No More Learning

ayn he were,
[B] & more for his meschef, 3if he schulde make synne,
& be traytor to ? at tolke, ? at ? at telde a3t.
1776 "God schylde," quod ? e schalk, "? at schal not be-falle! "
With luf-la3yng a lyt, he layd hym by-syde
Alle ? e speche3 of specialte ? at sprange of her mouthe.
Quod ? at burde to ? e burne, "blame 3e disserue,
1780 3if 3e luf not ? at lyf ? at 3e lye nexte,
Bifore alle ? e wy3e3 in ? e worlde, wounded in hert,
[C] Bot if 3e haf a lemman, a leuer, ? at yow lyke3 better,
& folden fayth to ? at fre, festned so harde,
1784 ? at yow lausen ne lyst, & ? at I leue nou? e; [Fol. 115. ]
And ? at 3e telle me ? at, now trwly I pray yow,
For alle ? e lufe3 vpon lyue, layne not ? e so? e,
for gile. "
1788 [D] ? e kny3t sayde, "be sayn Ion,"
& sme? ely con he smyle,
"In fayth I welde ri3t non,
Ne non wil welde ? e quile. "

[Sidenote A: The knight is sorely pressed. ]
[Sidenote B: He fears lest he should become a traitor to his host. ]
[Sidenote C: The lady inquire whether he has a mistress that he loves
better than her. ]
[Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne swears by St. John that he neither has nor desires
one. ]

XXVII.

1792 "? at is a worde," quod ? at wy3t, "? at worst is of alle,
Bot I am swared for so? e, ? at sore me ? inkke3;
[A] Kysse me now coraly, & I schal cach he? en,
I may bot mourne vpon molde, as may ? at much louyes. "
1796 Sykande ho swe3e doun, & semly hym kyssed,
& si? en ho seueres hym fro, & says as ho stondes,
"Now, dere, at ? is de-partyng, do me ? is ese,
[B] Gif me sumquat of ? y gifte, ? i gloue if[1] hit were,
1800 [C] ? at I may mynne on ? e mon, my mournyng to lassen. "
"Now Iwysse," quod ? at wy3e, "I wolde I hade here
? e leuest ? ing for ? y luf, ? at I in londe welde,
[D] For 3e haf deserued, forso? e, sellyly ofte
1804 More rewarde bi resoun, ? en I reche my3t,
Bot to dele yow for drurye, ? at dawed bot neked;
Hit is not your honour to haf at ? is tyme
A gloue for a garysoun, of Gawayne3 gifte3,
1808 & I am here [on] an erande in erde3 vncou? e,
[E] & haue no men wyth no male3, with menskful ? inge3;
? at mislyke3 me, lade, for luf at ? is tyme,[2]
Iche tolke mon do as he is tan, tas to non ille,
1812 ne pine. "
[F] "Nay, hende of hy3e honours,"
Quod ? at lufsum vnder lyne,
[G] "? a3 I hade o3t[3] of youre3,
1816 3et schulde 3e haue of myne. "

[Sidenote A: She then kisses him, sighing for sorrow. ]
[Sidenote B: She desires some gift,]
[Sidenote C: by which to remember him. ]
[Sidenote D: Gawayne tells her that she is worthy of a better gift than he
can bestow. ]
[Sidenote E: He has no men with mails containing precious things. ]
[Sidenote F: Then says that lovesome,]
[Sidenote G: "Though I had nought of yours, yet should ye have of mine. "]
[Footnote 1: of, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: tyne, in MS. ]
[Footnote 3: no3t (? ). ]

XXVIII.

[A] Ho ra3t hym a riche rynk[1] of red golde werke3,
Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte,
? at bere blusschande beme3 as ? e bry3t sunne;
1820 Wyt 3e wel, hit wat3 worth wele ful hoge.
[B] Bot ? e renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde,
"I wil no gifte3 for gode, my gay, at ? is tyme; [Fol. 115b. ]
[C] I haf none yow to norne, ne no3t wyl I take. "
1824 Ho bede hit hym ful bysily, & he hir bode wernes,
& swere swyftel[y] his sothe, ? at he hit sese nolde;
[D] & ho sore ? at he forsoke, & sayde ? er-after,
"If 3e renay my rynk, to ryche for hit seme3,
1828 3e wolde not so hy3ly halden be to me,
I schal gif yow my girdel, ? at gaynes yow lasse. "
Ho la3t a lace ly3tly, ? at[2] leke vmbe hir syde3,
[E] Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder ? e clere mantyle,
1832 Gered hit wat3 with grene sylke, & with golde schaped,
No3t bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngre3;
& ? at ho bede to ? e burne, & bly? ely bi-so3t
[F] ? a3 hit vn-wor? i were, ? at he hit take wolde.
1836 & he nay ? at he nolde neghe in no wyse,
[G] Nau? er golde ne garysoun, er God hym grace sende,
To acheue to ? e chaunce ? at he hade chosen ? ere.
"& ? erfore, I pray yow, displese yow no3t,
1840 & lette3 be your bisinesse, for I bay? e hit yow neuer
to graunte;
I am derely to yow biholde,
Bi-cause of your sembelaunt,
1844 [H] & euer in hot & colde
To be your trwe seruaunt.

[Sidenote A: She offers him a gold ring,]
[Sidenote B: but he refuses to accept it,]
[Sidenote C: as he has none to give in return. ]
[Sidenote D: Very sorrowful was that fair one on account of his refusal. ]
[Sidenote E: She takes off her "girdle,"]
[Sidenote F: and beseeches him to take it. ]
[Sidenote G: Gawayne again refuses to accept anything,]
[Sidenote H: but promises, "ever in hot and in cold, to be her true
servant. "]
[Footnote 1: ryng (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: ? at ? at, in MS. ]

XXIX.

[A] "Now forsake 3e ? is silke. " sayde ? e burde ? enne,
"For hit is symple in hit-self. & so hit wel seme3?
1848 Lo! so hit is littel, & lasse hit is wor? y;
[B] Bot who-so knew ? e costes ? at knit ar ? er-inne,
He wolde hit prayse at more prys, parauenture;
[C] For quat gome so is gorde with ? is grene lace,
1852 While he hit hade hemely halched aboute,
? er is no ha? el vnder heuen to-hewe hym ? at my3t;
[D] For he my3t not he slayn, for sly3t vpon er? e. "
? en kest ? e kny3t, & hit come to his hert,
1856 [E] Hit were a Iuel for ? e Ioparde, ? at hym iugged were,
When he acheued to ? e chapel, his chek forto fech;
[F] My3[1] he haf slypped to ? e vn-slayn, ? e sle3t were noble.
? enne ho ? ulged with hir ? repe, & ? oled hir to speke, [Fol. 116. ]
1860 & ho bere on hym ? e belt, & bede hit hym swy? e,
[G] & he granted, & [ho] hym gafe with a goud wylle,
& biso3t hym, for hir sake, disceuer hit neuer,
Bot to lelly layne for[2] hir lorde; ? e leude hym acorde3.
1864 ? at neuer wy3e schulde hit wyt, Iwysse, bot ? ay twayne,
for no3te;
He ? onkked hir oft ful swy? e,
Ful ? ro with hert & ? o3t.
1868 [H] Bi ? at on ? rynne sy? e,
He hat3 kyst ? e kny3t so to3t.

[Sidenote A: "Do you refuse it," says the lady, because it is simple? ]
[Sidenote B: Whoso knew the virtues that it possesses, would highly prize
it. ]
[Sidenote C: For he who is girded with this green lace,]
[Sidenote D: cannot be wounded or slain. "]
[Sidenote E: The knight thinks of his adventure at the Green Chapel. ]
[Sidenote F: The lady presses him to accept the lace. ]
[Sidenote G: He consents not only to take the girdle, but to keep the
possession of it a secret. ]
[Sidenote H: By that time the lady has kissed him thrice. ]
[Footnote 1: my3t (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: fro (? ). ]

XXX.

[A] Thenne lachche3 ho hir leue, & leue3 hym ? ere,
For more myr? e of ? at mon mo3t ho not gete;
1872 [B] When ho[1] wat3 gon, sir G. gere3 hym sone,
Rises, & riches hym in araye noble,
[C] Lays vp ? e luf-lace, ? e lady hym ra3t,
Hid hit ful holdely, ? er he hit eft fonde;
1876 Sy? en cheuely to ? e chapel choses he ? e waye,
[D] Preuely aproched to a prest, & prayed hym ? ere
? at he wolde lyfte[2] his lyf, & lern hym better,
How his sawle schulde be saued, when he schuld seye he? en.
1880 [E] ? ere he schrof hym schyrly, & schewed his mysdede3,
Of ? e more & ?
e mynne, & merci beseche3,
[F] & of absolucioun he on ? e segge calles;
& he asoyled hym surely, & sette hym so clene,
1884 [G] As dome3-day schulde haf ben di3t on ? e morn.
& sy? en he mace hym as mery among ? e fre ladyes,
[H] With comlych caroles, & alle kynnes ioye,
As neuer he did bot ? at daye, to ? e derk ny3t,
1888 with blys;
Vche mon hade daynte ? are,
[I] Of hym, & sayde Iwysse,
[J] ? us myry he wat3 neuer are,
1892 Syn he com hider, er ? is.

[Sidenote A: Then she takes her leave. ]
[Sidenote B: Gawayne then dresses himself,]
[Sidenote C: and conceals the love-lace about his person. ]
[Sidenote D: He then hies to mass,]
[Sidenote E: and shrives him of his misdeeds. ]
[Sidenote F: and prays for absolution. ]
[Sidenote G: He returns to the hall, and makes himself so merry among the
ladies,]
[Sidenote H: with comely carols,]
[Sidenote I: that they said,]
[Sidenote J: "Thus merry was he never before since hither he came. "]
[Footnote 1: he, in MS. ]
[Footnote 2: lyste (? ). ]

XXXI.

[A] Now hym lenge in ? at lee, ? er luf hym bi-tyde;
3et is ? e lorde on ? e launde, ledande his gomnes,
[B] He hat3 forfaren ? is fox, ? at he fol3ed longe;
1896 As he sprent ouer a spenne, to spye ? e schrewe,
? er as he herd ? e howndes, ? at hasted hym swy? e, [Fol. 116b. ]
[C] Renaud com richchande ? ur3 a ro3e greue,
& alle ? e rabel in a res, ry3t at his hele3.
1900 [D] ? e wy3e wat3 war of ? e wylde, & warly abides,
& brayde3 out ? e bry3t bronde, & at ? e best caste3;
& he schunt for ? e scharp, & schulde haf arered,
[E] A rach rapes hym to, ry3t er he my3t,
1904 & ry3t bifore ? e hors fete ? ay fel on hym alle,
& woried me ? is wyly wyth a wroth noyse.
[F] ? e lorde ly3te3 bilyue, & cache3 by[1] sone,
Rased hym ful radly out of ? e rach mou? es,
1908 Halde3 he3e ouer his hede, halowe3 faste,
& ? er bayen hym mony bray[2] hounde3;
[G] Huntes hy3ed hem ? eder, with horne3 ful mony,
Ay re-chatande ary3t til ? ay ? e renk se3en;
1912 Bi ? at wat3 comen his compeyny noble,
Alle ? at euer ber bugle blowed at ones,
[H] & alle ? ise o? er halowed, ? at hade no hornes,
Hit wat3 ? e myriest mute ? at euer men herde,
1916 ? e rich rurd ? at ? er wat3 raysed for renaude saule,
with lote;
[I] Hor hounde3 ? ay ? er rewarde,
Her[3] hede3 ? ay fawne & frote,
1920 [J] & sy? en ? ay tan reynarde,
& tyrnen of his cote.

[Sidenote A: Gawayne's host is still in the field. ]
[Sidenote B: He has destroyed the fox. ]
[Sidenote C: He spied Reynard coming through a "rough grove,"]
[Sidenote D: and tried to hit him with his sword. ]
[Sidenote E: The fox "shunts," and is seized by one of the dogs. ]
[Sidenote F: The lord takes him out of the hound's mouth. ]
[Sidenote G: Hunters hasten thither with horns full many. ]
[Sidenote H: It was the merriest meet that ever was heard. ]
[Sidenote I: The hounds are rewarded,]
[Sidenote J: and then they take Reynard and "turn off his coat. "]
[Footnote 1: hym (? ). ]
[Footnote 2: bra? (? ). ]
[Footnote 3: Her her, in MS. ]

XXXII.

[A] & ? enne ? ay helden to home, for hit wat3 nie3 ny3t,
Strakande ful stoutly in hor store horne3;
1924 [B] ? e lorde is ly3t at ? e laste at hys lef home,
Fynde3 fire vpon flet, ? e freke ? er by-side,
Sir Gawayn ? e gode, ? at glad wat3 with alle,
[C] Among ? e ladies for luf he ladde much ioye,
1928 He were a bleaunt of blwe, ? at bradde to ? e er? e,
His surkot semed hym wel, ? at softe wat3 forred,
& his hode of ? at ilke henged on his schulder,
[D] Blande al of blaunner were bo? e al aboute.
1932 He mete3 me ? is god mon in mydde3 ? e flore,
& al with gomen he hym gret, & goudly he sayde,
"I schal fylle vpon fyrst oure forwarde3 nou? e,
? at we spedly han spoken, ? er spared wat3 no drynk;" [Fol. 117. ]
1936 [E] ? en acoles he [? e] kny3t, & kysses hym ? ryes,
[F] As sauerly & sadly as he hem sette cou? e.
[G] "Bi Kryst," quod ? at o? er kny3t, "3e cach much sele,
In cheuisaunce of ? is chaffer, 3if 3e hade goud chepe3. "
1940 "3e of ? e chepe no charg," quod chefly ? at o? er,
"As is pertly payed ? e chepe3 ? at I a3te. "
"Mary," quod ? at o? er mon, "myn is bi-hynde,
[H] For I haf hunted al ? is day, & no3t haf I geten,
1944 [I] Bot ? is foule fox felle, ? e fende haf ? e gode3,
[J] & ? at is ful pore, for to pay for suche prys ? inges,
As 3e haf ? ry3t me here, ? ro suche ? re cosses,
so gode. "
1948 "I-no3," quod sir Gawayn,
"I ? onk yow, bi ? e rode;"
[K] & how ? e fox wat3 slayn,
He tolde hym, as ? ay stode.

[Sidenote A: The hunters then hasten home. ]
[Sidenote B: The lord at last alights at his dear home,]
[Sidenote C: where he finds Gawayne amusing the ladies. ]
[Sidenote D: The knight comes forward and welcomes his host,]
[Sidenote E: and according to covenant kisses him thrice. ]
[Sidenote F: (See l. 1868. )]
[Sidenote G: "By Christ," says the other, "ye have had much bliss! "]
[Sidenote H: I have hunted all day and have gotten nothing,]
[Sidenote I: but the skin of this foul fox,]
[Sidenote J: a poor reward for three such kisses. "]
[Sidenote K: He then tells him how the fox was slain. ]

XXXIII.

1952 [A] With mer? e & mynstralsye, wyth mete3 at hor wylle,
? ay maden as mery as any men mo3ten,
With la3yng of ladies, with lote3 of bordes;
Gawayn & ? e gode mon so glad were ? ay bo? e,
1956 Bot if ? e douthe had doted, o? er dronken ben o? er,
Bo? e ? e mon & ? e meyny maden mony iape3,
[B] Til ? e sesoun wat3 se3en, ? at ? ay seuer moste;
Burne3 to hor bedde be-houed at ? e laste.
1960 [C] ? enne lo3ly his leue at ? e lorde fyrst
Fochche3 ? is fre mon, & fayre he hym ? onkke3;
[D] "Of such a sellyly[1] soiorne, as I haf hade here,
Your honour, at ? is hy3e fest, ? e hy3e kyng yow 3elde!
1964 I 3ef yow me for on of youre3, if yowre-self lyke3,
For I mot nedes, as 3e wot, meue to morne;
[E] & 3e me take sum tolke, to teche, as 3e hy3t,
? e gate to ? e grene chapel, as god wyl me suffer
1968 To dele, on nw3ere3 day, ? e dome of my wyrdes. "
"In god fay? e," quod ? e god mon. "wyth a goud wylle;
Al ? at euer I yow hy3t, halde schal I rede. "
[F] ? er asyngnes he a seruaunt, to sett hym in ? e waye,
1972 & coundue hym by ? e downe3, ? at he no drechch had, [Fol. 117b. ]
For to f[e]rk ? ur3 ? e fryth, & fare at ? e gaynest,
bi greue.
? e lorde Gawayn con ? onk,
1976 Such worchip he wolde hym weue;
[G] ? en at ? o ladye3 wlonk.
? e kny3t hat3 tan his leue.

[Sidenote A: With much mirth and minstrelsy they made merry,]
[Sidenote B: until the time came for them to part. ]
[Sidenote C: Gawayne takes leave of his host. ]
[Sidenote D: and thanks him for his happy "sojourn. "]
[Sidenote E: He asks for a man to teach him the way to the Green Chapel. ]
[Sidenote F: A servant is assigned to him,]
[Sidenote G: and then he takes leave of the ladies,]
[Footnote 1: selly (?