1648
Þenne
þay
teldet
set up
tableȝ
[on]
trestes alofte,
on trestles (alofte=upon)
Tables are raised aloft,
1649
Kesten
cast
cloþeȝ
table-cloths
vpon,
clere
bright
lyȝt
light
þenne
cloths cast upon them,
1650
Wakned
kindled
bi
on
woȝeȝ,
walls
waxen
of wax
torches
and torches are lighted.
1651
Seggeȝ
men
sette,
laid table
&
serued
in
sale
hall
al
aboute;
1652
Much
glam
noise of merrymaking
&
gle
merriment
glent
sprang
vp
þer-inne,
With much mirth and glee,
1653
Aboute
þe
fyre
vpon
in
flet,
hall
&
on fele wyse,
in many ways
1654
At
þe
soper
supper
&
after,
mony
aþel
noble
songeȝ,
songs
supper is served in the hall,
1655
As
coundutes
part-songs
of
kryst-masse,
&
caroleȝ
carols
newe,
1656
With
alle
þe
manerly
seemly
merþe
amusement
þat
mon
one
may
of
telle.
1657
&
euer
oure
luflych
gracious
knyȝt
þe
lady
bi-syde;
and ever our lovely knight by the lady sits,
1658
Such
semblaunt
demeanour
to
þat
segge
knight
semly
sweetly
ho
she
made,
1659
Wyth
stille
secret
stollen
stealthy
countenaunce,
looks of favour
þat
stalworth
stalwort one
to
plese,
who does all she can to please her companion.
1660
Þat
al
for-wondered
astonished
watȝ
þe
wyȝe,
knight
&
wroth
angry
with
within
hym-seluen,
himself
1661
Bot
he
nolde
would not
not
for
his
nurture
good breeding
nurne hir a-ȝayneȝ,
refuse her
1662
Bot
dalt
behaved
with
to
hir
al
in
daynte,
courtesy
how-se-euer
however
þe
dede
affair
turned
might go
1663
to wrast;
awry
1664
Quen
when
þay
hade
played
in
halle,
When they had long played in the hall,
1665
As
longe
as
hor
their
wylle
hom
them
last,
lasted
1666
To
chambre
he[1]
con
did
hym
calle,
they proceeded "to chamber."
1667
&
to
þe
chem-ne
fireplace
þay
past.
proceeded
Then they set up the tables, and cast cloths upon them, and the serving-men fixed flaming torches on the walls and set out the feast, and there was much mirth and glee in that hall, and many a stalwart man sang merry songs in many a wise during supper and afterwards, such as new carols of Christmas, with all sorts of good-mannered jesting that one may think of. And ever our lovely knight sat by the lady, and in seemly wise she bore herself towards him, and gentle was her bearing, that she might please so stalwart a man, so that he greatly marvelled thereat, and was wroth with himself. Yet would he not, because of his high lineage, make any return thereto, but dealt with her with care, howsoever things went.
At last,
When they had played in hall
As long as their strength did last,
To chamber he gave them call,
And to the fireplace they passed.
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.