Þenne ho gef hym god-day, & wyth a glent la3ed.

& as ho stod, ho stonyed hym wyth ful stor worde3:

"Now he þat spede3 vche spech, þis disport 3elde yow!

Bot þat 3e be Gawan, hit got3 in mynde."

"Quer-fore?" quod þe freke, & freschly he aske3,

Ferde lest he hade fayled in fourme of his castes;

Bot þe burde hym blessed, & bi þis skyl sayde,

"So god as Gawayn gaynly is halden,

& cortaysye is closed so clene in hym-seluen,

Couth not ly3tly haf lenged so long wyth a lady,

Bot he had craued a cosse, bi his courtaysye,

Bi sum towch of summe tryfle, at sum tale3 ende."

Þen quod Wowen, "I-wysse, worþe as yow lyke3,

I schal kysse at your comaundement, as a kny3t falle3,

& fire¹ lest he displese yow, so² plede hit no more."

Ho comes nerre with þat, & cache3 hym in arme3,

Loute3 luflych adoun, & þe leude kysse3;

Þay comly bykennen to Kryst ayþer oþer;

Ho dos hir forth at þe dore, with-outen dyn more.

& he ryches hym to ryse, & rapes hym sone,

Clepes to his chamberlayn, choses his wede,

Bo3e3 forth, quen he wat3 boun, blyþely to masse,

& þenne he meued to his mete, þat menskly hym keped,

& made myry al day til þe mone rysed,

with game;

With³ neuer freke fayrer fonge,

Bitwene two so dyngne dame,

Þe alder & þe 3onge,

Much solace set þay same.

And ay þe lorde of þe londe is lent on his gamne3,

To hunt in holte3 & heþe, at hynde3 barayne,

Such a sowme he þer slowe bi þat þe sunne heldet,

Of dos & of oþer dere, to deme were wonder.

Þenne fersly þay flokked in folk at þe laste,

& quykly of þe quelled dere a querré þay maked;

Þe best bo3ed þerto, with burne3 in-noghe,

Gedered þe grattest of gres þat þer were,

& didden hem derely vndo, as þe dede aske3;

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, & þe schyre knitten;

Syþen rytte þay þe foure lymmes, & rent of þe hyde,

Þen brek þay þe bale, þe bale3 out token,

Lystily forlancyng, & bere of þe knot;

Þay gryped to þe gargulun, & grayþely departed

Þe wesaunt fro þe wynt-hole, & walt out þe gutte3;

Þen scher þay out þe schuldere3 with her scharp knyue3,

Haled hem by a lyttel hole, to haue hole sydes;

Siþen britned þay þe brest, & brayden hit in twynne,

& eft at þe gargulun bigyne3 on þenne,

Ryue3 hit vp radly, ry3t to þe by3t,

Voyde3 out þe a-vanters, & verayly þerafter

Alle þe ryme3 by þe rybbe3 radly þay lance;

So ryde þay of by resoun bi þe rygge bone3,

Euenden to þe haunche, þat henged alle samen,

& heuen hit vp al hole, & hwen hit of þere,

& þat þayneme for þe noumbles, bi nome as I trowe,

bi kynde;

Bi þe by3t al of þe þy3es,

Þe lappe3 þay lance bi-hynde,

To hewe hit in two þay hy3es,

Bi þe bak-bon to vnbynde.

Boþe þe hede & þe hals þay hwen of þenne,

& syþen sunder þay þe syde3 swyft fro þe chyne,

& þe corbeles fee þay kest in a greue;¹

Þenn þurled þay ayþer þik side þur3, bi þe rybbe,

& henged þenne a[y]þer bi ho3es of þe fourche3,

Vche freke for his fee, as falle3 forto haue.

Vpon a felle of þe fayre best, fede þay þayr houndes,

Wyth þe lyuer & þe ly3te3, þe leþer of þe paunche3,

& bred baþed in blod, blende þer amonge3;

Baldely þay blw prys, bayed þayr rachche3,

Syþen fonge þay her flesche folden to home,

Strakande ful stoutly mony stif mote3.

Bi þat þe dayly3t wat3 done, þe douthe wat3 al wonen

In-to þe comly castel, þer þe kny3t bide3

ful stille;

Wyth blys & bry3t fyr bette,

Þe lord is comen þer-tylle,

When Gawayn wyth hym mette,

Þer wat3 bot wele at wylle.

Thenne comaunded þe lorde in þat sale to samen alle þe meny,

Boþe þe ladyes on loghe to ly3t with her burdes,

Bi-fore alle þe folk on þe flette, freke3 he bedde3

Verayly his venysoun to fech hym byforne;

& al godly in gomen Gaway[n] he called,

Teche3 hym to þe tayles of ful tayt bestes,

Schewe3 hym þe schyree grece schorne vpon rybbes.

"How paye3 yow þis play? haf I prys wonnen?

Haue I þryuandely þonk þur3 my craft serued?"

"3e I-wysse," quod þat oþer wy3e, "here is wayth fayrest

Þat I se3 þis seuen 3ere in sesoun of wynter."

"& al I gif yow, Gawayn," quod þe gome þenne,

"For by a-corde of couenaunt 3e craue hit as your awen."

"Þis is soth," quod þe segge, "I say yow þatilke,

&¹ I haf worthyly þis wone3 wyth-inne,

I-wysse with as god wylle hit worþe3 to 3oure3."

He hasppe3 his fayre hals his arme3 wyth-inne,

& kysses hym as comlyly as he² couþe awyse:

"Tas yow þere my cheuicaunce, I cheued no more,

I wowche hit saf fynly, þa3 feler hit were."

"Hit is god," quod þe god mon, "grant mercy þerfore,

Hit may be such, hit is þe better, &¹ 3e me breue wolde

Where 3e wan þis ilk wele, biwytte of hor³ seluen?"

"Þat wat3 not forward," quod he, "frayst me no more,

For 3e haftan þat yow tyde3, trawe3e non oþer

3e mowe."

Þay la3ed, & made hem blyþe,

Wyth lote3 þat were to lowe,

To soper þay 3ede asswyþe,

Wyth dayntes nwe in-nowe.

And syþen by þe chymné in chamber þay seten.

Wy3e3 þe walle wyn we3ed to hem oft,

& efte in her bourdyng þay bayþen in þe morn,

To fylle þe same forwarde3 þat þay by-fore maden,

Þat chaunce so bytyde3 hor cheuysaunce to chaunge,

What nwe3 so þay nome, at na3t quen þay metten

Þay acorded of þe couenaunte3 byfore þe court alle;

Þe beuerage wat3 bro3t forth in bourde at þat tyme;

Þenne þay louelych le3ten leue at þe last,

Vche burne to his bedde busked bylyue.

Bi þat þe coke hade crowe3¹ & cakled bot þryse,

Þe lorde wat3 lopen of his bedde, [&] þe leude3 vch one,

So þat þe mete & þe masse wat3 metely delyuered;

Þe douthe dressed to þe wod, er any day sprenged,

to chace;

He3 with hunte & horne3,

Þur3 playne3 þay passe in space,

Vn-coupled among þo þorne3,

Rache3 þat ran on race.

Sone þay calle of a quest in aker syde,

Þe hunt re-hayted þe hounde3, þat hit fyrst mynged,

Wylde worde3 hym warp wyth a wrast noyce;

Þe hownde3 þat hit herde, hastid þider swyþe,

& fellen as fast to þe fuyt, fourty at ones;

Þenne such a glauerande glam of gedered rachche3

Ros, þat þe rochere3 rungen aboute;

Huntere3 hem hardened with horne & wyth muthe.

Þen al in a semblé sweyed to-geder,

Bitwene a flosche in þat fryth, & a foo cragge;

In a knot, bi a clyffe, at þe kerre syde,

Þer as þe rogh rocher vn-rydely wat3 fallen,

[Þay] ferden to þe fyndyng, & freke3 hem after;

Þay vmbe-kesten þe knarre & þe knot boþe.

Wy3e3, whyl þay wysten wel wyt inne hem hit were,

Þe best þat þer breued wat3 wyth þe blod hounde3.

Þenne þay beten on þe buske3, & bede hym vp ryse,

& he vnsoundyly out so3t segge3 ouer-þwert,

On þe sellokest swyn swenged out þere,

Long sythen for¹ þe sounder þat wi3t for-olde,

For he wat3 b[este &] bor alþer grattest,

[And eue]re quen he gronyed, þenne greued mony,

For [þre a]t þe fyrst þrast he þry3t to þe erþe,

& [sped hym] forth good sped, boute spyt more,

[Ande þay] halowed hyghe ful hy3e & hay! hay! cryed

Haden horne3 to mouþe heterly rechated;

Mony wat3 þe myry mouthe of men & of hounde3,

Þat buskke3 after þis bor, with bost & wyth noyse,

To quelle;

Ful oft he byde3 þe baye,

& mayme3 þe mute Inn-melle,

He hurte3 of þe hounde3, & þay

Ful 3omerly 3aule & 3elle.

Schalke3 to schote at hym schowen to þenne,

Haled to hym of her arewe3, hitten hym oft;

Bot þe poynte3 payred at þe pyth þat py3t in his schelde3,

& þe barbe3 of his browe bite non wolde,

Þa3 þe schauen schaft schyndered in pece3,

Þe hede hypped a3ayn, were-so-euer hit hitte;

Bot quon þe dynte3 hym dered of her dry3e stroke3,

Þen, brayn-wod for bate, on burne3 he rase3,

Hurte3 hem ful heterly þer he forth hy3e3,

& mony ar3ed þerat, & on-lyte dro3en.

Bot þe lorde on a ly3t horce launces hym after,

As burne bolde vpon bent his bugle he blowe3,

He rechated, & r[ode]¹ þur3 rone3 ful þyk,

Suande þis wy[ld]e 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 gere3 ful ryche

of hewe;

Þe lady no3t for3ate,

Com to hym to salue,

Ful erly ho wat3 hym ate,

His mode forto remwe.

Ho commes to þe cortyn, & at þe kny3t totes,

Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst,

& ho hym 3elde3 a3ayn, ful 3erne of hir worde3,

Sette3 hir sof[t]ly by his syde, & swyþely ho la3e3,

& wyth a luflych loke ho layde¹ hym þyse worde3:

"Sir, 3if 3e be Wawen, wonder me þynkke3,

Wy3e þat is so wel wrast alway to god,

& conne3 not of compaynye þe coste3 vnder-take,

& if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, 3e kest hom of your mynde;

Þou hat3 for-3eten 3ederly þat 3isterday I ta3tte

alder-truest token of talk þat I cowþe."

"What is þat?" quod þe wyghe, "I-wysse I wot neuer,

If hit be sothe þat 3e breue, þe blame is myn awen."

"3et I kende yow of kyssyng," quod þe clere þenne,

"Quere-so countenaunce is couþe, quikly to clayme,

Þat bicumes vche a kny3t, þat cortaysy vses."

"Do way," quod þat derf mon, "my dere, þat speche,

For þat durst I not do, lest I denayed were,

If I were werned, I were wrang I-wysse, 3if I profered."

"Ma fay," quod þe mere wyf, "3e may not be werned,

3e ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, 3if yow lyke3,

3if any were so vilanous þat yow denaye² wolde."

"3e, be God," quod Gawayn, "good is your speche,

Bot þrete is vn-þryuande in þede þer I lende,

& vche gift þat is geuen not with goud wylle;

I am at your comaundement, to kysse quen yow lyke3,

3e may lach quen yow lyst, & leue quen yow þynkke3,

in space."

Þe lady loute3 a-doun,

& comlyly kysses his face,

Much speche þay þer expoun,

Of druryes greme & grace.

"I woled¹ wyt at yow, wy3e," þat worþy þer sayde,

"& yow wrathed not þer-wyth, what were þe skylle,

Þat so 3ong & so 3epe, as 3e [ar] at þis tyme,

So cortayse, so kny3tyly, as 3e ar knowen oute,

& of alle cheualry to chose, þe chef þyng a-losed,

Is² þe lel layk of luf, þe lettrure of armes;

F[or] to telle of þis tenelyng of þis trwe kny3te3,

Hit is þe tytelet, token, & tyxt of her werkke3,

How le[des] for her lele luf hor lyue3 han auntered,

Endured for her drury dulful stounde3,

& after wenged with her walour & voyded her care,

& bro3t blysse in-to boure, with bountees hor awen.

& 3e ar kny3t com-lokest kyd of your elde,

Your worde & your worchip walke3 ay quere,

& I haf seten by your-self here sere twyes,

3et herde I neuer of your hed helde no worde3

Þat euer longed to luf, lasse ne more;

& 3e, þat ar so cortays & coynt of your hetes,

Oghe to a 3onke þynk 3ern to schewe,

& teche sum tokene3 of trweluf craftes.

Why ar 3e lewed, þat alle þe los welde3,

Oþer elles 3e demen me to dille, your dalyaunce to herken?

for schame!

I com hider sengel, & sitte,

To lerne at yow sum game,

Dos, teche3 me of your wytte,

Whil my lorde is fro hame."

"In goud fayþe," quod Gawayn, "God yow for3elde,

Gret is þe gode gle, & gomen to me huge,

Þat so worþy as 3e wolde wynne hidere,

& pyne yow with so pouer a mon, as play wyth your kny3t,

With any skynne3 countenaunce, hit keuere3 me ese;

Bot to take þe toruayle¹ to my-self, to trwluf expoun,

& towche þe teme3 of tyxt, & tale3 of arme3,

To yow þat, I wot wel, welde3 more sly3t

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 fole fele-folde, my fre, by my trawþe.

I wolde yowre wylnyng worche at my my3t,

As I am hy3ly bihalden, & euer-more wylle

Be seruaunt to your-seluen, so saue me dry3tyn!"

Þus hym frayned þat fre, & fondet hym ofte,

Forto haf wonnen hym to wo3e, what-so scho þo3t elle3,

Bot he de fended hym so fayr, þat no faut semed,

Ne non euel on nawþer halue, nawþer þay wysten,

bot blysse;

Þay la3ed & layked longe,

At þe last scho con hym kysse,

Hir leue fayre con scho fonge,

& went hir waye Iwysse.

Then ruþes hym þe renk, & ryses to þe masse,

& siþen hor diner wat3 dy3t & derely serued.

Þe lede with þe ladye3 layked alle day,

Bot þe lorde ouer þe londe3 launced ful ofte,

Swe3 his vncely swyn, þat swynge3 bi þe bonkke3,

& bote þe best of his brache3 þe bakke3 in sunder;

Þer he bode in his bay, tel¹ bawe-men hit breken,

& made² hym, maw-gref his bed, forto mwe vtter;

So felle flone3 per flete, when þe folk gedered;

Bot 3et þe styffest to start bi stounde3 he made,

Til at þe last he wat3 so mat, he my3t no more renne,

Bot in þe hast þat he my3t, he to a hole wynne3,

Of a rasse, bi a rokk, þer renne3 þe boerne,

He gete þe bonk at his bak, bigyne3 to scrape,

Þe froþe femed³ at his mouth vnfayre bi þe wyke3,

Whette3 his whyte tusche3; with hym þen irked

Alle þe burne3 so bolde, þat hym by stoden,

To nye hym on-ferum, bot ne3e hym non durst

for woþe;

He hade hurt so mony byforne,

Þat al þu3t⁴ þenne ful loþe,

Be more wyth his tusche3 torne,

Þat breme wat3 [&] brayn-wod bothe.

Til þe kny3t com hym-self, kachande his blonk,

Sy3 hym byde at þe bay, his burne3 bysyde,

He ly3tes luflych¹ adoun, leue3 his corsour,

Brayde3 out a bry3t bront, & bigly forth stryde3,

Founde3 fast þur3 þe forth, þer þe felle byde3,

Þe wylde wat3 war of þe wy3e with weppen in honde,

Hef hy3ly þe here, so hetterly he fnast,

Þat fele ferde for þe freke3,² lest felle hym þe worre;

Þe swyn sette3 hym out on þe segge euen,

Þat þe burne & þe bor were boþe vpon hepe3,

In þe wy3t-est of þe water, þe worre hade þat oþer;

For þe mon merkke3 hym wel, as þay mette fyrst,

Set sadly þe scharp in þe slot euen,

Hit hym vp to þe hult, þat þe hert schyndered,

& he 3arrande hym 3elde, & 3edoun³ þe water,

ful tyt;

A hundreth hounde3 hym hent,

Þat bremely con hym bite,

Burne3 him bro3t to bent,

& dogge3 to dethe endite.

There wat3 blawyng of prys in mony breme home,

He3e halowing on hi3e, with haþele3 þat my3t;

Brachetes bayed þat best, as bidden þe maystere3,

Of þat chargeaunt chace þat were chef huntes.

Þenne a wy3e þat wat3 wys vpon wod crafte3,

To vnlace þis bor lufly bigynne3;

Fyrst he hewes of his hed, & on hi3e sette3,

& syþen rende3 him al roghe bi þe rygge after,

Brayde3 out þe boweles, brenne3 hom on glede,

With bred blent þer-with his braches rewarde3;

Syþen he britne3 out þe brawen in bry3t brode [s]chelde3,

& hat3 out þe hastlette3, as hi3tly biseme3;

& 3et hem halche3 al hole þe halue3 to-geder,

& syþen on a stif stange stoutly hem henges.

Now with þis ilk swyn þay swengen to home;

Þe bores hed wat3 borne bifore þe burnes seluen,

Þat him for-ferde in þe forþe, þur3 forse of his honde,

so stronge;

Til he se3 sir Gawayne,

In halle hym þo3t ful longe,

He calde, & he com gayn,

His fee3 þer for to fonge.

Þe lorde ful lowde with lote, & la3ed myry,

When he se3e sir G: with solace he speke3;

Þe goude ladye3 were geten, & gedered þe meyny,

He schewe3 hem þe schelde3, & schapes hem þe tale,

Of þe largesse, & þe lenþe, þe liþerne3 alse,

Of þe were of þe wylde swyn, in wod þer he fled.

Þat oþer kny3t ful comly comended his dede3,

& 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,

& let lodly þerat þe lorde forte here:

"Now Gawayn," quod þe god mon, "þis gomen is your awen,

Bi fyn for-warde & faste, faythely 3e knowe."

"Hit is sothe," quod þe segge, "& as siker trwe;

Alle my get I schal yow gif agayn, bi my trawþe."

He [hent] þe haþel aboute þe halse, & hendely hym kysses,

& efter-sones of þe same he serued hym þere.

"Now ar we euen," quod þe haþel, "in þis euen-tide,

Of alle þe couenauntes þat we knyt, syþen I com hider,

bi lawe;"

Þe lorde sayde, "bi saynt Gile,

3e ar þe best þat I knowe,

3e ben ryche in a whyle,

Such chaffer & 3e drowe."

Þenne þay teldet table3 [on] trestes alofte,

Kesten cloþe3 vpon, clere ly3t þenne

Wakned bi wo3e3, waxen torches

Segge3 sette, & serued in sale al aboute;

Much glam & gle glent vp þer-inne,

Aboute þe fyre vpon flet, & on fele wyse,

At þe soper & after, mony aþel songe3,

As coundutes of kryst-masse, & carole3 newe,

With alle þe manerly merþe þat mon may of telle.

& euer oure luflych kny3t þe lady bi-syde;

Such semblaunt to þat segge semly ho made,

Wyth stille stollen countenaunce, þat stalworth to plese,

Þat al for-wondered wat3 þe wy3e, & wroth with hym-seluen,

Bot he nolde not for his nurture nurne hir a-3ayne3,

Bot dalt with hir al in daynte, how-se-euer þe dede turned

to wrast;

Quen þay hade played in halle,

As longe as hor wylle hom last,

To chambre he¹ con hym calle,

& to þe chem-ne þay past.

Ande þer þay dronken, & dalten, & demed eft nwe,

To norne on þe same note, on nwe3ere3 euen;

Bot þe kny3t craued leue, to kayre on þe morn,

For hit wat3 ne3 at þe terme, þat he to¹ schulde.

Þe lorde hym letted of þat, to lenge hym resteyed,

& sayde, "as I am trwe segge, I siker my trawþe,

Þou schal cheue to þe grene chapel, þy charres to make,

Leude, on nw3ere3 ly3t, longe bifore pryme:

For-þy þow lye in þy loft, & lach þyn ese,

& I schal hunt in þis holt, & halde þe towche3,

Chaunge wyth þe cheuisaunce, bi þat I charre hider;

For I haf fraysted þe twys, & faythful I fynde þe,

Now þrid tyme þrowe best þenk on þe morne,

Make we mery quyl we may, & mynne vpon Ioye,

For þe lur may mon lach, when so mon lyke3."

Þis wat3 grayþely graunted, & Gawayn is lenged,

Bliþe bro3t wat3 hym drynk, & þay to bedde 3eden,

with li3t;

Sir G: lis & slepes,

Ful stille & softe al ni3t;

Þe lorde þat his crafte3 kepes,

Ful erly he wat3 di3t.

After messe a morsel¹ he & his men token,

Miry wat3 þe mornyng, his mounture he askes;

Alle þe haþeles þat on horse schulde helden hym after,

Were boun busked on hor blonkke3, bi-fore² þe halle 3ate3;

Ferly fayre wat3 þe folde, for þe forst clenged,

In rede rudede vpon rak rises þe sunne,

& ful clere coste3³ 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,

Trayle3 ofte a trayteres⁴, bi traunt of her wyles;

A kenet kryes þerof, þe hunt on hym calles,

His fela3es fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike,

Runnen forth in a rabel, in his ry3t fare;

& he fyske3 hem by-fore, þay founden hym sone,

& quen þay seghe hym with sy3t, þay sued hym fast,

Wre3ande h[ym] ful [w]eterly with a wroth noyse;

& he trantes & tornayee3 þur3 mony tene greue;

Hamloune3, & herkene3, bi hegge3 ful ofte;

At þe last bi a littel dich he lepe3 ouer a spenné,

Stele3 out ful stilly bi a strothe rande,

Went haf wylt of þe wode, with wyle3 fro þe houndes,

Þenne wat3 he went, er he wyst, to⁵ a wale tryster,

Þer þre þro at a þrich þrat hym at ones,

al graye;

He blenched a3ayn bilyue,

& stifly start onstray,

With alle þe wo on lyue,

To þe wod he went away.