XXII.

He desires to know what had driven Sir Gawayne from Arthur's court before the end of the Christmas holidays.

Then frayned þe freke ful fayre at him-seluen,

Quat derne¹ dede had hym dryuen, at þat dere tyme,

So kenly fro þe kyngeȝ kourt to kayre al his one,

Er þe halidayeȝ holly were halet out of toun?

"For soþe sir," quod þe segge, "ȝe sayn bot þe trawþe

A heȝe ernde & a hasty me hade fro þo woneȝ,

For I am sumned my selfe to sech to a place,

I wot² in worlde wheder warde to wende, hit to fynde;

I nolde, bot if I hit negh myȝt on nwȝeres morne,

For alle þe londe in-wyth Logres, so me oure lorde help!

For-þy, sir, þis enquest I require yow here,

Þat ȝe me telle with trawþe, if euer ȝe tale herde

Of þe grene chapel, quere hit on grounde stondeȝ,

& of þe knyȝt þat hit kepes, of colour of grene?

Þer watȝ stabled bi statut a steuen vus by-twene,

To mete þat mon at þat mere, ȝif I myȝt last;

& of þat ilk nwȝere hot neked now wonteȝ,

& I wolde loke on þat lede, if God me let wolde,

Gladloker, bi Goddeȝ sun, þen any god welde!

For-þi, I-wysse, bi ȝowre wylle, wende me bi-houes,

Naf I now to busy bot bare þre dayeȝ,

& me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde."

Þenne laȝande quod þe lorde, "now leng þe by-houes,

For I schal teche yow to þa[t] terme bi þe tymeȝ ende,

Þe grene chapayle vpon grounde, greue yow no more;

Bot ȝe schal be in yowre bed, burne, at þyn ese,

Quyle forth dayej, & ferk on pe fyrst of pe ȝere,

& cum to þat merk at mydmorn, to make quat yow likeȝ

in spenne;

Dowelleȝ whyle new ȝeres daye,

& rys, & raykeȝ þenne,

Mon schal yow sette in waye,

Hit is not two myle henne."

¹ derue (?). ² not (?).