[Sidenote A:  Arthur salutes the Green Knight.] [Sidenote B:  bids him welcome, and invites him to stay awhile.] [Sidenote C:  The knight says that he will not tarry.] [Sidenote D:  He seeks the most valiant that he may prove him.] [Sidenote E:  He comes in peace.] [Sidenote F:  At home, however, he has both shield and spear.] [Sidenote G:  Arthur assures him that he shall not fail to find an opponent
  worthy of him.]

XIII.

[A] “Nay, frayst I no fy3t, in fayth I þe telle,
280 [B] Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdle3 chylder;
If I were hasped in armes on a he3e stede,
[C] Here is no mon me to mach, for my3te3 so[1] wayke. 
For-þy I craue in þis court a crystmas gomen,
284 [D] For hit is 3ol & nwe 3er, & here ar 3ep mony;
If any so hardy in þis hous holde3 hym-seluen,
[E] Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede,
Þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer,
288 I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche,
[F] Þis ax, þat is heue in-nogh, to hondele as hym lykes,
& I schal bide þe fyrst bur, as bare as I sitte. [Fol. 95.]
If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle,
292 Lepe ly3tly me to, & lach þis weppen,
I quit clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen,
[G] & I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on þis flet,
Elle3 þou wyl di3t me þe dom to dele hym an oþer,
296 barlay;
& 3et gif hym respite,
[H] A twelmonyth & a day;—­
Now hy3e, & let se tite
300 Dar any her-inne o3t say.”

[Sidenote A:  “I seek no fight,” says the knight.] [Sidenote B:  “‘Here are only beardless children.’] [Sidenote C:  Here is no man to match me.] [Sidenote D:  Here are brave ones many,] [Sidenote E:  if any be bold enough to ‘strike a stroke for another,’] [Sidenote F:  this axe shall be his;] [Sidenote G:  but I shall give him a ‘stroke’ in return] [Sidenote H:  within a twelvemonth and a day.”] [Footnote 1:  Ms. fo.]

XIV.

[A] If he hem stowned vpon fyrst, stiller were þanne
Alle þe hered-men in halle, þe hy3 & þe lo3e;
[B] Þe renk on his rounce hym ruched in his sadel,
304 & runisch-ly his rede y3en he reled aboute,
[C] Bende his bresed bro3e3, bly-cande grene,
[D] Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse. 
When non wolde kepe hym with carp he co3ed ful hy3e,
308 Ande rimed hym ful richley, & ry3t hym to speke: 
[E] “What, is þis Arþures hous,” quod þe haþel þenne,
“Þat al þe rous rennes of, þur3 ryalmes so mony? 
Where is now your sourquydrye & your conquestes,
312 Your gry[n]del-layk, & your greme, & your grete wordes?
[F] Now is þe reuel & þe renoun of þe rounde table
Ouer-walt wyth a worde of on wy3es speche;
For al dares for drede, with-oute dynt schewed!”
316 Wyth þis he la3es so loude, þat þe lorde greued;
[G] Þe blod schot for scham in-to his schyre face
& lere;
[H] He wex as wroth as wynde,
320 So did alle þat þer were
Þe kyng as kene bi kynde,
Þen stod þat stif mon nere.