[Sidenote A: He was found faultless in his five wits.] [Sidenote B: His trust was in the five wounds.] [Sidenote C: The image of the Virgin was depicted upon his shield.] [Sidenote D: In cleanness and courtesy he was never found wanting,] [Sidenote E: therefore was the endless knot fastened on his shield.] [Sidenote F: Sir Gawayne seizes his lance and bids all "good day."] [Footnote 1: MS fyft.] [Footnote 2: for-bi (?).]
[A] He sperred þe sted with þe spure3, & sprong on his way, So stif þat þe ston fyr stroke out þer-after; 672 [B] Al þat se3 þat semly syked in hert, & sayde soþly al same segges til oþer, Carande for þat comly, "bi Kryst, hit is scaþe, Þat þou, leude, schal be lost, þat art of lyf noble! 676 [C] To fynde hys fere vpon folde, in fayth is not eþe; Warloker to haf wro3t had more wyt bene, & haf dy3t 3onder dere a duk to haue worþed; [D] A lowande leder of lede3 in londe hym wel seme3, 680 & so had better haf ben þen britned to no3t, [E] Hadet wyth an aluisch mon, for angarde3 pryde. Who knew euer any kyng such counsel to take, As kny3te3 in caueloun3 on cryst-masse gomne3!" 684 [F] Wel much wat3 þe warme water þat waltered of y3en, When þat semly syre so3t fro þo wone3 þat[1] daye; He made non abode, 688 Bot wy3tly went hys way, [G] Mony wylsum way he rode, Þe bok as I herde say.
[Sidenote A: He spurs his horse and goes on his way.] [Sidenote B: All that saw that seemly one mourned in their hearts.] [Sidenote C: They declared that his equal was not to be found upon earth.] [Sidenote D: It would have been better for him to have been a leader of men,] [Sidenote E: than to die by the hands of "an elvish man."] [Sidenote F: Much was the warm water that poured from eyes that day.] [Sidenote G: Meanwhile many a weary way goes Sir Gawayne.] [Footnote 1: MS. þad.]
[A] Now ride3 þis renk þur3 þe ryalme of Logres, 692 Sir Gauan on Gode3 halue, þa3 hym no gomen þo3t; Oft, leudle3 alone, he lenge3 on ny3te3, Þer he fonde no3t hym byfore þe fare þat he lyked; [B] Hade he no fere bot his fole, bi frythe3 & doune3, 696 Ne no gome bot God, bi gate wyth to karp, [C] Til þat he ne3ed ful noghe[1] in to þe Norþe Wale3; Alle þe iles of Anglesay on lyft half he halde3, & fare3 ouer þe forde3 by þe for-londe3, 700 [D] Ouer at þe Holy-Hede, til he hade eft bonk In þe wyldrenesse of Wyrale; wonde þer bot lyte [E] Þat auþer God oþer gome wyth goud hert louied. [Fol. 100b] & ay he frayned, as he ferde, at freke3 þat he met, 704 [F] If þay hade herde any karp of a kny3t grene, In any grounde þer-aboute, of þe grene chapel;[2] & al nykked hym wyth nay, þat neuer in her lyue [G] Þay se3e neuer no segge þat wat3 of suche hwe3 708 of grene. Þe kny3t tok gates straunge, In mony a bonk vnbene, [H] His cher ful oft con chaunge, 712 Þat chapel er he my3t sene.