Thenne watȝ hit lif vpon list to lyþen þe houndeȝ,

When alle þe mute hade hym met, menged to-geder,

Suche a sorȝe at þat syȝt þay sette on his hede,

As alle þe clamberande clyffes hade clatered on hepes;

Here he watȝ halawed, when haþeleȝ hym metten,

Loude he watȝ ȝayned, with ȝarande speche;

Þer he watȝ þreted, & ofte þef called,

& ay þe titleres at his tayl, þat tary he ne myȝt;

Ofte he watȝ runnen at, when he out rayked,

& ofte reled in aȝayn, so reniarde watȝ wylé.

& ȝe he lad hem bi lag, mon, þe lorde & his meyny;

On þis maner bi þe mountes, quyle myd, ouer, vnder,

Whyle þe hende knyȝt at home holsumly slepeȝ,

With-inne þe comly cortynes, on þe colde morne.

Bot þe lady for luf let not to slepe,

Ne þe purpose to payre, þat pyȝt in hir hert,

Bot ros hir vp radly, rayked hir þeder,

In a mery mantyle, mete to þe erþe,

Þat watȝ furred ful fyne with felleȝ, wel pured,

No hweȝ goud on hir hede, bot þe haȝer stones

Trased aboute hir tressour, be twenty in clusteres;

Hir þryuen face & hir þrote þrowen al naked,

Hir brest bare bifore, & bihinde eke.

Ho comeȝ with-inne þe chambre dore, & closes hit hir after,

Wayneȝ¹ vp a wyndow, & on þe wyȝe calleȝ,

& radly þus re-hayted hym, with hir riche wordeȝ,

with² chere;

"A! mon, how may þou slepe,

Þis morning is so clere?"

He watȝ in drowping depe,

Bot þenne he con hir here.

In dreȝ droupyng of dreme draueled þat noble,

As mon þat watȝ in mornyng of mony þro þoȝtes,

How þat destiné schulde þat day [dyȝt] his wyrde,

At þe grene chapel, when he þe gome metes,

& bi-houes his buffet abide, with-oute debate more;

Bot quen þat comly he keuered his wyttes,

Swenges out of þe sweuenes, & swareȝ with hast.

Þe lady luflych com laȝande swete,

Felle ouer his fayre face, & fetly him kyssed;

He welcumeȝ hir worþily, with a wale chere;

He seȝ hir so glorious, & gayly atyred,

So fautles of hir fetures, & of so fyne hewes,

Wiȝt wallande Ioye warmed his hert;

With smoþe smylyng & smolt þay smeten in-to merþe,

Þat al watȝ blis & bonchef, þat breke hem bi-twene,

& wynne,

Þay lanced wordes gode,

Much wele þen watȝ þer-inne,

Gret perile bi-twene hem stod,

Nif mare of hir knyȝt mynne.

For þat prynce of pris de-presed hym so þikke.

Nurned hym so neȝe þe þred, þat nede hym bi-houed,

Oþer lach þer hir luf, oþer lodly re-fuse;

He cared for his cortaysye, lest craþayn he were,

& more for his meschef, ȝif he schulde make synne,

& be traytor to þat tolke, þat þat telde aȝt.

"God schylde," quod þe schalk, "þat schal not be-falle!"

With luf-laȝyng a lyt, he layd hym by-syde

Alle þe specheȝ of specialté þat sprange of her mouthe.

Quod þat burde to þe burne, "blame ȝe disserue,

Ȝif ȝe luf not þat lyf þat ȝe lye nexte,

Bifore alle þe wyȝeȝ in þe worlde, wounded in hert,

Bot if ȝe haf a lemman, a leuer, þat yow lykeȝ better,

& folden fayth to þat fre, festned so harde,

Þat yow lausen ne lyst, & þat I leue nouþe;

And þat ȝe telle me þat, now trwly I pray yow,

For alle þe lufeȝ vpon lyue, layne not þe soþe,

for gile."

Þe knyȝt sayde, "be sayn Ion,"

& smeþely con he smyle,

"In fayth I welde riȝt non,

Ne non wil welde þe quile."

"Þat is a worde," quod þat wyȝt, "þat worst is of alle,

Bot I am swared for soþe, þat sore me þinkkeȝ;

Kysse me now coraly, & I schal cach heþen,

I may bot mourne vpon molde, as may þat much louyes."

Sykande ho sweȝe doun, & semly hym kyssed,

& siþen ho seueres hym fro, & says as ho stondes,

"Now, dere, at þis de-partyng, do me þis ese,

Gif me sumquat of þy gifte, þi gloue if¹ hit were,

Þat I may mynne on þe mon, my mournyng to lassen."

"Now Iwysse," quod þat wyȝe, "I wolde I hade here

Þe leuest þing for þy luf, þat I in londe welde,

For ȝe haf deserued, forsoþe, sellyly ofte

More rewarde bi resoun, þen I reche myȝt,

Bot to dele yow for drurye, þat dawed bot neked;

Hit is not your honour to haf at þis tyme

A gloue for a garysoun, of Gawayneȝ gifteȝ,

& I am here [on] an erande in erdeȝ vncouþe,

& haue no men wyth no maleȝ, with menskful þingeȝ;

Þat mislykeȝ me, ladé, for luf at þis tyme,²

Iche tolke mon do as he is tan, tas to non ille,

ne pine."

"Nay, hende of hyȝe honours,"

Quod þat lufsum vnder lyne,

"Þaȝ I hade oȝt³ of youreȝ,

Ȝet schulde ȝe haue of myne."

Ho raȝt hym a riche rynk¹ of red golde werkeȝ,

Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte,

Þat bere blusschande bemeȝ as þe bryȝt sunne;

Wyt ȝe wel, hit watȝ worth wele ful hoge.

Bot þe renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde,

"I wil no gifteȝ for gode, my gay, at þis tyme;

I haf none yow to norne, ne noȝt wyl I take."

Ho bede hit hym ful bysily, & he hir bode wernes,

& swere swyftel[y] his sothe, þat he hit sese nolde;

& ho sore þat he forsoke, & sayde þer-after,

"If ȝe renay my rynk, to ryche for hit semeȝ,

Ȝe wolde not so hyȝly halden be to me,

I schal gif yow my girdel, þat gaynes yow lasse."

Ho laȝt a lace lyȝtly, þat² leke vmbe hir sydeȝ,

Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder þe clere mantyle,

Gered hit watȝ with grene sylke, & with golde schaped,

Noȝt bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngreȝ;

& þat ho bede to þe burne, & blyþely bi-soȝt

Þaȝ hit vn-worþi were, þat he hit take wolde.

& he nay þat he nolde neghe in no wyse,

Nauþer golde ne garysoun, er God hym grace sende,

To acheue to þe chaunce þat he hade chosen þere.

"& þerfore, I pray yow, displese yow noȝt,

& letteȝ be your bisinesse, for I bayþe hit yow neuer

to graunte;

I am derely to yow biholde,

Bi-cause of your sembelaunt,

& euer in hot & colde

To be your trwe seruaunt.

"Now forsake ȝe þis silke." sayde þe burde þenne,

"For hit is symple in hit-self. & so hit wel semeȝ?

Lo! so hit is littel, & lasse hit is worþy;

Bot who-so knew þe costes þat knit ar þer-inne,

He wolde hit prayse at more prys, parauenture;

For quat gome so is gorde with þis grene lace,

While he hit hade hemely halched aboute,

Þer is no haþel vnder heuen to-hewe hym þat myȝt;

For he myȝt not he slayn, for slyȝt vpon erþe."

Þen kest þe knyȝt, & hit come to his hert,

Hit were a Iuel for þe Iopardé, þat hym iugged were,

When he acheued to þe chapel, his chek forto fech;

Myȝ¹ he haf slypped to þe vn-slayn, þe sleȝt were noble.

Þenne ho þulged with hir þrepe, & þoled hir to speke,

& ho bere on hym þe belt, & bede hit hym swyþe,

& he granted, & [ho] hym gafe with a goud wylle,

& bisoȝt hym, for hir sake, disceuer hit neuer,

Bot to lelly layne for² hir lorde; þe leude hym acordeȝ.

Þat neuer wyȝe schulde hit wyt, Iwysse, bot þay twayne,

for noȝte;

He þonkked hir oft ful swyþe,

Ful þro with hert & þoȝt.

Bi þat on þrynne syþe,

He hatȝ kyst þe knyȝt so toȝt.

Thenne lachcheȝ ho hir leue, & leueȝ hym þere,

For more myrþe of þat mon moȝt ho not gete;

When ho¹ watȝ gon, sir G. gereȝ hym sone,

Rises, & riches hym in araye noble,

Lays vp þe luf-lace, þe lady hym raȝt,

Hid hit ful holdely, þer he hit eft fonde;

Syþen cheuely to þe chapel choses he þe waye,

Preuely aproched to a prest, & prayed hym þere

Þat he wolde lyfte² his lyf, & lern hym better,

How his sawle schulde be saued, when he schuld seye heþen.

Þere he schrof hym schyrly, & schewed his mysdedeȝ,

Of þe more & þe mynne, & merci besecheȝ,

& of absolucioun he on þe segge calles;

& he asoyled hym surely, & sette hym so clene,

As domeȝ-day schulde haf ben diȝt on þe morn.

& syþen he mace hym as mery among þe fre ladyes,

With comlych caroles, & alle kynnes ioye,

As neuer he did bot þat daye, to þe derk nyȝt,

with blys;

Vche mon hade daynte þare,

Of hym, & sayde Iwysse,

Þus myry he watȝ neuer are,

Syn he com hider, er þis.

Now hym lenge in þat lee, þer luf hym bi-tyde;

Ȝet is þe lorde on þe launde, ledande his gomnes,

He hatȝ forfaren þis fox, þat he folȝed longe;

As he sprent ouer a spenné, to spye þe schrewe,

Þer as he herd þe howndes, þat hasted hym swyþe,

Renaud com richchande þurȝ a roȝe greue,

& alle þe rabel in a res, ryȝt at his heleȝ.

Þe wyȝe watȝ war of þe wylde, & warly abides,

& braydeȝ out þe bryȝt bronde, & at þe best casteȝ;

& he schunt for þe scharp, & schulde haf arered,

A rach rapes hym to, ryȝt er he myȝt,

& ryȝt bifore þe hors fete þay fel on hym alle,

& woried me þis wyly wyth a wroth noyse.

Þe lorde lyȝteȝ bilyue, & cacheȝ by¹ sone,

Rased hym ful radly out of þe rach mouþes,

Haldeȝ heȝe ouer his hede, haloweȝ faste,

& þer bayen hym mony bray² houndeȝ;

Huntes hyȝed hem þeder, with horneȝ ful mony,

Ay re-chatande aryȝt til þay þe renk seȝen;

Bi þat watȝ comen his compeyny noble,

Alle þat euer ber bugle blowed at ones,

& alle þise oþer halowed, þat hade no hornes,

Hit watȝ þe myriest mute þat euer men herde,

Þe rich rurd þat þer watȝ raysed for renaude saule,

with lote;

Hor houndeȝ þay þer rewarde,

Her³ hedeȝ þay fawne & frote,

& syþen þay tan reynarde,

& tyrnen of his cote.

& þenne þay helden to home, for hit watȝ nieȝ nyȝt,

Strakande ful stoutly in hor store horneȝ;

Þe lorde is lyȝt at þe laste at hys lef home,

Fyndeȝ fire vpon flet, þe freke þer by-side,

Sir Gawayn þe gode, þat glad watȝ with alle,

Among þe ladies for luf he ladde much ioye,

He were a bleaunt of blwe, þat bradde to þe erþe,

His surkot semed hym wel, þat softe watȝ forred,

& his hode of þat ilke henged on his schulder,

Blande al of blaunner were boþe al aboute.

He meteȝ me þis god mon in myddeȝ þe flore,

& al with gomen he hym gret, & goudly he sayde,

"I schal fylle vpon fyrst oure forwardeȝ nouþe,

Þat we spedly han spoken, þer spared watȝ no drynk;"

Þen acoles he [þe] knyȝt, & kysses hym þryes,

As sauerly & sadly as he hem sette couþe.

"Bi Kryst," quod þat oþer knyȝt, "ȝe cach much sele,

In cheuisaunce of þis chaffer, ȝif ȝe hade goud chepeȝ."

"Ȝe of þe chepe no charg," quod chefly þat oþer,

"As is pertly payed þe chepeȝ þat I aȝte."

"Mary," quod þat oþer mon, "myn is bi-hynde,

For I haf hunted al þis day, & noȝt haf I geten,

Bot þis foule fox felle, þe fende haf þe godeȝ,

& þat is ful pore, for to pay for suche prys þinges,

As ȝe haf þryȝt me here, þro suche þre cosses,

so gode."

"I-noȝ," quod sir Gawayn,

"I þonk yow, bi þe rode;"

& how þe fox watȝ slayn,

He tolde hym, as þay stode.

With merþe & mynstralsye, wyth meteȝ at hor wylle,

Þay maden as mery as any men moȝten,

With laȝyng of ladies, with loteȝ of bordes;

Gawayn & þe gode mon so glad were þay boþe,

Bot if þe douthe had doted, oþer dronken ben oþer,

Boþe þe mon & þe meyny maden mony iapeȝ,

Til þe sesoun watȝ seȝen, þat þay seuer moste;

Burneȝ to hor bedde be-houed at þe laste.

Þenne loȝly his leue at þe lorde fyrst

Fochcheȝ þis fre mon, & fayre he hym þonkkeȝ;

"Of such a sellyly¹ soiorne, as I haf hade here,

Your honour, at þis hyȝe fest, þe hyȝe kyng yow ȝelde!

I ȝef yow me for on of youreȝ, if yowre-self lykeȝ,

For I mot nedes, as ȝe wot, meue to morne;

& ȝe me take sum tolke, to teche, as ȝe hyȝt,

Þe gate to þe grene chapel, as god wyl me suffer

To dele, on nwȝereȝ day, þe dome of my wyrdes."

"In god fayþe," quod þe god mon. "wyth a goud wylle;

Al þat euer I yow hyȝt, halde schal I rede."

Þer asyngnes he a seruaunt, to sett hym in þe waye,

& coundue hym by þe downeȝ, þat he no drechch had,

For to f[e]rk þurȝ þe fryth, & fare at þe gaynest,

bi greue.

Þe lorde Gawayn con þonk,

Such worchip he wolde hym weue;

Þen at þo ladyeȝ wlonk.

Þe knyȝt hatȝ tan his leue.

With care & wyth kyssyng he carppeȝ hem tille,

& fele þryuande þonkkeȝ he þrat hom to haue,

& þay ȝelden hym aȝay[n] ȝeply þat ilk;

Þay bikende hym to Kryst, with ful colde sykyngeȝ.

Syþen fro þe meyny he menskly de-partes;

Vche mon þat he mette, he made hem a þonke,

For his seruyse, & his solace, & his sere pyne,

Þat þay wyth busynes had ben, aboute hym to serue;

& vche segge as sore, to seuer with hym þere,

As þay hade wonde worþyly with þat wlonk euer.

Þen with ledes & lyȝt he watȝ ladde to his chambre,

& blybely broȝt to his bedde, to be at his rest;

ȝif he ne slepe soundyly, say ne dar I,

For he hade muche on þe morn to mynne, ȝif he wolde,

in þoȝt;

Let hym lyȝe þere stille,

He hatȝ¹ nere þat he soȝt,

& ȝe wyl a whyle be stylle,

I schal telle yow how þay wroȝt.

Now neȝeȝ þe nwȝere, & þe nyȝt passeȝ,

Þe day dryueȝ to þe derk, as dryȝtyn biddeȝ;

Bot wylde wedereȝ of þe worlde wakned þeroute,

Clowdes kesten kenly þe colde to þe erþe,

Wyth nyȝe¹ in-noghe of þe norþe, þe naked to tene;

Þe snawe snitered ful snart, þat snayped þe wylde;

Þe werbelande wynde wapped fro þe hyȝe,

& drof vche dale ful of dryftes ful grete.

Þe leude lystened ful wel, þat leȝ in his bedde,

Þaȝ he lowkeȝ his liddeȝ, ful lyttel he slepes;

Bi vch kok þat crue, he knwe wel þe steuen.

De-liuerly he dressed vp, er þe day sprenged,

For þere watȝ lyȝt of a lau[m]pe, þat lemed in his chambre;

He called to his chamberlayn, þat cofly hym swared,

& bede hym bryng hym his bruny, & his blonk sadel;

Þat oþer ferkeȝ hym vp, & fecheȝ hym his wedeȝ,

& grayþeȝ me sir Gawayn vpon a grett wyse.

Fyrst he clad hym in his cloþeȝ, þe colde for to were;

& syþen his oþer harnays, þat holdely watȝ keped,

Boþe his paunce, & his plateȝ, piked ful clene,

Þe ryngeȝ² rokked of þe roust, of his riche bruny;

& al watȝ fresch as vpon fyrst, & he watȝ fayn þenne

to þonk;

He hade vpon vche pece,

Wypped ful wel & wlonk;

Þe gayest in to Grece,

Þe burne bede bryng his blonk.

Whyle þe wlonkest wedes he warp on hym-seluen;

His cote, wyth be conysaunce of þe clere werkeȝ,

Ennurned vpon veluet vertuuus¹ stoneȝ,

Aboute beten, & bounden, enbrauded semeȝ,

& fayre furred with-inne wyth fayre pelures.

Ȝet laft he not þe lace, þe ladieȝ gifte,

Þat for-gat not Gawayn, for gode of hym-seluen;

Bi he hade belted þe bronde vpon his balȝe hauncheȝ,

Þenn dressed he his drurye double hym aboute;

Swyþe sweþled vmbe his swange swetely, þat knyȝt,

Þe gordel of þe grene silke, þat gay wel bisemed,

Vpon þat ryol red cloþe, þat ryche watȝ to schewe.

Bot wered not þis ilk wyȝe for wele þis gordel,

For pryde of þe pendaunteȝ, þaȝ polyst þay were,

& þaȝ þe glyterande golde glent vpon endeȝ,

Bot forto sauen hym-self, when suffer hym by-houed,

To byde bale with-oute dabate, of bronde hym to were,

oþer knyffe;

Bi þat þe bolde mon boun,

Wynneȝ þeroute bilyue,

Alle þe meyny of renoun,

He þonkkeȝ ofte ful ryue.

Thenne watȝ Gryngolet grayþe, þat gret watȝ & huge,

& hade ben soiourned sauerly, & in a siker wyse,

Hym lyst prik for poynt, þat proude hors þenne;

Þe wyȝe wynneȝ hym to, & wyteȝ on his lyre,

& sayde soberly hym-self, & by his soth swereȝ,

"Here is a meyny in þis mote, þat on menske þenkkeȝ,

Þe mon hem maynteines, ioy mot þay haue;

Þe leue lady, on lyue luf hir bityde;

Ȝif þay for charyté cherysen a gest,

& halden honour in her honde, þe haþel hem ȝelde,

Þat haldeȝ þe heuen vpon hyȝe, & also yow alle!

& ȝif I myȝt lyf vpon londe lede any quyle,

I schuld rech yow sum rewarde redyly, if I myȝt."

Þenn steppeȝ he in-to stirop, & strydeȝ alofte;

His schalk schewed hym his schelde, on schulder he hit laȝt,

Gordeȝ to Gryngolet, with his gilt heleȝ,

& he starteȝ on þe ston, stod he no lenger,

to praunce;

His haþel on hors watȝ þenne,

Þat bere his spere & launce.

"Þis kastel to Kryst I kenne,

He gef hit ay god chaunce!"

The brygge watȝ brayde doun, & þe brode ȝateȝ

Vnbarred, & born open, vpon boþe halue;

Þe burne blessed hym bilyue, & þe bredeȝ passed;

Prayses þe porter, bifore þe prynce kneled,

Gef hym God & goud day, þat Gawayn he saue;

& went on his way, with his wyȝe one,

Þat schulde teche hym to tourne to þat tene place,

Þer þe ruful race he schulde re-sayue.

Þay boȝen bi bonkkeȝ, þer boȝeȝ ar bare,

Þay clomben bi clyffeȝ, þer clengeȝ þe colde;

Þe heuen watȝ vp halt, bot vgly þer vnder,

Mist muged on þe mor, malt on þe mounteȝ,

Vch hille hade a hatte, a myst-hakel huge;

Brokeȝ byled, & breke, bi bonkkeȝ aboute,

Schyre schaterande on schoreȝ, þer þay doun schowued.

Welawylle watȝ þe way, þer þay bi wod schulden,

Til hit watȝ sone sesoun, þat þe sunne ryses,

þat tyde;

Þay were on a hille ful hyȝe,

Þe quyte snaw lay bisyde;

Þe burne þat rod hym by

Bede his mayster abide.

"For I haf wonnen yow hider, wyȝe, at þis tyme,

& now nar ȝe not fer fro þat note place,

Þat ȝe han spied & spuryed so specially after;

Bot I schal say yow for soþe, syþen I yow knowe,

& ȝe ar a lede vpon lyue, þat I wel louy,

Wolde ȝe worch bi my wytte, ȝe worþed þe better.

Þe place þat ȝe prece to, ful perelous is halden;

Þer woneȝ a wyȝe in þat waste, þe worst vpon erþe;

For he is stiffe, & sturne, & to strike louies,

& more he is þen any mon vpon myddelerde,

& his body bigger þen þe best fowre.

Þat ar in Arþureȝ hous, Hestor¹ oþer oþer.

He cheueȝ þat chaunce at þe chapel grene;

Þer passes non bi þat place, so proude in his armes,

Þat he ne dynneȝ hym to deþe, with dynt of his honde;

For he is a mon methles, & mercy non vses,

For he hit chorle, oþer chaplayn, þat bi þe chapel rydes,

Monk, oþer masse-prest, oþer any mon elles,

Hym þynk as queme hym to quelle, as quyk go hym seluen.

For-þy I say þe as soþe as ȝe in sadel sitte,

Com ȝe þere, ȝe be kylled, [I] may þe knyȝt rede,

Trawe ȝe me þat trwely, þaȝ ȝe had twenty lyues

to spende;

He hatȝ wonyd here ful ȝore,

On bent much baret bende,

Aȝayn his dynteȝ sore,

Ȝe may not yow defende."

"For-þy, goude sir Gawayn, let þe gome one,

& gotȝ a-way sum oþer gate; vpon Goddeȝ halue;

Cayreȝ bi sum oþer kyth, þer Kryst mot yow spede;

& I schal hyȝ me hom aȝayn, & hete yow fyrre,

Þat I schal swere bi God, & alle his gode halȝeȝ,

As help me God & þe halydam, & oþeȝ in-noghe,

Þat I schal lelly yow layne, & lance neuer tale,

Þat euer ȝe fondet to fle, for freke þat I wyst."

"Grant merci;" quod Gawayn, & gruchyng he sayde,

"Wel worth þe wyȝe, þat woldeȝ my gode,

& þat lelly me layne, I leue wel þou woldeȝ!

Bot helde þou hit neuer so holde, & I here passed,

Founded for ferde for to fle, in fourme þat þou telleȝ,

I were a knyȝt kowarde, I myȝt not¹ be excused.

Bot I wy1 to þe chape1, for chaunce þat may falle,

& talk wyth þat ilk tulk þe tale þat me lyste,

Worþe hit wele, oþer wo, as þe wyrde lykeȝ

hit hafe;

Þaȝe he be a sturn knape,

To stiȝtel, &² stad with staue,

Ful wel con dryȝtyn schape,

His seruaunteȝ forto saue."