VII.

With a laughing glance, she says,

Þenne ho gef hym god-day, & wyth a glent laȝed.

& as ho stod, ho stonyed hym wyth ful stor wordeȝ:

"Now he þat spedeȝ vche spech, þis disport ȝelde yow!

Bot þat ȝe be Gawan, hit gotȝ in mynde."

"Quer-fore?" quod þe freke, & freschly he askeȝ,

Ferde lest he hade fayled in fourme of his castes;

Bot þe burde hym blessed, & bi þis skyl sayde,

"So god as Gawayn gaynly is halden,

& cortaysye is closed so clene in hym-seluen,

Couth not lyȝtly haf lenged so long wyth a lady,

Bot he had craued a cosse, bi his courtaysye,

Bi sum towch of summe tryfle, at sum taleȝ ende."

Þen quod Wowen, "I-wysse, worþe as yow lykeȝ,

I schal kysse at your comaundement, as a knyȝt falleȝ,

& fire¹ lest he displese yow, so² plede hit no more."

Ho comes nerre with þat, & cacheȝ hym in armeȝ,

Louteȝ luflych adoun, & þe leude kysseȝ;

Þay comly bykennen to Kryst ayþer oþer;

Ho dos hir forth at þe dore, with-outen dyn more.

& he ryches hym to ryse, & rapes hym sone,

Clepes to his chamberlayn, choses his wede,

Boȝeȝ forth, quen he watȝ boun, blyþely to masse,

& þenne he meued to his mete, þat menskly hym keped,

& made myry al day til þe mone rysed,

with game;

With³ neuer freke fayrer fonge,

Bitwene two so dyngne dame,

Þe alder & þe ȝonge,

Much solace set þay same.

¹ fere (?). ² fo, in MS. ³ Was (?) Nas (?).