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at for-gat not Gawayn, for gode of hym-seluen;
2032 Bi he hade belted ? e bronde vpon his bal3e haunche3,
[C] ? enn dressed he his drurye double hym aboute;
Swy? e swe? led vmbe his swange swetely, ? at kny3t,
? e gordel of ? e grene silke, ? at gay wel bisemed,
2036 Vpon ? at ryol red clo? e, ? at ryche wat3 to schewe.
[D] Bot wered not ? is ilk wy3e for wele ? is gordel,
For pryde of ? e pendaunte3, ? a3 polyst ? ay were,
& ? a3 ? e glyterande golde glent vpon ende3,
2040 [E] Bot forto sauen hym-self, when suffer hym by-houed,
To byde bale with-oute dabate, of bronde hym to were,
o? er knyffe;
Bi ? at ? e bolde mon boun,
2044 Wynne3 ? eroute bilyue,
[F] Alle ? e meyny of renoun,
He ? onkke3 ofte ful ryue.

[Sidenote A: While he clothed himself in his rich weeds,]
[Sidenote B: he forgot not the "lace," the lady's gift,]
[Sidenote C: but with it doubly girded his loins. ]
[Sidenote D: He wore it not for its rich ornaments,]
[Sidenote E: "but to save himself when it behoved him to suffer. "]
[Sidenote F: All the renowned assembly he thanks full oft. ]
[Footnote 1: vertuous (? ). ]

III.

[A] Thenne wat3 Gryngolet gray? e, ? at gret wat3 & huge, [Fol. 118b. ]
2048 & hade ben soiourned sauerly, & in a siker wyse,
[B] Hym lyst prik for poynt, ? at proude hors ? enne;
? e wy3e wynne3 hym to, & wyte3 on his lyre,
& sayde soberly hym-self, & by his soth swere3,
2052 "Here is a meyny in ? is mote, ? at on menske ? enkke3,
[C] ? e mon hem maynteines, ioy mot ? ay haue;
? e leue lady, on lyue luf hir bityde;
3if ? ay for charyte cherysen a gest,
2056 & halden honour in her honde, ? e ha? el hem 3elde,
? at halde3 ? e 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 [D] ? enn 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,
[E] & he starte3 on ? e ston, stod he no lenger,
2064 to praunce;
His ha? el on hors wat3 ? enne,
? at bere his spere & launce.
[F] "? is kastel to Kryst I kenne,
2068 He gef hit ay god chaunce! "

[Sidenote A: Then was Gringolet arrayed,]
[Sidenote B: full ready to prick on. ]
[Sidenote C: Gawayne returns thanks for the honour and kindness shown to
him by all. ]
[Sidenote D: He then steps into his saddle,]
[Sidenote E: and "starts on the stone" without more delay. ]
[Sidenote F: "This castle to Christ I commend; may he give it ever good
chance! "]

IV.

[A] The brygge wat3 brayde doun, & ? e brode 3ate3
Vnbarred, & born open, vpon bo? e halue;
[B] ? e burne blessed hym bilyue, & ? e brede3 passed;
2072 Prayses ? e porter, bifore ? e prynce kneled,
Gef hym God & goud day, ? at Gawayn he saue;
[C] & went on his way, with his wy3e one,
? at schulde teche hym to tourne to ? at tene place,
2076 ? er ? e ruful race he schulde re-sayue.
? ay bo3en bi bonkke3, ? er bo3e3 ar bare,
[D] ? ay clomben bi clyffe3, ? er clenge3 ? e colde;
? e heuen wat3 vp halt, bot vgly ? er vnder,
2080 Mist muged on ? e mor, malt on ? e mounte3,
[E] Vch hille hade a hatte, a myst-hakel huge;
Broke3 byled, & breke, bi bonkke3 aboute,
Schyre schaterande on schore3, ? er ? ay doun schowued.
2084 Welawylle wat3 ? e way, ? er ? ay bi wod schulden, [Fol. 119. ]
[F] Til hit wat3 sone sesoun, ? at ? e sunne ryses,
? at tyde;
[G] ? ay were on a hille ful hy3e,
2088 ? e quyte snaw lay bisyde;
[H] ? e burne ? at rod hym by
Bede his mayster abide.

[Sidenote A: The gates are soon opened. ]
[Sidenote B: The knight passes thereout,]
[Sidenote C: and goes on his way accompanied by his guide. ]
[Sidenote D: They climb by cliffs,]
[Sidenote E: where each "hill had a hat and a mist-cloak,"]
[Sidenote F: until daylight. ]
[Sidenote G: They were then on a "hill full high. "]
[Sidenote H: The servant bade his master abide, saying,]

V.

[A] "For I haf wonnen yow hider, wy3e, at ? is tyme,
2092 & now nar 3e not fer fro ? at note place,
[B] ? at 3e han spied & spuryed so specially after;
Bot I schal say yow for so? e, sy? en I yow knowe,
& 3e ar a lede vpon lyue, ? at I wel louy,
2096 Wolde 3e worch bi my wytte, 3e wor? ed ? e better.
[C] ? e place ? at 3e prece to, ful perelous is halden;
[D] ? er wone3 a wy3e in ? at waste, ? e worst vpon er? e;
For he is stiffe, & sturne, & to strike louies,
2100 & more he is ? en any mon vpon myddelerde,
[E] & his body bigger ? en ? e best fowre.
? at ar in Ar? ure3 hous, Hestor[1] o? er o? er.
He cheue3 ? at chaunce at ? e chapel grene;
2104 [F] ? er passes non bi ? at place, so proude in his armes,
? at he ne dynne3 hym to de? e, with dynt of his honde;
For he is a mon methles, & mercy non vses,
[G] For be hit chorle, o? er chaplayn, ? at bi ? e chapel rydes,
2108 Monk, o? er masse-prest, o? er any mon elles,
Hym ? ynk as queme hym to quelle, as quyk go hym seluen.
For-? y I say ? e as so? e as 3e in sadel sitte,
Com 3e ? ere, 3e be kylled, [I] may ? e kny3t rede,
2112 Trawe 3e me ? at trwely, ? a3 3e had twenty lyues
to spende;
[H] He hat3 wonyd here ful 3ore,
On bent much baret bende,
2116 [I] A3ayn his dynte3 sore,
3e may not yow defende. "

[Sidenote A: "I have brought you hither,]
[Sidenote B: ye are not now far from the noted place. ]
[Sidenote C: Full perilous is it esteemed. ]
[Sidenote D: The lord of that 'waste' is stiff and stern. ]
[Sidenote E: His body is bigger 'than the best four in Arthur's house. ']
[Sidenote F: None passes by the Green Chapel, 'that he does not ding to
death with dint of his hand. ']
[Sidenote G: For be it churl or chaplain, monk, mass-priest, 'or any man
else,' he kills them all. ]
[Sidenote H: He has lived there full long. ]
[Sidenote I: Against his dints sore ye may not defend you. ]
[Footnote 1: Hector (? ). ]

VI.

[A] "For-? y, goude sir Gawayn, let ? e gome one,
& got3 a-way sum o? er gate; vpon Godde3 halue;
2120 [B] Cayre3 bi sum o? er kyth, ? er Kryst mot yow spede;
& I schal hy3 me hom a3ayn, & hete yow fyrre,
[C] ? at I schal swere bi God, & alle his gode hal3e3, [Fol. 119b. ]
As help me God & ? e halydam, & o? e3 in-noghe,
2124 ? at I schal lelly yow layne, & lance neuer tale,
? at euer 3e fondet to fle, for freke ? at I wyst. "
"Grant merci;" quod Gawayn, & gruchyng he sayde,
"Wel worth ? e wy3e, ? at wolde3 my gode,
2128 & ? at lelly me layne, I leue wel ? ou wolde3!
[D] Bot helde ? ou hit neuer so holde, & I here passed,
Founded for ferde for to fle, in fourme ? at ? ou telle3,
I were a kny3t kowarde, I my3t not[1] be excused.
2132 [E] Bot I wy1 to ? e chape1, for chaunce ? at may falle,
& talk wyth ? at ilk tulk ? e tale ? at me lyste,
Wor? e hit wele, o? er wo, as ? e wyrde lyke3
hit hafe;
2136 [F] ? a3e he be a sturn knape,
To sti3tel, &[2] stad with staue,
[G] Ful wel con dry3tyn schape,
His seruaunte3 forto saue. "

[Sidenote A: Wherefore, good Sir Gawayne, let this man alone. ]
[Sidenote B: Go by some other region,]
[Sidenote C: I swear by God and all His saints, that I will never say that
ever ye attempted to flee from any man. "]
[Sidenote D: Gawayne replies that to shun this danger would mark him as a
"coward knight. "]
[Sidenote E: To the Chapel, therefore, he will go,]
[Sidenote F: though the owner thereof were a stern knave.
]
[Sidenote G: "Full well can God devise his servants for to save. "]
[Footnote 1: mot, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: & &, in MS. ]

VII.

2140 [A] "Mary! " quod ? at o? er mon, "now ? ou so much spelle3,
? at ? ou wylt ? yn awen nye nyme to ? y-seluen,
& ? e lyst lese ? y lyf, ? e lette I ne kepe;
[B] Haf here ? i helme on ? y hede, ? i spere in ? i honde,
2144 & ryde me doun ? is ilk rake, bi 3on rokke syde,
[C] Til ? ou be bro3t to ? e bo? em of ? e brem valay;
[D] ? enne loke a littel on ? e launde, on ? i lyfte honde,
[E] & ? ou schal se in ? at slade ? e self chapel,
2148 & ? e borelych burne on bent, ? at hit kepe3.
Now fare3 wel on Gode3 half, Gawayn ? e noble,
For alle ? e golde vpon grounde I nolde go with ? e,
Ne bere ? e fela3schip ? ur3 ? is fryth on fote fyrre. "
2152 [F] Bi ? at ? e wy3e in ? e wod wende3 his brydel,
Hit ? e hors with ? e hele3, as harde as he my3t,
Lepe3 hym ouer ? e launde, & leue3 ? e kny3t ? ere,
al one.
2156 [G] "Bi Godde3 self," quod Gawayn,
"I wyl nau? er grete ne grone,
[H] To Godde3 wylle I am ful bayn,
& to hym I haf me tone. "

[Sidenote A: "Mary! " quoth the other, "since it pleases thee to lose thy
life,]
[Sidenote B: take thy helmet on thy head, and thy spear in thy hand, and
ride down this path by yon rock-side,]
[Sidenote C: till thou come to the bottom of the valley;]
[Sidenote D: look a little to the left,]
[Sidenote E: and thou shalt see the Chapel itself and the man that guards
it. "]
[Sidenote F: Having thus spoken the guide takes leave of the knight. ]
[Sidenote G: "By God's self," says Sir Gawayne, "I will neither weep nor
groan. ]
[Sidenote H: To God's will I am full ready. "]

VIII.

2160 [A] Thenne gyrde3 he to Gryngolet, & gedere3 ? e rake, [Fol. 120. ]
Schowue3 in bi a schore, at a scha3e syde,
[B] Ride3 ? ur3 ? e ro3e bonk, ry3t to ? e dale;
& ? enne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym ? o3t,
2164 [C] & se3e no syngne of resette, bisyde3 nowhere,
Bot hy3e bonkke3 & brent, vpon bo? e halue,
& ru3e knokled knarre3, with knorned stone3;
? e skwe3 of ? e scowtes skayued[1] hym ? o3t.
2168 ? enne he houed, & wyth-hylde his hors at ? at tyde,
& ofte chaunged his cher, ? e chapel to seche;
[D] He se3 non suche in no syde, & selly hym ? o3t,
Sone a lyttel on a launde, a lawe as hit we[re];
2172 [E] A bal3 ber3, bi a bonke, ? e brymme by-syde,
Bi a for3 of a flode, ? at ferked ? are;
? e borne blubred ? er-inne, as hit boyled hade.
[F] ? e kny3t kache3 his caple, & com to ? e lawe,
2176 [G] Li3te3 doun luflyly, & at a lynde tache3
? e rayne, & his riche, with a ro3e braunche;
[H] ? en[n]e he bo3e3 to ? e ber3e, aboute hit he walke,
D[e]batande with hym-self, quat hit be my3t.
2180 Hit hade a hole on ? e ende, & on ay? er syde,
& ouer-growen with gresse in glodes ay where,
& al wat3 hol3 in-with, nobot an olde caue,
[I] Or a creuisse of an olde cragge, he cou? e hit no3t deme
2184 with spelle,
"We,[2] lorde," quod ? e gentyle kny3t,
"Whe? er ? is be ? e grene chapelle;
[J] He my3t aboute myd-ny3t,
2188 [? ]e dele his matynnes telle! "

[Sidenote A: Then he pursues his journey,]
[Sidenote B: rides through the dale, and looks about. ]
[Sidenote C: He sees no sign of a resting-place, but only high and steep
banks. ]
[Sidenote D: No chapel could he discern. ]
[Sidenote E: At last he sees a hill by the side of a stream;]
[Sidenote F: thither he goes,]
[Sidenote G: alights and fastens his horse to a branch of a tree. ]
[Sidenote H: He walks around the hill, debating with himself what it might
be,]
[Sidenote I: and at last finds an old cave in the crag. ]
[Sidenote J: He prays that about midnight he may tell his matins. ]
[Footnote 1: skayned (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: wel (? ). ]

IX.

[A] "Now i-wysse," quod Wowayn, "wysty is here;
? is oritore is vgly, with erbe3 ouer-growen;
[B] Wel biseme3 ? e wy3e wruxled in grene
2192 Dele here his deuocioun, on ? e deuele3 wyse;
Now I fele hit is ? e fende, in my fyue wytte3,
? at hat3 stoken me ? is steuen, to strye me here;
[C] ? is is a chapel of meschaunce, ? at chekke hit by-tyde,
2196 Hit is ? e corsedest kyrk, ? at euer i com inne! "
With he3e helme on his hede, his launce in his honde, [Fol. 120b. ]
[D] He rome3 vp to ? e rokke of ? o ro3 wone3;
? ene herde he of ? at hy3e hil, in a harde roche,
2200 [E] Bi3onde ? e broke, in a bonk, a wonder breme noyse,
[F] Quat! hit clatered in ? e clyff, as hit cleue schulde,
As one vpon a gryndelston hade grounden a sy? e;
[G] What! hit wharred, & whette, as water at a mulne,
2204 What! hit rusched, & ronge, raw? e to here.
? enne "bi Godde," quod Gawayn, "? at gere as[1] I trowe,
Is ryched at ? e reuerence, me renk to mete,
bi rote;
2208 Let God worche we loo,
[H] Hit helppe3 me not a mote,
My lif ? a3 I for-goo,
Drede dot3 me no lote. "

[Sidenote A: "Truly," says Sir Gawayne, "a desert is here,]
[Sidenote B: a fitting place for the man in green to 'deal here his
devotions in devil fashion. ']
[Sidenote C: It is most cursed kirk that ever I entered. "]
[Sidenote D: Roaming about he hears a loud noise,]
[Sidenote E: from beyond the brook. ]
[Sidenote F: It clattered like the grinding of a scythe on a grindstone. ]
[Sidenote G: It whirred like a mill-stream. ]
[Sidenote H: "Though my life I forgo," says the knight, "no noise shall
terrify me. "]
[Footnote 1: at, in MS. ]

X.

2212 [A] Thenne ? e kny3t con calle ful hy3e,
[B] "Who sti3tle3 in ? is sted, me steuen to holde?
[C] For now is gode Gawayn goande ry3t here,
If any wy3e o3t wyl wynne hider fast,
2216 O? er now, o? er neuer, his nede3 to spede. "
[D] "Abyde," quod on on ? e bonke, abouen ouer his hede,
"& ? ou schal haf al in hast, ? at I ? e hy3t ones. "
3et he rusched on ? at rurde, rapely a ? rowe,
2220 & wyth quettyng a-wharf, er he wolde ly3t;
[E] & sy? en he keuere3 bi a cragge, & come3 of a hole,
Whyrlande out of a wro, wyth a felle weppen,
[F] A dene3 ax nwe dy3t, ? e dynt with [t]o 3elde
2224 With a borelych bytte, bende by ? e halme,
Fyled in a fylor, fowre fote large,
Hit wat3 no lasse, bi ? at lace ? at lemed ful bry3t.
[G] & ? e gome in ? e erene gered as fyrst,
2228 Bo? e ? e lyre & ? e legge3, lokke3, & berde,
Saue ? at fayre on his fote he founde3 on ? e er? e,
Sette ? e stele to ? e stone, & stalked bysyde.
[H] When he wan to ? e watter, ? er he wade nolde,
2232 He hypped ouer on hys ax, & orpedly stryde3,
Bremly bro? e on a bent, ? at brode wat3 a-boute,
on snawe.
[I] Sir Gawayn ? e kny3t con mete. [Fol. 121. ]
2236 He ne lutte hym no ? yng lowe,
[J] ? at o? er sayde, "now, sir swete,
Of steuen mon may ? e trowe. "

[Sidenote A: Then cried he aloud,]
[Sidenote B: "Who dwells here discourse with me to hold? "]
[Sidenote C: Now is the good Gawayne going aright]
[Sidenote D: He hears a voice commanding him to abide where he is. ]
[Sidenote E: Soon there comes out of a hole, with a fell weapon,]
[Sidenote F: a Danish axe, quite new,]
[Sidenote G: the "knight in green," clothed as before. ]
[Sidenote H: When he reaches the stream, he hops over and strides about. ]
[Sidenote I: He meets Sir Gawayne without obeisance. ]
[Sidenote J: The other tells him that he is now ready for conversation]

XI.

[A] "Gawayn," quod ? at grene gome, "God ? e mot loke!
2240 I-wysse ? ou art welcom,[1] wy3e, to my place,
[B] & ? ou hat3 tymed ? i trauayl as true[2] mon schulde;
[C] & ?