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,
"3e ar a sleper vn-sly3e, þat mon may slyde hider;
Now ar 3e tan astyt, bot true vus may schape,
I schal bynde yow in your bedde, þat be 3e trayst:"
Al la3ande þe lady lanced þo bourde3.
"Goud moroun g[aye],"1 quod Gawayn þe blyþe,
"Me schal worþe at your wille, & þat me wel lyke3,
For I 3elde me 3ederly, & 3e3e after grace,
& þat is þe best, be my dome, for me by-houe3 nede;"
& þus he bourded a-3ayn with mony a blyþe la3ter.
"Bot wolde 3e, lady louely, þen leue me grante,
& de-prece your prysoun, & pray hym to ryse,
I wolde bo3e of þis bed, & busk me better,
I schulde keuer þe more comfort to karp yow wyth."
"Nay, for soþe, beau sir," sayd þat swete,
"3e schal not rise of your bedde, I rych yow better,
I schal happe yow here þat oþer half als,
& syþen karp wyth my kny3t þat I ka3t haue;
For I wene wel, Iwysse, sir Wawen 3e are,
Þat alle þe worlde worchipe3, quere-so 3e ride;
Your honour, your hendelayk is hendely praysed
With lorde3, wyth ladyes, with alle þat lyf bere.
& now 3e ar here, iwysse, & we bot oure one;
"My lorde & his lede3 ar on lenþe faren,
Oþer burne3 in her bedde, & my burde3 als,
Þe dor drawen, & dit with a derf haspe;
& syþen I haue in þis hous hym þat al lyke3,
I schal ware my whyle wel, quyl hit laste3,
with tale;
3e ar welcum to my cors,
Yowre awen won to wale,
Me be-houe3 of fyne force,
Your seruaunt be & schale."
1 This word is illegible in the MS.