[A] "Gawayn," quod þat grene gome, "God þe mot loke!
2240 I-wysse þou art welcom,[1] wy3e, to my place,
[B] & þou hat3 tymed þi trauayl as true[2] mon schulde;
[C] & þou knowe3 þe couenaunte3 kest vus by-twene,
At þis tyme twelmonyth þou toke þat þe falled,
2244 [D] & I schulde at þis nwe 3ere 3eply þe quyte.
[E] & we ar in þis valay, verayly oure one,
Here ar no renkes vs to rydde, rele as vus like3;
[F] Haf þy[3] helme of þy hede, & haf here þy pay;
2248 Busk no more debate þen I þe bede þenne,
"When þou wypped of my hede at a wap one."
[G] "Nay, bi God," quod Gawayn, "þat me gost lante,
I schal gruch þe no grwe, for grem þat falle3;
2252 Botsty3tel þe vpon on strok, & I schal stonde stylle,
& warp þe no wernyng, to worch as þe lyke3,
no whare."
[H] He lened with þe nek, & lutte,
2256 & schewed þat schyre al bare,
& lette as he no3t dutte,
[I] For drede he wolde not dare.
[Sidenote A: "God preserve thee!" says the Green Knight,]
[Sidenote B: "as a true knight 'thou hast timed thy travel']
[Sidenote C: Thou knowest the covenant between us,]
[Sidenote D: that on New Year's day I should return thy blow]
[Sidenote E: Here we are alone,]
[Sidenote F: Have off thy helmet and take thy pay at once."]
[Sidenote G: "By God," quoth Sir Gawayne, "I shall not begrudge thee thy
will."]
[Sidenote H: Then he shows his bare neck,]
[Sidenote I: and appears undaunted.]
[Footnote 1: welcon, in MS.]
[Footnote 2: truee in MS.]
[Footnote 3: MS. þy þy.]