No More Learning

e mynne, & merci beseche3,
[F] & of absolucioun he on ? e segge calles;
& he asoyled hym surely, & sette hym so clene,
1884 [G] As dome3-day schulde haf ben di3t on ? e morn.
& sy? en he mace hym as mery among ? e fre ladyes,
[H] With comlych caroles, & alle kynnes ioye,
As neuer he did bot ? at daye, to ? e derk ny3t,
1888 with blys;
Vche mon hade daynte ? are,
[I] Of hym, & sayde Iwysse,
[J] ? us myry he wat3 neuer are,
1892 Syn he com hider, er ? is.

[Sidenote A: Then she takes her leave. ]
[Sidenote B: Gawayne then dresses himself,]
[Sidenote C: and conceals the love-lace about his person. ]
[Sidenote D: He then hies to mass,]
[Sidenote E: and shrives him of his misdeeds. ]
[Sidenote F: and prays for absolution. ]
[Sidenote G: He returns to the hall, and makes himself so merry among the
ladies,]
[Sidenote H: with comely carols,]
[Sidenote I: that they said,]
[Sidenote J: "Thus merry was he never before since hither he came. "]
[Footnote 1: he, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: lyste (? ). ]

XXXI.

[A] Now hym lenge in ? at lee, ? er luf hym bi-tyde;
3et is ? e lorde on ? e launde, ledande his gomnes,
[B] He hat3 forfaren ? is fox, ? at he fol3ed longe;
1896 As he sprent ouer a spenne, to spye ? e schrewe,
? er as he herd ? e howndes, ? at hasted hym swy? e, [Fol. 116b. ]
[C] Renaud com richchande ? ur3 a ro3e greue,
& alle ? e rabel in a res, ry3t at his hele3.
1900 [D] ? e wy3e wat3 war of ? e wylde, & warly abides,
& brayde3 out ? e bry3t bronde, & at ? e best caste3;
& he schunt for ? e scharp, & schulde haf arered,
[E] A rach rapes hym to, ry3t er he my3t,
1904 & ry3t bifore ? e hors fete ? ay fel on hym alle,
& woried me ? is wyly wyth a wroth noyse.
[F] ? e lorde ly3te3 bilyue, & cache3 by[1] sone,
Rased hym ful radly out of ? e rach mou? es,
1908 Halde3 he3e ouer his hede, halowe3 faste,
& ? er bayen hym mony bray[2] hounde3;
[G] Huntes hy3ed hem ? eder, with horne3 ful mony,
Ay re-chatande ary3t til ? ay ? e renk se3en;
1912 Bi ? at wat3 comen his compeyny noble,
Alle ? at euer ber bugle blowed at ones,
[H] & alle ? ise o? er halowed, ? at hade no hornes,
Hit wat3 ? e myriest mute ? at euer men herde,
1916 ? e rich rurd ? at ? er wat3 raysed for renaude saule,
with lote;
[I] Hor hounde3 ? ay ? er rewarde,
Her[3] hede3 ? ay fawne & frote,
1920 [J] & sy? en ? ay tan reynarde,
& tyrnen of his cote.

[Sidenote A: Gawayne's host is still in the field. ]
[Sidenote B: He has destroyed the fox. ]
[Sidenote C: He spied Reynard coming through a "rough grove,"]
[Sidenote D: and tried to hit him with his sword. ]
[Sidenote E: The fox "shunts," and is seized by one of the dogs. ]
[Sidenote F: The lord takes him out of the hound's mouth. ]
[Sidenote G: Hunters hasten thither with horns full many. ]
[Sidenote H: It was the merriest meet that ever was heard. ]
[Sidenote I: The hounds are rewarded,]
[Sidenote J: and then they take Reynard and "turn off his coat. "]
[Footnote 1: hym (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: bra? (? ). ]
[Footnote 3: Her her, in MS. ]

XXXII.

[A] & ? enne ? ay helden to home, for hit wat3 nie3 ny3t,
Strakande ful stoutly in hor store horne3;
1924 [B] ? e lorde is ly3t at ? e laste at hys lef home,
Fynde3 fire vpon flet, ? e freke ? er by-side,
Sir Gawayn ? e gode, ? at glad wat3 with alle,
[C] Among ? e ladies for luf he ladde much ioye,
1928 He were a bleaunt of blwe, ? at bradde to ? e er? e,
His surkot semed hym wel, ? at softe wat3 forred,
& his hode of ? at ilke henged on his schulder,
[D] Blande al of blaunner were bo? e al aboute.
1932 He mete3 me ? is god mon in mydde3 ? e flore,
& al with gomen he hym gret, & goudly he sayde,
"I schal fylle vpon fyrst oure forwarde3 nou? e,
? at we spedly han spoken, ? er spared wat3 no drynk;" [Fol. 117. ]
1936 [E] ? en acoles he [? e] kny3t, & kysses hym ? ryes,
[F] As sauerly & sadly as he hem sette cou? e.
[G] "Bi Kryst," quod ? at o? er kny3t, "3e cach much sele,
In cheuisaunce of ? is chaffer, 3if 3e hade goud chepe3. "
1940 "3e of ? e chepe no charg," quod chefly ? at o? er,
"As is pertly payed ? e chepe3 ? at I a3te. "
"Mary," quod ? at o? er mon, "myn is bi-hynde,
[H] For I haf hunted al ? is day, & no3t haf I geten,
1944 [I] Bot ? is foule fox felle, ? e fende haf ? e gode3,
[J] & ? at is ful pore, for to pay for suche prys ? inges,
As 3e haf ? ry3t me here, ? ro suche ? re cosses,
so gode. "
1948 "I-no3," quod sir Gawayn,
"I ? onk yow, bi ? e rode;"
[K] & how ? e fox wat3 slayn,
He tolde hym, as ? ay stode.

[Sidenote A: The hunters then hasten home. ]
[Sidenote B: The lord at last alights at his dear home,]
[Sidenote C: where he finds Gawayne amusing the ladies. ]
[Sidenote D: The knight comes forward and welcomes his host,]
[Sidenote E: and according to covenant kisses him thrice. ]
[Sidenote F: (See l. 1868. )]
[Sidenote G: "By Christ," says the other, "ye have had much bliss! "]
[Sidenote H: I have hunted all day and have gotten nothing,]
[Sidenote I: but the skin of this foul fox,]
[Sidenote J: a poor reward for three such kisses. "]
[Sidenote K: He then tells him how the fox was slain. ]

XXXIII.

1952 [A] With mer? e & mynstralsye, wyth mete3 at hor wylle,
? ay maden as mery as any men mo3ten,
With la3yng of ladies, with lote3 of bordes;
Gawayn & ? e gode mon so glad were ? ay bo? e,
1956 Bot if ? e douthe had doted, o? er dronken ben o? er,
Bo? e ? e mon & ? e meyny maden mony iape3,
[B] Til ? e sesoun wat3 se3en, ? at ? ay seuer moste;
Burne3 to hor bedde be-houed at ? e laste.
1960 [C] ? enne lo3ly his leue at ? e lorde fyrst
Fochche3 ? is fre mon, & fayre he hym ? onkke3;
[D] "Of such a sellyly[1] soiorne, as I haf hade here,
Your honour, at ? is hy3e fest, ? e 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;
[E] & 3e me take sum tolke, to teche, as 3e hy3t,
? e gate to ? e grene chapel, as god wyl me suffer
1968 To dele, on nw3ere3 day, ? e dome of my wyrdes. "
"In god fay? e," quod ? e god mon. "wyth a goud wylle;
Al ? at euer I yow hy3t, halde schal I rede. "
[F] ? er asyngnes he a seruaunt, to sett hym in ? e waye,
1972 & coundue hym by ? e downe3, ? at he no drechch had, [Fol. 117b. ]
For to f[e]rk ? ur3 ? e fryth, & fare at ? e gaynest,
bi greue.
? e lorde Gawayn con ? onk,
1976 Such worchip he wolde hym weue;
[G] ? en at ? o ladye3 wlonk.
? e kny3t hat3 tan his leue.

[Sidenote A: With much mirth and minstrelsy they made merry,]
[Sidenote B: until the time came for them to part. ]
[Sidenote C: Gawayne takes leave of his host. ]
[Sidenote D: and thanks him for his happy "sojourn. "]
[Sidenote E: He asks for a man to teach him the way to the Green Chapel.
]
[Sidenote F: A servant is assigned to him,]
[Sidenote G: and then he takes leave of the ladies,]
[Footnote 1: selly (? ). ]

XXXIV.

[A] With care & wyth kyssyng he carppe3 hem tille,
1980 & fele ? ryuande ? onkke3 he ? rat hom to haue,
& ? ay 3elden hym a3ay[n] 3eply ? at ilk;
[B] ? ay bikende hym to Kryst, with ful colde sykynge3.
[C] Sy? en fro ? e meyny he menskly de-partes;
1984 Vche mon ? at he mette, he made hem a ? onke,
For his seruyse, & his solace, & his sere pyne,
? at ? ay wyth busynes had ben, aboute hym to serue;
& vche segge as sore, to seuer with hym ? ere,
1988 As ? ay hade wonde wor? yly with ? at wlonk euer.
[D] ? en 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,
1992 [E] For he hade muche on ? e morn to mynne, 3if he wolde,
in ? o3t;
[F] Let hym ly3e ? ere stille,
He hat3[1] nere ? at he so3t,
1996 [G] & 3e wyl a whyle be stylle,
I schal telle yow how ? ay wro3t.

[Sidenote A: kissing them sorrowfully. ]
[Sidenote B: They commend him to Christ. ]
[Sidenote C: He then departs, thanking each one he meets "for his service
and solace. "]
[Sidenote D: He retires to rest but sleeps but little,]
[Sidenote E: for much has he to think of on the morrow. ]
[Sidenote F: Let him there lie still. ]
[Sidenote G: Be still awhile, and I shall tell how they wrought. ]
[Footnote 1: wat3 (? ). ]

[FYTTE THE FOURTH. ]

I.

[A] Now ne3e3 ? e nw3ere, & ? e ny3t passe3,
? e day dryue3 to ? e derk, as dry3tyn bidde3;
2000 [B] Bot wylde wedere3 of ? e worlde wakned ? eroute,
Clowdes kesten kenly ? e colde to ? e er? e,
Wyth ny3e[1] in-noghe of ? e nor? e, ? e naked to tene;
[C] ? e snawe snitered ful snart, ? at snayped ? e wylde;
2004 ? e werbelande wynde wapped fro ? e hy3e,
[D] & drof vche dale ful of dryftes ful grete.
? e leude lystened ful wel, ? at le3 in his bedde,
[E] ? a3 he lowke3 his lidde3, ful lyttel he slepes;
2008 Bi vch kok ? at crue, he knwe wel ? e steuen.
De-liuerly he dressed vp, er ? e day sprenged, [Fol. 118. ]
For ? ere wat3 ly3t of a lau[m]pe, ? at lemed in his chambre;
[F] He called to his chamberlayn, ? at cofly hym swared,
2012 & bede hym bryng hym his bruny, & his blonk sadel;
? at o? er ferke3 hym vp, & feche3 hym his wede3,
& gray? e3 me sir Gawayn vpon a grett wyse.
Fyrst he clad hym in his clo? e3, ? e colde for to were;
2016 & sy? en his o? er harnays, ? at holdely wat3 keped,
Bo? e his paunce, & his plate3, piked ful clene,
[G] ? e rynge3[2] rokked of ? e roust, of his riche bruny;
& al wat3 fresch as vpon fyrst, & he wat3 fayn ? enne
2020 to ? onk;
He hade vpon vche pece,
Wypped ful wel & wlonk;
[H] ? e gayest in to Grece,
2024 ? e burne bede bryng his blonk.

[Sidenote A: New Year's Day approaches. ]
[Sidenote B: The weather is stormy. ]
[Sidenote C: Snow falls. ]
[Sidenote D: The dales are full of drift. ]
[Sidenote E: Gawayne in his bed hears each cock that crows. ]
[Sidenote F: He calls for his chamberlain, and bids him bring him his
armour. ]
[Sidenote G: Men knock off the rust from his rich habergeon. ]
[Sidenote H: The knight then calls for his steed. ]
[Footnote 1: nywe (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: rynke3 (? ). ]

II.

[A] Whyle ? e wlonkest wedes he warp on hym-seluen;
His cote, wyth be conysaunce of ? e clere werke3,
Ennurned vpon veluet vertuuus[1] stone3,
2028 Aboute beten, & bounden, enbrauded seme3,
& fayre furred with-inne wyth fayre pelures.
[B] 3et laft he not ? e lace, ? e ladie3 gifte,
? 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,
?