[A] "For-þy, goude sir Gawayn, let þe gome one,
& got3 a-way sum oþer gate; vpon Godde3 halue;
2120 [B] Cayre3 bi sum oþer kyth, þer Kryst mot yow spede;
& I schal hy3 me hom a3ayn, & hete yow fyrre,
[C] Þat I schal swere bi God, & alle his gode hal3e3, [Fol. 119b.]
As help me God & þe halydam, & oþe3 in-noghe,
2124 Þat I schal lelly yow layne, & lance neuer tale,
Þat euer 3e fondet to fle, for freke þat I wyst."
"Grant merci;" quod Gawayn, & gruchyng he sayde,
"Wel worth þe wy3e, þat wolde3 my gode,
2128 & þat lelly me layne, I leue wel þou wolde3!
[D] Bot helde þou hit neuer so holde, & I here passed,
Founded for ferde for to fle, in fourme þat þou telle3,
I were a kny3t kowarde, I my3t not[1] be excused.
2132 [E] Bot I wy1 to þe chape1, for chaunce þat may falle,
& talk wyth þat ilk tulk þe tale þat me lyste,
Worþe hit wele, oþer wo, as þe wyrde lyke3
hit hafe;
2136 [F] Þa3e he be a sturn knape,
To sti3tel, &[2] stad with staue,
[G] Ful wel con dry3tyn schape,
His seruaunte3 forto saue."
[Sidenote A: Wherefore, good Sir Gawayne, let this man alone.]
[Sidenote B: Go by some other region,]
[Sidenote C: I swear by God and all His saints, that I will never say that
ever ye attempted to flee from any man."]
[Sidenote D: Gawayne replies that to shun this danger would mark him as a
"coward knight."]
[Sidenote E: To the Chapel, therefore, he will go,]
[Sidenote F: though the owner thereof were a stern knave.]
[Sidenote G: "Full well can God devise his servants for to save."]
[Footnote 1: mot, in MS.]
[Footnote 2: & &, in MS.]