51
The knight wrought the king his booke,
Bad him behold, reede and see;
And euer he found it on the backside of the leafe
As noble Arthur wold wish it to be.
52
And then bespake him King Arthur,
'Alas! thow gentle knight, how may this be,
That I might see him in the same licknesse
That he stood vnto thee?'
53
And then bespake him the Greene Knight,
These were the words said hee:
'If youle stand stifly in the battell stronge,
For I haue won all the victory.'
54
Then bespake him the king againe,
And these were the words said hee:
'If wee stand not stifly in this battell strong,
Wee are worthy to be hanged all on a tree.'
55
Then bespake him the Greene Knight,
These were the words said he:
Saies, 'I doe coniure thee, thou fowle feend,
In the same licknesse thou stood vnto me.'
56
With that start out a lodly feend,
With seuen heads, and one body;
The fier towards the element flaugh,
Out of his mouth, where was great plenty.
57
The knight stood in the middle p ...
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
* * * * *
58
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
... they stood the space of an houre,
I know not what they did.
59
And then bespake him the Greene Knight,
And these were the words said he:
Saith, 'I coniure thee, thou fowle feend,
That thou feitch downe the steed that we see.'