[Sidenote: Gawane puts the conquest-king to flight.]
Ful manly one to the feld he drowith;
The lord ſ{ir} gawan, cou{er}it w{i}t{h} h{is} ſcheld,
He ruſchit in myddis of the feld, 2640
And haith them ſo in to his com aſſayt,
That of his manhed ware thei al affrait;
No lang{er} my{ch}t thei {con}trar hyme endur,
Bot fled, and goith one to diſcu{m}fiture. 2644
[Sidenote: Galiot, full of anger and grief, sends out a new band.]
And galiot, wich haith the diſc{um}fit ſen,
Fulfillit ful of ang{er} and of ten,
In{con}tine{n}t he ſend o new poware,
Whar-w{i}t{h} the feld{is} al our-cou{er}it ware 2648
Of armyt ſted{is} bot{h} in plait and maill, [Fol. 33a.]
W{i}t{h} kny{ch}t{is} wich war reddy to aſſaill.
[Sidenote: Gawane draws his men together, and shews them
comfortable words.]
S{ir} gawan, ſeing al the gret ſuppris
Of fois cu{m}myng In to ſich o wys, 2652
Togiddir al his cumpany he drew,
And confortable word{is} to them ſchew;
So at the cu{m}myng of thar ennemys
[Sidenote: They receive the foe in manly wise.]
Thei them reſauf, in ſo manly wyß, 2656
That many one felith deithis wound,
And wnd{er} horß lyith ſobing one the ground.
This vther cu{m}myth in to gret deſir,
Fulfillit ful of matelent and Ire, 2660
So freſchly, w{i}t{h} ſo gret o confluens,
Thar ſtrong aſſay hath don ſich vyolens,
And at thar come arthuris folk ſo led,
That thai war ay abayſit and adred. 2664
Bot gawan, wich that, by this vorld{is} fame,
Of ma{n}hed and of kny{ch}thed bur the name,
Haith p{re}wit [hym] well be exp{er}iens;
For only In til armys his defens 2668
[Sidenote: Gawane encourages his fellows,]
Haith maid his falowis tak ſich hardyme{n}t,
That manfully thei biding one the bent.
Of his manhed war m{er}well to raherß;
The kny{ch}tis throw the ſcheld{is} can he perß, 2672
That many one thar dethis haith reſauit;
None armour frome his my{ch}ty hond them ſauit,
[Sidenote: though their foes are three to one;]
Ȝhit ay for one ther ennemys wor thre.
Long my{ch}t thei no{ch}t endur in ſuch dugree; 2676
The preß it wos ſo creuell & ſo ſtrong,
In gret anoy and haith {con}tinewit longe,
[Sidenote: yet his men are forced to retreat to their tents.]
That, magre them, thei ned{is} moſt abak
The way one to thar lug{is} for to tak. 2680
S{ir} gawan thar ſufferith gret myſchef,
And wond{er}is in his kny{ch}thed can he pref;
His falouſchip haith m{er}well that hym ſaw,
So haith his fois that of his ſuerd ſtud aw. 2684
[Sidenote: Arthur beholds the peril of the field, and sends Sir
Ywan to help them,]
King arthur, that al this whill beheld
The dang{er} and the p{er}ell of the feld,
S{ir} ywan w{i}t{h} o falowſchip he ſende,
Them In that ned to help & to defend, 2688
Qwich fond them In to danger and in were, [Fol. 33b.]
And ent{er}it nere In to thar tentis were.
[Sidenote: who finds Sir Gawane fighting on foot with only his
sword.]
S{ir} gawan fechtand was one fut At erde,
And no defend, but only in his ſwerde, 2692
Aȝanis them bot{h} w{i}t{h} ſpere and ſcheld.
Of galowa the kny{ch}t goith to the erde.[T62]
[Footnote T62: Read “felde”?]
[Headnote: SIR YWAN RESCUES GAWANE.]
[Sidenote: The battle was furious and wood.]
Thar was the batell furyous and woud[T63]
Of armyt kny{ch}t{is}; to the grownde thai ȝhud. 2696
S{ir} ywane, that was a noble knyght,
He ſchew his ſtrenth, he ſchew thar h{is} g{r}et my{ch}t,
In al his tyme that neu{er} of before
Off armys, nore of kny{ch}thed, did he more: 2700
[Sidenote: Sir Ywan rescues Sir Gawane,]
S{ir} gawan thar reſkewit he of fors,
Magre his fois, and haith hyme ſet one horß
That frome the firſt {con}queſt king he wañ;
[Sidenote: who was so evilly wounded, that he was the worse thereof
evermore.]
Bot ſ{ir} gawan ſo ewill was wondit than, 2704
And in the feld ſupp{ri}ſit was ſo ſore,
That he the werß thar-of was eu{er}more.
Thar ſchew the lord ſ{ir} ywan h{is} curage,
His manhed, & h{is} noble waſſolage; 2708
And gawan, in his doing, wald no{ch}t irk;
[Footnote T63: MS. “woid,” but the “_i_” is undotted, and is
therefore perhaps meant for the first stroke of a “_u_.”]
[Headnote: END OF THE FIRST DAY’S BATTLE.]
[Sidenote: Darkness parts the combatants.]
So al the day enduring to the dyrk
Sal them, magre of thar deſyre, {con}ſt{r}en
On ayar half fore [to] dep{ar}t in twen. 2712
And when that gawan of his horß vas toñ,
The blud out of his noiß & mouth is goñ,
And largly ſo paſſith euery wounde,
[Sidenote: Sir Gawane swoons,]
In ſwonyng thore he fell one to the ground: 2716
Than of the puple petee was to here
The lemytable clamour, and the chere;
[Sidenote: so that the king despairs of his “niece’s” life, and
laments over him.]
And of the king the ſorow and the care,
That of his nec{is} lyf was in diſſpare. 2720
“Far well,” he ſais, “my gladnes, & my delyt,
Apone kny{ch}thed far well myne appetit,
Fare well of manhed al the g{r}et curage,
Yow flour of armys and of vaſſolage, 2724
Gif yow be loſt!”--thus til his tent hyme bro{ch}t
[Sidenote: The surgeons are sought,]
W{i}t{h} wofull hart, and al the ſurryȝenis ſocht,
Wich for to cum was reddy at his neid;
Thai fond the lord was of his lyf i{n} dreid, 2728
For wondit was he, and ek wondit ſo,
[Sidenote: who found he had two broken ribs, but no mortal wound.]
And in his ſyd ware brokyne Ribys two.
Bot no{ch}t for-thi the king thai maid beleif
That at that tyme he ſhuld the deith eſchef. 2732 [Fol. 34a.]
[O]ff melyhalt the ladyis kny{ch}t{is} were
In to the feld, and can thir tithing{is} here,
[Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt’s knights tell her how the battle
went,]
And home to thar lady ar thai went,
Til hir to ſchewing eft{er} thar entent, 2736
In euery poynt, how that the batell ſtud
Of galiot, and of his multitud;
[Sidenote: and how Gawane bare him in the field, and of his wounds.]
And how gawan hyme in the feld hath borñ,
Throw quhoys ſwerd ſo many o kny{ch}t vas lorñ, 2740
And of the kny{ch}tly wond{er}is that he wro{ch}t,
Syne how that he one to his tent vas bro{ch}t.
The lady hard, that lowit gawan so,
[Sidenote: She weeps for him.]
She gan to wep, in to[T64] hir hart vas wo. 2744
[Footnote T64: MS. “in in”; but “in to” is clearly meant.]
[Headnote: LANCELOT’S LAMENT FOR GAWANE.]
[Sidenote: Lancelot requests to see the lady;]
Thir tythyng{is} one to lancelot ar goñ,
Whar-of that he was wond{er} wo-bygone,
And for the lady haſtely he sent,
And ſche til hyme, at his co{m}mand, Is went: 2748
[Sidenote: and inquires if Gawane is really likely to die.]
He ſaluſt hir, and ſaid, “madem, Is trew
Thir tithing{is} I her report of new
Of the aſſemble, and meting of the oſt,
And of ſ{ir} gawan, wich that ſhuld be loſt? 2752
If that be ſwth, adew the flour of armys,
[Sidenote: He laments over him,]
Now neu{er}more recou{er}yt be the harmys!
In hyme was manhed, curteſſy, and trouth,
Beſy trawell In kny{ch}thed, ay but ſleuth, 2756
Humilyte, [and] gentrice, and cwrag;
In hyme thar was no man{er} of outrage.
[Sidenote: first apostrophizing himself,]
Allace! kny{ch}t, allace! what ſhal yow ſay?
Yow may complen, yow may bewail the day 2760
As of his deith, and gladſchip aucht to ſes,
Baith menſtraſy and feſting at the des;
For of this lond he was the holl comfort,
In tyme of ned al kny{ch}thed to ſupport! 2764
[Sidenote: and next blaming the lady for not having allowed him
to be present in the battle.]
Allace! madem, and I durſt ſay at ȝhe
Al yhour beheſt not kepit haith to me,
Whar-of that I was in to full belef
Aȝañe this day that I ſchuld have my lef, 2768
And no{ch}t as cowart thus ſchamfully to ly
Excludit in to cage frome chewalry,
Whar othir kny{ch}t{is} anarmyt on thar ſtedis
Hawnt{is} ther ȝhouthhed in to kny{ch}tly dedis.” 2772
“S{ir},” q{uo}d ſche, “I red yhow not diſpleß,
Ȝhe may In tyme her-eft{er} cum at es; [Fol. 34b.]
[Sidenote: She promises he shall go to the next battle,]
For the thrid day Is ordanit, & ſhal be
Of the oſt{is} a new aſſemble, 2776
And I have gart ordan al the gere
That longith to ȝour body for to were,
[Sidenote: saying that his sable armour is ready.]
Boith horß and armour In the ſamyne wyß
Of ſable, ewyne aftir ȝhour awn dewyß; 2780
And yhe ſal her remayne one to the day;
Syne may ȝhe paß, fore well ȝhe knaw the way.”
“I will obey, madem, to yhour entent.”
W{i}t{h} that ſche goith, and to hir reſt is went: 2784
[Sidenote: In the morn she takes her leave, to go to the court.]
One the morn arly vp ſche roß
W{i}t{h}out delay, and to the kny{ch}t ſche gois,
And twk hir lef, and ſaid that ſcho vald fare
On to the court, w{i}t{h}-outen any mare. 2788
[Sidenote: He kneels, and thanks her often.]
Than knelit he, and thankit hir oft-ſys,
That ſche ſo mych hath done hyme of ge{n}triß,
And hir byhecht eu{er}, at his myght,
To be hir awn trew & ſtedfaſt kny{ch}t. 2792
[Sidenote: She goes unto the king,]
Sche thonkith hyme, and ſyne ſche goith h{er} way
On to the king, w{i}t{h}-owten more delay,
Whar that i{n}[T65] honour w{i}t{h} king & qwen ſche ſall
Ry{ch}t thonkfully reſauit be w{i}t{h}-all. 2796
Eft to ſ{ir} gawan thai hir led, & ſche
Ryght gladly hyme deſyrit for to ſee,
[Sidenote: and finds Sir Gawane quite different from what had been
told her.]
And ſche hyme fond, and ſche was glad tharfore,
All vthir ways than was hir told before. 2800
The kny{ch}t, the wich in to hir keping vas,
[Sidenote: The lady’s cousin cherishes Lancelot in her best manner.]
Sche had {com}mandit to hir cuſſynece,
Wich cheriſt hyme apone hir beſt manere,
And comfort hyme, and maid hy{m} ry{ch}t gud chere. 2804
[Footnote T65: MS. “w{i}t{h};” which is crossed out, and “i{n}”
inserted above, rather minutely written.]
[Headnote: LANCELOT PREPARES FOR BATTLE.]
[T]he days goith, ſo paſſith als the ny{ch}t,
[Sidenote: The third day, the maiden goes to his chamber, and
fastens on his armour.]
The thrid morow, as that the ſone vas ly{ch}t,
The kny{ch}t onon out of his bed aroß,
The maden ſone one to his chalm{er} goß, 2808
And ſacretly his armour one hyme ſpent.
He tuk his lef, and ſyne his way he went
[Sidenote: He goes to the same green, beside the river, as before.]
Ful prewaly, ry{ch}t to the ſamyne greñ
One the rewere, whar he befor had ben, 2812
Ewyne as the day [he] the first courß hath maad.
Alone ry{ch}t thar he howit, and abaade,
Behalding to the bertes, whar the qweñ [Fol. 35a.]
[Sidenote: He abides there alone, looking towards the parapet
where he saw the queen.]
Befor at the aſſemble he had señ 2816
Ry{ch}t ſo the ſone ſchewith furt{h} his ly{ch}t,
And to his armour went is euery wy{ch}t;
[Sidenote: The jousting begins.]
One athir half the Iusting is bygon,
And many o fair and knych[t]ly courß is rown. 2820
[Sidenote: The black knight still halts on his steed.]
The blak kny{ch}t ȝhit howyns on his ſted,
Of al thar doing takith he no hed,
Bot ay, apone the beſynes of tho{ch}t,
In beholding his ey dep{ar}tit no{ch}t. 2824
[Headnote: THE QUEEN BEHOLDS THE BLACK KNIGHT.]
[Sidenote: The lady beholds him and knows him; but yet inquires
who he is,]
To quhom the lady of melyhalt beheld,
And knew hyme by h{is} armour & h{is} ſcheld,
Qwhat that he was; and thus ſche ſaid one hy{ch}t:
“Who is he ȝone? who may he be, ȝhone kny{ch}t, 2828
So ſtill that hovith and ſterith not his Ren,
And ſeith the kny{ch}t{is} rynyng one the greñ?”
[Sidenote: thus calling the attention of Gawane,]
Than al beholdith, and in princypale
S{ir} gawan beholdith moſt of all; 2832
Of melyha[l]t the lady to hyme maid
In{con}tine{n}t, his couche and gart be had
Be-fore o wyndew thore, as he my{ch}t se
The kny{ch}t, the oſt, and al the aſſemble. 2836
He lukith furt{h}, and ſone the kny{ch}t hath ſen,
[Sidenote: who saith to the queen:]
And, but delay, he ſaith one to the qwen,
[Sidenote: “Madam, remember that the red knight halted where yon
knight halts.”]
“Madem, if ȝhe remembir, ſo it was
The red kny{ch}t in to the ſamyne place 2840
That wencuſt al [at] the first aſſemble;
Whar that ȝone kny{ch}t howis, howit hee.”
[Sidenote: “Why do you inquire?” she replies.]
“Ȝha,” q{uod} the qwen, “ry{ch}t well remembir I;
Qwhat is the cauß at ȝhe inquere, & quhy?” 2844
“Madem, of [al] this larg warld is he
[Sidenote: “He is the knight, madam, whom I most desire to see.”]
The kny{ch}t the wich I most deſir to ſee
His ſtrenth, his ma{n}hed, his curag, and h{is} my{ch}t,
Or do in armys that longith to o kny{ch}t.” 2848
[Headnote: THE ORDER OF BATTLE.]
[B]y thus, arthur, w{i}t{h} conſell well awyſit,
[Sidenote: Arthur arranges his lines of battle.]
Haith ordanit his batell{is}, and devyſit:
[Sidenote: King Ydrus leads the first;]
The firſt of them led ydrus king, & he
O worthy man vas ne{m}myt for to bee. 2852
[Sidenote: Harwy the Reweyll, an aged knight, the second.]
The ſecund led harwy the Reweyll,
That in this world was kny{ch}t that had moſt feill
For to p{ro}wid that longith to the were,
One agit kny{ch}t, and well couth armys bere. 2856
[T]he thrid feld [he] deliu{er}it in the hond [Fol. 35b.]
[Sidenote: King Angus, a cousin of Arthur, leads the third.]
Of ang{us}, king of ylys of ſcotlande,
Wich cuſing was one to king arthur nere,
One hardy kny{ch}t he was, w{i}t{h}outen were. 2860
[Sidenote: King Ywons the fourth.]
The ferd batell led ywons the king,
O manly kny{ch}t he was In to al thing.
And thus dewyſit ware his batell{is} ſere,
[Sidenote: In every company are 15,000.]
In euery feld xv thouſand were. 2864
[T]he fift[T66] batell the lord ſ{ir} ywan lede,
[Sidenote: The lord Sir Ywan leads the rearguard.]
Whois ma{n}hed was i{n} euery cu{n}tre dred,
Sone he was one to wryne the kyng,
Forwart, ſtout, hardy, wyß, and ȝhing; 2868
Xx thouſand in his oſt thai paſt,
Wich ordanit was for to aſſemble laſt.
[Sidenote: Galiot’s armies.]
[A]nd galiot, apone the tothir ſyde,
Ry{ch}t wyſly gan h{is} batell{is} to dewid. 2872
[Sidenote: Malenginys leads the first line;]
The firſt of them led malenginys the king,
None hardyar In to this erth lewyng;
He neu{er} more out of his cuntre Raid,
Nor he w{i}t{h} hyme one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} hade. 2876
[Footnote T66: MS. “firſt.” See l. 2870.]
[Sidenote: the first-conquest king the second; Walydeyne the third;]
[T]he ſecund the first-conqueſt king led,
That for no p{er}ell of armys vas adred;
The thrid, o king clepit walydeyne,
He led, and was o manly kny{ch}t, but weyne. 2880
[Sidenote: Clamedeus the fourth;]
[T]he ferd, king clamede{us} has,
Wich that lord of far ylys was.
[Sidenote: and King Brandymagus the fifth.]
The fift[T67] batell, whar xl thouſand were,
King brandymag{us} had to led and ſtere, 2884
O manly kny{ch}t, and prewit well oft-ſyß,
And in his conſell wond{er} ſcharp & wyß.
[Sidenote: Galiot bore no arms;]
Galiot non armys bur that day,
Nor as o kny{ch}t he wald hyme-ſelf aray, 2888
[Sidenote: but was arrayed as a servant in a habergeon with
a “prekyne” hat, and a truncheon in his hand.]
But as o ſ{er}uand in o habariowne,
O prekyne hat, and ek o gret trownſciowñ
In til his hond, and one o curſour ſet,
The beſt that was in ony lond to get. 2892
Endlong the rewar men my{ch}t behold & ſee,
Of kny{ch}t{is} weryne mony one aſſemble;
[Sidenote: The black knight still remains looking towards the
parapet.]
And the blak kny{ch}t ſtill he couth abyde,
W{i}t{h}out remowyng, one the Riwer ſyde, 2896
Bot to the bartes to behold and ſee
Thar as his hart deſyrit moſt to bee:
[Footnote T67: MS. “firſt.”]
[Headnote: THE FIRST MESSAGE TO THE BLACK KNIGHT.]
[Sidenote: The lady says to the queen--]
And quhen the lady of melyhalt haith ſeñ
The kny{ch}t ſo ſtond, ſche ſaid one to the qweñ, [Fol. 36a.]
[Sidenote: “Madam, pray commend yourself to yon knight.”]
“Madem, It is my conſell at ȝhe send 2901
One to ȝone kny{ch}t, ȝour-ſelf for to {com}mend,
Beſeiching hyme that he wald wnd{er}tak
This day to do of armys, for ȝour ſak.” 2904
[Sidenote: The queen replies]
The quen anſuerit as that hir lykit no{ch}t,
For othir thing was more In to hir tho{ch}t,
“For well ȝhe ſe the p{er}ell how disio[i]nt,
The adwentur now ſtondith one the point 2908
Boith of my lord his honore, and h{is} lond,
And of his men, i{n}[T68] dang{er} how thai ſtond:
[Footnote T68: Stevenson reads “the”; but “the” is crossed out,
and “i{n}” written over it.]
[Sidenote: that the lady and the rest may send a message, but that
she will not herself take part in it.]
Bot ȝhe, and ek thir vthere ladice may,
If that yhow lykith, to the kny{ch}t gar ſay 2912
The meſag; is none that wil yhow let,
For I tharof ſal no{ch}t me ent{er}met.”
On to the quen ſcho ſaith, “her I,
If ſo it pleß thir vthir ladice by, 2916
Am for to ſend one to the kny{ch}t {con}tent;”
And al the ladice can thar-to aſſent,
Beſeching hir the meſag to dewyß,
As ſche that was moſt prudent & moſt wyß. 2920
[Sidenote: The lady sends a discreet maiden,]
Sche grantit, and o madeñ haith thai tone,
Diſcret, apone this meſag for till gone;
[Sidenote: and Sir Gawane a squire, with two spears,]
And ſ{ir} gawan a ſqwyar bad alſo,
W{i}t{h} two ſperis one to the kny{ch}t to go. 2924
The lady than, w{i}t{h}outen more dulay,
Haith chargit hir apone this wyß to ſay:
[Sidenote: to say that all the ladies, the queen alone excepted,
commend them to the black knight,]
“Schaw to the kny{ch}t, the ladice eu{er}-ilkone
Ben In the court, excep the quen allon, 2928
Til hyme them haith reco{m}mandit oft-ſyß,
Beſeching hyme of kny{ch}thed and gentriß,
(Or if It hapyne eu{er}more that he ſhall
Cum, quhar thai may, owther an or all, 2932
In ony thing awail hyme or ſupport,
Or do hyme ony pleſans or comfort,)
[Sidenote: and pray him to essay some deed of arms.]
He wold wichſaif for loue of them this day
In armys ſum manhed to aſſay; 2936
And ſay, ſ{ir} gawan hyme the ſper{is} ſent;
Now go, this is the fek of our entent.”
[Sidenote: The damsel and squire]
The damyſell ſche hath hir palfray tone,
The sqwyar w{i}t{h} the ſperis w{i}t{h} hir goñ; 2940
The n{er}eſt way thai paß one to ye kny{ch}t, [Fol. 36b.]
[Sidenote: repeat the message.]
Whar ſche repete hir meſag haith ful ry{ch}t:
[Headnote: SIR LANCELOT IS NOT CONTENT.]
[Sidenote: Sir Lancelot, finding the queen not in the message,]
And quhen he hard, and planly wnd{er}ſtude,
How that the quen not in the meſag ȝude, 2944
[Sidenote: was not content,]
He ſpak no word, bot he was not {con}tent;
Bot, of ſ{ir} gawan, glaid in his entent,
He aſkit quhar he was, and of h{is} fair?
And thai to hyme the man{er} can duclair; 2948
[Sidenote: but asks the squire to hold the two spears ready for
him.]
Than the ſqwyar he prayth that he wold
Paß to the feld, the ſperis for to hold.
He ſaw the kny{ch}t{is} ſemblyng her and thare,
The ſtedis Rynyng w{i}t{h} the ſadill{is} bare; 2952
His ſpuris goith in to the ſtedis syde,
That was ful ſwyft, and lykit not to byd;
[Headnote: HE USES UP SIR GAWANE’S TWO SPEARS.]
And he that was hardy, ferß, and ſtout,
[Sidenote: He attacks a company of a hundred knights, slays the
nearest,]
Furth by o ſyd aſſemblyng on a rout 2956
Whar that one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was, & mo;
And w{i}t{h} the firſt has Recount{er}it so,
That frome the deth not helpith hy{m} h{is} ſcheld,
Boith horß and man is lying in the feld; 2960
The ſpere is gone, and al in pecis brak,
[Sidenote: and with the stump of his spear bereaves two or three
of their saddles.]
And he the trunſcyoune in h{is} hand hath tak
That two or thre he haith the ſadill{is} reft,
Whill in his hond ſchortly no thing is left. 2964
Syne, to the ſquyar, of the feld is goñ,
[Sidenote: He takes a new spear from the squire, and overthrows
three knights.]
Fro hyme o ſpere In to his hond haith ton,
And to the feld returnyt he aȝayne:
The firſt he met, he goith one the plan, 2968
And ek the next, and ſyne the thrid alſo;
Nor in his hond, nore in his ſtrak was ho.
His e{n}nemys that veryng In affray
Befor his ſtrok, and makith rovm alway; 2972
And in ſich wyß ay in the feld he vro{ch}t,
Whill that his ſperis gon var al to no{cht};
Whar-of ſ{ir} gawan berith vitneſing
Throw al this world that thar vas non levyng, 2976
In ſo ſchort tyme ſo mych of armys wro{ch}t.
[Headnote: HE USES UP SIR GAWANE’S TWO SPEARS.]
[Sidenote: His spears gone, he returns to his first position.]
His ſperis gone, out of the feld he ſo{ch}t,
And paſſit is one to the Rewere syde,
Ry{ch}t thore as he was wont for to abyde; 2980
And ſo beholdyne In the ſamyne plañ, [Fol. 37a.]
As to the feld hyme lykit no{ch}t aȝañ.
[Sidenote: Sir Gawane says to the queen:]
Sir gawan ſaw, and ſaith on to the quen,
[Sidenote: “Madam, yon knight thinks himself despised, because you
so specially excepted yourself in the message;]
“Madem, yhone knycht diſponit [not],[T69] I weyñ, 2984
To help ws more, fore he ſo is awyſit;
[Footnote T69: “not” seems required.]
As I p{re}ſume, he thinkith hyme diſpiſit
Of the meſag that we gart to hyme mak;
Yhowre-ſelf yhe have ſo ſpecialy out-tak, 2988
He thinkith ewill contempnit for to bee,
Conſid{er}ing how that the neceſſitee
Moſt prinſpally to yhowr ſupporting lyis.
Tharfor my conſell is, yhow to dewyß, 2992
And ek ȝhowre-ſelf i{n} yhowr t{r}eſpas accuß,
[Sidenote: ask him mercy, therefore, and excuse your guilt.]
And aſk hyme mercy, and yhour gilt excuß.
For well it oucht o prince or o king
Til honore and til cheriß in al thing 2996
O worthi man, that is in kny{ch}thed p{re}wit.
For throw the body of o man eſchevit
Mony o wondir, mony one aduenture,
That m{er}well war til any creature. 3000
And als oft-tyme is boith hard & ſen,
[Sidenote: For often, by one knight’s prowess, have 40,000 been
worsted by 5,000.]
Quhar xl thouſand haith diſcu{m}fit ben
Vith v thouſand, and only be o kny{ch}t;
For throw his ſtrenth, his vorſchip, & h{is} my{ch}t, 3004
His falowſchip ſich comfort of hym tais
That thai ne dreid the dang{er} of thar fays.
And thus, madem, I wot, w{i}t{h}outen were,
[Sidenote: If yon knight will continue to help the king,]
If that ȝhone kny{ch}t this day will p{er}ſywere 3008
W{i}t{h} his manhed for helping of the king,
We ſal have cauß to dred in to no thing.
Our folk of hyme thai ſal ſich comfort tak,
And ſo adred thar ennemys ſal mak, 3012
That ſur I am, onys or the ny{ch}t,
[Sidenote: yon folk shall perforce take to flight.”]
Of forß ȝhone folk ſal tak one them the fly{ch}t:
Wharffor, madem, that ȝhe have gilt to mend,
My conſell is one to ȝhon kny{ch}t ȝe ſend.” 3016
[Headnote: THE SECOND MESSAGE TO THE BLACK KNIGHT.]
[Sidenote: She consents to send a message.]
“S{ir},” q{uod} ſche, “quhat pleſſith yhow to do
Ȝhe may dewyß, and I conſent thar-to.”
Than was the lady of melyhalt {con}tent,
And to ſ{ir} gawan in-to-{con}tynent 3020
Sche clepit the maid, wich that paſſit ar; [Fol. 37b.]
[Sidenote: A maiden is therefore sent to say,]
And he hir bad the meſag thus duclar.
“Say [to][T70] the kny{ch}t, the quen hir reco{m}mendith,
And ſal correk in quhat that ſche offendith 3024
At his awn will, how ſo hyme liſt dewyß;
[Sidenote: that the queen humbly exhorts him]
And hyme exortith, in moſt humyll wyß,
As eu{er} he will, whar that ſche can or may,
Or powar haith hir charg, be ony way, 3028
And for his worſchip and his hie ma{n}hede,
[Sidenote: to help in that need to preserve the king’s honour,
and to deserve her thanks.]
And for hir luf, to helpen i{n} that ned
The king{is} honore, his land fore to preſerf,
That he hir thonk for eu{er} may deſerf.” 3032
[Footnote T70: “to” seems required.]
[Headnote: SIR GAWANE SENDS HIM TEN SPEARS MORE.]
And four ſquyaris chargit he alſo
[Sidenote: Sir Gawane also sends four squires with three horses
and ten spears.]
W{i}t{h} thre horß and ſperis x to go
Furt{h} to the knycht, hyme prayng for his ſak,
At his raqueſt thame in his ned to tak. 3036
[T]he maden furt{h} w{i}t{h} the ſqwyar{is} is went
One to the kny{ch}t, and ſchawith y{ar} entent.
[Sidenote: The message heard, he inquires about the queen,]
Tho meſag hard, and ek ye preſent ſeñ,
He anſwerit, and aſkith of the qwen; 3040
[Sidenote: and is told that from yon parapet she can witness his
deeds.]
“S{ir},” q{uod} ſche, [“sche][T71] in to ȝhone bartiis lyis,
Whar that this day yhour dedis ſal dewyß,
Yhowr manhed, yhour worſchip, and affere,
How ȝhe {con}teñ, and how yhe armys bere; 3044
The quen hir-ſelf, and many o lady to,
Sal Iug{is} be, and vitnes how yhe do.”
Than he, whois hart ſtant in o new aray,
[Sidenote: He returns a message that he is the queen’s knight.]
Saith, “damyceyll, on to my lady ſay, 3048
How eu{er} that hir lykith that it bee,
Als far as wit or powar is in me,
I am hir kny{ch}t, I ſal at hir {com}mand
Do at I may, w{i}t{h}outen more demand. 3052
And to ſ{ir} gawan, for his gret gentriß,
Me reco{m}mend and thonk a thouſand ſyß.”
W{i}t{h} that o ſper he takith in his hond,
[Sidenote: He stands in his stirrups; and seems to increase a foot
in height.]
And ſo in to his ſterapis can he ſtond 3056
That to ſ{ir} gawan ſemyth that the kny{ch}t
Encreſyng gon o larg fut one hycht;
And to the ladice ſaith he, and the qwen,
“Ȝhon is the kny{ch}t that eu{er} I have ſen 3060
In al my tyme moſt kny{ch}tly of affere,
And in hyme-ſelf gon fareſt armys bere.”
[Footnote T71: A second “sche” is here required.]
[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT’S CHARGE.]
[Sidenote: Greatly encouraged,]
[T]he kny{ch}t that haith Reme{m}brit in his tho{ch}t [Fol. 38a.]
The qwenys charg{is}, & how ſche hy{m} beſo{ch}t, 3064
Curag can encreſing to his hart;
His curſer lap, and gan onon to ſtart;
And he the ſqwaris haith reqwyrit ſo,
That thai w{i}t{h} hyme one to the feld wald go. 3068
[Sidenote: without delay he crosses over the river to the field;]
Than goith he one, w{i}t{h}outen mor abaid,
And our the reuar to the feld he raid;
Don goith his ſpere onone In to the Reſt,
[Sidenote: and goes in wherever he sees most peril.]
And in he goith, w{i}t{h}outen mor areſt, 3072
Thar as he ſaw moſt p{er}ell and moſt dred
In al the feld, and moſt of help[T72] had ned,
Whar ſemblyt was the firſt-{con}queſt king
W{i}t{h} mony o kny{ch}t that was in his leding. 3076
[Sidenote: He overthrows two knights.]
The firſt he met, doune goith boith horß & man;
The ſper was holl, and to the next he Rañ
That helpit hyme his hawbrek nor h{is} ſcheld,
Bot throuch and throuch haith perſit i{n} the feld. 3080
[Footnote T72: MS. “held.”]
[Headnote: SIX KNIGHTS FOLLOW HIM.]