prev
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 2.16
next
875
A
cheyer
chair
by-fore
þe
chemné,
fireplace
þer
where
charcole
charcoal
brenned,
burned
A chair is placed for Sir Gawayne before the fireplace.
876
Watȝ
was
grayþed
prepared
for
sir
Gawan,
grayþely
pleasantly
with
cloþeȝ,
coverings
877
Whyssynes
cushions
vpon
queldepoyntes,
quilted coverings
þa[t]
koynt
skilfully made
wer
boþe;
878
&
þenne
a
mere
fair
mantyle
mantle
watȝ
was
on
þat
mon
man
cast,
A mantle of fine linen, richly embroidered, is thrown over him.
879
Of
a
broun
bleeaunt,
rich fabric
enbrauded
embroidered
ful
very
ryche,
richly
880
&
fayre
gracefully
furred
lined with fur
wyth-inne
with
felleȝ
skins
of
þe
best,
881
Alle
of
ermyn
in erde,
in the world
his
hode
hood
of
þe
same;
882
&
he
sete
sat
in
þat
settel
seat
semlych
excellently
ryche,
883
&
achaufed
warmed
hym
himself
chefly,[1]
quickly
&
þenne
his
cher
mood
mended.
improved
884
Sone
soon
watȝ
was
telded
set
vp
a
tapit,
table
on
tresteȝ
trestles
ful
fayre,
A table is soon raised,
885
Clad
covered
wyth
a
clene
clean
cloþe,
table-cloth
þat
cler
pure
quyt
white
schewed,
appeared
and the knight, having washed, proceeded to meat.
886
Sanap,
over-cloth
&
salure,
salt-cellar
&
syluer-in
silver
sponeȝ;
spoons
103
887
Þe
wyȝe
knight
wesche
washed
at his wylle,
at his good pleasure
&
went
to
his
mete
meal
888
Seggeȝ
men
hym
serued
semly
becomingly
in-noȝe,
exceedingly
889
Wyth
sere
various
sewes
stews
&
sete,[2]
excellent
sesounde
seasoned
of
þe
best,
He is served with numerous dishes;
890
Double felde,
with twice the usual amount
as
hit
falleȝ,
is fitting
&
fele
many
kyn
kinds of
fischeȝ;
891
Summe
some
baken
baked
in
bred,
bread
summe
brad
grilled
on
þe
gledeȝ,
red-hot charcoal
with fish baked and broiled,
892
Summe
some
soþen,
boiled
summe
in
sewe,
stew
sauered
flavoured
with
spyces,
or boiled and seasoned with spices.
893
&
ay
always
sawes[3]
sauce
so
sleȝeȝ,
skilfully made
þat
þe
segge
knight
lyked.
pleased
894
Þe
freke
knight
calde
called
hit
a
fest
feast
ful
frely
readily
&
ofte,
895
Ful
hendely,
courteously
quen
when
alle
þe
haþeles
knights
re-hayted
exhorted
hym
at
ones together
oneȝ
He calls it a full noble feast,
896
as hende;
courteously
897
“Þis
penaunce
penitential fare
now
ȝe
you
take,
898
&
eft
afterwards
hit
schal
amende;”
improve
899
Þat
mon
man
much
merþe
revel
con
did
make.
and much mirth he makes, for the wine is in his head.
900
For
because of
wyn
wine
in
to
his
hed
head
þat
wende.
went
A chair richly embroidered, together with quaint cushions and hassocks, was placed for Sir Gawain before the chimney where a fire of charcoal was burning. And then a well-made mantle was cast upon his shoulders, and it was of brown linen and embroidered full richly and fair furred within with the finest of skins and with ermine lining, and the hood also. And thus richly arrayed, he sat in that chair, and as he warmed himself, speedily his good cheer quite returned to him. And then they set up a table on fair trestles, and they covered it with a snow-white cloth and set thereon sanat and salt-cellars and silver spoons. Then the knight gladly washed himself and went to his meat. And serving-men served him in seemly fashion, with several sorts of stews and sweets, with seasonings of the best, double fold, as was fitting, and many kinds of fish, some baked with bread, and some roasted on coals, some sodden, some stewed, and savoured with spices and, withal, with clever speeches that the knight liked well. A full noble feasting the man called it when those Athelings cheered him
as friends.
'This penance now you take,
And you shall make amends.'
That knight much mirth 'gan
For wine that to head wends.

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.