60
Wyle
while
nw ȝer
New Year
watȝ
was
so
ȝep
fresh
þat
hit
it
watȝ
was
nwe
newly
cummen,
come
They celebrate the New Year with great joy.
61
Þat
day
doubble
on
þe
dece
dais
watȝ
was
þe
douth
company
serued,
served
62
Fro
after
þe
kyng
watȝ
was
cummen
come
with
knyȝtes
knights
in to
þe
halle,
63
Þe
chauntre
singing of mass
of
þe
chapel
cheued
come
to
an
ende;
64
Loude
crye
watȝ
was
þer
there
kest
uttered
of
clerkeȝ
priest
&
oþer,
others
92
65
Nowel
Christmas
nayted
mentioned
o-newe,
anew
neuened
called
ful
very
ofte;
66
&
syþen
afterwards
riche
nobles
forth
runnen
ran
to
reche
offer
honde-selle,
gifts at New Year
67
ȝeȝed
cried
ȝeres ȝiftes
New Year’s gifts
on hiȝ,
loudly
ȝelde
gave
hem
them
bi
by
hond,
hand (=in person)
Gifts are demanded and bestowed.
68
Debated
disputed
busyly
eagerly
aboute
þo
those
giftes;
69
Ladies
laȝed
laughed
ful
very
loude,
þoȝ
even though
þay
they
lost
haden,
had
70
&
he
þat
wan
won
watȝ
was
not
wrothe,
displeased
þat
may
ȝe
you
wel
trawe.
be sure of
71
Alle
þis
mirþe
revel
þay
they
maden
made
to
until
þe
mete
dinner
tyme;
Lords and ladies take their seats at the table.
72
When
þay
they
had
waschen,
washed
worþyly
becomingly
þay
they
wenten
went
to
sete,
seat
73
Þe
best
burne
man
ay
in each case
abof,
in the higher seat
as
hit
it
best
semed;
seemed fitting
74
Whene
queen
Guenore
Guenever
ful
very
gay,
grayþed
set
in
þe
myddes.
midst
Queen Guenever appears gaily dressed.
75
Dressed
arranged
on
þe
dere
precious
des,
dais
dubbed
adorned
al
aboute,
76
Smal
fine
sendal
thin rich silk
bisides,
at the sides
a
selure
canopy
hir
her
ouer
over
77
Of
tryed
fine
Tolouse,
fabric of Toulouse
of
Tars
silk of Tharsia
tapites
carpets
in-noghe,
in plenty
78
Þat
were
enbrawded
embroidered
&
beten
set
wyth
þe
best
gemmes,
gems
79
Þat
myȝt
could
be
preued
proved
of
prys
value
wyth
penyes
pennies
to
bye,
buy
80
in daye;
ever
81
Þe
comlokest
fairest lady
to
discrye,
behold
A lady fairer of form might no one say he had ever before seen.
82
Þer
there
glent
looked
with
yȝen
eyes
gray,
83
A semloker
one more fair
þat
euer
ever
he
syȝe,
saw
84
Soth
with truth
moȝt
could
no mon
nobody
say.
And when the New Year was come, on that day the nobles on the daïs were double served, when the king came with his knights into the great hall and the chanting in the chapel was ended. And clerks and others set up a loud cry, and they kept the Feast of Christmas anew, and they gave and received New Year's gifts, and much talking was there about the gifts. And ladies laughed full loudly, though they had lost in the exchange, and he that won was not wrath, as ye will well trow, and they made all this mirth together as was fitting for the season. When they had washed, they worthily went to their seats, each according to his rank, as was seemly. And Queen Guinevere was full gaily attired as she took her seat on the daïs, and on fair silks under a canopy of costly Tarsian tapestry, embroidered with the finest of gems that money could buy on
a day
The comeliest lady, I ween,
She glanced from eyes that were grey,
Her like that he had seen
Truly could no man say.
Text and side-notes from Richard Morris (1869). Interlinear glosses from Brunetti. Translation from Ernest Kirtlan's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Rendered Literally Into Modern English.
Sources integrated and rendered by James K. Tauber.