Chapter XXIII

[A] Þenne wat3 Gawan ful glad, & gomenly he la3ed,--
1080 "Now I þonk yow þryuandely þur3 alle oþer þynge,
[B] Now acheued is my chaunce, I schal at your wylle
Dowelle, & elle3 do quat 3e demen."
Þenne sesed hym þe syre, & set hym bysyde,
1084 [C] Let þe ladie3 be fette, to lyke hem þe better;
Þer wat3 seme solace by hem-self stille;
Þe lorde let for luf lote3 so myry,
As wy3 þat wolde of his wyte, ne wyst quat he my3t.
1088 Þenne he carped to þe kny3t, criande loude,
[D] "3e han demed to do þe dede þat I bidde;
Wyl 3e halde þis hes here at þys one3?"
"3e sir, for-soþe," sayd þe segge trwe,
1092 "Whyl I byde in yowre bor3e, be bayn to 3ow[r]e hest."
"For 3e haf trauayled," quod þe tulk, "towen fro ferre,
& syþen waked me wyth, 3e arn not wel waryst,
[E] Nauþer of sostnaunce ne of slepe, soþly I knowe;
1096 3e schal lenge in your lofte, & ly3e in your ese,
[F] To morn quyle þe messe-quyle, & to mete wende,
When 3e wyl, wyth my wyf, þat wyth yow schal sitte,
& comfort yow with compayny, til I to cort torne,
1100 3e lende;
& I schal erly ryse,
On huntyng wyl I wende."
[G] Gauayn grante3 alle þyse,
1104 Hym heldande, as þe hende.

[Sidenote A: Then was Gawayne glad,] [Sidenote B: and consents to tarry awhile at the castle.] [Sidenote C: The ladies are brought in to solace him.] [Sidenote D: The lord of the castle asks the knight to grant him one request;] [Sidenote E: That he will stay in his chamber during mass time,] [Sidenote F: and then go to meat with his hostess.] [Sidenote G: Gawayne accedes to his request.]