e
comlokest
to discrye,
?
?
Gawaine and the Green Knight
' Let us have no more talk than when thou didst
strike off my head with a single blow. "
"Nay, by God! " quoth Gawayne, "I shall not begrudge thee thy will for
any harm that may happen, but will stand still while thou strikest. "
Then he stoops a little and shows his bare neck, unmoved by any fear.
The Green Knight takes up his "grim tool," and with all his force
raises it aloft, as if he meant utterly to destroy him. As the axe came
gliding down Gawayne "shrank a little with the shoulders from the sharp
iron. " The other withheld his weapon, and then reproved the prince with
many proud words. "Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed, that
never feared for no host by hill nor by vale, for now thou fleest for
fear before thou feelest harm (ll. 2247-2272). Such cowardice of that
knight did I never hear. I never flinched nor fled when thou didst aim
at me in King Arthur's house. My head flew to my feet and yet I never
fled, wherefore I deserve to be called the better man. "
Quoth Gawayne, "I shunted once, but will do so no more, though my head
fall on the stones. But hasten and bring me to the point; deal me my
destiny, and do it out of hand, for I shall stand thee a stroke and
start no more until thine axe has hit me--have here my troth. " "Have at
thee, then," said the other, and heaves the axe aloft, and looks as
savagely as if he were mad. He aims at the other mightily, but
withholds his hand ere it might hurt. Gawayne readily abides the blow
without flinching with any member, and stood still as a stone or a tree
fixed in rocky ground with a hundred roots.
Then merrily the other did speak, "Since now thou hast thy heart whole
it behoves me to strike, so take care of thy neck. " Gawayne answers
with great wroth, "Thrash on, thou fierce man, thou threatenest too
long; I believe thy own heart fails thee. "
"Forsooth," quoth the other, "since thou speakest so boldly, I will no
longer delay" (ll. 2273-2304). Then, contracting "both lips and brow,"
he made ready to strike, and let fall his axe on the bare neck of Sir
Gawayne. "Though he hammered" fiercely, he only "severed the hide,"
causing the blood to flow. When Gawayne saw his blood on the snow, he
quickly seized his helmet and placed it on his head. Then he drew out
his bright sword, and thus angrily spoke: "Cease, man, of thy blow, bid
me no more. I have received a stroke in this place without opposition,
but if thou givest me any more readily shall I requite thee, of that be
thou sure. Our covenant stipulates one stroke, and therefore now
cease. "
The Green Knight, resting on his axe, looks on Sir Gawayne, as bold and
fearless he there stood, and then with a loud voice thus addresses the
knight: "Bold knight, be not so wroth, no man here has wronged thee
(ll. 2305-2339); I promised thee a stroke, and thou hast it, so hold
thee well pleased. I could have dealt much worse with thee, and caused
thee much sorrow. Two blows I aimed at thee, for twice thou kissedst my
fair wife; but I struck thee not, because thou restoredst them to me
according to agreement. At the third time thou failedst, and therefore
I have given thee that tap. That woven girdle, given thee by my own
wife, belongs to me. I know well thy kisses, thy conduct also, and the
wooing of my wife, for I wrought it myself. I sent her to try thee, and
truly methinks thou art the most faultless man that ever on foot went.
Still, sir, thou wert wanting in good faith; but as it proceeded from
no immorality, thou being only desirous of saving thy life, the less I
blame thee. "
Gawayne stood confounded, the blood rushed into his face, and he shrank
within himself for very shame. "Cursed," he cried, "be cowardice and
covetousness both; in you are villany and vice, that virtue destroy. "
Then he takes off the girdle and throws it to the knight in green,
cursing his cowardice and covetousness. The Green Knight, laughing,
thus spoke: "Thou hast confessed so clean, and acknowledged thy faults,
that I hold thee as pure as thou hadst never forfeited since thou wast
first born. I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle as a token of thy
adventure at the Green Chapel. Come now to my castle, and we shall
enjoy together the festivities of the New Year" (ll. 2340-2406).
"Nay, forsooth," quoth the knight, "but for your kindness may God
requite you. Commend me to that courteous one your comely wife, who
with her crafts has beguiled me. But it is no uncommon thing for a man
to come to sorrow through women's wiles; for so was Adam beguiled with
one, and Solomon with many. Samson was destroyed by Delilah, and David
suffered much through Bathsheba. 'It were indeed great bliss for a
man to love them well and believe them not. ' Since the greatest
upon earth were so beguiled, methinks I should be excused. But God
reward you for your girdle, which I will ever wear in remembrance of my
fault, and when pride shall exalt me, a look to this love-lace shall
lessen it (ll. 2407-2438). But since ye are the lord of yonder land,
from whom I have received so much honour, tell me truly your right
name, and I shall ask no more questions. "
Quoth the other, "I am called Bernlak de Hautdesert, through might of
Morgain la Fay, who dwells in my house. Much has she learnt of Merlin,
who knows all your knights at home. She brought me to your hall for to
essay the prowess of the Round Table. She wrought this wonder to
bereave you of your wits, hoping to have grieved Guenever and
affrighted her to death by means of the man that spoke with his head in
his hand before the high table. She is even thine aunt, Arthur's half
sister; wherefore come to thine aunt, for all my household love thee. "
Gawayne refuses to accompany the Green Knight, and so, with many
embraces and kind wishes, they separate--the one to his castle, the
other to Arthur's court.
After passing through many wild ways, our knight recovers from the
wound in his neck, and at last comes safe and sound to the court of
King Arthur. Great then was the joy of all; the king and queen kiss
their brave knight, and make many enquiries about his journey. He tells
them of his adventures, hiding nothing--"the chance of the chapel, the
cheer of the knight, the love of the lady, and lastly of the lace. "
Groaning for grief and shame he shows them the cut in his neck, which
he had received for his unfaithfulness (ll. 2439-2504). The king and
his courtiers comfort the knight--they laugh loudly at his adventures,
and unanimously agree that those lords and ladies that belonged to the
Round Table, and each knight of the brotherhood should ever after wear
a bright green belt for Gawayne's sake. And he upon whom it was
conferred honoured it evermore after.
Thus in Arthur's time this adventure befell, whereof the "Brutus Books"
bear witness (ll. 2505-2530).
I need not say that the Brutus Books we possess do not contain the
legend here set forth, though it is not much more improbable than some of
the statements contained in them. If the reader desires to know the
relation in which this and the like stories stand to the original Arthur
legends, he will find it discussed in Sir F. Madden's Preface to his
edition of "Syr Gawayne," which also contains a sketch of the very
different views taken of Sir Gawayne by the different Romance writers.
Into this and other literary questions I do not enter here, as I
have nothing to add to Sir F. Madden's statements; but in the text of the
Poem I have differed from him in some few readings, which will be found
noticed in the Notes and Glossary.
As the manuscript is fast fading, I am glad that the existence of the Early
English Text Society has enabled us to secure a wider diffusion of its
contents before the original shall be no longer legible.
We want nothing but an increased supply of members to enable us to give to
a large circle of readers many an equally interesting record of Early
English minds.
* * * * *
NOTE: The Old English "yogh" characters have been translated both
upper and lower-case yoghs to digit 3's. There are Unicode
allocations for these (in HTML Ȝ and ȝ) but at present
no font which implements these. Substiting the digit 3 seemed a
workable compromise which anybody can read. The linked html
"Old English 'yogh' file" uses Ȝ and ȝ representations,
and is included for users with specialist fonts.
* * * * *
SYR GAWAYN AND THE GRENE KNY3T.
[FYTTE THE FIRST. ]
I.
[A] Si? en ? e sege & ? e assaut wat3 sesed at Troye, [Fol. 91a. ]
? e bor3 brittened & brent to bronde3 & aske3,
? e tulk ? at ? e trammes of tresoun ? er wro3t,
4 Wat3 tried for his tricherie, ? e trewest on erthe;
Hit wat3 Ennias ? e athel, & his highe kynde,
? at si? en depreced prouinces, & patrounes bicome
Welne3e of al ? e wele in ? e west iles,
8 [B] Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swy? e,
With gret bobbaunce ? at bur3e he biges vpon fyrst,
& neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now hat;
Ticius to Tuskan [turnes,] & teldes bigynnes;
12 Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes;
[C] & fer ouer ? e French flod Felix Brutus
On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he sette3,
wyth wynne;
16 [D] Where werre, & wrake, & wonder,
Bi sy? e3 hat3 wont ? er-inne,
[E] & oft bo? e blysse & blunder
Ful skete hat3 skyfted synne.
[Sidenote A: After the siege of Troy]
[Sidenote B: Romulus built Rome,]
[Sidenote C: and Felix Brutus founded Britain,]
[Sidenote D: a land of war and wonder,]
[Sidenote E: and oft of bliss and blunder. ]
II.
20 Ande quen ? is Bretayn wat3 bigged bi ? is burn rych,
[A] Bolde bredden ? er-inne, baret ? at lofden,
In mony turned tyme tene ? at wro3ten;
Mo ferlyes on ? is folde han fallen here oft
24 [B] ? en in any o? er ? at I wot, syn ? at ilk tyme.
[C] Bot of alle ? at here bult of Bretaygne kynges
Ay wat3 Arthur ? e hendest; as I haf herde telle;
For-? i an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, [Fol. 91b. ]
28 ? at a selly in si3t summe men hit holden,
& an outtrage awenture of Arthure3 wondere3;
[D] If 3e wyl lysten ? is laye bot on littel quile,
I schal telle hit, as-tit, as I in toun herde,
32 with tonge;
As hit is stad & stoken,
In stori stif & stronge,
With lel letteres loken,
36 In londe so hat3 ben longe.
[Sidenote A: Bold men increased in the Land,]
[Sidenote B: and many marvels happened. ]
[Sidenote C: Of all Britain's kings Arthur was the noblest. ]
[Sidenote D: Listen a while and ye shall hear the story of an "outrageous
adventure. "]
III.
[A] ? is kyng lay at Camylot vpon kryst-masse,
With mony luflych lorde, lede3 of ? e best,
[B] Rekenly of ? e rounde table alle ? o rich bre? er,
40 With rych reuel ory3t, & rechles mer? es;
? er tournayed tulkes bi-tyme3 ful mony,
Iusted ful Iolile ? ise gentyle kni3tes,
Sy? en kayred to ? e court, caroles to make.
44 [C] For ? er ? e fest wat3 ilyche ful fiften dayes,
With alle ? e mete & ? e mir? e ? at men cou? e a-vyse;
Such glaumande gle glorious to here,
Dere dyn vp-on day, daunsyng on ny3tes,
48 [D] Al wat3 hap vpon he3e in halle3 & chambre3,
With lorde3 & ladies, as leuest him ? o3t;
With all ? e wele of ? e worlde ? ay woned ? er samen,
[E] ? e most kyd kny3te3 vnder kryste seluen,
52 & ? e louelokkest ladies ? at euer lif haden,
& he ? e comlokest kyng ? at ? e court haldes;
For al wat3 ? is fayre folk in her first age,
on sille;
56 [F] ? e hapnest vnder heuen,
Kyng hy3est mon of wylle,
Hit were[1] now gret nye to neuen
So hardy a here on hille.
[Sidenote A: Arthur held at Camelot his Christmas feast,]
[Sidenote B: with all the knights of the Round Table,]
[Sidenote C: full fifteen days. ]
[Sidenote D: All was joy in hall and chamber,]
[Sidenote E: among brave knights and lovely ladies,]
[Sidenote F: the happiest under heaven. ]
[Footnote 1: MS. werere. ]
IV.
60 [A] Wyle nw 3er wat3 so 3ep ? at hit wat3 nwe cummen,
? at day doubble on ? e dece wat3 ? e douth serued,
Fro ? e kyng wat3 cummen with kny3tes in to ? e halle,
? e chauntre of ? e chapel cheued to an ende;
64 Loude crye wat3 ? er kest of clerke3 & o? er,
Nowel nayted o-newe, neuened ful ofte; [Fol. 92]
& sy? en riche forth runnen to reche honde-selle,
[B] 3e3ed 3eres 3iftes on hi3, 3elde hem bi hond,
68 Debated busyly aboute ? o giftes;
Ladies la3ed ful loude, ? o3 ? ay lost haden,
& he ? at wan wat3 not wrothe, ? at may 3e wel trawe.
[C] Alle ? is mir? e ? ay maden to ? e mete tyme;
72 When ? ay had waschen, wor? yly ? ay wenten to sete,
? e best burne ay abof, as hit best semed;
[D] Whene Guenore ful gay, gray? ed in ? e myddes.
Dressed on ? e dere des, dubbed al aboute,
76 Smal sendal bisides, a selure hir ouer
Of tryed Tolouse, of Tars tapites in-noghe,
? at were enbrawded & beten wyth ? e best gemmes,
? at my3t be preued of prys wyth penyes to bye,
80 in daye;
[E] ?
e comlokest to discrye,
? er glent with y3en gray,
A semloker ? at euer he sy3e,
84 Soth mo3t no mon say.
[Sidenote A: They celebrate the New Year with great joy. ]
[Sidenote B: Gifts are demanded and bestowed. ]
[Sidenote C: Lords and ladies take their seats at the table. ]
[Sidenote D: Queen Guenever appears gaily dressed. ]
[Sidenote E: A lady fairer of form might no one say he had ever before
seen. ]
V.
[A] Bot Arthure wolde not ete til al were serued,
He wat3 so Ioly of his Ioyfnes, & sum-quat child gered,
His lif liked hym ly3t, he louied ? e lasse
88 [B] Au? er to lenge lye, or to longe sitte,
So bi-sied him his 3onge blod & his brayn wylde;
& also ano? er maner meued him eke,
? at he ? ur3 nobelay had nomen, ho wolde neuer ete
92 Vpon such a dere day, er hym deuised were
[C] Of sum auenturus ? yng an vncou? e tale,
Of sum mayn meruayle, ? at he my3t trawe,
Of[1] alderes, of armes, of o? er auenturus,
96 O? er sum segg hym bi-so3t of sum siker kny3t,
To Ioyne wyth hym in iustyng in Ioparde to lay,
Lede lif for lyf, leue vchon o? er,
As fortune wolde fulsun hom ? e fayrer to haue.
100 ? is wat3 [? e] kynges countenaunce where he in court were,
At vch farand fest among his fre meny,
in halle; [Fol. 92b. ]
[D] ? er-fore of face so fere.
104 He sti3tle3 stif in stalle,
Ful 3ep in ? at nw 3ere,
Much mirthe he mas with alle.
[Sidenote A: Arthur would not eat,]
[Sidenote B: nor would he long sit]
[Sidenote C: until he had witnessed a "wondrous adventure" of some kind. ]
[Sidenote D: He of face so bold makes much mirth with all. ]
[Footnote 1: Of of, in MS. ]
VI.
[A] Thus ? er stondes in stale ? e stif kyng his-seluen,
108 Talkkande bifore ? e hy3e table of trifles ful hende
[B] There gode Gawan wat3 gray? ed, Gwenore bisyde
[C] & Agrauayn a la dure mayn on ? at o? er syde sittes
Bo? e ? e kynges sister sunes, & ful siker kni3tes;
112 [D] Bischop Bawdewyn abof bi-gine3 ? e table,
[E] & Ywan, Vryn son, ette wit hym-seluen;
? ise were di3t on ? e des, & derwor? ly serued,
& si? en mony siker segge at ? e sidborde3.
116 [F] ? en ? e first cors come with crakkyng of trumpes,
Wyth mony baner ful bry3t, ? at ? er-bi henged,
Nwe nakryn noyse with ? e noble pipes,
Wylde werbles & wy3t wakned lote,
120 ? at mony hert ful hi3e hef at her towches;
[G] Dayntes dryuen ? er-wyth of ful dere metes,
Foysoun of ? e fresche, & on so fele disches,
? at pine to fynde ? e place ? e peple bi-forne
124 For to sette ? e syluener,[1] ? at sere sewes halden,
on clothe;
Iche lede as he loued hym-selue
? er laght with-outen lo? e,
128 [H] Ay two had disches twelue,
[I] Good ber, & bry3t wyn bo? e.
[Sidenote A: The king talks with his knights. ]
[Sidenote B: Gawayne,]
[Sidenote C: Agravayn,]
[Sidenote D: Bishop Bawdewyn,]
[Sidenote E: and Ywain sit on the dais. ]
[Sidenote F: The first course is served with cracking of trumpets. ]
[Sidenote G: It consisted of all dainties in season. ]
[Sidenote H: Each two had dishes twelve,]
[Sidenote I: good beer and bright wine both. ]
[Footnote 1: svlueren (? ) (dishes). ]
VII.
[A] Now wyl I of hor seruise say yow no more,
For veh wy3e may wel wit no wont ? at ? er were;
132 [B] An o? er noyse ful newe ne3ed biliue,
? at ? e lude my3t haf leue lif-lode to cach.
For vne? e wat3 ? e noyce not a whyle sesed,
& ? e fyrst cource in ? e court kyndely serued,
136 [C] ? er hales in at ? e halle dor an aghlich mayster,
On ? e most on ? e molde on mesure hyghe;
Fro ? e swyre to ? e swange so sware & so ? ik,
[D] & his lyndes & his lymes so longe & so grete,
140 Half etayn in erde I hope ? at he were. [Fol. 93. ]
[E] Bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene,
& ? at ? e myriest in his muckel ? at my3t ride;
[F] For of bak & of brest al were his bodi sturne,
144 [G] Bot his wombe & his wast were worthily smale,
& alle his fetures fol3ande, in forme ? at he hade,
ful clene;
For wonder of his hwe men hade,
148 Set in his semblaunt sene;
He ferde as freke were fade,
& ouer-al enker grene.
[Sidenote A: There was no want of anything. ]
[Sidenote B: Scarcely had the first course commenced,]
[Sidenote C: when there rushes in at the hall-door a knight;]
[Sidenote D: the tallest on earth]
[Sidenote E: he must have been. ]
[Sidenote F: His back and breast were great,]
[Sidenote G: but his belly and waist were small. ]
VIII.
[A] Ande al gray? ed in grene ? is gome & his wedes,
152 A strayt cote ful stre3t, ? at stek on his sides,
A mere mantile abof, mensked with-inne,
With pelure pured apert ? e pane ful clene,
With bly? e blaunner ful bry3t, & his hod bo? e,
156 ? at wat3 la3t fro his lokke3, & layde on his schulderes
Heme wel haled, hose of ? at same grene,
[B] ? at spenet on his sparlyr, & clene spures vnder,
Of bry3t golde, vpon silk bordes, barred ful ryche
160 & scholes vnder schankes, ? ere ? e schalk rides;
& alle his vesture uerayly wat3 clene verdure,
Bo? e ? e barres of his belt & o? er bly? e stones,
? at were richely rayled in his aray clene,
164 [C] Aboutte hym-self & his sadel, vpon silk werke3,
? at were to tor for to telle of tryfles ? e halue,
? at were enbrauded abof, wyth bryddes & fly3es,
With gay gaudi of grene, ? e golde ay in myddes;
168 ? e pendauntes of his payttrure, ? e proude cropure
His molaynes, & alle ? e metail anamayld was ? enne
? e steropes ? at he stod on, stayned of ? e same,
& his arsoun3 al after, & his a? el sturtes,
172 ? at euer glemered[1] & glent al of grene stones.
[D] ? e fole ? at he ferkkes on, fyn of ? at ilke,
sertayn;
A grene hors gret & ? ikke,
176 [E] A stede ful stif to strayne,
In brawden brydel quik,
To ? e gome he wat3 ful gayn. [Fol. 93b. ]
[Sidenote A: He was clothed entirely in green. ]
[Sidenote B: His spurs were of bright gold. ]
[Sidenote C: His saddle was embroidered with birds and flies. ]
[Sidenote D: The foal that he rode upon was green;]
[Sidenote E: it was a steed full stiff to guide. ]
[Footnote 1: glemed (? ). ]
IX.
[A] Wel gay wat3 ? is gome gered in grene,
180 & ? e here of his hed of his hors swete;
Fayre fannand fax vmbe-foldes his schulderes;
[B] A much berd as[1] a busk ouer his brest henges,
? at wyth his hi3lich here, ? at of his hed reches,
184 Wat3 euesed al vmbe-torne, a-bof his elbowes,
? at half his armes ? er vnder were halched in ? e wyse
Of a kynge3 capados, ? at closes his swyre.
[C] ? e mane of ? at mayn hors much to hit lyke,
188 Wel cresped & cemmed wyth knottes ful mony,
Folden in wyth fildore aboute ? e fayre grene,
Ay a herle of ? e here, an o? er of golde;
[D] ? e tayl & his toppyng twynnen of a sute,
192 & bounden bo? e wyth a bande of a bry3t grene,
Dubbed wyth ful dere stone3, as ? e dok lasted,
Sy? en ? rawen wyth a ? wong a ? warle knot alofte,
? er mony belle3 ful bry3t of brende golde rungen.
196 [E] Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke ? at hym rydes,
Wat3 neuer sene in ? at sale wyth sy3t er ? at tyme,
with y3e;
He loked as layt so ly3t,
200 So sayd al ? at hym sy3e,
[F] Hit semed as no mon my3t,
Vnder his dyntte3 dry3e.
[Sidenote A: Gaily was the knight attired. ]
[Sidenote B: His great beard, like a bush, hung on his breast. ]
[Sidenote C: The horse's mane was decked with golden threads. ]
[Sidenote D: Its tail was bound with a green band. ]
[Sidenote E: Such a foal nor a knight were never before seen. ]
[Sidenote F: It seemed that no man might endure his dints. ]
[Footnote 1: as as, in MS. ]
X.
[A] Whe? er hade he no helme ne hawb[e]rgh nau? er,
204 Ne no pysan, ne no plate ? at pented to armes,
Ne no schafte, ne no schelde, to schwne ne to smyte,
[B] Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe,
? at is grattest in grene, when greue3 ar bare,
208 [C] & an ax in his o? er, a hoge & vn-mete,
A spetos spar? e to expoun in spelle quo-so my3t;
? e hede of an eln3erde ? e large lenk? e hade,
? e grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen,
212 [D] ? e bit burnyst bry3t, with a brod egge,
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores;
? e stele of a stif staf ? e sturne hit bi-grypte,
? at wat3 wounden wyth yrn to ? e wande3 ende, [Fol.
strike off my head with a single blow. "
"Nay, by God! " quoth Gawayne, "I shall not begrudge thee thy will for
any harm that may happen, but will stand still while thou strikest. "
Then he stoops a little and shows his bare neck, unmoved by any fear.
The Green Knight takes up his "grim tool," and with all his force
raises it aloft, as if he meant utterly to destroy him. As the axe came
gliding down Gawayne "shrank a little with the shoulders from the sharp
iron. " The other withheld his weapon, and then reproved the prince with
many proud words. "Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed, that
never feared for no host by hill nor by vale, for now thou fleest for
fear before thou feelest harm (ll. 2247-2272). Such cowardice of that
knight did I never hear. I never flinched nor fled when thou didst aim
at me in King Arthur's house. My head flew to my feet and yet I never
fled, wherefore I deserve to be called the better man. "
Quoth Gawayne, "I shunted once, but will do so no more, though my head
fall on the stones. But hasten and bring me to the point; deal me my
destiny, and do it out of hand, for I shall stand thee a stroke and
start no more until thine axe has hit me--have here my troth. " "Have at
thee, then," said the other, and heaves the axe aloft, and looks as
savagely as if he were mad. He aims at the other mightily, but
withholds his hand ere it might hurt. Gawayne readily abides the blow
without flinching with any member, and stood still as a stone or a tree
fixed in rocky ground with a hundred roots.
Then merrily the other did speak, "Since now thou hast thy heart whole
it behoves me to strike, so take care of thy neck. " Gawayne answers
with great wroth, "Thrash on, thou fierce man, thou threatenest too
long; I believe thy own heart fails thee. "
"Forsooth," quoth the other, "since thou speakest so boldly, I will no
longer delay" (ll. 2273-2304). Then, contracting "both lips and brow,"
he made ready to strike, and let fall his axe on the bare neck of Sir
Gawayne. "Though he hammered" fiercely, he only "severed the hide,"
causing the blood to flow. When Gawayne saw his blood on the snow, he
quickly seized his helmet and placed it on his head. Then he drew out
his bright sword, and thus angrily spoke: "Cease, man, of thy blow, bid
me no more. I have received a stroke in this place without opposition,
but if thou givest me any more readily shall I requite thee, of that be
thou sure. Our covenant stipulates one stroke, and therefore now
cease. "
The Green Knight, resting on his axe, looks on Sir Gawayne, as bold and
fearless he there stood, and then with a loud voice thus addresses the
knight: "Bold knight, be not so wroth, no man here has wronged thee
(ll. 2305-2339); I promised thee a stroke, and thou hast it, so hold
thee well pleased. I could have dealt much worse with thee, and caused
thee much sorrow. Two blows I aimed at thee, for twice thou kissedst my
fair wife; but I struck thee not, because thou restoredst them to me
according to agreement. At the third time thou failedst, and therefore
I have given thee that tap. That woven girdle, given thee by my own
wife, belongs to me. I know well thy kisses, thy conduct also, and the
wooing of my wife, for I wrought it myself. I sent her to try thee, and
truly methinks thou art the most faultless man that ever on foot went.
Still, sir, thou wert wanting in good faith; but as it proceeded from
no immorality, thou being only desirous of saving thy life, the less I
blame thee. "
Gawayne stood confounded, the blood rushed into his face, and he shrank
within himself for very shame. "Cursed," he cried, "be cowardice and
covetousness both; in you are villany and vice, that virtue destroy. "
Then he takes off the girdle and throws it to the knight in green,
cursing his cowardice and covetousness. The Green Knight, laughing,
thus spoke: "Thou hast confessed so clean, and acknowledged thy faults,
that I hold thee as pure as thou hadst never forfeited since thou wast
first born. I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle as a token of thy
adventure at the Green Chapel. Come now to my castle, and we shall
enjoy together the festivities of the New Year" (ll. 2340-2406).
"Nay, forsooth," quoth the knight, "but for your kindness may God
requite you. Commend me to that courteous one your comely wife, who
with her crafts has beguiled me. But it is no uncommon thing for a man
to come to sorrow through women's wiles; for so was Adam beguiled with
one, and Solomon with many. Samson was destroyed by Delilah, and David
suffered much through Bathsheba. 'It were indeed great bliss for a
man to love them well and believe them not. ' Since the greatest
upon earth were so beguiled, methinks I should be excused. But God
reward you for your girdle, which I will ever wear in remembrance of my
fault, and when pride shall exalt me, a look to this love-lace shall
lessen it (ll. 2407-2438). But since ye are the lord of yonder land,
from whom I have received so much honour, tell me truly your right
name, and I shall ask no more questions. "
Quoth the other, "I am called Bernlak de Hautdesert, through might of
Morgain la Fay, who dwells in my house. Much has she learnt of Merlin,
who knows all your knights at home. She brought me to your hall for to
essay the prowess of the Round Table. She wrought this wonder to
bereave you of your wits, hoping to have grieved Guenever and
affrighted her to death by means of the man that spoke with his head in
his hand before the high table. She is even thine aunt, Arthur's half
sister; wherefore come to thine aunt, for all my household love thee. "
Gawayne refuses to accompany the Green Knight, and so, with many
embraces and kind wishes, they separate--the one to his castle, the
other to Arthur's court.
After passing through many wild ways, our knight recovers from the
wound in his neck, and at last comes safe and sound to the court of
King Arthur. Great then was the joy of all; the king and queen kiss
their brave knight, and make many enquiries about his journey. He tells
them of his adventures, hiding nothing--"the chance of the chapel, the
cheer of the knight, the love of the lady, and lastly of the lace. "
Groaning for grief and shame he shows them the cut in his neck, which
he had received for his unfaithfulness (ll. 2439-2504). The king and
his courtiers comfort the knight--they laugh loudly at his adventures,
and unanimously agree that those lords and ladies that belonged to the
Round Table, and each knight of the brotherhood should ever after wear
a bright green belt for Gawayne's sake. And he upon whom it was
conferred honoured it evermore after.
Thus in Arthur's time this adventure befell, whereof the "Brutus Books"
bear witness (ll. 2505-2530).
I need not say that the Brutus Books we possess do not contain the
legend here set forth, though it is not much more improbable than some of
the statements contained in them. If the reader desires to know the
relation in which this and the like stories stand to the original Arthur
legends, he will find it discussed in Sir F. Madden's Preface to his
edition of "Syr Gawayne," which also contains a sketch of the very
different views taken of Sir Gawayne by the different Romance writers.
Into this and other literary questions I do not enter here, as I
have nothing to add to Sir F. Madden's statements; but in the text of the
Poem I have differed from him in some few readings, which will be found
noticed in the Notes and Glossary.
As the manuscript is fast fading, I am glad that the existence of the Early
English Text Society has enabled us to secure a wider diffusion of its
contents before the original shall be no longer legible.
We want nothing but an increased supply of members to enable us to give to
a large circle of readers many an equally interesting record of Early
English minds.
* * * * *
NOTE: The Old English "yogh" characters have been translated both
upper and lower-case yoghs to digit 3's. There are Unicode
allocations for these (in HTML Ȝ and ȝ) but at present
no font which implements these. Substiting the digit 3 seemed a
workable compromise which anybody can read. The linked html
"Old English 'yogh' file" uses Ȝ and ȝ representations,
and is included for users with specialist fonts.
* * * * *
SYR GAWAYN AND THE GRENE KNY3T.
[FYTTE THE FIRST. ]
I.
[A] Si? en ? e sege & ? e assaut wat3 sesed at Troye, [Fol. 91a. ]
? e bor3 brittened & brent to bronde3 & aske3,
? e tulk ? at ? e trammes of tresoun ? er wro3t,
4 Wat3 tried for his tricherie, ? e trewest on erthe;
Hit wat3 Ennias ? e athel, & his highe kynde,
? at si? en depreced prouinces, & patrounes bicome
Welne3e of al ? e wele in ? e west iles,
8 [B] Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swy? e,
With gret bobbaunce ? at bur3e he biges vpon fyrst,
& neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now hat;
Ticius to Tuskan [turnes,] & teldes bigynnes;
12 Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes;
[C] & fer ouer ? e French flod Felix Brutus
On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he sette3,
wyth wynne;
16 [D] Where werre, & wrake, & wonder,
Bi sy? e3 hat3 wont ? er-inne,
[E] & oft bo? e blysse & blunder
Ful skete hat3 skyfted synne.
[Sidenote A: After the siege of Troy]
[Sidenote B: Romulus built Rome,]
[Sidenote C: and Felix Brutus founded Britain,]
[Sidenote D: a land of war and wonder,]
[Sidenote E: and oft of bliss and blunder. ]
II.
20 Ande quen ? is Bretayn wat3 bigged bi ? is burn rych,
[A] Bolde bredden ? er-inne, baret ? at lofden,
In mony turned tyme tene ? at wro3ten;
Mo ferlyes on ? is folde han fallen here oft
24 [B] ? en in any o? er ? at I wot, syn ? at ilk tyme.
[C] Bot of alle ? at here bult of Bretaygne kynges
Ay wat3 Arthur ? e hendest; as I haf herde telle;
For-? i an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, [Fol. 91b. ]
28 ? at a selly in si3t summe men hit holden,
& an outtrage awenture of Arthure3 wondere3;
[D] If 3e wyl lysten ? is laye bot on littel quile,
I schal telle hit, as-tit, as I in toun herde,
32 with tonge;
As hit is stad & stoken,
In stori stif & stronge,
With lel letteres loken,
36 In londe so hat3 ben longe.
[Sidenote A: Bold men increased in the Land,]
[Sidenote B: and many marvels happened. ]
[Sidenote C: Of all Britain's kings Arthur was the noblest. ]
[Sidenote D: Listen a while and ye shall hear the story of an "outrageous
adventure. "]
III.
[A] ? is kyng lay at Camylot vpon kryst-masse,
With mony luflych lorde, lede3 of ? e best,
[B] Rekenly of ? e rounde table alle ? o rich bre? er,
40 With rych reuel ory3t, & rechles mer? es;
? er tournayed tulkes bi-tyme3 ful mony,
Iusted ful Iolile ? ise gentyle kni3tes,
Sy? en kayred to ? e court, caroles to make.
44 [C] For ? er ? e fest wat3 ilyche ful fiften dayes,
With alle ? e mete & ? e mir? e ? at men cou? e a-vyse;
Such glaumande gle glorious to here,
Dere dyn vp-on day, daunsyng on ny3tes,
48 [D] Al wat3 hap vpon he3e in halle3 & chambre3,
With lorde3 & ladies, as leuest him ? o3t;
With all ? e wele of ? e worlde ? ay woned ? er samen,
[E] ? e most kyd kny3te3 vnder kryste seluen,
52 & ? e louelokkest ladies ? at euer lif haden,
& he ? e comlokest kyng ? at ? e court haldes;
For al wat3 ? is fayre folk in her first age,
on sille;
56 [F] ? e hapnest vnder heuen,
Kyng hy3est mon of wylle,
Hit were[1] now gret nye to neuen
So hardy a here on hille.
[Sidenote A: Arthur held at Camelot his Christmas feast,]
[Sidenote B: with all the knights of the Round Table,]
[Sidenote C: full fifteen days. ]
[Sidenote D: All was joy in hall and chamber,]
[Sidenote E: among brave knights and lovely ladies,]
[Sidenote F: the happiest under heaven. ]
[Footnote 1: MS. werere. ]
IV.
60 [A] Wyle nw 3er wat3 so 3ep ? at hit wat3 nwe cummen,
? at day doubble on ? e dece wat3 ? e douth serued,
Fro ? e kyng wat3 cummen with kny3tes in to ? e halle,
? e chauntre of ? e chapel cheued to an ende;
64 Loude crye wat3 ? er kest of clerke3 & o? er,
Nowel nayted o-newe, neuened ful ofte; [Fol. 92]
& sy? en riche forth runnen to reche honde-selle,
[B] 3e3ed 3eres 3iftes on hi3, 3elde hem bi hond,
68 Debated busyly aboute ? o giftes;
Ladies la3ed ful loude, ? o3 ? ay lost haden,
& he ? at wan wat3 not wrothe, ? at may 3e wel trawe.
[C] Alle ? is mir? e ? ay maden to ? e mete tyme;
72 When ? ay had waschen, wor? yly ? ay wenten to sete,
? e best burne ay abof, as hit best semed;
[D] Whene Guenore ful gay, gray? ed in ? e myddes.
Dressed on ? e dere des, dubbed al aboute,
76 Smal sendal bisides, a selure hir ouer
Of tryed Tolouse, of Tars tapites in-noghe,
? at were enbrawded & beten wyth ? e best gemmes,
? at my3t be preued of prys wyth penyes to bye,
80 in daye;
[E] ?
e comlokest to discrye,
? er glent with y3en gray,
A semloker ? at euer he sy3e,
84 Soth mo3t no mon say.
[Sidenote A: They celebrate the New Year with great joy. ]
[Sidenote B: Gifts are demanded and bestowed. ]
[Sidenote C: Lords and ladies take their seats at the table. ]
[Sidenote D: Queen Guenever appears gaily dressed. ]
[Sidenote E: A lady fairer of form might no one say he had ever before
seen. ]
V.
[A] Bot Arthure wolde not ete til al were serued,
He wat3 so Ioly of his Ioyfnes, & sum-quat child gered,
His lif liked hym ly3t, he louied ? e lasse
88 [B] Au? er to lenge lye, or to longe sitte,
So bi-sied him his 3onge blod & his brayn wylde;
& also ano? er maner meued him eke,
? at he ? ur3 nobelay had nomen, ho wolde neuer ete
92 Vpon such a dere day, er hym deuised were
[C] Of sum auenturus ? yng an vncou? e tale,
Of sum mayn meruayle, ? at he my3t trawe,
Of[1] alderes, of armes, of o? er auenturus,
96 O? er sum segg hym bi-so3t of sum siker kny3t,
To Ioyne wyth hym in iustyng in Ioparde to lay,
Lede lif for lyf, leue vchon o? er,
As fortune wolde fulsun hom ? e fayrer to haue.
100 ? is wat3 [? e] kynges countenaunce where he in court were,
At vch farand fest among his fre meny,
in halle; [Fol. 92b. ]
[D] ? er-fore of face so fere.
104 He sti3tle3 stif in stalle,
Ful 3ep in ? at nw 3ere,
Much mirthe he mas with alle.
[Sidenote A: Arthur would not eat,]
[Sidenote B: nor would he long sit]
[Sidenote C: until he had witnessed a "wondrous adventure" of some kind. ]
[Sidenote D: He of face so bold makes much mirth with all. ]
[Footnote 1: Of of, in MS. ]
VI.
[A] Thus ? er stondes in stale ? e stif kyng his-seluen,
108 Talkkande bifore ? e hy3e table of trifles ful hende
[B] There gode Gawan wat3 gray? ed, Gwenore bisyde
[C] & Agrauayn a la dure mayn on ? at o? er syde sittes
Bo? e ? e kynges sister sunes, & ful siker kni3tes;
112 [D] Bischop Bawdewyn abof bi-gine3 ? e table,
[E] & Ywan, Vryn son, ette wit hym-seluen;
? ise were di3t on ? e des, & derwor? ly serued,
& si? en mony siker segge at ? e sidborde3.
116 [F] ? en ? e first cors come with crakkyng of trumpes,
Wyth mony baner ful bry3t, ? at ? er-bi henged,
Nwe nakryn noyse with ? e noble pipes,
Wylde werbles & wy3t wakned lote,
120 ? at mony hert ful hi3e hef at her towches;
[G] Dayntes dryuen ? er-wyth of ful dere metes,
Foysoun of ? e fresche, & on so fele disches,
? at pine to fynde ? e place ? e peple bi-forne
124 For to sette ? e syluener,[1] ? at sere sewes halden,
on clothe;
Iche lede as he loued hym-selue
? er laght with-outen lo? e,
128 [H] Ay two had disches twelue,
[I] Good ber, & bry3t wyn bo? e.
[Sidenote A: The king talks with his knights. ]
[Sidenote B: Gawayne,]
[Sidenote C: Agravayn,]
[Sidenote D: Bishop Bawdewyn,]
[Sidenote E: and Ywain sit on the dais. ]
[Sidenote F: The first course is served with cracking of trumpets. ]
[Sidenote G: It consisted of all dainties in season. ]
[Sidenote H: Each two had dishes twelve,]
[Sidenote I: good beer and bright wine both. ]
[Footnote 1: svlueren (? ) (dishes). ]
VII.
[A] Now wyl I of hor seruise say yow no more,
For veh wy3e may wel wit no wont ? at ? er were;
132 [B] An o? er noyse ful newe ne3ed biliue,
? at ? e lude my3t haf leue lif-lode to cach.
For vne? e wat3 ? e noyce not a whyle sesed,
& ? e fyrst cource in ? e court kyndely serued,
136 [C] ? er hales in at ? e halle dor an aghlich mayster,
On ? e most on ? e molde on mesure hyghe;
Fro ? e swyre to ? e swange so sware & so ? ik,
[D] & his lyndes & his lymes so longe & so grete,
140 Half etayn in erde I hope ? at he were. [Fol. 93. ]
[E] Bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene,
& ? at ? e myriest in his muckel ? at my3t ride;
[F] For of bak & of brest al were his bodi sturne,
144 [G] Bot his wombe & his wast were worthily smale,
& alle his fetures fol3ande, in forme ? at he hade,
ful clene;
For wonder of his hwe men hade,
148 Set in his semblaunt sene;
He ferde as freke were fade,
& ouer-al enker grene.
[Sidenote A: There was no want of anything. ]
[Sidenote B: Scarcely had the first course commenced,]
[Sidenote C: when there rushes in at the hall-door a knight;]
[Sidenote D: the tallest on earth]
[Sidenote E: he must have been. ]
[Sidenote F: His back and breast were great,]
[Sidenote G: but his belly and waist were small. ]
VIII.
[A] Ande al gray? ed in grene ? is gome & his wedes,
152 A strayt cote ful stre3t, ? at stek on his sides,
A mere mantile abof, mensked with-inne,
With pelure pured apert ? e pane ful clene,
With bly? e blaunner ful bry3t, & his hod bo? e,
156 ? at wat3 la3t fro his lokke3, & layde on his schulderes
Heme wel haled, hose of ? at same grene,
[B] ? at spenet on his sparlyr, & clene spures vnder,
Of bry3t golde, vpon silk bordes, barred ful ryche
160 & scholes vnder schankes, ? ere ? e schalk rides;
& alle his vesture uerayly wat3 clene verdure,
Bo? e ? e barres of his belt & o? er bly? e stones,
? at were richely rayled in his aray clene,
164 [C] Aboutte hym-self & his sadel, vpon silk werke3,
? at were to tor for to telle of tryfles ? e halue,
? at were enbrauded abof, wyth bryddes & fly3es,
With gay gaudi of grene, ? e golde ay in myddes;
168 ? e pendauntes of his payttrure, ? e proude cropure
His molaynes, & alle ? e metail anamayld was ? enne
? e steropes ? at he stod on, stayned of ? e same,
& his arsoun3 al after, & his a? el sturtes,
172 ? at euer glemered[1] & glent al of grene stones.
[D] ? e fole ? at he ferkkes on, fyn of ? at ilke,
sertayn;
A grene hors gret & ? ikke,
176 [E] A stede ful stif to strayne,
In brawden brydel quik,
To ? e gome he wat3 ful gayn. [Fol. 93b. ]
[Sidenote A: He was clothed entirely in green. ]
[Sidenote B: His spurs were of bright gold. ]
[Sidenote C: His saddle was embroidered with birds and flies. ]
[Sidenote D: The foal that he rode upon was green;]
[Sidenote E: it was a steed full stiff to guide. ]
[Footnote 1: glemed (? ). ]
IX.
[A] Wel gay wat3 ? is gome gered in grene,
180 & ? e here of his hed of his hors swete;
Fayre fannand fax vmbe-foldes his schulderes;
[B] A much berd as[1] a busk ouer his brest henges,
? at wyth his hi3lich here, ? at of his hed reches,
184 Wat3 euesed al vmbe-torne, a-bof his elbowes,
? at half his armes ? er vnder were halched in ? e wyse
Of a kynge3 capados, ? at closes his swyre.
[C] ? e mane of ? at mayn hors much to hit lyke,
188 Wel cresped & cemmed wyth knottes ful mony,
Folden in wyth fildore aboute ? e fayre grene,
Ay a herle of ? e here, an o? er of golde;
[D] ? e tayl & his toppyng twynnen of a sute,
192 & bounden bo? e wyth a bande of a bry3t grene,
Dubbed wyth ful dere stone3, as ? e dok lasted,
Sy? en ? rawen wyth a ? wong a ? warle knot alofte,
? er mony belle3 ful bry3t of brende golde rungen.
196 [E] Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke ? at hym rydes,
Wat3 neuer sene in ? at sale wyth sy3t er ? at tyme,
with y3e;
He loked as layt so ly3t,
200 So sayd al ? at hym sy3e,
[F] Hit semed as no mon my3t,
Vnder his dyntte3 dry3e.
[Sidenote A: Gaily was the knight attired. ]
[Sidenote B: His great beard, like a bush, hung on his breast. ]
[Sidenote C: The horse's mane was decked with golden threads. ]
[Sidenote D: Its tail was bound with a green band. ]
[Sidenote E: Such a foal nor a knight were never before seen. ]
[Sidenote F: It seemed that no man might endure his dints. ]
[Footnote 1: as as, in MS. ]
X.
[A] Whe? er hade he no helme ne hawb[e]rgh nau? er,
204 Ne no pysan, ne no plate ? at pented to armes,
Ne no schafte, ne no schelde, to schwne ne to smyte,
[B] Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe,
? at is grattest in grene, when greue3 ar bare,
208 [C] & an ax in his o? er, a hoge & vn-mete,
A spetos spar? e to expoun in spelle quo-so my3t;
? e hede of an eln3erde ? e large lenk? e hade,
? e grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen,
212 [D] ? e bit burnyst bry3t, with a brod egge,
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores;
? e stele of a stif staf ? e sturne hit bi-grypte,
? at wat3 wounden wyth yrn to ? e wande3 ende, [Fol.
