With much mirth and minstrelsy they made merry, 1952

With merþe & mynstralsye, wyth mete3 at hor wylle,

Þay maden as mery as any men mo3ten,

With la3yng of ladies, with lote3 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 iape3,

until the time came for them to part.

Til þe sesoun wat3 se3en, þat þay seuer moste;

Burne3 to hor bedde be-houed at þe laste.

Gawayne takes leave of his host. 1960

Þenne lo3ly his leue at þe lorde fyrst

Fochche3 þis fre mon, & fayre he hym þonkke3;

and thanks him for his happy "sojourn."

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

Your honour, at þis hy3e fest, þe hy3e kyng yow 3elde!

1964

I 3ef yow me for on of youre3, if yowre-self lyke3,

For I mot nedes, as 3e wot, meue to morne;

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

& 3e me take sum tolke, to teche, as 3e hy3t,

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

1968

To dele, on nw3ere3 day, þe dome of my wyrdes."

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

Al þat euer I yow hy3t, 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 downe3, þat he no drechch had,

For to f[e]rk þur3 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 ladye3 wlonk.

Þe kny3t hat3 tan his leue.

kissing them sorrowfully.

With care & wyth kyssyng he carppe3 hem tille,

1980

& fele þryuande þonkke3 he þrat hom to haue,

& þay 3elden hym a3ay[n] 3eply þat ilk;

They commend him to Christ.

Þay bikende hym to Kryst, with ful colde sykynge3.

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 & ly3t he wat3 ladde to his chambre,

& blybely bro3t to his bedde, to be at his rest;

3if 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, 3if he wolde,

in þo3t;

Let him there lie still.

Let hym ly3e þere stille,

He hat3¹ nere þat he so3t,

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

& 3e wyl a whyle be stylle,

I schal telle yow how þay wro3t.

New Year's Day approaches.

Now ne3e3 þe nw3ere, & þe ny3t passe3,

Þe day dryue3 to þe derk, as dry3tyn bidde3;

The weather is stormy. 2000

Bot wylde wedere3 of þe worlde wakned þeroute,

Clowdes kesten kenly þe colde to þe erþe,

Wyth ny3e¹ 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 hy3e,

The dales are full of drift.

& drof vche dale ful of dryftes ful grete.

Þe leude lystened ful wel, þat le3 in his bedde,

Gawayne in his bed hears each cock that crows.

Þa3 he lowke3 his lidde3, 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 wat3 ly3t 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 ferke3 hym vp, & feche3 hym his wede3,

& grayþe3 me sir Gawayn vpon a grett wyse.

Fyrst he clad hym in his cloþe3, þe colde for to were;

2016

& syþen his oþer harnays, þat holdely wat3 keped,

Boþe his paunce, & his plate3, piked ful clene,

Men knock off the rust from his rich habergeon.

Þe rynge3² rokked of þe roust, of his riche bruny;

& al wat3 fresch as vpon fyrst, & he wat3 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 werke3,

Ennurned vpon veluet vertuuus¹ stone3,

2028

Aboute beten, & bounden, enbrauded seme3,

& fayre furred with-inne wyth fayre pelures.

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

3et laft he not þe lace, þe ladie3 gifte,

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

2032

Bi he hade belted þe bronde vpon his bal3e haunche3,

but with it doubly girded his loins.

Þenn dressed he his drurye double hym aboute;

Swyþe sweþled vmbe his swange swetely, þat kny3t,

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

2036

Vpon þat ryol red cloþe, þat ryche wat3 to schewe.

He wore it not for its rich ornaments,

Bot wered not þis ilk wy3e for wele þis gordel,

For pryde of þe pendaunte3, þa3 polyst þay were,

& þa3 þe glyterande golde glent vpon ende3,

"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

Wynne3 þeroute bilyue,

All the renowned assembly he thanks full oft.

Alle þe meyny of renoun,

He þonkke3 ofte ful ryue.

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

Thenne wat3 Gryngolet grayþe, þat gret wat3 & 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 wy3e wynne3 hym to, & wyte3 on his lyre,

& sayde soberly hym-self, & by his soth swere3,

2052

"Here is a meyny in þis mote, þat on menske þenkke3,

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;

3if þay for charyté cherysen a gest,

2056

& halden honour in her honde, þe haþel hem 3elde,

Þat halde3 þe heuen vpon hy3e, & also yow alle!

& 3if I my3t lyf vpon londe lede any quyle,

I schuld rech yow sum rewarde redyly, if I my3t."

He then steps into his saddle, 2060

Þenn steppe3 he in-to stirop, & stryde3 alofte;

His schalk schewed hym his schelde, on schulder he hit la3t,

Gorde3 to Gryngolet, with his gilt hele3,

and "starts on the stone" without more delay.

& he starte3 on þe ston, stod he no lenger,

2064

to praunce;

His haþel on hors wat3 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 wat3 brayde doun, & þe brode 3ate3

Vnbarred, & born open, vpon boþe halue;

The knight passes thereout,

Þe burne blessed hym bilyue, & þe brede3 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 wy3e one,

Þat schulde teche hym to tourne to þat tene place,

2076

Þer þe ruful race he schulde re-sayue.

Þay bo3en bi bonkke3, þer bo3e3 ar bare,

They climb by cliffs,

Þay clomben bi clyffe3, þer clenge3 þe colde;

Þe heuen wat3 vp halt, bot vgly þer vnder,

2080

Mist muged on þe mor, malt on þe mounte3,

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

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

Broke3 byled, & breke, bi bonkke3 aboute,

Schyre schaterande on schore3, þer þay doun schowued.

[Fol. 119.] 2084

Welawylle wat3 þe way, þer þay bi wod schulden,

until daylight.

Til hit wat3 sone sesoun, þat þe sunne ryses,

þat tyde;

They were then on a "hill full high."

Þay were on a hille ful hy3e,

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, wy3e, at þis tyme,

2092

& now nar 3e not fer fro þat note place,

ye are not now far from the noted place.

Þat 3e han spied & spuryed so specially after;

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

& 3e ar a lede vpon lyue, þat I wel louy,

2096

Wolde 3e worch bi my wytte, 3e worþed þe better.

Full perilous is it esteemed.

Þe place þat 3e prece to, ful perelous is halden;

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

Þer wone3 a wy3e 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 Arþure3 hous, Hestor¹ oþer oþer.

He cheue3 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 dynne3 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 be 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 3e in sadel sitte,

Com 3e þere, 3e be kylled, [I] may þe kny3t rede,

2112

Trawe 3e me þat trwely, þa3 3e had twenty lyues

to spende;

He has lived there full long.

He hat3 wonyd here ful 3ore,

On bent much baret bende,

Against his dints sore ye may not defend you. 2116

A3ayn his dynte3 sore,

3e may not yow defende."

Wherefore, good Sir Gawayne, let this man alone.

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

& got3 a-way sum oþer gate; vpon Godde3 halue;

Go by some other region, 2120

Cayre3 bi sum oþer kyth, þer Kryst mot yow spede;

& I schal hy3 me hom a3ayn, & 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 hal3e3,

As help me God & þe halydam, & oþe3 in-noghe,

2124

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

Þat euer 3e fondet to fle, for freke þat I wyst."

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

"Wel worth þe wy3e, þat wolde3 my gode,

2128

& þat lelly me layne, I leue wel þou wolde3!

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 telle3,

I were a kny3t kowarde, I my3t 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 lyke3

hit hafe;

though the owner thereof were a stern knave. 2136

Þa3e he be a sturn knape,

To sti3tel, &² stad with staue,

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

Ful wel con dry3tyn schape,

His seruaunte3 forto saue."

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

"Mary!" quod þat oþer mon, "now þou so much spelle3,

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 3on rokke syde,

till thou come to the bottom of the valley;

Til þou be bro3t 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 kepe3.

Now fare3 wel on Gode3 half, Gawayn þe noble,

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

Ne bere þe fela3schip þur3 þis fryth on fote fyrre."

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

Bi þat þe wy3e in þe wod wende3 his brydel,

Hit þe hors with þe hele3, as harde as he my3t,

Lepe3 hym ouer þe launde, & leue3 þe kny3t þere,

al one.

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

"Bi Godde3 self," quod Gawayn,

"I wyl nauþer grete ne grone,

To God's will I am full ready."

To Godde3 wylle I am ful bayn,

& to hym I haf me tone."

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

Thenne gyrde3 he to Gryngolet, & gedere3 þe rake,

Schowue3 in bi a schore, at a scha3e syde,

rides through the dale, and looks about.

Ride3 þur3 þe ro3e bonk, ry3t to þe dale;

& þenne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym þo3t,

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

& se3e no syngne of resette, bisyde3 nowhere,

Bot hy3e bonkke3 & brent, vpon boþe halue,

& ru3e knokled knarre3, with knorned stone3;

Þe skwe3 of þe scowtes skayued¹ hym þo3t.

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 se3 non suche in no syde, & selly hym þo3t,

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 bal3 ber3, bi a bonke, þe brymme by-syde,

Bi a for3 of a flode, þat ferked þare;

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

thither he goes,

Þe kny3t kache3 his caple, & com to þe lawe,

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

Li3te3 doun luflyly, & at a lynde tache3

Þe rayne, & his riche, with a ro3e braunche;

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

Þen[n]e he bo3e3 to þe ber3e, aboute hit he walke,

D[e]batande with hym-self, quat hit be my3t.

2180

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

& ouer-growen with gresse in glodes ay where,

& al wat3 hol3 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 no3t deme

2184

with spelle,

"We,² lorde," quod þe gentyle kny3t,

"Wheþer þis be þe grene chapelle;

He prays that about midnight he may tell his matins.

He my3t aboute myd-ny3t,

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 erbe3 ouer-growen;

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

Wel biseme3 þe wy3e wruxled in grene

2192

Dele here his deuocioun, on þe deuele3 wyse;

Now I fele hit is þe fende, in my fyue wytte3,

Þat hat3 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 he3e helme on his hede, his launce in his honde,

Roaming about he hears a loud noise,

He rome3 vp to þe rokke of þo ro3 wone3;

Þene herde he of þat hy3e hil, in a harde roche,

from beyond the brook. 2200

Bi3onde 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 helppe3 me not a mote,

My lif þa3 I for-goo,

Drede dot3 me no lote."

Then cried he aloud, 2212

Thenne þe kny3t con calle ful hy3e,

"Who dwells here discourse with me to hold?"

"Who sti3tle3 in þis sted, me steuen to holde?

Now is the good Gawayne going aright

For now is gode Gawayn goande ry3t here,

If any wy3e o3t wyl wynne hider fast,

2216

Oþer now, oþer neuer, his nede3 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 hy3t ones."

3et he rusched on þat rurde, rapely a þrowe,

2220

& wyth quettyng a-wharf, er he wolde ly3t;

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

& syþen he keuere3 bi a cragge, & come3 of a hole,

Whyrlande out of a wro, wyth a felle weppen,

a Danish axe, quite new,

A dene3 ax nwe dy3t, þe dynt with [t]o 3elde

2224

With a borelych bytte, bende by þe halme,

Fyled in a fylor, fowre fote large,

Hit wat3 no lasse, bi þat lace þat lemed ful bry3t.

the "knight in green," clothed as before.

& þe gome in þe erene gered as fyrst,

2228

Boþe þe lyre & þe legge3, lokke3, & berde,

Saue þat fayre on his fote he founde3 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 stryde3,

Bremly broþe on a bent, þat brode wat3 a-boute,

on snawe.

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

Sir Gawayn þe kny3t 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 wy3e, to my place,

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

& þou hat3 tymed þi trauayl as true² mon schulde;

Thou knowest the covenant between us,

& þou knowe3 þe couenaunte3 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 3ere 3eply þe quyte.

Here we are alone,

& we ar in þis valay, verayly oure one,

Here ar no renkes vs to rydde, rele as vus like3;

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 falle3;

2252

Botsty3tel þe vpon on strok, & I schal stonde stylle,

& warp þe no wernyng, to worch as þe lyke3,

no whare."

Then he shows his bare neck,

He lened with þe nek, & lutte,

2256

& schewed þat schyre al bare,

& lette as he no3t 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

Gedere3 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 ma3tyly, as marre hym he wolde;

Hade hit dryuen adoun, as dre3 as he atled,

2264

Þer hade ben ded of his dynt, þat do3ty wat3 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 wythhalde3,

The other reproved him, saying,

& þenne repreued he þe prynce with mony prowde worde3:

"Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed,

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

Þat neuer ar3ed 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 harme3;

Such cowardise of þat kny3t cowþe I neuer here.

I never flinched when thou struckest.

Nawþer fyked I, ne fla3e, freke, quen þou myntest,

Ne kest no kauelacion, in kynge3 hous Arthor,

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

My hede fla3 to my fote, & 3et fla3 I neuer;

& þou, er any harme hent, ar3e3 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 one3,

& so wyl I no more,

Bot pa3 my hede falle on þe stone3,

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, & heue3 hit alofte,

& wayte3 as wroþely, as he wode were;

With that he aims at him a blow.

He mynte3 at hym ma3tyly, bot not þe mon ryue3,¹

With-helde heterly h[i]s honde, er hit hurt my3t.

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

Gawayn grayþely hit byde3, & glent with no membre,

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

Þat raþeled is in roche grounde, with rote3 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 hat3 þi hert holle, hitte me bihou[e]s;

Halde þe now þe hy3e hode, þat Arþur þe ra3t,

& kepe þy kanel at þis kest, 3if hit keuer may."

G: ful gryndelly with greme þenne sayde,

"Thrash on," says the other. 2300

"Wy þresch on, þou þro mon, þou þrete3 to longe,

I hope þat þi hert ar3e wyth þyn awen seluen."

"For soþe," quod þat oþer freke, "so felly þou speke3,

I wyl no lenger on lyte lette þin ernde,

2304

ri3t nowe."

Then the Green Knight makes ready to strike.

Þenne tas he² hym stryþe to stryke,

& frounses boþe lyppe & browe,

No meruayle þa3 hym myslyke,

2308

Þat hoped of no rescowe.

He let fall his loom on the bare

He lyftes ly3tly his lome, & let hit doun fayre,

[Fol. 122.]
neck of Sir Gawayne.

With þe barbe of þe bitte bi þe bare nek

Þa3 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 þur3 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 se3 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 schuldere3 his fayre schelde vnder,

he unsheathed his sword, and thus spake:

Brayde3 out a bry3t sworde, & bremely he speke3;

2320

Neuer syn þat he wat3 burne borne of his moder,

Wat3 he neuer in þis worlde, wy3e 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 reche3 me any mo, I redyly schal quyte,

& 3elde 3ederly a3ayn, & þer to 3e tryst,

& foo;

Our agreement stipulates only one stroke."

Bot on stroke here me falle3,

2328

Þe couenaunt schop ry3t so,

[Sikered]¹ in Arþure3 halle3,

& þer-fore, hende, now hoo!"