Then befpake him the Greene Knight,

These were the words faid he;

Saies, "I coniure thee, thou Burlow-beanie,

Yt thou feitch me the fword that I fee."

Then forth is gone Burlow-beanie,

As faft as he cold hie;

& feitch he did that faire fword,

& came againe by & by.

Then befpake him Sr Bredbeddle,

To the K: these words faid he;

"Take this fword in thy hand, thou noble K:

For the vowes fake yt thou made Ile give it thee;

And goe strike off K: Cornewalls head,

In bed where he doth lye."

Then forth is gone noble K: Arthur,

As faft as he cold hye;

& ftrucken he hath K: Cornwalls head,

& came againe by & by.

He put the head upon a fwords point,

[The poem terminates here abruptly.]

were, MS.

285

290

295

K. Arthur then held vp his hands,
According thene as was the law;
He tooke his leaue of baron there,
And homword can he draw.

And when he came to merry Carlile,

To his chamber he is gone;

And ther came to him his cozen, Sr Gawaine,

As he did make his mone.

And there came to him his cozen Sr Gawaine1,

Yt was a curteous knight;

"Why figh you foe fore, vnckle Arthur?" he said, "Or who hath done thee vnright?"

70

"What knight art thou?" the lady fayd,

"That wilt not speake to me?

Of me [be] thou nothing dismayd,

Tho I be vgly to fee.

For I haue halched you curteouslye,

& you will not me againe;

Yett I may happen, Sr Knight," fhee said,

"To ease thee of thy paine."

"Giue thou eafe me, lady," he said,

"Or helpe me any thing,

Thou shalt haue gentle Gawaine, my cozen,
& marry him wth a ring."

"Why if I helpe thee not, thou noble K. Arthur,

Of thy owne hearts defiringe,

Of gentle Gawaine . . .

[p. 49.]

[About nine stanzas wanting.]

And when he came to the Tearne-wadling,

The baron there cold he finde1;

Wth a great weapon on his backe,

Standing stiffe & stronge.

And then he tooke K. Arthurs letters in his hands,

& away he cold them fling;

& then he puld out a good browne fword,

& cryd himfelfe a K.

'frinde, MS.