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at most myr? e my3t mene[1] ? at crystenmas whyle;
"& i schal fonde, bi my fayth, to fylter wyth ? e best,
Er me wont ? e wede3, with help of my frende3. "
988 ? us wyth la3ande lote3 ? e lorde hit tayt[2] make3,
[I] For to glade sir Gawayn with gomne3 in halle
? at ny3t;
Til ? at hit wat3 tyme,
992 ? e kyng comaundet ly3t,
[J] Sir Gawen his leue con nyme,
& to his bed hym di3t.

[Sidenote A: With permission of the lord,]
[Sidenote B: Sir Gawayne salutes the elder,]
[Sidenote C: but the younger he kisses,]
[Sidenote D: and begs to be her servant. ]
[Sidenote E: To chamber all go,]
[Sidenote F: where spices and wine are served. ]
[Sidenote G: The lord takes off his hood and places it on a spear. ]
[Sidenote H: He who makes most mirth is to win it. ]
[Sidenote I: Night approaches, and then]
[Sidenote J: Sir Gawayne takes his leave and retires to rest. ]
[Footnote 1: meue (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: layt (? ). ]

XX.

[A] On ? e morne, as vch mon myne3 ? at tyme,
996 [B] [? ]at dry3tyn for oure destyne to de3e wat3 borne,
Wele waxe3 in vche a won in worlde, for his sake;
[C] So did hit ? ere on ? at day, ? ur3 dayntes mony;
Bo? e at mes & at mele, messes ful quaynt [Fol. 104b. ]
1000 Derf men vpon dece drest of ? e best.
[D] ? e olde auncian wyf he3est ho sytte3;
? e lorde lufly her by lent, as I trowe;
[E] Gawan & ? e gay burde to-geder ? ay seten,
1004 Euen in-mydde3, as ? e messe metely come;
& sy? en ? ur3 al ? e sale, as hem best semed,
[F] Bi vche grome at his degre gray? ely wat3 serued.
? er wat3 mete, ? er wat3 myr? e, ? er wat3 much ioye,
1008 ? at for to telle ? erof hit me tene were,
& to poynte hit 3et I pyned me parauenture;
[G] Bot 3et I wot ? at Wawen & ? e wale burde
Such comfort of her compaynye ca3ten to-geder,
1012 ? ur3 her dere dalyaunce of her derne worde3,
Wyth clene cortays carp, closed fro fyl? e;
& hor play wat3 passande vche prynce gomen,
in vayres;
1016 [H] Trumpe3 & nakerys,
Much pypyng ? er repayres,
Vche mon tented hys,
& ? ay two tented ? ayres.

[Sidenote A: On Christmas morn,]
[Sidenote B: joy reigns in every dwelling in the world. ]
[Sidenote C: So did it in the castle where our knight abode. ]
[Sidenote D: The lord and "the old ancient wife" sit together. ]
[Sidenote E: Gawayne sits by the wife of his host. ]
[Sidenote F: It were too tedious to tell of the meat, the mirth, and the
joy that abounded everywhere. ]
[Sidenote G: Gawayne and his beautiful companion derive much comfort from
each other's conversation. ]
[Sidenote H: Trumpets and nakers give forth their sounds. ]

XXI.

1020 [A] Much dut wat3 ? er dryuen ? at day & ? at o? er,
& ? e ? ryd as ? ro ? ronge in ? erafter;
[B] ? e ioye of sayn Ione3 day wat3 gentyle to here,
& wat3 ? e last of ? e layk, leude3 ? er ? o3ten.
1024 ? er wer gestes to go vpon ? e gray morne,
For-? y wonderly ? ay woke, & ? e wyn dronken,
Daunsed ful dre3ly wyth dere carole3;
[C] At ? e last, when hit wat3 late, ? ay lachen her leue,
1028 Vchon to wende on his way, ? at wat3 wy3e stronge.
Gawan gef hym god-day, ? e god mon hym lachche3,
Ledes hym to his awen chambre, ? [e] chymne bysyde,
[D] & ? ere he dra3e3 hym on-dry3e, & derely hym ? onkke3,
1032 Of ? e wynne worschip &[1] he hym wayned hade,
As to honour his hous on ? at hy3e tyde,
& enbelyse his bur3 with his bele chere.
"I-wysse sir, quyl I leue, me wor? e3 ? e better,
1036 ? at Gawayn hat3 ben my gest, at Godde3 awen fest. " [Fol. 105. ]
"Grant merci[2] sir," quod Gawayn, "in god fayth hit is yowre3,
Al ? e honour is your awen, ? e he3e kyng yow 3elde;
& I am wy3e at your wylle, to worch youre hest,
1040 As I am halden ? er-to, in hy3e & in lo3e,
bi ri3t. "
[E] ? e lorde fast can hym payne,
To holde lenger ? e kny3t,
1044 To hym answre3 Gawayn,
Bi non way ? at he my3t.

[Sidenote A: Great was the joy for three days. ]
[Sidenote B: St. John's-day was the last of the Christmas festival. ]
[Sidenote C: On the morrow many of the guests took their departure from the
castle. ]
[Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne is thanked by his host for the honour and pleasure
of his visit. ]
[Sidenote E: He endeavours to keep the knight at his court. ]
[Footnote 1: ? at (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: nerci, in MS. ]

XXII.

[A] Then frayned ? e freke ful fayre at him-seluen,
Quat derne[1] dede had hym dryuen, at ? at dere tyme,
1048 So kenly fro ? e kynge3 kourt to kayre al his one,
Er ? e halidaye3 holly were halet out of toun?
[B] "For so? e sir," quod ? e segge, "3e sayn bot ? e traw? e
A he3e ernde & a hasty me hade fro ? o wone3,
1052 For I am sumned my selfe to sech to a place,
I wot[2] in worlde wheder warde to wende, hit to fynde;
I nolde, bot if I hit negh my3t on nw3eres morne,
For alle ? e londe in-wyth Logres, so me oure lorde help!
1056 For-? y, sir, ? is enquest I require yow here,
[C] ? at 3e me telle with traw? e, if euer 3e tale herde
Of ? e grene chapel, quere hit on grounde stonde3,
& of ? e kny3t ? at hit kepes, of colour of grene?
1060 ? er wat3 stabled bi statut a steuen vus by-twene,
[D] To mete ? at mon at ? at mere, 3if I my3t last;
& of ? at ilk nw3ere hot neked now wonte3,
& I wolde loke on ? at lede, if God me let wolde,
1064 Gladloker, bi Godde3 sun, ? en any god welde!
For-? i, I-wysse, bi 3owre wylle, wende me bi-houes,
[E] Naf I now to busy bot bare ? re daye3,
& me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde. "
1068 [F] ? enne la3ande quod ? e lorde, "now leng ? e by-houes,
For I schal teche yow to ? a[t] terme bi ? e tyme3 ende,
? e grene chapayle vpon grounde, greue yow no more;
Bot 3e schal be in yowre bed, burne, at ? yn ese,
1072 Quyle forth dayej, & ferk on pe fyrst of pe 3ere,
& cum to ? at merk at mydmorn, to make quat yow like3 [Fol. 105b]
in spenne;
Dowelle3 whyle new 3eres daye,
1076 & rys, & rayke3 ? enne,
[G] Mon schal yow sette in waye,
Hit is not two myle henne. "

[Sidenote A: He desires to know what had driven Sir Gawayne from Arthur's
court before the end of the Christmas holidays. ]
[Sidenote B: The knight replies that "a high errand and a hasty one" had
forced him to leave the court. ]
[Sidenote C: He asks his host whether he has ever heard of the Green
Chapel,]
[Sidenote D: for he has to be there on New Year's-day. ]
[Sidenote E: He wonld as lief die as fail in his errand. ]
[Sidenote F: The prince tells Sir Gawayne that he will teach him the way. ]
[Sidenote G: The Green chapel is not more than two miles from the castle. ]
[Footnote 1: derue (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: not (? ). ]

XXIII.

[A] ? enne wat3 Gawan ful glad, & gomenly he la3ed,--
1080 "Now I ? onk yow ? ryuandely ? ur3 alle o? er ? ynge,
[B] Now acheued is my chaunce, I schal at your wylle
Dowelle, & elle3 do quat 3e demen. "
? enne sesed hym ? e syre, & set hym bysyde,
1084 [C] Let ? e ladie3 be fette, to lyke hem ? e better;
? er wat3 seme solace by hem-self stille;
? e lorde let for luf lote3 so myry,
As wy3 ? at wolde of his wyte, ne wyst quat he my3t.
1088 ? enne he carped to ? e kny3t, criande loude,
[D] "3e han demed to do ? e dede ? at I bidde;
Wyl 3e halde ? is hes here at ? ys one3? "
"3e sir, for-so? e," sayd ? e segge trwe,
1092 "Whyl I byde in yowre bor3e, be bayn to 3ow[r]e hest. "
"For 3e haf trauayled," quod ? e tulk, "towen fro ferre,
& sy? en waked me wyth, 3e arn not wel waryst,
[E] Nau?
er of sostnaunce ne of slepe, so? ly I knowe;
1096 3e schal lenge in your lofte, & ly3e in your ese,
[F] To morn quyle ? e messe-quyle, & to mete wende,
When 3e wyl, wyth my wyf, ? at wyth yow schal sitte,
& comfort yow with compayny, til I to cort torne,
1100 3e lende;
& I schal erly ryse,
On huntyng wyl I wende. "
[G] Gauayn grante3 alle ? yse,
1104 Hym heldande, as ? e hende.

[Sidenote A: Then was Gawayne glad,]
[Sidenote B: and consents to tarry awhile at the castle. ]
[Sidenote C: The ladies are brought in to solace him. ]
[Sidenote D: The lord of the castle asks the knight to grant him one
request;]
[Sidenote E: That he will stay in his chamber during mass time,]
[Sidenote F: and then go to meat with his hostess. ]
[Sidenote G: Gawayne accedes to his request. ]

XXIV.

[A] "3et firre," quod ? e freke, "a forwarde we make;
Quat-so-euer I wynne in ? e wod, hit wor? e3 to youre3,
[B] & quat chek so 3e acheue, chaunge me ? er-forne;
1108 Swete, swap we so, sware with traw? e,
Que? er, leude, so lymp lere o? er better. "
"Bi God," quod Gawayn ? e gode, "I grant ? er-tylle,
& ? at yow lyst forto layke, lef hit me ? ynkes. [Fol. 106. ]
1112 [C] "Who bringe3 vus ? is beuerage, ? is bargayn is maked:"
So sayde ? e lorde of ? at lede; ? ay la3ed vchone,
? ay dronken, & daylyeden, & dalten vnty3tel,[1]
? ise lorde3 & ladye3, quyle ? at hem lyked;
1116 & sy? en with frenkysch fare & fele fayre lote3
? ay stoden, & stemed, & stylly speken,
Kysten ful comlyly, & ka3ten her leue.
[D] With mony leude ful ly3t, & lemande torches,
1120 Vche burne to his bed wat3 bro3t at ? e laste,
ful softe;
To bed 3et er ? ay 3ede,
Recorded couenaunte3 ofte;
1124 ? e olde lorde of ? at leude,[2]
Cow? e wel halde layk a-lofte.

[Sidenote A: "Whatsoever," says the host, "I win in the wood shall be
yours,]
[Sidenote B: and what check you achieve shall be mine. "]
[Sidenote C: A bargain is made between them. ]
[Sidenote D: Night approaches and each "to his bed was brought at the
last. "]
[Footnote 1: vntyl ny3te (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: lede (? ). ]

[FYTTE THE THIRD. ]

I.

[A] Ful erly bifore ? e day ? e folk vp-rysen,
Gestes ? at go wolde, hor grome3 ? ay calden,
1128 [B] & ? ay busken vp bilyue, blonkke3 to sadel,
Tyffen he[r] takles, trussen her males,
Richen hem ? e rychest, to ryde alle arayde,
Lepen vp ly3tly, lachen her brydeles,
1132 [C] Vche wy3e on his way, ? er hym wel lyked.
[D] ? e leue lorde of ? e londe wat3 not ? e last,
A-rayed for ? e rydyng, with renkke3 ful mony;
[E] Ete a sop hastyly, when he hade herde masse,
1136 With bugle to bent felde he buske3 by-lyue;
[F] By ? at ? at any day-ly3t lemed vpon er? e,
He with his ha? eles on hy3e horsses weren.
[G] ? enne ? ise cacheres ? at cou? e, cowpled hor hounde3,
1140 Vnclosed ? e kenel dore, & calde hem ? er-oute,
[H] Blwe bygly in bugle3 ? re bare mote;
Braches bayed ? erfore, & breme noyse maked,
[I] & ? ay chastysed, & charred, on chasyng ? at went;
1144 A hundreth of hunteres, as I haf herde telle,
of ? e best;
[J] To trystors vewters 3od,
Couples huntes of kest,
1148 ? er ros for blaste3 gode, [Fol. 106b. ]
[K] Gret rurd in ? at forest.

[Sidenote A: Before day-break folks uprise,]
[Sidenote B: saddle their horses, and truss their mails. ]
[Sidenote C: Each goes where it pleases him best. ]
[Sidenote D: The noble lord of the land arrays himself for riding. ]
[Sidenote E: He eats a sop hastily and goes to mass. ]
[Sidenote F: Before day-light he and his men are on their horses. ]
[Sidenote G: Then the hounds are called out and coupled. ]
[Sidenote H: Three short notes are blown by the bugles. ]
[Sidenote I: A hundred hunters join in the chase. ]
[Sidenote J: To the stations the "fewters" go,]
[Sidenote K: and the dogs are cast off. ]

II.

[A] At ? e fyrst quethe of ? e quest quaked ? e wylde;
Der drof in ? e dale, doted for drede,
1152 Hi3ed to ? e hy3e, bot heterly ? ay were
[B] Restayed with ? e stablye, ? at stoutly ascryed;
[C] ? ay let ? e hertte3 haf ? e gate, with ? e hy3e hedes,
? e breme bukke3 also, with hor brode paume3;
1156 For ? e fre lorde hade de-fende in fermysoun tyme,
? at ? er schulde no mon mene[1] to ? e male dere.
[D] ? e hinde3 were halden in, with hay & war,
? e does dryuen with gret dyn to ? e depe slade3;
1160 ? er my3t mon se, as ? ay slypte, slentyng of arwes,
[E] At vche [? at] wende vnder wande wapped a flone,
? at bigly bote on ? e broun, with ful brode hede3,
[F] What! ? ay brayen, & bleden, bi bonkke3 ? ay de3en.
1164 & ay rachches in a res radly hem fol3es,
Huntere3 wyth hy3e horne hasted hem after,
[G] Wyth such a crakkande kry, as klyffes haden brusten;
What wylde so at-waped wy3es ? at schotten,
1168 Wat3 al to-raced & rent, at ? e resayt.
Bi ? ay were tened at ? e hy3e, & taysed to ? e wattre3,
? e lede3 were so lerned at ? e lo3e trysteres,
& ? e gre-hounde3 so grete, ? at geten hem bylyue,
1172 & hem to fylched, as fast as freke3 my3t loke,
? er ry3t.
[H] ? e lorde for blys abloy
Ful oft con launce & ly3t,
1176 [I] & drof ? at day wyth Ioy
Thus to ? e derk ny3t.

[Sidenote A: Roused by the clamour the deer rush to the heights,]
[Sidenote B: but are soon driven back. ]
[Sidenote C: The harts and bucks are allowed to pass,]
[Sidenote D: but the hinds and does are driven back to the shades. ]
[Sidenote E: As they fly they are shot by the bowmen. ]
[Sidenote F: The hounds and the hunters, with a loud cry, follow in
pursuit. ]
[Sidenote G: Those that escaped the arrows are killed by the hounds. ]
[Sidenote H: The lord waxes joyful in the chase,]
[Sidenote I: which lasted till the approach of night. ]
[Footnote 1: meue (? ). ]

III.

[A] ? us layke3 ? is lorde by lynde wode3 eue3,
& G. ? e god mon, in gay bed lyge3,
1180 [B] Lurkke3 quyl ? e day-ly3t lemed on ? e wowes,
Vnder couertour ful clere, cortyned aboute;
& as in slomeryng he slode, sle3ly he herde
[C] A littel dyn at his dor, & derfly vpon;
1184 & he heue3 vp his hed out of ? e clo? es,
A corner of ? e cortyn he ca3t vp a lyttel, [Fol. 107. ]
& wayte3 warly ? ider-warde, quat hit be my3t.
[D] Hit wat3 ? e ladi, loflyest to be-holde,
1188 ? at dro3 ? e dor after hir ful dernly[1] & stylle,
[E] & bo3ed to-warde ? e bed; & ? e burne schamed.
& layde hym doun lystyly, & let as he slepte.
[F] & ho stepped stilly. & stel to his bedde,
1192 [G] Kest vp ? e cortyn, & creped with-inne,
& set hir ful softly on ? e bed-syde,
& lenged ? ere selly longe, to loke quen he wakened.
? e lede lay lurked a ful longe quyle,
1196 [H] Compast in his concience to quat ? at cace my3t
Mene o? er amount, to meruayle hym ? o3t;
Bot 3et he sayde in hym-self, "more semly hit were
To aspye wyth my spelle [in] space quat ho wolde. "
1200 [I] ? en he wakenede, & wroth, & to hir warde torned,
[J] & vn-louked his y3e-lydde3, & let as hym wondered,
& sayned hym, as bi his sa3e ? e sauer to worthe,
with hande;
1204 Wyth chynne & cheke ful swete,
Bo? e quit & red in-blande,
Ful lufly con ho lete,
Wyth lyppe3 smal la3ande.

[Sidenote A: All this time Gawayne lies a-bed. ]
[Sidenote B: under "coverture full clear". ]
[Sidenote C: He hears a noise at his door. ]
[Sidenote D: A lady, the loveliest to behold, enters softly. ]
[Sidenote E: She approaches the bed. ]
[Sidenote F: Gawayne pretends to be asleep. ]
[Sidenote G: The lady casts up the curtain and sits on the bedside. ]
[Sidenote H: Gawayne has much wonder thereat. ]
[Sidenote I: He rouses himself up,]
[Sidenote J: unlocks his eyes, and looks as if he were astonished. ]
[Footnote 1: deruly (? ). ]

IV.

1208 [A] "God moroun, sir Gawayn," sayde ? at fayr lady,
"3e ar a sleper vn-sly3e, ? at mon may slyde hider;
Now ar 3e tan astyt, bot true vus may schape,
[B] I schal bynde yow in your bedde, ? at be 3e trayst:"
1212 Al la3ande ?