No More Learning

ou may leng in ? y londe, & layt no fyrre,
412 bot slokes;
[G] Ta now ? y grymme tole to ? e,
& let se how ? ou cnoke3. "
"Gladly sir, for so? e,"
416 Quod Gawan; his ax he strokes.

[Sidenote A: "It pleases me well, Sir Gawayne," says the Green Knight,
"that I shall receive a blow from thy fist; but thou must swear that thou
wilt seek me,]
[Sidenote B: to receive the blow in return. "]
[Sidenote C: "Where shall I seek thee? " says Sir Gawayne;]
[Sidenote D: "tell me thy name and abode and I will find thee. "]
[Sidenote E: "When thou hast smitten me," says the knight, "then tell I
thee of my home and name;]
[Sidenote F: if I speak not at all, so much the better for thee. ]
[Sidenote G: Take now thy grim tool, and let us see how thou knockest. "]

XIX.

[A] The grene kny3t vpon grounde gray? ely hym dresses,
A littel lut with ? e hede, ? e lere he discouere3,
[B] His longe louelych lokke3 he layd ouer his croun.
420 Let ? e naked nec to ? e note schewe.
Gauan gripped to his ax, & gederes hit on hy3t,
? e kay fot on ? e folde he be-fore sette,
[C] Let hit doun ly3tly ly3t on ? e naked,
424 ? at ? e scharp of ? e schalk schyndered ? e bones,
[D] & schrank ? ur3 ? e schyire grece, & scade hit in twynne,
? at ? e bit of ? e broun stel bot on ? e grounde.
[E] ? e fayre hede fro ? e halce hit [felle] to ? e er? e,
428 [F] ? at fele hit foyned wyth her fete, ? ere hit forth roled;
? e blod brayd fro ? e body, ? at blykked on ? e grene;
[G] & naw? er faltered ne fel ? e freke neuer ? e helder,
Bot sty? ly he start forth vpon styf schonkes,
432 [H] & ru[n]yschly he ra3t out, ? ere as renkke3 stoden,
La3t to his lufly hed, & lyft hit vp sone;
& sy? en bo3e3 to his blonk, ? e brydel he cachche3,
[I] Steppe3 in to stel bawe & stryde3 alofte,
436 [J] & his hede by ? e here in his honde halde3;
& as sadly ? e segge hym in his sadel sette,
As non vnhap had hym ayled, ? a3 hedle3 he[1] we[re],
in stedde;
440 [K] He brayde his bluk[2] aboute,
? at vgly bodi ? at bledde, [Fol. 97. ]
Moni on of hym had doute,
Bi ? at his resoun3 were redde.

[Sidenote A: The Green Knight]
[Sidenote B: puts his long lovely locks aside and lays bare his neck. ]
[Sidenote C: Sir Gawayne lets fall his axe]
[Sidenote D: and severs the head from the body. ]
[Sidenote E: The head falls to the earth. ]
[Sidenote F: Many kick it aside with their feet. ]
[Sidenote G: The knight never falters;]
[Sidenote H: he rushes forth, seizes his head,]
[Sidenote I: steps into the saddle,]
[Sidenote J: holding the while the head in his hand by the hair,]
[Sidenote K: and turns his horse about. ]
[Footnote 1: MS. ho. ]
[Footnote 2: blunk (? ). ]

XX.

444 For ? e hede in his honde he halde3 vp euen,
[A] To-ward ? e derrest on ? e dece he dresse3 ? e face,
& hit lyfte vp ? e y3e-lydde3, & loked ful brode,
[B] & meled ? us much with his muthe, as 3e may now here.
448 "Loke, Gawan, ? ou be gray? e to go as ? ou hette3,
& layte as lelly til ? ou me, lude, fynde,
[C] As ? ou hat3 hette in ? is halle, herande ? ise kny3tes;
[D] To ? e grene chapel ? ou chose, I charge ? e to fotte,
452 Such a dunt as ? ou hat3 dalt disserued ? ou habbe3,
[E] To be 3ederly 3olden on nw 3eres morn;
? e kny3t of ? e grene chapel men knowen me mony;
[F] For-? i me forto fynde if ? ou frayste3, fayle3 ? ou neuer,
456 [G] ? er-fore com, o? er recreaunt be calde ? e be-houeus. "
With a runisch rout ? e rayne3 he torne3,
[H] Halled out at ? e hal-dor, his hed in his hande,
? at ? e fyr of ? e flynt fla3e fro fole houes.
460 To quat kyth he be-com, knwe non ? ere,
Neuermore ? en ? ay wyste fram que? en. he wat3 wonnen;
what ? enne?
? e kyng & Gawen ? are,
464 [I] At ? at grene ? ay la3e & grenne,
3et breued wat3 hit ful bare,
A meruayl among ? o menne.

[Sidenote A: The head lifts up its eyelids,]
[Sidenote B: and addresses Sir Gawayne; "Look thou, be ready to go as thou
hast promised,]
[Sidenote C: and seek till thou findest me. ]
[Sidenote D: Get thee to the Green Chapel,]
[Sidenote E: there to receive a blow on New Year's morn. ]
[Sidenote F: Fail thou never;]
[Sidenote G: come, or recreant be called. "]
[Sidenote H: The Green Knight then rushes out of the hall, his head in his
hand. ]
[Sidenote I: At that green one Arthur and Gawayne "laugh and grin. "]

XXI.

[A] ? a3 Ar? er ? e hende kyng at hert hade wonder,
468 He let no semblaunt be sene, bot sayde ful hy3e
To ? e comlych quene, wyth cortays speche,
[B] "Dere dame, to day demay yow neuer;
Wel by-commes such craft vpon cristmasse,
472 Laykyng of enterlude3, to la3e & to syng.
Among ? ise, kynde caroles of kny3te3 & ladye3;
[C] Neuer-? e-lece to my mete I may me wel dres,
For I haf sen a selly, I may not for-sake. "
476 He glent vpon sir Gawen, & gaynly he sayde,
[D] "Now sir, heng vp ? yn ax, ? at hat3 in-nogh hewen. "
& hit wat3 don abof ? e dece, on doser to henge, [Fol. 97b. ]
? er alle men for meruayl my3t on hit loke,
480 & bi trwe tytel ? er-of to telle ? e wonder.
[E] ? enne ? ay bo3ed to a borde ? ise burnes to-geder,
? e kyng & ? e gode kny3t, & kene men hem serued
Of alle dayntye3 double, as derrest my3t falle,
484 Wyth alle maner of mete & mynstralcie bo? e;
Wyth wele walt ? ay ? at day, til wor? ed an ende,
in londe.
[F] Now ? enk wel, sir Gawan,
488 For wo? e ? at ? ou ne wonde,
? is auenture forto frayn,
? at ? ou hat3 tan on honde.

[Sidenote A: Arthur addresses the queen:]
[Sidenote B: "Dear dame, be not dismayed; such marvels well become the
Christmas festival;]
[Sidenote C: I may now go to meat. ]
[Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne, hang up thine axe. ]
[Sidenote E: The king and his knights sit feasting at the board till day is
ended. ]
[Sidenote F: Now beware, Sir Gawayne, lest thou fail to seek the adventure
that thou hast taken in hand. ]

[FYTTE THE SECOND. ]

I.

[A] This hanselle hat3 Arthur of auenturus on fyrst,
492 In 3onge 3er, for he 3erned 3elpyng to here,
Tha3 hym worde3 were wane, when ? ay to sete wenten;
Now ar ? ay stoken of sturne werk staf-ful her hond.
Gawan wat3 glad to be-gynne ? ose gomne3 in halle,
496 Bot ? a3 ? e ende be heuy, haf 3e no wonder;
For ? a3 men ben mery in mynde, quen ? ay han mayn drynk,
[B] A 3ere 3ernes ful 3erne, & 3elde3 neuer lyke,
? e forme to ? e fynisment folde3 ful selden.
500 For-? i ? is 3ol ouer-3ede, & ? e 3ere after,
& vche sesoun serlepes sued after o? er;
[C] After crysten-masse com ? e crabbed lentoun,
? at frayste3 flesch wyth ? e fysche & fode more symple
504 Bot ? enne ? e weder of ? e worlde wyth wynter hit ? repe3,
[D] Colde clenge3 adoun, cloude3 vp-lyften,
Schyre schede3 ? e rayn in schowre3 ful warme,
Falle3 vpon fayre flat, flowre3 ? ere schewen,
508 [E] Bo? e grounde3 & ? e greue3 grene ar her wede3,
[F] Brydde3 busken to bylde, & bremlych syngen,
[G] For solace of ? e softe somer ? at sues ? er after,
bi bonk;
512 [H] & blossume3 bolne to blowe,
Bi rawe3 rych & ronk,
[I] ? en note3 noble in-no3e,
Ar herde in wod so wlonk. [Fol. 98]

[Sidenote A: This marvel serves to keep up a brisk conversation in Court. ]
[Sidenote B: The year passes full quickly and never returns. ]
[Sidenote C: After Christmas comes the "crabbed Lenten.
"]
[Sidenote D: Spring sets in and warm showers descend;]
[Sidenote E: the groves become green,]
[Sidenote F: birds build and sing,]
[Sidenote G: for joy of the summer that follows;]
[Sidenote H: blossoms begin to bloom,]
[Sidenote I: and noble notes are heard in the woods]

II.

516 [A] After ? e sesoun of somer wyth ? e soft wynde3,
Quen 3eferus syfle3 hym-self on sede3 & erbe3,
[B] Wela-wynne is ? e wort ? at woxes ? er-oute.
When ? e donkande dewe drope3 of ? e leue3,
520 To bide a blysful blusch of ? e bry3t sunne.
[C] Bot ? en hy3es heruest, & hardenes hym sone.
Warne3 hym for ? e wynter to wax ful rype;
[D] He dryues wyth dro3t ? e dust for to ryse.
524 Fro ? e face of ? e folde to fly3e ful hy3e;
Wro? e wynde of ? e welkyn wrastele3 with ? e sunne,
[E] ? e leue3 lancen fro ? e lynde, & ly3ten on ? e grounde,
[F] & al grayes ? e gres, ? at grene wat3 ere;
528 ? enne al rype3 & rote3 ? at ros vpon fyrst,
& ? us 3irne3 ? e 3ere in 3isterdaye3 mony,
[G] & wynter wynde3 a3ayn, as ? e worlde aske3
no sage.
532 Til me3el-mas mone,
Wat3 cumen wyth wynter wage;
[H] ? en ? enkke3 Gawan ful sone,
Of his anious uyage.

[Sidenote A: Then the soft winds of summer,]
[Sidenote B: beautiful are the flowers wet with dew-drops. ]
[Sidenote C: But harvest approaches soon,]
[Sidenote D: and drives the dust about. ]
[Sidenote E: The leaves drop off the trees,]
[Sidenote F: the grass becomes gray, and all ripens and rots. ]
[Sidenote G: Winter winds round again,]
[Sidenote H: and then Sir Gawayne thinks of his dread journey. ]

III.

536 [A] 3et quyl al-hal-day with Ar? er he lenges,
& he made a fare on ? at fest, for ? e freke3 sake,
With much reuel & ryche of ? e rounde table;
Kny3te3 ful cortays & comlych ladies,
540 Al for luf of ? at lede in longynge ? ay were,
Bot neuer-? e-lece ne ? e later ? ay neuened bot mer? e,
Mony ioyle3 for ? at ientyle iape3 ? er maden.
[B] For aftter mete, with mournyng he mele3 to his eme,
544 & speke3 of his passage, & pertly he sayde,
[C] "Now, lege lorde of my lyf, leue I yow ask;
3e knowe ? e cost of ? is cace, kepe I no more
To telle yow tene3 ? er-of neuer bot trifel;
548 [D] Bot I am boun to ? e bur barely to morne,
To sech ? e gome of ? e grene, as god wyl me wysse. "
? enne ? e best of ? e bur3 bo3ed to-geder,
Aywan, & Errik, & o? er ful mony,
552 Sir Doddinaual de Sauage, ? e duk of Clarence, [Fol. 98b. ]
Launcelot, & Lyonel, & Lucan ? e gode,
Sir Boos, & sir Byduer, big men bo? e,
[E] & mony o? er menskful, with Mador de la Port.
556 Alle ? is compayny of court com ? e kyng nerre,
For to counseyl ? e kny3t, with care at her hert;
[F] ? ere wat3 much derue[1] doel driuen in ? e sale,
? at so worthe as Wawan schulde wende on ? at ernde,
560 To dry3e a delful dynt, & dele no more
wyth bronde.
? e kny3t mad ay god chere,
& sayde, "quat schuld I wonde,
564 [G] Of destines derf & dere,
What may mon do bot fonde? "

[Sidenote A: On All-hallows day Arthur makes a feast for his nephew's
sake. ]
[Sidenote B: After meat, Sir Gawayne thus speaks to his uncle:]
[Sidenote C: "Now, liege lord, I ask leave of you,]
[Sidenote D: for I am bound on the morn to seek the Green Knight. "]
[Sidenote E: Many nobles, the best of the court, counsel and comfort him. ]
[Sidenote F: Much sorrow prevails in the hall. ]
[Sidenote G: Gawayne declares that he has nothing to fear. ]
[Footnote 1: derne (? ). ]

IV.

[A] He dowelle3 ? er al ? at day, and dresse3 on ? e morn,
Aske3 erly hys arme3, & alle were ? ay bro3t
568 [B] Fyrst a tule tapit, ty3t ouer ? e flet,
& miche wat3 ? e gyld gere ? at glent ? er alofte;
[C] ? e stif mon steppe3 ? eron, & ? e stel hondole3,
[D] Dubbed in a dublet of a dere tars,
572 & sy? en a crafty capados, closed aloft,
? at wyth a bry3t blaunner was bounden with-inne;
[E] ? enne set ? ay ? e sabatoun3 vpon ? e segge fote3,
His lege3 lapped in stel with luflych greue3,
576 With polayne3 piched ? er-to, policed ful clene,
Aboute his kne3 knaged wyth knote3 of golde;
[F] Queme quyssewes ? en, ? at coyntlych closed
His thik ? rawen ? y3e3 with ? wonges to-tachched;
580 [G] & sy? en ? e brawden bryne of bry3t stel rynge3,
Vmbe-weued ? at wy3, vpon wlonk stuffe;
[H] & wel bornyst brace vpon his bo? e armes,
With gode cowters & gay, & gloue3 of plate,
584 & alle ? e godlych gere ? at hym gayn schulde
? at tyde;
[I] Wyth ryche cote armure,
[J] His gold spore3 spend with pryde,
588 [K] Gurde wyth a bront ful sure,
With silk sayn vmbe his syde.

[Sidenote A: On the morn he asks for his arms. ]
[Sidenote B: A carpet is spread on the floor,]
[Sidenote C: and he steps thereon. ]
[Sidenote D: He is dubbed in a doublet of Tarsic silk, and a well-made
hood. ]
[Sidenote E: They set steel slices on his feet, and lap his legs in steel
greaves. ]
[Sidenote F: Fair cuisses enclose his thighs,]
[Sidenote G: and afterwards they put on the steel habergeon,]
[Sidenote H: well-burnished braces, elbow pieces, and gloves of plate. ]
[Sidenote I: Over all this is placed the coat armour. ]
[Sidenote J: His spurs are then fixed,]
[Sidenote K: and his sword is attached to his side by a silken girdle. ]

V.

[A] When he wat3 hasped in armes, his harnays wat3 ryche, [Fol. 99a. ]
? e lest lachet ou[? ]er loupe lemed of golde;
592 So harnayst as he wat3 he herkne3 his masse,
Offred & honoured at ? e he3e auter;
[B] Sy? en he come3 to ? e kyng & to his cort fere3,
Lache3 lufly his leue at lorde3 & ladye3;
596 & ? ay hym kyst & conueyed, bikende hym to kryst.
[C] Bi ? at wat3 Gryngolet grayth, & gurde with a sadel,
? at glemed ful gayly with mony golde frenges,
Ay quere naylet ful nwe for ? at note ryched;
600 ? e brydel barred aboute, with bry3t golde bounden;
[D] ? e apparayl of ? e payttrure, & of ? e proude skyrte3,
? e cropore, & ? e couertor, acorded wyth ? e arsoune3;
& al wat3 rayled on red ryche golde nayle3,
604 ? at al glytered & glent as glem of ? e sunne.
[E] ? enne hentes he ? e holme, & hastily hit kysses,
? at wat3 stapled stifly, & stoffed wyth-inne:
Hit wat3 hy3e on his hede, hasped bihynde,
608 [F] Wyth a ly3tli vrysoun ouer ? e auentayle,
[G] Enbrawden & bounden wyth ? e best gemme3,
On brode sylkyn borde, & brydde3 on seme3,
As papiaye3 paynted pernyng bitwene,
612 Tortors & trulofe3 entayled so ? yk,
As mony burde ? er aboute had ben seuen wynter
in toune;
[H] ? e cercle wat3 more o prys,
616 ? at vmbe-clypped hys croun,
Of diamaunte3 a deuys,
? at bo? e were bry3t & broun.

[Sidenote A: Thus arrayed the knight hears mass,]
[Sidenote B: and afterwards takes leave of Arthur and his court. ]
[Sidenote C: By that time his horse Gringolet was ready,]
[Sidenote D: the harness of which glittered like the "gleam of the sun. "]
[Sidenote E: Then Sir Gawayne sets his helmet upon his head,]
[Sidenote F: fastened behind with a "urisoun,"]
[Sidenote G: richly embroidered with gems. ]
[Sidenote H: The circle around the helmet was decked with diamonds. ]

VI.

[A] Then ? ay schewed hym ? e schelde, ? at was of schyr goule3,
620 Wyth ? e pentangel de-paynt of pure golde hwe3;
He brayde3 hit by ? e baude-ryk, aboute ? e hals kestes,
? at bisemed ? e segge semlyly fayre.
[B] & quy ? e pentangel apende3 to ? at prynce noble,
624 I am in tent yow to telle, ? of tary hyt me schulde;
Hit is a syngne ? at Salamon set sum-quyle,
In bytoknyng of traw? e, bi tytle ? at hit habbe3,
For hit is a figure ? at halde3 fyue poynte3, [Fol. 99b]
628 & vche lyne vmbe-lappe3 & louke3 in o? er,
[C] & ay quere hit is endele3,[1] & Englych hit callen
Ouer-al, as I here, ? e endeles knot.
For-? y hit acorde3 to ? is kny3t, & to his cler arme3,
632 For ay faythful in fyue & sere fyue sy? e3,
[D] Gawan wat3 for gode knawen, & as golde pured,
Voyded of vche vylany, wyth vertue3[2] ennourned
in mote;
636 For-? y ? e pen-tangel nwe
He ber in schelde & cote,
[E] As tulk of tale most trwe,
& gentylest kny3t of lote.

[Sidenote A: Then they show him his shield with the "pentangle" of pure
gold. ]
[Sidenote B: The "pentangle" was devised by Solomon as a token of truth. ]
[Sidenote C: It is called the endless knot]
[Sidenote D: It well becomes the good Sir Gawayne,]
[Sidenote E: a knight the truest of speech and the fairest of form. ]
[Footnote 1: MS emdele3. ]
[Footnote 2: MS verertue3]

VII.

640 [A] Fyrst he wat3 funden fautle3 in his fyue wytte3,
& efte fayled neuer ? e freke in his fyue fyngres,
[B] & alle his afyaunce vpon folde wat3 in ? e fyue wounde3
?