XVII.

[A] Þenne wat3 spyed & spured vpon spare wyse.

Bi preue poynte3 of þat prynce, put to hym-seluen,

Þat he be-knew cortaysly of þe court þat he were,

904 [B] Þat aþel Arthure þe hende halde3 hym one,

Þat is þe ryche ryal kyng of þe rounde table;

& hit wat3 Wawen hym-self þat in þat won sytte3,

Comen to þat krystmasse, as case hym þen lymped.

908 [C] When þe lorde hade lerned þat he þe leude hade,

Loude la3ed he þerat, so lef hit hym þo3t,

[D] & alle þe men in þat mote maden much joye,

To apere in his presense prestly þat tyme,

912 Þat alle prys, & prowes, & pured þewes

Apendes to hys persoun, & praysed is euer,

By-fore alle men vpon molde, his mensk is þe most.

[E] Vch segge ful softly sayde to his fere,

916 [F] "Now schal we semlych se sle3te3 of þewe3,

& þe teccheles termes of talkyng noble,

Wich spede is in speche, vnspurd may we lerne,

[G] Syn we haf fonged þat fyne fader of nurture;

920 God hat3 geuen vus his grace godly for soþe,

Þat such a gest as Gawan graunte3 vus to haue,

When burne3 blyþe of his burþe schal sitte

& synge.

924 In menyng of manere3 mere,

Þis burne now schal vus bryng, [Fol. 103b.]

[H] I hope þat may hym here,

Schal lerne of luf-talkyng."

[Sidenote A: Sir Gawayne, in answer to questions put to him,]

[Sidenote B: tells the prince that he is of Arthur's court.]

[Sidenote C: When this was made known,]

[Sidenote D: great was the joy in the hall.]

[Sidenote E: Each one said softly to his mate,]

[Sidenote F: "Now we shall see courteous manners and hear noble speech,]

[Sidenote G: for we have amongst us the 'father of nurture.']

[Sidenote H: He that may him hear shall learn of love-talking."]

Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight An Alliterative Romance-Poem (c. 1360 A.D.) · 第 50 / 124 题