Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 167 pages of information about Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight.

Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 167 pages of information about Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight.

[Sidenote A:  After dinner the company go to the chapel,] [Sidenote B:  to hear the evensong of the great season.] [Sidenote C:  The lord of the castle and Sir Gawayne sit together during
  service.]
[Sidenote D:  His wife, accompanied by her maids, leaves her seat.] [Sidenote E:  She appeared even fairer than Guenever.] [Sidenote F:  An older lady (an ancient one she seemed) led her by the
  hand.]
[Sidenote G:  Very unlike were these two.] [Sidenote H:  if the young one was fair the other was yellow,] [Sidenote I:  and had rough and wrinkled cheeks.] [Sidenote J:  The younger had breast and throat “bare displayed.”] [Sidenote K:  The ancient one exposed only her “black brows,” her two eyes,] [Sidenote L:  nose, and naked lips, all sour and bleared.] [Sidenote M:  Her body was short and thick;] [Sidenote N:  her buttocks broad and round.] [Footnote 1:  Ms. [claplayne3.]] [Footnote 2:  schedes (?).]

XIX.

[A] When Gawayn gly3t on þat gay, þat graciously loked,
Wyth leue la3t of þe lorde he went hem a3aynes;
972 [B] Þe alder he haylses, heldande ful lowe,
Þe loueloker he lappe3 a lyttel in arme3,
[C] He kysses hir comlyly, & kny3tly he mele3;
Þay kallen hym of a quoyntaunce, & he hit quyk aske3
976 [D] To be her seruaunt sothly, if hem-self lyked. 
Þay tan hym bytwene hem, wyth talkyng hym leden
[E] To chambre, to chemne, & chefly þay asken
[F] Spyce3, þat vn-sparely men speded hom to bryng,
980 & þe wynne-lych wyne þer-with vche tyme. 
Þe lorde luflych aloft lepe3 ful ofte,
Mynned merthe to be made vpon mony syþe3.
[G] Hent he3ly of his hode, & on a spere henged,
984 & wayned hom to wynne þe worchip þer-of,
[H] Þat most myrþe my3t mene[1] þat crystenmas whyle;
“& i schal fonde, bi my fayth, to fylter wyth þe best,
Er me wont þe wede3, with help of my frende3.”
988 Þus wyth la3ande lote3 þe lorde hit tayt[2] make3,
[I] For to glade sir Gawayn with gomne3 in halle
þat ny3t;
Til þat hit wat3 tyme,
992 Þe kyng comaundet ly3t,
[J] Sir Gawen his leue con nyme,
& to his bed hym di3t.

[Sidenote A:  With permission of the lord,] [Sidenote B:  Sir Gawayne salutes the elder,] [Sidenote C:  but the younger he kisses,] [Sidenote D:  and begs to be her servant.] [Sidenote E:  To chamber all go,] [Sidenote F:  where spices and wine are served.] [Sidenote G:  The lord takes off his hood and places it on a spear.] [Sidenote H:  He who makes most mirth is to win it.] [Sidenote I:  Night approaches, and then] [Sidenote J:  Sir Gawayne takes his leave and retires to rest.] [Footnote 1:  meue (?).] [Footnote 2:  layt (?).]

XX.

[A] On þe morne, as vch mon myne3 þat tyme,
996 [B] [Þ]at dry3tyn for oure destyne to de3e wat3 borne,
Wele waxe3 in vche a won in worlde, for his sake;
[C] So did hit þere on þat day, þur3 dayntes mony;
Boþe at mes & at mele, messes ful quaynt

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Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.