IV.
"Good morrow", says the lady, "ye are a careless sleeper to let one enter thus. 1208
"God moroun, sir Gawayn," sayde þat fayr lady,
"Ȝe ar a sleper vn-slyȝe, þat mon may slyde hider;
Now ar ȝe tan astyt, bot true vus may schape,
I schal bynde yow in your bedde, þat be ȝe trayst:"
Al laȝande þe lady lanced þo bourdeȝ.
"Goud moroun g[aye],"1 quod Gawayn þe blyþe,
"Me schal worþe at your wille, & þat me wel lykeȝ,
For I ȝelde me ȝederly, & ȝeȝe after grace,
& þat is þe best, be my dome, for me by-houeȝ nede;"
& þus he bourded a-ȝayn with mony a blyþe laȝter.
"Bot wolde ȝe, lady louely, þen leue me grante,
& de-prece your prysoun, & pray hym to ryse,
I wolde boȝe of þis bed, & busk me better,
I schulde keuer þe more comfort to karp yow wyth."
"Nay, for soþe, beau sir," sayd þat swete,
"Ȝe schal not rise of your bedde, I rych yow better,
I schal happe yow here þat oþer half als,
& syþen karp wyth my knyȝt þat I kaȝt haue;
For I wene wel, Iwysse, sir Wawen ȝe are,
Þat alle þe worlde worchipeȝ, quere-so ȝe ride;
Your honour, your hendelayk is hendely praysed
With lordeȝ, wyth ladyes, with alle þat lyf bere.
& now ȝe ar here, iwysse, & we bot oure one;
"My lorde & his ledeȝ ar on lenþe faren,
Oþer burneȝ in her bedde, & my burdeȝ als,
Þe dor drawen, & dit with a derf haspe;
& syþen I haue in þis hous hym þat al lykeȝ,
I schal ware my whyle wel, quyl hit lasteȝ,
with tale;
Ȝe ar welcum to my cors,
Yowre awen won to wale,
Me be-houeȝ of fyne force,
Your seruaunt be & schale."
1 This word is illegible in the MS.