1126
Ful
erly
bifore
þe
day
þe
folk
vp-rysen,
rose up
Before day-break folks uprise,
1127
Gestes
guests
þat
go
wolde,
wished to
hor
their
gromeȝ
servants
þay
calden,
called
1128
&
þay
busken vp
hasten
bilyue,
quickly
blonkkeȝ
horses
to
sadel,
saddle their horses, and truss their mails.
1129
Tyffen
prepare
he[r]
their
takles,
gear
trussen
pack
her
their
males,
bags
1130
Richen
prepare
hem
themselves
þe
rychest,
those of highest rank
to
ryde
alle
arayde,
dressed
1131
Lepen
leap
vp
lyȝtly,
swiftly
lachen
take
her
their
brydeles,
bridles
1132
Vche
each
wyȝe
man
on
his
way,
þer
where
hym
wel
lyked.
it pleased
Each goes where it pleases him best.
1133
Þe
leue
dear
lorde
of
þe
londe
watȝ
not
þe
last,
The noble lord of the land arrays himself for riding.
1134
A-rayed
dressed
for
þe
rydyng,
with
renkkeȝ
men
ful
mony;
1135
Ete
ate
a
sop
light meal
hastyly,
when
he
hade
had
herde
heard
masse,
He eats a sop hastily and goes to mass.
1136
With
bugle
to
bent felde
hunting field
he
buskeȝ
makes haste
by-lyue;
quickly
1137
By þat þat
by the time that
any
day-lyȝt
lemed
shone
vpon
erþe,
earth
Before day-light he and his men are on their horses.
1138
He
with
his
haþeles
knights
on
hyȝe
horsses
weren.
1139
Þenne
þise
cacheres
huntsmen
þat
couþe,
knew their craft
cowpled
leashed in pairs
hor
their
houndeȝ,
Then the hounds are called out and coupled.
1140
Vnclosed
þe
kenel
kennel
dore,
door
&
calde
called
hem
them
þer-oute,
out
1141
Blwe
blew
bygly
mightily
in
bugleȝ
þre
bare
single
mote;
notes
Three short notes are blown by the bugles.
1142
Braches
hounds
bayed
barked
þerfore,
for that reason
&
breme
fierce
noyse
maked,
made
1143
&
þay
chastysed,
rebuked
&
charred,
turned back
on
chasyng
chasing (false scents)
þat
those which
went;
A hundred hunters join in the chase.
1144
A
hundreth
hundred
of
hunteres,
as
I
haf
have
herde
heard
telle,
1145
of
þe
best;
1146
To
trystors
hunting stations
vewters
keepers of greyhounds
ȝod,
went
To the stations the "fewters" go,
1147
Couples
leashes
huntes
huntsmen
of kest,
cast off
106b
1148
Þer
ros
rose
for
blasteȝ
blasts
gode,
1149
Gret
rurd
noise
in
þat
forest.
and the dogs are cast off.
Full early before daybreak the folk that would go a-hunting rose up and called their grooms, and stirred them up to saddle the horses, gear up the trappings, and pack the bags, and dress them in noble array for riding. Then they leaped up lightly and seized the bridles, and each went the way he liked best. And the beloved lord of that land was not the last to appear. He was arrayed for riding with many a rider. And having heard the Mass he ate a sop hastily, and full readily he went forth to the bent field with bugle, before any daylight shone on the world. The lord and his nobles were upon high-stepping steeds. Then the cunning huntsmen coupled the hounds, opened the kennel-doors, and called them out, and blew three bold, clear notes on the bugles. At this there was a baying and a very great barking, and the huntsmen turned and whipped up the dogs. A hundred hunters of the best, as I have heard
the word.
To the trystings the trackers go,
The hounds the hunters stirred;
Because of the blasts they blow
Great noise in the forest is heard.
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.