New Year's Day approaches.

Now neȝeȝ þe nwȝere, & þe nyȝt passeȝ,

Þe day dryueȝ to þe derk, as dryȝtyn biddeȝ;

The weather is stormy. 2000

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;

Snow falls.

Þe snawe snitered ful snart, þat snayped þe wylde;

2004

Þe werbelande wynde wapped fro þe hyȝe,

The dales are full of drift.

& drof vche dale ful of dryftes ful grete.

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

Gawayne in his bed hears each cock that crows.

Þaȝ he lowkeȝ his liddeȝ, ful lyttel he slepes;

2008

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

[Fol. 118.]

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

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

He calls for his chamberlain, and bids him bring him his armour.

He called to his chamberlayn, þat cofly hym swared,

2012

& 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;

2016

& syþen his oþer harnays, þat holdely watȝ keped,

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

Men knock off the rust from his rich habergeon.

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

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

2020

to þonk;

He hade vpon vche pece,

Wypped ful wel & wlonk;

The knight then calls for his steed.

Þe gayest in to Grece,

2024

Þe burne bede bryng his blonk.

While he clothed himself in his rich weeds,

Whyle þe wlonkest wedes he warp on hym-seluen;

His cote, wyth be conysaunce of þe clere werkeȝ,

Ennurned vpon veluet vertuuus¹ stoneȝ,

2028

Aboute beten, & bounden, enbrauded semeȝ,

& fayre furred with-inne wyth fayre pelures.

he forgot not the "lace," the lady's gift,

Ȝet laft he not þe lace, þe ladieȝ gifte,

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

2032

Bi he hade belted þe bronde vpon his balȝe hauncheȝ,

but with it doubly girded his loins.

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,

2036

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

He wore it not for its rich ornaments,

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,

"but to save himself when it behoved him to suffer." 2040

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,

2044

Wynneȝ þeroute bilyue,

All the renowned assembly he thanks full oft.

Alle þe meyny of renoun,

He þonkkeȝ ofte ful ryue.

[Fol. 118b.]
Then was Gringolet arrayed,

Thenne watȝ Gryngolet grayþe, þat gret watȝ & huge,

2048

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

full ready to prick on.

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,

2052

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

Gawayne returns thanks for the honour and kindness shown to him by all.

Þe mon hem maynteines, ioy mot þay haue;

Þe leue lady, on lyue luf hir bityde;

Ȝif þay for charyté cherysen a gest,

2056

& 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."

He then steps into his saddle, 2060

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,

and "starts on the stone" without more delay.

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

2064

to praunce;

His haþel on hors watȝ þenne,

Þat bere his spere & launce.

"This castle to Christ I commend; may he give it ever good chance!"

"Þis kastel to Kryst I kenne,

2068

He gef hit ay god chaunce!"

The gates are soon opened.

The brygge watȝ brayde doun, & þe brode ȝateȝ

Vnbarred, & born open, vpon boþe halue;

The knight passes thereout,

Þe burne blessed hym bilyue, & þe bredeȝ passed;

2072

Prayses þe porter, bifore þe prynce kneled,

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

and goes on his way accompanied by his guide.

& went on his way, with his wyȝe one,

Þat schulde teche hym to tourne to þat tene place,

2076

Þer þe ruful race he schulde re-sayue.

Þay boȝen bi bonkkeȝ, þer boȝeȝ ar bare,

They climb by cliffs,

Þay clomben bi clyffeȝ, þer clengeȝ þe colde;

Þe heuen watȝ vp halt, bot vgly þer vnder,

2080

Mist muged on þe mor, malt on þe mounteȝ,

where each "hill had a hat and a mist-cloak,"

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

Brokeȝ byled, & breke, bi bonkkeȝ aboute,

Schyre schaterande on schoreȝ, þer þay doun schowued.

[Fol. 119.] 2084

Welawylle watȝ þe way, þer þay bi wod schulden,

until daylight.

Til hit watȝ sone sesoun, þat þe sunne ryses,

þat tyde;

They were then on a "hill full high."

Þay were on a hille ful hyȝe,

2088

Þe quyte snaw lay bisyde;

The servant bade his master abide, saying,

Þe burne þat rod hym by

Bede his mayster abide.

"I have brought you hither,

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

2092

& now nar ȝe not fer fro þat note place,

ye are not now far from the noted 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,

2096

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

Full perilous is it esteemed.

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

The lord of that 'waste' is stiff and stern.

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

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

2100

& more he is þen any mon vpon myddelerde,

His body is bigger 'than the best four in Arthur's house.'

& his body bigger þen þe best fowre.

Þat ar in Arþureȝ hous, Hestor¹ oþer oþer.

He cheueȝ þat chaunce at þe chapel grene;

None passes by the Green Chapel, 'that he does not ding to death with dint of his hand.' 2104

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 be it churl or chaplain, monk, mass-priest, 'or any man else,' he kills them all.

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

2108

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,

2112

Trawe ȝe me þat trwely, þaȝ ȝe had twenty lyues

to spende;

He has lived there full long.

He hatȝ wonyd here ful ȝore,

On bent much baret bende,

Against his dints sore ye may not defend you. 2116

Aȝayn his dynteȝ sore,

Ȝe may not yow defende."

Wherefore, good Sir Gawayne, let this man alone.

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

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

Go by some other region, 2120

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

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

[Fol. 119b.]
I swear by God and all His saints, that I will never say that ever ye attempted to flee from any man."

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

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

2124

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,

2128

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

Gawayne replies that to shun this danger would mark him as a "coward knight."

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.

To the Chapel, therefore, he will go, 2132

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;

though the owner thereof were a stern knave. 2136

Þaȝe he be a sturn knape,

To stiȝtel, &² stad with staue,

"Full well can God devise his servants for to save."

Ful wel con dryȝtyn schape,

His seruaunteȝ forto saue."

"Mary!" quoth the other, "since it pleases thee to lose thy life, 2140

"Mary!" quod þat oþer mon, "now þou so much spelleȝ,

Þat þou wylt þyn awen nye nyme to þy-seluen,

& þe lyst lese þy lyf, þe lette I ne kepe;

take thy helmet on thy head, and thy spear in thy hand, and ride down this path by yon rock-side,

Haf here þi helme on þy hede, þi spere in þi honde,

2144

& ryde me doun þis ilk rake, bi ȝon rokke syde,

till thou come to the bottom of the valley;

Til þou be broȝt to þe boþem of þe brem valay;

look a little to the left,

Þenne loke a littel on þe launde, on þi lyfte honde,

and thou shalt see the Chapel itself and the man that guards it."

& þou schal se in þat slade þe self chapel,

2148

& þe borelych burne on bent, þat hit kepeȝ.

Now fareȝ wel on Godeȝ half, Gawayn þe noble,

For alle þe golde vpon grounde I nolde go with þe,

Ne bere þe felaȝschip þurȝ þis fryth on fote fyrre."

Having thus spoken the guide takes leave of the knight. 2152

Bi þat þe wyȝe in þe wod wendeȝ his brydel,

Hit þe hors with þe heleȝ, as harde as he myȝt,

Lepeȝ hym ouer þe launde, & leueȝ þe knyȝt þere,

al one.

"By God's self," says Sir Gawayne, "I will neither weep nor groan. 2156

"Bi Goddeȝ self," quod Gawayn,

"I wyl nauþer grete ne grone,

To God's will I am full ready."

To Goddeȝ wylle I am ful bayn,

& to hym I haf me tone."

[Fol. 120.]
Then he pursues his journey, 2160

Thenne gyrdeȝ he to Gryngolet, & gedereȝ þe rake,

Schowueȝ in bi a schore, at a schaȝe syde,

rides through the dale, and looks about.

Rideȝ þurȝ þe roȝe bonk, ryȝt to þe dale;

& þenne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym þoȝt,

He sees no sign of a resting-place, but only high and steep banks. 2164

& seȝe no syngne of resette, bisydeȝ nowhere,

Bot hyȝe bonkkeȝ & brent, vpon boþe halue,

& ruȝe knokled knarreȝ, with knorned stoneȝ;

Þe skweȝ of þe scowtes skayued¹ hym þoȝt.

2168

Þenne he houed, & wyth-hylde his hors at þat tyde,

& ofte chaunged his cher, þe chapel to seche;

No chapel could he discern.

He seȝ non suche in no syde, & selly hym þoȝt,

Sone a lyttel on a launde, a lawe as hit we[re];

At last he sees a hill by the side of a stream; 2172

A balȝ berȝ, bi a bonke, þe brymme by-syde,

Bi a forȝ of a flode, þat ferked þare;

Þe borne blubred þer-inne, as hit boyled hade.

thither he goes,

Þe knyȝt kacheȝ his caple, & com to þe lawe,

alights and fastens his horse to a branch of a tree. 2176

Liȝteȝ doun luflyly, & at a lynde tacheȝ

Þe rayne, & his riche, with a roȝe braunche;

He walks around the hill, debating with himself what it might be,

Þen[n]e he boȝeȝ to þe berȝe, aboute hit he walke,

D[e]batande with hym-self, quat hit be myȝt.

2180

Hit hade a hole on þe ende, & on ayþer syde,

& ouer-growen with gresse in glodes ay where,

& al watȝ holȝ in-with, nobot an olde caue,

and at last finds an old cave in the crag.

Or a creuisse of an olde cragge, he couþe hit noȝt deme

2184

with spelle,

"We,² lorde," quod þe gentyle knyȝt,

"Wheþer þis be þe grene chapelle;

He prays that about midnight he may tell his matins.

He myȝt aboute myd-nyȝt,

2188

[Þ]e dele his matynnes telle!"

"Truly," says Sir Gawayne, "a desert is here,

"Now i-wysse," quod Wowayn, "wysty is here;

Þis oritore is vgly, with erbeȝ ouer-growen;

a fitting place for the man in green to 'deal here his devotions in devil fashion.'

Wel bisemeȝ þe wyȝe wruxled in grene

2192

Dele here his deuocioun, on þe deueleȝ wyse;

Now I fele hit is þe fende, in my fyue wytteȝ,

Þat hatȝ stoken me þis steuen, to strye me here;

It is most cursed kirk that ever I entered."

Þis is a chapel of meschaunce, þat chekke hit by-tyde,

2196

Hit is þe corsedest kyrk, þat euer i com inne!"

[Fol. 120b.]

With heȝe helme on his hede, his launce in his honde,

Roaming about he hears a loud noise,

He romeȝ vp to þe rokke of þo roȝ woneȝ;

Þene herde he of þat hyȝe hil, in a harde roche,

from beyond the brook. 2200

Biȝonde þe broke, in a bonk, a wonder breme noyse,

It clattered like the grinding of a scythe on a grindstone.

Quat! hit clatered in þe clyff, as hit cleue schulde,

As one vpon a gryndelston hade grounden a syþe;

It whirred like a mill-stream.

What! hit wharred, & whette, as water at a mulne,

2204

What! hit rusched, & ronge, rawþe to here.

Þenne "bi Godde," quod Gawayn, "þat gere as¹ I trowe,

Is ryched at þe reuerence, me renk to mete,

bi rote;

2208

Let God worche we loo,

"Though my life I forgo," says the knight, "no noise shall terrify me."

Hit helppeȝ me not a mote,

My lif þaȝ I for-goo,

Drede dotȝ me no lote."

Then cried he aloud, 2212

Thenne þe knyȝt con calle ful hyȝe,

"Who dwells here discourse with me to hold?"

"Who stiȝtleȝ in þis sted, me steuen to holde?

Now is the good Gawayne going aright

For now is gode Gawayn goande ryȝt here,

If any wyȝe oȝt wyl wynne hider fast,

2216

Oþer now, oþer neuer, his nedeȝ to spede."

He hears a voice commanding him to abide where he is.

"Abyde," quod on on þe bonke, abouen ouer his hede,

"& þou schal haf al in hast, þat I þe hyȝt ones."

Ȝet he rusched on þat rurde, rapely a þrowe,

2220

& wyth quettyng a-wharf, er he wolde lyȝt;

Soon there comes out of a hole, with a fell weapon,

& syþen he keuereȝ bi a cragge, & comeȝ of a hole,

Whyrlande out of a wro, wyth a felle weppen,

a Danish axe, quite new,

A deneȝ ax nwe dyȝt, þe dynt with [t]o ȝelde

2224

With a borelych bytte, bende by þe halme,

Fyled in a fylor, fowre fote large,

Hit watȝ no lasse, bi þat lace þat lemed ful bryȝt.

the "knight in green," clothed as before.

& þe gome in þe erene gered as fyrst,

2228

Boþe þe lyre & þe leggeȝ, lokkeȝ, & berde,

Saue þat fayre on his fote he foundeȝ on þe erþe,

Sette þe stele to þe stone, & stalked bysyde.

When he reaches the stream, he hops over and strides about.

When he wan to þe watter, þer he wade nolde,

2232

He hypped ouer on hys ax, & orpedly strydeȝ,

Bremly broþe on a bent, þat brode watȝ a-boute,

on snawe.

[Fol. 121.]
He meets Sir Gawayne without obeisance.

Sir Gawayn þe knyȝt con mete.

2236

He ne lutte hym no þyng lowe,

The other tells him that he is now ready for conversation

Þat oþer sayde, "now, sir swete,

Of steuen mon may þe trowe."

"God preserve thee!" says the Green Knight,

"Gawayn," quod þat grene gome, "God þe mot loke!

2240

I-wysse þou art welcom,¹ wyȝe, to my place,

"as a true knight 'thou hast timed thy travel'

& þou hatȝ tymed þi trauayl as true² mon schulde;

Thou knowest the covenant between us,

& þou knoweȝ þe couenaunteȝ kest vus by-twene,

At þis tyme twelmonyth þou toke þat þe falled,

that on New Year's day I should return thy blow 2244

& I schulde at þis nwe ȝere ȝeply þe quyte.

Here we are alone,

& we ar in þis valay, verayly oure one,

Here ar no renkes vs to rydde, rele as vus likeȝ;

Have off thy helmet and take thy pay at once."

Haf þy³ helme of þy hede, & haf here þy pay;

2248

Busk no more debate þen I þe bede þenne,

"When þou wypped of my hede at a wap one."

"By God," quoth Sir Gawayne, "I shall not begrudge thee thy will."

"Nay, bi God," quod Gawayn, "þat me gost lante,

I schal gruch þe no grwe, for grem þat falleȝ;

2252

Botstyȝtel þe vpon on strok, & I schal stonde stylle,

& warp þe no wernyng, to worch as þe lykeȝ,

no whare."

Then he shows his bare neck,

He lened with þe nek, & lutte,

2256

& schewed þat schyre al bare,

& lette as he noȝt dutte,

and appears undaunted.

For drede he wolde not dare.

Then the man in green seizes his grim tool.

Then þe gome in þe grene grayþed hym swyþe,

2260

Gedereȝ yp hys grymme tole, Gawayn to smyte;

With all his force he raises it aloft.

With alle þe bur in his body he ber hit on lofte,

Munt as maȝtyly, as marre hym he wolde;

Hade hit dryuen adoun, as dreȝ as he atled,

2264

Þer hade ben ded of his dynt, þat doȝty watȝ euer.

Bot Gawayn on þat giserne glyfte hym bysyde,

As it came gliding down,

As hit com glydande adoun, on glode hym to schende,

Sir Gawayne shrank a little with his shoulders.

& schranke a lytel with þe schulderes, for þe scharp yrne.

2268

Þat oþer schalk wyth a schunt þe schene wythhaldeȝ,

The other reproved him, saying,

& þenne repreued he þe prynce with mony prowde wordeȝ:

"Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed,

"Þou art not Gawayn," quod þe gome, "þat is so goud halden,

Þat neuer arȝed for no here, by hylle ne be vale,

[Fol. 121b.]
for thou fleest for fear before thou feelest harm. 2272

& now þou fles for ferde, er þou fele harmeȝ;

Such cowardise of þat knyȝt cowþe I neuer here.

I never flinched when thou struckest.

Nawþer fyked I, ne flaȝe, freke, quen þou myntest,

Ne kest no kauelacion, in kyngeȝ hous Arthor,

My head flew to my foot, yet I never fled, 2276

My hede flaȝ to my fote, & ȝet flaȝ I neuer;

& þou, er any harme hent, arȝeȝ in hert,

wherefore I ought to be called the better man."

Wherfore þe better burne me burde be called

þer-fore."

"I shunted once," says Gawayne, "but will no more. 2280

Quod G:, "I schunt oneȝ,

& so wyl I no more,

Bot paȝ my hede falle on þe stoneȝ,

I con not hit restore.

Bring me to the point; deal me my destiny at once." 2284

Bot busk, burne, bi þi fayth, & bryng me to þe poynt,

Dele to me my destiné, & do hit out of honde,

For I schal stonde þe a strok, & start no more,

Til þyn ax haue me hitte, haf here my trawþe."

"Have at thee, then," says the other. 2288

"Haf at þe þenne," quod þat oþer, & heueȝ hit alofte,

& wayteȝ as wroþely, as he wode were;

With that he aims at him a blow.

He mynteȝ at hym maȝtyly, bot not þe mon ryueȝ,¹

With-helde heterly h[i]s honde, er hit hurt myȝt.

Gawayne never flinches, but stands as still as a stone. 2292

Gawayn grayþely hit bydeȝ, & glent with no membre,

Bot stode stylle as þe ston, oþer a stubbe auþer,

Þat raþeled is in roche grounde, with roteȝ a hundreth.

Þen muryly efte con he mele, þe mon in þe grene,

"Now," says the Green Knight, "I must hit thee, since thy heart is whole." 2296

"So now þou hatȝ þi hert holle, hitte me bihou[e]s;

Halde þe now þe hyȝe hode, þat Arþur þe raȝt,

& kepe þy kanel at þis kest, ȝif hit keuer may."

G: ful gryndelly with greme þenne sayde,

"Thrash on," says the other. 2300

"Wy þresch on, þou þro mon, þou þreteȝ to longe,

I hope þat þi hert arȝe wyth þyn awen seluen."

"For soþe," quod þat oþer freke, "so felly þou spekeȝ,

I wyl no lenger on lyte lette þin ernde,

2304

riȝt nowe."

Then the Green Knight makes ready to strike.

Þenne tas he² hym stryþe to stryke,

& frounses boþe lyppe & browe,

No meruayle þaȝ hym myslyke,

2308

Þat hoped of no rescowe.

He let fall his loom on the bare

He lyftes lyȝtly his lome, & let hit doun fayre,

[Fol. 122.]
neck of Sir Gawayne.

With þe barbe of þe bitte bi þe bare nek

Þaȝ he homered heterly, hurt hym no more,

2312

Bot snyrt hym on þat on syde, þat seuered þe hyde;

The sharp weapon pierced the flesh so that the blood flowed.

Þe scharp schrank to þe flesche þurȝ þe schyre grece,

Þat þe schene blod over his schulderes schot to þe erþe.

When the knight saw the blood on the snow,

& quen þe burne seȝ þe blode blenk on þe snawe,

2316

He sprit forth spenne fote more þen a spere lenþe,

Hent heterly his helme, & on his hed cast,

Schot with his schuldereȝ his fayre schelde vnder,

he unsheathed his sword, and thus spake:

Braydeȝ out a bryȝt sworde, & bremely he spekeȝ;

2320

Neuer syn þat he watȝ burne borne of his moder,

Watȝ he neuer in þis worlde, wyȝe half so blyþe:—

"Cease, man, of thy blow.

"Blynne, burne, of þy bur, bede me no mo;

I haf a stroke in þis sted with-oute stryf hent,

If thou givest me any more, readily shall I requite thee. 2324

& if þow recheȝ me any mo, I redyly schal quyte,

& ȝelde ȝederly aȝayn, & þer to ȝe tryst,

& foo;

Our agreement stipulates only one stroke."

Bot on stroke here me falleȝ,

2328

Þe couenaunt schop ryȝt so,

[Sikered]¹ in Arþureȝ halleȝ,

& þer-fore, hende, now hoo!"

The Green Knight rested on his axe,

The haþel heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested,

2332

Sette þe schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened,

looked on Sir Gawayne, who appeared bold and fearless,

& loked to þe leude, þat on þe launde ȝede,

How þat doȝty dredles deruely þer stondeȝ,

Armed ful aȝleȝ; in hert hit hym lykeȝ.

2336

þenn he meleȝ muryly, wyth a much steuen,

and addressed him as follows: "Bold knight, be not so wroth,

& wyth a r[a]ykande rurde he to þe renk sayde,

"Bolde burne, on þis bent be not so gryndel;

No mon here vn-manerly þe mys-boden habbe,

2340

Ne kyd, bot as couenaunde, at kyngeȝ kort schaped;

I promised thee a stroke and thou hast it, be satisfied.

I hyȝt þe a strok, & þou hit hatȝ, halde þe wel payed,

I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ryȝtes alle oþer;

Ȝif¹ I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter,

I could have dealt worse with thee. 2344

I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wroȝt anger.²

Fyrst I mansed þe muryly, with a mynt one,

I menaced thee with one blow for the covenant

& roue þe wyth no rof, sore with ryȝt I þe profered,

[Fol. 122b.]
between us on the first night.

For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst nyȝt,

2348

& þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me haldeȝ,

Al þe gayne þow me gef, as god mon shulde;

Another I aimed at thee because thou kissedst my wife.

Þat oþer munt for þe morne, mon, I þe profered,

Þou kyssedes my clere wyf, þe cosseȝ me raȝteȝ,

2352

For boþe two here I þe bede bot two bare myntes,

boute scaþe;

A true man should restore truly, and then he need fear no harm.

Trwe mon trwe restore,

Þenne þar mon drede no waþe;

Thou failedst at the third time, and therefore take thee that tap. (See l. 1861.) 2356

At þe þrid þou fayled þore,

& þer-for þat tappe ta þe.