1535
“In goud fayþe,”
in truth
quod
Gawayn,
“God
yow
forȝelde,
may reward
"It is a great pleasure to me," says Sir Gawayne, "to hear you talk,
1536
Gret
is
þe
gode
gle,
gladness
&
gomen
pleasure
to
me
huge,
1537
Þat
so
worþy
noble
as
ȝe
you
wolde
wynne
come
hidere,
hither
1538
&
pyne
trouble
yow
yourself
with
so
pouer
humble
a
mon,
man
as
play
wyth
your
knyȝt,
1539
With
any skynneȝ
of any kind
countenaunce,
favour
hit
keuereȝ
affords
me
ese;
delight
1540
Bot
to
take
þe
toruayle[1]
hard task
to
my-self,
to
trwluf
true love
expoun,
expound
but I cannot undertake the task to expound true-love and tales of arms.
1541
&
towche
treat of
þe
temeȝ
themes
of
tyxt,
romance
&
taleȝ
stories
of
armeȝ,
1542
To
yow
þat,
I
wot
know
wel,
weldeȝ
possess
more
slyȝt
skill
1543
Of
þat
art,
bi
þe
half,
or
than
a
hundreth
hundred
of
seche
such
1544
As
I
am,
oþer
or
euer
schal,
in
erde
land
þer
where
I
leue,
live
1545
Hit
were
would be
a
fole
folly
fele-folde,
manifold
my
fre,
noble lady
by
my
trawþe.
plighted word
1546
I
wolde
yowre
wylnyng
desire
worche
make
at
according to
my
myȝt,
I will, however, act according to your will,
1547
As
I
am
hyȝly
bihalden,
in duty bound
&
euer-more
wylle
1548
Be
seruaunt
to
your-seluen,
you
so
saue
me
dryȝtyn!”
God
and ever be your servant."
1549
Þus
hym
frayned
made trial of
þat
fre,
noble lady
&
fondet
tried
hym
ofte,
1550
Forto
in order @
haf
have
wonnen
won over
hym
to
woȝe,
woo
what-so
whatever
scho
she
þoȝt
intended
elleȝ,
else
1551
Bot
he
de fended
hym
himself
so
fayr,
courteously
þat
no
faut
fault
semed,
was to be seen
Thus Gawayne defends himself.
1552
Ne
nor
non
no
euel
evil
on
nawþer
either
halue,
side
nawþer
nor
þay
wysten,
were aware of
1553
bot
(anything) but
blysse;
pleasure
1554
Þay
laȝed
laughed
&
layked
played
longe,
1555
At þe last
at last
scho
she
con
did
hym
kysse,
1556
Hir
leue
leave
fayre
gracefully
con
did
scho
she
fonge,
take
The lady having kissed the knight, takes leave of him.
1557
&
went
hir
waye
Iwysse.
indeed
`In good faith,' quoth Sir Gawain, 'God give you good, great is this good glee of tine, and easeful is it to me that so worthy a lady as thou art shouldst come hither to me and trouble thyself about so poor a man, and play in anysuch fashion; but it would be, as I think, a manifold folly for me to take the trouble to expound true love, and tales of arms, to one who, as I wot well, hath more sleight in that art than a hundred men such as I am, or ever shall be, as long as I live upon earth. As far as I am able I would work thy will, as I am beholden to do, and I would evermore be thy servant as save me the good Lord.' Thus did she tempt him often to wrong-doing according to her evil thought, but so well did he defend himself that of no fault seemed he guilty, nor was there evil wrought by either of them,
but bliss.
They laughed and played that day,
At last she gave him kiss,
And then she went her way,
And took her leave, I wis.
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.