Brandellis, and Gahers, all six in a race spur across the field
with stretched spears,]
S{ir} kay, the wich haith this encontyr ſen,
His horß he ſtrekith our the larg gren,
And ſ{ir} ſygramors ek the deſyrand,
W{i}t{h} ſ{ir} greſown cu{m}myth at y{ar} honde, 3084
Son of the duk, and alſua ſ{ir} ywan
The baſtart, and ſ{ir} brandellis onan,
And gaherß, wich that broyir was
To gawan; thir ſex in a Raß 3088
Deliu{er}ly com prekand our the feld{is}
W{i}t{h} ſperis ſtraucht, and cou{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ſcheldis;
Sum for love, ſum honor to purcheß,
[Sidenote: and 100 knights after them.]
And aftir them one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was, 3092
In ſamyne will, thar manhed to aſſay.
On his v falowis clepit than ſ{ir} kay,
[Sidenote: Sir Kay exhorts them]
And ſaith them, “ſ{ir}is, thar has ȝhond{er} ben
A courß that neu{er}-more farar was ſen 3096
Maid be o kny{ch}t, and we ar cu{m}myn ilkon
Only ws one [his] worſchip to diſpone;
And neu{er} we in al our dais my{ch}t
Have bet axampil than iffith ws ȝone kny{ch}t 3100
[Sidenote: to keep near the black knight, and follow his guidance
all day.]
Of well doing; and her I hecht for me
Ner hyme al day, if that I may, to bee,
And folow hyme at al [my] my{ch}t I ſall,
Bot deth or vthir adwentur me fall. 3104
W{i}t{h} that thir ſex, al in one aſſent,
W{i}t{h} freſch curag In to the feld Is went.
The blak kny{ch}t{is} ſpere in pec{is} goñe, [Fol. 38b.]
[Sidenote: With a second spear, the black knight seeks the field,
closely followed by the six.]
Frome o ſqwyar oñe vthir haith he toñe, 3108
And to the feld onone he goith ful ry{ch}t;
Thir ſex w{i}t{h} hyme ay holdith at y{ar} my{ch}t.
And than bygan his wond{er}is in the feld;
Thar was no helme, no hawbryk, nore no ſcheld, 3112
[Sidenote: No knight nor armour can withstand him.]
Nor yhit no kny{ch}t ſo hardy, ferß, nore ſtout,
No ȝhit no man{er} armour my{ch}t hald owt
His ſtrenth, nore was of powar to w{i}t{h}ſtond;
So mych of armys dyde he w{i}t{h} his honde, 3116
[Sidenote: Every wight wonders at his deeds.]
That euery wight ferleit of h{is} deid,
And al his fois ſtondith ful of dreid.
So beſely he can his tyme diſpend,
That of the ſperis wich ſ{ir} gawan ſend, 3120
[Sidenote: He uses up all Gawane’s spears.]
Holl of them all thar was not lewit oñe;
Throw wich but m{er}cy to the deyth is gon
Ful many o kny{ch}t, and many o weriour,
That cout{h} ſuſten ful hardely o ſtour. 3124
[Sidenote: Two horses of his are killed, and he fights on foot.]
And of his horß ſupp{ri}ſit ded ar two,
One of his awn, of gawanis one alſo,
And he one fut was fechtand one the gren,
When that ſ{ir} kay haith w{i}t{h} his falowis ſeñ; 3128
[Sidenote: The squire brings him a fresh horse;]
The ſqwyar w{i}t{h} his horß than to hy{m} bro{ch}t;
Magre his fois he to his courſeir ſo{ch}t
Deliu{er}ly, as of o my{ch}ty hart,
[Sidenote: he leaps into the saddle without stirrups.]
W{i}t{h}out ſteropis in to his ſadill ſtart, 3132
That euery wycht beholding m{er}vell has
Of his ſtrenth and deliu{er} beſynes.
[Headnote: SIR KAY ASKS WHO THE BLACK KNIGHT IS.]
[Sidenote: Sir Kay asks who he is,]
S{ir} kay, ſeing his horß, and how that thai
War cled in to ſ{ir} gawanis aray, 3136
Aſkith at the ſquyar if he knewith
What that he was, this kny{ch}t? & he hym ſchewith
[Sidenote: but the squire cannot tell.]
He wiſt no thing quhat that he was, nore hee
Befor that day hyme neu{er} ſaw w{i}t{h} Ee. 3140
Than aſkith he, how and one quhat wyß
On gawanis horß makith hyme ſich ſ{er}uice?
The ſqw[y]ar ſaith, “forſuth y wot no more;
My lord ws bad, I not the cauß quharfore.” 3144
[Sidenote: The black knight returns to the field.]
The blak kny{ch}t, horſit, to the feld can ſew
Als freſch as he was in the morow new;
[Sidenote: The six comrades follow him.]
The ſex falowis folowit hyme ilkone,
And al in front on to the feld ar goñ; 3148
Ry{ch}t freſchly one thar ennemys thai ſoght, [Fol. 39a.]
And many o fair poynt of armys vroght.
[Sidenote: Malangin’s host is discomfited by king Ydras; and
retreats to join the second line, commanded by the Conquest-king;]
[T]han hapnyt to king malangins oſt
By ydras king diſcu{m}fit was, & loſt, 3152
And fled, and to the {con}queſt-king ar goñe,
Thar boith the batell{is} aſſemblit In to one;
King malengynis in to his hart was wo,
For of hyme-ſelf no bett{er} kny{ch}t my{ch}t go; 3156
[Sidenote: so that 40,000 are now opposed to 15,000 of Arthur’s.]
Thar xl thouſand war thai for xv.
Than my{ch}t the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus be ſen
Of armyt kny{ch}t{is} gaping one the ground;
Sum deith, and ſum w{i}t{h} mony a grewous wond; 3160
For arthuris kny{ch}t{is}, that manly war and gud,
Suppos that vthir was o multitude,
Reſauit tham well at the ſperis end;
But one ſuch wyß thai may not lang defend. 3164
[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT’S PROWESS.]
[Sidenote: The black knight, knowing who is beholding him,]
The blak kny{ch}t ſaw the dang{er} of the feld,
And al his doing{is} knowith quho beheld,
And ek reme{m}brith in to his entent
Of the meſag that ſche haith to hyme ſent: 3168
Than curag, ſtrenth encreſing w{i}t{h} ma{n}hed,
Ful lyk o kny{ch}t one to the feld he raid,
[Sidenote: thinks to have his lady’s love, or die before her.]
Thinking to do his ladice love to have,
Or than his deth befor hir to reſave. 3172
Thar he begynyth in his ferß curag
Of armys, as o lyoune in his rag;
Than m{er}well was his doing to behold;
Thar was no kny{ch}t ſo ſtrong, nor yhit ſo bold, 3176
That in the feld befor his ſuerd he met,
Nor he ſo hard his ſtrok apone hyme ſet,
That ded or wondit to the erth he ſo{ch}t;
[Sidenote: He works nothing but wonders;]
For thar was not bot wond{er}is that he wro{ch}t. 3180
And magre of his fois eu{er}ilkone,
[Sidenote: and often passes alone through the field.]
In to the feld oft tymys hyme aloñ
Throuch and throuch he paſſith to & fro;
For in the ward[T73] it was the man{er} tho 3184
That non o kny{ch}t ſhuld be the brydill tak
Hyme to oreſt, nore cum behynd h{is} bak,
Nor mo than on at onys one o kny{ch}t
Shuld ſtrik, for that tyme worſchip ſtud ſo ry{ch}t. 3188
Ȝhit was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus and ſtrong
Till arthuris folk, ſet thai {con}tenyt longe;
Bot in ſich wyß this blak kny{ch}t can {con}ten, [Fol. 39b.]
[Sidenote: He fights in such wise as to encourage all who see his
deeds.]
That thai, the wich that hath his manhed ſeñ, 3192
Sich hardyment haith takyne In his ded,
Them tho{ch}t thai had no man{er} cauß of dred,
Als long as he my{ch}t owthir ryd or go,
At euery ned he them recomfort ſo. 3196
[Sidenote: Sir Kay and his fellows follow him all day.]
S{ir} kay haith w{i}t{h} his falowis al the day
Folowit hyme al that he can or may,
And wondir well thai have in armys p{re}wit,
And w{i}t{h} thar manhed oft thar folk relewit; 3200
Bot well thai faucht in diu{er}ß placis ſere,
[Sidenote: But at last they are nearly all overpowered by numbers.]
W{i}t{h} multitud y{ar} folk confuſit were,
That long in ſich wyß my{ch}t thai no{ch}t {con}teñ.
[Footnote T73: Another spelling of _warld_, i.e. world, which
occurs in the fuller form in l. 3212.]
[Headnote: SIR KAY’S MESSAGE TO SIR HARWY.]
[Sidenote: Sir Kay sends Gawane’s squire with a message to Sir
Harwy that he ought not to suffer the best knight that ever bore
arms to be surprised,]
S{ir} kay, that hath ſ{ir} gawans qſquyar{is} ſen, 3204
He clepit hyme, and haith hyme prayt ſo,
That to ſ{ir} harwy the rewell wil he go,
And ſay to hyme, “ws think hyme ewil awyſit;
For her throuch hyme he ſufferit be ſuppriſit 3208
The beſt kny{ch}t that eu{er} armys bur;
And if it ſo befell of adwentur,
In his defalt, that he be ded or lamyt,
This warld ſal have hyme vtraly defamyt. 3212
[Sidenote: nor six knights of the Round Table to be discomfited.]
And her ar of the round table alſo
A falouſchip, that ſall in well and wo
Abid w{i}t{h} hyme, and furt{h} for to endur
Of lyf or deth, this day, thar adwentur; 3216
And if ſo fal diſcumfyt at thai bee,
The king may ſay that wond{er} ewill haith he
Contenit hyme, and kepit his honore,
Thus for to tyne of chevalry the flour!” 3220
[Sidenote: The squire takes the message.]
The ſqw[y]ar hard, and furt{h} his way Raid,
In termys ſchort he al his meſag ſaid.
S{ir} harwy ſaith, “y wytneß god, that I
Neu{er} in my days comytit tratory, 3224
And if I now begyne In to myne eld,
In ewill tyme fyrſt com I to this feld;
[Sidenote: Sir Harwy says that Sir Kay shall have no cause to
reprove him.]
Bot, if god will, I ſal me ſon diſcharg.
Say to ſ{ir} kay, I ſal not ber the charg, 3228
He ſal no mat{er} have me to rapref,
I ſal amend this mys if that I lef.”
The ſqwyar went and tellit to ſ{ir} kay;
[Sidenote: Sir Harwy comes to support them;]
++And ſ{ir} harwy, in al the haſt he may, 3232
Aſſemblyt hath his oſt{is}, & onoñ
In gret deſyre on the feld is gon [Fol. 40a.]
Before his folk, and haldith furt{h} his way;
Don goith his ſper, and ewyne before ſ{ir} kay 3236
So hard o kny{ch}t he ſtrykith in his ten
That horß and he lay boith apone the gren.
S{ir} gawan ſaw the count{er} that he maad,
And leuch for al the ſarues that he had: 3240
[Sidenote: and proves himself a better warrior than might have
been expected of one so old.]
That day ſ{ir} harwy prewyt in the feld
Of armys more than longith to his eld,
For he was more than fyfty yher of ag,
Set he was ferß and ȝong in his curag; 3244
And fro that he aſſemblyt his bataill
[Sidenote: Galiot’s folk are beaten.]
Doune goith the folk of galot{is} al haill;
For to w{i}t{h}ſtond thai war of no poware,
And yhit of folk x thouſand mo thei vare. 3248
[Sidenote: King Valydone comes to support them.]
++Kyng valydone, that ſauch on ſuch o wyß
His falowis dang{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ennemys,
W{i}t{h} al his folk, being freß and new,
Goith to the feld onon, them to reſſkew; 3252
Thar was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus aȝañe,
Of arthuris folk ful many on var ſlan.
[Sidenote: Angus comes to aid Arthur’s men.]
++Bot angus, quhich that lykith not to bid,
And ſaw the p{er}ell one the tother ſid, 3256
His ſted he ſtrok, and w{i}t{h} his oſt is gon
Whar was moſt ned, and thar the feld has ton.
[Sidenote: Clamedyus comes to aid Galiot’s men.]
++Kyng clamedyus makith non abaid,
Bot w{i}t{h} his oſt one to the ſid he raid. 3260
[Headnote: GALIOT’S FOLK ARE WORSTED.]
[Sidenote: Ywons encounters Clamedyus.]
++And ywons king, that haith his cu{m}myn ſen,
Encount{er}it hyme in myddis of the greñ.
The aucht batell{is} aſſemblyt one this wiß;
[Sidenote: Great clamour and lamentable cries on either side.]
On ather half the clamore and the cryiß 3264
Was lametable and petws for til her,
Of kny{ch}t{is} wich in diu{er}ß placis ſere
Wondit war, and fallyng to and fro,
Ȝhit galyot{is} folk war xx thouſand mo. 3268
[Sidenote: The black knight bids himself remember love’s power
over him;]
++The blak kny{ch}t than on to hyme-ſelf he ſaid:
“Remembir the, how yhow haith ben araid,
Ay ſen ye hour that yow was makid kny{ch}t,
W{i}t{h} love, aȝane quhois powar & whois my{ch}t 3272
Yow haith no ſtrenth, yow may It not endur,
Nor ȝhit non vthir erthly creatur;
[Sidenote: and that only his lady’s mercy or his life’s end can
amend him.]
And bot two thing{is} ar the to amend,
Thi ladice mercy, or thi lyvys end. 3276
And well yhow wot that on to hir p{re}ſens,
Til hir eſtat, nor til hir excellens, [Fol. 40b.]
Thi febilneß neu{er}more is able
For to attan, ſche is ſo honorable. 3280
And ſen no way yow may ſo hie extend,
[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT’S DARING RESOLUTION.]
[Sidenote: He counsels himself to strive for her thanks,]
My verray conſell is, that yow pretend
This day, (ſen yow becu{m}myne art hir kny{ch}t
Of hir comand, and fechtit in hir ſy{ch}t), 3284
And well yow ſchaw, ſen yow may do no mor,
That of reſone ſche ſal the thank tharfore;
[Sidenote: and to be ashamed of every point of cowardice.]
Of euery poynt of cowardy yow ſcham,
And in til armys purcheß the ſum nam.” 3288
W{i}t{h} that of love in to o new deſir
[Sidenote: Swift as a crossbow-bolt he seeks the field.]
His ſpere he ſtraucht, and ſwift as any wyre
W{i}t{h} al his forß the n{er}eſt feld he ſoght;
His ful ſtrenth in armys thar he vroght, 3292
In to the feld ruſching to and fro,
Doune goith the man, doune goith the horß also;
Sum throw the ſcheld is perſit to the hart,
Sum throw the hed, he may It not aſtart. 3296
[Sidenote: His sword carves the head from some, and cuts the arms
of others in twain.]
His bludy ſuerd he dreuch, that carwit ſo
Fro ſum the hed, and ſum the arm in two;
Sum in the feld fellit is in ſwoñ,
Throw ſum his ſuerd goith to the ſadill doune. 3300
His fois waren abaſit of his dedis,
His mortell ſtrok ſo gretly for to dred Is;
[Sidenote: When his foes see him, they leave the place for dread
of death.]
Whar thai hyme ſaw, w{i}t{h}in a lytall ſpace,
For dreid of ded, thai levyng hyme the place, 3304
That many o ſtrok ful oft he haith forlorñ;
The ſpedy horß away the kny{ch}t hath borñ.
In to his wyrking neu{er}more he ſeſt,
Nor non abaid he makith, nor areſt. 3308
[Sidenote: His knightly deeds assure his fellows.]
His falowis, ſo in his kny{ch}thed aſſuryd,
Thai ar reco{m}fort, thar manhed is recou{er}yt,
And one thar fois ful ferſly thai ſoght,
Thar goith the lyf of many o kny{ch}t to no{ch}t. 3312
So was the batell wond{er}ful to tell,
Of kny{ch}t{is} to ſe the multitud that fell,
[Sidenote: It was pitiful to see the knights gaping upon the green.]
That pety was til ony kny{ch}t to ſeñ
The kny{ch}t{is} lying gaping on the gren. 3316
The blak kny{ch}t ay {con}tinewit ſo faſt,
Whill[T74] many one, diſcumfit at the laſt,
Are fled, and planly of the feld thei pas: [Fol. 41a.]
[Footnote T74: MS. “Whilk.”]
[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS WHY HIS MEN FLEE.]
[Sidenote: Galiot asks his men why they flee.]
And galyot haith wondyr, for he was 3320
Of mor powar, and aſkit at them qwhy
As cowart{is} thai fled ſa ſchamfully?
[Sidenote: A knight replies, that whoever likes may go and see
marvels.]
Than ſaith o kny{ch}t, ſor wondit in the brayne,
“Who lykith, he may Retwrn aȝayne 3324
Frome qwhens we come, m{er}walis for to ſee,
That in his tyme neu{er} ſich ſauch hee.”
[Sidenote: Galiot asks, what marvels; and the knight tells him
there is a knight who vanquishes all;]
“Marwell,” q{uod} he, “that dar I boldly ſay
Thay may be callit, and quhat thai ar, I pray?” 3328
“Schir, in the feld forſuth thar is o kny{ch}t,
That only throw his body and his my{ch}t
Wencuſſith all, that thar may non ſuſten
His ſtrokis, thai ar ſo fureows and ken. 3332
[Sidenote: who fares as a lion or a bear;]
He farith as o lyone or o beyre,
Wod in his rag, for ſich is his affere.
[Sidenote: to whom the red knight hears no comparison.]
Nor he the kny{ch}t in to the armys Red,
Wich at the first aſſemble in this ſted 3336
Wencuſſith all, and had the holl renown,
He may to this be no comp{ar}yſou{n}e,
Fore neu{er} he ſeſith ſen the day vas goñ,
Bot eu{er}more {con}tinewit in to one.” 3340
[Sidenote: Galiot says he will go and see.]
Quod galiot, “in nome of god and we
Al, be tyme, the ſuthfaſtneß ſal see.”
[Headnote: GALIOT RALLIES HIS MEN.]
[Sidenote: Galiot is armed, rallies the flyers, and encourages
his men.]
[T]han he in armys that he had is gon,
And to the feld w{i}t{h} hyme aȝane hath ton 3344
Al the flear{is}, and foundyne [in][T75] ſich aray
His folk, that ner diſcumfyt al war thay;
Bot quhen thai ſaw cu{m}myne our the plan
Thar lord, thai tuk ſich hardeme{n}t aȝañ, 3348
[Sidenote: They shout their war-cries.]
That thar eſſenȝeis lowd thai gon to cry.
He chargit tham to go, that ware hyme by,
Straucht to the feld, w{i}t{h} al thar holl forß;
And thai, the wich that ſparit not the horß, 3352
All redy war to fillyng his {com}mand,
And freſchly went, w{i}t{h}owten more demand:
Throw qwich thar folk recou{er}yt haith thar place,
[Sidenote: All think a new host is coming.]
For al the feld p{re}ſwmyt that thar was 3356
O new oſt, one ſuch o wyß thai ſoght;
[Sidenote: Arthur’s folk determine rather to die than fly.]
Whar arthuris folk had paſſith al to no{ch}t,
Ne war that thai the bett{er} war ilkoñe,
And at thai can them vtraly diſpoñe 3360
Rathar to dee than flee, in thar entent, [Fol. 41b.]
And of the blak kny{ch}t haith ſich hardyment;
For at al p{er}ell, al harmys, and myſchef,
In tyme of ned he can tham al ralef. 3364
[Footnote T75: The sense, but not the metre, requires “in.”]
[T]har was the batell danger{us} & ſtrong,
Gret was the pres, bat{h} perell{us} & throng;
[Sidenote: The black knight is borne to the ground.]
The blak kny{ch}t is born on to the ground,
His horß hyme falyth, that fellith dethis wound. 3368
[Sidenote: The six comrades go to the earth.]
The vi falowis, that falowit hyme al day,
Sich was the preß, that to the erth go thay;
And thar in myd among his ennemys
He was about encloſit one ſich wyß 3372
[Sidenote: None know where he is.]
That quhare he was non of [his] falowis knew,
Nor my{ch}t no{ch}t cum to help hyme, nore reſkew.
And thus among his ennemys allon
[Sidenote: He defends himself with his sword.]
His nakid ſuerd out of his hond haith ton; 3376
And thar he p{re}wit his wertew & h{is} ſtrenth;
For thar was none w{i}t{h}in the ſuerdis lenth
That came, bot he goith to confuſioune.
[Sidenote: No helm nor habergeon may resist his sword.]
Thar was no helme, thar was no habirioune, 3380
That may reſiſt his ſuerd, he ſmytith so;
One euery ſyd he helpith to and fro,
That al about the compas thai my{ch}t ken;
The ded horß lyith virſlyng w{i}t{h} the men. 3384
Thai hyme aſſalȝeing bot{h} w{i}t{h} ſcheld & ſpere,
[Sidenote: He fares like a bear at the stake, that snubs the
hardy hounds.]
And he aȝane; as at the ſtok the bere
Snybbith the hardy hound{is} that ar ken,
So farith he; for neu{er} my{ch}t be ſen 3388
His ſuerd to reſt, that in the gret rout
He rowmyth all the compas hyme about.
[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS AT LANCELOT’S PROWESS.]
[A]nd galiot, beholding his manhed,
[Sidenote: Galiot wonders at his deeds;]
W{i}t{h}in his-ſelf wond{er}ith of his ded, 3392
How that the body only of o kny{ch}t
Haith ſich o ſtrenth, haith ſich affere & my{ch}t;
Than ſaid he thus, “I wald not that throw me,
[Sidenote: and says that such a knight shall not die on his
account.]
Or for my cauß, that ſuch o kny{ch}t ſuld dee, 3396
To conquer all this world that is ſo larg.”
His horß than can he w{i}t{h} his ſpuris charg,
A gret trunſioune In to his hond hath ton,
And in the thikeſt of the preß is goñ, 3400
[Sidenote: He charges all his folk to cease;]
And al his folk chargit he to ſeß.
At his {com}mand thai levyng al the preß;
And quhen he had departit all the rout, [Fol. 42a.]
He ſaid, “ſ{ir} kny{ch}t, havith now no dout.” 3404
Wich anſwerit, “I have no cauß to dred.”
[Sidenote: and assures the black knight that he will himself
warrant him from all harm.]
“Ȝis,” q{uod} he, “ſa eu{er} god me ſped,
Bot apone fut quhill ȝe ar fechtand here,
And yhow defendith apone ſich manere, 3408
So hardely, and ek ſo lyk o kny{ch}t,
I ſal my-ſelf w{i}t{h} al my holl my{ch}t
Be yhour defens, and varand fra al harmys;
Bot had yhe left of worſchip In til armys, 3412
What I have don I wold apone no wyß;
Bot ſen yhe ar of kny{ch}thed ſo to prys,
Ȝhe ſal[T76] no man{er} cauß have for to dred:
[Footnote T76: MS. “ſalt.”]
[Headnote: GALIOT GIVES LANCELOT HIS OWN HORSE.]
[Sidenote: He offers him as many horses as he needs; and proposes
that they shall never again part.]
And ſet yhour horß be falit at this ned, 3416
Diſpleß yhow not, for-quhy ȝe ſal not want
Als many as yhow lykith for to hawnt;
And I my-ſelf, I ſal yhowr ſqwyar bee,
And, if god will, neu{er} more ſal wee 3420
[Sidenote: He ’lights from his horse, and gives him to Lancelot,
who thanks him.]
Dep{ar}t;” w{i}t{h} that, anon he can to lycht
Doune frome his horß, and gaf hyme to y^e kny{ch}t.
The lord he thonkit, and the horß hath ton,
And als ſo freſch one to the feld is gon, 3424
As at no ſtrok{is} he that day had ben.
His falowis glad, one horß that hath hy{m} ſen,
To galiot one vthir horß thai broght;
And he goith one, and frome the feld he ſo{ch}t, 3428
[Sidenote: Galiot returns to his host, and chooses a band of
10,000 men.]
And to the plan quhar that his oſt{is} were;
And brandymagus chargit he to ſtere
Eft{er} hyme, w{i}t{h}in a lytill ſpace,
And x thouſand he takyne w{i}t{h} hy{m} haß. 3432
Towart the feld onon he can to Rid,
And chargit them befor ye oſt to byd.
[Sidenote: The trumpets, clarions, horns, and bugles are sounded.]
Wp goith the trumpet{is}, and the claryownis,
Hornys, bugill{is} blawing furt{h} thar ſownis, 3436
That al the cuntre reſownit hath about;
[Sidenote: Arthur’s folk despair.]
Than arthuris folk var in diſpar & dout,
That hard the noys, and ſaw the m{u}ltitud
Of freſch folk; thai cam as thai war wod. 3440
[Headnote: LANCELOT HARANGUES ARTHUR’S HOST.]
[Sidenote: The sable knight, still fearless,]
[B]ot he that was w{i}t{h}owten any dred,
In ſabill cled, and ſaw the gret ned,
Aſſemblyt al his falowis, and arayd;
[Sidenote: harangues his men, saying,]
And thus to them in manly t{er}mes ſaid: 3444
“What that ȝe ar I knaw not yhour eſtat, [Fol. 42b.]
[Sidenote: “I know not who ye are, but I know that ye ought to
be commended.]
Bot of ma{n}hed and worſchip, well I wat,
Out throuch this warld yhe aw to be {com}me{n}dit,
This day ȝe have ſo kny{ch}tly yhow defendit. 3448
[Sidenote: Ye see how your enemies, as night approaches, are
striving to give you an outrage or a fright.]
And now yhe ſee how that, aȝanis the ny{ch}t,
Yhour ennemys p{re}tendit w{i}t{h} thar myght
Of multitud, and w{i}t{h} thar new oſt,
And w{i}t{h} thar buglis and thar wynd{is} boſt 3452
Freſchly cu{m}myng In to ſich aray,
To ifyne yhow one owtrag[T77] or affray.
And now almoſt cu{m}myne Is the ny{ch}t,
[Sidenote: Employ then your courage, so that the honour ye have
won be not again lost.]
Quharfor yhour ſtrenth, yhour curag, & yhovr my{ch}t 3456
Yhe occupye in to ſo manly wyß,
That the worſchip of kny{ch}thed & empryß
That yhe have wonyng, and ye g{re}t renown
Be not yloſt, be not ylaid doune. 3460
For one hour the ſufferyng of diſtreß,
Gret harm It war yhe tyne the hie encreß
Of vorſchip, ſ{er}uit al this day before.
And to yhow al my conſell is, tharfore, 3464
[Sidenote: Resolve then to meet them sharply, without fear, so
that they may feel the cold spear in their hearts.]
W{i}t{h} manly curag, but radour, yhe p{re}tend
To met tham ſcharply at the ſperis end,
So that thei feil the cold ſperis poynt
Out-throw thar ſcheld{is}, in thar hart{is} poynt. 3468
So ſal thai fynd we ar no-thing affrayt;
Whar-throuch we ſall the well leß be aſſayt.
[Sidenote: Perhaps then the foremost will make the rest afraid.”]
If that we met them ſcharply in the berd,
The formeſt ſal mak al the laif afferd.” 3472
And w{i}t{h} o woyß thai cry al, “ſ{ir} kny{ch}t,
Apone yhour manhed, and yhour gret my{ch}t,
[Sidenote: They promise to stand firm.]
We ſal abid, for no man ſhall eſchef
Frome yhow this day, his ma{n}hed for to pref.” 3476
[Sidenote: Sir Yvan also bids his men be comforted; for that they
see all the strength of their enemies.]
And to his oſt the lord ſ{ir} yvane ſaid,
“Yhe comfort yow, yhe be no-thing affrayd,
Ws ned no more to dreding of ſuppriß;
We ſe the ſtrenth of al our ennemys.” 3480
Thus he ſaid, for he wend thai var no mo,
[Sidenote: Sir Gawane, however, knew better.]
Bot ſ{ir} gawan knew well It vas not ſo;
For al the oſt{is} my{ch}t he ſe al day,
And the gret hoſt he ſaw quhar y{a}t it lay. 3484
[Footnote T77: MS. “owtray.” See Glossary.]
[Headnote: THE POEM ABRUPTLY ENDS.]
[Sidenote: Galiot also exhorts his men.]
[A]nd galiot he can his folk exort,
Beſeching them to be of good comfort,
And ſich encont{er}
[_The rest is wanting._]
NOTES.
[It may be observed, once for all, that the expression _in to_
repeatedly occurs where we should simply use _in_; and _one to_ is in
like manner put for _unto_. The ending _-ith_ (for _-ed_) is frequent in
the past tense, and _-it_ (also for _-ed_) in the past participle,
though this distinction is not always observed. A still more noticeable
ending is _-ing_ (for _-en_) in the infinitive. Observe further that the
letters _v_, _u_, and _w_ are perfectly convertible, and used quite
indiscriminately; so that _wpone_ means _upon_; _vthir_ means _uthir_,
i.e., _other_: _our_ is put for _over_; _vounde_ signifies _wound_,
etc.]
Page 1, line 1. _The soft morow._ This nominative case has no verb.
A similar construction occurs in the first lines of Books II. and III.
4. _Uprisith--his hot courss_, Upriseth in his hot course; _chare_,
chariot.
6. _sent_, sendeth; so also _stant_, standeth, l. 326.
8. _valkyne_, waken.
10. _gyrss_, grass.
11. _assay_, assault.
13. _wox_, voice.
17. _frome I can_, from the time that I did.
18. _It deuit me_, it availed me. Jamieson gives “_Dow_, 1. to be able;
A.S. _dugan_ (_valere_), to be able. 2. to avail; Teut. _doogen_.”
P. 2, l. 23. _hewy ȝerys_, heavy years.
24. “Until that Phœbus had thrice gone through his full circuits” (lit.
spheres). See the peculiar use of “pas” in other places.
26. “So, by such a manner, was my lot fated;” see l. 41.
28. _carving can_, did cut.
30. _be the morow_, by the morn.
36. _neulyngis_, newly, anew.
43. _walkith_, walked.
50. _I-clede_, y-clad, clad. Ch. has _clede_.
54. “No one within thought he could be seen by any wight outside.”
P. 3, l. 56. _clos it_, enclose it; the MS. has _closit_.
57. _alphest._ This reading of the MS. is an error for _alcest_. See
Chaucer, Prologue to Legend of good women, l. 511:
“The gret{e} goodnesse of the quene Alceste,
That turned was into a dayesye,”
Alceste being the contracted form of Alcestis.
59. _Wnclosing gane_, did unclose.