XIV.

The lady of the castle again visits Sir Gawayne. 1476

Ho commes to þe cortyn, & at þe kny3t totes,

Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst,

& ho hym 3elde3 a3ayn, ful 3erne of hir worde3,

Sette3 hir sof[t]ly by his syde, & swyþely ho la3e3,

& wyth a luflych loke ho layde¹ hym þyse worde3:

"Sir, 3if 3e be Wawen, wonder me þynkke3,

Wy3e þat is so wel wrast alway to god,

& conne3 not of compaynye þe coste3 vnder-take,

& if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, 3e kest hom of your mynde;

Þou hat3 for-3eten 3ederly þat 3isterday I ta3tte

alder-truest token of talk þat I cowþe."

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

If hit be sothe þat 3e breue, þe blame is myn awen."

"3et I kende yow of kyssyng," quod þe clere þenne,

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

Þat bicumes vche a kny3t, 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, 3if I profered."

"Ma fay," quod þe mere wyf, "3e may not be werned,

3e ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, 3if yow lyke3,

3if any were so vilanous þat yow denaye² wolde."

"3e, 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 lyke3,

3e may lach quen yow lyst, & leue quen yow þynkke3,

in space."

Þe lady loute3 a-doun,

& comlyly kysses his face,

Much speche þay þer expoun,

Of druryes greme & grace.

¹ sayde (?). ² de vaye, in MS.