No More Learning

at krystmasse, as case hym ? en lymped.
908 [C] When ? e lorde hade lerned ? at he ? e leude hade,
Loude la3ed he ? erat, so lef hit hym ? o3t,
[D] & alle ? e men in ? at mote maden much joye,
To apere in his presense prestly ? at tyme,
912 ? at alle prys, & prowes, & pured ? ewes
Apendes to hys persoun, & praysed is euer,
By-fore alle men vpon molde, his mensk is ? e most.
[E] Vch segge ful softly sayde to his fere,
916 [F] "Now schal we semlych se sle3te3 of ? ewe3,
& ? e teccheles termes of talkyng noble,
Wich spede is in speche, vnspurd may we lerne,
[G] Syn we haf fonged ? at fyne fader of nurture;
920 God hat3 geuen vus his grace godly for so? e,
? at such a gest as Gawan graunte3 vus to haue,
When burne3 bly? e of his bur? e schal sitte
& synge.
924 In menyng of manere3 mere,
? is burne now schal vus bryng, [Fol. 103b. ]
[H] I hope ? at may hym here,
Schal lerne of luf-talkyng. "

[Sidenote A: Sir Gawayne, in answer to questions put to him,]
[Sidenote B: tells the prince that he is of Arthur's court. ]
[Sidenote C: When this was made known,]
[Sidenote D: great was the joy in the hall. ]
[Sidenote E: Each one said softly to his mate,]
[Sidenote F: "Now we shall see courteous manners and hear noble speech,]
[Sidenote G: for we have amongst us the 'father of nurture. ']
[Sidenote H: He that may him hear shall learn of love-talking. "]

XVIII.

928 [A] Bi ? at ? e diner wat3 done, & ? e dere vp,
Hit wat3 ne3 at ? e niy3t ne3ed ? e tyme;
Chaplayne3[1] to ? e chapeles chosen ? e gate,
Rungen ful rychely, ry3t as ? ay schulden,
932 [B] To ? e hersum euensong of ? e hy3e tyde.
? e lorde loutes ? erto, & ? e lady als,
In-to a comly closet coyntly ho entre3;
Gawan glyde3 ful gay, & gos ? eder sone;
936 ? e lorde laches hym by ? e lappe, & lede3 hym to sytte,
& cou? ly hym knowe3, & calle3 hym his nome,
& sayde he wat3 ? e welcomest wy3e of ? e worlde;
[C] & he hym ? onkked ? roly, & ay? er halched o? er.
940 & seten soberly samen ? e seruise-quyle;
? enne lyst ? e lady to loke on ? e kny3t.
[D] ? enne com ho of hir closet, with mony cler burde3,
Ho wat3 ? e fayrest in felle, of flesche & of lyre,
944 & of compas, & colour, & costes of alle o? er,
[E] & wener ? en Wenore, as ? e wy3e ? o3t.
He ches ? ur3 ? e chaunsel, to cheryche ? at hende;
[F] An o? er lady hir lad bi ? e lyft honde,
948 ? at wat3 alder ? en ho, an auncian hit semed,
& he3ly honowred with ha? ele3 aboute.
[G] Bot yn-lyke on to loke ? o ladyes were,
[H] For if ? e 3onge wat3 3ep, 3ol3e wat3 ? at o? er;
952 Riche red on ? at on rayled ay quere,
[I] Rugh ronkled cheke3 ? at o? er on rolled;
Kerchofes of ? at on wyth mony cler perle3
[J] Hir brest & hir bry3t ? rote bare displayed,
956 Schon schyrer ? en snawe, ? at scheder[2] on hille3;
? at o? er wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer ? e swyre,
Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk-quyte vayles,
[K] Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ay quere,
960 Toret & treieted with tryfle3 aboute,
[L] ? at no3t wat3 bare of ? at burde bot ? e blake bro3es. [Fol. 104. ]
? e tweyne y3en, & ? e nase, ? e naked lyppe3,
& ? ose were soure to se, & sellyly blered;
964 A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle,
for gode;
[M] Hir body wat3 schort & ? ik.
[N] Hir buttoke3 bay & brode,
968 More lykker-wys on to lyk,
Wat3 ? at scho hade on lode.

[Sidenote A: After dinner the company go to the chapel,]
[Sidenote B: to hear the evensong of the great season. ]
[Sidenote C: The lord of the castle and Sir Gawayne sit together during
service. ]
[Sidenote D: His wife, accompanied by her maids, leaves her seat. ]
[Sidenote E: She appeared even fairer than Guenever. ]
[Sidenote F: An older lady (an ancient one she seemed) led her by the
hand. ]
[Sidenote G: Very unlike were these two. ]
[Sidenote H: if the young one was fair the other was yellow,]
[Sidenote I: and had rough and wrinkled cheeks. ]
[Sidenote J: The younger had breast and throat "bare displayed. "]
[Sidenote K: The ancient one exposed only her "black brows," her two eyes,]
[Sidenote L: nose, and naked lips, all sour and bleared. ]
[Sidenote M: Her body was short and thick;]
[Sidenote N: her buttocks broad and round. ]
[Footnote 1: MS. [claplayne3. ]]
[Footnote 2: schedes (? ). ]

XIX.

[A] When Gawayn gly3t on ? at gay, ? at graciously loked,
Wyth leue la3t of ? e lorde he went hem a3aynes;
972 [B] ? e alder he haylses, heldande ful lowe,
? e loueloker he lappe3 a lyttel in arme3,
[C] He kysses hir comlyly, & kny3tly he mele3;
? ay kallen hym of a quoyntaunce, & he hit quyk aske3
976 [D] To be her seruaunt sothly, if hem-self lyked.
? ay tan hym bytwene hem, wyth talkyng hym leden
[E] To chambre, to chemne, & chefly ? ay asken
[F] Spyce3, ? at vn-sparely men speded hom to bryng,
980 & ? e wynne-lych wyne ? er-with vche tyme.
? e lorde luflych aloft lepe3 ful ofte,
Mynned merthe to be made vpon mony sy? e3.
[G] Hent he3ly of his hode, & on a spere henged,
984 & wayned hom to wynne ? e worchip ? er-of,
[H] ? at most myr? e my3t mene[1] ? at crystenmas whyle;
"& i schal fonde, bi my fayth, to fylter wyth ? e best,
Er me wont ? e wede3, with help of my frende3. "
988 ? us wyth la3ande lote3 ? e lorde hit tayt[2] make3,
[I] For to glade sir Gawayn with gomne3 in halle
? at ny3t;
Til ? at hit wat3 tyme,
992 ? e kyng comaundet ly3t,
[J] Sir Gawen his leue con nyme,
& to his bed hym di3t.

[Sidenote A: With permission of the lord,]
[Sidenote B: Sir Gawayne salutes the elder,]
[Sidenote C: but the younger he kisses,]
[Sidenote D: and begs to be her servant. ]
[Sidenote E: To chamber all go,]
[Sidenote F: where spices and wine are served. ]
[Sidenote G: The lord takes off his hood and places it on a spear. ]
[Sidenote H: He who makes most mirth is to win it. ]
[Sidenote I: Night approaches, and then]
[Sidenote J: Sir Gawayne takes his leave and retires to rest. ]
[Footnote 1: meue (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: layt (? ). ]

XX.

[A] On ? e morne, as vch mon myne3 ? at tyme,
996 [B] [? ]at dry3tyn for oure destyne to de3e wat3 borne,
Wele waxe3 in vche a won in worlde, for his sake;
[C] So did hit ? ere on ? at day, ? ur3 dayntes mony;
Bo? e at mes & at mele, messes ful quaynt [Fol. 104b. ]
1000 Derf men vpon dece drest of ? e best.
[D] ? e olde auncian wyf he3est ho sytte3;
? e lorde lufly her by lent, as I trowe;
[E] Gawan & ? e gay burde to-geder ? ay seten,
1004 Euen in-mydde3, as ? e messe metely come;
& sy? en ? ur3 al ? e sale, as hem best semed,
[F] Bi vche grome at his degre gray? ely wat3 serued.
? er wat3 mete, ? er wat3 myr? e, ? er wat3 much ioye,
1008 ? at for to telle ? erof hit me tene were,
& to poynte hit 3et I pyned me parauenture;
[G] Bot 3et I wot ? at Wawen & ? e wale burde
Such comfort of her compaynye ca3ten to-geder,
1012 ? ur3 her dere dalyaunce of her derne worde3,
Wyth clene cortays carp, closed fro fyl? e;
& hor play wat3 passande vche prynce gomen,
in vayres;
1016 [H] Trumpe3 & nakerys,
Much pypyng ? er repayres,
Vche mon tented hys,
& ? ay two tented ? ayres.

[Sidenote A: On Christmas morn,]
[Sidenote B: joy reigns in every dwelling in the world. ]
[Sidenote C: So did it in the castle where our knight abode. ]
[Sidenote D: The lord and "the old ancient wife" sit together. ]
[Sidenote E: Gawayne sits by the wife of his host.
]
[Sidenote F: It were too tedious to tell of the meat, the mirth, and the
joy that abounded everywhere. ]
[Sidenote G: Gawayne and his beautiful companion derive much comfort from
each other's conversation. ]
[Sidenote H: Trumpets and nakers give forth their sounds. ]

XXI.

1020 [A] Much dut wat3 ? er dryuen ? at day & ? at o? er,
& ? e ? ryd as ? ro ? ronge in ? erafter;
[B] ? e ioye of sayn Ione3 day wat3 gentyle to here,
& wat3 ? e last of ? e layk, leude3 ? er ? o3ten.
1024 ? er wer gestes to go vpon ? e gray morne,
For-? y wonderly ? ay woke, & ? e wyn dronken,
Daunsed ful dre3ly wyth dere carole3;
[C] At ? e last, when hit wat3 late, ? ay lachen her leue,
1028 Vchon to wende on his way, ? at wat3 wy3e stronge.
Gawan gef hym god-day, ? e god mon hym lachche3,
Ledes hym to his awen chambre, ? [e] chymne bysyde,
[D] & ? ere he dra3e3 hym on-dry3e, & derely hym ? onkke3,
1032 Of ? e wynne worschip &[1] he hym wayned hade,
As to honour his hous on ? at hy3e tyde,
& enbelyse his bur3 with his bele chere.
"I-wysse sir, quyl I leue, me wor? e3 ? e better,
1036 ? at Gawayn hat3 ben my gest, at Godde3 awen fest. " [Fol. 105. ]
"Grant merci[2] sir," quod Gawayn, "in god fayth hit is yowre3,
Al ? e honour is your awen, ? e he3e kyng yow 3elde;
& I am wy3e at your wylle, to worch youre hest,
1040 As I am halden ? er-to, in hy3e & in lo3e,
bi ri3t. "
[E] ? e lorde fast can hym payne,
To holde lenger ? e kny3t,
1044 To hym answre3 Gawayn,
Bi non way ? at he my3t.

[Sidenote A: Great was the joy for three days. ]
[Sidenote B: St. John's-day was the last of the Christmas festival. ]
[Sidenote C: On the morrow many of the guests took their departure from the
castle. ]
[Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne is thanked by his host for the honour and pleasure
of his visit. ]
[Sidenote E: He endeavours to keep the knight at his court. ]
[Footnote 1: ? at (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: nerci, in MS. ]

XXII.

[A] Then frayned ? e freke ful fayre at him-seluen,
Quat derne[1] dede had hym dryuen, at ? at dere tyme,
1048 So kenly fro ? e kynge3 kourt to kayre al his one,
Er ? e halidaye3 holly were halet out of toun?
[B] "For so? e sir," quod ? e segge, "3e sayn bot ? e traw? e
A he3e ernde & a hasty me hade fro ? o wone3,
1052 For I am sumned my selfe to sech to a place,
I wot[2] in worlde wheder warde to wende, hit to fynde;
I nolde, bot if I hit negh my3t on nw3eres morne,
For alle ? e londe in-wyth Logres, so me oure lorde help!
1056 For-? y, sir, ? is enquest I require yow here,
[C] ? at 3e me telle with traw? e, if euer 3e tale herde
Of ? e grene chapel, quere hit on grounde stonde3,
& of ? e kny3t ? at hit kepes, of colour of grene?
1060 ? er wat3 stabled bi statut a steuen vus by-twene,
[D] To mete ? at mon at ? at mere, 3if I my3t last;
& of ? at ilk nw3ere hot neked now wonte3,
& I wolde loke on ? at lede, if God me let wolde,
1064 Gladloker, bi Godde3 sun, ? en any god welde!
For-? i, I-wysse, bi 3owre wylle, wende me bi-houes,
[E] Naf I now to busy bot bare ? re daye3,
& me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde. "
1068 [F] ? enne la3ande quod ? e lorde, "now leng ? e by-houes,
For I schal teche yow to ? a[t] terme bi ? e tyme3 ende,
? e grene chapayle vpon grounde, greue yow no more;
Bot 3e schal be in yowre bed, burne, at ? yn ese,
1072 Quyle forth dayej, & ferk on pe fyrst of pe 3ere,
& cum to ? at merk at mydmorn, to make quat yow like3 [Fol. 105b]
in spenne;
Dowelle3 whyle new 3eres daye,
1076 & rys, & rayke3 ? enne,
[G] Mon schal yow sette in waye,
Hit is not two myle henne. "

[Sidenote A: He desires to know what had driven Sir Gawayne from Arthur's
court before the end of the Christmas holidays. ]
[Sidenote B: The knight replies that "a high errand and a hasty one" had
forced him to leave the court. ]
[Sidenote C: He asks his host whether he has ever heard of the Green
Chapel,]
[Sidenote D: for he has to be there on New Year's-day. ]
[Sidenote E: He wonld as lief die as fail in his errand. ]
[Sidenote F: The prince tells Sir Gawayne that he will teach him the way. ]
[Sidenote G: The Green chapel is not more than two miles from the castle. ]
[Footnote 1: derue (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: not (? ). ]

XXIII.

[A] ? enne wat3 Gawan ful glad, & gomenly he la3ed,--
1080 "Now I ? onk yow ? ryuandely ? ur3 alle o? er ? ynge,
[B] Now acheued is my chaunce, I schal at your wylle
Dowelle, & elle3 do quat 3e demen. "
? enne sesed hym ? e syre, & set hym bysyde,
1084 [C] Let ? e ladie3 be fette, to lyke hem ? e better;
? er wat3 seme solace by hem-self stille;
? e lorde let for luf lote3 so myry,
As wy3 ? at wolde of his wyte, ne wyst quat he my3t.
1088 ? enne he carped to ? e kny3t, criande loude,
[D] "3e han demed to do ? e dede ? at I bidde;
Wyl 3e halde ? is hes here at ? ys one3? "
"3e sir, for-so? e," sayd ? e segge trwe,
1092 "Whyl I byde in yowre bor3e, be bayn to 3ow[r]e hest. "
"For 3e haf trauayled," quod ? e tulk, "towen fro ferre,
& sy? en waked me wyth, 3e arn not wel waryst,
[E] Nau? er of sostnaunce ne of slepe, so? ly I knowe;
1096 3e schal lenge in your lofte, & ly3e in your ese,
[F] To morn quyle ? e messe-quyle, & to mete wende,
When 3e wyl, wyth my wyf, ? at wyth yow schal sitte,
& comfort yow with compayny, til I to cort torne,
1100 3e lende;
& I schal erly ryse,
On huntyng wyl I wende. "
[G] Gauayn grante3 alle ? yse,
1104 Hym heldande, as ? e hende.

[Sidenote A: Then was Gawayne glad,]
[Sidenote B: and consents to tarry awhile at the castle. ]
[Sidenote C: The ladies are brought in to solace him. ]
[Sidenote D: The lord of the castle asks the knight to grant him one
request;]
[Sidenote E: That he will stay in his chamber during mass time,]
[Sidenote F: and then go to meat with his hostess. ]
[Sidenote G: Gawayne accedes to his request. ]

XXIV.

[A] "3et firre," quod ? e freke, "a forwarde we make;
Quat-so-euer I wynne in ? e wod, hit wor? e3 to youre3,
[B] & quat chek so 3e acheue, chaunge me ? er-forne;
1108 Swete, swap we so, sware with traw? e,
Que? er, leude, so lymp lere o? er better. "
"Bi God," quod Gawayn ? e gode, "I grant ? er-tylle,
& ? at yow lyst forto layke, lef hit me ? ynkes. [Fol. 106. ]
1112 [C] "Who bringe3 vus ? is beuerage, ? is bargayn is maked:"
So sayde ? e lorde of ? at lede; ? ay la3ed vchone,
? ay dronken, & daylyeden, & dalten vnty3tel,[1]
? ise lorde3 & ladye3, quyle ? at hem lyked;
1116 & sy? en with frenkysch fare & fele fayre lote3
? ay stoden, & stemed, & stylly speken,
Kysten ful comlyly, & ka3ten her leue.
[D] With mony leude ful ly3t, & lemande torches,
1120 Vche burne to his bed wat3 bro3t at ? e laste,
ful softe;
To bed 3et er ? ay 3ede,
Recorded couenaunte3 ofte;
1124 ? e olde lorde of ? at leude,[2]
Cow? e wel halde layk a-lofte.

[Sidenote A: "Whatsoever," says the host, "I win in the wood shall be
yours,]
[Sidenote B: and what check you achieve shall be mine. "]
[Sidenote C: A bargain is made between them. ]
[Sidenote D: Night approaches and each "to his bed was brought at the
last. "]
[Footnote 1: vntyl ny3te (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: lede (? ). ]

[FYTTE THE THIRD. ]

I.

[A] Ful erly bifore ? e day ? e folk vp-rysen,
Gestes ? at go wolde, hor grome3 ? ay calden,
1128 [B] & ? ay busken vp bilyue, blonkke3 to sadel,
Tyffen he[r] takles, trussen her males,
Richen hem ? e rychest, to ryde alle arayde,
Lepen vp ly3tly, lachen her brydeles,
1132 [C] Vche wy3e on his way, ? er hym wel lyked.