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e best fowre.
? at ar in Ar? ure3 hous, Hestor[1] o? er o? er.
He cheue3 ? at chaunce at ? e chapel grene;
2104 [F] ? er passes non bi ? at place, so proude in his armes,
? at he ne dynne3 hym to de? e, with dynt of his honde;
For he is a mon methles, & mercy non vses,
[G] For be hit chorle, o? er chaplayn, ? at bi ? e chapel rydes,
2108 Monk, o? er masse-prest, o? er any mon elles,
Hym ? ynk as queme hym to quelle, as quyk go hym seluen.
For-? y I say ? e as so? e as 3e in sadel sitte,
Com 3e ? ere, 3e be kylled, [I] may ? e kny3t rede,
2112 Trawe 3e me ? at trwely, ? a3 3e had twenty lyues
to spende;
[H] He hat3 wonyd here ful 3ore,
On bent much baret bende,
2116 [I] A3ayn his dynte3 sore,
3e may not yow defende. "

[Sidenote A: "I have brought you hither,]
[Sidenote B: ye are not now far from the noted place. ]
[Sidenote C: Full perilous is it esteemed. ]
[Sidenote D: The lord of that 'waste' is stiff and stern. ]
[Sidenote E: His body is bigger 'than the best four in Arthur's house. ']
[Sidenote F: None passes by the Green Chapel, 'that he does not ding to
death with dint of his hand. ']
[Sidenote G: For be it churl or chaplain, monk, mass-priest, 'or any man
else,' he kills them all. ]
[Sidenote H: He has lived there full long. ]
[Sidenote I: Against his dints sore ye may not defend you. ]
[Footnote 1: Hector (? ). ]

VI.

[A] "For-? y, goude sir Gawayn, let ? e gome one,
& got3 a-way sum o? er gate; vpon Godde3 halue;
2120 [B] Cayre3 bi sum o? er kyth, ? er Kryst mot yow spede;
& I schal hy3 me hom a3ayn, & hete yow fyrre,
[C] ? at I schal swere bi God, & alle his gode hal3e3, [Fol. 119b. ]
As help me God & ? e halydam, & o? e3 in-noghe,
2124 ? at I schal lelly yow layne, & lance neuer tale,
? at euer 3e fondet to fle, for freke ? at I wyst. "
"Grant merci;" quod Gawayn, & gruchyng he sayde,
"Wel worth ? e wy3e, ? at wolde3 my gode,
2128 & ? at lelly me layne, I leue wel ? ou wolde3!
[D] Bot helde ? ou hit neuer so holde, & I here passed,
Founded for ferde for to fle, in fourme ? at ? ou telle3,
I were a kny3t kowarde, I my3t not[1] be excused.
2132 [E] Bot I wy1 to ? e chape1, for chaunce ? at may falle,
& talk wyth ? at ilk tulk ? e tale ? at me lyste,
Wor? e hit wele, o? er wo, as ? e wyrde lyke3
hit hafe;
2136 [F] ? a3e he be a sturn knape,
To sti3tel, &[2] stad with staue,
[G] Ful wel con dry3tyn schape,
His seruaunte3 forto saue. "

[Sidenote A: Wherefore, good Sir Gawayne, let this man alone. ]
[Sidenote B: Go by some other region,]
[Sidenote C: I swear by God and all His saints, that I will never say that
ever ye attempted to flee from any man. "]
[Sidenote D: Gawayne replies that to shun this danger would mark him as a
"coward knight. "]
[Sidenote E: To the Chapel, therefore, he will go,]
[Sidenote F: though the owner thereof were a stern knave. ]
[Sidenote G: "Full well can God devise his servants for to save. "]
[Footnote 1: mot, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: & &, in MS. ]

VII.

2140 [A] "Mary! " quod ? at o? er mon, "now ? ou so much spelle3,
? at ? ou wylt ? yn awen nye nyme to ? y-seluen,
& ? e lyst lese ? y lyf, ? e lette I ne kepe;
[B] Haf here ? i helme on ? y hede, ? i spere in ? i honde,
2144 & ryde me doun ? is ilk rake, bi 3on rokke syde,
[C] Til ? ou be bro3t to ? e bo? em of ? e brem valay;
[D] ? enne loke a littel on ? e launde, on ? i lyfte honde,
[E] & ? ou schal se in ? at slade ? e self chapel,
2148 & ? e borelych burne on bent, ? at hit kepe3.
Now fare3 wel on Gode3 half, Gawayn ? e noble,
For alle ? e golde vpon grounde I nolde go with ? e,
Ne bere ? e fela3schip ? ur3 ? is fryth on fote fyrre. "
2152 [F] Bi ? at ? e wy3e in ? e wod wende3 his brydel,
Hit ? e hors with ? e hele3, as harde as he my3t,
Lepe3 hym ouer ? e launde, & leue3 ? e kny3t ? ere,
al one.
2156 [G] "Bi Godde3 self," quod Gawayn,
"I wyl nau? er grete ne grone,
[H] To Godde3 wylle I am ful bayn,
& to hym I haf me tone. "

[Sidenote A: "Mary! " quoth the other, "since it pleases thee to lose thy
life,]
[Sidenote B: take thy helmet on thy head, and thy spear in thy hand, and
ride down this path by yon rock-side,]
[Sidenote C: till thou come to the bottom of the valley;]
[Sidenote D: look a little to the left,]
[Sidenote E: and thou shalt see the Chapel itself and the man that guards
it. "]
[Sidenote F: Having thus spoken the guide takes leave of the knight. ]
[Sidenote G: "By God's self," says Sir Gawayne, "I will neither weep nor
groan. ]
[Sidenote H: To God's will I am full ready. "]

VIII.

2160 [A] Thenne gyrde3 he to Gryngolet, & gedere3 ? e rake, [Fol. 120. ]
Schowue3 in bi a schore, at a scha3e syde,
[B] Ride3 ? ur3 ? e ro3e bonk, ry3t to ? e dale;
& ? enne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym ? o3t,
2164 [C] & se3e no syngne of resette, bisyde3 nowhere,
Bot hy3e bonkke3 & brent, vpon bo? e halue,
& ru3e knokled knarre3, with knorned stone3;
? e skwe3 of ? e scowtes skayued[1] hym ? o3t.
2168 ? enne he houed, & wyth-hylde his hors at ? at tyde,
& ofte chaunged his cher, ? e chapel to seche;
[D] He se3 non suche in no syde, & selly hym ? o3t,
Sone a lyttel on a launde, a lawe as hit we[re];
2172 [E] A bal3 ber3, bi a bonke, ? e brymme by-syde,
Bi a for3 of a flode, ? at ferked ? are;
? e borne blubred ? er-inne, as hit boyled hade.
[F] ? e kny3t kache3 his caple, & com to ? e lawe,
2176 [G] Li3te3 doun luflyly, & at a lynde tache3
? e rayne, & his riche, with a ro3e braunche;
[H] ? en[n]e he bo3e3 to ? e ber3e, aboute hit he walke,
D[e]batande with hym-self, quat hit be my3t.
2180 Hit hade a hole on ? e ende, & on ay? er syde,
& ouer-growen with gresse in glodes ay where,
& al wat3 hol3 in-with, nobot an olde caue,
[I] Or a creuisse of an olde cragge, he cou? e hit no3t deme
2184 with spelle,
"We,[2] lorde," quod ? e gentyle kny3t,
"Whe? er ? is be ? e grene chapelle;
[J] He my3t aboute myd-ny3t,
2188 [? ]e dele his matynnes telle! "

[Sidenote A: Then he pursues his journey,]
[Sidenote B: rides through the dale, and looks about. ]
[Sidenote C: He sees no sign of a resting-place, but only high and steep
banks. ]
[Sidenote D: No chapel could he discern. ]
[Sidenote E: At last he sees a hill by the side of a stream;]
[Sidenote F: thither he goes,]
[Sidenote G: alights and fastens his horse to a branch of a tree. ]
[Sidenote H: He walks around the hill, debating with himself what it might
be,]
[Sidenote I: and at last finds an old cave in the crag. ]
[Sidenote J: He prays that about midnight he may tell his matins. ]
[Footnote 1: skayned (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: wel (? ). ]

IX.

[A] "Now i-wysse," quod Wowayn, "wysty is here;
? is oritore is vgly, with erbe3 ouer-growen;
[B] Wel biseme3 ? e wy3e wruxled in grene
2192 Dele here his deuocioun, on ? e deuele3 wyse;
Now I fele hit is ? e fende, in my fyue wytte3,
? at hat3 stoken me ? is steuen, to strye me here;
[C] ? is is a chapel of meschaunce, ? at chekke hit by-tyde,
2196 Hit is ? e corsedest kyrk, ? at euer i com inne! "
With he3e helme on his hede, his launce in his honde, [Fol. 120b. ]
[D] He rome3 vp to ? e rokke of ? o ro3 wone3;
? ene herde he of ? at hy3e hil, in a harde roche,
2200 [E] Bi3onde ? e broke, in a bonk, a wonder breme noyse,
[F] Quat!
hit clatered in ? e clyff, as hit cleue schulde,
As one vpon a gryndelston hade grounden a sy? e;
[G] What! hit wharred, & whette, as water at a mulne,
2204 What! hit rusched, & ronge, raw? e to here.
? enne "bi Godde," quod Gawayn, "? at gere as[1] I trowe,
Is ryched at ? e reuerence, me renk to mete,
bi rote;
2208 Let God worche we loo,
[H] Hit helppe3 me not a mote,
My lif ? a3 I for-goo,
Drede dot3 me no lote. "

[Sidenote A: "Truly," says Sir Gawayne, "a desert is here,]
[Sidenote B: a fitting place for the man in green to 'deal here his
devotions in devil fashion. ']
[Sidenote C: It is most cursed kirk that ever I entered. "]
[Sidenote D: Roaming about he hears a loud noise,]
[Sidenote E: from beyond the brook. ]
[Sidenote F: It clattered like the grinding of a scythe on a grindstone. ]
[Sidenote G: It whirred like a mill-stream. ]
[Sidenote H: "Though my life I forgo," says the knight, "no noise shall
terrify me. "]
[Footnote 1: at, in MS. ]

X.

2212 [A] Thenne ? e kny3t con calle ful hy3e,
[B] "Who sti3tle3 in ? is sted, me steuen to holde?
[C] For now is gode Gawayn goande ry3t here,
If any wy3e o3t wyl wynne hider fast,
2216 O? er now, o? er neuer, his nede3 to spede. "
[D] "Abyde," quod on on ? e bonke, abouen ouer his hede,
"& ? ou schal haf al in hast, ? at I ? e hy3t ones. "
3et he rusched on ? at rurde, rapely a ? rowe,
2220 & wyth quettyng a-wharf, er he wolde ly3t;
[E] & sy? en he keuere3 bi a cragge, & come3 of a hole,
Whyrlande out of a wro, wyth a felle weppen,
[F] A dene3 ax nwe dy3t, ? e dynt with [t]o 3elde
2224 With a borelych bytte, bende by ? e halme,
Fyled in a fylor, fowre fote large,
Hit wat3 no lasse, bi ? at lace ? at lemed ful bry3t.
[G] & ? e gome in ? e erene gered as fyrst,
2228 Bo? e ? e lyre & ? e legge3, lokke3, & berde,
Saue ? at fayre on his fote he founde3 on ? e er? e,
Sette ? e stele to ? e stone, & stalked bysyde.
[H] When he wan to ? e watter, ? er he wade nolde,
2232 He hypped ouer on hys ax, & orpedly stryde3,
Bremly bro? e on a bent, ? at brode wat3 a-boute,
on snawe.
[I] Sir Gawayn ? e kny3t con mete. [Fol. 121. ]
2236 He ne lutte hym no ? yng lowe,
[J] ? at o? er sayde, "now, sir swete,
Of steuen mon may ? e trowe. "

[Sidenote A: Then cried he aloud,]
[Sidenote B: "Who dwells here discourse with me to hold? "]
[Sidenote C: Now is the good Gawayne going aright]
[Sidenote D: He hears a voice commanding him to abide where he is. ]
[Sidenote E: Soon there comes out of a hole, with a fell weapon,]
[Sidenote F: a Danish axe, quite new,]
[Sidenote G: the "knight in green," clothed as before. ]
[Sidenote H: When he reaches the stream, he hops over and strides about. ]
[Sidenote I: He meets Sir Gawayne without obeisance. ]
[Sidenote J: The other tells him that he is now ready for conversation]

XI.

[A] "Gawayn," quod ? at grene gome, "God ? e mot loke!
2240 I-wysse ? ou art welcom,[1] wy3e, to my place,
[B] & ? ou hat3 tymed ? i trauayl as true[2] mon schulde;
[C] & ? ou knowe3 ? e couenaunte3 kest vus by-twene,
At ? is tyme twelmonyth ? ou toke ? at ? e falled,
2244 [D] & I schulde at ? is nwe 3ere 3eply ? e quyte.
[E] & we ar in ? is valay, verayly oure one,
Here ar no renkes vs to rydde, rele as vus like3;
[F] Haf ? y[3] helme of ? y hede, & haf here ? y pay;
2248 Busk no more debate ? en I ? e bede ? enne,
"When ? ou wypped of my hede at a wap one. "
[G] "Nay, bi God," quod Gawayn, "? at me gost lante,
I schal gruch ? e no grwe, for grem ? at falle3;
2252 Botsty3tel ? e vpon on strok, & I schal stonde stylle,
& warp ? e no wernyng, to worch as ? e lyke3,
no whare. "
[H] He lened with ? e nek, & lutte,
2256 & schewed ? at schyre al bare,
& lette as he no3t dutte,
[I] For drede he wolde not dare.

[Sidenote A: "God preserve thee! " 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.