XV.

The Green Knight rested on his axe,

The haþel heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested,

Sette þe schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened,

& loked to þe leude, þat on þe launde ȝede,

How þat doȝty dredles deruely þer stondeȝ,

Armed ful aȝleȝ; in hert hit hym lykeȝ.

þenn he meleȝ muryly, wyth a much steuen,

& wyth a r[a]ykande rurde he to þe renk sayde,

"Bolde burne, on þis bent be not so gryndel;

No mon here vn-manerly þe mys-boden habbe,

Ne kyd, bot as couenaunde, at kyngeȝ kort schaped;

I hyȝt þe a strok, & þou hit hatȝ, halde þe wel payed,

I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ryȝtes alle oþer;

Ȝif¹ I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter,

I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wroȝt anger.²

Fyrst I mansed þe muryly, with a mynt one,

& roue þe wyth no rof, sore with ryȝt I þe profered,

For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst nyȝt,

& þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me haldeȝ,

Al þe gayne þow me gef, as god mon shulde;

Þat oþer munt for þe morne, mon, I þe profered,

Þou kyssedes my clere wyf, þe cosseȝ me raȝteȝ,

For boþe two here I þe bede bot two bare myntes,

boute scaþe;

Trwe mon trwe restore,

Þenne þar mon drede no waþe;

At þe þrid þou fayled þore,

& þer-for þat tappe ta þe.

¹ uf, in MS. ² This word is doubtful.