552And thus, at ſhort, he bidisyow your londeYe yald hyme our, without Impedyment;Or of hyme holde, and if tribut and rent.This is my charge at ſhort, whilk if youe leſt556For to fulfill, of al he haith conqueſtHe ſais that he moſt tendir ſhal youe hald.”The king refuses.By ſhort awys the king his anſuer yald;“Shir knycht, your lorde wondir hie pretendis,560When he to me ſic ſalutatioune sendis;For I as yit, in tymys that ar gone,Held neuerlond excep of god alone,Nore neuerthinkith til erthly lord to yef564Trybut nor rent, als long as I may lef.”The knight replies, that his lord bids him defiance, and will invade his land in a month;“Well,” quod the knycht, “ful ſor repentith me;Non may reciſt the thing the wich mone bee.To yow, ſirking, than frome my lord am I568With diffyans ſent, and be this reſone why;His purpos Is, or this day moneth day,With all his oſt, planly to aſſayYour lond, withmony manly man of were,not to return till he has conquered;572And helmyt knychtis, boith with ſheldandſpere;And neuerthinkith to retwrn home whillThat he this lond haith conqueſt at his will;and he intends to possess queen Vanour.And ek vanour the quen, of whome that hee576Herith report of al this world that ſheeIn fairhed and in wertew doith excede,He bad me ſay he thinkisto poſſede.”ARTHUR DEFIES GALIOT.Arthur returns his defiance.“Schir,” quodthe king, “your meſag me behufis580Of reſone and of curtaſy excuſß;But tueching to your lordandto his oſt,His powar [and] his meſag and his boſt,That pretendith my lond for to diſtroy,584Thar-of as ȝit tak I non anoye;[Fol. 8b.]And ſay your lord one my behalf, when heeHaith tone my lond, that al the world ſhal seeThat It ſhal be magre myne entent.”The knight departs, lamenting Arthur’s adventurous spirit.588With that the knycht, withouten leif, is went,And richt as he was paſing to the dure,15MS. “agode.”He ſaith, “a gode!15what wykyt aduentureApperith!” withthat his hors he nome,592Two knichtiskepit, waiting hisoutcome.The knicht is gon, the king he gan InquereAt gawan, and at other knychtissere,Arthur asks Gawane who Galiot is.If that thei knew or euerhard recorde596Of galiot, and wharof he wes lorde;And ther was non among his knychtisallWhich anſuerd o word in to the hall.Than galygantynis of walys raſe,Galygantynis of Wales replies,600That trauelit in diuerß londishas,In mony knychtly auentur haith ben;And to the king he ſaith, “ſir, I haue senGaliot, which is the fareſt knycht,that Galiot is the tallest knight by half a foot of all he ever saw; that he is wise, liberal, humble,604And hieſt be half a fut one hycht,That euerI saw, and ek his menaccordith;Hyme lakid nocht that to a lord recordith.For viſare of his ag is non than hee,608And ful of larges and humylytee;courageous, and under xxiv years of age.An hart he haith of paſing hie curag,And is not xxiiij ȝer of age,And of his tyme mekil haith conquerit;Ten kings obey him.612Ten kingisat hiscommand ar ſterit.He vithhis menſo louit is, y geß,That hyme to pleß is al ther beſynes.Not ſay I this, ſir, in to ye entent616That he, nor none wnderthe firmament,Shal pouere haue ayane your maieſtee;And or thei ſhuld, this y ſey for mee,Rather I ſhall knychtly in to feild620Reſaue my deith anarmyt wnderſheld.This ſpek y leſt;”—the king, ayan the morn,The king goes again to the chase.Haith varnit huntarisbaith with hundandhorne,And arly gan one to the foreſt ryd,624With mony manly knyghtisby hisſid,Hyme for to ſport and comfort withthe dere,Set contrare was the ſeſone of yeyere.He likes boar-hunting best.His moſt huntyng was atte wyld bore;[Fol. 9.]628God wot a luſtye cuntree was It thoore,In the ilk tyme! weil long this noble kingIn to this lond haith maid his ſuiornyng;THE LADY OF MELYHALT’S MESSAGE.A messenger comes from the lady of Melyhalt,Frome the lady was send o meſinger632Of melyhalt, wich ſaith one this maner,As that the ſtory ſhewith by recorde:“TO yow, ſirking, as to hir ſoueran lorde,My lady hath me chargit for to ſay636How that your lond ſtondith inaffray;to say that Galiot has entered Arthur’s land,For galiot, ſone of the fare gyande,Enterit Is by armys in your land,And ſo the lond and cuntre he anoyth,640That quhar he goith planly he diſtroyth,And makith al obeiſand to his honde,and has conquered all but two castles belonging to his mistress.That nocht is left wnconqueſt inthat lond,Excep two caſtellislonging to hir cwre,644Wich to defend ſhe may nocht long endure.Wharfor, ſir, in wordisplanandſhort,Ye mon diſpone your folk for to ſupport.”The king promises not to delay, and inquires the number of the foe.“Wel,” quodthe king, “one to thi lady ſay648The neid is myne, IfallIt not delay;But what folk ar thei nemmyt for to bee,That in my lond is cumyne in ſich degree?”“A hundred thousand,” is the reply.“An hundreth thouſand boith vith ſheldandſpere652On hors ar armyt, al redy for the were.”ARTHUR’S READINESS FOR WAR.“Wel,” quod the king, “and but delay this nycht,Or than to morn as that the day is lycht,The king says he will set off that very night.I ſhal remuf; ther ſhal no thing me mak656Impedyment, my Iorney for to tak.”Than ſeith his knychtisal withone aſſent,His knights advise him to wait till he has raised an army.“Shir, that is al contrare our entent;For to your folk this mater is wnwiſt,660And ye ar here our few for to reciſtȜone power, and youre cuntre to defende;Tharfor abid, and for your folk ye send,That lyk a king and lyk a weriour664Ye may ſuſten in armys your honoure.”“Now,” quodthe king, “no langer that I ȝemeMy crowne, my ſepture, nor my dyademe,Frome that I here, ore frome I wnderſtand,668That ther by fors be entrit in my landMen of armys, by ſtrenth of vyolens,He refuses to wait longer than till the morrow.If that I mak abid or reſydensIn to o place langar than o nycht,672For to defend my cuntreandmy rycht.”[Fol. 9b.]The king that day his meſage haith furth sentThrouch al his realme, and ſyne to reſt is went.Up goith the morow, wp goith the brycht day,676Wp goith the sone in to his freſh aray;Richt as he ſpred his bemys frome northeſt,The king arises next morning without delay,The king wpraß withouten more areſt,And by his awn conſeil and entent680His Iornaye tuk at ſhort awyſment.And but dulay he goith frome place to place16MS. “whare that,” with slight scratch through “that.”Whill that he cam nere whare16the lady was,and reaches a plain by the river side,And in one plane, apone o reuer ſyde,684He lichtit doune, and ther he can abide;And yit withhyme to batell fore to gohaving only seven thousand with him.Vij thousand fechteriswar thei,andno mo.LANCELOT’S LAMENT.This was the lady, of qwhome befor I tolde,Lancelot, having been imprisoned by the lady of Melyhalt,688That lancilot haith in to hir kepinge holde;But for to tell his paſing hewyneſſe,His peyne, his ſorow, and his gret diſtreſſeOf preſone and of loues gret ſuppris,692It war to long to me for to dewys.When he remembrith one his hewy chargeOf loue, wharof he can hyme not diſcharge,He wepith and he ſorowith in his chere,696And euery nyght ſemyth hyme o yere.Gret peite was the ſorow that he maad,laments his fate.And to hyme-ſelf apone this wiß he ſaade:Lancelot’s lament;“Qwhat haue y gilt, allace! or qwhat deſeruit?700That thus myne hart ſhal vondit benandcarwitOne by the ſuord of double peine and wo?his pleasure is gone;My comfort and my pleſans is ago,To me is nat that ſhuld me glaid reſeruit.he curses his natal day;704I curß the tyme of myne Natiuitee,Whar in the heuen It ordinyd was for me,In all my lyue neuertil haue eeß;But for to be example of diſeß,708And that apperith that euery vicht may see.Sen thelke tyme that I had ſufficiansOf age, and chargit thoghtisſufferans,he has never spent a single day free from anxiety,Nor neuerIcontinewite haith o day712With-out the payne of thoghtishard aſſay;Thus goith my youth in tempeſtandpenans.and is now in prison;And now my body is In preſone broght;[Fol. 10.]But of my wo, that in Regard is noght,716The wich myne hart felith euer more.and invokes Death.O deth, allace! whi hath yow me forboreThat of remed haith the ſo long beſoght!”Thus neueremore he ſeſith to compleine,720This woful knyght that felith not bot peine;Thus the smart of love’s sorrow pricketh him.So prekith hyme the ſmert of loues ſore,And euery day encreſſith more and more.And with this lady takine is alſo,He is kept by her from the exercise of knighthood;724And kepit whar he may no whare goTo haunt knychthed, the wich he moſt deſirit;And, thus his hart withdowbil wo yfirite,and there we let him dwell.We lat hyme duel here with the lady ſtill,728Whar he haith laiſere for to compleine his fyll.GALIOT BESIEGES A CASTLE.Meanwhile, Galiot besieged a castle.And galiot in this meyne tyme he laieBy ſtrong myght o caſtell to aſſay,With many engyne and diuerß wais ſere,732For of fute folk he had a gret powereThat bowis bur, and vther Inſtrumentis,His army had pavilions, tents, and iron-wheeled chariots.And with them lede ther palȝonisandther tentis,With mony o ſtrong chariot and cher736With yrne qwhelis and barris longandſqwar;Well ſtuffit with al maner apparellThat longith to o ſege or to batell;Whar-with his oſt was cloſit al about,740That of no ſtrenth nedith hyme to dout.When he heard of Arthur’s coming,And when he hard the cumyne of the king,And of his oſt, and of his gaderyng,The wich he reput but of febil myght744Ayanis hyme for to ſuſten the ficht,His conſell holl aſſemblit he, but were,he assembled his council,Ten knightiswith other lordisſere,And told theme of the cuming of the king,748And aſkit them there conſell of that thing.who thought it would degrade him, to fight in proper person against so few.Hyme thoght that it his worſchip wold degrade,If he hyme ſelf in propir perſone raideEnarmyt ayane ſo few menye752As It was told arthur[is] fore to bee;PREPARATION FOR THE BATTLE.And thane the kyng-An-hundereth-knychtiscold,(And ſo he hot, for neuermore he woldeRyd of his lond, but In his cumpany756O hundyre knyghtisful of chiuellry).[Fol. 10b.]The king of a hundred knights (Maleginis) undertakes the exploit;He ſaith, “shir, ande I one hond [may] tak,If It you pleß, this Iorney ſhal I mak.”Quod galiot, “I grant It yow, but ye760Shal firſt go ryd, yone knychtisoſtandsee.”With-outen more he ridith our the plan,And ſaw the oſt and is returnyd ayañ;And callit them mo than he hade ſen, for why764He dred the reprefe of his cumpany.who reconnoitres Arthur’s host, and says it is 10,000 strong: whereon Galiot charges him to take the same number.And to his lord apone this wys ſaith hee,“Shir, ten thouſand y ges them for to bee.”And galiot haith chargit hyme to tak768Als fell folk, and for the feld hyme mak.And ſo he doith and haith them wel Arayt;Apone the morne his banaris war diſplayt.Up goth the trumpetiswith the clariounis,772Ayaine the feld blawen furth ther ſownis,Galiot’s host set out.Furth goth this king withal his oſt anon.Be this the word wes to king arthur gone,That knew no thing, nor wiſt of ther entent,Arthur’s host don their armour.776But ſone his folk ar one to armys went;But arthur by Report hard sayeArthur, hearing that Galiot is unarmed, will not arm himself;How galiot non armys bur that day,Wharfor he thoght of armys nor of ſheld780None wald he tak, nor mak hyme for the feld.but calls Gawane, and tells him how to order his battalions.But gawane haith he clepit, was hyme by,In qwhome Rignith the flour of cheuelry;And told one what maner, and one what wyß784He ſhuld his batelles ordand and dewys;Beſeching hyme, [hyme] wiſly to for-seeAȝaine thei folk, wich was far mo than hee.He knew the charg and paſſith one his way788Furth to his horß, and makith no dulay;The clariounis blew and furth goth al onoñ,Gawane and his men cross over the water at the ford.And our ye watterand the furd ar goñe.Within o playne vpone that other ſyd792Ther gawan gon his batellis to dewide,As he wel couth, and set them inaray,Syne with o manly contynans can ſay,GAWANE HARANGUES HIS MEN.He harangues his men.“Ye falowis wich of the round table beñ,796Through al this erth whois fam is hardandſen,Remembrith now It ſtondith one the poynt,17At the bottom of this page appears for the first time a catchword, which is— “The wel fare.”For why It lyith one your ſperis poynt,17[Fol. 11.]The well-fare of the king and of our londe;800And ſen the ſucour lyith in your honde,And hardement is thing ſhall moſt awaillFrome deth ther men of armys in bataill,Lat now your manhed and your hie curage804The pryd of al thir multitude aſſuage;Deth or defence, non other thing we wot.”Maleginis and all his host come over the plain, and Gawane sends a company against them.This freſch king, that maleginis was hot,With al his oſt he cummyne our the plañ,808And gawan ſend o batell hyme agañ;18Or “berde.”In myde the borde,18and feſtinit in the ſtellThe ſperithis poynt, that bitith ſcharpandwell;But they were all too few; wherefore Gawane sends a second company;Bot al to few thei war, and mycht nocht leſt812This gret Rout that cummyth one ſo faſt.Than haith ſirgawan ſend, them to ſupport,One othir batell with one knychtly sorte;then a third; then a fourth; and then sets out himself, to resist the 10,000.And ſyne the thrid, and ſyne the ferde alſo;816And ſyne hyme-ſelf one to the feld can go,When that he ſauch thar latterbatell ſteir,And the ten thouſand cummyne al thei veir;Qwhar that of armes prewit he so well,820His ennemys gane his mortall [ſtrokis] fell.He goes among them in his courage,He goith ymong them in his hie curage,As he that had of knyghthed the wſage,And couth hyme weillconten into on hour;824Aȝaine his ſtrok reſiſtit non armour;and many other of Arthur’s knights perform wonders.And mony knycht, that worth ware and bolde,War thore with hyme of arthurishouſhold,And knyghtly gan one to the feld them bere,828And mekil wroght of armys In to were;GAWANE DEFEATS MALEGINIS.Sirgawan than vpone ſuch wyß hyme bure,Maleginis goeth to discomfiture, and 7,000 of his men flee.This othere goith al to diſcumfitoure;Sewyne thouſand fled,andof the feld thei go,832Whar-of this king in to his hart was wo,For of hyme ſelf he was of hie curage.To galiot than ſend he in meſag,That he ſhuld help his folk for to defende;Galiot sends him 30,000 more.836And he to hyme hath xxxtethousand sende;Whar-of this king gladith in his hart,And thinkith to Reweng all the ſmart[Fol. 11b.]That he to-for haith ſuffirit and the payne.His folk return across the field as thick as hail.840And al his folk returnyt Is ayayne19MS. “thilk as (Rayne) haill,” as if it were at first intended to find a rime to “ayayne.”Atour the feld, and cummyne thilk as haill;19The ſwyft horß goith firſt to the aſſall.This noble knyght that ſeith the grete forß844Of armyt men, that cummyne vpone horß,To-giddir ſemblit al his falowſchip,And thoght them at the ſharp poynt to kep,So that thar harm̅ ſhal be ful deir yboght.848This vthere folk with ſtraucht courß hath ſochtOut of aray atour the larg felld;Thar was the ſtrokisfeſtnit inthe ſhelde,Thei war Reſauit at the ſperisend.Arthur’s folk receive them manfully.852So arthurisfolk can manfully defend;The formeſt can thar lyues end conclude,Whar ſone aſſemblit al the multitude.Thar was defens, ther was gret aſſaill,856Richt wonderfull and ſtrong was yebataill,but sustain much pain,Whar arthurisfolk ſuſtenit mekil payn,And knychtly them defendit haith aȝaine.and cannot endure against so many.Bot endur thei mycht, apone no wyß,860The multitude and ek the gret ſuppriß;GAWANE’S VALIANT DEEDS.But gawan, wich that ſetith al hispaynVpone knyghthed, defendid ſo aȝaine,That only in the manhede of this knyght864His folk reIoſit them of his gret myght,And ek abaſit hath his ennemys;For throw the feld he goith in ſuch wyß,And in the preß ſo manfully them ſeruith,Gawane carves helmets in two, and smites heads off shoulders;868His ſuerd atwo the helmys al to-kerwith,The hedisof he be the ſhouderis ſmat;The horß goith, of the maiſterdeſolat.But what awaleth al his beſynes,872So ſtrong and ſo inſufferable vas the preß?but his men recross the ford to go to their lodges.His folk are paſſit atour the furdis ilkon,Towart ther bretis and to ther luges gon;Whar he and many worthy knyght alſo876Of arthurishouß endurit mekill wo,That neuermen mar in to armys vroghtOf manhed, ȝit was It al for noght.[Fol. 12.]Thar was the ſtrenth, ther was the paſing myghtGawane fights alone till night,880Of gawan, wich that whill the dirk nyghtBefor the luges faucht al hyme aloñ,When that his falowis entrit ware ilkoñ,On arthurishalf war mony tan and ſlan;when Galiot’s folk return home.884And galotisfolk Is hame returnyd aȝaine,For it was lait; away the oſtis ridith,And gawan ȝit apone his horß abidith,Withſuerd in hond, when thei away var gon,888And so for-wrocht hys lymmys ver ilkon,And wondit ek his body vp and doune,Gawane swoons upon his horse.Vpone his horß Right thore he fel in ſwoune;And thei hyme tukandto his lugyne bare,The king and queen fear he has brought himself to confusion.892Boith king and qwen of hyme vare indiſpare;For thei ſuppoſit, throw marwellis that he vroght,He had hyme-ſelf to his confuſioune broght.20See note to this line.[T]his20was nere by of melyhalt, the hyll,896Whar lanſcelot ȝit was withthe lady ſtill.The knychtisof the court [can] paſing hom̅e;This ladiis knychtisto hir palice com,And told to hir, how that the feld was vent,The lady of Melyhalt hears of Gawane’s deeds;900And of gawan, and of his hardyment,That merwell was his manhed to behold;and Lancelot also,And ſone thir tithingisto the knycht vas told,That was with wo and hewyneſs oppreſt;904So noyith hyme his ſuiorne and his reſt,who sends for a knight to take a message to the lady;And but dulay one for o knycht he send,That was moſt ſpeciall with the lady kend.He comyne, and the knycht vn to hyme ſaid,908“Diſpleß yow not, ſir, be ȝhe not ill paid,So homly thus I yow exort to go,To gare my lady ſpek o word or two21MS. “presonerere.”With me, that am a carful preſonere.”21912“Sir, your commande y ſhall, withouten were,Fulfill;” and to his lady paſſit heeIn lawly wyß beſiching hir, that ſheWald grant hyme to pas at his requeſt,916Vnto hir knycht, ſtood wnderhir areſt;And ſhe, that knew al gentilleß aright,22Read “with” (?).who comes to his chamber.Furth to his chamber paſſit wight22the licht.LANCELOT PRAYS TO BE RELEASED.[Fol. 12b.]And he aroß and ſaluſt CurtaſlyLancelot beseeches her to appoint his ransom,920The lady, and ſaid, “madem, her I,Your preſoner, beſekith yow that ȝheWold merſy and compaſſione have of me,And mak the ranſone wich that I may yeif;924I waiſt my tyme in presoune thus to leife.For why I her on be report be told,That arthur, with the flour of his houſholde,Is cummyne here, and in this cuntre lyis,928And ſtant In danger of his ennemyis,And haith aſſemblit; and eft this ſhalt beeWithin ſhort tyme one new aſſemblee.Thar-for, my lady, y youe grace beſech,932That I mycht pas, my Ranſon for to fech;presuming that some of Arthur’s knights will pay it.Fore I preſume thar longith to that ſortThat louid me, and ſhal my nede ſupport.”THE LADY AT FIRST REFUSES;“Shire knycht, It ſtant nocht in ſich dugree;She replies that she does not want a ransom, but has imprisoned him for his guilt.936It is no ranſone wich that cauſith meTo holden yow, or don yow ſich offens;It is your gilt, It is your wiolens,Whar-of that I deſir no thing but law,940Without report your awñ treſpas to knaw.”“Madem, your pleſance may ye wel fulfillOf me, that am in preſone at your will.He prays for pardon,Bot of that gilt, I was for til excuß,944For that I did of werrey nede behwß,It tuechit to my honore and my fame;I mycht nocht lefe It but hurting of my nam,And ek the knycht was mor to blam than I.948But ye, my lady, of your curteſſy,Wold ȝe deden my Ransoune to reſaue,and begs for liberty:Of preſone ſo I my libertee myght haue,Y ware ȝolde euermore [to be] your knyght,952Whill that I leif, withal my holl myght.And if ſo be ye lykith not to maor at least to be allowed to go to the next battle,My ranſone, [madem,] if me leif to gaTo the aſſemble, wich ſal be of new;under a promise to return at night.956And as that I am feithful knychtandtrew,At nycht to yow I enterſhall aȝaine,But if that deth or other lat certañ,Throw wich I [may] have ſuch Impediment,23MS. “behold.”[Fol. 13.]960That I be hold,23magre myne entent.”BUT AT LAST GRANTS HIS BOON.She consents, if he will specify to her his name.“Sirknycht,” quod ſhe, “I grant yow leif, withthyYour name to me that ȝe wil ſpecify.”“Madem, as ȝit, ſutly I ne may964Duclar my name, one be no manerway;He refuses for the present.But I promyt, als faſt as I haue tymeConuenient, or may vith-outen cryme,I ſhall;” and than the lady ſaith hyme tyll,968“And I, ſchir knycht, one this condiſcione willShe grants him leave, under the proposed condition.Grant yow leve, ſo that ye obliſt beeFor to Return, as ye haue ſaid to me.”Thus thei accord, the lady goith to reſt,972The ſone diſcending cloſit in the veſt;The ferd day was dewyſit for to beeBetuex the oſtisof the aſſemblee.And galiot Richt arly by the day,976Ayane the feld he can hisfolk aray;Galiot assembles 40,000 fresh men.And fourty thouſand armyt menhaith he,That war not at the othir aſſemble,Commandit to the batell for to gon;980“And I my-ſelf,” quodhe, “ſhal me diſponeOn to the feild aȝaine the thrid day;Whar of this were we ſhal the end aſſay.”Arthur also provides his men for the field.ANd arthurisfolk that come one euery ſyd,984He for the feld can them for to prouide,Wich ware to few aȝaine the gret affereOf galiot ȝit to ſuſten the were.The knights of Melyhalt join him.The knychtisal out of the cete roß988Of melyholt, and to the ſemble gois.The lady secretly provides Lancelot with a red courser, and a shield and spear, both red also.And the lady haith, in to ſacret wyß,Gart for hir knycht and preſonerdewyßIn red al thing, that ganith for the were;992His curſeir red, ſo was boith ſcheldandſpere.Andhe, to qwham the preſone hath ben ſmart,With glaid deſir apone his curſour ſtart;He rides towards the field, and halts in a plain by the river-side.Towart the feld anon he gan to ryd,996And in o plan houit one reuersyde.LANCELOT ENCOURAGES HIMSELF.This knycht, the wich that long haith ben incag,Lancelot is encouraged, seeing the blithe morn, the mead, the river, the green woods, and the knights and banners.He grew in to o freſchandnew curage,Seing the morow blythfull and amen,1000The med, the Reuer, and the vodis gren,The knychtisin [ther] armys them arayinge,[Fol. 13b.]The banerisayaine the feld diſplayng,His ȝouth in ſtrenth and in proſperytee,24May we read “diuerſytee”?1004And ſyne of luſt the gret aduerſytee.24Thus in his thocht remembryng at the laſt,Casting his eyes aside, he sees the queen looking over a parapet.Efterward one ſyd he gan his Ey to caſt,25MS. “abertes.”Whar our a bertes25lying haith he sen1008Out to the feld luking was the qwen;Sudandly with that his goſt aſtartLove catches him by the heart.Of loue anone haith caucht hyme by the hart;Than ſaith he, “How long ſhall It be so,1012Loue, at yow ſhall wirk me al this wo?Apone this wyß to be Infortunat,Hir for to ſerue the wich thei no thing wateWhat ſufferance I in hir wo endure,1016Nor of my wo, nor of myne aduenture?And I wnworthy ame for to attaneTo hir presens, nor dare I noght complane.He counsels his heart to help itself at need,Bot, hart, ſen at yow knawith ſhe is here,1020That of thi lyue and of thi deith is ſtere,Now is thi tyme, now help thi-ſelf at neid,And the dewod of euery point of dred,to forego cowardice,That cowardy be none In to the señ,1024Fore and yow do, yow knowis thi peyne, I weyn;Yow art wnable euerto attaneTo hir mercy, or cum be ony mayne.and to deserve her thanks or die.Tharfor y red hir thonk at yow diſſerue,1028Or in hir presens lyk o knycht to ſterf.”THE RED KNIGHT’S TRANCE.Confused with a heavy thought,With that confuſit withan hewy thocht,Wich ner his deith ful oft tyme haith hyme ſocht,Deuoydit was his spritisand his goſt,1032He wiſt not of hyme-ſelf nor of his oſt;he [sits] on his horse as still as stone.Bot one his horß, als ſtill as ony ſton.When that the knychtisarmyt war ilkon,The bugles are blown, and the knights are ready on horseback, 20,000 in number.To warnnyng them vp goith the bludy ſown,1036And euery knyght vpone his horß is bown;Twenty thouſand armyt men of were.The king that day he wold non armys bere;His batellisware devyſit euerilkon,They are forbidden to cross the fords, but cannot be restrained.1040And them forbad out our the furdisto gon.Bot frome that thei ther ennemys haith sen,In to ſuch wys thei couththem noght ſuſteñ;[Fol. 14.]Bot ovr thei went vithouten more delay,1044And can them one that oyersid aſſay.The red knight still halting by the ford, a herald seizes his bridle, and bids him awake.The red knycht ſtill in to his hewy thoghtWas hufyng ȝit apone the furd,andnoghtWiſt of hime ſelf; with that a harrold com,1048And ſone the knycht he be the brydill nom,Saying, “awalk! It is no tyme to ſlep;Your worſchip more expedient vare to kep.”No word he ſpak, ſo prikith hyme the ſmart1052Of hevynes, that ſtood vnto his hart.Two shrews next approach; one takes his shield off his neck,Two ſcrewis cam with that, of quhich [that] oñThe knychtisſheld rycht frome his hals haith toñ;the other casts water at his ventayle, which causes him to wink, and arouse himself.That vthir wattertakith atte laſt,1056And in the knychtiswentail haith It caſt;When that he felt the vatterthat vas cold,He wonk, and gan about hyme to behold,And thinkith how he ſum-quhat haith myſgoñ.1060With that his ſpere In to his hand haith ton,THE RED KNIGHT FIGHTS LIKE A LION.He goes to the field, and sees the first-conquest king.Goith to the feild withouten vordis more;So was he vare whare that there cam before,O manly man he was in to al thing,1064And clepit was the ferſt-conquest king.The Red knycht with[the] ſpurisſmat the ſted,The tother cam, that of hyme hath no drede;They meet.With ferß curag ben the knychtismet,1068The king his ſpere apone the knycht hath set,That al in peciß flaw in to the felde;The red knight, though shieldless, overthrows his foe.His hawbrek helpit, ſuppos he had no ſcheld.And he the king in to the ſcheld haith ton,1072That horß and man boith to the erd ar gon.The shrew restores his shield.Than to the knycht he cummyth, that haith tanHis ſheld, to hyme deliuerith It ayane,Beſiching hyme that of his Ignorance,1076That knew hyme nat, as takith no grewance.The knycht hisſche[l]d but mor delay haith tak,And let hyme go, and no thing to hyme ſpak.26MS. “thei,” altered to “thee,” which is still wrong.Than thei the26wich that ſo at erth haith ſenThe men of the first-conquest king come to the rescue.1080Ther lord, the ferſt-conqueſt king, y meñ,In haiſt thei cam, as that thei var agrevit,And manfully thei haith ther king Releuit.[A]nd Arthuris folk, that lykith not to byde,1084In goith the spurisin the ſtedissyde;[Fol. 14b.]To-giddir thar aſſemblit al the oſt:At whois meting many o knycht was loſt.The battle was right cruel to behold.The batell was richt crewell to behold,1088Of knychtiswich that haith there lyvis ȝolde.One to the hart the ſpere goith throw the ſcheld,The knychtisgaping lyith in the feld.The red knycht, byrnyng in loues fyre,1092Goith to o knycht, als ſwift as ony vyre,The wich he perſit throuchandthrouch the hart;The red knight loses his spear, but draws his sword, and roams the field like a lion.The ſpere is went; withthat anon he ſtart,And out o ſuerd in to his hond he tais;1096Lyk to o lyone in to the feld he gais,In to his Rag ſmyting to and froFro ſum the arm, fro ſum the nek in two,Sum in the feild lying is in ſwoun,Some he cleaves to the belt.1100And sum his ſuerd goith to the belt al douñe.For qwhen that he beholdith to the qwen,Who had ben thore his manhed to haue sen,His doing in to armys and his myght,1104Shwld ſay in world war not ſuch o wight.His fellows take comfort from his deeds,His falouſchip siche comfort of his dedeHaith ton, that thei ther ennemys ne dreid;But can them-self ay manfoly conten1108In to the ſtour, that hard was to ſuſten;though Galiot’s host was a surpassing multitude.For galyot was O paſing multitudeOf prewit men in armys that war gude,The wich can witho freſch curag aſſaill1112Ther ennemys that day In to batell;Had it not been for the manhood of the red knight, Arthur’s folk had been in peril.That ne ware not the vorſchipandmanhedeOf the red knycht, in perell and in dreid
552And thus, at ſhort, he bidisyow your londe
Ye yald hyme our, without Impedyment;
Or of hyme holde, and if tribut and rent.
This is my charge at ſhort, whilk if youe leſt
556For to fulfill, of al he haith conqueſt
He ſais that he moſt tendir ſhal youe hald.”
The king refuses.
By ſhort awys the king his anſuer yald;
“Shir knycht, your lorde wondir hie pretendis,
560When he to me ſic ſalutatioune sendis;
For I as yit, in tymys that ar gone,
Held neuerlond excep of god alone,
Nore neuerthinkith til erthly lord to yef
564Trybut nor rent, als long as I may lef.”
The knight replies, that his lord bids him defiance, and will invade his land in a month;
“Well,” quod the knycht, “ful ſor repentith me;
Non may reciſt the thing the wich mone bee.
To yow, ſirking, than frome my lord am I
568With diffyans ſent, and be this reſone why;
His purpos Is, or this day moneth day,
With all his oſt, planly to aſſay
Your lond, withmony manly man of were,
not to return till he has conquered;
572And helmyt knychtis, boith with ſheldandſpere;
And neuerthinkith to retwrn home whill
That he this lond haith conqueſt at his will;
and he intends to possess queen Vanour.
And ek vanour the quen, of whome that hee
576Herith report of al this world that ſhee
In fairhed and in wertew doith excede,
He bad me ſay he thinkisto poſſede.”
ARTHUR DEFIES GALIOT.
Arthur returns his defiance.
“Schir,” quodthe king, “your meſag me behufis
580Of reſone and of curtaſy excuſß;
But tueching to your lordandto his oſt,
His powar [and] his meſag and his boſt,
That pretendith my lond for to diſtroy,
584Thar-of as ȝit tak I non anoye;
[Fol. 8b.]
And ſay your lord one my behalf, when hee
Haith tone my lond, that al the world ſhal see
That It ſhal be magre myne entent.”
The knight departs, lamenting Arthur’s adventurous spirit.
588With that the knycht, withouten leif, is went,
And richt as he was paſing to the dure,
15MS. “agode.”
He ſaith, “a gode!15what wykyt aduenture
Apperith!” withthat his hors he nome,
592Two knichtiskepit, waiting hisoutcome.
The knicht is gon, the king he gan Inquere
At gawan, and at other knychtissere,
Arthur asks Gawane who Galiot is.
If that thei knew or euerhard recorde
596Of galiot, and wharof he wes lorde;
And ther was non among his knychtisall
Which anſuerd o word in to the hall.
Than galygantynis of walys raſe,
Galygantynis of Wales replies,
600That trauelit in diuerß londishas,
In mony knychtly auentur haith ben;
And to the king he ſaith, “ſir, I haue sen
Galiot, which is the fareſt knycht,
that Galiot is the tallest knight by half a foot of all he ever saw; that he is wise, liberal, humble,
604And hieſt be half a fut one hycht,
That euerI saw, and ek his menaccordith;
Hyme lakid nocht that to a lord recordith.
For viſare of his ag is non than hee,
608And ful of larges and humylytee;
courageous, and under xxiv years of age.
An hart he haith of paſing hie curag,
And is not xxiiij ȝer of age,
And of his tyme mekil haith conquerit;
Ten kings obey him.
612Ten kingisat hiscommand ar ſterit.
He vithhis menſo louit is, y geß,
That hyme to pleß is al ther beſynes.
Not ſay I this, ſir, in to ye entent
616That he, nor none wnderthe firmament,
Shal pouere haue ayane your maieſtee;
And or thei ſhuld, this y ſey for mee,
Rather I ſhall knychtly in to feild
620Reſaue my deith anarmyt wnderſheld.
This ſpek y leſt;”—the king, ayan the morn,
The king goes again to the chase.
Haith varnit huntarisbaith with hundandhorne,
And arly gan one to the foreſt ryd,
624With mony manly knyghtisby hisſid,
Hyme for to ſport and comfort withthe dere,
Set contrare was the ſeſone of yeyere.
He likes boar-hunting best.
His moſt huntyng was atte wyld bore;
[Fol. 9.]
628God wot a luſtye cuntree was It thoore,
In the ilk tyme! weil long this noble king
In to this lond haith maid his ſuiornyng;
THE LADY OF MELYHALT’S MESSAGE.
A messenger comes from the lady of Melyhalt,
Frome the lady was send o meſinger
632Of melyhalt, wich ſaith one this maner,
As that the ſtory ſhewith by recorde:
“TO yow, ſirking, as to hir ſoueran lorde,
My lady hath me chargit for to ſay
636How that your lond ſtondith inaffray;
to say that Galiot has entered Arthur’s land,
For galiot, ſone of the fare gyande,
Enterit Is by armys in your land,
And ſo the lond and cuntre he anoyth,
640That quhar he goith planly he diſtroyth,
And makith al obeiſand to his honde,
and has conquered all but two castles belonging to his mistress.
That nocht is left wnconqueſt inthat lond,
Excep two caſtellislonging to hir cwre,
644Wich to defend ſhe may nocht long endure.
Wharfor, ſir, in wordisplanandſhort,
Ye mon diſpone your folk for to ſupport.”
The king promises not to delay, and inquires the number of the foe.
“Wel,” quodthe king, “one to thi lady ſay
648The neid is myne, IfallIt not delay;
But what folk ar thei nemmyt for to bee,
That in my lond is cumyne in ſich degree?”
“A hundred thousand,” is the reply.
“An hundreth thouſand boith vith ſheldandſpere
652On hors ar armyt, al redy for the were.”
ARTHUR’S READINESS FOR WAR.
“Wel,” quod the king, “and but delay this nycht,
Or than to morn as that the day is lycht,
The king says he will set off that very night.
I ſhal remuf; ther ſhal no thing me mak
656Impedyment, my Iorney for to tak.”
Than ſeith his knychtisal withone aſſent,
His knights advise him to wait till he has raised an army.
“Shir, that is al contrare our entent;
For to your folk this mater is wnwiſt,
660And ye ar here our few for to reciſt
Ȝone power, and youre cuntre to defende;
Tharfor abid, and for your folk ye send,
That lyk a king and lyk a weriour
664Ye may ſuſten in armys your honoure.”
“Now,” quodthe king, “no langer that I ȝeme
My crowne, my ſepture, nor my dyademe,
Frome that I here, ore frome I wnderſtand,
668That ther by fors be entrit in my land
Men of armys, by ſtrenth of vyolens,
He refuses to wait longer than till the morrow.
If that I mak abid or reſydens
In to o place langar than o nycht,
672For to defend my cuntreandmy rycht.”
[Fol. 9b.]
The king that day his meſage haith furth sent
Throuch al his realme, and ſyne to reſt is went.
Up goith the morow, wp goith the brycht day,
676Wp goith the sone in to his freſh aray;
Richt as he ſpred his bemys frome northeſt,
The king arises next morning without delay,
The king wpraß withouten more areſt,
And by his awn conſeil and entent
680His Iornaye tuk at ſhort awyſment.
And but dulay he goith frome place to place
16MS. “whare that,” with slight scratch through “that.”
Whill that he cam nere whare16the lady was,
and reaches a plain by the river side,
And in one plane, apone o reuer ſyde,
684He lichtit doune, and ther he can abide;
And yit withhyme to batell fore to go
having only seven thousand with him.
Vij thousand fechteriswar thei,andno mo.
LANCELOT’S LAMENT.
This was the lady, of qwhome befor I tolde,
Lancelot, having been imprisoned by the lady of Melyhalt,
688That lancilot haith in to hir kepinge holde;
But for to tell his paſing hewyneſſe,
His peyne, his ſorow, and his gret diſtreſſe
Of preſone and of loues gret ſuppris,
692It war to long to me for to dewys.
When he remembrith one his hewy charge
Of loue, wharof he can hyme not diſcharge,
He wepith and he ſorowith in his chere,
696And euery nyght ſemyth hyme o yere.
Gret peite was the ſorow that he maad,
laments his fate.
And to hyme-ſelf apone this wiß he ſaade:
Lancelot’s lament;
“Qwhat haue y gilt, allace! or qwhat deſeruit?
700That thus myne hart ſhal vondit benandcarwit
One by the ſuord of double peine and wo?
his pleasure is gone;
My comfort and my pleſans is ago,
To me is nat that ſhuld me glaid reſeruit.
he curses his natal day;
704I curß the tyme of myne Natiuitee,
Whar in the heuen It ordinyd was for me,
In all my lyue neuertil haue eeß;
But for to be example of diſeß,
708And that apperith that euery vicht may see.
Sen thelke tyme that I had ſufficians
Of age, and chargit thoghtisſufferans,
he has never spent a single day free from anxiety,
Nor neuerIcontinewite haith o day
712With-out the payne of thoghtishard aſſay;
Thus goith my youth in tempeſtandpenans.
and is now in prison;
And now my body is In preſone broght;
[Fol. 10.]
But of my wo, that in Regard is noght,
716The wich myne hart felith euer more.
and invokes Death.
O deth, allace! whi hath yow me forbore
That of remed haith the ſo long beſoght!”
Thus neueremore he ſeſith to compleine,
720This woful knyght that felith not bot peine;
Thus the smart of love’s sorrow pricketh him.
So prekith hyme the ſmert of loues ſore,
And euery day encreſſith more and more.
And with this lady takine is alſo,
He is kept by her from the exercise of knighthood;
724And kepit whar he may no whare go
To haunt knychthed, the wich he moſt deſirit;
And, thus his hart withdowbil wo yfirite,
and there we let him dwell.
We lat hyme duel here with the lady ſtill,
728Whar he haith laiſere for to compleine his fyll.
GALIOT BESIEGES A CASTLE.
Meanwhile, Galiot besieged a castle.
And galiot in this meyne tyme he laie
By ſtrong myght o caſtell to aſſay,
With many engyne and diuerß wais ſere,
732For of fute folk he had a gret powere
That bowis bur, and vther Inſtrumentis,
His army had pavilions, tents, and iron-wheeled chariots.
And with them lede ther palȝonisandther tentis,
With mony o ſtrong chariot and cher
736With yrne qwhelis and barris longandſqwar;
Well ſtuffit with al maner apparell
That longith to o ſege or to batell;
Whar-with his oſt was cloſit al about,
740That of no ſtrenth nedith hyme to dout.
When he heard of Arthur’s coming,
And when he hard the cumyne of the king,
And of his oſt, and of his gaderyng,
The wich he reput but of febil myght
744Ayanis hyme for to ſuſten the ficht,
His conſell holl aſſemblit he, but were,
he assembled his council,
Ten knightiswith other lordisſere,
And told theme of the cuming of the king,
748And aſkit them there conſell of that thing.
who thought it would degrade him, to fight in proper person against so few.
Hyme thoght that it his worſchip wold degrade,
If he hyme ſelf in propir perſone raide
Enarmyt ayane ſo few menye
752As It was told arthur[is] fore to bee;
PREPARATION FOR THE BATTLE.
And thane the kyng-An-hundereth-knychtiscold,
(And ſo he hot, for neuermore he wolde
Ryd of his lond, but In his cumpany
756O hundyre knyghtisful of chiuellry).
[Fol. 10b.]
The king of a hundred knights (Maleginis) undertakes the exploit;
He ſaith, “shir, ande I one hond [may] tak,
If It you pleß, this Iorney ſhal I mak.”
Quod galiot, “I grant It yow, but ye
760Shal firſt go ryd, yone knychtisoſtandsee.”
With-outen more he ridith our the plan,
And ſaw the oſt and is returnyd ayañ;
And callit them mo than he hade ſen, for why
764He dred the reprefe of his cumpany.
who reconnoitres Arthur’s host, and says it is 10,000 strong: whereon Galiot charges him to take the same number.
And to his lord apone this wys ſaith hee,
“Shir, ten thouſand y ges them for to bee.”
And galiot haith chargit hyme to tak
768Als fell folk, and for the feld hyme mak.
And ſo he doith and haith them wel Arayt;
Apone the morne his banaris war diſplayt.
Up goth the trumpetiswith the clariounis,
772Ayaine the feld blawen furth ther ſownis,
Galiot’s host set out.
Furth goth this king withal his oſt anon.
Be this the word wes to king arthur gone,
That knew no thing, nor wiſt of ther entent,
Arthur’s host don their armour.
776But ſone his folk ar one to armys went;
But arthur by Report hard saye
Arthur, hearing that Galiot is unarmed, will not arm himself;
How galiot non armys bur that day,
Wharfor he thoght of armys nor of ſheld
780None wald he tak, nor mak hyme for the feld.
but calls Gawane, and tells him how to order his battalions.
But gawane haith he clepit, was hyme by,
In qwhome Rignith the flour of cheuelry;
And told one what maner, and one what wyß
784He ſhuld his batelles ordand and dewys;
Beſeching hyme, [hyme] wiſly to for-see
Aȝaine thei folk, wich was far mo than hee.
He knew the charg and paſſith one his way
788Furth to his horß, and makith no dulay;
The clariounis blew and furth goth al onoñ,
Gawane and his men cross over the water at the ford.
And our ye watterand the furd ar goñe.
Within o playne vpone that other ſyd
792Ther gawan gon his batellis to dewide,
As he wel couth, and set them inaray,
Syne with o manly contynans can ſay,
GAWANE HARANGUES HIS MEN.
He harangues his men.
“Ye falowis wich of the round table beñ,
796Through al this erth whois fam is hardandſen,
Remembrith now It ſtondith one the poynt,
17At the bottom of this page appears for the first time a catchword, which is— “The wel fare.”
For why It lyith one your ſperis poynt,17
[Fol. 11.]
The well-fare of the king and of our londe;
800And ſen the ſucour lyith in your honde,
And hardement is thing ſhall moſt awaill
Frome deth ther men of armys in bataill,
Lat now your manhed and your hie curage
804The pryd of al thir multitude aſſuage;
Deth or defence, non other thing we wot.”
Maleginis and all his host come over the plain, and Gawane sends a company against them.
This freſch king, that maleginis was hot,
With al his oſt he cummyne our the plañ,
808And gawan ſend o batell hyme agañ;
18Or “berde.”
In myde the borde,18and feſtinit in the ſtell
The ſperithis poynt, that bitith ſcharpandwell;
But they were all too few; wherefore Gawane sends a second company;
Bot al to few thei war, and mycht nocht leſt
812This gret Rout that cummyth one ſo faſt.
Than haith ſirgawan ſend, them to ſupport,
One othir batell with one knychtly sorte;
then a third; then a fourth; and then sets out himself, to resist the 10,000.
And ſyne the thrid, and ſyne the ferde alſo;
816And ſyne hyme-ſelf one to the feld can go,
When that he ſauch thar latterbatell ſteir,
And the ten thouſand cummyne al thei veir;
Qwhar that of armes prewit he so well,
820His ennemys gane his mortall [ſtrokis] fell.
He goes among them in his courage,
He goith ymong them in his hie curage,
As he that had of knyghthed the wſage,
And couth hyme weillconten into on hour;
824Aȝaine his ſtrok reſiſtit non armour;
and many other of Arthur’s knights perform wonders.
And mony knycht, that worth ware and bolde,
War thore with hyme of arthurishouſhold,
And knyghtly gan one to the feld them bere,
828And mekil wroght of armys In to were;
GAWANE DEFEATS MALEGINIS.
Sirgawan than vpone ſuch wyß hyme bure,
Maleginis goeth to discomfiture, and 7,000 of his men flee.
This othere goith al to diſcumfitoure;
Sewyne thouſand fled,andof the feld thei go,
832Whar-of this king in to his hart was wo,
For of hyme ſelf he was of hie curage.
To galiot than ſend he in meſag,
That he ſhuld help his folk for to defende;
Galiot sends him 30,000 more.
836And he to hyme hath xxxtethousand sende;
Whar-of this king gladith in his hart,
And thinkith to Reweng all the ſmart
[Fol. 11b.]
That he to-for haith ſuffirit and the payne.
His folk return across the field as thick as hail.
840And al his folk returnyt Is ayayne
19MS. “thilk as (Rayne) haill,” as if it were at first intended to find a rime to “ayayne.”
Atour the feld, and cummyne thilk as haill;19
The ſwyft horß goith firſt to the aſſall.
This noble knyght that ſeith the grete forß
844Of armyt men, that cummyne vpone horß,
To-giddir ſemblit al his falowſchip,
And thoght them at the ſharp poynt to kep,
So that thar harm̅ ſhal be ful deir yboght.
848This vthere folk with ſtraucht courß hath ſocht
Out of aray atour the larg felld;
Thar was the ſtrokisfeſtnit inthe ſhelde,
Thei war Reſauit at the ſperisend.
Arthur’s folk receive them manfully.
852So arthurisfolk can manfully defend;
The formeſt can thar lyues end conclude,
Whar ſone aſſemblit al the multitude.
Thar was defens, ther was gret aſſaill,
856Richt wonderfull and ſtrong was yebataill,
but sustain much pain,
Whar arthurisfolk ſuſtenit mekil payn,
And knychtly them defendit haith aȝaine.
and cannot endure against so many.
Bot endur thei mycht, apone no wyß,
860The multitude and ek the gret ſuppriß;
GAWANE’S VALIANT DEEDS.
But gawan, wich that ſetith al hispayn
Vpone knyghthed, defendid ſo aȝaine,
That only in the manhede of this knyght
864His folk reIoſit them of his gret myght,
And ek abaſit hath his ennemys;
For throw the feld he goith in ſuch wyß,
And in the preß ſo manfully them ſeruith,
Gawane carves helmets in two, and smites heads off shoulders;
868His ſuerd atwo the helmys al to-kerwith,
The hedisof he be the ſhouderis ſmat;
The horß goith, of the maiſterdeſolat.
But what awaleth al his beſynes,
872So ſtrong and ſo inſufferable vas the preß?
but his men recross the ford to go to their lodges.
His folk are paſſit atour the furdis ilkon,
Towart ther bretis and to ther luges gon;
Whar he and many worthy knyght alſo
876Of arthurishouß endurit mekill wo,
That neuermen mar in to armys vroght
Of manhed, ȝit was It al for noght.
[Fol. 12.]
Thar was the ſtrenth, ther was the paſing myght
Gawane fights alone till night,
880Of gawan, wich that whill the dirk nyght
Befor the luges faucht al hyme aloñ,
When that his falowis entrit ware ilkoñ,
On arthurishalf war mony tan and ſlan;
when Galiot’s folk return home.
884And galotisfolk Is hame returnyd aȝaine,
For it was lait; away the oſtis ridith,
And gawan ȝit apone his horß abidith,
Withſuerd in hond, when thei away var gon,
888And so for-wrocht hys lymmys ver ilkon,
And wondit ek his body vp and doune,
Gawane swoons upon his horse.
Vpone his horß Right thore he fel in ſwoune;
And thei hyme tukandto his lugyne bare,
The king and queen fear he has brought himself to confusion.
892Boith king and qwen of hyme vare indiſpare;
For thei ſuppoſit, throw marwellis that he vroght,
He had hyme-ſelf to his confuſioune broght.
20See note to this line.
[T]his20was nere by of melyhalt, the hyll,
896Whar lanſcelot ȝit was withthe lady ſtill.
The knychtisof the court [can] paſing hom̅e;
This ladiis knychtisto hir palice com,
And told to hir, how that the feld was vent,
The lady of Melyhalt hears of Gawane’s deeds;
900And of gawan, and of his hardyment,
That merwell was his manhed to behold;
and Lancelot also,
And ſone thir tithingisto the knycht vas told,
That was with wo and hewyneſs oppreſt;
904So noyith hyme his ſuiorne and his reſt,
who sends for a knight to take a message to the lady;
And but dulay one for o knycht he send,
That was moſt ſpeciall with the lady kend.
He comyne, and the knycht vn to hyme ſaid,
908“Diſpleß yow not, ſir, be ȝhe not ill paid,
So homly thus I yow exort to go,
To gare my lady ſpek o word or two
21MS. “presonerere.”
With me, that am a carful preſonere.”21
912“Sir, your commande y ſhall, withouten were,
Fulfill;” and to his lady paſſit hee
In lawly wyß beſiching hir, that ſhe
Wald grant hyme to pas at his requeſt,
916Vnto hir knycht, ſtood wnderhir areſt;
And ſhe, that knew al gentilleß aright,
22Read “with” (?).
who comes to his chamber.
Furth to his chamber paſſit wight22the licht.
LANCELOT PRAYS TO BE RELEASED.
[Fol. 12b.]
And he aroß and ſaluſt Curtaſly
Lancelot beseeches her to appoint his ransom,
920The lady, and ſaid, “madem, her I,
Your preſoner, beſekith yow that ȝhe
Wold merſy and compaſſione have of me,
And mak the ranſone wich that I may yeif;
924I waiſt my tyme in presoune thus to leife.
For why I her on be report be told,
That arthur, with the flour of his houſholde,
Is cummyne here, and in this cuntre lyis,
928And ſtant In danger of his ennemyis,
And haith aſſemblit; and eft this ſhalt bee
Within ſhort tyme one new aſſemblee.
Thar-for, my lady, y youe grace beſech,
932That I mycht pas, my Ranſon for to fech;
presuming that some of Arthur’s knights will pay it.
Fore I preſume thar longith to that ſort
That louid me, and ſhal my nede ſupport.”
THE LADY AT FIRST REFUSES;
“Shire knycht, It ſtant nocht in ſich dugree;
She replies that she does not want a ransom, but has imprisoned him for his guilt.
936It is no ranſone wich that cauſith me
To holden yow, or don yow ſich offens;
It is your gilt, It is your wiolens,
Whar-of that I deſir no thing but law,
940Without report your awñ treſpas to knaw.”
“Madem, your pleſance may ye wel fulfill
Of me, that am in preſone at your will.
He prays for pardon,
Bot of that gilt, I was for til excuß,
944For that I did of werrey nede behwß,
It tuechit to my honore and my fame;
I mycht nocht lefe It but hurting of my nam,
And ek the knycht was mor to blam than I.
948But ye, my lady, of your curteſſy,
Wold ȝe deden my Ransoune to reſaue,
and begs for liberty:
Of preſone ſo I my libertee myght haue,
Y ware ȝolde euermore [to be] your knyght,
952Whill that I leif, withal my holl myght.
And if ſo be ye lykith not to ma
or at least to be allowed to go to the next battle,
My ranſone, [madem,] if me leif to ga
To the aſſemble, wich ſal be of new;
under a promise to return at night.
956And as that I am feithful knychtandtrew,
At nycht to yow I enterſhall aȝaine,
But if that deth or other lat certañ,
Throw wich I [may] have ſuch Impediment,
23MS. “behold.”
[Fol. 13.]
960That I be hold,23magre myne entent.”
BUT AT LAST GRANTS HIS BOON.
She consents, if he will specify to her his name.
“Sirknycht,” quod ſhe, “I grant yow leif, withthy
Your name to me that ȝe wil ſpecify.”
“Madem, as ȝit, ſutly I ne may
964Duclar my name, one be no manerway;
He refuses for the present.
But I promyt, als faſt as I haue tyme
Conuenient, or may vith-outen cryme,
I ſhall;” and than the lady ſaith hyme tyll,
968“And I, ſchir knycht, one this condiſcione will
She grants him leave, under the proposed condition.
Grant yow leve, ſo that ye obliſt bee
For to Return, as ye haue ſaid to me.”
Thus thei accord, the lady goith to reſt,
972The ſone diſcending cloſit in the veſt;
The ferd day was dewyſit for to bee
Betuex the oſtisof the aſſemblee.
And galiot Richt arly by the day,
976Ayane the feld he can hisfolk aray;
Galiot assembles 40,000 fresh men.
And fourty thouſand armyt menhaith he,
That war not at the othir aſſemble,
Commandit to the batell for to gon;
980“And I my-ſelf,” quodhe, “ſhal me diſpone
On to the feild aȝaine the thrid day;
Whar of this were we ſhal the end aſſay.”
Arthur also provides his men for the field.
ANd arthurisfolk that come one euery ſyd,
984He for the feld can them for to prouide,
Wich ware to few aȝaine the gret affere
Of galiot ȝit to ſuſten the were.
The knights of Melyhalt join him.
The knychtisal out of the cete roß
988Of melyholt, and to the ſemble gois.
The lady secretly provides Lancelot with a red courser, and a shield and spear, both red also.
And the lady haith, in to ſacret wyß,
Gart for hir knycht and preſonerdewyß
In red al thing, that ganith for the were;
992His curſeir red, ſo was boith ſcheldandſpere.
Andhe, to qwham the preſone hath ben ſmart,
With glaid deſir apone his curſour ſtart;
He rides towards the field, and halts in a plain by the river-side.
Towart the feld anon he gan to ryd,
996And in o plan houit one reuersyde.
LANCELOT ENCOURAGES HIMSELF.
This knycht, the wich that long haith ben incag,
Lancelot is encouraged, seeing the blithe morn, the mead, the river, the green woods, and the knights and banners.
He grew in to o freſchandnew curage,
Seing the morow blythfull and amen,
1000The med, the Reuer, and the vodis gren,
The knychtisin [ther] armys them arayinge,
[Fol. 13b.]
The banerisayaine the feld diſplayng,
His ȝouth in ſtrenth and in proſperytee,
24May we read “diuerſytee”?
1004And ſyne of luſt the gret aduerſytee.24
Thus in his thocht remembryng at the laſt,
Casting his eyes aside, he sees the queen looking over a parapet.
Efterward one ſyd he gan his Ey to caſt,
25MS. “abertes.”
Whar our a bertes25lying haith he sen
1008Out to the feld luking was the qwen;
Sudandly with that his goſt aſtart
Love catches him by the heart.
Of loue anone haith caucht hyme by the hart;
Than ſaith he, “How long ſhall It be so,
1012Loue, at yow ſhall wirk me al this wo?
Apone this wyß to be Infortunat,
Hir for to ſerue the wich thei no thing wate
What ſufferance I in hir wo endure,
1016Nor of my wo, nor of myne aduenture?
And I wnworthy ame for to attane
To hir presens, nor dare I noght complane.
He counsels his heart to help itself at need,
Bot, hart, ſen at yow knawith ſhe is here,
1020That of thi lyue and of thi deith is ſtere,
Now is thi tyme, now help thi-ſelf at neid,
And the dewod of euery point of dred,
to forego cowardice,
That cowardy be none In to the señ,
1024Fore and yow do, yow knowis thi peyne, I weyn;
Yow art wnable euerto attane
To hir mercy, or cum be ony mayne.
and to deserve her thanks or die.
Tharfor y red hir thonk at yow diſſerue,
1028Or in hir presens lyk o knycht to ſterf.”
THE RED KNIGHT’S TRANCE.
Confused with a heavy thought,
With that confuſit withan hewy thocht,
Wich ner his deith ful oft tyme haith hyme ſocht,
Deuoydit was his spritisand his goſt,
1032He wiſt not of hyme-ſelf nor of his oſt;
he [sits] on his horse as still as stone.
Bot one his horß, als ſtill as ony ſton.
When that the knychtisarmyt war ilkon,
The bugles are blown, and the knights are ready on horseback, 20,000 in number.
To warnnyng them vp goith the bludy ſown,
1036And euery knyght vpone his horß is bown;
Twenty thouſand armyt men of were.
The king that day he wold non armys bere;
His batellisware devyſit euerilkon,
They are forbidden to cross the fords, but cannot be restrained.
1040And them forbad out our the furdisto gon.
Bot frome that thei ther ennemys haith sen,
In to ſuch wys thei couththem noght ſuſteñ;
[Fol. 14.]
Bot ovr thei went vithouten more delay,
1044And can them one that oyersid aſſay.
The red knight still halting by the ford, a herald seizes his bridle, and bids him awake.
The red knycht ſtill in to his hewy thoght
Was hufyng ȝit apone the furd,andnoght
Wiſt of hime ſelf; with that a harrold com,
1048And ſone the knycht he be the brydill nom,
Saying, “awalk! It is no tyme to ſlep;
Your worſchip more expedient vare to kep.”
No word he ſpak, ſo prikith hyme the ſmart
1052Of hevynes, that ſtood vnto his hart.
Two shrews next approach; one takes his shield off his neck,
Two ſcrewis cam with that, of quhich [that] oñ
The knychtisſheld rycht frome his hals haith toñ;
the other casts water at his ventayle, which causes him to wink, and arouse himself.
That vthir wattertakith atte laſt,
1056And in the knychtiswentail haith It caſt;
When that he felt the vatterthat vas cold,
He wonk, and gan about hyme to behold,
And thinkith how he ſum-quhat haith myſgoñ.
1060With that his ſpere In to his hand haith ton,
THE RED KNIGHT FIGHTS LIKE A LION.
He goes to the field, and sees the first-conquest king.
Goith to the feild withouten vordis more;
So was he vare whare that there cam before,
O manly man he was in to al thing,
1064And clepit was the ferſt-conquest king.
The Red knycht with[the] ſpurisſmat the ſted,
The tother cam, that of hyme hath no drede;
They meet.
With ferß curag ben the knychtismet,
1068The king his ſpere apone the knycht hath set,
That al in peciß flaw in to the felde;
The red knight, though shieldless, overthrows his foe.
His hawbrek helpit, ſuppos he had no ſcheld.
And he the king in to the ſcheld haith ton,
1072That horß and man boith to the erd ar gon.
The shrew restores his shield.
Than to the knycht he cummyth, that haith tan
His ſheld, to hyme deliuerith It ayane,
Beſiching hyme that of his Ignorance,
1076That knew hyme nat, as takith no grewance.
The knycht hisſche[l]d but mor delay haith tak,
And let hyme go, and no thing to hyme ſpak.
26MS. “thei,” altered to “thee,” which is still wrong.
Than thei the26wich that ſo at erth haith ſen
The men of the first-conquest king come to the rescue.
1080Ther lord, the ferſt-conqueſt king, y meñ,
In haiſt thei cam, as that thei var agrevit,
And manfully thei haith ther king Releuit.
[A]nd Arthuris folk, that lykith not to byde,
1084In goith the spurisin the ſtedissyde;
[Fol. 14b.]
To-giddir thar aſſemblit al the oſt:
At whois meting many o knycht was loſt.
The battle was right cruel to behold.
The batell was richt crewell to behold,
1088Of knychtiswich that haith there lyvis ȝolde.
One to the hart the ſpere goith throw the ſcheld,
The knychtisgaping lyith in the feld.
The red knycht, byrnyng in loues fyre,
1092Goith to o knycht, als ſwift as ony vyre,
The wich he perſit throuchandthrouch the hart;
The red knight loses his spear, but draws his sword, and roams the field like a lion.
The ſpere is went; withthat anon he ſtart,
And out o ſuerd in to his hond he tais;
1096Lyk to o lyone in to the feld he gais,
In to his Rag ſmyting to and fro
Fro ſum the arm, fro ſum the nek in two,
Sum in the feild lying is in ſwoun,
Some he cleaves to the belt.
1100And sum his ſuerd goith to the belt al douñe.
For qwhen that he beholdith to the qwen,
Who had ben thore his manhed to haue sen,
His doing in to armys and his myght,
1104Shwld ſay in world war not ſuch o wight.
His fellows take comfort from his deeds,
His falouſchip siche comfort of his dede
Haith ton, that thei ther ennemys ne dreid;
But can them-self ay manfoly conten
1108In to the ſtour, that hard was to ſuſten;
though Galiot’s host was a surpassing multitude.
For galyot was O paſing multitude
Of prewit men in armys that war gude,
The wich can witho freſch curag aſſaill
1112Ther ennemys that day In to batell;
Had it not been for the manhood of the red knight, Arthur’s folk had been in peril.
That ne ware not the vorſchipandmanhede
Of the red knycht, in perell and in dreid