No More Learning

" says the Green Knight,]
[Sidenote B: "as a true knight 'thou hast timed thy travel']
[Sidenote C: Thou knowest the covenant between us,]
[Sidenote D: that on New Year's day I should return thy blow]
[Sidenote E: Here we are alone,]
[Sidenote F: Have off thy helmet and take thy pay at once. "]
[Sidenote G: "By God," quoth Sir Gawayne, "I shall not begrudge thee thy
will. "]
[Sidenote H: Then he shows his bare neck,]
[Sidenote I: and appears undaunted. ]
[Footnote 1: welcon, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: truee in MS. ]
[Footnote 3: MS. ? y ? y. ]

XII.

[A] Then ? e gome in ? e grene gray? ed hym swy? e,
2260 Gedere3 yp hys grymme tole, Gawayn to smyte;
[B] With alle ? e 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 ? er hade ben ded of his dynt, ? at do3ty wat3 euer.
Bot Gawayn on ? at giserne glyfte hym bysyde,
[C] As hit com glydande adoun, on glode hym to schende,
[D] & schranke a lytel with ? e schulderes, for ? e scharp yrne.
2268 ? at o? er schalk wyth a schunt ? e schene wythhalde3,
[E] & ? enne repreued he ? e prynce with mony prowde worde3:
[F] "? ou art not Gawayn," quod ? e gome, "? at is so goud halden,
? at neuer ar3ed for no here, by hylle ne be vale,
2272 [G] & now ? ou fles for ferde, er ? ou fele harme3; [Fol. 121b. ]
Such cowardise of ? at kny3t cow? e I neuer here.
[H] Naw? er fyked I, ne fla3e, freke, quen ? ou myntest,
Ne kest no kauelacion, in kynge3 hous Arthor,
2276 [I] My hede fla3 to my fote, & 3et fla3 I neuer;
& ? ou, er any harme hent, ar3e3 in hert,
[J] Wherfore ? e better burne me burde be called
? er-fore. "
2280 [K] Quod G:, "I schunt one3,
& so wyl I no more,
Bot pa3 my hede falle on ? e stone3,
I con not hit restore.

[Sidenote A: Then the man in green seizes his grim tool. ]
[Sidenote B: With all his force he raises it aloft. ]
[Sidenote C: As it came gliding down,]
[Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne shrank a little with his shoulders. ]
[Sidenote E: The other reproved him, saying,]
[Sidenote F: "Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed,]
[Sidenote G: for thou fleest for fear before thou feelest harm. ]
[Sidenote H: I never flinched when thou struckest. ]
[Sidenote I: My head flew to my foot, yet I never fled,]
[Sidenote J: wherefore I ought to be called the better man. "]
[Sidenote K: "I shunted once," says Gawayne, "but will no more. ]

XIII.

2284 [A] Bot busk, burne, bi ? 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 "?