XVII.

[Fol. 96.]

Þen comaunded þe kyng þe knyȝt for to ryse;

& he ful radly vp ros, & ruchched hym fayre,

Kneled doun bifore þe kyng, & cacheȝ þat weppen;

& he luflyly hit hym laft, & lyfte vp his honde,

& gef hym goddeȝ blessyng, & gladly hym biddes

Þat his hert & his honde schulde hardi be boþe.

"Kepe þe cosyn," quod þe kyng, "þat þou on kyrf sette,

& if þou redeȝ hym ryȝt, redly I trowe,

Þat þou schal byden þe bur þat he schal bede after.

Gawan gotȝ to þe gome, with giserne in honde,

& he baldly hym bydeȝ, he bayst neuer þe helder

Þen carppeȝ to sir Gawan þe knyȝt in þe grene,

"Refourme we oure for-wardes, er we fyrre passe.

Fyrst I eþe þe, haþel, how þat þou hattes,

Þat þou me telle truly, as I tryst may?"

"In god fayth," quod þe goode knyȝt, "Gawan I hatte,

Þat bede þe þis buffet, quat-so bi-falleȝ after,

& at þis tyme twelmonyth take at þe anoþer,

Wyth what weppen so¹ þou wylt, & wyth no wyȝ elleȝ,

on lyue."

Þat oþer on-swareȝ agayn,

"Sir Gawan, so mot I þryue,

As I am ferly fayn.

Þis dint þat þou schal dryue."

¹ MS. fo.