheyer byfore þe chemné, þer charcole brenned, Watz grayþed for Sir Gawan grayþely with cloþez, Whyssynes vpon queldepoyntes þat koynt wer boþe; And þenne a meré mantyle watz on þat mon cast Of a broun bleeaunt, enbrauded ful ryche And fayre furred wythinne with fellez of þe best, Alle of ermyn in erde, his hode of þe same; And he sete in þat settel semlych ryche, And achaufed hym chefly, and þenne his cher mended. Sone watz telded vp a tabil on trestez ful fayre, Clad wyth a clene cloþe þat cler quyt schewed, Sanap, and salure, and syluerin sponez. fn=103r Þe wyʒe wesche at his wylle, and went to his mete. Seggez hym serued semly innoʒe Wyth sere sewes and sete, sesounde of þe best. Double-felde, as hit fallez, and fele kyn fischez, Summe baken in bred, summe brad on þe gledez, Summe soþen, summe in sewe sauered with spyces, And ay sawes so sleʒe þat þe segge lyked. Þe freke calde hit a fest ful frely and ofte Ful hendely, quen alle þe haþeles rehayted hym at onez, ‘As hende, Þis penaunce now ʒe take, And eft hit schal amende.’ Þat mon much merþe con make, For wyn in his hed þat wende. Þenne watz spyed and spured vpon spare wyse Bi preué poyntez of þat prynce, put to hymseluen, Þat he beknew cortaysly of þe court þat he were Þat aþel Arthure þe hende haldez hym one, Þat is þe ryche ryal kyng of þe Rounde Table, And hit watz Wawen hymself þat in þat won syttez, Comen to þat Krystmasse, as case hym þen lymped. When þe lorde hade lerned þat he þe leude hade, Loude laʒed he þerat, so lef hit hym þoʒt, And alle þe men in þat mote maden much joye To apere in his presense prestly þat tyme, Þat alle prys and prowes and pured þewes Apendes to hys persoun, and praysed is euer; Byfore alle men vpon molde his mensk is þe most. Vch segge ful softly sayde to his fere: ‘Now schal we semlych se sleʒtez of þewez And þe teccheles termes of talkyng noble, Wich spede is in speche vnspurd may we lerne, Syn we haf fonged þat fyne fader of nurture. God hatz geuen vus his grace godly for soþe, Þat such a gest as Gawan grauntez vus to haue, When burnez blyþe of his burþe schal sitte and synge. In menyng of manerez mere fn=103v Þis burne now schal vus bryng, I hope þat may hym here Schal lerne of luf-talkyng.’ Bi þat þe diner watz done and þe dere vp Hit watz neʒ at þe niyʒt neʒed þe tyme. Chaplaynez to þe chapeles chosen þe gate, Rungen ful rychely, ryʒt as þay schulden, To þe hersum euensong of þe hyʒe tyde. Þe lorde loutes þerto, and þe lady als, Into a cumly closet coyntly ho entrez. Gawan glydez ful gay and gos þeder sone; Þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe and ledez hym to sytte, And couþly hym knowez and callez hym his nome, And sayde he watz þe welcomest wyʒe of þe worlde; And he hym þonkked þroly, and ayþer halched oþer, And seten soberly samen þe seruise quyle. Þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe knyʒt, Þenne com ho of hir closet with mony cler burdez. Ho watz þe fayrest in felle, of flesche and of lyre, And of compas and colour and costes, of alle oþer, And wener þen Wenore, as þe wyʒe þoʒt. Ho ches þurʒ þe chaunsel to cheryche þat hende. An oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde, Þat watz alder þen ho, an auncian hit semed, And heʒly honowred with haþelez aboute. Bot vnlyke on to loke þo ladyes were, For if þe ʒonge watz ʒep, ʒolʒe watz þat oþer; Riche red on þat on rayled ayquere, Rugh ronkled chekez þat oþer on rolled; Kerchofes of þat on, wyth mony cler perlez, Hir brest and hir bryʒt þrote bare displayed, Schon schyrer þen snawe þat schedez on hillez; Þat oþer wyth a gorger watz gered ouer þe swyre, Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with chalkquyte vayles, Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ayquere, Toreted and treleted with tryflez aboute, fn=104r Þat noʒt watz bare of þat burde bot þe blake broʒes, Þe tweyne yʒen and þe nase, þe naked lyppez, And þose were soure to se and sellyly blered; A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle, for Gode! Hir body watz schort and þik, Hir buttokez balʒ and brode, More lykkerwys on to lyk Watz þat scho hade on lode. When Gawayn glyʒt on þat gay, þat graciously loked, Wyth leue laʒt of þe lorde he lent hem aʒaynes; Þe alder he haylses, heldande ful lowe, Þe loueloker he lappez a lyttel in armez, He kysses hir comlyly, and knyʒtly he melez. Þay kallen hym of aquoyntaunce, and he hit quyk askez To be her seruaunt sothly, if hemself lyked. Þay tan hym bytwene hem, wyth talkyng hym leden To chambre, to chemné, and chefly þay asken Spycez, þat vnsparely men speded hom to bryng, And þe wynnelych wyne þerwith vche tyme. Þe lorde luflych aloft lepez ful ofte, Mynned merthe to be made vpon mony syþez, Hent heʒly of his hode, and on a spere henged, And wayned hom to wynne þe worchip þerof, Þat most myrþe myʒt meue þat Crystenmas whyle— ‘And I schal fonde, bi my fayth, to fylter wyth þe best Er me wont þe wede, with help of my frendez.’ Þus wyth laʒande lotez þe lorde hit tayt makez, For to glade Sir Gawayn with gomnez in halle þat nyʒt, Til þat hit watz tyme Þe lord comaundet lyʒt; Sir Gawen his leue con nyme And to his bed hym diʒt. On þe morne, as vch mon mynez þat tyme Þat Dryʒtyn for oure destyné to deʒe watz borne, Wele waxez in vche a won in worlde for his sake; So did hit þere on þat day þurʒ dayntés mony: fn=104v Boþe at mes and at mele messes ful quaynt Derf men vpon dece drest of þe best. Þe olde auncian wyf heʒest ho syttez, Þe lorde lufly her by lent, as I trowe; Gawan and þe gay burde togeder þay seten, Euen inmyddez, as þe messe metely come, And syþen þurʒ al þe sale as hem best semed. Bi vche grome at his degré grayþely watz serued Þer watz mete, þer watz myrþe, þer watz much ioye, Þat for to telle þerof hit me tene were, And to poynte hit ʒet I pyned me parauenture. Bot ʒet I wot þat Wawen and þe wale burde Such comfort of her compaynye caʒten togeder Þurʒ her dere dalyaunce of her derne wordez, Wyth clene cortays carp closed fro fylþe, Þat hor play watz passande vche prynce gomen, in vayres. Trumpez and nakerys, Much pypyng þer repayres; Vche mon tented hys, And þay two tented þayres. Much dut watz þer dryuen þat day and þat oþer, And þe þryd as þro þronge in þerafter; Þe ioye of sayn Jonez day watz gentyle to here, And watz þe last of þe layk, leudez þer þoʒten. Þer wer gestes to go vpon þe gray morne, Forþy wonderly þay woke, and þe wyn dronken, Daunsed ful dreʒly wyth dere carolez. At þe last, when hit watz late, þay lachen her leue, Vchon to wende on his way þat watz wyʒe stronge. Gawan gef hym god day, þe godmon hym lachchez, Ledes hym to his awen chambre, þe chymné bysyde, And þere he draʒez hym on dryʒe, and derely hym þonkkez Of þe wynne worschip þat he hym wayued hade, As to honour his hous on þat hyʒe tyde, And enbelyse his burʒ with his bele chere: ‘Iwysse sir, quyl I leue, me worþez þe better fn=105r Þat Gawayn hatz ben my gest at Goddez awen fest.’ ‘Grant merci, sir,’ quoþ Gawayn, ‘in god fayth hit is yowrez, Al þe honour is your awen—þe heʒe kyng yow ʒelde! And I am wyʒe at your wylle to worch youre hest, As I am halden þerto, in hyʒe and in loʒe, bi riʒt.’ Þe lorde fast can hym payne To holde lenger þe knyʒt; To hym answarez Gawayn Bi non way þat he myʒt. Then frayned þe freke ful fayre at himseluen Quat derue dede had hym dryuen at þat dere tyme So kenly fro þe kyngez kourt to kayre al his one, Er þe halidayez holly were halet out of toun. ‘For soþe, sir,’ quoþ þe segge, ‘ʒe sayn bot þe trawþe, A heʒe ernde and a hasty me hade fro þo wonez, For I am sumned myselfe to sech to a place, I ne wot in worlde whederwarde to wende hit to fynde. I nolde bot if I hit negh myʒt on Nw Ʒeres morne For alle þe londe inwyth Logres, so me oure lorde help! Forþy, sir, þis enquest I require yow here, Þat ʒe me telle with trawþe if euer ʒe tale herde Of þe grene chapel, quere hit on grounde stondez, And of þe knyʒt þat hit kepes, of colour of grene. Þer watz stabled bi statut a steuen vus bytwene To mete þat mon at þat mere, ʒif I myʒt last; And of þat ilk Nw Ʒere bot neked now wontez, And I wolde loke on þat lede, if God me let wolde, Gladloker, bi Goddez sun, þen any god welde! Forþi, iwysse, bi ʒowre wylle, wende me bihoues, Naf I now to busy bot bare þre dayez, And me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde.’ Þenne laʒande quoþ þe lorde, ‘Now leng þe byhoues, For I schal teche yow to þat terme bi þe tymez ende, Þe grene chapayle vpon grounde greue yow no more; Bot ʒe schal be in yowre bed, burne, at þyn ese, Quyle forth dayez, and ferk on þe fyrst of þe ʒere, fn=105v And cum to þat merk at mydmorn, to make quat yow likez in spenne. Dowellez whyle New Ʒeres daye, And rys, and raykez þenne, Mon schal yow sette in waye, Hit is not two myle henne.’ Þenne watz Gawan ful glad, and gomenly he laʒed: ‘Now I þonk yow þryuandely þurʒ alle oþer þynge, Now acheued is my chaunce, I schal at your wylle Dowelle, and ellez do quat ʒe demen.’ Þenne sesed hym þe syre and set hym bysyde, Let þe ladiez be fette to lyke hem þe better. Þer watz seme solace by hemself stille; Þe lorde let for luf lotez so myry, As wyʒ þat wolde of his wyte, ne wyst quat he myʒt. Þenne he carped to þe knyʒt, criande loude, ‘Ʒe han demed to do þe dede þat I bidde; Wyl ʒe halde þis hes here at þys onez?’ ‘Ʒe, sir, for soþe,’ sayd þe segge trwe, ‘Whyl I byde in yowre borʒe, be bayn to ʒowre hest.’ ‘For ʒe haf trauayled,’ quoþ þe tulk, ‘towen fro ferre, And syþen waked me wyth, ʒe arn not wel waryst Nauþer of sostnaunce ne of slepe, soþly I knowe; Ʒe schal lenge in your lofte, and lyʒe in your ese To-morn quyle þe messequyle, and to mete wende When ʒe wyl, wyth my wyf, þat wyth yow schal sitte And comfort yow with compayny, til I to cort torne; ʒe lende, And I schal erly ryse, On huntyng wyl I wende.’ Gauayn grantez alle þyse, Hym heldande, as þe hende. ‘Ʒet firre,’ quoþ þe freke, ‘a forwarde we make: Quat-so-euer I wynne in þe wod hit worþez to yourez, And quat chek so ʒe acheue chaunge me þerforne. Swete, swap we so, sware with trawþe, Queþer, leude, so lymp, lere oþer better.’ ‘Bi God,’ quoþ Gawayn þe gode, ‘I grant þertylle, fn=106r And þat yow lyst for to layke, lef hit me þynkes.’ ‘Who bryngez vus þis beuerage, þis bargayn is maked’: So sayde þe lorde of þat lede; þay laʒed vchone, Þay dronken and daylyeden and dalten vntyʒtel, Þise lordez and ladyez, quyle þat hem lyked; And syþen with Frenkysch fare and fele fayre lotez Þay stoden and stemed and stylly speken, Kysten ful comlyly and kaʒten her leue. With mony leude ful lyʒt and lemande torches Vche burne to his bed watz broʒt at þe laste, ful softe. To bed ʒet er þay ʒede, Recorded couenauntez ofte; Þe olde lorde of þat leude Cowþe wel halde layk alofte.

III Ful erly bifore þe day þe folk vprysen, Gestes þat go wolde hor gromez þay calden, And þay busken vp bilyue blonkkez to sadel, Tyffen her takles, trussen her males, Richen hem þe rychest, to ryde alle arayde, Lepen vp lyʒtly, lachen her brydeles, Vche wyʒe on his way þer hym wel lyked. Þe leue lorde of þe londe watz not þe last Arayed for þe rydyng, with renkkez ful mony; Ete a sop hastyly, when he hade herde masse, With bugle to bent-felde he buskez bylyue. By þat any daylyʒt lemed vpon erþe He with his haþeles on hyʒe horsses weren. Þenne þise cacheres þat couþe cowpled hor houndez, Vnclosed þe kenel dore and calde hem þeroute, Blwe bygly in buglez þre bare mote; Braches bayed þerfore and breme noyse maked; And þay chastysed and charred on chasyng þat went, A hundreth of hunteres, as I haf herde telle, of þe best. To trystors vewters ʒod, Couples huntes of kest; fn=106v Þer ros for blastez gode Gret rurd in þat forest. At þe fyrst quethe of þe quest quaked þe wylde; Der drof in þe dale, doted for drede, Hiʒed to þe hyʒe, bot heterly þay were Restayed with þe stablye, þat stoutly ascryed. Þay let þe herttez haf þe gate, with þe hyʒe hedes, Þe breme bukkez also with hor brode paumez; For þe fre lorde hade defende in fermysoun tyme Þat þer schulde no mon meue to þe male dere. Þe hindez were halden in with hay! and war! Þe does dryuen with gret dyn to þe depe sladez; Þer myʒt mon se, as þay slypte, slentyng of arwes— At vche wende vnder wande wapped a flone— Þat bigly bote on þe broun with ful brode hedez. What! þay brayen, and bleden, bi bonkkez þay deʒen, And ay rachches in a res radly hem folʒes, Hunterez wyth hyʒe horne hasted hem after Wyth such a crakkande kry as klyffes haden brusten. What wylde so atwaped wyʒes þat schotten Watz al toraced and rent at þe resayt, Bi þay were tened at þe hyʒe and taysed to þe wattrez; Þe ledez were so lerned at þe loʒe trysteres, And þe grehoundez so grete, þat geten hem bylyue And hem tofylched, as fast as frekez myʒt loke, þer-ryʒt. Þe lorde for blys abloy Ful oft con launce and lyʒt, And drof þat day wyth joy Thus to þe derk nyʒt. Þus laykez þis lorde by lynde-wodez euez, And Gawayn þe god mon in gay bed lygez, Lurkkez quyl þe daylyʒt lemed on þe wowes, Vnder couertour ful clere, cortyned aboute; And as in slomeryng he slode, sleʒly he herde A littel dyn at his dor, and dernly vpon; And he heuez vp his hed out of þe cloþes, fn=107r A corner of þe cortyn he caʒt vp a lyttel, And waytez warly þiderwarde quat hit be myʒt. Hit watz þe ladi, loflyest to beholde, Þat droʒ þe dor after hir ful dernly and stylle, And boʒed towarde þe bed; and þe burne schamed, And layde hym doun lystyly, and let as he slepte; And ho stepped stilly and stel to his bedde, Kest vp þe cortyn and creped withinne, And set hir ful softly on þe bed-syde, And lenged þere selly longe to loke quen he wakened. Þe lede lay lurked a ful longe quyle, Compast in his concience to quat þat cace myʒt Meue oþer amount—to meruayle hym þoʒt, Bot ʒet he sayde in hymself, ‘More semly hit were To aspye wyth my spelle in space quat ho wolde.’ Þen he wakenede, and wroth, and to hir warde torned, And vnlouked his yʒe-lyddez, and let as hym wondered, And sayned hym, as bi his saʒe þe sauer to worthe, with hande. Wyth chynne and cheke ful swete, Boþe quit and red in blande, Ful lufly con ho lete Wyth lyppez smal laʒande. ‘God moroun, Sir Gawayn,’ sayde þat gay lady, ‘Ʒe ar a sleper vnslyʒe, þat mon may slyde hider; Now ar ʒe tan as-tyt! Bot true vus may schape, I schal bynde yow in your bedde, þat be ʒe trayst’: Al laʒande þe lady lanced þo bourdez. ‘Goud moroun, gay,’ quoþ Gawayn þe blyþe, ‘Me schal worþe at your wille, and þat me wel lykez, For I ʒelde me ʒederly, and ʒeʒe after grace, And þat is þe best, be my dome, for me byhouez nede’: And þus he bourded aʒayn with mony a blyþe laʒter. ‘Bot wolde ʒe, lady louely, þen leue me grante, And deprece your prysoun, and pray hym to ryse, I wolde boʒe of þis bed, and busk me better; I schulde keuer þe more comfort to karp yow wyth.’ fn=107v ‘Nay for soþe, beau sir,’ sayd þat swete, ‘Ʒe schal not rise of your bedde, I rych yow better, I schal happe yow here þat oþer half als, And syþen karp wyth my knyʒt þat I kaʒt haue; For I wene wel, iwysse, Sir Wowen ʒe are, Þat alle þe worlde worchipez quere-so ʒe ride; Your honour, your hendelayk is hendely praysed With lordez, wyth ladyes, with alle þat lyf bere. And now ʒe ar here, iwysse, and we bot oure one; My lorde and his ledez ar on lenþe faren, Oþer burnez in her bedde, and my burdez als, Þe dor drawen and dit with a derf haspe; And syþen I haue in þis hous hym þat al lykez, I schal ware my whyle wel, quyl hit lastez, with tale. Ʒe ar welcum to my cors, Yowre awen won to wale, Me behouez of fyne force Your seruaunt be, and schale.’ ‘In god fayth,’ quoþ Gawayn, ‘gayn hit me þynkkez, Þaʒ I be not now he þat ʒe of speken; To reche to such reuerence as ʒe reherce here I am wyʒe vnworþy, I wot wel myseluen. Bi God, I were glad, and yow god þoʒt, At saʒe oþer at seruyce þat I sette myʒt To þe plesaunce of your prys—hit were a pure ioye.’ ‘In god fayth, Sir Gawayn,’ quoþ þe gay lady, ‘Þe prys and þe prowes þat plesez al oþer, If I hit lakked oþer set at lyʒt, hit were littel daynté; Bot hit ar ladyes innoʒe þat leuer wer nowþe Haf þe, hende, in hor holde, as I þe habbe here, To daly with derely your daynté wordez, Keuer hem comfort and colen her carez, Þen much of þe garysoun oþer golde þat þay hauen. Bot I louue þat ilk lorde þat þe lyfte haldez, I haf hit holly in my honde þat al desyres, þurʒe grace.’ Scho made hym so gret chere, fn=108r Þat watz so fayr of face, Þe knyʒt with speches skere Answared to vche a cace. ‘Madame,’ quoþ þe myry mon, ‘Mary yow ʒelde, For I haf founden, in god fayth, yowre fraunchis nobele, And oþer ful much of oþer folk fongen bi hor dedez, Bot þe daynté þat þay delen, for my disert nys euen, Hit is þe worchyp of yourself, þat noʒt bot wel connez.’ ‘Bi Mary,’ quoþ þe menskful, ‘me þynk hit an oþer; For were I worth al þe wone of wymmen alyue, And al þe wele of þe worlde were in my honde, And I schulde chepen and chose to cheue me a lorde, For þe costes þat I haf knowen vpon þe, knyʒt, here, Of bewté and debonerté and blyþe semblaunt, And þat I haf er herkkened and halde hit here trwee, Þer schulde no freke vpon folde bifore yow be chosen.’ ‘Iwysse, worþy,’ quoþ þe wyʒe, ‘ʒe haf waled wel better, Bot I am proude of þe prys þat ʒe put on me, And, soberly your seruaunt, my souerayn I holde yow, And yowre knyʒt I becom, and Kryst yow forʒelde.’ Þus þay meled of muchquat til mydmorn paste, And ay þe lady let lyk as hym loued mych; Þe freke ferde with defence, and feted ful fayre— ‘Þaʒ I were burde bryʒtest’, þe burde in mynde hade. Þe lasse luf in his lode for lur þat he soʒt boute hone, Þe dunte þat schulde hym deue, And nedez hit most be done. Þe lady þenn spek of leue, He granted hir ful sone. Þenne ho gef hym god day, and wyth a glent laʒed, And as ho stod, ho stonyed hym wyth ful stor wordez: ‘Now he þat spedez vche spech þis disport ʒelde yow! Bot þat ʒe be Gawan, hit gotz in mynde.’ ‘Querfore?’ quoþ þe freke, and freschly he askez, Ferde lest he hade fayled in fourme of his castes; Bot þe burde hym blessed, and ‘Bi þis skyl’ sayde: fn=108v ‘So god as Gawayn gaynly is halden, And cortaysye is closed so clene in hymseluen, Couth not lyʒtly haf lenged so long wyth a lady, Bot he had craued a cosse, bi his courtaysye, Bi sum towch of summe tryfle at sum talez ende.’ Þen quoþ Wowen: ‘Iwysse, worþe as yow lykez; I schal kysse at your comaundement, as a knyʒt fallez, And fire, lest he displese yow, so plede hit no more.’ Ho comes nerre with þat, and cachez hym in armez, Loutez luflych adoun and þe leude kyssez. Þay comly bykennen to Kryst ayþer oþer; Ho dos hir forth at þe dore withouten dyn more; And he ryches hym to ryse and rapes hym sone, Clepes to his chamberlayn, choses his wede, Boʒez forth, quen he watz boun, blyþely to masse; And þenne he meued to his mete þat menskly hym keped, And made myry al day, til þe mone rysed, with game. Watz neuer freke fayrer fonge Bitwene two so dyngne dame, Þe alder and þe ʒonge; Much solace set þay same. And ay þe lorde of þe londe is lent on his gamnez, To hunt in holtez and heþe at hyndez barayne; Such a sowme he þer slowe bi þat þe sunne heldet, Of dos and of oþer dere, to deme were wonder. Þenne fersly þay flokked in folk at þe laste, And quykly of þe quelled dere a querré þay maked. Þe best boʒed þerto with burnez innoghe, Gedered þe grattest of gres þat þer were, And didden hem derely vndo as þe dede askez; Serched hem at þe asay summe þat þer were, Two fyngeres þay fonde of þe fowlest of alle. Syþen þay slyt þe slot, sesed þe erber, Schaued wyth a scharp knyf, and þe schyre knitten; Syþen rytte þay þe foure lymmes, and rent of þe hyde, Þen brek þay þe balé, þe bowelez out token fn=109r Lystily for laucyng þe lere of þe knot; Þay gryped to þe gargulun, and grayþely departed Þe wesaunt fro þe wynt-hole, and walt out þe guttez; Þen scher þay out þe schulderez with her scharp knyuez, Haled hem by a lyttel hole to haue hole sydes. Siþen britned þay þe brest and brayden hit in twynne, And eft at þe gargulun bigynez on þenne, Ryuez hit vp radly ryʒt to þe byʒt, Voydez out þe avanters, and verayly þerafter Alle þe rymez by þe rybbez radly þay lance; So ryde þay of by resoun bi þe rygge bonez, Euenden to þe haunche, þat henged alle samen, And heuen hit vp al hole, and hwen hit of þere, And þat þay neme for þe noumbles bi nome, as I trowe, bi kynde; Bi þe byʒt al of þe þyʒes Þe lappez þay lance bihynde; To hewe hit in two þay hyʒes, Bi þe bakbon to vnbynde. Boþe þe hede and þe hals þay hwen of þenne, And syþen sunder þay þe sydez swyft fro þe chyne, And þe corbeles fee þay kest in a greue; Þenn þurled þay ayþer þik side þurʒ bi þe rybbe, And henged þenne ayþer bi hoʒez of þe fourchez, Vche freke for his fee, as fallez for to haue. Vpon a felle of þe fayre best fede þay þayr houndes Wyth þe lyuer and þe lyʒtez, þe leþer of þe paunchez, And bred baþed in blod blende þeramongez. Baldely þay blw prys, bayed þayr rachchez, Syþen fonge þay her flesche, folden to home, Strakande ful stoutly mony stif motez. Bi þat þe daylyʒt watz done þe douthe watz al wonen Into þe comly castel, þer þe knyʒt bidez ful stille, Wyth blys and bryʒt fyr bette. Þe lorde is comen þertylle; When Gawayn wyth hym mette Þer watz bot wele at wylle. fn=109v Thenne comaunded þe lorde in þat sale to samen alle þe meny, Boþe þe ladyes on loghe to lyʒt with her burdes Bifore alle þe folk on þe flette, frekez he beddez Verayly his venysoun to fech hym byforne, And al godly in gomen Gawayn he called, Techez hym to þe tayles of ful tayt bestes, Schewez hym þe schyree grece schorne vpon rybbes. ‘How payez yow þis play? Haf I prys wonnen? Haue I þryuandely þonk þurʒ my craft serued?’ ‘Ʒe iwysse,’ quoþ þat oþer wyʒe, ‘here is wayth fayrest Þat I seʒ þis seuen ʒere in sesoun of wynter.’ ‘And al I gif yow, Gawayn,’ quoþ þe gome þenne, ‘For by acorde of couenaunt ʒe craue hit as your awen.’ ‘Þis is soth,’ quoþ þe segge, ‘I say yow þat ilke: Þat I haf worthyly wonnen þis wonez wythinne, Iwysse with as god wylle hit worþez to ʒourez.’ He hasppez his fayre hals his armez wythinne, And kysses hym as comlyly as he couþe awyse: ‘Tas yow þere my cheuicaunce, I cheued no more; I wowche hit saf fynly, þaʒ feler hit were.’ ‘Hit is god,’ quoþ þe godmon, ‘grant mercy þerfore. Hit may be such hit is þe better, and ʒe me breue wolde Where ʒe wan þis ilk wele bi wytte of yorseluen.’ ‘Þat watz not forward,’ quoþ he, ‘frayst me no more. For ʒe haf tan þat yow tydez, trawe non oþer ʒe mowe.’ Þay laʒed, and made hem blyþe Wyth lotez þat were to lowe; To soper þay ʒede as-swyþe, Wyth dayntés nwe innowe. And syþen by þe chymné in chamber þay seten, Wyʒez þe walle wyn weʒed to hem oft, And efte in her bourdyng þay bayþen in þe morn To fylle þe same forwardez þat þay byfore maden: Wat chaunce so bytydez hor cheuysaunce to chaunge, What nwez so þay nome, at naʒt quen þay metten. Þay acorded of þe couenauntez byfore þe court alle; fn=110r Þe beuerage watz broʒt forth in bourde at þat tyme, Þenne þay louelych leʒten leue at þe last, Vche burne to his bedde busked bylyue. Bi þat þe coke hade crowen and cakled bot þryse, Þe lorde watz lopen of his bedde, þe leudez vchone; So þat þe mete and þe masse watz metely delyuered, Þe douthe dressed to þe wod, er any day sprenged, to chace; Heʒ with hunte and hornez Þurʒ playnez þay passe in space, Vncoupled among þo þornez Rachez þat ran on race. SONE þay calle of a quest in a ker syde, Þe hunt rehayted þe houndez þat hit fyrst mynged, Wylde wordez hym warp wyth a wrast noyce; Þe howndez þat hit herde hastid þider swyþe, And fellen as fast to þe fuyt, fourty at ones; Þenne such a glauer ande glam of gedered rachchez Ros, þat þe rocherez rungen aboute; Hunterez hem hardened with horne and wyth muthe. Þen al in a semblé sweyed togeder, Bitwene a flosche in þat fryth and a foo cragge; In a knot bi a clyffe, at þe kerre syde, Þer as þe rogh rocher vnrydely watz fallen, Þay ferden to þe fyndyng, and frekez hem after; Þay vmbekesten þe knarre and þe knot boþe, Wyʒez, whyl þay wysten wel wythinne hem hit were, Þe best þat þer breued watz wyth þe blodhoundez. Þenne þay beten on þe buskez, and bede hym vpryse, And he vnsoundyly out soʒt seggez ouerþwert; On þe sellokest swyn swenged out þere, Long sythen fro þe sounder þat siʒed for olde, For he watz breme, bor alþer-grattest, Ful grymme quen he gronyed; þenne greued mony, For þre at þe fyrst þrast he þryʒt to þe erþe, And sparred forth good sped boute spyt more. Þise oþer halowed hyghe! ful hyʒe, and hay! hay! cryed, fn=110v Haden hornez to mouþe, heterly rechated; Mony watz þe myry mouthe of men and of houndez Þat buskkez after þis bor with bost and wyth noyse to quelle. Ful oft he bydez þe baye, And maymez þe mute inn melle; He hurtez of þe houndez, and þay Ful ʒomerly ʒaule and ʒelle. Schalkez to schote at hym schowen to þenne, Haled to hym of her arewez, hitten hym oft; Bot þe poyntez payred at þe pyth þat pyʒt in his scheldez, And þe barbez of his browe bite non wolde— Þaʒ þe schauen schaft schyndered in pecez, Þe hede hypped aʒayn were-so-euer hit hitte. Bot quen þe dyntez hym dered of her dryʒe strokez, Þen, braynwod for bate, on burnez he rasez, Hurtez hem ful heterly þer he forth hyʒez, And mony arʒed þerat, and on lyte droʒen. Bot þe lorde on a lyʒt horce launces hym after, As burne bolde vpon bent his bugle he blowez, He rechated, and rode þurʒ ronez ful þyk, Suande þis wylde swyn til þe sunne schafted. Þis day wyth þis ilk dede þay dryuen on þis wyse, Whyle oure luflych lede lys in his bedde, Gawayn grayþely at home, in gerez ful ryche of hewe. Þe lady noʒt forʒate, Com to hym to salue; Ful erly ho watz hym ate His mode for to remwe. Ho commes to þe cortyn, and at þe knyʒt totes. Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst, And ho hym ʒeldez aʒayn ful ʒerne of hir wordez, Settez hir softly by his syde, and swyþely ho laʒez, And wyth a luflych loke ho layde hym þyse wordez: ‘Sir, ʒif ʒe be Wawen, wonder me þynkkez, Wyʒe þat is so wel wrast alway to god, And connez not of compaynye þe costez vndertake, fn=111r And if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, ʒe kest hom of your mynde; Þou hatz forʒeten ʒederly þat ʒisterday I taʒtte Bi alder-truest token of talk þat I cowþe.’ ‘What is þat?’ quoþ þe wyghe, ‘Iwysse I wot neuer; If hit be sothe þat ʒe breue, þe blame is myn awen.’ ‘Ʒet I kende yow of kyssyng,’ quoþ þe clere þenne, ‘Quere-so countenaunce is couþe quikly to clayme; Þat bicumes vche a knyʒt þat cortaysy vses.’ ‘Do way,’ quoþ þat derf mon, ‘my dere, þat speche, For þat durst I not do, lest I deuayed were; If I were werned, I were wrang, iwysse, ʒif I profered.’ ‘Ma fay,’ quoþ þe meré wyf, ‘ʒe may not be werned, Ʒe ar stif innoghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, ʒif yow lykez, Ʒif any were so vilanous þat yow devaye wolde.’ ‘Ʒe, be God,’ quoþ Gawayn, ‘good is your speche, Bot þrete is vnþryuande in þede þer I lende, And vche gift þat is geuen not with goud wylle. I am at your comaundement, to kysse quen yow lykez, Ʒe may lach quen yow lyst, and leue quen yow þynkkez, in space.’ Þe lady loutez adoun, And comlyly kysses his face, Much speche þay þer expoun Of druryes greme and grace. ‘I woled wyt at yow, wyʒe,’ þat worþy þer sayde, ‘And yow wrathed not þerwyth, what were þe skylle Þat so ʒong and so ʒepe as ʒe at þis tyme, So cortayse, so knyʒtly, as ʒe ar knowen oute— And of alle cheualry to chose, þe chef þyng alosed Is þe lel layk of luf, þe lettrure of armes; For to telle of þis teuelyng of þis trwe knyʒtez, Hit is þe tytelet token and tyxt of her werkkez, How ledes for her lele luf hor lyuez han auntered, Endured for her drury dulful stoundez, And after wenged with her walour and voyded her care, And broʒt blysse into boure with bountees hor awen— And ʒe ar knyʒt comlokest kyd of your elde, fn=111v Your worde and your worchip walkez ayquere, And I haf seten by yourself here sere twyes, Ʒet herde I neuer of your hed helde no wordez Þat euer longed to luf, lasse ne more; And ʒe, þat ar so cortays and coynt of your hetes, Oghe to a ʒonke þynk ʒern to schewe And teche sum tokenez of trweluf craftes. Why! ar ʒe lewed, þat alle þe los weldez? Oþer elles ʒe demen me to dille your dalyaunce to herken? For schame! I com hider sengel, and sitte To lerne at yow sum game; Dos, techez me of your wytte, Whil my lorde is fro hame.’ ‘In goud fayþe,’ quoþ Gawayn, ‘God yow forʒelde! Gret is þe gode gle, and gomen to me huge, Þat so worþy as ʒe wolde wynne hidere, And pyne yow with so pouer a mon, as play wyth your knyʒt With anyskynnez countenaunce, hit keuerez me ese; Bot to take þe toruayle to myself to trwluf expoun, And towche þe temez of tyxt and talez of armez To yow þat, I wot wel, weldez more slyʒt Of þat art, bi þe half, or a hundreth of seche As I am, oþer euer schal, in erde þer I leue, Hit were a folé felefolde, my fre, by my trawþe. I wolde yowre wylnyng worche at my myʒt, As I am hyʒly bihalden, and euermore wylle Be seruaunt to yourseluen, so saue me Dryʒtyn!’ Þus hym frayned þat fre, and fondet hym ofte, For to haf wonnen hym to woʒe, what-so scho þoʒt ellez; Bot he defended hym so fayr þat no faut semed, Ne non euel on nawþer halue, nawþer þay wysten bot blysse. Þay laʒed and layked longe; At þe last scho con hym kysse, Hir leue fayre con scho fonge And went hir waye, iwysse. The ruþes hym þe renk and ryses to þe masse, fn=112r And siþen hor diner watz dyʒt and derely serued. Þe lede with þe ladyez layked alle day, Bot þe lorde ouer þe londez launced ful ofte, Swez his vncely swyn, þat swyngez bi þe bonkkez And bote þe best of his brachez þe bakkez in sunder Þer he bode in his bay, tel bawemen hit breken, And madee hym mawgref his hed for to mwe vtter, So felle flonez þer flete when þe folk gedered. Bot ʒet þe styffest to start bi stoundez he made, Til at þe last he watz so mat he myʒt no more renne, Bot in þe hast þat he myʒt he to a hole wynnez Of a rasse bi a rokk þer rennez þe boerne. He gete þe bonk at his bak, bigynez to scrape, Þe froþe femed at his mouth vnfayre bi þe wykez, Whettez his whyte tuschez; with hym þen irked Alle þe burnez so bolde þat hym by stoden To nye hym on-ferum, bot neʒe hym non durst for woþe; He hade hurt so mony byforne Þat al þuʒt þenne ful loþe Be more wyth his tusches torne, Þat breme watz and braynwod bothe, Til þe knyʒt com hymself, kachande his blonk, Syʒ hym byde at þe bay, his burnez bysyde; He lyʒtes luflych adoun, leuez his corsour, Braydez out a bryʒt bront and bigly forth strydez, Foundez fast þurʒ þe forth þer þe felle bydez. Þe wylde watz war of þe wyʒe with weppen in honde, Hef hyʒly þe here, so hetterly he fnast Þat fele ferde for þe freke, lest felle hym þe worre. Þe swyn settez hym out on þe segge euen, Þat þe burne and þe bor were boþe vpon hepez In þe wyʒtest of þe water; þe worre hade þat oþer, For þe mon merkkez hym wel, as þay mette fyrst, Set sadly þe scharp in þe slot euen, Hit hym vp to þe hult, þat þe hert schyndered, And he ʒarrande hym ʒelde, and ʒedoun þe water fn=112v ful tyt. A hundreth houndez hym hent, Þat bremely con hym bite, Burnez him broʒt to bent, And doggez to dethe endite. There watz blawyng of prys in mony breme horne, Heʒe halowing on hiʒe with haþelez þat myʒt; Brachetes bayed þat best, as bidden þe maysterez Of þat chargeaunt chace þat were chef huntes. Þenne a wyʒe þat watz wys vpon wodcraftez To vnlace þis bor lufly bigynnez. Fyrst he hewes of his hed and on hiʒe settez, And syþen rendez him al roghe bi þe rygge after, Braydez out þe boweles, brennez hom on glede, With bred blent þerwith his braches rewardez. Syþen he britnez out þe brawen in bryʒt brode cheldez, And hatz out þe hastlettez, as hiʒtly bisemez; And ʒet hem halchez al hole þe haluez togeder, And syþen on a stif stange stoutly hem henges. Now with þis ilk swyn þay swengen to home; Þe bores hed watz borne bifore þe burnes seluen Þat him forferde in þe forþe þurʒ forse of his honde so stronge. Til he seʒ Sir Gawayne In halle hym poʒt ful longe; He calde, and he com gayn His feez þer for to fonge. Þe lorde ful lowde with lote and laʒter myry, When he seʒe Sir Gawayn, with solace he spekez; Þe goude ladyez were geten, and gedered þe meyny, He schewez hem þe scheldez, and schapes hem þe tale Of þe largesse and þe lenþe, þe liþernez alse Of þe were of þe wylde swyn in wod þer he fled. Þat oþer knyʒt ful comly comended his dedez, And praysed hit as gret prys þat he proued hade, For suche a brawne of a best, þe bolde burne sayde, Ne such sydes of a swyn segh he neuer are. Þenne hondeled þay þe hoge hed, þe hende mon hit praysed, fn=113r And let lodly þerat þe lorde for to here. ‘Now, Gawayn,’ quoþ þe godmon, ‘þis gomen is your awen Bi fyn forwarde and faste, faythely ʒe knowe.’ ‘Hit is sothe,’ quoþ þe segge, ‘and as siker trwe Alle my get I schal yow gif agayn, bi my trawþe.’ He hent þe haþel aboute þe halse, and hendely hym kysses, And eftersones of þe same he serued hym þere. ‘Now ar we euen,’ quoþ þe haþel, ‘in þis euentide Of alle þe couenauntes þat we knyt, syþen I com hider, bi lawe.’ Þe lorde sayde, ‘Bi saynt Gile, Ʒe ar þe best þat I knowe! Ʒe ben ryche in a whyle, Such chaffer and ʒe drowe.’ Þenne þay teldet tablez trestes alofte, Kesten cloþen vpon; clere lyʒt þenne Wakned bi woʒez, waxen torches; Seggez sette and serued in sale al aboute; Much glam and gle glent vp þerinne Aboute þe fyre vpon flet, and on fele wyse At þe soper and after, mony aþel songez, As coundutes of Krystmasse and carolez newe With al þe manerly merþe þat mon may of telle, And euer oure luflych knyʒt þe lady bisyde. Such semblaunt to þat segge semly ho made Wyth stille stollen countenaunce, þat stalworth to plese, Þat al forwondered watz þe wyʒe, and wroth with hymseluen, Bot he nolde not for his nurture nurne hir aʒaynez, Bot dalt with hir al in daynté, how-se-euer þe dede turned towrast. Quen þay hade played in halle As longe as hor wylle hom last, To chambre he con hym calle, And to þe chemné þay past. Andre þer þay dronken, and dalten, and demed eft nwe To norne on þe same note on Nwe Ʒerez euen; Bot þe knyʒt craued leue to kayre on þe morn, For hit watz neʒ at þe terme þat he to schulde. fn=113v Þe lorde hym letted of þat, to lenge hym resteyed, And sayde, ‘As I am trwe segge, I siker my trawþe Þou schal cheue to þe grene chapel þy charres to make, Leude, on Nw Ʒerez lyʒt, longe bifore pryme. Forþy þow lye in þy loft and lach þyn ese, And I schal hunt in þis holt, and halde þe towchez, Chaunge wyth þe cheuisaunce, bi þat I charre hider; For I haf fraysted þe twys, and faythful I fynde þe. Now “þrid tyme þrowe best” þenk on þe morne, Make we mery quyl we may and mynne vpon joye, For þe lur may mon lach when-so mon lykez.’ Þis watz grayþely graunted, and Gawayn is lenged, Bliþe broʒt watz hym drynk, and þay to bedde ʒeden with liʒt. Sir Gawayn lis and slepes Ful stille and softe al niʒt; Þe lorde þat his craftez kepes, Ful erly he watz diʒt. After messe a morsel he and his men token; Miry watz þe mornyng, his mounture he askes. Alle þe haþeles þat on horse schulde helden hym after Were boun busked on hor blonkkez bifore þe halle ʒatez. Ferly fayre watz þe folde, for þe forst clenged; In rede rudede vpon rak rises þe sunne, And ful clere costez þe clowdes of þe welkyn. Hunteres vnhardeled bi a holt syde, Rocheres roungen bi rys for rurde of her hornes; Summe fel in þe fute þer þe fox bade, Traylez ofte a traueres bi traunt of her wyles; A kenet kyres þerof, þe hunt on hym calles; His felaʒes fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike, Runnen forth in a rabel in his ryʒt fare, And he fyskez hem byfore; þay founden hym sone, And quen þay seghe hym with syʒt þay sued hym fast, Wreʒande hym ful weterly with a wroth noyse; And he trantes and tornayeez þurʒ mony tene greue, Hauilounez, and herkenez bi heggez ful ofte. fn=114r At þe last bi a littel dich he lepez ouer a spenne, Stelez out ful stilly bi a strothe rande, Went haf wylt of þe wode with wylez fro þe houndes; Þenne watz he went, er he wyst, to a wale tryster, Þer þre þro at a þrich þrat hym at ones, al graye. He blenched aʒayn bilyue And stifly start on-stray, With alle þe wo on lyue To þe wod he went away. Thenne watz hit list vpon lif to lyþen þe houndez, When alle þe mute hade hym met, menged togeder: Suche a sorʒe at þat syʒt þay sette on his hede As alle þe clamberande clyffes hade clatered on hepes; Here he watz halawed, when haþelez hym metten, Loude he watz ʒayned with ʒarande speche; Þer he watz þreted and ofte þef called, And ay þe titleres at his tayl, þat tary he ne myʒt; Ofte he watz runnen at, when he out rayked, And ofte reled in aʒayn, so Reniarde watz wylé. And ʒe he lad hem bi lagmon, þe lorde and his meyny, On þis maner bi þe mountes quyle myd-ouer-vnder, Whyle þe hende knyʒt at home holsumly slepes Withinne þe comly cortynes, on þe colde morne. Bot þe lady for luf let not to slepe, Ne þe purpose to payre þat pyʒt in hir hert, Bot ros hir vp radly, rayked hir þeder In a mery mantyle, mete to þe erþe, Þat watz furred ful fyne with fellez wel pured, No hwef goud on hir hede bot þe haʒer stones Trased aboute hir tressour be twenty in clusteres; Hir þryuen face and hir þrote þrowen al naked, Hir brest bare bifore, and bihinde eke. Ho comez withinne þe chambre dore, and closes hit hir after, Wayuez vp a wyndow, and on þe wyʒe callez, And radly þus rehayted hym with hir riche wordes, with chere: ‘A! mon, how may þou slepe, fn=114v Þis morning is so clere?’ He watz in drowping depe, Bot þenne he con hir here. In dreʒ droupyng of dreme draueled þat noble, As mon þat watz in mornyng of mony þro þoʒtes, How þat destiné schulde þat day dele hym his wyrde At þe grene chapel, when he þe gome metes, And bihoues his buffet abide withoute debate more; Bot quen þat comly com he keuered his wyttes, Swenges out of þe sweuenes, and swarez with hast. Þe lady luflych com laʒande swete, Felle ouer his fayre face, and fetly hym kyssed; He welcumez hir worþily with a wale chere. He seʒ hir so glorious and gayly atyred, So fautles of hir fetures and of so fyne hewes, Wiʒt wallande joye warmed his hert. With smoþe smylyng and smolt þay smeten into merþe, Þat al watz blis and bonchef þat breke hem bitwene, and wynne. Þay lanced wordes gode, Much wele þen watz þerinne; Gret perile bitwene hem stod, Nif Maré of hir knyʒt mynne. For þat prynces of pris depresed hym so þikke, Nurned hym so neʒe þe þred, þat nede hym bihoued Oþer lach þer hir luf, oþer lodly refuse. He cared for his cortaysye, lest craþayn he were, And more for his meschef ʒif he schulde make synne, And be traytor to þat tolke þat þat telde aʒt. ‘God schylde,’ quoþ þe schalk, ‘þat schal not befalle!’ With luf-laʒyng a lyt he layd hym bysyde Alle þe spechez of specialté þat sprange of her mouthe. Quoþ þat burde to þe burne, ‘Blame ʒe disserue, Ʒif ʒe luf not þat lyf þat ʒe lye nexte,