That had bene proued right wele.

Thys knyght bare on hys hedde a pomell gaye,

Syttynge on hys horfe, ftertynge oute of the waye,

By leapes he came aboute;

A fhyelde he had, that was of renowne,

335

He bare theryn a blacke fawcowne,

The shyelde was of syluer withoute.

Alfo in hys hande a fpere he bare,

Bothe stronge and longe, I make youe ware,
And of a truftye tree;

There was an headde theron of steele wrought,
The best that myght be made or bought,
And well afsayed had be.

Theron of pleasaunce a kercheyf dyd honge,
I wote yt was more than thre elles longe,
Enbrodered all withe golde;

[fol. 21.] He was a knyght of large and lenght,
And proued well of muche strenght,

Afsaye hym who fo woulde.

340

345

350

And made vs fwere that we ne fhall,

Thys daye do hym no wo."

Nowe faide Brandles, "thys ys yll come,

I enfure youe by my holydome,

I fhall proue hys myght;

Were he as ftronge as Sampfon was,

In fayth fhall I neuer from hym pas,

Tyll the one of vs to death be dyght."

"Yea, fonne Brandles, thou shalt not foo,

Thoughe he haue done wronge, lett hym goo,

The knyght ys paffynge fure;

I wyll not for more than I wyll fayne,

See the, Syr Brandels, there flayne,
For I warraunte the he wyll endure.

The knyght ys ftronge, and well fight can,
And when he hathe at hande a man,

He wyll do hym none yll;

But gentle wordes speake agayne,

And do hym no harme ne mayne,

[fol. 22b.] "

Thus gentyll he ys in fkyll."

N

OWE lette hym be," fayde Brandles than,
"Sone fhall we fee yf he be a manne,"

And fayed "haue good daye;"

Streyght to the pauylyon he rode,

370

375

380

385

390

Me thynke hym passynge lyke a knyght,
Haue no drede ye fhall fynde hym wight,
Nowe vnder thys lynde."

"By god!" fayde Gawayne, "he ys full lyke,

To abyde a buffette, and to ftryke,

And of hys handes a man ;

I fawe not or nowe thys yeares thre,

A man more lyke a man to be,

By god and by Saynt Johan!"

Right fo Syr Brandles, the knyght gaye,
Spake on hyghe, and thus gan faye,
"Where arte thou, good Squyer?

Come forthe in hafte," he fayde on hyght,
"For with the will I fyght,

A newe game thoue fhalt leere.

Thou haste done me dyfworship greate,
And mayst not nowe amendement gette,

[fol. 23.] Yt ys no tyme of peace to speake;"
Syr Gawayne faide, "Syr, I the praye,
Let me make a-mendes, and youe maye,
Or thou begynne thys wreke.

Syr, and I haue ought mysdone,
Tell me, and it fhalbe amended foone,

All gentlenes to fullfyll;

I haue bene be-ftad to daye full foore,
Shame yt were to proue me any moore,

My father and my brethren thou hast beaten bothe,

To accorde with the I were therof lothe,

My worshippe to full-fyll."

Nowe fayed Gawayne, "fythe yt ys fo,

I muste nedes me dryue ther to,

Thys daye god lende me grace;

405

410

415

420

425

430

435

That pytte yt1 was to fee;

They fought together with fuche yre,

[Here is inserted a drawing.]

[fol. 23b.] That after flamed out the fyre,
They fpake of no mercye.

Thus full longe than gan they fyght,
Tyll at the laste they wanted lyght,

They wyste not what to done;

Than fayde Syr Brandles, that knyght fo gaye,

"Syr knyght, we wante lyght of the daye,

Therfore I make my mone.

Yf we fyght thus in the darke together,

455

460

Neuer to leaue the battayll tyll the one be flayne,”-
"I afsent me therunto," than fayde Gawayne,

"And ye wyll that yt fo be;"

Than fayde Syr Brandles, "I may none other do,
For fuche promefse I made my father vnto,

Therefore thys othe make we.

470

Full large of lyueray thou arte, Syr knyght,
Neuer none that proued fo well my myght,
We bene euen as we mette.

Lett vs make an othe on our fwerdes here,

In that place we mete, farre or nere,

Euen there as ether other may fynde;

Euen fo we shall do the battayle vtterlye,❞—

"I holde,” fayde Gawayne, "by mylde Marye!
And thus we make an ende."

Syr Gawayne put vp hys fwerde than,

475

480

485

Yt ys pyttye fhe hathe her fyght."

“She hathe caused to day, `pardye, much shame',

490

"Syr knyght," fayde Gawayne2, "haue good daye,

For on foote I haue a longe waye,

And3 horfe were wonders1 deare;

Some tyme good horfes I haue good wone,

[fol. 24b.] And nowe on foote 'I muste nedes gone,
God in haste amende my chere!"

Syr Gawayne was armed passynge heavy,
On fote myght he not endure, trewely,

Hys knyfe he toke in hande7;

Hys armure good he cutte hym fro,

495

500