[Sidenote A: The lord commands all his household to assemble,] [Sidenote B: and the venison to be brought before him.] [Sidenote C: He calls Gawayne,] [Sidenote D: and asks him whether he does not deserve much praise for his success in the chase.] [Sidenote E: On the knight expressing himself satisfied, he is told to take the whole according to a former agreement between them.] [Sidenote F: Gawayne gives the knight a comely kiss in return.] [Sidenote G: His host desires to know where he has gotten such weal.] [Sidenote H: As this does not enter into the covenant, he gets no answer to his question.] [Sidenote I: They then proceed to supper, where were dainties new and enough.] [Footnote 1: And = an.] [Footnote 2: ho, in MS.] [Footnote 3: your (?).]
[A] And syþen by þe chymné in chamber þay seten. [B] Wy3e3 þe walle wyn we3ed to hem oft, 1404 & efte in her bourdyng þay bayþen in þe morn, To fylle þe same forwarde3 þat þay by-fore maden, [C] Þat chaunce so bytyde3 hor cheuysaunce to chaunge, What nwe3 so þay nome, at na3t quen þay metten 1408 Þay acorded of þe couenaunte3 byfore þe court alle; Þe beuerage wat3 bro3t forth in bourde at þat tyme; [Fol. 110.] [D] Þenne þay louelych le3ten leue at þe last, Vche burne to his bedde busked bylyue. 1412 [E] Bi þat þe coke hade crowe3[1] & cakled bot þryse, Þe lorde wat3 lopen of his bedde, [&] þe leude3 vch one, So þat þe mete & þe masse wat3 metely delyuered; Þe douthe dressed to þe wod, er any day sprenged, 1416 to chace; [F] He3 with hunte & horne3, Þur3 playne3 þay passe in space, Vn-coupled among þo þorne3, 1420 Rache3 þat ran on race.
[Sidenote A: By the hearth they sit.] [Sidenote B: Wine is carried round.] [Sidenote C: Again Sir Gawayne and his host renew their agreement.] [Sidenote D: Then they take leave of each other and hasten to bed.] [Sidenote E: Scarce had the cock cackled thrice when the lord was up.] [Sidenote F: With his hunters and horns they pursue the chase.] [Footnote 1: crowed (?).]
[A] Sone þay calle of a quest in aker syde, Þe hunt re-hayted þe hounde3, þat hit fyrst mynged, [B] Wylde worde3 hym warp wyth a wrast noyce; 1424 Þe hownde3 þat hit herde, hastid þider swyþe, & fellen as fast to þe fuyt, fourty at ones; Þenne such a glauerande glam of gedered rachche3 Ros, þat þe rochere3 rungen aboute; 1428 Huntere3 hem hardened with horne & wyth muthe. [C] Þen al in a semblé sweyed to-geder, Bitwene a flosche in þat fryth, & a foo cragge; In a knot, bi a clyffe, at þe kerre syde, 1432 Þer as þe rogh rocher vn-rydely wat3 fallen, [Þay] ferden to þe fyndyng, & freke3 hem after; [D] Þay vmbe-kesten þe knarre & þe knot boþe. Wy3e3, whyl þay wysten wel wyt inne hem hit were, 1436 Þe best þat þer breued wat3 wyth þe blod hounde3. [E] Þenne þay beten on þe buske3, & bede hym vp ryse, & he vnsoundyly out so3t segge3 ouer-þwert, [F] On þe sellokest swyn swenged out þere, 1440 Long sythen for[1] þe sounder þat wi3t for-olde, For he wat3 b[este &] bor alþer grattest, [And eue]re quen he gronyed, þenne greued mony, [G] For [þre a]t þe fyrst þrast he þry3t to þe erþe, 1444 & [sped hym] forth good sped, boute spyt more, [Ande þay] halowed hyghe ful hy3e & hay! hay! cryed Haden horne3 to mouþe heterly rechated; [Fol. 110b.] [H] Mony wat3 þe myry mouthe of men & of hounde3, 1448 Þat buskke3 after þis bor, with bost & wyth noyse, To quelle; Ful oft he byde3 þe baye, & mayme3 þe mute Inn-melle, 1452 [I] He hurte3 of þe hounde3, & þay Ful 3omerly 3aule & 3elle.