Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, edited by Ross G. Arthur

69 Pages·1999·0.139 MB·English

by  Arthur, Ross G. (ed.)

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight
edited by
Ross G. Arthur
In parentheses Publications
Middle English Series
Cambridge, Ontario 1999
95r [91r]
(cid:222)
i%en %e ˜ege & %e a˜˜aut wat’ ˜e˜ed at troye
%e bor’ brittened &|brent to bronde’ & a˜ke’
%e tulk %at %e tr(cid:138)mes of tre˜o(cid:158) %¥ wro’t
wat’ tried for his tricherie %e trewe˜t on erthe
hit wat’ Ennias %e athel & his high$ kynde
%at ˜i%en depreced „uinces & patro(cid:158)es bicome
welne’e of al %e wele (cid:148) %e we˜t iles
fro riche romulus to rome ricchis h(cid:216) ˜wy%e
w(cid:160) gret bobba(cid:158)ce %at bur’e he biges vpon fyr˜t
& neuenes hit his aune nome as hit now hat
ticius to tu˜kan & teldes big(cid:192)nes
lang#aberde (cid:148) l(cid:159)bardie lyftes vp homes wyth w(cid:192)ne
& fer ou¥ %e french flod felix brut(cid:130)
on mony bonkkes ful brode bretayn he ˜ette’
where werre & wrake & wonder
bi ˜y%e’ hat’ wont %¥#(cid:148)ne
& oft bo%e bly˜˜e &|bl(cid:158)der
ful ˜kete hat’ ˜kyfted ˜(cid:192)ne
Ande quen %is bretayn wat’ bigged bi %is burn rych
bolde bredden %er(cid:148)ne baret %at lofden
in mony turned tyme tene %at wro’ten
mo ferlyes on %is folde han fallen here oft
%en in any o%¥ %at ˘|wot syn %at ilk tyme
bot of alle %at here bult of bretaygne k(cid:192)ges
ay wat’ arthur %e hende˜t as ˘|haf herde telle
95v [91v]
for %i an a(cid:158)t¥ in erde ˘|attle to ˜chawe
%at a|˜elly in ˜i’t ˜(cid:159)me men hit holden
& an outtrage awenture of arthure’ wond¥e’
if ’e wyl ly˜ten %is laye bot on littel quile w(cid:160) tonge
˘|˜chal telle hit as tit as ˘|(cid:148) to(cid:158) herde
as hit is ˜tad & ˜token
in ˜tori ˜tif & ˜tronge
w(cid:160) lel lett¥es loken
(cid:148) londe ˜o||hat’ ben longe
%is k(cid:192)g lay at camylot vpon kryst#ma˜˜e
w(cid:160) mony luflych lorde lede’ of %e be˜t
rekenly of %e ro(cid:158)de table alle %o rich bre%¥
w(cid:160) rych reuel ory’t & rechles m¥%es
%¥ to(cid:150)nayed tulkes by|tyme’ ful|mony
˘usted ful ˘olile %i˜e gentyle kni’tes
˜y%en kayred to %e court caroles to make
for %er %e fe˜t wat’ ilyche ful fiften|dayes
with alle %e mete & %e mir%e %at m(cid:144) cou%e a#vy˜e
˜uch glaumande gle glorio(cid:130) to here
dere dyn vpon day da(cid:158)˜(cid:192)g on ny’tes
al wat’ hap vpon he’e (cid:148) halle’ &|chambre’
with lorde’ & ladies as leue˜t h(cid:149) %o’t
with all %e wele of %e worlde %ay woned %¥ ˜amen
%e mo˜t kyd kny’te’ vnder kry˜t+ ˜eluen
& %e louelokke˜t ladies %at eu¥ lif haden
& he %e comloke˜t k(cid:192)g %at %e court haldes on ˜ille
for al wat’ %is fayre folk (cid:148) her fir˜t age
%e hapne˜t vnder heuen
k(cid:192)g hy’e˜t m(cid:153) of||wylle
hit werere now gret nye to neu(cid:144)
˜o||hardy a here (cid:153) hille
wyle nw ’er wat’ ˜o ’ep %at h¡ wat’ nwe c(cid:159)men
%at day doubble on %e dece wat’ %e douth ˜erued
fro %e k(cid:192)g wat’ c(cid:159)men w(cid:160) kny’t+ (cid:148) to %e halle
%e cha(cid:158)tre of %e chapel cheued to an|ende
loude crye wat’ %er ke˜t of clerke’ & o%er
96r [92r]
Nowel nayted o newe neuened ful ofte
& ˜y%en riche forth r(cid:158)nen to reche honde ˜elle
’e’ed ’eres ’iftes on hi’ ’elde hem bi hond
de#bated bu˜yly aboute %o giftes
ladies la’ed ful loude %o’ %ay lo˜t haden
& he %at wan wat’ not wrothe %(cid:160) may ’e wel trawe
alle %is mir%e %ay maden to %e mete tyme
when %ay had wa˜chen wor%yly %ay wenten to ˜ete
%e be˜t burne ay abof as hit be˜t ˜emed
whene guenore ful gay gray%ed (cid:148) %e myddes
dre˜˜ed on %e dere des dubbed al aboute
smal ˜endal bi˜ides a|˜elure hir ou¥
of tryed tolou˜e of tars tapites (cid:148) nogh$ in daye
%at were enbrawded & beten wyth %e be˜t g(cid:145)mes
%at my’t be preued of prys wyth penyes to|bye
%e comloke˜t to di˜crye
%er glent w(cid:160) y’en gray
a ˜emloker %at eu¥ he ˜y’e
soth mo’t no|mon ˜ay
Bot arthure wolde not ete til al were ˜erued
he wat’ ˜o ioly of his ˘oyfnes &|˜(cid:159)#|quat child gered
his lif liked h(cid:216) ly’t he louied %e|la˜˜e
au%¥ to|lenge lye or to longe ˜itte
˜o bi˜ied him his ’onge blod & his brayn wylde
& al˜o ano%¥ maner meued h(cid:149) eke
%at he %ur’ nobelay had nomen he wolde neu¥ ete
vpon ˜uch a|dere day er h(cid:216) deui˜ed were
of ˜(cid:159) auentur(cid:130) %(cid:192)g an vncou%e tale
of ˜(cid:159) mayn m¥uayle %at he my’t trawe
of of alderes of armes of o%¥ auentur(cid:130)
o%¥ ˜(cid:159) ˜egg h(cid:216) bi˜o’t of ˜(cid:159) ˜iker kny’t
to ˘oyne wyth h(cid:216) (cid:148) iu˜t(cid:192)g in ˘oparde to|lay
lede lif for lyf leue vchon|o%¥
as fortune wolde ful˜(cid:159) h(cid:154) %e|fayrer to|haue
%is wat’ k(cid:192)ges co(cid:158)tena(cid:158)ce where he (cid:148) co(cid:150)t were
at vch farand fe˜t am(cid:153)g his fre meny
96v [92v]
%er fore of face ˜o fere in halle
he ˜ti’tle’ ˜tif (cid:148) ˜talle
ful ’ep (cid:148) %at nw ’ere
much mirthe he mas w(cid:160) alle
Thus %¥ ˜tondes (cid:148) ˜tale %e ˜tif k(cid:192)g his ˜eluen
talkkande bifore %e hy’e table of trifles ful hende
there gode gawan wat’ g£y%ed gwenore bi˜yde
& ag£uayn aladuremayn on %at o%¥ ˜yde ˜ittes
bo%e %e k(cid:192)ges ˜ist¥ ˜(cid:158)es & ful ˜iker kni’tes
Bi˜chop bawdewyn abof bigine’ %e table
& ywan vryn ˜on ette|wit h(cid:216)˜eluen
%i˜e were di’t on %e des & derwor%ly ˜erued
& ˜i%en mony ˜iker ˜egge at %e ˜idborde’
%(cid:144) %e fir˜t cors come with crakk(cid:192)g of tr(cid:159)pes
wyth mony baner ful bry’t %at %er bi|henged
nwe nakryn noy˜e w(cid:160) %e noble pipes
wylde werbles & wy’t wakned lote
%at mony hert ful hi’e hef at her towches
dayntes dryuen %er wyth of ful|dere metes
foy˜o(cid:158) of %e fre˜che & on|˜o fele di˜ches
%at pine to fynde %e place %e peple bi forne on clothe
for to ˜ette %e|˜yluen¥ %at ˜ere ˜ewes halden
˘che lede as he loued h(cid:216)#˜elue
%er laght w(cid:160) outen lo%e
ay two had di˜ches twelue
Good ber & bry’t wyn bo%e
Now wyl i of hor ˜erui˜e ˜ay yow no| more
for vch wy’e may wel wit no|wont %at %¥ were
an o%¥ noy˜e ful newe ne’ed biliue
%at %e lude my’t haf leue liflode to cach
for vne%e wat’ %e noyce not awhyle ˜e˜ed
& %e fyr˜t co(cid:150)ce (cid:148) %e co(cid:150)t kyndely ˜erued
%er hales (cid:148) at %e halle dor an aghlich may˜t¥
On %e mo˜t on %e molde on me˜ure hygh$
fro %e ˜wyre to|%e ˜wange ˜o ˜ware & ˜o %ik
& his lyndes & his lymes ˜o|longe & ˜o|grete
97r [93r]
half etayn (cid:148) erde ˘ hope %at he were
bot mon mo˜t ˘|algate m(cid:192)n h(cid:216) to bene
& %at %e myrie˜t (cid:148) his muckel %at my’t ride
for of bak & of bre˜t al were his bodi|˜turne
bot his wombe & his wa˜t were worthily ˜male ful clene
& alle his fetures fol’ande (cid:148) forme %at he hade
for wonder of his hwe m(cid:144) hade
˜et (cid:148) his ˜embla(cid:158)t ˜ene
he ferde as freke were fade
& ou¥ al enker grene
Ande al gray%ed (cid:148) grene %is gome & his wedes
a ˜trayt cote ful ˜tre’t %at ˜tek on his ˜ides
a|mere mantile abof men˜ked w(cid:160) (cid:148)ne
w(cid:160) pelure pured apert %e pane ful clene
w(cid:160) bly%e bla(cid:158)n¥ ful bry’t & his hod bo%e
%at wat’ la’t fro his lokke’ & layde on his ˜chulderes
heme wel haled ho˜e of %at ˜ame grene
%at ˜penet on his ˜parlyr & clene ˜pures vnder
of bry’t golde vpon ˜ilk bordes barred ful ryche
& ˜choles vnder ˜chankes %ere %e|˜chalk rides
& alle his ve˜ture uerayly wat’ clene v¥dure
bo%e %e barres of his belt & o%¥ bly%e ˜tones
%(cid:160) were richely rayled (cid:148) his aray clene
aboutte h(cid:216) ˜elf & his ˜adel vpon ˜ilk werke’
%at were to tor for|to telle of tryfles %e halue
%at were enbrauded abof wyth bryddes & fly’es
with gay gaudi of grene %e golde ay (cid:148) myddes
%e penda(cid:158)tes of his payttrure %e proude cropure
his molaynes & alle %e metail anamayld was %(cid:144)ne
%e ˜teropes %at he ˜tod on ˜tayned of %e ˜ame
& his ar˜o(cid:158)’ al after & his a%el ˜turtes
%at euer glem¥ed & glent al of grene ˜tones ˜ertayn
%e fole %at he ferkkes on fyn of %at ilke
a grene hors gret & %ikke
a|˜tede ful ˜tif to ˜trayne
(cid:148) brawden brydel quik
97v [93v]
to %e gome he wat’ ful gayn
Wel gay wat’ %is gome gered (cid:148) grene
& %e here of his hed of his hors ˜wete
fayre fannand fax vmbe foldes his ˜chulderes
a|much berd as as a|bu˜k ou¥ his bre˜t henges
%at wyth his hi’lich here %at of his hed reches
wat’ eue˜ed al vmbetorne abof his elbowes
%at half his armes %er vnder were halched (cid:148) %e wy˜e
of a k(cid:192)ge’ capados %at clo˜es his ˜wyre
%e mane of %at mayn hors much to|hit lyke
wel cre˜ped & c(cid:145)med wyth knottes ful mony
folden (cid:148) wyth fildore aboute %e fayre grene
ay a|herle of %e here an o%¥ of golde
%e tayl & his topp(cid:192)g tw(cid:192)nen of a|˜ute
& bo(cid:158)den bo%e wyth a|bande of a|bry’t grene
dubbed wyth ful dere ˜tone’ as %e dok la˜ted
˜y%en %rawen wyth a %wong a %warle knot alofte
%er mony belle’ ful bry’t of brende golde rungen
˜uch a|fole vpon folde ne freke %at h(cid:216) rydes w(cid:160) y’e
wat’ neu¥ ˜ene (cid:148) %at ˜ale wyth ˜y’t er %at tyme
he loked as layt ˜o|ly’t
˜o|˜ayd al %at h(cid:216) ˜y’e
hit ˜emed as no mon my’t
vnd¥ his dyntte’ dry’e
Whe%¥ hade he no helme ne hawbrgh nau%¥
ne no py˜an ne no plate %at pented to armes
ne no ˜chafte ne no ˜chelde to|˜chwue ne to ˜myte
bot (cid:148) his on honde he hade a|holyn bobbe
%at is gratte˜t (cid:148) grene when greue’ ar|bare
& an|ax (cid:148) his o%¥ a|hoge & vn mete
a|˜petos ˜par%e to expo(cid:158) (cid:148) ˜pelle quo#˜o my’t
%e hede of an eln’erde %e large lenk%e hade
%e grayn al of grene ˜tele &|of golde hewen
%e bit burny˜t bry’t w(cid:160) a|brod egge
as wel ˜chapen to ˜chere as ˜charp ra˜ores
%e ˜tele of a ˜tif ˜taf %e ˜turne hit bi grypte
98r [94r]
%at wat’ wo(cid:158)den wyth yrn to %e wande’ ende
& al bigrauen w(cid:160) grene (cid:148) g£c(cid:153)s werkes
a|lace lapped aboute %at louked at %e hede
& ˜o aft¥ %e halme halched ful ofte
wyth tryed ta˜˜ele’ %erto tacched (cid:148) nogh$e
on boto(cid:158)’ of %e bry’t grene brayden ful ryche
%is ha%el helde’ h(cid:216) (cid:148) & %e |halle entres
driuande to %e he’e dece dut he no wo%e
hayl˜ed he neu¥ one bot he’e he ou¥ loked
%e fyr˜t word %at he warp wher is he ˜ayd
%e gou¥no(cid:150) of %is g(cid:192)g gladly ˘ wolde ray˜o(cid:158)
˜e %at ˜egg (cid:148) ˜y’t & w(cid:160) h(cid:216) ˜elf ˜peke
to kny’te’ he ke˜t his y’e
& reled h(cid:216) vp & do(cid:158)
he ˜temmed & con ˜tudie
quo walt %er mo˜t reno(cid:158)
Ther wat’ lok(cid:192)g on|len%e %e lude to be#holde
for vch m(cid:153) had meruayle quat hit mene my’t
%at a|ha%el & a hor˜e my’t ˜uch a|hwe lach
as growe grene as %e gres & grener hit ˜emed
%en grene aumayl on golde lowande bry’t¥
al ˜tudied %at %¥ ˜tod & ˜talked h(cid:216) nerre
wyth al %e wonder of %e worlde what he|worch ˜chulde
for fele ˜ellye’ had %ay|˜en bot ˜uch neu¥ are
for#|%i for fanto(cid:159) & fayry’e %e folk %ere hit demed
%erfore to an˜ware wat’ ar’e mony a%el|freke
& al ˜touned at his ˜teuen & ˜ton˜til ˜eten
in a ˜wogh$ ˜ylence %ur’ %e|˜ale riche
as al were ˜lypped vpon ˜lepe ˜o ˜laked hor lote’ (cid:148) hy’e
˘ deme hit not al|for doute
bot ˜(cid:159) for cortay˜ye
bot let h(cid:216) %at al ˜chulde loute
ca˜t vnto %at wy’e
%(cid:144)n ar%o(cid:150) bifore %e hi’ dece %at auenture byholde’
& rekenly h(cid:216) reu¥enced for rad was he neu¥
& ˜ayde wy’e welc(cid:159) iwys to %is place
98v [94v]
%e hede of %is o˜tel Artho(cid:150) ˘hat
li’t luflych ado(cid:158) & lenge ˘ %e praye
& quat#˜o %y wylle is we|˜chal wyt aft¥
nay as help me ˇ %e ha%el he %at on hy’e ˜yttes
to wone any quyle (cid:148) %is won hit wat’ not m(cid:192) ernde
bot for %e los of %e lede is lyft vp ˜o|hy’e
& %y bur’ & %y burnes be˜t ar holden
˜tife˜t vnder ˜tel|gere on ˜tedes to ryde
%e wy’te˜t & %e wor%ye˜t of %e worldes kynde
preue for|to play wyth in o%¥ pure layke’
& here is kydde cortay˜ye as ˘|haf herd carp
& %at hat’ wayned me hider ˘#wyis at %is tyme
’e|may be ˜eker bi %is bra(cid:158)ch %at|˘ bere here
%at ˘ pa˜˜e as (cid:148) pes & no ply’t ˜eche
for had i fo(cid:158)ded (cid:148) fere (cid:148) fe’t(cid:192)g wy˜e
˘ haue a|haubergh$ at home & a|helme bo%e
a|˜chelde & a|˜charp ˜pere ˜chinande bry’t
ande o%¥ weppenes to welde ˘|wene wel als
bot for ˘| wolde no were my wede’ ar ˜oft¥
bot if %¢ be ˜o bold as alle burne’ tellen
%¢ wyl g£nt me godly %e gomen %at ˘|a˜k bi ry’t
artho(cid:150) con on˜ware
& ˜ayd (cid:236) cortays kny’t
if %¢ craue batayl bare
here fayle’ %¢ not to fy’t
Nay fray˜t ˘|no fy’t (cid:148)|fayth ˘ %e telle
hit arn aboute on %is bench bot berdle’ chylder
if ˘ were ha˜ped (cid:148) armes on a|he’e ˜tede
here is no mon me to mach for my’te’ ˜o wayke
for %y ˘|craue (cid:148) %is co(cid:150)t a|cry˜temas go(cid:181)e
for hit is ’ol & nwe ’er & here ar ’ep mony
if any ˜o hardy (cid:148) %is ho(cid:130) holde’ h(cid:216) ˜eluen
be ˜o bolde (cid:148) his blod brayn (cid:148)|hys hede
%at dar ˜tifly ˜trike a|˜trok for an|o%¥
˘|˜chal gif h(cid:216) of my gyft %ys gi˜erne ryche
%is ax %at is heue (cid:148) nogh to hondel as h(cid:216) lykes
99r [95r]
& i|˜chal bide %e fyr˜t bur as bare as i|˜itte
if any freke be ˜o felle to fonde %at ˘telle
lepe ly’tly me to & lach %is weppen
˘ quit#clayme hit for eu¥ kepe hit as his auen
& ˘|˜chal ˜tonde h(cid:216) a ˜trok ˜tif on %is flet barlay
elle’ %¢ wyl|di’t me %e dom to dele h(cid:216) an o%¥
& ’et gif h(cid:216) re˜pite
a twelmonyth & a|day
now hy’e & let ˜e tite
dar any her (cid:148)ne o’t ˜ay
If he hem ˜towned vpon fyr˜t ˜tiller were %(cid:137)ne
alle %e hered#men (cid:148) halle %e hy’ & %e lo’e
%e renk on his ro(cid:158)ce h(cid:216) ruched (cid:148) his ˜adel
& runi˜chly his rede y’en he reled aboute
bende his bre˜ed bro’e’ blycande grene
Wayued his berde for|to wayte quo#˜o wolde ry˜e
when non wolde kepe h(cid:216) w(cid:160) carp he co’ed ful hy’e
ande rimed h(cid:216) ful rich´y & ry’t h(cid:216) to ˜peke
what is %is arthures ho(cid:130) ˇ %e ha%el %(cid:144)ne
%at al %e ro(cid:130) r(cid:144)nes of %ur’ ryalmes ˜o mony
Where is now yo(cid:150) ˜o(cid:150)quydrye & yo(cid:150) c(cid:153)que˜tes
yo(cid:150) gry ellayk & yo(cid:150) greme & yo(cid:150) grete wordes
now is %e reuel & %e reno(cid:158) of %e ro(cid:158)de table
ou¥ walt wyth a worde of on wy’es ˜peche
for al|dares for|drede w(cid:160) oute dynt ˜chewed
wyth %is he la’es ˜o|loude %at %e lorde greued
%e blod ˜chot for ˜cham (cid:148)to his ˜chyre face & lere
he|wex as wroth as wynde
˜o did alle %at %er were
%e k(cid:192)g as kene bi kynde
%(cid:144) ˜tod %at ˜tif mon nere
Ande ˜ayde ha%el by heuen %(cid:192) a˜k(cid:192)g is nys
& as %¢ foly hat’ fray˜t fynde %e behoues
˘know no gome %at is ga˜t of %y grete wordes
gif me now %y ge˜erne vpon|gode’ halue
& ˘ ˜chal bay%en %y bone %at %¢ boden habbes