On botouz of pe bryzt grene brayden ful ryche. Se þat fegg i fyzt, & wt hy felf fpeke, & reled hy vp & doū, He stemmed & con ftudie, Quo walt þer most renoū. XI. 220 225 || rayfou." Ther watz lokÿg on lenpe, pe lude to be-holde, Wyth al þe wonder of þe worlde, what he worth schulde. For þi for fantou & fayryze pe folk þere hit demed; & al ftouned at his steuen, & fton-stil feten, In a fwogħ fylence þurz þe fale riche, As al were flypped vpon flepe fo flaked horlotez, i hyze; 230 235 240 I deme hit not al for doute, Bot fu for cortayfye, Bot let hy þat al schulde loute, Caft vnto þat wyze. XII. pēn Arpo bifore be hiz dece þat auenture byholdez, & rekenly hy reu'enced, for-rad was he neu', & fayde, "wyze, welcu iwys to þis place, [fol. 94b.] Pe hede of þis oftel Artho I hat; Lizt luflych adoū, & lenge, I be praye, & quat fo by wylle is, we fchal wyt aft"." Nay as help me," q pe hapel," he þat on hyze fyttes, & by burz & by burnes beft ar holden, & here is kydde cortayfye, as I haf herd carp, 3e may be seker bi þis brauch þat I bere here, I haue a haubergħ at home & a helme bope, & fayd, "f cortays knyzt, If þu craue batayl bare, Here faylez þu not to fy3t." || bi ryzt." 250 255 260 265 270 275 XIII. "Nay, frayst I no fyzt, i fayth I pe telle, Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdlez chylder; Here is no mon me to mach, for myztez fo wayke. For by I craue i þis cot a crystemas gomē, If any fo hardy i pis ho9 holde3 hy feluen, I schal gif hy of my gyft þys giferne ryche, pis ax, þat is heue i nogh, to hondel' as hy lykes, [fol. 95.] & I fchal bide pe fyrst bur, as bare as I fitte. If I quit clayme hit for eu?, kepe hit as his auen, & I schal stonde hý a strok, stif on þis flet, A twelmonyth & a day ; Now hyze, & let se tite Dar any her ine ozt fay." XIV. If he hem ftowned vpon fyrst, stiller were þāne 280 283 290 || barlay; 295 300 305 Wayued his berde for to wayte, quo fo wolde ryfe? What, is pis Arpures ho," q pe hapel pene, pat al pe ro9 rēnes of, þurz ryalmes so mony? So did alle þat þer were, pe kýg as kene bi kynde, pē ftod þat stif mon nere. XV. Ande fayde, "hapel, by heuen þý afkýg is nys, & as p" foly hatz frayst, fynde þe be-houes ; I know no gome þat is gaft of by grete wordes. Gif me now by geferne, vpon godez halue, & I fchal baypen þy bone, þat bu boden habbes.' [fol. 95b.] Ly3tly lepez he hý to, & lazt at his honde ; pen feerfly þat op freke vpon fote lyztis. Now hatz Arthure his axe, & þe halme grypez, [ & lere ; & sturnely sturez hit aboute, þat ftryke wyth hit pozt. Herre pen ani in pe ho9 by pe hede & more; Wyth sturne schere þer he ftod, he ftroked his berde, & wyth a coûtenauce dryze he droz doù his cote, 310 315 320 325 330 335 No more mate ne difmayd for hys may dintez, 340 XVI. Gawan to be kýg, "Wolde ze worþilych, lorde," q "Bid me boze fro þis benche, & ftonde by yow þere, pat I wyth oute vylanye my3t voyde þis table, & þat my legge lady lyked nat ille, I wolde com to yo" coufeyl, bifore yo cort ryche. Ne bett' bodyes on bent, per baret is rered; I am þe wakkeft, I wot, & of wyt feblest, & left lur of my lyf, quo laytes þe fope, Bot for as much as ze ar myn em, I am only to prayfe, & fypen þis note is fo nys, pt no3t hit yow falles, & I haue frayned hit at yow fyrst, foldez hit to me, & if I carp not comlyly, let alle þis cort rych, Ryche to-geder con rou, & fyþen þay redden alle same, To ryd þe kýg wyth crou, & gif Gawan þe game. 345 350 355 ||bout blame." 265 |