763
Nade
had not
he
sayned
blessed with sign of cross
hym-self,
segge,
man
bot
þrye,
thrice
Scarcely had he blessed himself thrice
764
Er
before
he
watȝ
war...of perceived
war
in
þe
wod
wood
of
a
won
dwelling
in
a
mote.
moat
765
Abof
above
a
launde,
glade
on
a
lawe,
knoll
loken
shut
vnder
boȝeȝ,
boughs
when he saw a dwelling in the wood, set on a hill,
766
Of
mony
many a
borelych
massive
bole,
tree-trunk
aboute
bi
þe
diches;
ditches
767
A
castel
þe
comlokest
most beutiful
þat
euer
knyȝt
aȝte,
owned
the comeliest castle that knight ever owned.
768
Pyched
erected
on
a
prayere,
meadow
a
park
al
aboute,
769
With
a
pyked
with spikes
palays,
palisade
pyned
enclosed
ful
þik,
densely
770
Þat
vmbe-teȝe
surrounded
mony
many a
tre
mo
more
þen
than
two
myle.
miles
771
Þat
holde
castle
on
one
þat
on
syde
side
þe
haþel
knight
auysed,
beheld
772
As
hit
schemered
shimmered
&
schon
shone
þurȝ
through
þe
schyre
bright
okeȝ;
oaks
It shone as the sun through the bright oaks.
773
Þenne
hatȝ
takes
he
hendly
courteously
of
off
his
helme,
helmet
&
heȝly
devoutly
he
þonkeȝ
thanks
774
Iesus
&
say[nt] Gilyan,
St. Julian l’Hospitalier
þat
gentyle
kindly
ar
are
boþe,
101b
775
Þat
cortaysly
courtesy
hade
hym
kydde,
shown
&
his
cry
herkened.
listened to
776
“Now
bone
good
hostel,”
lodging
coþe
quoth
þe
burne,
knight
“I
be-seche
yow
ȝette!”
grant
777
Þenne
gedereȝ
strikes (spurs)
he
to
into
Gryngolet
with
þe
gilt
gilded
heleȝ,
(spurred) heels
778
&
he
ful
chauncely
by chance
hatȝ
has
chosen
made his way
to
þe
chef
main
gate,
road
Sir Gawayne goes to the chief gate,
779
Þat
broȝt
brought
bremly
quickly
þe
burne
knight
to
þe
bryge
(of the) drawbridge
ende,
end
780
in
with
haste;
speed
781
Þe
bryge
drawbridge
watȝ
was
breme
stoutly
vp-brayde,
pulled up
and finds the draw-bridge raised, and the gates shut fast.
782
Þe
ȝateȝ
gates
wer
stoken
shut
faste,
783
Þe
walleȝ
walls
were
wel
arayed,
constructed
784
Hit
dut
feared
no
wyndeȝ
wind’s
blaste.
Scarcely had he thrice signed himself with the sign of the Cross, when he was ware of a castle in the wood, on an upland or hill embosomed in the foliage of many a burly monarch of the forest. It was the comeliest castle that ever a knight possessed, in the centre of a meadow, with a park all about it. A palace beautiful, and for more than two miles encircled by trees. The knight caught sight of this palace of refuge on one side, shimmering and shining through the sheeny oaks. He gently doffed his helmet, and gave high thanks to Jesus and St. Gilyan, who had both of them gently and courteously guided his footsteps and hearkened to his crying. 'Now,' quoth the knight, 'grant me good hostel.' When putting his gilt heels to Gringolet, fully by chance he chose the right path, and full soon it brought him to the end of the drawbridge
at last.
The bridge was soon upraised,
The gates were shut so fast,
The walls were well appraised,
They feared not the wind's blast.
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.