691
Now
rideȝ
þis
renk
knight
þurȝ
through
þe
ryalme
realm
of
Logres,
England
Now rides the knight through the realms of England.
692
Sir
Gauan
on
Godeȝ
God’s
halue,
sake
þaȝ
though
hym
no
gomen
game
þoȝt;
it seemed
693
Oft,
leudleȝ
companionless
alone,
he
lengeȝ
stays
on
at
nyȝteȝ,
night
694
Þer
where
he
fonde
found
noȝt
not
hym
byfore
þe
fare
entertainment
þat
he
lyked;
695
Hade
had
he
no
fere
companion
bot
but
his
fole,
horse
bi
frytheȝ
woodlands
&
douneȝ,
hills
He has no companion but his horse.
696
Ne
nor
no
gome
man
bot
but
God,
bi
on
gate
the way
wyth
with (whom)
to
karp,
speak
697
Til þat
until
he
neȝed
approached
ful
noghe[1]
near
in to
þe
Norþe
Waleȝ;
No men does he see till he approaches North Wales.
698
Alle
þe
iles
islands
of
Anglesay
Anglesey
on
lyft
left
half
side
he
haldeȝ,
keeps
699
&
fareȝ
proceeds
ouer
þe
fordeȝ
fords
by
þe
for-londeȝ,
promontories
700
Ouer
over there
at
þe
Holy-Hede,
Holyhead
til
he
hade
reached
eft
again
bonk
shore
From Holyhead he passes into Wirral.
701
In
þe
wyldrenesse
wilderness
of
Wyrale;
Wirral
wonde
lived
þer
there
bot
only
lyte
few
100b
702
Þat
whom
auþer
either
God
oþer
or
gome
man
wyth
goud
good
hert
heart
louied.
loved
There he finds but few that loved God or man.
703
&
ay
always
he
frayned,
asked
as
he
ferde,
went
at
of
frekeȝ
men
þat
he
met,
704
If
þay
they
hade
had
herde
heard
any
karp
mention
of
a
knyȝt
grene,
He enquires after the Green Knight of the Green Chapel,
705
In
any
grounde
þer-aboute,
thereabouts
of
þe
grene
chapel;[2]
706
&
al
nykked
said to
hym
wyth
nay,
no
þat
neuer
in
her
their
lyue
life
707
Þay
they
seȝe
saw
neuer
no
segge
man
þat
watȝ
was
of
suche
hweȝ
hue
but can gain no tidings of him.
708
of
grene.
709
Þe
knyȝt
tok
took
gates
roads
straunge,
710
In
mony
many
a
bonk
hill-side
vnbene,
inhospitable
711
His
cher
(...chaunge) look about
ful
oft
con
did
chaunge,
His cheer oft changed before he found the Chapel.
712
Þat
chapel
er
before
he
myȝt
could
sene.
see
Now passed Sir Gawain on God's behalf through the realms of Logres, though no game he thought it; and often alone he lingered at nighttime when he sought in vain for the way that he longed for. No companion had he save his horse, nor no one but God to whom he might call by the way. And now he was nearing the north parts of Wales, with the Isle of Anglesea on the left. He fared over the fords along by the forelands. At the Holyhead Hill he had the heights behind him in the wilderness of Wirral. Few dwelt there that loved either God or man with a good heart. And ever as he fared he would ask any that he met if they had ever heard speak of the Green Knight in any part thereabouts, or of the Green Chapel. All denied with a nay that ever in their lives they had known such a knight of such a hue
of green.
The way of the knight was strange;
By many a hillside, I ween,
His face gan oft to change,
Or ever the chapel was seen.
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.