Part 10

III.

Thenne wat3 Gryngolet grayþe, þat gret wat3 & huge, [Fol. 118b.] 2048 & hade ben soiourned sauerly, & in a siker wyse, 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, 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." 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, & he starte3 on þe ston, stod he no lenger, 2064 to praunce; His haþel on hors wat3 þenne, Þat bere his spere & launce. "Þis kastel to Kryst I kenne, 2068 He gef hit ay god chaunce!"

IV.

The brygge wat3 brayde doun, & þe brode 3ate3 Vnbarred, & born open, vpon boþe halue; 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; & 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, 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, Vch hille hade a hatte, a myst-hakel huge; Broke3 byled, & breke, bi bonkke3 aboute, Schyre schaterande on schore3, þer þay doun schowued. 2084 Welawylle wat3 þe way, þer þay bi wod schulden, [Fol. 119.] Til hit wat3 sone sesoun, þat þe sunne ryses, þat tyde; Þay were on a hille ful hy3e, 2088 Þe quyte snaw lay bisyde; Þe burne þat rod hym by Bede his mayster abide.

"For I haf wonnen yow hider, wy3e, at þis tyme, 2092 & now nar 3e not fer fro þat note 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. Þe place þat 3e prece to, ful perelous is halden; 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 bigger þen þe best fowre. Þat ar in Arþure3 hous, Hestor oþer oþer. He cheue3 þat chaunce at þe chapel grene; 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 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, may þe kny3t rede, 2112 Trawe 3e me þat trwely, þa3 3e had twenty lyues to spende; He hat3 wonyd here ful 3ore, On bent much baret bende, 2116 A3ayn his dynte3 sore, 3e may not yow defende."

VI.

"For-þy, goude sir Gawayn, let þe gome one, & got3 a-way sum oþer gate; vpon Godde3 halue; 2120 Cayre3 bi sum oþer kyth, þer Kryst mot yow spede; & I schal hy3 me hom a3ayn, & hete yow fyrre, Þat I schal swere bi God, & alle his gode hal3e3, [Fol. 119b.] 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! 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 not be excused. 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; 2136 Þa3e he be a sturn knape, To sti3tel, & stad with staue, Ful wel con dry3tyn schape, His seruaunte3 forto saue."

VII.

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; Haf here þi helme on þy hede, þi spere in þi honde, 2144 & ryde me doun þis ilk rake, bi 3on rokke syde, Til þou be bro3t to þe boþem of þe brem valay; Þenne loke a littel on þe launde, on þi lyfte honde, & 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." 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. 2156 "Bi Godde3 self," quod Gawayn, "I wyl nauþer grete ne grone, To Godde3 wylle I am ful bayn, & to hym I haf me tone."

VIII.

2160 Thenne gyrde3 he to Gryngolet, & gedere3 þe rake, [Fol. 120.] Schowue3 in bi a schore, at a scha3e syde, Ride3 þur3 þe ro3e bonk, ry3t to þe dale; & þenne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym þo3t, 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 skayued hym þo3t. 2168 Þenne he houed, & wyth-hylde his hors at þat tyde, & ofte chaunged his cher, þe chapel to seche; He se3 non suche in no syde, & selly hym þo3t, Sone a lyttel on a launde, a lawe as hit we; 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. Þe kny3t kache3 his caple, & com to þe lawe, 2176 Li3te3 doun luflyly, & at a lynde tache3 Þe rayne, & his riche, with a ro3e braunche; Þene he bo3e3 to þe ber3e, aboute hit he walke, Dbatande 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, Or a creuisse of an olde cragge, he couþe hit no3t deme 2184 with spelle, "We, lorde," quod þe gentyle kny3t, "Wheþer þis be þe grene chapelle; He my3t aboute myd-ny3t, 2188 [Þ]e dele his matynnes telle!"

IX.

"Now i-wysse," quod Wowayn, "wysty is here; Þis oritore is vgly, with erbe3 ouer-growen; 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; Þis is a chapel of meschaunce, þat chekke hit by-tyde, 2196 Hit is þe corsedest kyrk, þat euer i com inne!" With he3e helme on his hede, his launce in his honde, [Fol. 120b.] He rome3 vp to þe rokke of þo ro3 wone3; Þene herde he of þat hy3e hil, in a harde roche, 2200 Bi3onde þe broke, in a bonk, a wonder breme noyse, Quat! hit clatered in þe clyff, as hit cleue schulde, As one vpon a gryndelston hade grounden a syþe; What! hit wharred, & whette, as water at a mulne, 2204 What! hit rusched, & ronge, rawþe to here. Þenne "bi Godde," quod Gawayn, "þat gere as I trowe, Is ryched at þe reuerence, me renk to mete, bi rote; 2208 Let God worche we loo, Hit helppe3 me not a mote, My lif þa3 I for-goo, Drede dot3 me no lote."

2212 Thenne þe kny3t con calle ful hy3e, "Who sti3tle3 in þis sted, me steuen to holde? 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." "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; & syþen he keuere3 bi a cragge, & come3 of a hole, Whyrlande out of a wro, wyth a felle weppen, A dene3 ax nwe dy3t, þe dynt with 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. & 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 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. Sir Gawayn þe kny3t con mete. [Fol. 121.] 2236 He ne lutte hym no þyng lowe, Þat oþer sayde, "now, sir swete, Of steuen mon may þe trowe."

XI.

"Gawayn," quod þat grene gome, "God þe mot loke! 2240 I-wysse þou art welcom, wy3e, to my place, & þou hat3 tymed þi trauayl as true mon schulde; & þou knowe3 þe couenaunte3 kest vus by-twene, At þis tyme twelmonyth þou toke þat þe falled, 2244 & I schulde at þis nwe 3ere 3eply þe quyte. & we ar in þis valay, verayly oure one, Here ar no renkes vs to rydde, rele as vus like3; Haf þy 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." "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." He lened with þe nek, & lutte, 2256 & schewed þat schyre al bare, & lette as he no3t dutte, For drede he wolde not dare.

XII.

Then þe gome in þe grene grayþed hym swyþe, 2260 Gedere3 yp hys grymme tole, Gawayn to smyte; 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 hit com glydande adoun, on glode hym to schende, & schranke a lytel with þe schulderes, for þe scharp yrne. 2268 Þat oþer schalk wyth a schunt þe schene wythhalde3, & þenne repreued he þe prynce with mony prowde worde3: "Þou art not Gawayn," quod þe gome, "þat is so goud halden, Þat neuer ar3ed for no here, by hylle ne be vale, 2272 & now þou fles for ferde, er þou fele harme3; [Fol. 121b.] Such cowardise of þat kny3t cowþe I neuer here. Nawþer fyked I, ne fla3e, freke, quen þou myntest, Ne kest no kauelacion, in kynge3 hous Arthor, 2276 My hede fla3 to my fote, & 3et fla3 I neuer; & þou, er any harme hent, ar3e3 in hert, Wherfore þe better burne me burde be called þer-fore." 2280 Quod G:, "I schunt one3, & so wyl I no more, Bot pa3 my hede falle on þe stone3, I con not hit restore.

XIII.

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." 2288 "Haf at þe þenne," quod þat oþer, & heue3 hit alofte, & wayte3 as wroþely, as he wode were; He mynte3 at hym ma3tyly, bot not þe mon ryue3, With-helde heterly hs honde, er hit hurt my3t. 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, 2296 "So now þou hat3 þi hert holle, hitte me bihous; 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, 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." Þenne tas he hym stryþe to stryke, & frounses boþe lyppe & browe, No meruayle þa3 hym myslyke, 2308 Þat hoped of no rescowe.

XIV.

He lyftes ly3tly his lome, & let hit doun fayre, With þe barbe of þe bitte bi þe bare nek [Fol. 122.] Þa3 he homered heterly, hurt hym no more, 2312 Bot snyrt hym on þat on syde, þat seuered þe hyde; Þe scharp schrank to þe flesche þur3 þe schyre grece, Þat þe schene blod over his schulderes schot to þe erþe. & 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, 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:-- "Blynne, burne, of þy bur, bede me no mo; I haf a stroke in þis sted with-oute stryf hent, 2324 & if þow reche3 me any mo, I redyly schal quyte, & 3elde 3ederly a3ayn, & þer to 3e tryst, & foo; Bot on stroke here me falle3, 2328 Þe couenaunt schop ry3t so, [Sikered] in Arþure3 halle3, & þer-fore, hende, now hoo!"

XV.

The haþel heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested, 2332 Sette þe schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened, & 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, & wyth a rykande 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 hy3t þe a strok, & þou hit hat3, halde þe wel payed, I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ry3tes alle oþer; 3if I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter, 2344 I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wro3t anger. Fyrst I mansed þe muryly, with a mynt one, & roue þe wyth no rof, sore with ry3t I þe profered, For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst ny3t, [Fol. 122b.] 2348 & þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me halde3, Al þe gayne þow me gef, as god mon shulde; 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; Trwe mon trwe restore, Þenne þar mon drede no waþe; 2356 At þe þrid þou fayled þore, & þer-for þat tappe ta þe.

XVI.

For hit is my wede þat þou were3, þat ilke wouen girdel, Myn owen wyf hit þe weued, I wot wel forsoþe; 2360 Now know I wel þy cosses, & þy costes als, & þe wowyng of my wyf, I wro3t hit myseluen; 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. Bot here you lakked a lyttel, sir, & lewte yow wonted, Bot þat wat3 for no wylyde werke, ne wowyng nauþer, 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, 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,-- "Corsed worth cowarddyse & couetyse boþe! In yow is vylany & vyse, þat vertue disstrye3." 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! 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. Now am I fawty, & falce, & ferde haf ben euer; Of trecherye & vn-trawþe boþe bityde sor3e 2384 & care! I bi-knowe yow, kny3t, here stylle, [Fol. 123.] Al fawty is my fare, Lete3 me ouer-take your wylle, 2388 & efle I schal be ware."

XVII.

Thenne lo3e þat oþer leude, & luflyly sayde, "I halde hit hardily hole, þe harme þat I hade; Þou art confessed so clene, be-knowen of þy mysses, 2392 & hat3 þe penaunce apert, of þe poynt of myn egge, I halde þe polysed of þat ply3t, & pured as clene, As þou hade3 neuer forfeted, syþen þou wat3 fyrst borne. & 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 Of þe chaunce of þe grene chapel, at cheualrous kny3te3; 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."