Chapter IV: Part 4

[Sidenote: I shall not tell how he was born;]
Quharfor thare one I wil me not depend
How he was borne, nor how his fad{er} deid
And ek his mod{er}, nore how he was denyed 216
Eft{er} thare deth, p{re}ſumyng he was ded,
[Sidenote: nor how he was nourished by the Lady of the Lake;]
Of al ye lond, nore how he fra that ſtede
In sacret wyß wnwyſt away was tak,
And nwriſt w{i}t{h} ye lady of ye lak. 220
[Sidenote: nor how he was brought to Arthur’s court,]
Nor, in his ȝouth, think I not to tell
The aue{n}tour{is}, quhich to hyme befell;
Nor how the lady of the laik hyme had
One to the court, quhare that he kny{ch}t was mad; 224
None wiſt his nome, nore how that he was tak [Fol. 4.]
By loue, and was Iwondit to the ſtak,
[Sidenote: and pierced to the heart by the beauty of Wanore
(Guinevere),]
And throuch {and} throuch perſit to ye hart,
That al his tyme he cout{h} It not aſtart; 228
For thare of loue he ent{er}it in ſ{er}uice,
Of wanore throuch the beute and franchis,
[Sidenote: for whose service he wrought many wonders;]
Throuch quhois ſ{er}uice in armys he has vro{ch}t
Mony wond{er}is, and p{er}ell{is} he has socht. 232
Nor how he thor, in to his ȝoung curage,
[Sidenote: nor how he made a vow to revenge a wounded knight,]
Hath maid awoue, and in to louis rage,
In the rewenging of o wondit kny{ch}t
That cu{m}yne was in to the court that ny{ch}t; 236
[Sidenote: who had a broken sword in his head, and a truncheon of
a broken spear in his body;]
In to his hed a brokin[T4] ſuerd had he,
And in his body alſo my{ch}t me{n} see
The tronſione of o brokine ſper that was,
Quhich no ma{n} out dedenyt to aras; 240
Nor how he haith the wapnis out tak,
And his awow apone this wis can mak,
That he ſchuld hyme Reweng at h{is} poware
One eu{er}y kny{ch}t that louith the hurtare 244
Bett{er} thane hyme, the quhich that vas Iwond.
Throw quich awoue in armys hath ben founde
[Sidenote: a vow which caused the death of many a wight warrior;]
The deth of mo{n}y wereoure ful wicht;[T5]

[Footnote T4: MS. “abrokin.”]
[Footnote T5: The MS. wrongly transposes ll. 247 and 248.]

For, fro tho wow was knowing of the kny{ch}t, 248
Thare was ful mony o paſage in the londe
By me{n} of armys kepit to withſtond
This kny{ch}t, of quhome thai ben al set afyre
Thai{m} to reweng in armys of deſir. 252
[Sidenote: or how he and Sir Kay were sent to defend the lady of
Nohalt;]
Nor how that thane in{con}tyne{n}t was ſend
He and ſ{ir} kay togidd{er} to defend
The lady of nohalt, nor how that hee
Gou{er}nit hyme thare, nore in quhat degre. 256
Nor how the gret paſing vaſſolag
He eſcheuit, thrōue the outragouß curag,
[Sidenote: or how he conquered the Sorrowful Castle;]
In conquiryng of the sorowful caſtell.
Nor how he paſſith dou{n}e in the cauis fell, 260
And furth ye keys of Inchantme{n}t bro{ch}t,
That al diſtroyt quhich that thare vas vro{ch}t.
[Sidenote: or how he rescued Sir Gawane and his nine fellows;]
Nore howe that he reſkewit ſ{ir} gawane, [Fol. 4b.]
W{i}t{h} h{is} ix falouß in to preſone tane; 264
Nore mony vthere diu{er}ß aduenture,
Quhich to report I tak not in my cwre,
[Sidenote: nor of the many “assemblies” Gawane held to find out
his name;]
Nor mony aſſemblay that gawane gart be maid
To wit h{is} name; nor how that he hyme hade 268
Wnwiſt, and hath the worſchip {and} empriß;
Nor of the kny{ch}t{is} in to mony[T6] diu{er}ß wyß
Throuch his awoue that hath thare dethis found;

[Footnote T6: We should perhaps omit “mony.”]

[Sidenote: nor of his suffering caused by love’s wound;]
Nor of the ſufferans that by louis wounde 272
He in his trawel ſufferith au{er} more;
Nor in the quenis p{rese}ns how tharfor
[Sidenote: nor how he was nearly drowned at Camelot;]
By camelot, in to that gret Revare,
He was ner dround. I wil It not declare 276
How that he was in louis hewy tho{ch}t
[Sidenote: nor how he was brought to court by Dagenet;]
By dagenet in to the court I-bro{ch}t;
Nor how the kny{ch}t that tyme he cane p{er}ſew,
[Sidenote: nor of the giants he slew at Camelot;]
Nor of the gyant{is} by camelot he ſlew; 280
Nor wil I not her tell the man{er} how
He ſlew o kny{ch}t, by nat{ur} of his wow,
[Sidenote: nor how he slew a knight of Melyholt;]
Off melyholt; nore how in to that toune
Thar came one hyme o gret confuſione 284
Of pupil {and} [of] kny{ch}t{is}, al enarmyt,
[Sidenote: and there defended himself against a crowd;]
Nor how he thar haith kepit hyme wnharmyt;
Nor of his worſchip, nor of h{is} gret prowes,
Nor his defens of armys in the pres. 288
[Sidenote: whereupon the lady of Melyhalt prayed him to yield his
sword to her; and kept him in her power.]
Nor how the lady of melyhalt y{a}t ſche
Came to the feild, and pray[i]th hyme that he
As to o lady to hir[T7] his ſuerd hath ȝold,
Nor how he was in to hir keping hold; 292

[Footnote T7: MS. “his.”]

And mony vthir nobil deid alſo
I wil report quharfor I lat ourgo.
[Sidenote: Whoever likes, might make of these things a long story.]
For quho thai{m} lykith for to ſpecyfy,
Of one of thai{m} my{ch}t mak o gret ſtory; 296
Nor thing I not of his hye renōwn
My febil wit to makin menſioune;
[Sidenote: But I think to tell of the wars between Arthur and
Galiot;]
Bot of the wer{is} that was ſcharp {and} ſtrong,
Richt p{er}ellouß, and hath enduryt long, 300
Of Arthur In defending of his lond [Fol. 5.]
Frome galiot, ſone of the fair gyonde,
That bro{ch}t of kny{ch}t{is} o paſing confluens;
[Sidenote: wherein Lancelot won renown by his defence of Arthur;]
And how lancelot of arthur{is} hol defens 304
And of the ver{is} berith the renowñ;
And how he be the wais of fortou{n}e
[Sidenote: and at last made peace between the two princes.]
Tuex the two princ{is} makith the accorde,
Of al there mortall wer{is} to concorde; 308
[Sidenote: I shall also tell how Venus rewarded him.]
And how that venus, ſiting hie abuf,
Reuardith hyme of trauell in to loue,
And makith hyme his ladice grace to have,
And thankfully his ſ{er}uice cane reſave; 312
This is the mat{er} quhich I think to tell.
Bot ſtil he mot ry{ch}t w{i}t{h} the lady duell,
Quhill tyme cu{m} eft that we ſchal of hy{m} ſpek.
[Sidenote: My summary must end for the present.]
This p{ro}ceß [now] mot cloſine beñ and ſtek; 316
And furth I wil one to my mat{er} go.

[Headnote: THE DEDICATION.]

[Sidenote: But I pray for the support of a very great poet,]
Bot first I pray, and I beſek also,
One to the moſt conpilour to ſupport,
Flour of poyet{is}, quhois nome I wil report 320
To me nor to noñ vthir It accordit,
[Sidenote: whose name I may not mention;]
In to our rymyng his nam̅ to be recordit;
For ſum ſuld deme It of preſumpſioune,
[Sidenote: for our riming is but derision, when his excellence is
remembered.]
And ek our rymyng is al bot deryſioune, 324
Quhen that reme{m}brit is his excellens,
So hie abuf that ſtant in reu{er}ans.
Ye freſch enditing of h{is} laiting toung
[Sidenote: The world knows his eloquence in inditing Latin;]
Out throuch yis world ſo wid is yroung, 328
Of eloquens, and ek of retoryk;
Nor is, nor was, nore neu{er} beith hyme lyk,
[Sidenote: and none can ever gladden the world like him:]
This world gladith of h{is} ſuet poetry.
His ſaul I blyß conſeruyt be for-thy; 332
[Sidenote: to him be the thanks for my success.]
And yf that ony lusty terme I wryt
He haith the thonk y{er}of, {and} this endit.

EXPLICIT P{RO}LOG{US}, ET INCIPIT P{RI}M{US} LIBER.

[Headnote: ARTHUR AT CARLISLE.]

[BOOK I.]

[Sidenote: When Titan, being in Aries, had apparelled the fields,]
++Quhen [that] tytan, withe his lusty heit, [Fol. 5b.]
Twenty dais In to the aryeit 336
Haith maid his courß, and all with diu{er}ß hewis
Aparalit haith the feldis and the bewis;
[Sidenote: and birds began to make their bowers;]
The bird{is} amyd the erbis {and} the flour{is},
And one the branchis, makyne gone thar bour{is}, 340
And be the morow ſinging in ther chere
Welcum to the luſty ſeſſone of the ȝere.
In to this tyme the worthi conqueroure
[Sidenote: king Arthur was at Carlisle.]
Arthure, wich had of al this worlde the floure 344
Of cheuelry auerding to his crown,
So paſing war his kny{ch}t{is} in renoune,
Was at carlill; and hapy{n}nit ſo that hee
Soiornyt well long in that faire cuntree. 348
[Sidenote: His knights, hearing of no adventure, were annoyed.]
In to whilk tyme In to the court thai heire
None awenture, for wich the knyght{is} weire
Anoit all at the abiding thare.
For-why, beholding one the ſobir ayre 352
And of the tyme the paſing luſtynes,
Can ſo thir knyghtly hart{is} to encreß,
[Sidenote: They therefore sent Sir Kay to pray the king to go to
Camelot.]
That thei ſhir kay one to the king haith ſende,
Beſeiching hyme he wold wichſaif to wende 356
To camelot the Cetee, whare that thei
Ware wont to heryng of armys day be day.
The king forſuth, heryng thare entent,
To thare deſir, be ſchort awyſment, 360
[Sidenote: The king proposed to do so on the morrow.]
Ygrantid haith; and ſo the king p{ro}ponit
And for to pas hyme one[T8] the morne diſponit.

[Footnote T8: MS. “to pas one hyme one,” with first “one”
lightly crossed out.]

[Headnote: ARTHUR’S TWO DREAMS.]

Bot ſo befell hyme [on] that nycht to meit
An aperans, the wich one to his ſpreit 364
[Sidenote: That night he dreamt that his hair all fell off;]
It ſemyth that of al his hed ye hore
Of fallith and maid deſolat; wharfore
The king therof was pensyve in his mynd,
That al the day he couth no reſting fynde, 368
[Sidenote: which made him delay his journey.]
Wich makith hyme his Iorneye to delaye.
And ſo befell apone the thrid day,
The bricht ſone, paſing in the weſt,
Haith maid his courß, and al thing goith to Reſt; 372
[Sidenote: Again he dreamt, that his bowels fell out, and lay beside
him.]
The king, ſo as the ſtory can dewyß,
He thoght aȝeine, apone the ſamyne wyß,
His vombe out fallith vith his hoil syde [Fol. 6.]
Apone the ground, {and} liging hyme beſid; 376
Throw wich anon out of his ſlep he ſtert,
Abaſit and adred in to his hart.
[Sidenote: He told the queen, who answered, “No man should respect
vain dreams.”]
The wich be morow one to the qwen he told,
And ſhe aȝeine to hyme haith anſuer ȝolde; 380
“To dremys, ſ{ir}, ſhuld no man have Reſpek,
For thei ben thing{is} weyn, of non affek.”
“Well,” q{uo}d the king, “god grant It ſo befall!”

[Headnote: HE SENDS FOR HIS CLERKS.]

[Sidenote: The king next shewed his dream to a clerk,]
Arly he roß, and gert one to hyme call 384
O clerk, to whome that al his hewynes
Tweching his drem ſhewith he expreß,
[Sidenote: who said, “Sir, such things testify nothing.”]
Wich anſuer yaf and ſeith one to the kinge;
“Shir, no Record lyith to ſuch thing; 388
Wharfor now, ſhir, I praye yow tak no kep,
Nore traiſt in to the vanyteis of slep;
For thei are thing{is} that aſkith no credens,
But cauſith of ſum maner influe{n}s, 392
Empriß of thoght, ore ſup{er}fleuytee,
Or than ſum othir caſualytee.”
[Sidenote: “Yet,” replied he, “I shall not leave it so.”]
“Ȝit,” q{uo}d the king, “I ſal no{ch}t leif It so;”
And furth he chargit meſinger{is} to go 396
Throgh al his Realm, w{i}t{h}outen more demande,
[Sidenote: He bade all the bishops and clergy come to Camelot
within twenty days.]
And bad them ſtratly at thei ſhulde comande
All the biſhopes, and makyng no delay
The ſhuld appere be the tuenty day 400
At camelot, with al thar hol clergy
That moſt expert war, for to certefye
A mat{er} tueching to his goſt be nyght;
The meſag goith furth with the l{ett}res Right. 404

++The king eft ſone, w{i}t{h}in a litill ſpace,
His Iornay makith haith frome place to place,
[Sidenote: He goes to Camelot, and finds the clerks assembled.]
Whill that he cam to camelot; and there
The clerk{is} all, as that the chargit were, 408
Aſſemblit war, and came to his preſens,
Of his deſir to viting the ſentens.
To them that war to hyme moſt ſpeciall
Furth his entent ſhauyth he al hall; 412
[Sidenote: He discloses all to the ten that are most expert,]
By whois conſeil, of the worthieſt
He cheſith ten, yclepit for the beſt,
And moſt expert and wiſeſt was ſuppoſit, 415
To qwhome his drem all hail he haith diſcloſſit; [Fol. 6b.]
The houre, the nyght, and al the c{er}cumſtans;
[Sidenote: and beseeches them to explain the dreams.]
Beſichyne them that the ſignifycans
Thei wald hyme ſhaw, that he my{ch}t reſting fynde
Of It, the wich that occupeid his mynde. 420
[Sidenote: One of them asks for nine days to advise upon the
matter.]
And one of them with[T9] al ther holl aſſent
Saith, “ſhire, fore to declare our entent
Vpone this matere, ye wil ws delay
Fore to awyſing one to the ix day.” 424
The king ther-to grantith haith, bot hee
[Sidenote: The king complies, but shuts them up in a strong place.]
In to o place, that ſtrong was and hye,
He cloſith them, whare thei may no whare get,
Vn to the day, the wich he to them set. 428
Than goith the clerk{is} ſadly to awyß
Of this mat{er}, to ſeing in what wyß
The king{is} drem thei ſhal beſt ſpecefy.
[Sidenote: The masters of astronomy fetch their books,]
And than the maiſtris of aſtronomy 432
The book{is} longyne to ther artis set;[T10]
Not was the buk{is} of arachell forget,
Of nembrot, of danȝhelome, thei two,
Of moyſes, {and} of herynes all soo; 436
[Sidenote: and calculate the disposition of the planets.]
And ſeking be ther calcolaciou{n}e
To fynd the planet{is} diſpoſiciou{n}e,
The wich thei fond ware wond{er} ewill yſet
The ſamyne nyght the king his ſweuen met. 440

[Footnote T9: MS. “saith with” (with a very slight scratch
through “saith”).]
[Footnote T10: So in MS. Read “fet.”]

[Headnote: THEY REFUSE TO EXPLAIN THEM.]

So ner the point ſocht thei have the thing,
[Sidenote: They found the matter heavy for the king, and doubted if
they should tell him so.]
Thei fond It wond{er} hewy to the king,
Of wich thing thei waryng in to were
To ſhew the king, for dreid of his danger. 444
Of ane accorde thei planly haue p{ro}ponit
No worde to ſhow, and ſo thei them diſponit.
[Sidenote: Being sent for,]
The day is cu{m}yng, and he haith fore them ſent,
Beſichyne them to ſhewing ther entent. 448
[Sidenote: they all spake, “Sir, we can find no evidence.”]
Than ſpak they all, and that of an accorde;
“Shir, of this thing we can no thing Recorde,
For we can noght fynd in til our ſciens
Tweching this mater ony ewydens.” 452
[Sidenote: “Ere we part,” quoth the king, “ye shall witness
something.”]
“Now,” q{uo}d the king, “and be the glorius lorde,
Or we depart ye ſhall ſum thing recorde;
So pas yhe not, nor ſo It ſall not bee.”
“Than,” q{uo}d the clerk{is}, “grant ws dais three.” 456
[Sidenote: He grants them three days more.]
The wich he grantid them, and but delay, [Fol. 7.]
The term paſſith, no thing wold the ſay,
Wharof the king ſtondith heuy cherith,
And to the clerk{is} his viſag ſo apperith, 460
That all thei dred them of the king{is} myght.
[Sidenote: They pray for a further delay of three days.]
Than ſaith o clerk, “s{ir}, as the thrid nyght
Ye dremyt, ſo [now] giffis ws delay
The thrid tyme, and to the thrid day.” 464
By whilk tyme thei fundyng haith the ende
Of this mater, als far as ſhal depend
To ther ſciens; yit can thei not awyß
To ſchewing to the king be ony wyß. 468
[Sidenote: They still refuse to declare their thought.]
The day is cum, the king haith them beſocht,
But one no wyß thei wald declar ther thoght;
Than was he wroth in to his ſelf and noyt,
[Sidenote: The king vows to destroy them;]
And maid his wow that thei ſhal[T11] ben diſtroyt. 472
His baronis he co{m}mandit to gar tak
Fyve of them one to the fir-ſtak,
And vther fyue be to the gibbot tone;
And the furth w{i}t{h} the king{is} charg ar gone. 476
[Sidenote: but secretly charges his knights not to harm them.]
He bad them in to ſecret wyß that thei
Shud do no harm, but only them aßey.
The clark{is}, dredful of the king{is} Ire,
And ſaw the p{er}ell of deth and of the fyre, 480
Fyve, as thei can, has grantit to record;
That vther herde and ben of ther accorde;
And al thei ben yled one to the king,
[Sidenote: They yield at last, and say,]
And ſhew hyme thus as tueching of this thing. 484

[Footnote T11: MS. “ſhat.”]

[Headnote: INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAMS.]

“Shir, ſen that we conſtrenyt ar by myght
To ſhaw that wich[T12] we knaw no thing aricht;
For thing to cum preſeruith It allan
To hyme the wich is euery thing c{er}tañ, 488
Excep the thing that til our knawleg hee
Hath ordynat of certan for to bee;
Therfor, ſhir king, we your magnificens
Beſeich It turne till ws to non offens, 492
[Sidenote: “Hold us not as liars, though it happen not as we say.]
Nor hald was no{ch}t as lear{is}, thoght It fall
Not in this mat{er}, as that we telen ſhall.”
And that the king haith grantit them, {and} thei
Has chargit one, that one this wiß ſall ſeye. 496
“Preſumyth, ſhir, that we have fundyne so;
[Sidenote: You must forego all earthly honour;]
All erdly honore ye nedis[T13] moſt for-go,
[Sidenote: and those on whom you most rely, will fail you.”]
And them the wich ye moſt affy in-tyll [Fol. 7b.]
Shal failye ȝow, magre of ther will; 500
And thus we haue in to this matere founde.”
The king, quhois hart was al wyth dred ybownd,
And aſkit at the clerk{is}, if thei fynde
By there clergy, that ſtant i{n} ony kynde 504
[Sidenote: The king asks if his destiny can be altered.]
Of poſſibilitee, fore to reforme
His deſteny, that ſtud in ſuch a forme;
If in the hewyne Is preordynat
On ſuch o wiß his honor to tranſlat. 508
The clerk{is} ſaith, “forſuth, and we haue ſene
[Sidenote: They reply, that the matter is dark.]
O thing whar-of, if we the trouth ſhal meñ,
Is ſo obſcure and dyrk til our clergye,
That we wat not what It ſhal ſignefye, 512
Wich cauſith ws we can It not furth ſay.”
“Yis,” q{uo}d the king, “as lykith yow ye may,
For wers than this can nat be ſaid for me.”

[Footnote T12: MS. “wich that.”]
[Footnote T13: MS. “nediſt;” but see l. 518.]

[Headnote: THE CLERKS GIVE MYSTERIOUS ADVICE.]

[Sidenote: A master says, there is no help but in the true watery
lion, and in the leech, and in the flower.]
Thane ſaith o maiſtir, “than ſuthly th{us} finde we; 516
Thar is no thing ſal ſucour nor reſkew,
Your worldly honore nedis moſt adew,
But throuch the watrye lyone {and} ek fyne,
On throuch the liche {and} ek the wattir ſyne, 520
[Sidenote: God knows what this should mean.]
And throuch the conſeill of the flour; god wot
What this ſhude meñ, for mor ther-of we not.”
No word the king anſuerid ayane,
For al this reſone thinkith bot i{n} weyne. 524
[Sidenote: The king shews no outward grief,]
He ſhawith outwart his contenans
As he therof takith no greuans;
[Sidenote: but is not rid of anxiety all night.]
But al the nyght it paſſid nat his thoght.
The dais courß w{i}t{h} ful deſir he ſocht, 528
And furth he goith to bring his mynd i{n} reſt
[Sidenote: Next day he goes to the forest.]
W{i}t{h} mony O knyght vn to the gret foreſt;
The rachis gon wn-copelit for the deire,
That in the wodis makith nois {and} cheir: 532
The knycht{is}, w{i}t{h} the grewhund{is} in aweit,
Secith boith the planis and the ſtreit.
[Sidenote: The chase.]
Doune goith the hart, doune goith the hynd alſo;
[In to the feld can ruſching to and fro][T14] 536
The ſwift grewhund, hardy of aſſay;
Befor ther hedis no thing goith away.
The king of hunting takith haith his ſport,
[Sidenote: The king returns.]
And to his palace home he can Reſort, 540
Ayan the noon; and as that he was set
[Sidenote: As they sit at meat, an aged knight enters, fully armed.]
Vith all his noble knyght{is} at the met, [Fol. 8.]
So cam ther in an agit knyght, {and} hee
Of gret eſſtat ſemyt for to bee; 544
Anarmyt all, as tho It was the gyß,
And thus the king he ſaluſt, one this wiß,

[Footnote T14: A line must here be lost, but there is nothing
to shew this in the MS. The inserted line is imitated from
l. 3293.]

[Headnote: GALIOT’S MESSAGE.]

[Sidenote: The knight’s message is that king Galiot bids Arthur to
yield to him his kingdom.]
++“Shir king, one to yow am y ſende
Frome the worthieſt that i{n} world is kend, 548
That leuyth now of his tyme and age,
Of manhed, wiſdome, {and} of hie curag,
Galiot, ſone of the fare gyande;
And thus, at ſhort, he bid{is} yow your londe 552
Ye yald hyme our, w{i}t{h}out Impedyment;
Or of hyme holde, and if tribut and rent.
This is my charge at ſhort, whilk if youe leſt
For to fulfill, of al he haith conqueſt 556
He ſais that he moſt tendir ſhal youe hald.”

[Headnote: ARTHUR DEFIES GALIOT.]

[Sidenote: The king refuses.]
By ſhort awys the king his anſuer yald;
“Shir kny{ch}t, your lorde wondir hie pretendis,
When he to me ſic ſalutatioune send{is}; 560
For I as yit, in tymys that ar gone,
Held neu{er} lond excep of god alone,
Nore neu{er} thinkith til erthly lord to yef
Trybut nor rent, als long as I may lef.” 564
[Sidenote: The knight replies, that his lord bids him defiance, and
will invade his land in a month;]
“Well,” q{uo}d the kny{ch}t, “ful ſor repentith me;
Non may reciſt the thing the wich mone bee.
To yow, ſ{ir} king, than frome my lord am I
With diffyans ſent, and be this reſone why; 568
His purpos Is, or this day moneth day,
With all his oſt, planly to aſſay
Your lond, w{i}t{h} mony ma{n}ly man of were,
[Sidenote: not to return till he has conquered;]
And helmyt kny{ch}t{is}, boith with ſheld {and} ſpere; 572
And neu{er} thinkith to retwrn home whill
That he this lond haith conqueſt at his will;
[Sidenote: and he intends to possess queen Vanour.]
And ek vanour the quen, of whome that hee
Herith report of al this world that ſhee 576
In fairhed and in wertew doith excede,
He bad me ſay he think{is} to poſſede.”
[Sidenote: Arthur returns his defiance.]
“Schir,” q{uod} the king, “your meſag me behuf{is}
Of reſone and of curtaſy excuſß; 580
But tueching to your lord {and} to his oſt,
His powar [and] his meſag and his boſt,
That pretendith my lond for to diſtroy,
Thar-of as ȝit tak I non anoye; 584
And ſay your lord one my behalf, when hee [Fol. 8b.]
Haith tone my lond, that al the world ſhal see
That It ſhal be magre myne entent.”
[Sidenote: The knight departs, lamenting Arthur’s adventurous
spirit.]
With that the kny{ch}t, w{i}t{h}outen leif, is went, 588
And richt as he was paſing to the dure,
He ſaith, “a gode![T15] what wykyt aduenture
Apperith!” w{i}t{h} that his hors he nome,
Two knicht{is} kepit, waiting h{is} outcome. 592

[Footnote T15: MS. “agod^e.”]

The kni{ch}t is gon, the king he gan Inquere
At gawan, and at other kny{ch}t{is} sere,
[Sidenote: Arthur asks Gawane who Galiot is.]
If that thei knew or eu{er} hard recorde
Of galiot, and wharof he wes lorde; 596
And ther was non among his kny{ch}t{is} all
Which anſuerd o word in to the hall.
Than galygantynis of walys raſe,
[Sidenote: Galygantynis of Wales replies,]
That trauelit in diu{er}ß lond{is} has, 600
In mony kny{ch}tly aue{n}tur haith ben;
And to the king he ſaith, “ſ{ir}, I haue sen
Galiot, which is the fareſt kny{ch}t,
[Sidenote: that Galiot is the tallest knight by half a foot of all
he ever saw; that he is wise, liberal, humble,]
And hieſt be half a fut one hycht, 604
That eu{er} I saw, and ek his me{n} accordith;
Hyme lakid no{ch}t that to a lord recordith.
For viſare of his ag is non than hee,
And ful of larges and humylytee; 608
[Sidenote: courageous, and under xxiv years of age.]
An hart he haith of paſing hie curag,
And is not xxiiij ȝer of age,
And of his tyme mekil haith conquerit;
[Sidenote: Ten kings obey him.]
Ten king{is} at his {com}mand ar ſterit. 612
He v{i}t{h} his me{n} ſo louit is, y geß,
That hyme to pleß is al ther beſynes.
Not ſay I this, ſ{ir}, in to ye entent
That he, nor none wnd{er} the firmame{n}t, 616
Shal pouere haue ayane your maieſtee;
And or thei ſhuld, this y ſey for mee,
Rather I ſhall kny{ch}tly in to feild
Reſaue my deith anarmyt wnd{er} ſheld. 620
This ſpek y leſt;”--the king, ayan the morn,
[Sidenote: The king goes again to the chase.]
Haith varnit huntar{is} baith with hund {and} horne,
And arly gan one to the foreſt ryd,
With mony manly knyght{is} by h{is} ſid, 624
Hyme for to ſport and comfort w{i}t{h} the dere,
Set contrare was the ſeſone of y^e yere.
[Sidenote: He likes boar-hunting best.]
His moſt huntyng was atte wyld bore;
God wot a luſtye cuntree was It thoore, 628 [Fol. 9.]
In the ilk tyme! weil long this noble king
In to this lond haith maid his ſuiornyng;

[Headnote: THE LADY OF MELYHALT’S MESSAGE.]

[Sidenote: A messenger comes from the lady of Melyhalt,]
Frome the lady was send o meſinger
Of melyhalt, wich ſaith one this maner, 632
As that the ſtory ſhewith by recorde:

++“TO yow, ſ{ir} king, as to hir ſou{er}an lorde,
My lady hath me chargit for to ſay
How that your lond ſtondith i{n} affray; 636
[Sidenote: to say that Galiot has entered Arthur’s land,]
For galiot, ſone of the fare gyande,
Enterit Is by armys in your land,
And ſo the lond and cuntre he anoyth,
That quhar he goith planly he diſtroyth, 640
And makith al obeiſand to his honde,
[Sidenote: and has conquered all but two castles belonging to his
mistress.]
That nocht is left wnconqueſt i{n} that lond,
Excep two caſtell{is} longing to hir cwre,
Wich to defend ſhe may no{ch}t long endure. 644
Wharfor, ſ{ir}, in word{is} plan {and} ſhort,
Ye mon diſpone your folk for to ſupport.”

[Headnote: ARTHUR’S READINESS FOR WAR.]

[Sidenote: The king promises not to delay, and inquires the number
of the foe.]
“Wel,” q{uod} the king, “one to thi lady ſay
The neid is myne, I fall It not delay; 648
But what folk ar thei ne{m}myt for to bee,
That in my lond is cu{m}yne in ſich degree?”
[Sidenote: “A hundred thousand,” is the reply.]
“An hundreth thouſand boith vith ſheld {and} ſpere
On hors ar armyt, al redy for the were.” 652
“Wel,” q{uo}d the king, “and but delay this ny{ch}t,
Or than to morn as that the day is lycht,
[Sidenote: The king says he will set off that very night.]
I ſhal remuf; ther ſhal no thing me mak
Impedyme{n}t, my Iorney for to tak.” 656
Than ſeith his kny{ch}t{is} al w{i}t{h} one aſſent,
[Sidenote: His knights advise him to wait till he has raised an
army.]
“Shir, that is al contrare our entent;
For to your folk this mater is wnwiſt,
And ye ar here our few for to reciſt 660
Ȝone power, and youre cuntre to defende;
Tharfor abid, and for your folk ye send,
That lyk a king and lyk a weriour
Ye may ſuſten in armys your honoure.” 664
“Now,” q{uod} the king, “no langer that I ȝeme
My crowne, my ſepture, nor my dyademe,
Frome that I here, ore frome I wnd{er}ſtand,
That ther by fors be entrit in my land 668
Men of armys, by ſtrenth of vyolens,
[Sidenote: He refuses to wait longer than till the morrow.]
If that I mak abid or reſydens
In to o place langar than o ny{ch}t,
For to defend my cuntre {and} my ry{ch}t.” 672
The king that day his meſage haith furth sent [Fol. 9b.]
Throuch al his realme, and ſyne to reſt is went.

++Up goith the morow, wp goith the bry{ch}t day,
Wp goith the sone in to his freſh aray; 676
Richt as he ſpred his bemys frome northeſt,
[Sidenote: The king arises next morning without delay,]
The king wpraß w{i}t{h}outen more areſt,
And by his awn conſeil and entent
His Iornaye tuk at ſhort awyſment. 680
And but dulay he goith frome place to place
Whill that he cam nere whare[T16] the lady was,
[Sidenote: and reaches a plain by the river side,]
And in one plane, apone o reuer ſyde,
He lichtit doune, and ther he can abide; 684
And yit w{i}t{h} hyme to batell fore to go
[Sidenote: having only seven thousand with him.]
Vij thousand fechter{is} war thei, {and} no mo.

[Footnote T16: MS. “whare that,” with slight scratch through
“that.”]

[Sidenote: Lancelot, having been imprisoned by the lady of
Melyhalt,]
++This was the lady, of qwhome befor I tolde,
That lancilot haith in to hir kepinge holde; 688
But for to tell his paſing hewyneſſe,
His peyne, his ſorow, and his gret diſtreſſe
Of preſone and of loues gret ſuppris,
It war to long to me for to dewys. 692
When he reme{m}brith one his hewy charge
Of loue, wharof he can hyme not diſcharge,
He wepith and he ſorowith in his chere,
And euery nyght ſemyth hyme o yere. 696
Gret peite was the ſorow that he maad,
[Sidenote: laments his fate.]
And to hyme-ſelf apone this wiß he ſaade:

[Headnote: LANCELOT’S LAMENT.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot’s lament; his pleasure is gone;]
++“Qwhat haue y gilt, allace! or qwhat deſ{er}uit?
That thus myne hart ſhal vondit ben {and} carwit 700
One by the ſuord of double peine and wo?
My comfort and my pleſans is ago,
To me is nat that ſhuld me glaid reſeruit.

[Sidenote: he curses his natal day;]
I curß the tyme of myne Natiuitee, 704
Whar in the heuen It ordinyd was for me,
In all my lyue neu{er} til haue eeß;
But for to be example of diſeß,
And that apperith that eu{er}y vicht may see. 708

[Sidenote: he has never spent a single day free from anxiety,]
Sen thelke tyme that I had ſufficians
Of age, and chargit thoght{is} ſufferans,
Nor neu{er} I {con}tinewite haith o day
With-out the payne of thoght{is} hard aſſay; 712
Thus goith my youth in tempeſt {and} penans.

[Sidenote: and is now in prison; and invokes Death.]
And now my body is In preſone broght;
But of my wo, that in Regard is noght, [Fol. 10.]
The wich myne hart felith euer more. 716
O deth, allace! whi hath yow me forbore
That of remed haith the ſo long beſoght!”

[Sidenote: Thus the smart of love’s sorrow pricketh him.
He is kept by her from the exercise of knighthood;
and there we let him dwell.]
Thus neu{er}emore he ſeſith to compleine,
This woful knyght that felith not bot peine; 720
So prekith hyme the ſmert of loues ſore,
And eu{er}y day encreſſith more and more.
And with this lady takine is alſo,
And kepit whar he may no whare go 724
To haunt knychthed, the wich he moſt deſirit;
And, thus his hart w{i}t{h} dowbil wo yfirite,
We lat hyme duel here with the lady ſtill,
Whar he haith laiſere for to compleine his fyll. 728

[Headnote: GALIOT BESIEGES A CASTLE.]

[Sidenote: Meanwhile, Galiot besieged a castle.]
++And galiot in this meyne tyme he laie
By ſtrong myght o caſtell to aſſay,
With many engyne and diu{er}ß wais ſere,
For of fute folk he had a gret powere 732
That bowis bur, and vther Inſtrument{is},
[Sidenote: His army had pavilions, tents, and iron-wheeled
chariots.]
And with them lede ther palȝonis {and} ther te{n}t{is},
With mony o ſtrong chariot and cher
With yrne qwhelis and barris long {and} ſqwar; 736
Well ſtuffit with al maner apparell
That longith to o ſege or to batell;
Whar-with his oſt was cloſit al about,
That of no ſtrenth nedith hyme to dout. 740
[Sidenote: When he heard of Arthur’s coming,]
And when he hard the cu{m}yne of the king,
And of his oſt, and of his gaderyng,
The wich he reput but of febil myght
Ayanis hyme for to ſuſten the ficht, 744
His conſell holl aſſemblit he, but were,
[Sidenote: he assembled his council,]
Ten knight{is} with other lord{is} ſere,
And told theme of the cu{m}ing of the king,
And aſkit them there conſell of that thing. 748
[Sidenote: who thought it would degrade him, to fight in proper
person against so few.]
Hyme thoght that it his worſchip wold degrade,
If he hyme ſelf in p{ro}pir p{er}ſone raide
Enarmyt ayane ſo few menye
As It was told arthur[{is}] fore to bee; 752
And thane the kyng-An-hund{er}eth-kny{ch}t{is} cold,
(And ſo he hot, for neu{er}more he wolde
Ryd of his lond, but In his cu{m}pany
O hundyre knyght{is} ful of chiuellry). 756

[Headnote: PREPARATION FOR THE BATTLE.]

[Sidenote: The king of a hundred knights (Maleginis) undertakes
the exploit;]
He ſaith, “shir, ande I one hond [may] tak, [Fol. 10b.]
If It you pleß, this Iorney ſhal I mak.”
Quod galiot, “I grant It yow, but ye
Shal firſt go ryd, yone kny{ch}t{is} oſt {and} see.” 760
With-outen more he ridith our the plan,
And ſaw the oſt and is returnyd ayañ;
And callit them mo than he hade ſen, for why
He dred the reprefe of his cumpany. 764
[Sidenote: who reconnoitres Arthur’s host, and says it is 10,000
strong: whereon Galiot charges him to take the same number.]
And to his lord apone this wys ſaith hee,
“Shir, ten thouſand y ges them for to bee.”
And galiot haith chargit hyme to tak
Als fell folk, and for the feld hyme mak. 768
And ſo he doith and haith them wel Arayt;
Apone the morne his banaris war diſplayt.

++Up goth the trumpet{is} with the clariou{ni}s,
Ayaine the feld blawen furth ther ſownis, 772
[Sidenote: Galiot’s host set out.]
Furth goth this king w{i}t{h} al his oſt anon.
Be this the word wes to king arthur gone,
That knew no thing, nor wiſt of ther entent,
[Sidenote: Arthur’s host don their armour.]
But ſone his folk ar one to armys went; 776
But arthur by Report hard saye
[Sidenote: Arthur, hearing that Galiot is unarmed, will not arm
himself;]
How galiot non armys bur that day,
Wharfor he thoght of armys nor of ſheld
None wald he tak, nor mak hyme for the feld. 780
[Sidenote: but calls Gawane, and tells him how to order his
battalions.]
But gawane haith he clepit, was hyme by,
In qwhome Rignith the flour of cheuelry;
And told one what man{er}, and one what wyß
He ſhuld his batelles ordand and dewys; 784
Beſeching hyme, [hyme] wiſly to for-see
Aȝaine thei folk, wich was far mo than hee.
He knew the charg and paſſith one his way
Furth to his horß, and makith no dulay; 788
The clariou{n}is blew and furth goth al onoñ,
[Sidenote: Gawane and his men cross over the water at the ford.]
And our ye watt{er} and the furd ar goñe.

[Headnote: GAWANE HARANGUES HIS MEN.]

Within o playne vpone that other ſyd
Ther gawan gon his batellis to dewide, 792
As he wel couth, and set them i{n} aray,
Syne with o manly contynans can ſay,
[Sidenote: He harangues his men.]
“Ye falowis wich of the round table beñ,
Through al this erth whois fam is hard {and} ſen, 796
Reme{m}brith now It ſtondith one the poynt,
For why It lyith one your ſperis poynt,[T17]
The well-fare of the king and of our londe; [Fol. 11.]
And ſen the ſucour lyith in your honde, 800
And hardement is thing ſhall moſt awaill
Frome deth ther men of armys in bataill,
Lat now your ma{n}hed and your hie curage
The pryd of al thir multitude aſſuage; 804
Deth or defence, non other thing we wot.”
[Sidenote: Maleginis and all his host come over the plain, and
Gawane sends a company against them.]
This freſch king, that maleginis was hot,
With al his oſt he cu{m}myne our the plañ,
And gawan ſend o batell hyme agañ; 808
In myde the borde,[T18] and feſtinit in the ſtell
The ſperithis poynt, that bitith ſcharp {and} well;
[Sidenote: But they were all too few; wherefore Gawane sends
a second company;]
Bot al to few thei war, and my{ch}t no{ch}t leſt
This gret Rout that cu{m}myth one ſo faſt. 812
Than haith ſ{ir} gawan ſend, them to ſupport,
One othir batell with one kny{ch}tly sorte;
[Sidenote: then a third; then a fourth; and then sets out himself,
to resist the 10,000.]
And ſyne the thrid, and ſyne the ferde alſo;
And ſyne hyme-ſelf one to the feld can go, 816
When that he ſauch thar latt{er} batell ſteir,
And the ten thouſand cu{m}myne al thei veir;
Qwhar that of armes prewit he so well,
His e{n}nemys gane his mortall [ſtrokis] fell. 820

[Footnote T17: At the bottom of this page appears for the
first time a catchword, which is-- “The wel fare.”]
[Footnote T18: Or “berde.”]

[Headnote: GAWANE DEFEATS MALEGINIS.]

[Sidenote: He goes among them in his courage,]
He goith ymong them in his hie curage,
As he that had of knyghthed the wſage,
And couth hyme weill {con}ten i{n} to on hour;
Aȝaine his ſtrok reſiſtit non armour; 824
[Sidenote: and many other of Arthur’s knights perform wonders.]
And mony kny{ch}t, that worth ware and bolde,
War thore with hyme of arthur{is} houſhold,
And knyghtly gan one to the feld them bere,
And mekil wroght of armys In to were; 828
S{ir} gawan than vpone ſuch wyß hyme bure,
[Sidenote: Maleginis goeth to discomfiture, and 7,000 of his men
flee.]
This othere goith al to diſcu{m}fitoure;
Sewyne thouſand fled, {and} of the feld thei go,
Whar-of this king in to his hart was wo, 832
For of hyme ſelf he was of hie curage.
To galiot than ſend he in meſag,
That he ſhuld help his folk for to defende;
[Sidenote: Galiot sends him 30,000 more.]
And he to hyme hath xxx^te thousand sende; 836
Whar-of this king gladith in his hart,
And thinkith to Reweng all the ſmart
That he to-for haith ſuffirit and the payne. [Fol. 11b.]
[Sidenote: His folk return across the field as thick as hail.]
And al his folk returnyt Is ayayne 840
Atour the feld, and cu{m}myne thilk as haill;[T19]
The ſwyft horß goith firſt to the aſſall.
This noble knyght that ſeith the g{r}ete forß
Of armyt men, that cu{m}myne vpone horß, 844
To-giddir ſemblit al his falowſchip,
And thoght them at the ſharp poynt to kep,
So that thar harm̅ ſhal be ful deir yboght.
This vthere folk with ſtraucht courß hath ſocht 848
Out of aray atour the larg felld;
Thar was the ſtrok{is} feſtnit i{n} the ſhelde,
Thei war Reſauit at the ſper{is} end.
[Sidenote: Arthur’s folk receive them manfully.]
So arthur{is} folk can manfully defend; 852
The formeſt can thar lyues end conclude,
Whar ſone aſſemblit al the multitude.
Thar was defens, ther was gret aſſaill,
Richt wond{er}full and ſtrong was y^e bataill, 856
[Sidenote: but sustain much pain,]
Whar arthur{is} folk ſuſtenit mekil payn,
And kny{ch}tly them defendit haith aȝaine.

[Footnote T19: MS. “thilk as (Rayne) haill,” as if it were at
first intended to find a rime to “ayayne.”]

[Headnote: GAWANE’S VALIANT DEEDS.]

[Sidenote: and cannot endure against so many.]
Bot endur thei my{ch}t, apone no wyß,
The multitude and ek the gret ſupp{ri}ß; 860
But gawan, wich that ſetith al h{is} payn
Vpone knyghthed, defendid ſo aȝaine,
That only in the manhede of this knyght
His folk reIoſit them of his gret myght, 864
And ek abaſit hath his ennemys;
For throw the feld he goith in ſuch wyß,
And in the preß ſo ma{n}fully them ſ{er}uith,
[Sidenote: Gawane carves helmets in two, and smites heads off
shoulders;]
His ſuerd atwo the helmys al to-kerwith, 868
The hed{is} of he be the ſhoud{er}is ſmat;
The horß goith, of the maiſt{er} deſolat.
But what awaleth al his beſynes,
So ſtrong and ſo inſufferable vas the preß? 872
[Sidenote: but his men recross the ford to go to their lodges.]
His folk are paſſit atour the furdis ilkon,
Towart ther bretis and to ther luges gon;
Whar he and many worthy knyght alſo
Of arthur{is} houß endurit mekill wo, 876
That neu{er} men mar in to armys vroght
Of manhed, ȝit was It al for noght.
Thar was the ſtrenth, ther was the paſing myght [Fol. 12.]
[Sidenote: Gawane fights alone till night,]
Of gawan, wich that whill the dirk nyght 880
Befor the luges faucht al hyme aloñ,
When that his falowis entrit ware ilkoñ,
On arthur{is} half war mony tan and ſlan;
[Sidenote: when Galiot’s folk return home.]
And galot{is} folk Is hame ret{u}rnyd aȝaine, 884
For it was lait; away the oſtis ridith,
And gawan ȝit apone his horß abidith,
W{i}t{h} ſuerd in hond, when thei away var gon,
And so for-wrocht hys ly{m}mys ver ilkon, 888
And wondit ek his body vp and doune,
[Sidenote: Gawane swoons upon his horse.]
Vpone his horß Right thore he fel in ſwoune;
And thei hyme tuk {and} to his lugyne bare,
[Sidenote: The king and queen fear he has brought himself to
confusion.]
Boith king and qwen of hyme vare i{n} diſpare; 892
For thei ſuppoſit, throw marwellis that he vroght,
He had hyme-ſelf to his confuſiou{n}e broght.

[Headnote: LANCELOT PRAYS TO BE RELEASED.]

[T]his[T20] was nere by of melyhalt, the hyll,
Whar lanſcelot ȝit was w{i}t{h} the lady ſtill. 896
The kny{ch}t{is} of the court [can] paſing hom̅e;
This ladiis kny{ch}t{is} to hir palice com,
And told to hir, how that the feld was vent,
[Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt hears of Gawane’s deeds;]
And of gawan, and of his hardyme{n}t, 900
That merwell was his manhed to behold;
[Sidenote: and Lancelot also,]
And ſone thir tithing{is} to the kny{ch}t vas told,
That was with wo and hewyneſs oppreſt;
So noyith hyme his ſuiorne and his reſt, 904
[Sidenote: who sends for a knight to take a message to the lady;]
And but dulay one for o kny{ch}t he send,
That was moſt ſpeciall with the lady kend.
He comyne, and the kny{ch}t vn to hyme ſaid,
“Diſpleß yow not, ſ{ir}, be ȝhe not ill paid, 908
So homly thus I yow exort to go,
To gare my lady ſpek o word or two
With me, that am a carful p{re}ſonere.”[T21]
“S{ir}, your co{m}mande y ſhall, w{i}t{h}outen were, 912
Fulfill;” and to his lady paſſit hee
In lawly wyß beſiching hir, that ſhe
Wald grant hyme to pas at his requeſt,
Vnto hir kny{ch}t, ſtood wnd{er} hir areſt; 916
And ſhe, that knew al gentilleß aright,
[Sidenote: who comes to his chamber.]
Furth to his chamber paſſit wight[T22] the licht.

[Footnote T20: See note to this line.]
[Footnote T21: MS. “preson{er}ere.”]
[Footnote T22: Read “with” (?).]

++And he aroß and ſaluſt Curtaſly [Fol. 12b.]
[Sidenote: Lancelot beseeches her to appoint his ransom,]
The lady, and ſaid, “madem, her I, 920
Your preſoner, beſekith yow that ȝhe
Wold merſy and compaſſione have of me,
And mak the ranſone wich that I may yeif;
I waiſt my tyme in presou{n}e thus to leife. 924
For why I her on be report be told,
That arthur, with the flour of his houſholde,
Is cu{m}myne here, and in this cuntre lyis,
And ſtant In danger of his ennemyis, 928
And haith aſſemblit; and eft this ſhalt bee
Within ſhort tyme one new aſſemblee.
Thar-for, my lady, y youe g{ra}ce beſech,
That I mycht pas, my Ranſon for to fech; 932
[Sidenote: presuming that some of Arthur’s knights will pay it.]
Fore I p{re}ſume thar longith to that ſort
That louid me, and ſhal my nede ſupport.”

[Headnote: THE LADY AT FIRST REFUSES;]

++“Shire kny{ch}t, It ſtant no{ch}t in ſich dugree;
[Sidenote: She replies that she does not want a ransom, but has
imprisoned him for his guilt.]
It is no ranſone wich that cauſith me 936
To holden yow, or don yow ſich offens;
It is your gilt, It is your wiolens,
Whar-of that I deſir no thing but law,
W{i}t{h}out report your awñ treſpas to knaw.” 940
“Madem, your pleſance may ye wel fulfill
Of me, that am in p{re}ſone at your will.
[Sidenote: He prays for pardon,]
Bot of that gilt, I was for til excuß,
For that I did of werrey nede behwß, 944
It tuechit to my honore and my fame;
I mycht no{ch}t lefe It but hurting of my nam,
And ek the knycht was mor to blam than I.
But ye, my lady, of your curteſſy, 948
Wold ȝe deden my Ransou{n}e to reſaue,
[Sidenote: and begs for liberty:]
Of preſone ſo I my libertee myght haue,
Y ware ȝolde eu{er}more [to be] your knyght,
Whill that I leif, w{i}t{h} al my holl myght. 952
And if ſo be ye lykith not to ma
[Sidenote: or at least to be allowed to go to the next battle,]
My ra{n}ſone, [madem,] if me leif to ga
To the aſſemble, wich ſal be of new;
[Sidenote: under a promise to return at night.]
And as that I am feithful kny{ch}t {and} trew, 956
At ny{ch}t to yow I ent{er} ſhall aȝaine,
But if that deth or other lat c{er}tañ,
Throw wich I [may] have ſuch Impediment,
That I be hold,[T23] magre myne entent.” 960 [Fol. 13.]

[Footnote T23: MS. “behold.”]

[Headnote: BUT AT LAST GRANTS HIS BOON.]

[Sidenote: She consents, if he will specify to her his name.]
“S{ir} kny{ch}t,” q{uo}d ſhe, “I grant yow leif, w{i}t{h}thy
Your name to me that ȝe wil ſpecify.”
“Madem, as ȝit, ſutly I ne may
Duclar my name, one be no man{er} way; 964
[Sidenote: He refuses for the present.]
But I p{ro}myt, als faſt as I haue tyme
Conuenient, or may vith-outen cryme,
I ſhall;” and than the lady ſaith hyme tyll,
“And I, ſchir kny{ch}t, one this condiſcione will 968
[Sidenote: She grants him leave, under the proposed condition.]
Grant yow leve, ſo that ye obliſt bee
For to Return, as ye haue ſaid to me.”
Thus thei accord, the lady goith to reſt,
The ſone diſcending cloſit in the veſt; 972
The ferd day was dewyſit for to bee
Betuex the oſt{is} of the aſſemblee.

++And galiot Richt arly by the day,
Ayane the feld he can h{is} folk aray; 976
[Sidenote: Galiot assembles 40,000 fresh men.]
And fourty thouſand armyt me{n} haith he,
That war not at the othir aſſemble,
Co{m}mandit to the batell for to gon;
“And I my-ſelf,” q{uod} he, “ſhal me diſpone 980
On to the feild aȝaine the thrid day;
Whar of this were we ſhal the end aſſay.”

[Sidenote: Arthur also provides his men for the field.]
++ANd arthur{is} folk that come one eu{er}y ſyd,
He for the feld can them for to p{ro}uide, 984
Wich ware to few aȝaine the gret affere
Of galiot ȝit to ſuſten the were.
[Sidenote: The knights of Melyhalt join him.]
The kny{ch}t{is} al out of the cete roß
Of melyholt, and to the ſemble gois. 988
[Sidenote: The lady secretly provides Lancelot with a red courser,
and a shield and spear, both red also.]
And the lady haith, in to ſacret wyß,
Gart for hir kny{ch}t and preſon{er} dewyß
In red al thing, that ganith for the were;
His curſeir red, ſo was boith ſcheld {and} ſpere. 992

[Headnote: LANCELOT ENCOURAGES HIMSELF.]

{And} he, to qwham the preſone hath ben ſmart,
With glaid deſir apone his curſour ſtart;
[Sidenote: He rides towards the field, and halts in a plain by the
river-side.]
Towart the feld anon he gan to ryd,
And in o plan houit one reu{er} syde. 996
This kny{ch}t, the wich that long haith ben i{n} cag,
[Sidenote: Lancelot is encouraged, seeing the blithe morn, the mead,
the river, the green woods, and the knights and banners.]
He grew in to o freſch {and} new curage,
Seing the morow bly{th}full and amen,
The med, the Reuer, and the vodis gren, 1000
The kny{ch}t{is} in [ther] armys them arayinge,
The baner{is} ayaine the feld diſplayng, [Fol. 13b.]
His ȝouth in ſtrenth and in p{ro}ſperytee,
And ſyne of luſt the gret aduerſytee.[T24] 1004
Thus in his tho{ch}t reme{m}bryng at the laſt,
[Sidenote: Casting his eyes aside, he sees the queen looking over
a parapet.]
Eft{er}ward one ſyd he gan his Ey to caſt,
Whar our a bertes[T25] lying haith he sen
Out to the feld luking was the qwen; 1008
Sudandly with that his goſt aſtart
[Sidenote: Love catches him by the heart.]
Of loue anone haith caucht hyme by the hart;
Than ſaith he, “How long ſhall It be so,
Loue, at yow ſhall wirk me al this wo? 1012
Apone this wyß to be Infortunat,
Hir for to ſ{er}ue the wich thei no thing wate
What ſufferance I in hir wo endure,
Nor of my wo, nor of myne aduenture? 1016
And I wnworthy ame for to attane
To hir p{rese}ns, nor dare I noght complane.
[Sidenote: He counsels his heart to help itself at need,]
Bot, hart, ſen at yow knawith ſhe is here,
That of thi lyue and of thi deith is ſtere, 1020
Now is thi tyme, now help thi-ſelf at neid,
And the dewod of eu{er}y point of dred,
[Sidenote: to forego cowardice,]
That cowardy be none In to the señ,
Fore and yow do, yow knowis thi peyne, I weyn; 1024
Yow art wnable eu{er} to attane
To hir mercy, or cum be ony mayne.
[Sidenote: and to deserve her thanks or die.]
Tharfor y red hir thonk at yow diſſerue,
Or in hir p{rese}ns lyk o kny{ch}t to ſterf.” 1028

[Footnote T24: May we read “diuerſytee”?]
[Footnote T25: MS. “abertes.”]

[Headnote: THE RED KNIGHT’S TRANCE.]

[Sidenote: Confused with a heavy thought,]
With that confuſit w{i}t{h} an hewy tho{ch}t,
Wich ner his deith ful oft tyme haith hyme ſo{ch}t,
Deuoydit was his sprit{is} and his goſt,
He wiſt not of hyme-ſelf nor of his oſt; 1032
[Sidenote: he [sits] on his horse as still as stone.]
Bot one his horß, als ſtill as ony ſton.
When that the kny{ch}t{is} armyt war ilkon,
[Sidenote: The bugles are blown, and the knights are ready on
horseback, 20,000 in number.]
To warnnyng them vp goith the bludy ſown,
And eu{er}y knyght vpone his horß is bown; 1036
Twenty thouſand armyt men of were.
The king that day he wold non armys bere;
His batell{is} ware devyſit eu{er}ilkon,
[Sidenote: They are forbidden to cross the fords, but cannot
be restrained.]
And them forbad out our the furd{is} to gon. 1040
Bot frome that thei ther ennemys haith sen,
In to ſuch wys thei cout{h} them noght ſuſteñ;
Bot ovr thei went vithouten more delay, [Fol. 14.]
And can them one that oy{er} sid aſſay. 1044
[Sidenote: The red knight still halting by the ford, a herald
seizes his bridle, and bids him awake.]
The red kny{ch}t ſtill in to his hewy thoght
Was hufyng ȝit apone the furd, {and} noght
Wiſt of hime ſelf; with that a harrold com,
And ſone the kny{ch}t he be the brydill nom, 1048
Saying, “awalk! It is no tyme to ſlep;
Your worſchip more expedient vare to kep.”
No word he ſpak, ſo prikith hyme the ſmart
Of hevynes, that ſtood vnto his hart. 1052
[Sidenote: Two shrews next approach; one takes his shield off his
neck,]
Two ſcrewis cam with that, of quhich [that] oñ
The kny{ch}t{is} ſheld ry{ch}t frome his hals haith toñ;
[Sidenote: the other casts water at his ventayle, which causes him
to wink, and arouse himself.]
That vthir watt{er} takith atte laſt,
And in the kny{ch}t{is} wentail haith It caſt; 1056
When that he felt the vatt{er} that vas cold,
He wonk, and gan about hyme to behold,
And thinkith how he ſum-quhat haith myſgoñ.
With that his ſpere In to his hand haith ton, 1060
[Sidenote: He goes to the field, and sees the first-conquest king.]
Goith to the feild w{i}t{h}outen vordis more;
So was he vare whare that there cam before,
O manly man he was in to al thing,
And clepit was the ferſt-conquest king. 1064
The Red kny{ch}t w{i}t{h} [the] ſpur{is} ſmat the ſted,
The tother cam, that of hyme hath no drede;
[Sidenote: They meet.]
With ferß curag ben the kny{ch}t{is} met,
The king his ſpere apone the kny{ch}t hath set, 1068
That al in peciß flaw in to the felde;

[Headnote: THE RED KNIGHT FIGHTS LIKE A LION.]