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i fayth, & bryng me to ? e poynt,
Dele to me my destine, & do hit out of honde,
For I schal stonde ? e a strok, & start no more,
Til ? yn ax haue me hitte, haf here my traw? e. "
2288 [B] "Haf at ? e ? enne," quod ? at o? er, & heue3 hit alofte,
& wayte3 as wro? ely, as he wode were;
[C] He mynte3 at hym ma3tyly, bot not ? e mon ryue3,[1]
With-helde heterly h[i]s honde, er hit hurt my3t.
2292 [D] Gawayn gray? ely hit byde3, & glent with no membre,
Bot stode stylle as ? e ston, o? er a stubbe au? er,
? at ra? eled is in roche grounde, with rote3 a hundreth.
? en muryly efte con he mele, ? e mon in ? e grene,
2296 [E] "So now ? ou hat3 ? i hert holle, hitte me bihou[e]s;
Halde ? e now ? e hy3e hode, ? at Ar? ur ? e ra3t,
& kepe ? y kanel at ? is kest, 3if hit keuer may. "
G: ful gryndelly with greme ? enne sayde,
2300 [F] "Wy ? resch on, ? ou ? ro mon, ? ou ? rete3 to longe,
I hope ? at ? i hert ar3e wyth ? yn awen seluen. "
"For so? e," quod ? at o? er freke, "so felly ? ou speke3,
I wyl no lenger on lyte lette ? in ernde,
2304 ri3t nowe. "
[G] ? enne tas he[2] hym stry? e to stryke,
& frounses bo? e lyppe & browe,
No meruayle ? a3 hym myslyke,
2308 ? at hoped of no rescowe.

[Sidenote A: Bring me to the point; deal me my destiny at once. "]
[Sidenote B: "Have at thee, then," says the other. ]
[Sidenote C: With that he aims at him a blow. ]
[Sidenote D: Gawayne never flinches, but stands as still as a stone. ]
[Sidenote E: "Now," says the Green Knight, "I must hit thee, since thy
heart is whole. "]
[Sidenote F: "Thrash on," says the other. ]
[Sidenote G: Then the Green Knight makes ready to strike. ]
[Footnote 1: ? ryne3 Touches. ]
[Footnote 2: he he, in MS. ]

XIV.

[A] He lyftes ly3tly his lome, & let hit doun fayre,
[B] With ? e barbe of ? e bitte bi ? e bare nek [Fol. 122. ]
? a3 he homered heterly, hurt hym no more,
2312 Bot snyrt hym on ? at on syde, ? at seuered ? e hyde;
[C] ? e scharp schrank to ? e flesche ? ur3 ? e schyre grece,
? at ? e schene blod over his schulderes schot to ? e er? e.
[D] & quen ? e burne se3 ? e blode blenk on ? e snawe,
2316 He sprit forth spenne fote more ? en a spere len? e,
Hent heterly his helme, & on his hed cast,
Schot with his schuldere3 his fayre schelde vnder,
[E] Brayde3 out a bry3t sworde, & bremely he speke3;
2320 Neuer syn ? at he wat3 burne borne of his moder,
Wat3 he neuer in ? is worlde, wy3e half so bly? e:--
[F] "Blynne, burne, of ? y bur, bede me no mo;
I haf a stroke in ? is sted with-oute stryf hent,
2324 [G] & if ? ow reche3 me any mo, I redyly schal quyte,
& 3elde 3ederly a3ayn, & ? er to 3e tryst,
& foo;
[H] Bot on stroke here me falle3,
2328 ? e couenaunt schop ry3t so,
[Sikered][1] in Ar? ure3 halle3,
& ? er-fore, hende, now hoo! "

[Sidenote A: He let fall his loom on the bare]
[Sidenote B: neck of Sir Gawayne. ]
[Sidenote C: The sharp weapon pierced the flesh so that the blood flowed. ]
[Sidenote D: When the knight saw the blood on the snow,]
[Sidenote E: he unsheathed his sword, and thus spake:]
[Sidenote F: "Cease, man, of thy blow. ]
[Sidenote G: If thou givest me any more, readily shall I requite thee. ]
[Sidenote H: Our agreement stipulates only one stroke. "]
[Footnote 1: Illegible. ]

XV.

[A] The ha? el heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested,
2332 Sette ? e schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened,
[B] & loked to ? e leude, ? at on ? e launde 3ede,
How ? at do3ty dredles deruely ? er stonde3,
Armed ful a3le3; in hert hit hym lyke3.
2336 ? enn he mele3 muryly, wyth a much steuen,
[C] & wyth a r[a]ykande rurde he to ? e renk sayde,
"Bolde burne, on ? is bent be not so gryndel;
No mon here vn-manerly ? e mys-boden habbe,
2340 Ne kyd, bot as couenaunde, at kynge3 kort schaped;
[D] I hy3t ? e a strok, & ? ou hit hat3, halde ? e wel payed,
I relece ? e of ? e remnaunt, of ry3tes alle o? er;
3if[1] I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter,
2344 [E] I cou? e wro? eloker haf waret, [&] to ? e haf wro3t anger. [2]
Fyrst I mansed ? e muryly, with a mynt one,
[F] & roue ? e wyth no rof, sore with ry3t I ? e profered,
For ? e forwarde that we fest in ? e fyrst ny3t, [Fol. 122b. ]
2348 & ? ou trystyly ? e traw? e & trwly me halde3,
Al ? e gayne ? ow me gef, as god mon shulde;
[G] ? at o? er munt for ? e morne, mon, I ? e profered,
? ou kyssedes my clere wyf, ? e cosse3 me ra3te3,
2352 For bo? e two here I ? e bede bot two bare myntes,
boute sca? e;
[H] Trwe mon trwe restore,
? enne ? ar mon drede no wa? e;
2356 [I] At ? e ? rid ? ou fayled ? ore,
& ? er-for ? at tappe ta ? e.

[Sidenote A: The Green Knight rested on his axe,]
[Sidenote B: looked on Sir Gawayne, who appeared bold and fearless,]
[Sidenote C: and addressed him as follows: "Bold knight, be not so wroth,]
[Sidenote D: I promised thee a stroke and thou hast it, be satisfied. ]
[Sidenote E: I could have dealt worse with thee. ]
[Sidenote F: I menaced thee with one blow for the covenant between us on
the first night. ]
[Sidenote G: Another I aimed at thee because thou kissedst my wife. ]
[Sidenote H: A true man should restore truly, and then he need fear no
harm. ]
[Sidenote I: Thou failedst at the third time, and therefore take thee that
tap. (See l. 1861. )]
[Footnote 1: uf, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: This word is doubtful. ]

XVI.

[A] For hit is my wede ? at ? ou were3, ? at ilke wouen girdel,
Myn owen wyf hit ? e weued, I wot wel forso? e;
2360 [B] Now know I wel ? y cosses, & ? y costes als,
& ? e wowyng of my wyf, I wro3t hit myseluen;
[C] I sende hir to asay ? e, & sothly me ? ynkke3,
On ? e fautlest freke, ? at euer on fote 3ede;
2364 As perle bi ? e quite pese is of prys more,
So is Gawayn, in god fayth, bi o? er gay kny3te3.
[D] Bot here you lakked a lyttel, sir, & lewte yow wonted,
Bot ? at wat3 for no wylyde werke, ne wowyng nau? er,
2368 [E] Bot for 3e lufed your lyf, ? e lasse I yow blame. "
? at o? er stif mon in study stod a gret whyle;
So agreued for greme he gryed with-inne,
[F] Alle ? e blode of his brest blende in his face,
2372 ? at al he schrank for schome, ? at ? e schalk talked.
? e forme worde vpon folde, ? at ?
e freke meled,--
[G] "Corsed worth cowarddyse & couetyse bo? e!
In yow is vylany & vyse, ? at vertue disstrye3. "
2376 [H] ? enne he ka3t to ? e knot, & ? e kest lawse3,
Brayde bro? ely ? e belt to ? e burne seluen:
"Lo! ? er ? e falssyng, foule mot hit falle!
[I] For care of ? y knokke cowardyse me ta3t
2380 To a-corde me with couetyse, my kynde to for-sake,
? at is larges & lewte, ? at longe3 to kny3te3.
[J] Now am I fawty, & falce, & ferde haf ben euer;
Of trecherye & vn-traw? e bo? e bityde sor3e
2384 & care!
[K] 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. "

[Sidenote A: For my weed (woven by my wife) thou wearest. ]
[Sidenote B: I know thy kisses and my wife's wooing. ]
[Sidenote C: I sent her to try thee, and faultless I found thee. ]
[Sidenote D: But yet thou sinnedst a little,]
[Sidenote E: for love of thy life. "]
[Sidenote F: Gawayne stands confounded. ]
[Sidenote G: "Cursed," he says, "be cowardice and covetousness both! "]
[Sidenote H: Then he takes off the girdle and throws it to the knight. ]
[Sidenote I: He curses his cowardice,]
[Sidenote J: and confesses himself to have been guilty of untruth. ]
[Sidenote K: ]

XVII.

[A] Thenne lo3e ? at o? er leude, & luflyly sayde,
"I halde hit hardily[1] hole, ? e harme ? at I hade;
[B] ? ou art confessed so clene, be-knowen of ? y mysses,
2392 & hat3 ? e penaunce apert, of ? e poynt of myn egge,
[C] I halde ? e polysed of ? at ply3t, & pured as clene,
As ? ou hade3 neuer forfeted, sy? en ? ou wat3 fyrst borne.
[D] & I gif ? e, sir, ? e gurdel ? at is golde hemmed;
2396 For hit is grene as my goune, sir G:, 3e maye
? enk vpon ? is ilke ? repe, ? er ? ou forth ? rynge3
Among prynces of prys, & ? is a pure token
[E] Of ? e chaunce of ? e grene chapel, at cheualrous kny3te3;
2400 [F] & 3e schal in ? is nwe 3er a3ayn to my wone3,
& we schyn reuel ? e remnaunt of ? is ryche fest,
ful bene. "
? er la? ed hym fast ? e lorde,
2404 & sayde, "with my wyf, I wene,
We schal yow wel acorde,
? at wat3 your enmy kene. "

[Sidenote A: Then the other, laughing, thus spoke:]
[Sidenote B: "Thou art confessed so clean,]
[Sidenote C: that I hold thee as pure as if thou hadst never been guilty. ]
[Sidenote D: I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle,]
[Sidenote E: as a token of thy adventure at the Green Chapel. ]
[Sidenote F: Come again to my abode, and abide there for the remainder of
the festival. "]
[Footnote 1: hardilyly, in MS. ]

XVIII.

[A] "Nay, for so? e," quod ? e segge, & sesed hys helme,
2408 & hat3 hit of hendely, & ? e ha? el ? onkke3,
[B] "I haf soiorned sadly, sele yow bytyde,
& he 3elde hit yow 3are, ? at 3arkke3 al menskes!
[C] & comaunde3 me to ? at cortays, your comlych fere,
2412 Bo? e ? at on & ? at o? er, myn honoured ladye3.
? at ? us hor kny3t wyth hor kest han koyntly bigyled.
[D] Bot hit is no ferly, ? a3 a fole madde,
& ? ur3 wyles of wymmen be wonen to sor3e;
2416 [E] For so wat3 Adam in erde with one bygyled,
& Salamon with fele sere, & Samson eft sone3,
Dalyda dalt hym hys wyrde, & Dauyth ? er-after
Wat3 blended with Barsabe, ? at much bale ? oled.
2420 Now ? ese were wrathed wyth her wyles, hit were a wynne huge,
[F] To luf hom wel, & leue hem not, a leude ? at cou? e,
For ? es wer forne[1] ? e freest ? at fol3ed alle ? e sele, [Fol. ]
Ex-ellently of alle ? yse o? er, vnder heuen-ryche, [123b. ]
2424 ? at mused;
& alle ? ay were bi-wyled,
With[2] wymmen ? at ? ay vsed,
[G] ? a3 I be now bigyled,
2428 Me ? ink me burde be excused. "

[Sidenote A: "Nay, forsooth," says Gawayne,]
[Sidenote B: "I have sojourned sadly, but bliss betide thee! ]
[Sidenote C: Commend me to your comely wife and that other lady who have
beguiled me. ]
[Sidenote D: But it is no marvel for a man to be brought to grief through a
woman's wiles. ]
[Sidenote E: Adam, Solomon, Samson, and David were beguiled by women. ]
[Sidenote F: How could a man love them and believe them not? ]
[Sidenote G: Though I be now beguiled, methinks I should be excused. ]
[Footnote 1: forme (? )]
[Footnote 2: with wyth, in MS. ]

XIX.

[A] "Bot your gordel," quod G: "God yow for-3elde!
? at wyl I welde wyth good wylle, not for ? e wynne golde,
Ne ? e saynt, ne ? e sylk, ne ? e syde pendaundes,
2432 For wele, ne for worchyp, ne for ? e wlonk werkke3,
[B] Bot in syngne of my surfet I schal se hit ofte;
When I ride in renoun, remorde to myseluen
? e faut & ? e fayntyse of ? e flesche crabbed,
2436 How tender hit is to entyse teches of fyl? e;
[C] & ? us, quen pryde schal me pryk, for prowes of armes,
[D] ? e loke to ? is luf lace schal le? e my hert.
Bot on I wolde yow pray, displeses yow neuer;
2440 Syn 3e be lorde of ? e 3onde[r] londe, ? er I haf lent inne,
Wyth yow wyth worschyp,--? e wy3e hit yow 3elde
? at vp-halde3 ? e heuen, & on hy3 sitte3,--
[E] How norne 3e yowre ry3t nome, & ? enne no more? "
2444 "? at schal I telle ? e trwly," quod ? at o? er ? enne,
[F] "Bernlak de Hautdesert I hat in ? is londe,
? ur3 my3t of Morgne la Faye, ? at in my hous lenges,
&[1] koyntyse of clergye, bi craftes wel lerned,
2448 ? e maystres of Merlyn, mony ho[2] taken;
For ho hat3 dalt drwry ful dere sum tyme,
With ? at conable klerk, ? at knowes alle your kny3te3
at hame;
2452 Morgne ? e goddes,
? er-fore hit is hir name;
[G] Welde3 non so hy3e hawtesse,
? at ho ne con make ful tame.

[Sidenote A: But God reward you for your girdle. ]
[Sidenote B: I will wear it in remembrance of my fault. ]
[Sidenote C: And when pride shall prick me,]
[Sidenote D: a look to this lace shall abate it. ]
[Sidenote E: But tell me your right name and I shall have done. "]
[Sidenote F: The Green Knight replies, "I am called Bernlak de Hautdesert,
through might of Morgain la Fey, the pupil of Merlin. ]
[Sidenote G: She can tame even the haughtiest. ]
[Footnote 1: in (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: ho hat3 (? ). ]

XX.

2456 [A] Ho wayned me vpon ? is wyse to your wynne halle,
For to assay ? e surquidre, 3if hit soth were,
? at rennes of ? e grete renoun of ? e Rounde Table;
Ho wayned me ? is wonder, your wytte3 to reue,
2460 [B] For to haf greued Gaynour, & gart hir to dy3e. [Fol. 124. ]
With gopnyng[1] of ? at ilke gomen, ? at gostlych speked,
With his hede in his honde, bifore ? e hy3e table.
? at is ho ? at is at home, ? e auncian lady;
2464 [C] Ho is euen ? yn aunt, Ar? ure3 half suster,
? e duches do3ter of Tyntagelle, ? at dere Vter after
[D] Hade Ar? ur vpon, ? at a? el is now? e.
? erfore I e? e ? e, ha? el, to com to ?