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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. 94. ]
216 [E] & al bigrauen with grene, in gracios[1] werkes;
A lace lapped aboute, ? at louked at ? e hede,
& so after ? e halme halched ful ofte,
Wyth tryed tassele3 ? erto tacched in-noghe,
220 [F] On botoun3 of ? e bry3t grene brayden ful ryche.
? is ha? el helde3 hym in, & ? e halle entres,
Driuande to ? e he3e dece, dut he no wo? e,
[G] Haylsed he neuer one, bot he3e he ouer loked.
224 ? e fyrst word ? at he warp, "wher is," he sayd,
[H] "? e gouernour of ? is gyng? gladly I wolde
Se ? at segg in sy3t, & with hym self speke
raysoun. "
228 To kny3te3 he kest his y3e,
& reled hym vp & doun,
[I] He stemmed & con studie,
Quo walt ? er most renoun.

[Sidenote A: The knight carried neither spear nor shield,]
[Sidenote B: In one hand was a holly bough,]
[Sidenote C: in the other an axe,]
[Sidenote D: the edge of which was as keen as a sharp razor,]
[Sidenote E: and the handle was encased in iron, curiously "graven with
green, in gracious works. "]
[Sidenote F: Thus arrayed the Green Knight enters the hall,]
[Sidenote G: without saluting any one. ]
[Sidenote H: He asks for the "governor" of the company,]
[Sidenote I: and looks for the most renowned. ]
[Footnote 1: looks like gracons in MS. ]

XI.

232 [A] Ther wat3 lokyng on len? e, ? e lude to be-holde,
For vch mon had meruayle quat hit mene my3t,
? at a ha? el & a horse my3t such a hwe lach,
[B] As growe grene as ? e gres & grener hit semed,
236 ? en grene aumayl on golde lowande bry3ter;
Al studied ? at ? er stod, & stalked hym nerre,
[C] Wyth al ? e wonder of ? e worlde, what he worch schulde.
For fele sellye3 had ? ay sen, bot such neuer are,
240 For-? i for fantoum & fayry3e ? e folk ? ere hit demed;
[D] ? er-fore to answare wat3 ar3e mony a? el freke,
& al stouned at his steuen, & stonstil seten,
[E] In a swoghe sylence ? ur3 ? e sale riche
244 As al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lote3
in hy3e;
I deme hit not al for doute,
[F] Bot sum for cortaysye,
248 Bot let hym ? at al schulde loute,
Cast vnto ? at wy3e.

[Sidenote A: Much they marvel to see a man and a horse]
[Sidenote B: as green as grass. ]
[Sidenote C: Never before had they seen such a sight as this. ]
[Sidenote D: They were afraid to answer,]
[Sidenote E: and were as silent as if sleep had taken possession of them;]
[Sidenote F: some from fear and others from courtesy. ]

XII.

[A] ? enn Ar? our bifore ? e hi3 dece ? at auenture byholde3,
& rekenly hym reuerenced, for rad was he neuer,
252 & sayde, "wy3e, welcum iwys to ? is place,
[B] ? e hede of ? is ostel Arthour I hat, [Fol. 94b. ]
Li3t luflych adoun, & lenge, I ? e praye,
& quat so ? y wylle is, we schal wyt after. "
256 [C] "Nay, as help me," quod ? e ha? el, "he ? at on hy3e syttes,
To wone any quyle in ? is won, hit wat3 not myn ernde;
Bot for ? e los of ? e lede is lyft vp so hy3e,
& ? y bur3 & ? y burnes best ar holden,
260 Stifest vnder stel-gere on stedes to ryde,
[D] ? e wy3test & ? e wor? yest of ? e worldes kynde,
Preue for to play wyth in o? er pure layke3;
& here is kydde cortaysye, as I haf herd carp,
264 & ? at hat3 wayned me hider, I-wyis, at ? is tyme.
3e may be seker bi ? is braunch ? at I bere here,
[E] ? at I passe as in pes, & no ply3t seche;
For had I founded in fere, in fe3tyng wyse,
268 [F] I haue a hauberghe at home & a helme bo? e,
A schelde, & a scharp spere, schinande bry3t,
Ande o? er weppenes to welde, I wene wel als,
Bot for I wolde no were, my wede3 ar softer.
272 Bot if ? ou be so bold as alle burne3 tellen,
? ou wyl grant me godly ? e gomen ? at I ask,
bi ry3t. "
[G] Arthour con onsware,
276 & sayd, "sir cortays kny3t,
If ? ou craue batayl bare,
Here fayle3 ? ou not to fy3t. "

[Sidenote A: Arthur salutes the Green Knight. ]
[Sidenote B: bids him welcome, and invites him to stay awhile. ]
[Sidenote C: The knight says that he will not tarry. ]
[Sidenote D: He seeks the most valiant that he may prove him. ]
[Sidenote E: He comes in peace. ]
[Sidenote F: At home, however, he has both shield and spear. ]
[Sidenote G: Arthur assures him that he shall not fail to find an opponent
worthy of him. ]

XIII.

[A] "Nay, frayst I no fy3t, in fayth I ? e telle,
280 [B] Hit arn aboute on ? is bench bot berdle3 chylder;
If I were hasped in armes on a he3e stede,
[C] Here is no mon me to mach, for my3te3 so[1] wayke.
For-? y I craue in ? is court a crystmas gomen,
284 [D] For hit is 3ol & nwe 3er, & here ar 3ep mony;
If any so hardy in ? is hous holde3 hym-seluen,
[E] Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede,
? at dar stifly strike a strok for an o? er,
288 I schal gif hym of my gyft ? ys giserne ryche,
[F] ? is ax, ? at is heue in-nogh, to hondele as hym lykes,
& I schal bide ? e fyrst bur, as bare as I sitte. [Fol. 95. ]
If any freke be so felle to fonde ? at I telle,
292 Lepe ly3tly me to, & lach ? is weppen,
I quit clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen,
[G] & I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on ? is flet,
Elle3 ? ou wyl di3t me ? e dom to dele hym an o? er,
296 barlay;
& 3et gif hym respite,
[H] A twelmonyth & a day;--
Now hy3e, & let se tite
300 Dar any her-inne o3t say. "

[Sidenote A: "I seek no fight," says the knight. ]
[Sidenote B: "'Here are only beardless children. ']
[Sidenote C: Here is no man to match me. ]
[Sidenote D: Here are brave ones many,]
[Sidenote E: if any be bold enough to 'strike a stroke for another,']
[Sidenote F: this axe shall be his;]
[Sidenote G: but I shall give him a 'stroke' in return]
[Sidenote H: within a twelvemonth and a day. "]
[Footnote 1: MS. fo. ]

XIV.

[A] If he hem stowned vpon fyrst, stiller were ? anne
Alle ? e hered-men in halle, ? e hy3 & ? e lo3e;
[B] ? e renk on his rounce hym ruched in his sadel,
304 & runisch-ly his rede y3en he reled aboute,
[C] Bende his bresed bro3e3, bly-cande grene,
[D] Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse.
When non wolde kepe hym with carp he co3ed ful hy3e,
308 Ande rimed hym ful richley, & ry3t hym to speke:
[E] "What, is ? is Ar? ures hous," quod ? e ha? el ? enne,
"? at al ? e rous rennes of, ? ur3 ryalmes so mony?
Where is now your sourquydrye & your conquestes,
312 Your gry[n]del-layk, & your greme, & your grete wordes?
[F] Now is ? e reuel & ? e renoun of ? e rounde table
Ouer-walt wyth a worde of on wy3es speche;
For al dares for drede, with-oute dynt schewed! "
316 Wyth ? is he la3es so loude, ? at ? e lorde greued;
[G] ? e blod schot for scham in-to his schyre face
& lere;
[H] He wex as wroth as wynde,
320 So did alle ? at ? er were
? e kyng as kene bi kynde,
? en stod ? at stif mon nere.

[Sidenote A: Fear kept all silent. ]
[Sidenote B: The knight rolled his red eyes about,]
[Sidenote C: and bent his bristly green brows. ]
[Sidenote D: Waving his beard awhile, he exclaimed:]
[Sidenote E: "What! is this Arthur's court? ]
[Sidenote F: Forsooth the renown of the Round Table is overturned 'with a
word of one man's speech. '"]
[Sidenote G: Arthur blushes for shame. ]
[Sidenote H: He waxes as wroth as the wind. ]

XV.

[A] Ande sayde, "ha? el, by heuen ? yn askyng is nys,
324 & as ? ou foly hat3 frayst, fynde ? e be-houes;
I know no gome ? at is gast of ? y grete wordes.
Gif me now ? y geserne, vpon gode3 halue,
& I schal bay? en ? y bone, ? at ? ou boden habbes. "
328 Ly3tly lepe3 he hym to, & la3t at his honde; [Fol. 95b. ]
? en feersly ? at o? er freke vpon fote ly3tis.