Chapter XXX

[A] Thenne lachche3 ho hir leue, & leue3 hym þere,
For more myrþe of þat mon mo3t ho not gete;
1872 [B] When ho[1] wat3 gon, sir G. gere3 hym sone,
Rises, & riches hym in araye noble,
[C] Lays vp þe luf-lace, þe lady hym ra3t,
Hid hit ful holdely, þer he hit eft fonde;
1876 Syþen cheuely to þe chapel choses he þe waye,
[D] Preuely aproched to a prest, & prayed hym þere
Þat he wolde lyfte[2] his lyf, & lern hym better,
How his sawle schulde be saued, when he schuld seye heþen.
1880 [E] Þere he schrof hym schyrly, & schewed his mysdede3,
Of þe more & þe mynne, & merci beseche3,
[F] & of absolucioun he on þe segge calles;
& he asoyled hym surely, & sette hym so clene,
1884 [G] As dome3-day schulde haf ben di3t on þe morn.
& syþen he mace hym as mery among þe fre ladyes,
[H] With comlych caroles, & alle kynnes ioye,
As neuer he did bot þat daye, to þe derk ny3t,
1888 with blys;
Vche mon hade daynte þare,
[I] Of hym, & sayde Iwysse,
[J] Þus myry he wat3 neuer are,
1892 Syn he com hider, er þis.

[Sidenote A: Then she takes her leave.] [Sidenote B: Gawayne then dresses himself,] [Sidenote C: and conceals the love-lace about his person.] [Sidenote D: He then hies to mass,] [Sidenote E: and shrives him of his misdeeds.] [Sidenote F: and prays for absolution.] [Sidenote G: He returns to the hall, and makes himself so merry among the ladies,] [Sidenote H: with comely carols,] [Sidenote I: that they said,] [Sidenote J: "Thus merry was he never before since hither he came."] [Footnote 1: he, in MS.] [Footnote 2: lyste (?).]