The lord of the land is well pleased when he sees Sir Gawayne,

Þe lorde ful lowde with lote, & laȝed myry,

1624

When he seȝe sir G: with solace he spekeȝ;

Þe goude ladyeȝ were geten, & gedered þe meyny,

He shows him the shields of the wild boar, and tells him of its length and breadth.

He scheweȝ hem þe scheldeȝ, & schapes hem þe tale,

Of þe largesse, & þe lenþe, þe liþerneȝ alse,

1628

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

Þat oþer knyȝt ful comly comended his dedeȝ,

& praysed hit as gret prys, þat he proued hade;

Such a "brawn of a beast," Sir Gawayne says, he never has seen.

For suche a brawne of a best, þe bolde burne sayde,

1632

Ne such sydes of a swyn, segh he neuer are.

Þenne hondeled þay þe hoge hed, þe hende mon hit praysed,

[Fol. 113.]

& let lodly þerat þe lorde forte here:

Gawayne takes possession of it according to covenant,

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

1636

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

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

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

and in return kisses his host,

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

1640

& 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;"

who declares his guest to be the best he knows. 1644

Þe lorde sayde, "bi saynt Gile,

ȝe ar þe best þat I knowe,

Ȝe ben ryche in a whyle,

Such chaffer & ȝe drowe."

Tables are raised aloft, 1648

Þenne þay teldet tableȝ [on] trestes alofte,

cloths cast upon them,

Kesten cloþeȝ vpon, clere lyȝt þenne

and torches are lighted.

Wakned bi woȝeȝ, waxen torches

Seggeȝ sette, & serued in sale al aboute;

With much mirth and glee, 1652

Much glam & gle glent vp þer-inne,

Aboute þe fyre vpon flet, & on fele wyse,

supper is served in the hall,

At þe soper & after, mony aþel songeȝ,

As coundutes of kryst-masse, & caroleȝ newe,

1656

With alle þe manerly merþe þat mon may of telle.

and ever our lovely knight by the lady sits,

& euer oure luflych knyȝt þe lady bi-syde;

Such semblaunt to þat segge semly ho made,

who does all she can to please her companion.

Wyth stille stollen countenaunce, þat stalworth to plese,

1660

Þat al for-wondered watȝ þe wyȝe, & wroth with hym-seluen,

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

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

to wrast;

When they had long played in the hall, 1664

Quen þay hade played in halle,

As longe as hor wylle hom last,

they proceeded "to chamber."

To chambre he¹ con hym calle,

& to þe chem-ne þay past.

There they drank and discoursed. 1668

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

To norne on þe same note, on nweȝereȝ euen;

Gawayne begs leave to depart on the morrow.

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

For hit watȝ neȝ at þe terme, þat he to¹ schulde.

[Fol. 113b.] 1672

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

His host swears to him,

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

that he shall come to the Green Chapel on New Year's morn long before prime.

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

Leude, on nwȝereȝ lyȝt, longe bifore pryme:

1676

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

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

Chaunge wyth þe cheuisaunce, bi þat I charre hider;

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

1680

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 lykeȝ."

Þis watȝ grayþely graunted, & Gawayn is lenged,

Our knight consents to remain for another night. 1684

Bliþe broȝt watȝ hym drynk, & þay to bedde ȝeden,

with liȝt;

Full still and softly he sleeps all night.

Sir G: lis & slepes,

Ful stille & softe al niȝt;

Early in the morning the lord is up. 1688

Þe lorde þat his crafteȝ kepes,

Ful erly he watȝ diȝt.

After mass, a morsel he take with his men.

After messe a morsel¹ he & his men token,

Miry watȝ þe mornyng, his mounture he askes;

Then were all on their horses before the hall-gates. 1692

Alle þe haþeles þat on horse schulde helden hym after,

Were boun busked on hor blonkkeȝ, bi-fore² þe halle ȝateȝ;

It was a clear frosty morning.

Ferly fayre watȝ þe folde, for þe forst clenged,

In rede rudede vpon rak rises þe sunne,

The hunters, dispersed by a wood's side, 1696

& ful clere costeȝ³ þe clowdes of þe welkyn.

Hunteres vnhardeled bi a holt syde,

Rocheres roungen bi rys, for rurde of her hornes;

come upon the track of a fox,

Summe fel in þe fute, þer þe fox bade,

1700

Trayleȝ ofte a trayteres⁴, bi traunt of her wyles;

A kenet kryes þerof, þe hunt on hym calles,

His felaȝes fallen hym to, þat fnasted ful þike,

which is followed up by the hounds.

Runnen forth in a rabel, in his ryȝt fare;

1704

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

They soon get sight of the game,

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

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

and pursue him through many a rough grove.

& he trantes & tornayeeȝ þurȝ mony tene greue;

1708

Hamlouneȝ, & herkeneȝ, bi heggeȝ ful ofte;

[Fol. 114.]
The fox at last leaps over a spinny,

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

Steleȝ out ful stilly bi a strothe rande,

and by a rugged path seeks to get clear from the hounds.

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

1712

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

He comes upon one of the hunting stations, where he is attacked by the dogs.

Þer þre þro at a þrich þrat hym at ones,

al graye;

However, he slips them,

He blenched aȝayn bilyue,

1716

& stifly start onstray,

With alle þe wo on lyue,

and makes again for the wood.

To þe wod he went away.

Then was it fine sport to listen to the hounds,

Thenne watȝ hit lif vpon list to lyþen þe houndeȝ,

1720

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;

and the hallooing of the hunters.

Here he watȝ halawed, when haþeleȝ hym metten,

1724

Loude he watȝ ȝayned, with ȝarande speche;

There the fox was threatened and called a thief.

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,

But Reynard was wily, 1728

& ofte reled in aȝayn, so reniarde watȝ wylé.

and led them astray over mounts.

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

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

Meanwhile the knight at home soundly sleeps within his comely curtains.

Whyle þe hende knyȝt at home holsumly slepeȝ,

1732

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,

The lady of the castle, clothed in a rich mantle, 1736

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;

her throat and bosom all bare, 1740

Hir þryuen face & hir þrote þrowen al naked,

Hir brest bare bifore, & bihinde eke.

comes to Gawayne's chamber,

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

opens a window, and says,

Wayneȝ¹ vp a wyndow, & on þe wyȝe calleȝ,

1744

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

with² chere;

"Ah! man, how canst thou sleep,

"A! mon, how may þou slepe,

[Fol. 114b.]
this morning is so clear?"

Þis morning is so clere?"

1748

He watȝ in drowping depe,

Bot þenne he con hir here.

The knight was then dreaming of his forthcoming adventure at the Green Chapel.

In dreȝ droupyng of dreme draueled þat noble,

As mon þat watȝ in mornyng of mony þro þoȝtes,

1752

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;

He awakes and speaks to his fair visitor,

Bot quen þat comly he keuered his wyttes,

1756

Swenges out of þe sweuenes, & swareȝ with hast.

Þe lady luflych com laȝande swete,

who sweetly kisses him.

Felle ouer his fayre face, & fetly him kyssed;

He welcumeȝ hir worþily, with a wale chere;

1760

He seȝ hir so glorious, & gayly atyred,

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

Great joy warms the heart of Sir Gawayne,

Wiȝt wallande Ioye warmed his hert;

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

1764

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

& wynne,

Þay lanced wordes gode,

Much wele þen watȝ þer-inne,

and "great peril between them stood." 1768

Gret perile bi-twene hem stod,

Nif mare of hir knyȝt mynne.

The knight is sorely pressed.

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

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

1772

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

He cared for his cortaysye, lest craþayn he were,

He fears lest he should become a traitor to his host.

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

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

1776

"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,

1780

Ȝif ȝe luf not þat lyf þat ȝe lye nexte,

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

The lady inquire whether he has a mistress that he loves better than her.

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

& folden fayth to þat fre, festned so harde,

[Fol. 115.] 1784

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."

Sir Gawayne swears by St. John that he neither has nor desires one. 1788

Þe knyȝt sayde, "be sayn Ion,"

& smeþely con he smyle,

"In fayth I welde riȝt non,

Ne non wil welde þe quile."

1792

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

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

She then kisses him, sighing for sorrow.

Kysse me now coraly, & I schal cach heþen,

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

1796

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,

She desires some gift,

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

by which to remember him. 1800

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,

Gawayne tells her that she is worthy of a better gift than he can bestow.

For ȝe haf deserued, forsoþe, sellyly ofte

1804

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,

1808

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

He has no men with mails containing precious things.

& 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,

1812

ne pine."

Then says that lovesome,

"Nay, hende of hyȝe honours,"

Quod þat lufsum vnder lyne,

"Though I had nought of yours, yet should ye have of mine."

"Þaȝ I hade oȝt³ of youreȝ,

1816

Ȝet schulde ȝe haue of myne."

She offers him a gold ring,

Ho raȝt hym a riche rynk¹ of red golde werkeȝ,

Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte,

Þat bere blusschande bemeȝ as þe bryȝt sunne;

1820

Wyt ȝe wel, hit watȝ worth wele ful hoge.

but he refuses to accept it,

Bot þe renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde,

[Fol. 115b.]

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

as he has none to give in return.

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

1824

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

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

Very sorrowful was that fair one on account of his refusal.

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

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

1828

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,

She takes off her "girdle,"

Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder þe clere mantyle,

1832

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

and beseeches him to take it.

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

1836

& he nay þat he nolde neghe in no wyse,

Gawayne again refuses to accept anything,

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,

1840

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

to graunte;

I am derely to yow biholde,

Bi-cause of your sembelaunt,

but promises, "ever in hot and in cold, to be her true servant." 1844

& euer in hot & colde

To be your trwe seruaunt.

"Do you refuse it," says the lady, because it is simple?

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

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

1848

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

Whoso knew the virtues that it possesses, would highly prize it.

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

He wolde hit prayse at more prys, parauenture;

For he who is girded with this green lace,

For quat gome so is gorde with þis grene lace,

1852

While he hit hade hemely halched aboute,

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

cannot be wounded or slain."

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

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

The knight thinks of his adventure at the Green Chapel. 1856

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

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

The lady presses him to accept the lace.

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

[Fol. 116.]

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

1860

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

He consents not only to take the girdle, but to keep the possession of it a secret.

& 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.

1864

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

for noȝte;

He þonkked hir oft ful swyþe,

Ful þro with hert & þoȝt.

By that time the lady has kissed him thrice. 1868

Bi þat on þrynne syþe,

He hatȝ kyst þe knyȝt so toȝt.

Then she takes her leave.

Thenne lachcheȝ ho hir leue, & leueȝ hym þere,

For more myrþe of þat mon moȝt ho not gete;

Gawayne then dresses himself, 1872

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

Rises, & riches hym in araye noble,

and conceals the love-lace about his person.

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

Hid hit ful holdely, þer he hit eft fonde;

1876

Syþen cheuely to þe chapel choses he þe waye,

He then hies to mass,

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.

and shrives him of his misdeeds. 1880

Þere he schrof hym schyrly, & schewed his mysdedeȝ,

Of þe more & þe mynne, & merci besecheȝ,

and prays for absolution.

& of absolucioun he on þe segge calles;

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

He returns to the hall, and makes himself so merry among the ladies, 1884

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

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

with comely carols,

With comlych caroles, & alle kynnes ioye,

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

1888

with blys;

Vche mon hade daynte þare,

that they said,

Of hym, & sayde Iwysse,

"Thus merry was he never before since hither he came."

Þus myry he watȝ neuer are,

1892

Syn he com hider, er þis.

Gawayne's host is still in the field.

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

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

He has destroyed the fox.

He hatȝ forfaren þis fox, þat he folȝed longe;

1896

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

[Fol. 116b.]

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

He spied Reynard coming through a "rough grove,"

Renaud com richchande þurȝ a roȝe greue,

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

and tried to hit him with his sword. 1900

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,

The fox "shunts," and is seized by one of the dogs.

A rach rapes hym to, ryȝt er he myȝt,

1904

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

& woried me þis wyly wyth a wroth noyse.

The lord takes him out of the hound's mouth.

Þe lorde lyȝteȝ bilyue, & cacheȝ by¹ sone,

Rased hym ful radly out of þe rach mouþes,

1908

Haldeȝ heȝe ouer his hede, haloweȝ faste,

& þer bayen hym mony bray² houndeȝ;

Hunters hasten thither with horns full many.

Huntes hyȝed hem þeder, with horneȝ ful mony,

Ay re-chatande aryȝt til þay þe renk seȝen;

1912

Bi þat watȝ comen his compeyny noble,

Alle þat euer ber bugle blowed at ones,

It was the merriest meet that ever was heard.

& alle þise oþer halowed, þat hade no hornes,

Hit watȝ þe myriest mute þat euer men herde,

1916

Þe rich rurd þat þer watȝ raysed for renaude saule,

with lote;

The hounds are rewarded,

Hor houndeȝ þay þer rewarde,

Her³ hedeȝ þay fawne & frote,

and then they take Reynard and "turn off his coat." 1920

& syþen þay tan reynarde,

& tyrnen of his cote.

The hunters then hasten home.

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

Strakande ful stoutly in hor store horneȝ;

The lord at last alights at his dear home, 1924

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,

where he finds Gawayne amusing the ladies.

Among þe ladies for luf he ladde much ioye,

1928

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,

The knight comes forward and welcomes his host,

Blande al of blaunner were boþe al aboute.

1932

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,

[Fol. 117.]

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

and according to covenant kisses him thrice. 1936

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

(See l. 1868.)

As sauerly & sadly as he hem sette couþe.

"By Christ," says the other, "ye have had much bliss!"

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

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

1940

"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,

I have hunted all day and have gotten nothing,

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

but the skin of this foul fox, 1944

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

a poor reward for three such kisses."

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

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

so gode."

1948

"I-noȝ," quod sir Gawayn,

"I þonk yow, bi þe rode;"

He then tells him how the fox was slain.

& how þe fox watȝ slayn,

He tolde hym, as þay stode.

With much mirth and minstrelsy they made merry, 1952

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,

1956

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

Boþe þe mon & þe meyny maden mony iapeȝ,

until the time came for them to part.

Til þe sesoun watȝ seȝen, þat þay seuer moste;

Burneȝ to hor bedde be-houed at þe laste.

Gawayne takes leave of his host. 1960

Þenne loȝly his leue at þe lorde fyrst

Fochcheȝ þis fre mon, & fayre he hym þonkkeȝ;

and thanks him for his happy "sojourn."

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

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

1964

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

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

He asks for a man to teach him the way to the Green Chapel.

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

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

1968

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."

A servant is assigned to him,

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

[Fol. 117b.] 1972

& 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,

1976

Such worchip he wolde hym weue;

and then he takes leave of the ladies,

Þen at þo ladyeȝ wlonk.

Þe knyȝt hatȝ tan his leue.

kissing them sorrowfully.

With care & wyth kyssyng he carppeȝ hem tille,

1980

& fele þryuande þonkkeȝ he þrat hom to haue,

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

They commend him to Christ.

Þay bikende hym to Kryst, with ful colde sykyngeȝ.

He then departs, thanking each one he meets "for his service and solace."

Syþen fro þe meyny he menskly de-partes;

1984

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,

1988

As þay hade wonde worþyly with þat wlonk euer.

He retires to rest but sleeps but little,

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 much has he to think of on the morrow. 1992

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

in þoȝt;

Let him there lie still.

Let hym lyȝe þere stille,

He hatȝ¹ nere þat he soȝt,

Be still awhile, and I shall tell how they wrought. 1996

& ȝe wyl a whyle be stylle,

I schal telle yow how þay wroȝt.