XVII.

[A] Thenne lo3e at oer leude, & luflyly sayde, "I halde hit hardily[1] hole, e harme at I hade; [B] ou art confessed so clene, be-knowen of y mysses, 2392 & hat3 e penaunce apert, of e poynt of myn egge, [C] I halde e polysed of at ply3t, & pured as clene, As ou hade3 neuer forfeted, syen ou wat3 fyrst borne. [D] & I gif e, sir, e gurdel at is golde hemmed; 2396 For hit is grene as my goune, sir G:, 3e maye enk vpon is ilke repe, er ou forth rynge3 Among prynces of prys, & is a pure token [E] Of e chaunce of e grene chapel, at cheualrous kny3te3; 2400 [F] & 3e schal in is nwe 3er a3ayn to my wone3, & we schyn reuel e remnaunt of is ryche fest, ful bene." er laed hym fast e lorde, 2404 & sayde, "with my wyf, I wene, We schal yow wel acorde, at wat3 your enmy kene."

[Sidenote A: Then the other, laughing, thus spoke:] [Sidenote B: "Thou art confessed so clean,] [Sidenote C: that I hold thee as pure as if thou hadst never been guilty.] [Sidenote D: I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle,] [Sidenote E: as a token of thy adventure at the Green Chapel.] [Sidenote F: Come again to my abode, and abide there for the remainder of the festival."] [Footnote 1: hardilyly, in MS.]

XVIII.

[A] "Nay, for soe," quod e segge, & sesed hys helme, 2408 & hat3 hit of hendely, & e hael onkke3, [B] "I haf soiorned sadly, sele yow bytyde, & he 3elde hit yow 3are, at 3arkke3 al menskes! [C] & comaunde3 me to at cortays, your comlych fere, 2412 Boe at on & at oer, myn honoured ladye3. at us hor kny3t wyth hor kest han koyntly bigyled. [D] Bot hit is no ferly, a3 a fole madde, & ur3 wyles of wymmen be wonen to sor3e; 2416 [E] For so wat3 Adam in erde with one bygyled, & Salamon with fele sere, & Samson eft sone3, Dalyda dalt hym hys wyrde, & Dauyth er-after Wat3 blended with Barsabe, at much bale oled. 2420 Now ese were wrathed wyth her wyles, hit were a wynne huge, [F] To luf hom wel, & leue hem not, a leude at coue, For es wer forne[1] e freest at fol3ed alle e sele, [Fol.] Ex-ellently of alle yse oer, vnder heuen-ryche, [123b.] 2424 at mused; & alle ay were bi-wyled, With[2] wymmen at ay vsed, [G] a3 I be now bigyled, 2428 Me ink me burde be excused."

[Sidenote A: "Nay, forsooth," says Gawayne,] [Sidenote B: "I have sojourned sadly, but bliss betide thee!] [Sidenote C: Commend me to your comely wife and that other lady who have beguiled me.] [Sidenote D: But it is no marvel for a man to be brought to grief through a woman's wiles.] [Sidenote E: Adam, Solomon, Samson, and David were beguiled by women.] [Sidenote F: How could a man love them and believe them not?] [Sidenote G: Though I be now beguiled, methinks I should be excused.] [Footnote 1: forme (?)] [Footnote 2: with wyth, in MS.]

XIX.

[A] "Bot your gordel," quod G: "God yow for-3elde! at wyl I welde wyth good wylle, not for e wynne golde, Ne e saynt, ne e sylk, ne e syde pendaundes, 2432 For wele, ne for worchyp, ne for e wlonk werkke3, [B] Bot in syngne of my surfet I schal se hit ofte; When I ride in renoun, remorde to myseluen e faut & e fayntyse of e flesche crabbed, 2436 How tender hit is to entyse teches of fyle; [C] & us, quen pryde schal me pryk, for prowes of armes, [D] e loke to is luf lace schal lee my hert. Bot on I wolde yow pray, displeses yow neuer; 2440 Syn 3e be lorde of e 3onde[r] londe, er I haf lent inne, Wyth yow wyth worschyp,—e wy3e hit yow 3elde at vp-halde3 e heuen, & on hy3 sitte3,— [E] How norne 3e yowre ry3t nome, & enne no more?" 2444 "at schal I telle e trwly," quod at oer enne, [F] "Bernlak de Hautdesert I hat in is londe, ur3 my3t of Morgne la Faye, at in my hous lenges, &[1] koyntyse of clergye, bi craftes wel lerned, 2448 e maystres of Merlyn, mony ho[2] taken; For ho hat3 dalt drwry ful dere sum tyme, With at conable klerk, at knowes alle your kny3te3 at hame; 2452 Morgne e goddes, er-fore hit is hir name; [G] Welde3 non so hy3e hawtesse, at ho ne con make ful tame.

[Sidenote A: But God reward you for your girdle.] [Sidenote B: I will wear it in remembrance of my fault.] [Sidenote C: And when pride shall prick me,] [Sidenote D: a look to this lace shall abate it.] [Sidenote E: But tell me your right name and I shall have done."] [Sidenote F: The Green Knight replies, "I am called Bernlak de Hautdesert, through might of Morgain la Fey, the pupil of Merlin.] [Sidenote G: She can tame even the haughtiest.] [Footnote 1: in (?).] [Footnote 2: ho hat3 (?).]

XX.

2456 [A] Ho wayned me vpon is wyse to your wynne halle, For to assay e surquidre, 3if hit soth were, at rennes of e grete renoun of e Rounde Table; Ho wayned me is wonder, your wytte3 to reue, 2460 [B] For to haf greued Gaynour, & gart hir to dy3e. [Fol. 124.] With gopnyng[1] of at ilke gomen, at gostlych speked, With his hede in his honde, bifore e hy3e table. at is ho at is at home, e auncian lady; 2464 [C] Ho is euen yn aunt, Arure3 half suster, e duches do3ter of Tyntagelle, at dere Vter after [D] Hade Arur vpon, at ael is nowe. erfore I ee e, hael, to com to y naunt, 2468 Make myry in my hous, my meny e louies, & I wol e as wel, wy3e, bi my faythe, As any gome vnder God, for y grete traue." [E] & he nikked hym naye, he nolde bi no wayes; 2472 ay acolen & kyssen, [bikennen] ayer oer To e prynce of paradise, & parten ry3t ere, on coolde; [F] Gawayn on blonk ful bene, 2476 To e kynge3 bur3 buske3 bolde, & e kny3t in e enker grene, Whider-warde so euer he wolde.

[Sidenote A: It was she who caused me to test the renown of the Round Table,] [Sidenote B: hoping to grieve Guenever and cause her death through fear.] [Sidenote C: She is even thine aunt.] [Sidenote D: Therefore come to her and make merry in my house."] [Sidenote E: Gawayne refuses to return with the Green Knight.] [Sidenote F: On horse full fair he bends to Arthur's hall.] [Footnote 1: glopnyng (?).]

XXI.

[A] Wylde waye3 in e worlde Wowen now ryde3, 2480 On Gryngolet, at e grace hade geten of his lyue; [B] Ofte he herbered in house, & ofte al eroute, & mony a-venture in vale, & venquyst ofte, at I ne ty3t, at is tyme, in tale to remene. 2484 [C] e hurt wat3 hole, at he hade hent in his nek, [D] & e blykkande belt he bere eraboute, A belef as a bauderyk, bounden bi his syde, Loken vnder his lyfte arme, e lace, with a knot, 2488 [E] In tokenyng he wat3 tane in tech of a faute; [F] & us he commes to e court, kny3t al in sounde. [G] er wakned wele in at wone, when wyst e grete, at gode G: wat3 commen, gayn hit hym o3t; 2492 [H] e kyng kysse3 e kny3t, & e whene alce, & syen mony syker kny3t, at so3t hym to haylce, [I] Of his fare at hym frayned, & ferlyly he telles; Biknowo3 alle e costes of care at he hade,— 2496 e chaunce of e chapel, e chere of e kny3t, [J] e luf of e ladi, e lace at e last. [Fol. 124b.] e nirt in e nek he naked hem schewed, [K] at he la3t for his vnleute at e leudes hondes, 2500 for blame; He tened quen he schulde telle, [L] He groned for gref & grame; e blod in his face con melle, 2504 When he hit schulde schewe, for schame.

[Sidenote A: Wild ways now Gawayne rides.] [Sidenote B: Oft he harboured in house and oft thereout.] [Sidenote C: The wound in his neck became whole.] [Sidenote D: He still carried about him the belt,] [Sidenote E: in token of his fault.] [Sidenote F: Thus he comes to the Court of King Arthur.] [Sidenote G: Great then was the joy of all.] [Sidenote H: The king and his knights ask him concerning his journey.] [Sidenote I: Gawayne tells them of his adventures,] [Sidenote J: the love of the lady, and lastly of the lace.] [Sidenote K: He showed them the cut in his neck.] [Sidenote L: He groaned for grief and shame, and the blood rushed into his face.]

XXII.

[A] "Lo! lorde," quod e leude, & e lace hondeled, "is is e bende of is blame I bere [in] my nek, is is e lae & e losse, at I la3t haue, 2508 [B] Of couardise & couetyse, at I haf ca3t are, is is e token of vn-trawe, at I am tan inne, [C] & I mot nede3 hit were, wyle I may last; For non may hyden his harme, bot vnhap ne may hit, 2512 For er hit one3 is tachched, twynne wil hit neuer." [D] e kyng comforte3 e kny3t, & alle e court als, La3en loude er-at, & luflyly acorden, at lordes & ladis, at longed to e Table, 2516 [E] Vche burne of e broer-hede a bauderyk schulde haue, A bende, a belef hym aboute, of a bry3t grene, [F] & at, for sake of at segge, in swete to were. For at wat3 acorded e renoun of e Rounde Table, 2520 [G] & he honoured at hit hade, euer-more after, As hit is breued in e best boke of romaunce. [H] us in Arthurus day is aunter bitidde, e Brutus bokees er-of beres wyttenesse; 2524 Syen Brutus, e bolde burne, bo3ed hider fyrst, After e segge & e asaute wat3 sesed at Troye, I-wysse; Mony auntere3 here bi-forne, 2528 Haf fallen suche er is: [I] Now at bere e croun of orne, He bryng vus to his blysse! AMEN.

[Sidenote A: "Lo!" says he, handling the lace, "this is the band of blame,] [Sidenote B: a token of my cowardice and covetousness,] [Sidenote C: I must needs wear it as long as I live."] [Sidenote D: The king comforts the knight, and all the court too.] [Sidenote E: Each knight of the brotherhood agrees to wear a bright green belt,] [Sidenote F: for Gawayne's sake,] [Sidenote G: who ever more honoured it.] [Sidenote H: Thus in Arthur's day this adventure befell.] [Sidenote I: He that bore the crown of thorns bring us to His bliss!]

* * * * *

NOTES.

Line 8 Ricchis turns, goes, The king ... Ricchis his reynys and the Renke metys: Girden to gedur with ere grete speires.—T.B. l. 1232.

37 is kyng lay at Camylot vpon kryst-masse. Camalot, in Malory's "Morte Arthure," is said to be the same as Winchester. Ritson supposes it to be Caer-went, in Monmouthshire, and afterwards confounded with Caer-wynt, or Winchester. But popular tradition here seems the best guide, which assigned the site of Camalot to the ruins of a castle on a hill, near the church of South Cadbury, in Somersetshire (Sir F. Madden).

65 Nowel nayted o-newe, neuened ful ofte. Christmas celebrated anew, mentioned full often. Sir F. Madden leaves the word nayted unexplained in his Glossary to "Syr Gawayne."

124 syluener = sylueren, i.e. silver dishes.

139 lyndes = lendes, loins.

142 in his muckel, in his greatness.

184 Wat3 euesed al umbe-torne—? was trimmed, all cut evenly around; umbe-torne may be an error for vmbe-corue = cut round.

216 in gracios werkes. Sir F. Madden reads gracons for gracios, and suggests Greek as the meaning of it.

244-5 As al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lote3 in hy3e. As all were fallen asleep so ceased their words in haste (suddenly). Sir F. Madden reads slaked horlote3, instead of slaked hor lote3, which, according to his glossary, signifies drunken vagabonds. He evidently takes horlote3 to be another (and a very uncommon) form of harlote3 = harlots. But harlot, or vagabond, would be a very inappropriate term to apply to the noble Knights of the Round Table. Moreover, slaked never, I think, means drunken. The general sense of the verb slake is to let loose, lessen, cease. Cf. lines 411-2, where sloke, another form of slake, occurs with a similar meaning: — layt no fyrre; bot slokes. — seek no further, but stop (cease). Sir F. Madden suggests blows as the explanation of slokes. It is, however, a verb in the imperative mood.

286 Brayn. Maetzner suggests brayn-wod.

296 barlay = par loi. This word is exceedingly common in the T. Book (see l. 3391). I bid you now, barlay, with besines at all at ye set you most soverainly my suster to gete.—T.B. l. 2780.

394 siker. Sir F. Madden reads swer.

440 bluk. Sir F. Madden suggests blunk (horse). I am inclined to keep to the reading of the MS., and explain bluk as = bulk = trunk. Cf. the use of the word Blok in "Early English Alliterative Poems," p. 100, l. 272.

558 derue doel, etc. = great grief. Sir F. Madden reads derne, i.e. secret, instead of derue (= derf). Cf. line 564.

577 knaged, fastened. The braunches were borly, sum of bright gold, With leuys full luffly, light of the same; With burions aboue bright to beholde; And fruit on yt fourmyt of fairest of shap, Of mony kynd that was knyt, knagged aboue.—T.B. l. 4973.

629 & ay quere hit is endele3, etc. And everywhere it is endless, etc. Sir F. Madden reads emdele3, i.e. with equal sides.

652 for-be = for-bi = surpassing, beyond.

681 for Hadet read Halet = haled = exiled (?). See line 1049.

806 auinant = auenaunt, pleasantly. Sir F. Madden reads amnant.

954 of. Should we not read on (?).

957 at oer wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer e swyre. The gorger or wimple is stated first to have appeared in Edward the First's reign, and an example is found on the monument of Aveline, Countess of Lancaster, who died in 1269. From the poem, however, it would seem that the gorger was confined to elderly ladies (Sir F. Madden).

968 More lykker-wys on to lyk, Wat3 at scho had on lode.

A more pleasant one to like, Was that (one) she had under her control.

988 tayt = lively, and hence pleasant, agreeable.

1015 in vayres, in purity.

1020 dut = dunt (?) = dint (?), referring to sword-sports.

1022 sayn[t] Ione3 day. This is the 27th of December, and the last of the feast. Sometimes the Christmas festivities were prolonged to New Year's Day (Sir F. Madden).

1047 derne dede = secret deed. I would prefer to read derue dede = great deed. Cf. lines 558, 564.

1053 I wot in worlde, etc. = I not (I know not) in worlde, etc.

1054 I nolde, bot if I hit negh my3t on nw3eres morne, For alle e londe in-wyth Logres, etc. I would not [delay to set out], unless I might approach it on New Year's morn, for all the lands within England, etc.

1074 in spenne = in space = in the interval = meanwhile. See line 1503.

1160 slentyng of arwes. Sir F. Madden reads sleutyng. "Of drawyn swordis sclentyng to and fra, The brycht mettale, and othir armouris seir, Quharon the sonnys blenkis betis cleir, Glitteris and schane, and vnder bemys brycht, Castis ane new twynklyng or a lemand lycht." (G. Douglas' AEneid, Vol. i, p. 421.)

1281 let lyk = appeared pleased.

1283 a3 I were burde bry3test, e burde in mynde hade, etc. The sense requires us to read: a3 ho were burde bry3test, e burne in mynde hade, etc. i.e., Though she were lady fairest, the knight in mind had, etc.

1440 Long sythen [seuered] for e sounder at wi3t for-olde Long since separated from the sounder or herd that fierce (one) for-aged (grew very old). "Now to speke of the boore, the fyrste year he is A pygge of the sounder callyd, as haue I blys; The secounde yere an hogge, and soo shall he be, And an hoggestere, whan he is of yeres thre; And when he is foure yere, a boor shall he be, From the sounder of the swyne thenne departyth he; A synguler is he soo, for alone he woll go." (Book of St. Alban's, ed. 1496, sig. d., i.)

1476 totes = looks, toots. Sho went up wightly by a walle syde. To the toppe of a toure and tot ouer the water.—T.B. l. 862.

1623 A verb [? lalede = cried] seems wanting after lorde.

1702 fnasted, breathed. These balfull bestes were, as the boke tellus, Full flaumond of fyre with fnastyng of logh.—T.B. l. 168.

1710 a strothe rande = a rugged path. Cf. the phrases tene greue, l. 1707; ro3e greue, l. 1898.

1719 Thenne wat3 hit lif vpon list, etc. Should we not read: Thenne wat3 hit list vpon lif, etc. i.e., Then was there joy in life, etc.

1729 bi lag = be-lagh(?) = below (?).

1780 lyf = lef(?), beloved (one).

1869 Ho hat3 kyst e kny3t so to3t. She has kissed the knight so courteous. Sir F. Madden explains to3t, promptly. To3t seems to be the same as the Northumbrian taght in the following extract from the "Morte Arthure": "There come in at the fyrste course, before the kyng seluene, Bare hevedys that ware bryghte, burnyste with sylver, Alle with taghte mene and towne in togers fulle ryche."—(p. 15.) The word towne (well-behaved) still exists in wan-ton, the original meaning of which was ill-mannered, ill-bred.

1909 bray hounde3 = bra hounde3, i.e. fierce hounds.

1995 He hat3 nere at he so3t = He wat3 nere at he so3t = He was near to that which he sought.

2160 gedere3 e rake = takes the path or way.

2167 e skwe3 of e scowtes skayued hym o3t. The shadows of the hills appeared wild (desolate) to him. Sir F. Madden reads skayned, of which he gives no explanation. Skayued = skayfed, seems to be the N. Prov. English scafe, wild. Scotch schaivie, wild, mad. O.N. skeifr. Sw. skef, awry, distorted.

2204 ronge = clattered.

2211 Drede dot3 me no lote = No noise shall cause me to dread (fear).

2357 & er-for at tappe ta e. And therefore take thee that tap. ta e = take thee. Sir F. Madden reads tae = taketh. See l. 413, where to e rhymes with sothe. We have no imperatives in th in this poem.

2401 We schyn reuel, etc. Sir F. Madden reads wasch yn reuel. But schyn = shall. See Glossary to "Alliterative Poems."

2474 on-coolde = on-colde = coldly = sorrowfully.

2489 in-sounde = soundly, well. Cf. in-blande = together; in-lyche, alike; inmydde3, amidst.

THE END