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 3ede,

How þat do3ty dredles deruely þer stonde3,

Armed ful a3le3; in hert hit hym lyke3.

2336

þenn he mele3 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 kynge3 kort schaped;

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

I hy3t þe a strok, & þou hit hat3, halde þe wel payed,

I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ry3tes alle oþer;

3if1 I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter,

I could have dealt worse with thee. 2344

I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wro3t 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 ry3t I þe profered,

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

For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst ny3t,

2348

& þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me halde3,

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 cosse3 me ra3te3,

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.

1 uf, in MS. 2 This word is doubtful.

XVI.

For my weed (woven by my wife) thou wearest.

For hit is my wede þat þou were3, þat ilke wouen girdel,

Myn owen wyf hit þe weued, I wot wel forsoþe;

I know thy kisses and my wife's wooing. 2360

Now know I wel þy cosses, & þy costes als,

& þe wowyng of my wyf, I wro3t hit myseluen;

I sent her to try thee, and faultless I found thee.

I sende hir to asay þe, & sothly me þynkke3,

On þe fautlest freke, þat euer on fote 3ede;

2364

As perle bi þe quite pese is of prys more,

So is Gawayn, in god fayth, bi oþer gay kny3te3.

But yet thou sinnedst a little,

Bot here you lakked a lyttel, sir, & lewte yow wonted,

Bot þat wat3 for no wylyde werke, ne wowyng nauþer,

for love of thy life." 2368

Bot for 3e lufed your lyf, þe lasse I yow blame."

Þat oþer stif mon in study stod a gret whyle;

So agreued for greme he gryed with-inne,

Gawayne stands confounded.

Alle þe blode of his brest blende in his face,

2372

Þat al he schrank for schome, þat þe schalk talked.

Þe forme worde vpon folde, þat þe freke meled,—

"Cursed," he says, "be cowardice and covetousness both!"

"Corsed worth cowarddyse & couetyse boþe!

In yow is vylany & vyse, þat vertue disstrye3."

Then he takes off the girdle and throws it to the knight. 2376

Þenne he ka3t to þe knot, & þe kest lawse3,

Brayde broþely þe belt to þe burne seluen:

"Lo! þer þe falssyng, foule mot hit falle!

He curses his cowardice,

For care of þy knokke cowardyse me ta3t

2380

To a-corde me with couetyse, my kynde to for-sake,

Þat is larges & lewte, þat longe3 to kny3te3.

and confesses himself to have been guilty of untruth.

Now am I fawty, & falce, & ferde haf ben euer;

Of trecherye & vn-trawþe boþe bityde sor3e

2384

& care!

[Fol. 123.]

I bi-knowe yow, kny3t, here stylle,

Al fawty is my fare,

Lete3 me ouer-take your wylle,

2388

& efle I schal be ware."

XVII.

Then the other, laughing, thus spoke:

Thenne lo3e þat oþer leude, & luflyly sayde,

"I halde hit hardily1 hole, þe harme þat I hade;

"Thou art confessed so clean,

Þou art confessed so clene, be-knowen of þy mysses,

2392

& hat3 þe penaunce apert, of þe poynt of myn egge,

that I hold thee as pure as if thou hadst never been guilty.

I halde þe polysed of þat ply3t, & pured as clene,

As þou hade3 neuer forfeted, syþen þou wat3 fyrst borne.

I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle,

& I gif þe, sir, þe gurdel þat is golde hemmed;

2396

For hit is grene as my goune, sir G:, 3e maye

Þenk vpon þis ilke þrepe, þer þou forth þrynge3

Among prynces of prys, & þis a pure token

as a token of thy adventure at the Green Chapel.

Of þe chaunce of þe grene chapel, at cheualrous kny3te3;

Come again to my abode, and abide there for the remainder of the festival." 2400

& 3e schal in þis nwe 3er a3ayn to my wone3,

& we schyn reuel þe remnaunt of þis ryche fest,

ful bene."

Þer laþed hym fast þe lorde,

2404

& sayde, "with my wyf, I wene,

We schal yow wel acorde,

Þat wat3 your enmy kene."

1 hardilyly, in MS.

XVIII.

"Nay, forsooth," says Gawayne,

"Nay, for soþe," quod þe segge, & sesed hys helme,

2408

& hat3 hit of hendely, & þe haþel þonkke3,

"I have sojourned sadly, but bliss betide thee!

"I haf soiorned sadly, sele yow bytyde,

& he 3elde hit yow 3are, þat 3arkke3 al menskes!

Commend me to your comely wife and that other lady who have beguiled me.

& comaunde3 me to þat cortays, your comlych fere,

2412

Boþe þat on & þat oþer, myn honoured ladye3.

Þat þus hor kny3t wyth hor kest han koyntly bigyled.

But it is no marvel for a man to be brought to grief through a woman's wiles.

Bot hit is no ferly, þa3 a fole madde,

& þur3 wyles of wymmen be wonen to sor3e;

Adam, Solomon, Samson, and David were beguiled by women. 2416

For so wat3 Adam in erde with one bygyled,

& Salamon with fele sere, & Samson eft sone3,

Dalyda dalt hym hys wyrde, & Dauyth þer-after

Wat3 blended with Barsabe, þat much bale þoled.

How could a man love them and believe them not? 2420

Now þese were wrathed wyth her wyles, hit were a wynne huge,

To luf hom wel, & leue hem not, a leude þat couþe,

[Fol. 123b.]

For þes wer forne1 þe freest þat fol3ed alle þe sele,

Ex-ellently of alle þyse oþer, vnder heuen-ryche,

2424

þat mused;

& alle þay were bi-wyled,

With2 wymmen þat þay vsed,

Though I be now beguiled, methinks I should be excused.

Þa3 I be now bigyled,

2428

Me þink me burde be excused."

1 forme (?) 2 with wyth, in MS.

XIX.

But God reward you for your girdle.

"Bot your gordel," quod G: "God yow for-3elde!

Þat wyl I welde wyth good wylle, not for þe wynne golde,

Ne þe saynt, ne þe sylk, ne þe syde pendaundes,

2432

For wele, ne for worchyp, ne for þe wlonk werkke3,

I will wear it in remembrance of my fault.

Bot in syngne of my surfet I schal se hit ofte;

When I ride in renoun, remorde to myseluen

Þe faut & þe fayntyse of þe flesche crabbed,

2436

How tender hit is to entyse teches of fylþe;

And when pride shall prick me,

& þus, quen pryde schal me pryk, for prowes of armes,

a look to this lace shall abate it.

Þe loke to þis luf lace schal leþe my hert.

Bot on I wolde yow pray, displeses yow neuer;

2440

Syn 3e be lorde of þe 3onde[r] londe, þer I haf lent inne,

Wyth yow wyth worschyp,—þe wy3e hit yow 3elde

Þat vp-halde3 þe heuen, & on hy3 sitte3,—

But tell me your right name and I shall have done."

How norne 3e yowre ry3t nome, & þenne no more?"

2444

"Þat schal I telle þe trwly," quod þat oþer þenne,

The Green Knight replies, "I am called Bernlak de Hautdesert, through might of Morgain la Fey, the pupil of Merlin.

"Bernlak de Hautdesert I hat in þis londe,

Þur3 my3t of Morgne la Faye, þat in my hous lenges,

&1 koyntyse of clergye, bi craftes wel lerned,

2448

Þe maystres of Merlyn, mony ho2 taken;

For ho hat3 dalt drwry ful dere sum tyme,

With þat conable klerk, þat knowes alle your kny3te3

at hame;

2452

Morgne þe goddes,

Þer-fore hit is hir name;

She can tame even the haughtiest.

Welde3 non so hy3e hawtesse,

Þat ho ne con make ful tame.

1 in (?). 2 ho hat3 (?).

XX.

It was she who caused me to test the renown of the Round Table, 2456

Ho wayned me vpon þis wyse to your wynne halle,

For to assay þe surquidre, 3if hit soth were,

Þat rennes of þe grete renoun of þe Rounde Table;

Ho wayned me þis wonder, your wytte3 to reue,

[Fol. 124.]
hoping to grieve Guenever and cause her death through fear. 2460

For to haf greued Gaynour, & gart hir to dy3e.

With gopnyng1 of þat ilke gomen, þat gostlych speked,

With his hede in his honde, bifore þe hy3e table.

Þat is ho þat is at home, þe auncian lady;

She is even thine aunt. 2464

Ho is euen þyn aunt, Arþure3 half suster,

Þe duches do3ter of Tyntagelle, þat dere Vter after

Therefore come to her and make merry in my house."

Hade Arþur vpon, þat aþel is nowþe.

Þerfore I eþe þe, haþel, to com to þy naunt,

2468

Make myry in my hous, my meny þe louies,

& I wol þe as wel, wy3e, bi my faythe,

As any gome vnder God, for þy grete trauþe."

Gawayne refuses to return with the Green Knight.

& he nikked hym naye, he nolde bi no wayes;

2472

Þay acolen & kyssen, [bikennen] ayþer oþer

To þe prynce of paradise, & parten ry3t þere,

on coolde;

On horse full fair he bends to Arthur's hall.

Gawayn on blonk ful bene,

2476

To þe kynge3 bur3 buske3 bolde,

& þe kny3t in þe enker grene,

Whider-warde so euer he wolde.

1 glopnyng (?).

XXI.

Wild ways now Gawayne rides.

Wylde waye3 in þe worlde Wowen now ryde3,

2480

On Gryngolet, þat þe grace hade geten of his lyue;

Oft he harboured in house and oft thereout.

Ofte he herbered in house, & ofte al þeroute,

& mony a-venture in vale, & venquyst ofte,

Þat I ne ty3t, at þis tyme, in tale to remene.

The wound in his neck became whole. 2484

Þe hurt wat3 hole, þat he hade hent in his nek,

He still carried about him the belt,

& þe blykkande belt he bere þeraboute,

A belef as a bauderyk, bounden bi his syde,

Loken vnder his lyfte arme, þe lace, with a knot,

in token of his fault. 2488

In tokenyng he wat3 tane in tech of a faute;

Thus he comes to the Court of King Arthur.

& þus he commes to þe court, kny3t al in sounde.

Great then was the joy of all.

Þer wakned wele in þat wone, when wyst þe grete,

Þat gode G: wat3 commen, gayn hit hym þo3t;

The king and his knights ask him concerning his journey. 2492

Þe kyng kysse3 þe kny3t, & þe whene alce,

& syþen mony syker kny3t, þat so3t hym to haylce,

Gawayne tells them of his adventures,

Of his fare þat hym frayned, & ferlyly he telles;

Biknowo3 alle þe costes of care þat he hade,—

2496

Þe chaunce of þe chapel, þe chere of þe kny3t,

[Fol. 124b.]
the love of the lady, and lastly of the lace.

Þe luf of þe ladi, þe lace at þe last.

Þe nirt in þe nek he naked hem schewed,

He showed them the cut in his neck.

Þat he la3t for his vnleute at þe leudes hondes,

2500

for blame;

He tened quen he schulde telle,

He groaned for grief and shame, and the blood rushed into his face.

He groned for gref & grame;

Þe blod in his face con melle,

2504

When he hit schulde schewe, for schame.

XXII.

"Lo!" says he, handling the lace, "this is the band of blame,

"Lo! lorde," quod þe leude, & þe lace hondeled,

"Þis is þe bende of þis blame I bere [in] my nek,

Þis is þe laþe & þe losse, þat I la3t haue,

a token of my cowardice and covetousness, 2508

Of couardise & couetyse, þat I haf ca3t þare,

Þis is þe token of vn-trawþe, þat I am tan inne,

I must needs wear it as long as I live."

& I mot nede3 hit were, wyle I may last;

For non may hyden his harme, bot vnhap ne may hit,

2512

For þer hit one3 is tachched, twynne wil hit neuer."

The king comforts the knight, and all the court too.

Þe kyng comforte3 þe kny3t, & alle þe court als,

La3en loude þer-at, & luflyly acorden,

Þat lordes & ladis, þat longed to þe Table,

Each knight of the brotherhood agrees to wear a bright green belt, 2516

Vche burne of þe broþer-hede a bauderyk schulde haue,

A bende, a belef hym aboute, of a bry3t grene,

for Gawayne's sake,

& þat, for sake of þat segge, in swete to were.

For þat wat3 acorded þe renoun of þe Rounde Table,

who ever more honoured it. 2520

& he honoured þat hit hade, euer-more after,

As hit is breued in þe best boke of romaunce.

Thus in Arthur's day this adventure befell.

Þus in Arthurus day þis aunter bitidde,

Þe Brutus bokees þer-of beres wyttenesse;

2524

Syþen Brutus, þe bolde burne, bo3ed hider fyrst,

After þe segge & þe asaute wat3 sesed at Troye,

I-wysse;

Mony auntere3 here bi-forne,

2528

Haf fallen suche er þis:

He that bore the crown of thorns bring us to His bliss!

Now þat bere þe croun of þorne,

He bryng vus to his blysse! AMEN.

NOTES.

Line 8     Ricchis turns, goes,
    The king ...
  Ricchis his reynys and the Renke metys:
  Girden to gedur with þere grete speires.—T.B. l. 1232.
37     Þis kyng lay at Camylot vpon kryst-masse.
Camalot, in Malory's "Morte Arthure," is said to be the same as Winchester. Ritson supposes it to be Caer-went, in Monmouthshire, and afterwards confounded with Caer-wynt, or Winchester. But popular tradition here seems the best guide, which assigned the site of Camalot to the ruins of a castle on a hill, near the church of South Cadbury, in Somersetshire (Sir F. Madden).
65     Nowel nayted o-newe, neuened ful ofte.
  Christmas celebrated anew, mentioned full often.
Sir F. Madden leaves the word nayted unexplained in his Glossary to "Syr Gawayne."
124 syluener = sylueren, i.e. silver dishes.
139 lyndes = lendes, loins.
142 in his muckel, in his greatness.
184 Wat3 euesed al umbe-torne—? was trimmed, all cut evenly around; umbe-torne may be an error for vmbe-corue = cut round.
216 in gracios werkes. Sir F. Madden reads gracons for gracios, and suggests Greek as the meaning of it.
244-5     As al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lote3
        in hy3e.
    As all were fallen asleep so ceased their words
        in haste (suddenly).
Sir F. Madden reads slaked horlote3, instead of slaked hor lote3, which, according to his glossary, signifies drunken vagabonds. He evidently takes horlote3 to be another (and a very uncommon) form of harlote3 = harlots. But harlot, or vagabond, would be a very inappropriate term to apply to the noble Knights of the Round Table. Moreover, slaked never, I think, means drunken. The general sense of the verb slake is to let loose, lessen, cease. Cf. lines 411-2, where sloke, another form of slake, occurs with a similar meaning:
    — layt no fyrre; bot slokes.
    — seek no further, but stop (cease).
Sir F. Madden suggests blows as the explanation of slokes. It is, however, a verb in the imperative mood.
286 Brayn. Mätzner suggests brayn-wod.
296 barlay = par loi. This word is exceedingly common in the T. Book (see l. 3391).
    I bid you now, barlay, with besines at all
    Þat ye set you most soverainly my suster to gete.—T.B. l. 2780.
394 siker. Sir F. Madden reads swer.
440 bluk. Sir F. Madden suggests blunk (horse). I am inclined to keep to the reading of the MS., and explain bluk as = bulk = trunk. Cf. the use of the word Blok in "Early English Alliterative Poems," p. 100, l. 272.
558 derue doel, etc. = great grief. Sir F. Madden reads derne, i.e. secret, instead of derue (= derf). Cf. line 564.
577 knaged, fastened.
    The braunches were borly, sum of bright gold,
    With leuys full luffly, light of the same;
    With burions aboue bright to beholde;
    And fruit on yt fourmyt of fairest of shap,
    Of mony kynd that was knyt, knagged aboue.—T.B. l. 4973.
629     & ay quere hit is endele3, etc.
    And everywhere it is endless, etc.
Sir F. Madden reads emdele3, i.e. with equal sides.
652 for-be = for-bi = surpassing, beyond.
681 for Hadet read Halet = haled = exiled (?). See line 1049.
806 auinant = auenaunt, pleasantly. Sir F. Madden reads amnant.
954 of. Should we not read on (?).
957     Þat oþer wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer þe swyre.
The gorger or wimple is stated first to have appeared in Edward the First's reign, and an example is found on the monument of Aveline, Countess of Lancaster, who died in 1269. From the poem, however, it would seem that the gorger was confined to elderly ladies (Sir F. Madden)
968     More lykker-wys on to lyk,
    Wat3 þat scho had on lode.
    A more pleasant one to like,
    Was that (one) she had under her control.
988 tayt = lively, and hence pleasant, agreeable.
1015 in vayres, in purity.
1020 dut = dunt (?) = dint (?), referring to sword-sports.
1022 sayn[t] Ione3 day. This is the 27th of December, and the last of the feast. Sometimes the Christmas festivities were prolonged to New Year's Day (Sir F. Madden).
1047 derne dede = secret deed. I would prefer to read derue dede = great deed. Cf. lines 558, 564.
1053 I wot in worlde, etc. = I not (I know not) in worlde, etc.
1054     I nolde, bot if I hit negh my3t on nw3eres morne,
    For alle þe londe in-wyth Logres, etc.
I would not [delay to set out], unless I might approach it on New Year's morn, for all the lands within England, etc.
1074 in spenne = in space = in the interval = meanwhile. See line 1503.
1160 slentyng of arwes. Sir F. Madden reads sleutyng.
    "Of drawyn swordis sclentyng to and fra,
    The brycht mettale, and othir armouris seir,
    Quharon the sonnys blenkis betis cleir,
    Glitteris and schane, and vnder bemys brycht,
    Castis ane new twynklyng or a lemand lycht."
        (G. Douglas' Æneid, Vol. i, p. 421.)
1281 let lyk = appeared pleased.
1283     Þa3 I were burde bry3test, þe burde in mynde hade, etc.
The sense requires us to read:
    Þa3 ho were burde bry3test, þe burne in mynde hade, etc.
i.e., Though she were lady fairest, the knight in mind had, etc.
1440     Long sythen [seuered] for þe sounder þat wi3t for-olde
Long since separated from the sounder or herd that fierce (one) for-aged (grew very old).
    "Now to speke of the boore, the fyrste year he is
    A pygge of the sounder callyd, as haue I blys;
    The secounde yere an hogge, and soo shall he be,
    And an hoggestere, whan he is of yeres thre;
    And when he is foure yere, a boor shall he be,
    From the sounder of the swyne thenne departyth he;
    A synguler is he soo, for alone he woll go."
        (Book of St. Alban's, ed. 1496, sig. d., i.)
1476 totes = looks, toots.
    Sho went up wightly by a walle syde.
    To the toppe of a toure and tot ouer the water.—T.B. l. 862.
1623 A verb [? lalede = cried] seems wanting after lorde.
1702 fnasted, breathed.
    These balfull bestes were, as the boke tellus,
    Full flaumond of fyre with fnastyng of logh.—T.B. l. 168.
1710 a strothe rande = a rugged path. Cf. the phrases tene greue, l. 1707; ro3e greue, l. 1898.
1729 bi lag = be-lagh(?) = below (?).
1719     Thenne wat3 hit lif vpon list, etc.
Should we not read:
    Thenne wat3 hit list vpon lif, etc.
i.e., Then was there joy in life, etc.
1780 lyf = lef(?), beloved (one).
1869     Ho hat3 kyst þe kny3t so to3t.
  She has kissed the knight so courteous.
Sir F. Madden explains to3t, promptly. To3t seems to be the same as the Northumbrian taght in the following extract from the "Morte Arthure":
    "There come in at the fyrste course, before the kyng seluene,
    Bare hevedys that ware bryghte, burnyste with sylver,
    Alle with taghte mene and towne in togers fulle ryche."—(p. 15.)
The word towne (well-behaved) still exists in wan-ton, the original meaning of which was ill-mannered, ill-bred.
1909 bray hounde3 = braþ hounde3, i.e. fierce hounds.
1995 He hat3 nere þat he so3t = He wat3 nere þat he so3t = He was near to that which he sought.
2160 gedere3 þe rake = takes the path or way.
2167     Þe skwe3 of þe scowtes skayued hym þo3t.
The shadows of the hills appeared wild (desolate) to him. Sir F. Madden reads skayned, of which he gives no explanation. Skayued = skayfed, seems to be the N. Prov. English scafe, wild. Scotch schaivie, wild, mad. O.N. skeifr. Sw. skef, awry, distorted.
2204 ronge = clattered.
2211     Drede dot3 me no lote =
    No noise shall cause me to dread (fear).
2357     & þer-for þat tappe ta þe.
    And therefore take thee that tap.
ta þe = take thee. Sir F. Madden reads taþe = taketh. See l. 413, where to þe rhymes with sothe. We have no imperatives in th in this poem.
2401 We schyn reuel, etc. Sir F. Madden reads wasch yn reuel. But schyn = shall. See Glossary to "Alliterative Poems."
2474 on-coolde = on-colde = coldly = sorrowfully.
2489     in-sounde = soundly, well. Cf. in-blande = together; in-lyche, alike; inmydde3, amidst.

Sir Gawayne

and

The Green Knight:

AN ALLITERATIVE ROMANCE-POEM,

(AB. 1360 A.D.)

BY THE AUTHOR OF

"EARLY ENGLISH ALLITERATIVE POEMS."

RE-EDITED FROM COTTON. MS. NERO, A.x., IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM,

BY

RICHARD MORRIS,

EDITOR OF HAMPOLE'S "PRICKE OF CONSCIENCE," "EARLY ENGLISH ALLITERATIVE POEMS," ETC.;
MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

SECOND EDITION, REVISED, 1869.

LONDON

PUBLISHED FOR THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY

BY N. TRÜBNER & CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW,

MDCCCLXIV.
JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

In re-editing the present romance-poem I have been saved all labour of transcription by using the very accurate text contained in Sir F. Madden's "Syr Gawayne."

I have not only read his copy with the manuscript, but also the proof-sheets as they came to hand, hoping by this means to give the reader a text free from any errors of transcription.

The present edition differs from that of the earlier one in having the contractions of the manuscript expanded and side-notes added to the text to enable the reader to follow with some degree of ease the author's pleasant narrative of Sir Gawayne's adventures.

The Glossary is taken from Sir F. Madden's "Syr Gawayne,"1 to which, for the better interpretation of the text, I have made several additions, and have, moreover, glossed nearly all the words previously left unexplained.

For a description of the Manuscript, and particulars relating to the authorship and dialect of the present work, the reader is referred to the preface to Early English Alliterative Poems.

R.M.

LONDON,

December 22, 1864.

[1 Sir F. Madden has most generously placed at the disposal of the Early English Text Society any of his works which it may determine to re-edit.]

INTRODUCTION.

No Knight of the Round Table has been so highly honoured by the old Romance-writers as Sir Gawayne, the son of Loth, and nephew to the renowned Arthur. They delighted to describe him as Gawayne the good, a man matchless on mould, the most gracious that under God lived, the hardiest of hand, the most fortunate in arms, and the most polite in hall, whose knowledge, knighthood, kindly works, doings, doughtiness, and deeds of arms were known in all lands.

When Arthur beheld the dead body of his kinsman lying on the ground bathed in blood, he is said to have exclaimed, "O righteous God, this blood were worthy to be preserved and enshrined in gold!" Our author, too, loves to speak of his hero in similar terms of praise, calling him the knight faultless in his five wits, void of every offence, and adorned with every earthly virtue. He represents him as one whose trust was in the five wounds, and in whom the five virtues which distinguished the true knight were more firmly established than in any other on earth.

The author of the present story, who, as we know from his religious poems, had an utter horror of moral impurity, could have chosen no better subject for a romance in which amusement and moral instruction were to be combined. In the following tale he shows how the true knight, though tempted sorely not once alone, but twice, nay thrice, breaks not his vow of chastity, but turns aside the tempter's shafts with the shield of purity and arm of faith, and so passes scatheless through the perilous defile of trial and opportunity seeming safe.

But while our author has borrowed many of the details of his story from the "Roman de Perceval" by Chrestien de Troyes, he has made the narrative more attractive by the introduction of several original and highly interesting passages which throw light on the manners and amusements of our ancestors.

The following elaborate descriptions are well deserving of especial notice:—

I. The mode of completely arming a knight (ll. 568-589).

II. The hunting and breaking the deer (ll. 1126-1359).

III. The hunting and unlacing the wild boar (ll. 1412-1614).

IV. A fox hunt (ll. 1675-1921).

The following is an outline of the story of Gawayne's adventures, more or less in the words of the writer himself:—

Arthur, the greatest of Britain's kings, holds the Christmas festival at Camelot, surrounded by the celebrated knights of the Round Table, noble lords, the most renowned under heaven, and ladies the loveliest that ever had life (ll. 37-57). This noble company celebrate the New Year by a religious service, by the bestowal of gifts, and the most joyous mirth. Lords and ladies take their seats at the table—Queen Guenever, the grey-eyed, gaily dressed, sits at the daïs, the high table, or table of state, where too sat Gawayne and Ywain together with other worthies of the Round Table (ll. 58-84, 107-115). Arthur, in mood as joyful as a child, his blood young and his brain wild, declares that he will not eat nor sit long at the table until some adventurous thing, some uncouth tale, some great marvel, or some encounter of arms has occurred to mark the return of the New Year (ll. 85-106).

The first course was announced with cracking of trumpets, with the noise of nakers and noble pipes.