1263
“Madame,”
quod
þe
myry
good-humoured
mon,
man
“Mary
yow
ȝelde,
may repay
Gawayne tells her that he prefers her conversation before that of all others.
1264
For
I
haf
have
founden,
found
in god fayth,
in truth
yowre
fraunchis
generosity
nobele,
noble
1265
&
oþer
ful
much
of
from
oþer
folk
fongen
received
@
hor
their
dedeȝ;
deeds
1266
Bot
þe
daynté
honour
þat
þay
delen
bestow
for
because
my
disert
desert
nysen,
is not equal (to it)
1267
Hit
is
þe
worchyp
honour
of
your-self,
þat
who
noȝt hot
only
wel conneȝ.”
know how to behave
1268
“Bi
Mary,”
quod
þe
menskful,
noble lady
“me þynk
I think
hit
anoþer;
otherwise
The lady declares by Mary,
1269
For
were
I
worth
al
þe
wone
multitude
of
wymmen
women
alyue,
1270
&
al
þe
wele
wealth
of
þe
worlde
were
in
my
honde,
possession
1271
&
if
I
schulde
chepen
bargain
&
chose,
choose
to
cheue
acquire
me
a
lorde,
that were she about to choose her a lord,
1272
For
þe
costes
qualities
þat
I
haf
have
knowen
vpun
þe
thee
knyȝt
here,
1273
Of
bewté,
beauty
&
debonerté,
courtesy
&
blyþe
glad
semblaunt,
demeanour
1274
&
þat
I
haf
have
er
before
herkkened,
heard of
&
halde
consider
hit
here
trwee,
true
she would select Gawayne before any man on earth.
1275
Þer
schulde
no
freke
man
vpon
folde
earth
bifore
in preference to
yow
be
chosen.”
1276
“I-wysse,
indeed
worþy,”
noble lady
quod
þe
wyȝe,
knight
“ȝe
you
haf
have
waled
chosen
wel
better,
1277
Bot
I
am
proude
of
þe
prys
value
þat
ȝe
you
put
on
me,
Gawayne tells her that he will become her own knight and faithful servant.
1278
&
soberly
with propriety
your
seruaunt
my
souerayn
I
holde
consider
yow,
1279
&
yowre
knyȝt
I
be-com,
&
Kryst
yow
for-ȝelde.”
may reward
1280
Þus
þay
meled
spoke
of
much-quat,
many things
til
myd-morn
midmorning (=9 a.m.)
paste,
was over
1281
&
ay
always
þe
lady
let
behaved
lyk, a[1]
as if
hym
loued
(she) loved
mych;
much
1282
Þe
freke
knight
ferde
proceeded
with defence,
defensively
&
feted
behaved
ful
fayre.
politely
The remembrance of his adventure prevents him from thinking of love.
1283
Þaȝ
even if
I
were
burde
lady
bryȝtest,
þe
burde
lady
in mynde hade,
reflected
1284
Þe
lasse
less
luf
love
in his lode,
with him
for
because of
lur
loss
þat
he
soȝt,
was making for
1285
boute
without
hone;
delay
1286
Þe
dunte
blow
þat
schulde[2]
would
hym
deue,
strike down
1287
&
nedeȝ
of necessity
hit
most
had to
be
done;
1288
Þe
lady
þenn
spek
spoke
of
leue.
leave-taking
The lady takes leave of Sir Gawayne.
1289
He
granted
hir
ful
sone.
at once
`Madam,' quoth the merry man, ' may Mary bless thee! I have found thee, in good faith, noble and frank. Full many others did me courtesy, and the dainty that they dealt me was foolishness; but thy worship is that of one who knoweth nothing but good.' 'By Mary,' quoth the lady, 'I think otherwise, for were I worth all the wealth of women on earth, and all the wealth of the world were in my hand, were I to bargain and choose and take captive a lord, then no fellow on earth before thee would I choose, because of thy courtesy and beauty and good manners, and thy blitheness of mien, and because of what I have heard from thee and hold for the truth.' 'Well I wot,' quoth Gawain, 'thou hast chosen a better man than I am, yet am I proud of the price thou puttest upon me, and soberly as thy servant I hold thee as my sovereign, and thy knight I become, and may Christ requite thee.' Thus did they talk of many things till the midnoon was past. The lady seemed to be pleased therewith, and to love him. And Sir Gawain bore himself bravely. Yet the knight had in mind that though she were the fairest of ladies, there must be no love-making for him because of the loss that he was seeking
eftsoon.
The blow he must abide,
And it must needs be done;
The lady turned aside;
He grants her leave full soon.
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.