2389
Thenne
loȝe
laughed
þat
oþer
leude,
knight
&
luflyly
amiably
sayde,
Then the other, laughing, thus spoke:
2390
“I
halde
consider
hit
hardily[1]
certainly
hole,
amended
þe
harme
injury
þat
I
hade;
2391
Þou
art
confessed
(...clene) made clean by confession
so
clene,
be-knowen
cleared
of
þy
mysses,
faults
"Thou art confessed so clean,
2392
&
hatȝ
þe
penaunce
apert,
evident
of
þe
poynt
of
myn
egge,
weapon
2393
I
halde
þe
thee
polysed
cleansed
of
þat
plyȝt,
offence
&
pured
purified
as
clene,
that I hold thee as pure as if thou hadst never been guilty.
2394
As
as if
þou
hadeȝ
neuer
forfeted,
transgressed
syþen
since
þou
watȝ
fyrst
borne.
2395
&
I
gif
give
þe,
thee
sir,
þe
gurdel
girdle
þat
is
golde hemmed;
bordered with gold
I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle,
2396
For
hit
is
grene
as
my
goune,
gown
sir
G:,
ȝe
you
maye
2397
Þenk
be mindful
vpon
of
þis
ilke
same
þrepe,
contest
þer
when
þou
forth
þryngeȝ
make your way
2398
Among
prynces
of prys,
noble
&
þis
a
pure
noble
token
2399
Of
þe
chaunce
adventure
of
þe
grene
chapel,
at
in the dwellings of
cheualrous
chivalrous
knyȝteȝ;
as a token of thy adventure at the Green Chapel.
2400
&
ȝe
you
schal
(...a3ayn) shall...come back
in
þis
nwe ȝer
New Year
aȝayn
to
my
woneȝ,
dwellings
Come again to my abode, and abide there for the remainder of the festival."
2401
&
we
schyn
shall
reuel
þe
remnaunt
remainder
of
þis
ryche
high
fest,
festival
2402
ful
bene.”
pleasantly
2403
Þer
laþed
invited
hym
fast
pressingly
þe
lorde,
2404
&
sayde,
“with
my
wyf,
wife
I
wene,
think
2405
We
schal
yow
wel
acorde,
reconcile
2406
Þat
watȝ
your
enmy
enemy
kene.”
bitter
Then the other laughed and said, 'I reck nought of the harm I had of thee, for thou hast made such clean confession of thy misdeeds, and hast done such penance at the point of my sword that I hold thee free from thy fault and as innocent as if thou hadst never forfeited innocence since thou wast born. And here I give to thee again the girdle, that is gold hemmed and green as my gown. And thou shalt think on this chiding when thou goest forth among princes of price, and this shall be a pure token of thy chance at the Green Chapel, to chivalrous knights. Thou shalt come in this New Year and turn again to my dwelling, and we will spend the remnant of this noble feast in revellings as shall
be seen.'
Thus invited Sir Gawain the lord,
And quoth he 'My lady, I ween,
She shall thee well accord,
Though she was thine enemy keen.'
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.