1172 & hem to fylched, as fast as freke3 my3t loke,
þer ry3t.
[H] Þe lorde for blys abloy
Ful oft con launce & ly3t,
1176 [I] & drof þat day wyth Ioy
Thus to þe derk ny3t.
[Sidenote A: Roused by the clamour the deer rush
to the heights,] [Sidenote B: but are soon driven
back.] [Sidenote C: The harts and bucks are allowed
to pass,] [Sidenote D: but the hinds and does
are driven back to the shades.] [Sidenote E:
As they fly they are shot by the bowmen.] [Sidenote
F: The hounds and the hunters, with a loud cry,
follow in
pursuit.]
[Sidenote G: Those that escaped the arrows are
killed by the hounds.] [Sidenote H: The lord
waxes joyful in the chase,] [Sidenote I: which
lasted till the approach of night.] [Footnote 1:
meue (?).]
III.
[A] Þus layke3 þis lorde by lynde
wode3 eue3,
& G. þe god mon, in gay bed lyge3,
1180 [B] Lurkke3 quyl þe day-ly3t lemed on þe wowes,
Vnder couertour ful clere, cortyned aboute;
& as in slomeryng he slode, sle3ly he herde
[C] A littel dyn at his dor, & derfly vpon;
1184 & he heue3 vp his hed out of þe cloþes,
A corner of þe cortyn he ca3t vp a lyttel,
[Fol. 107.]
& wayte3 warly þider-warde, quat hit be my3t.
[D] Hit wat3 þe ladi, loflyest to be-holde,
1188 Þat dro3 þe dor after hir ful dernly[1] &
stylle,
[E] & bo3ed to-warde þe bed; & þe burne schamed.
& layde hym doun lystyly, & let as he slepte.
[F] & ho stepped stilly. & stel to his bedde,
1192 [G] Kest vp þe cortyn, & creped with-inne,
& set hir ful softly on þe bed-syde,
& lenged þere selly longe, to loke quen he
wakened.
Þe lede lay lurked a ful longe quyle,
1196 [H] Compast in his concience to quat þat cace
my3t
Mene oþer amount, to meruayle hym þo3t;
Bot 3et he sayde in hym-self, “more
semly hit were
To aspye wyth my spelle [in] space quat ho
wolde.”
1200 [I] þen he wakenede, & wroth, & to hir warde
torned,
[J] & vn-louked his y3e-lydde3, & let as hym
wondered,
& sayned hym, as bi his sa3e þe sauer to
worthe,
with hande;
1204 Wyth chynne & cheke ful swete,
Boþe quit & red in-blande,
Ful lufly con ho lete,
Wyth lyppe3 smal la3ande.
[Sidenote A: All this time Gawayne lies a-bed.] [Sidenote B: under “coverture full clear".] [Sidenote C: He hears a noise at his door.] [Sidenote D: A lady, the loveliest to behold, enters softly.] [Sidenote E: She approaches the bed.] [Sidenote F: Gawayne pretends to be asleep.] [Sidenote G: The lady casts up the curtain and sits on the bedside.] [Sidenote H: Gawayne has much wonder thereat.] [Sidenote I: He rouses himself up,] [Sidenote J: unlocks his eyes, and looks as if he were astonished.] [Footnote 1: deruly (?).]
IV.