XIV.

The lady of the castle again visits Sir Gawayne. 1476

Ho commes to þe cortyn, & at þe knyȝt totes,

Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst,

& ho hym ȝeldeȝ aȝayn, ful ȝerne of hir wordeȝ,

Setteȝ hir sof[t]ly by his syde, & swyþely ho laȝeȝ,

& wyth a luflych loke ho layde¹ hym þyse wordeȝ:

"Sir, ȝif ȝe be Wawen, wonder me þynkkeȝ,

Wyȝe þat is so wel wrast alway to god,

& conneȝ not of compaynye þe costeȝ vnder-take,

& if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, ȝe kest hom of your mynde;

Þou hatȝ for-ȝeten ȝederly þat ȝisterday I taȝtte

alder-truest token of talk þat I cowþe."

"What is þat?" quod þe wyghe, "I-wysse I wot neuer,

If hit be sothe þat ȝe breue, þe blame is myn awen."

"Ȝet I kende yow of kyssyng," quod þe clere þenne,

"Quere-so countenaunce is couþe, quikly to clayme,

Þat bicumes vche a knyȝt, þat cortaysy vses."

"Do way," quod þat derf mon, "my dere, þat speche,

For þat durst I not do, lest I denayed were,

If I were werned, I were wrang I-wysse, ȝif I profered."

"Ma fay," quod þe mere wyf, "ȝe may not be werned,

Ȝe ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, ȝif yow lykeȝ,

Ȝif any were so vilanous þat yow denaye² wolde."

"Ȝe, be God," quod Gawayn, "good is your speche,

Bot þrete is vn-þryuande in þede þer I lende,

& vche gift þat is geuen not with goud wylle;

I am at your comaundement, to kysse quen yow lykeȝ,

Ȝe may lach quen yow lyst, & leue quen yow þynkkeȝ,

in space."

Þe lady louteȝ a-doun,

& comlyly kysses his face,

Much speche þay þer expoun,

Of druryes greme & grace.

¹ sayde (?). ² de vaye, in MS.