[A] The haþel heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested,
2332 Sette þe schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened,
[B] & loked to þe leude, þat on þe launde 3ede,
How þat do3ty dredles deruely þer stonde3,
Armed ful a3le3; in hert hit hym lyke3.
2336 þenn he mele3 muryly, wyth a much steuen,
[C] & wyth a r[a]ykande rurde he to þe renk sayde,
"Bolde burne, on þis bent be not so gryndel;
No mon here vn-manerly þe mys-boden habbe,
2340 Ne kyd, bot as couenaunde, at kynge3 kort schaped;
[D] I hy3t þe a strok, & þou hit hat3, halde þe wel payed,
I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ry3tes alle oþer;
3if[1] I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter,
2344 [E] I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wro3t anger.[2]
Fyrst I mansed þe muryly, with a mynt one,
[F] & roue þe wyth no rof, sore with ry3t I þe profered,
For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst ny3t, [Fol. 122b.]
2348 & þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me halde3,
Al þe gayne þow me gef, as god mon shulde;
[G] Þat oþer munt for þe morne, mon, I þe profered,
Þou kyssedes my clere wyf, þe cosse3 me ra3te3,
2352 For boþe two here I þe bede bot two bare myntes,
boute scaþe;
[H] Trwe mon trwe restore,
Þenne þar mon drede no waþe;
2356 [I] At þe þrid þou fayled þore,
& þer-for þat tappe ta þe.
[Sidenote A: The Green Knight rested on his axe,]
[Sidenote B: looked on Sir Gawayne, who appeared bold and fearless,]
[Sidenote C: and addressed him as follows: "Bold knight, be not so wroth,]
[Sidenote D: I promised thee a stroke and thou hast it, be satisfied.]
[Sidenote E: I could have dealt worse with thee.]
[Sidenote F: I menaced thee with one blow for the covenant between us on
the first night.]
[Sidenote G: Another I aimed at thee because thou kissedst my wife.]
[Sidenote H: A true man should restore truly, and then he need fear no
harm.]
[Sidenote I: Thou failedst at the third time, and therefore take thee that
tap. (See l. 1861.)]
[Footnote 1: uf, in MS.]
[Footnote 2: This word is doubtful.]