XXIV.

"Whatsoever," says the host, "I win in the wood shall be yours,

"Ȝet firre," quod þe freke, "a forwarde we make;

Quat-so-euer I wynne in þe wod, hit worþeȝ to youreȝ,

& quat chek so ȝe acheue, chaunge me þer-forne;

Swete, swap we so, sware with trawþe,

Queþer, leude, so lymp lere oþer better."

"Bi God," quod Gawayn þe gode, "I grant þer-tylle,

& þat yow lyst forto layke, lef hit me þynkes.

"Who bringeȝ vus þis beuerage, þis bargayn is maked:"

So sayde þe lorde of þat lede; þay laȝed vchone,

Þay dronken, & daylyeden, & dalten vntyȝtel,¹

Þise lordeȝ & ladyeȝ, quyle þat hem lyked;

& syþen with frenkysch fare & fele fayre loteȝ

Þay stoden, & stemed, & stylly speken,

Kysten ful comlyly, & kaȝten her leue.

With mony leude ful lyȝt, & lemande torches,

Vche burne to his bed watȝ broȝt at þe laste,

ful softe;

To bed ȝet er þay ȝede,

Recorded couenaunteȝ ofte;

Þe olde lorde of þat leude,²

Cowþe wel halde layk a-lofte.

¹ vntyl nyȝte (?). ² lede (?).

[FYTTE THE THIRD.]

I.

Before day-break folks uprise,

Ful erly bifore þe day þe folk vp-rysen,

Gestes þat go wolde, hor gromeȝ þay calden,

& þay busken vp bilyue, blonkkeȝ to sadel,

Tyffen he[r] takles, trussen her males,

Richen hem þe rychest, to ryde alle arayde,

Lepen vp lyȝtly, lachen her brydeles,

Vche wyȝe on his way, þer hym wel lyked.

Þe leue lorde of þe londe watȝ not þe last,

A-rayed for þe rydyng, with renkkeȝ ful mony;

Ete a sop hastyly, when he hade herde masse,

With bugle to bent felde he buskeȝ by-lyue;

By þat þat any day-lyȝt lemed vpon erþe,

He with his haþeles on hyȝe horsses weren.

Þenne þise cacheres þat couþe, cowpled hor houndeȝ,

Vnclosed þe kenel dore, & calde hem þer-oute,

Blwe bygly in bugleȝ þre bare mote;

Braches bayed þerfore, & breme noyse maked,

& þay chastysed, & charred, on chasyng þat went;

A hundreth of hunteres, as I haf herde telle,

of þe best;

To trystors vewters ȝod,

Couples huntes of kest,

Þer ros for blasteȝ gode,

Gret rurd in þat forest.