Chapter XXVIII

[A] Ho ra3t hym a riche rynk[1] of red golde werke3,
Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte,
Þat bere blusschande beme3 as þe bry3t sunne;
1820 Wyt 3e wel, hit wat3 worth wele ful hoge.
[B] Bot þe renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde,
"I wil no gifte3 for gode, my gay, at þis tyme; [Fol. 115b.]
[C] I haf none yow to norne, ne no3t wyl I take."
1824 Ho bede hit hym ful bysily, & he hir bode wernes,
& swere swyftel[y] his sothe, þat he hit sese nolde;
[D] & ho sore þat he forsoke, & sayde þer-after,
"If 3e renay my rynk, to ryche for hit seme3,
1828 3e wolde not so hy3ly halden be to me,
I schal gif yow my girdel, þat gaynes yow lasse."
Ho la3t a lace ly3tly, þat[2] leke vmbe hir syde3,
[E] Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder þe clere mantyle,
1832 Gered hit wat3 with grene sylke, & with golde schaped,
No3t bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngre3;
& þat ho bede to þe burne, & blyþely bi-so3t
[F] Þa3 hit vn-worþi were, þat he hit take wolde.
1836 & he nay þat he nolde neghe in no wyse,
[G] Nauþer golde ne garysoun, er God hym grace sende,
To acheue to þe chaunce þat he hade chosen þere.
"& þerfore, I pray yow, displese yow no3t,
1840 & lette3 be your bisinesse, for I bayþe hit yow neuer
to graunte;
I am derely to yow biholde,
Bi-cause of your sembelaunt,
1844 [H] & euer in hot & colde
To be your trwe seruaunt.

[Sidenote A: She offers him a gold ring,] [Sidenote B: but he refuses to accept it,] [Sidenote C: as he has none to give in return.] [Sidenote D: Very sorrowful was that fair one on account of his refusal.] [Sidenote E: She takes off her "girdle,"] [Sidenote F: and beseeches him to take it.] [Sidenote G: Gawayne again refuses to accept anything,] [Sidenote H: but promises, "ever in hot and in cold, to be her true servant."] [Footnote 1: ryng (?).] [Footnote 2: þat þat, in MS.]