2505
“Lo!
lorde,”
quod
þe
leude,
knight
&
þe
lace
belt
hondeled,
took hold of
"Lo!" says he, handling the lace, "this is the band of blame,
2506
“Þis
is
þe
bende
band
of
þis
blame
fault
I
bere
wear
[in]
on
my
nek,
neck
2507
Þis
is
þe
laþe
injury
&
þe
losse,
damage
þat
I
laȝt
received
haue,
2508
Of
couardise
&
couetyse,
covetousness
þat
I
haf
have
caȝt
acquired
þare,
there
a token of my cowardice and covetousness,
2509
Þis
is
þe
token
of
vn-trawþe,
dishonesty
þat
I
am
tan
taken
inne,
2510
&
I
mot
must
nedeȝ
of necessity
hit
were,
wear
wyle
as long as
I
may
last;
live
I must needs wear it as long as I live."
2511
For
non
one
may
hyden
hide
his
harme,
(spiritual) harm
bot
vnhap
get rid of
ne
not
may
hit,
2512
For
þer
hit
oneȝ
once
is
tachched,
attached
twynne
depart
wil
hit
neuer.”
2513
Þe
kyng
comforteȝ
þe
knyȝt,
&
alle
þe
court
als,
as well
The king comforts the knight, and all the court too.
2514
Laȝen
laugh
loude
þer-at,
at it
&
luflyly
graciously
acorden,
agree
2515
Þat
lordes
&
ladis,
þat
longed
belonged
to
þe
Table,
2516
Vche
each
burne
knight
of
þe
broþer-hede
brotherhood
a
bauderyk
baldric
schulde
haue,
Each knight of the brotherhood agrees to wear a bright green belt,
2517
A
bende,
band
a belef
diagonally
hym
aboute,
of
a
bryȝt
grene,
2518
&
þat,
for
sake
of
þat
segge,
knight
in swete
following suit
to
were.
wear
for Gawayne's sake,
2519
For
þat
watȝ
acorded
agreed (to be)
þe
renoun
glory
of
þe
Rounde
Table,
2520
&
he
honoured
þat
hit
hade,
euer-more
after,
who ever more honoured it.
2521
As
hit
is
breued
written down
in
þe
best
boke
of
romaunce.
romance
2522
Þus
in
Arthurus
Arthur’s
day
þis
aunter
adventure
bitidde,
happened
Thus in Arthur's day this adventure befell.
2523
Þe
Brutus
bokees
books
þer-of
of it
beres
bear
wyttenesse;
2524
Syþen
since
Brutus,
þe
bolde
burne,
man
boȝed
came
hider
hither
fyrst,
2525
After
þe
segge
siege
&
þe
asaute
assault
watȝ
sesed
ceased
at
Troye,
2526
I-wysse;
indeed
2527
Mony
auntereȝ
adventures
here bi-forne,
before now
2528
Haf
have
fallen
happened
suche
of the same kind
er þis:
before now
2529
Now
þat
he who
bere
bore
þe
croun
crown
of
þorne,
thorn
He that bore the crown of thorns bring us to His bliss!
2530
He
bryng
may bring
vus
us
to
his
blysse!
joy
AMEN.
`Lo, my lord,' quoth the knight as he handled the lace, 'this is the bond and sign of my shame, this is the loss and the hurt that I have suffered through cowardice and covetousness. It is the token of untruth, and I must needs wear it while life shall last, for none may hide it, for when it is once fixed upon any one never will it pass from him.' The king comforted the knight, as did all the court; and they laughed loudly, and it was agreed that all the lords and ladies of the Round Table, each member of the brotherhood, should have a lace belt, a band of bright green, and wear it for the sake of Sir Gawain as long as they lived. And this was the renown of the Round Table, and he that had it was held in great honour for evermore, as I have seen it written in the best book of romance. Thus in King Arthur's day did this adventure betide. The Brutus books bear witness to it, since the bold Knight Brutus came hither first after the siege and the assault ceased at Troy, as
I wis.
Many adventures herebefore
Have befallen such ere this.
Now He that thorn-crown for us bore
Bring us to His bliss. Amen.
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.