246 Mythology poems

And a tenth part of Okeanos is given to dark night a tithe of the pure water    under    earth so that the clear fountains pour from rock face, tears stream from the caverns and clefts, down-running, carving woundrous ways in basalt resistance, cutting deep as they go into layers of time-layerd Gaia where She sleeps— the cold water, the black rushing gleam, the moving down-rush, wash, gush out over bed-rock, toiling the boulders in flood, purling in deeps, broad flashing in falls— And a tenth part of bright clear Okeanos his circulations— mists, rains, sheets, sheathes— lies in poisonous depths, the black water. Styx    this carver of caverns beneath us is. Styx    this black water,    this down-pouring. The well is deep.    From its stillness the words our voices speak      echo. Resonance follows resonance. Waves of this sounding come up to us. We draw the black water, pure and cold. The light of day is not as bright as this crystal flowing. Three thousand years we have recited its virtue out of Hesiod. Is it twenty-five thousand since the ice withdrew from the lands    and we came forth from the realm of caverns where the river beneath the earth    we knew we go back to. Styx pouring down in the spring from its glacial remove, from the black ice. Fifty million years—from the beginning of what we are— we knew the depth of this well to be. Fifty million years deep    —but our knowing deepens —time deepens— this still water we thirst for      in dreams we dread.

Some people say the devil is beating his wife. Some people say the devil is pawing his wife. Some people say the devil is doubling down on an overall attitude of entitlement toward the body of his wife. Some people say the devil won’t need to be sorry, as the devil believes that nothing comes after this life. Some people say that in spite of the devil’s public, long-standing, and meticulously logged disdain for the health and wholeness of his wife, the devil spends all day, every day, insisting grandly and gleefully on his general pro-woman ethos, that the devil truly considers himself to be an unswayed crusader: effortlessly magnetic, scrupulous, gracious, and, in spite of the devil’s several advanced degrees, a luminous autodidact. Some people say calm down; this is commonplace. Some people say calm down; this is very rare. Some people say the sun is washing her face. Some people say in Hell, they’re having a fair.

The Emperor thought of his heart as a water wheel flooding the rice fields of all creation and bloodied the water for a better harvest. His warriors hoped for a life with wings. His swallowtails wrote him the same lines —the secret of life is a resurrected worm— He told them eventually time would run backwards in their hands, now empty where a crossbow went. A theory works if it answers the exceptions. The writing in the air of swallowtails, from here to where the time changes at Mexico Beach, is like writing all the armies of the afterlife waiting underground in China. We are attuned to shadows. They strafe the shore. An osprey spins above the trees. But when a large one stops suddenly above the house, all the laws have been broken. A theory that a moment is a warehouse where armies are stacked to the ceiling, then one falls, is the last exception. The osprey’s underside is streaked like a zebra swallowtail. It misses the fish that dove out of the reach of shadows as the lovers jumped into theirs from the Bay Bridge to Fort Walton. If any should meet hovering over a milkweed or reflection, they might say didn’t I know you in another life, the kind of thing said often in Fort Walton or the Orient and didn’t plum blossoms freeze in the Emperor’s courtyard.

Orpheus liked the glad personal quality Of the things beneath the sky. Of course, Eurydice was a part Of this. Then one day, everything changed. He rends Rocks into fissures with lament. Gullies, hummocks Can’t withstand it. The sky shudders from one horizon To the other, almost ready to give up wholeness. Then Apollo quietly told him: “Leave it all on earth. Your lute, what point? Why pick at a dull pavan few care to Follow, except a few birds of dusty feather, Not vivid performances of the past.” But why not? All other things must change too. The seasons are no longer what they once were, But it is the nature of things to be seen only once, As they happen along, bumping into other things, getting along Somehow. That’s where Orpheus made his mistake. Of course Eurydice vanished into the shade; She would have even if he hadn’t turned around. No use standing there like a gray stone toga as the whole wheel Of recorded history flashes past, struck dumb, unable to utter an intelligent Comment on the most thought-provoking element in its train. Only love stays on the brain, and something these people, These other ones, call life. Singing accurately So that the notes mount straight up out of the well of Dim noon and rival the tiny, sparkling yellow flowers Growing around the brink of the quarry, encapsulates The different weights of the things. But it isn’t enough To just go on singing. Orpheus realized this And didn’t mind so much about his reward being in heaven After the Bacchantes had torn him apart, driven Half out of their minds by his music, what it was doing to them. Some say it was for his treatment of Eurydice. But probably the music had more to do with it, and The way music passes, emblematic Of life and how you cannot isolate a note of it And say it is good or bad. You must Wait till it’s over. “The end crowns all,” Meaning also that the “tableau” Is wrong. For although memories, of a season, for example, Melt into a single snapshot, one cannot guard, treasure That stalled moment. It too is flowing, fleeting; It is a picture of flowing, scenery, though living, mortal, Over which an abstract action is laid out in blunt, Harsh strokes. And to ask more than this Is to become the tossing reeds of that slow, Powerful stream, the trailing grasses Playfully tugged at, but to participate in the action No more than this. Then in the lowering gentian sky Electric twitches are faintly apparent first, then burst forth Into a shower of fixed, cream-colored flares. The horses Have each seen a share of the truth, though each thinks, “I’m a maverick. Nothing of this is happening to me, Though I can understand the language of birds, and The itinerary of the lights caught in the storm is fully apparent to me. Their jousting ends in music much As trees move more easily in the wind after a summer storm And is happening in lacy shadows of shore-trees, now, day after day.” But how late to be regretting all this, even Bearing in mind that regrets are always late, too late! To which Orpheus, a bluish cloud with white contours, Replies that these are of course not regrets at all, Merely a careful, scholarly setting down of Unquestioned facts, a record of pebbles along the way. And no matter how all this disappeared, Or got where it was going, it is no longer Material for a poem. Its subject Matters too much, and not enough, standing there helplessly While the poem streaked by, its tail afire, a bad Comet screaming hate and disaster, but so turned inward That the meaning, good or other, can never Become known. The singer thinks Constructively, builds up his chant in progressive stages Like a skyscraper, but at the last minute turns away. The song is engulfed in an instant in blackness Which must in turn flood the whole continent With blackness, for it cannot see. The singer Must then pass out of sight, not even relieved Of the evil burthen of the words. Stellification Is for the few, and comes about much later When all record of these people and their lives Has disappeared into libraries, onto microfilm. A few are still interested in them. “But what about So-and-so?” is still asked on occasion. But they lie Frozen and out of touch until an arbitrary chorus Speaks of a totally different incident with a similar name In whose tale are hidden syllables Of what happened so long before that In some small town, one indifferent summer.

Two sisters of ancient Greece both laid claim To the finest, fairest rear of their time. Which tail forged ahead? Which bottom’s true fame Topped? Which back was in front, which terce most prime? A judge chose the elder girl’s back matter; Her finish was more fine and far matter. She got the prize, and his heart; soon they wed. “But the younger’s sitter’s not a smatter Less meet; I’ll marry her,” his brother said. It went so well, their joys were so perfected, That after them a temple was erected In honor of  Venus Callipygus. No other church — though I don’t know its rite — Could so, from head to epididymis, Move me with deep devotion to its site. Translated from the French of  Jean de La Fontaine, Contes , Part I, 6.

Even gods, though they were born in our own heads, died out to myth. Just as no one can point to the source of the spring or later at sea can say: this is the water from deep in the earth, that flowed from the mountaintops, so is the stream of mortals and gods. About my origins I know nothing. I married the earth, a child grew in me, fell out of me at last, and I babbled: little mutt of mine, I’ll name you, dunk you in invulnerability. He smiled at me, held me tightly by the heel and said mama.

I. Did he think that disguise would fool me? Gathering about His balding head those filthy rags, poor-mouthing His way beside my fire, then gazing into the looking glass Of my bride’s-mind to summon up the legend I’d seen last at the ashwood threshold twenty years ago, The husband who’d upped and sailed away on a black, Oar-swept ship of war to a place he called. . . I call Destroy. “Your son will vouch for me,” he claimed, “I saw your king On foreign soil. He wore a wine-dark, woolen cape Fastened by a brooch inlaid with gold, a brooch on which A great hound clenched and throttled to death a dappled fawn.” He knew, of course, I’d given Odysseus that very cape, Had dyed its wool that royal red, had buckled its folds With that same brooch. And so, I suppose, I passed his test. The salt tears soaked my cheek. A fact he took in silently Beneath his rags, though how could I not have recognized him With his poet’s words, his poet’s unfazed self-concern So skillfully playing my emotions? The truth is, However much I loved that man in the wine-dark cape, However much I’d longed for him, I’d have settled For the man with thinning hair, the beggar-king of Ithaca. II. Having slept alone year after year in the upper story Of our high-roofed home, having awakened nightly In that rooted, rightly far-famed bed he’d built by hand Around the bole of a thickset olive tree, I soon Discovered there are two known gates through which All dreams must come to pass. The first is made Of ivory, cleanly carved, the second of polished horn; Through ivory our dreams are will-o’-the-wisps, scant Tracings on the air, through horn they’re star-signs We’d be wise to chart our futures by. It was through horn It came that night he questioned me beside the fire, The contest of twelve axes, one for each month Of the year I’d lived through twenty times for him, Housebound to the labor of my hardwood loom. The thwarted suitors watched agog, he watched them watch, Though no one saw (how could they?) how the hand That strung his bow recalled my own hand spooling out New wool, that drew on strength enough to strike An arrow through a dozen axe-helve socket rings Recalled the heart it took each night to climb back Into the vaulted tomb of our empty, tree-housed bed. III. Waiting at the doorway while I was brushing back my hair, Odysseus stood and stared across the unraked terrace Gardens trashed from last night’s welcome home. One guttering pine-pitch torch still burned, its pool Of light apotheosized to a ringing lyre—the singer’s Who had begged him calm his bloodlust, spare One pauper soul among that heavy haul of slaughtered men. He’d been every inch the hero then, spattered with gore, His forehead glistening, dripping red. But this morning, He looked to me just as he had looked before: his thin Shirt clung like onion skin to his boxer’s ropy Shoulders, his young man’s muscled chest and arms; And as before, those faraway, slightly moonstruck eyes Seemed focused on a flyspeck at the world’s end. It struck me then that, even as he stood there, steeped In the memory of all this place brought home to him, He labored at the anchor of whatever in me Refused that death his heart most longed to master. And as before, I could see it coming, his going away, Those maddened gulls scavenging after the trim black ship My harbored longings had driven out of reach.

siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at troye þe bor 3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro 3 t watz tried for his tricherie þe trewest on erþe hit watz ennias þe athel and his highe kynde þat siþen depreced prouinces and patrounes bicome welne 3 e of al þe wele in þe west iles fro riche romulus to rome ricchis hym swyþe with gret bobbaunce þat bur 3 e he biges vpon fyrst and neuenes hit his aune nome as hit now hat ticius to tuskan and teldes bigynnes langaberde in lumbardie lyftes vp homes and fer ouer þe french flod felix brutus on mony bonkkes ful brode bretayn he settez wyth wynne where werre and wrake and wonder bi syþez hatz wont þerinne and oft boþe blysse and blunder ful skete hatz skyfted synne ande quen þis bretayn watz bigged bi þis burn rych bolde bredden þerinne baret þat lofden in mony turned tyme tene þat wro 3 ten mo ferlyes on þis folde han fallen here oft þen in any oþer þat I wot syn þat ilk tyme bot of alle þat here bult of bretaygne kynges ay watz arthur þe hendest as I haf herde telle [fol. 91] forþi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe þat a selly in si 3 t summe men hit holden and an outtrage awenture of arthurez wonderez if 3 e wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile I schal telle hit as tit as I in toun herde with tonge as hit is stad and stoken in stori stif and stronge with lel letteres loken in londe so hatz ben longe þis kyng lay at camylot vpon kryst masse with mony luflych lorde ledez of þe best rekenly of þe rounde table alle þo rich breþer with rych reuel ory 3 t and rechles merþes þer tournayed tulkes by tymez ful mony justed ful jolile þise gentyle kni 3 tes syþen kayred to þe court caroles to make for þer þe fest watz ilyche ful fiften dayes with alle þe mete and þe mirþe þat men couþe avyse such glaumande gle glorious to here dere dyn vpon day daunsyng on ny 3 tes al watz hap vpon he 3 e in hallez and chambrez with lordez and ladies as leuest him þo 3 t with all þe wele of þe worlde þay woned þer samen þe most kyd kny 3 tez vnder krystes seluen and þe louelokkest ladies þat euer lif haden and he þe comlokest kyng þat þe court haldes for al watz þis fayre folk in her first age on sille þe hapnest vnder heuen kyng hy 3 est mon of wylle hit werere now gret nye to neuen so hardy a here on hille wyle nw 3 er watz so 3 ep þat hit watz nwe cummen þat day doubble on þe dece watz þe douth serued fro þe kyng watz cummen with kny 3 tes into þe halle þe chauntre of þe chapel cheued to an ende loude crye watz þer kest of clerkez and oþer [fol. 92r] nowel nayted onewe neuened ful ofte and syþen riche forth runnen to reche hondeselle 3 e 3 ed 3 eres 3 iftes on hi 3 3 elde hem bi hond debated busyly aboute þo giftes ladies la 3 ed ful loude þo 3 þay lost haden and he þat wan watz not wrothe þat may 3 e wel trawe alle þis mirþe þay maden to þe mete tyme when þay had waschen worþyly þay wenten to sete þe best burne ay abof as hit best semed whene guenore ful gay grayþed in þe myddes dressed on þe dere des dubbed al aboute smal sendal bisides a selure hir ouer of tryed tolouse and tars tapites innoghe þat were enbrawded and beten wyth þe best gemmes þat my 3 t be preued of prys wyth penyes to bye in daye þe comlokest to discry þer glent with y 3 en gray a semloker þat euer he sy 3 e soth mo 3 t no mon say bot arthure wolde not ete til al were serued he watz so joly of his joyfnes and sumquat childgered his lif liked hym ly 3 t he louied þe lasse auþer to lenge lye or to longe sitte so bisied him his 3 onge blod and his brayn wylde and also an oþer maner meued him eke þat he þur 3 nobelay had nomen he wolde neuer ete vpon such a dere day er hym deuised were of sum auenturus þyng an vncouþe tale of sum mayn meruayle þat he my 3 t trawe of of alderes of armes of oþer auenturus oþer sum segg hym biso 3 t of sum siker kny 3 t to joyne wyth hym in iustyng in joparde to lay lede lif for lyf leue vchon oþer as fortune wolde fulsun hom þe fayrer to haue þis watz kynges countenaunce where he in court were at vch farand fest among his fre meny in halle þerfore of face so fere he sti 3 tlez stif in stalle ful 3 ep in þat nw 3 ere much mirthe he mas with alle þus þer stondes in stale þe stif kyng hisseluen talkkande bifore þe hy 3 e table of trifles ful hende þere gode gawan watz grayþed gwenore bisyde and agrauayn a la dure mayn on þat oþer syde sittes boþe þe kynges sistersunes and ful siker kni 3 tes bischop bawdewyn abof biginez þe table and ywan vryn son ette wit hymseluen þise were di 3 t on þe des and derworþly serued and siþen mony siker segge at þe sidbordez þen þe first cors come with crakkyng of trumpes wyth mony baner ful bry 3 t þat þerbi henged nwe nakryn noyse with þe noble pipes wylde werbles and wy 3 t wakned lote þat mony hert ful hi 3 e hef at her towches dayntes dryuen þerwyth of ful dere metes foysoun of þe fresche and on so fele disches þat pine to fynde þe place þe peple biforne for to sette þe syluen' þat sere sewes halden on clothe iche lede as he loued hymselue þer laght withouten loþe ay two had disches twelue good ber and bry 3 t wyn boþe now wyl I of hor seruise say yow no more for vch wy 3 e may wel wit no wont þat þer were an oþer noyse ful newe ne 3 ed biliue þat þe lude my 3 t haf leue liflode to cach for vneþe watz þe noyce not a whyle sesed and þe fyrst cource in þe court kyndely serued þer hales in at þe halle dor an aghlich mayster on þe most on þe molde on mesure hyghe fro þe swyre to þe swange so sware and so þik and his lyndes and his lymes so longe and so grete half etayn in erde I hope þat he were bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene and þat þe myriest in his muckel þat my 3 t ride for of bak and of brest al were his bodi sturne bot his wombe and his wast were worthily smale and alle his fetures fol 3 ande in forme þat he hade ful clene for wonder of his hwe men hade set in his semblaunt sene he ferde as freke were fade and oueral enker grene ande al grayþed in grene þis gome and his wedes a strayt cote ful stre 3 t þat stek on his sides a mere mantile abof mensked with inne with pelure pured apert þe pane ful clene with blyþe blaunner ful bry 3 t and his hod boþe þat watz la 3 t fro his lokkez and layde on his schulderes heme wel haled hose of þat same grene þat spenet on his sparlyr and clene spures vnder of bry 3 t golde vpon silk bordes barred ful ryche and scholes vnder schankes þere þe schalk rides and alle his vesture uerayly watz clene verdure boþe þe barres of his belt and oþer blyþe stones þat were richely rayled in his aray clene aboutte hymself and his sadel vpon silk werkez þat were to tor for to telle of tryfles þe halue þat were enbrauded abof wyth bryddes and fly 3 es with gay gaudi of grene þe golde ay inmyddes þe pendauntes of his payttrure pe proude cropure his molaynes and alle þe metail anamayld was þenne þe steropes þat he stod on stayned of þe same and his arsounz al after and his aþel scurtes þat euer glemered and glent al of grene stones þe fole þat he ferkkes on fyn of þat ilke sertayn a grene hors gret and þikke a stede ful stif to strayne in brawden brydel quik to þe gome he watz ful gayn wel gay watz þis gome gered in grene and þe here of his hed of his hors swete fayre fannand fax vmbefoldes his schulderes a much berd as as a busk ouer his brest henges þat wyth his hi 3 lich here þat of his hed reches watz euesed al vmbetorne abof his elbowes þat half his armes þervnder were halched in þe wyse of a kyngez capados þat closes his swyre þe mane of þat mayn hors much to hit lyke wel cresped and cemmed wyth knottes ful mony folden in wyth fildore aboute þe fayre grene ay a herle of þe here anoþer of golde þe tayl and his toppyng twynnen of a sute and bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bry 3 t grene dubbed wyth ful dere stonez as þe dok lasted syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte þer mony bellez ful bry 3 t of brende golde rungen such a fole vpon folde ne freke þat hym rydes watz neuer sene in þat sale wyth sy 3 t er þat tyme with y 3 e he loked as layt so ly 3 t so sayd al þat hym sy 3 e hit semed as no mon my 3 t vnder his dynttez dry 3 e wheþer hade he no helme ne hawbrgh nauþer ne no pysan ne no plate þat pented to armes ne no schafte ne no schelde to schwue ne to smyte bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe þat is grattest in grene when greuez ar bare and an ax in his oþer a hoge and vnmete a spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle quoso my 3 t þe hede of an eln 3 erde þe large lenkþe hade þe grayn al of grene stele and of golde hewen þe bit burnyst bry 3 t with a brod egge as wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi grypte [fol. 94r] þat watz wounden wyth yrn to þe wandez ende and al bigrauen with grene in gracios werkes a lace lapped aboute þat louked at þe hede and so after þe halme halched ful ofte wyth tryed tasselez þerto tacched innoghe on botounz of þe bry 3 t grene brayden ful ryche þis haþel heldez hym in and þe halle entres driuande to þe he 3 e dece dut he no woþe haylsed he neuer one bot he 3 e he ouer loked þe fyrst word þat he warp wher is he sayd þe gouernour of þis gyng gladly I wolde se þat segg in sy 3 t and with hymself speke raysoun to kny 3 tez he kest his y 3 e and reled hym vp and doun he stemmed and con studie quo walt þer most renoun ther watz lokyng on lenþe þe lude to beholde for vch mon had meruayle quat hit mene my 3 t þat a haþel and a horse my 3 t such a hwe lach as growe grene as þe gres and grener hit semed þen grene aumayl on golde lowande bry 3 ter al studied þat þer stod and stalked hym nerre wyth al þe wonder of þe worlde what he worch schulde for fele sellyez had þay sen bot such neuer are forþi for fantoum and fayry 3 e þe folk þere hit demed þerfore to answare watz ar 3 e mony aþel freke and al stouned at his steuen and stonstil seten in a swoghe sylence þur 3 þe sale riche as al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lotez in hy 3 e I deme hit not al for doute bot sum for cortaysye bot let hym þat al schulde loute cast vnto þat wy 3 e þenn arþour bifore þe hi 3 dece þat auenture byholdez and rekenly hym reuerenced for rad was he neuer and sayde wy 3 e welcum iwys to þis place þe hede of þis ostel arthour I hat li 3 t luflych adoun and lenge I þe praye and quat so þy wylle is we schal wyt after nay as help me quoþ þe haþel he þat on hy 3 e syttes to wone any quyle in þis won hit watz not myn ernde bot for þe los of þe lede is lyft vp so hy 3 e and þy bur 3 and þy burnes best ar holden stifest vnder stel gere on stedes to ryde þe wy 3 test and þe worþyest of þe worldes kynde preue for to play wyth in oþer pure laykez and here is kydde cortaysye as I haf herd carp and þat hatz wayned me hider iwyis at þis tyme 3 e may be seker bi þis braunch þat I bere here þat I passe as in pes and no ply 3 t seche for had I founded in fere in fe 3 tyng wyse I haue a hauberghe at home and a helme boþe a schelde and a scharp spere schinande bry 3 t ande oþer weppenes to welde I wene wel als bot for I wolde no were my wedez ar softer bot if þou be so bold as alle burnez tellen þou wyl grant me godly þe gomen þat I ask bi ry 3 t arthour con onsware and sayd sir cortays kny 3 t if þou craue batayl bare here faylez þou not to fy 3 t nay frayst I no fy 3 t in fayth I þe telle hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdlez chylder if I were hasped in armes on a he 3 e stede here is no mon me to mach for my 3 tez fo wayke forþy I craue in þis court a crystemas gomen for hit is 3 ol and nwe 3 er and here ar 3 ep mony if any so hardy in þis hous holdez hymseluen be so bolde in his blod brayn in hys hede þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche þis ax þat is heue innogh to hondele as hym lykes and I schal bide þe fyrst bur as bare as I sitte if any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle lepe ly 3 tly me to and lach þis weppen I quit clayme hit for euer kepe hit as his auen and I schal stonde hym a strok stif on þis flet ellez þou wyl di 3 t me þe dom to dele hym an oþer barlay and 3 et gif hym respite a twelmonyth and a day now hy 3 e and let se tite dar any herinne o 3 t say if he hem stowned vpon fyrst stiller were þanne alle þe heredmen in halle þe hy 3 and þe lo 3 e þe renk on his rounce hym ruched in his sadel and runischly his rede y 3 en he reled aboute bende his bresed bro 3 ez blycande grene wayued his berde for to wayte quo so wolde ryse when non wolde kepe hym with carp he co 3 ed ful hy 3 e ande rimed hym ful richly and ry 3 t hym to speke what is þis arthures hous quoþ þe haþel þenne þat al þe rous rennes of þur 3 ryalmes so mony where is now your sourquydrye and your conquestes your gry dellayk and your greme and your grete wordes now is þe reuel and þe renoun of þe rounde table ouerwalt wyth a worde of on wy 3 es speche for al dares for drede withoute dynt schewed wyth þis he la 3 es so loude þat þe lorde greued þe blod schot for scham into his schyre face and lere he wex as wroth as wynde so did alle þat þer were þe kyng as kene bi kynde þen stod þat stif mon nere ande sayde haþel by heuen þyn askyng is nys and as þou foly hatz frayst fynde þe behoues I know no gome þat is gast of þy grete wordes gif me now þy geserne vpon godez halue and I schal bayþen þy bone þat þou boden habbes [fol. 95] ly 3 tly lepez he hym to and la 3 t at his honde þen feersly þat oþer freke vpon fote ly 3 tis now hatz arthure his axe and þe halme grypez and sturnely sturez hit aboute þat stryke wyth hit þo 3 t þe stif mon hym bifore stod vpon hy 3 t herre þen ani in þe hous by þe hede and more wyth sturne schere þer he stod he stroked his berde and wyth a countenaunce dry 3 e he dro 3 doun his cote no more mate ne dismayd for hyns mayn dintez þen any burne vpon bench hade bro 3 t hym to drynk of wyne gawan þat sate bi þe quene to þe kyng he can enclyne I beseche now with sa 3 ez sene þis melly mot be myne wolde 3 e worþilych lorde quoþ gawan to þe kyng bid me bo 3 e fro þis benche and stonde by yow þere þat I wythoute vylanye my 3 t voyde þis table and þat my legge lady lyked not ille I wolde com to your counseyl bifore your cort ryche for me þink hit not semly as hit is soþ knawen þer such an askyng is heuened so hy 3 e in your sale þa 3 3 e 3 ourself be talenttyf to take hit to yourseluen whil mony so bolde yow aboute vpon bench sytten þat vnder heuen I hope non ha 3 erer of wylle ne better bodyes on bent þer baret is rered I am þe wakkest I wot and of wyt feblest and lest lur of my lyf quo laytes þe soþe bot for as much as 3 e ar myn em I am only to prayse no bounte bot your blod I in my bode knowe and syþen þis note is so nys þat no 3 t hit yow falles and I haue frayned hit at yow fyrst foldez hit to me and if I carp not comlyly let alle þis cort rych bout blame ryche togeder con roun and syþen þay redden alle same to ryd þe kyng wyth croun and gif gawan þe game þen commaunded þe kyng þe kny 3 t for to ryse and he ful radly vpros and ruchched hym fayre kneled doun bifore þe kyng and cachez þat weppen and he luflyly hit hym laft and lyfte vp his honde and gef hym goddez blessyng and gladly hym biddes þat his hert and his honde schulde hardi be boþe kepe þe cosyn quoþ þe kyng þat þou on kyrf sette and if þou redez hym ry 3 t redly I trowe þat þou schal byden þe bur þat he schal bede after gawan gotz to þe gome with giserne in honde and he baldly hym bydez he bayst neuer þe helder þen carppez to sir gawan þe kny 3 t in þe grene refourme we oure forwardes er we fyrre passe fyrst I eþe þe haþel how þat þou hattes þat þou me telle truly as I tryst may in god fayth quoþ þe goode kny 3 t gawan I hatte þat bede þe þis buffet quat so bifallez after and at þis tyme twelmonyth take at þe an oþer wyth what weppen fo þou wylt and wyth no wy 3 ellez on lyue þat oþer onswarez agayn sir gawan so mot I þryue as I am ferly fayn þis dint þat þou schal dryue bigog quoþ þe grene kny 3 t sir gawan me lykes þat I schal fange at þy fust þat I haf frayst here and þou hatz redily rehersed bi resoun ful trwe clanly al þe couenaunt þat I þe kynge asked saf þat þou schal siker me segge bi þi trawþe þat þou schal seche me þiself where so þou hopes I may be funde vpon folde and foch þe such wages as þou deles me to day bifore þis douþe ryche where schulde I wale þe quoþ gauan where is þy plate I wot neuer where þou wonyes bi hym þat me wro 3 t ne I know not þe kny 3 t by cort ne þi name bot teche me truly þerto and telle me how þou hattes and I schal ware alle my wyt to wynne me þeder and þat I swere þe for soþe and by my seker traweþ þat is innogh in nwe 3 er hit nedes no more quoþ þe gome in þe grene to gawan þe hende 3 if I þe telle trwly quen I þe tape haue and þou me smoþely hatz smyten smartly I þe teche of my hous and my home and myn owen nome þen may þou frayst my fare and forwardez holde and if I spende no speche þenne spedez þou þe better for þou may leng in þy londe and layt no fyrre bot slokes ta now þy grymme tole to þe and let se how þou cnokez gladly sir for soþe quoþ gawan his ax he strokes þe grene kny 3 t vpon grounde grayþely hym dresses a littel lut with þe hede þe lere he discouerez his longe louelych lokkez he layd ouer his croun let þe naked nec to þe note schewe gauan gripped to his ax and gederes hit on hy 3 t þe kay fot on þe folde he before sette let him doun ly 3 tly ly 3 t on þe naked þat þe scharp of þe schalk schyndered þe bones and schrank þur 3 þe schyire grece and scade hit in twynne þat þe bit of þe broun stel bot on þe grounde þe fayre hede fro þe halce hit to þe erþe þat fele hit foyned wyth her fete þere hit forth roled þe blod brayd fro þe body þat blykked on þe grene and nawþer faltered ne fel þe freke neuer þe helder bot styþly he start forth vpon styf schonkes and ruyschly he ra 3 t out þere as renkkez stoden la 3 t to his lufly hed and lyft hit vp sone and syþen bo 3 ez to his blonk þe brydel he cachchez steppez into stelbawe and strydez alofte and his hede by þe here in his honde haldez and as sadly þe segge hym in his sadel sette as non vnhap had hym ayled þa 3 hedlez ho we in stedde he brayde his bluk aboute þat vgly bodi þat bledde moni on of hym had doute bi þat his resounz were redde for þe hede in his honde he haldez vp euen toward þe derrest on þe dece he dressez þe face and hit lyfte vp þe y 3 e lyddez and loked ful brode and meled þus much with his muthe as 3 e may now here loke gawan þou be grayþe to go as þou hettez and layte as lelly til þou me lude fynde as þou hatz hette in þis halle herande þise kny 3 tes to þe grene chapel þou chose I charge þe to fotte such a dunt as þou hatz dalt disserued þou habbez to be 3 ederly 3 olden on nw 3 eres morn þe kny 3 t of þe grene chapel men knowen me mony forþi me for to fynde if þou fraystez faylez þou neuer þerfore com oþer recreaunt be calde þe behoueus with a runisch rout þe raynez he tornez halled out at þe hal dor his hed in his hande þat þe fyr of þe flynt fla 3 e fro fole houes to quat kyth he becom knwe non þere neuer more þen þay wyste from queþen he watz wonnen what þenne þe kyng and gawen þare at þat grene þay la 3 e and grenne 3 et breued watz hit ful bare a meruayl among þo menne þa 3 arþer þe hende kyng at hert hade wonder he let no semblaunt be sene bot sayde ful hy 3 e to þe comlych quene wyth cortays speche dere dame to day demay yow neuer wel bycommes such craft vpon cristmasse laykyng of enterludez to la 3 e and to syng among þise kynde caroles of kny 3 tez and ladyez neuer þe lece to my mete I may me wel dres for I haf sen a selly I may not forsake he glent vpon sir gawen and gaynly he sayde now sir heng vp þyn ax þat hatz innogh hewen and hit watz don abof þe dece on doser to henge þer alle men for meruayl my 3 t on hit loke and bi trwe tytel þerof to telle þe wonder þenne þay bo 3 ed to a borde þise burnes togeder þe kyng and þe gode kny 3 t and kene men hem serued of alle dayntyez double as derrest my 3 t falle wyth alle maner of mete and mynstralcie boþe wyth wele walt þay þat day til worþed an ende in londe now þenk wel sir gawan for woþe þat þou ne wonde þis auenture for to frayn þat þou hatz tan on honde this hanselle hatz arthur of auenturus on fyrst in 3 onge 3 er for he 3 erned 3 elpyng to here tha 3 hym wordez were wane when þay to sete wenten now ar þay stoken of sturne werk staf ful her hond gawan watz glad to begynne þose gomnez in halle bot þa 3 þe ende be heuy haf 3 e no wonder for þa 3 men ben mery in mynde quen þay han mayn drynk a 3 ere 3 ernes ful 3 erne and 3 eldez neuer lyke þe forme to þe fynisment foldez ful selden forþi þis 3 ol ouer 3 ede and þe 3 ere after and vche sesoun serlepes sued after oþer after crystenmasse com þe crabbed lentoun þat fraystez flesch wyth þe fysche and fode more symple bot þenne þe weder of þe worlde wyth wynter hit þrepez colde clengez adoun cloudez vplyften schyre schedez þe rayn in schowrez ful warme fallez vpon fayre flat flowrez þere schewen boþe groundez and þe greuez grene ar her wedez bryddez busken to bylde and bremlych syngen for solace of þe softe somer þat sues þerafter bi bonk and blossumez bolne to blowe bi rawez rych and ronk þen notez noble inno 3 e ar herde in wod so wlonk after þe sesoun of somer wyth þe soft wyndez quen zeferus syflez hymself on sedez and erbez wela wynne is þe wort þat waxes þeroute when þe donkande dewe dropez of þe leuez to bide a blysful blusch of þe bry 3 t sunne bot þen hy 3 es heruest and hardenes hym sone warnez hym for þe wynter to wax ful rype he dryues wyth dro 3 t þe dust for to ryse fro þe face of þe folde to fly 3 e ful hy 3 e wroþe wynde of þe welkyn wrastelez with þe sunne þe leuez lancen fro þe lynde and ly 3 ten on þe grounde and al grayes þe gres þat grene watz ere þenne al rypez and rotez þat ros vpon fyrst and þus 3 irnez þe 3 ere in 3 isterdayez mony and wynter wyndez a 3 ayn as þe worlde askez no sage til me 3 elmas mone watz cumen wyth wynter wage þen þenkkez gawan ful sone of his anious uyage 3 et quyl alhalday with arþer he lenges and he made a fare on þat fest for þe frekez sake with much reuel and ryche of þe rounde table kny 3 tez ful cortays and comlych ladies al for luf of þat lede in longynge þay were bot neuer þe lece ne þe later þay neuened bot merþe mony ioylez for þat ientyle iapez þer maden for aftter mete with mournyng he melez to his eme and spekez of his passage and pertly he sayde now lege lorde of my lyf leue I yow ask 3 e knowe þe cost of þis cace kepe I no more to telle yow tenez þerof neuer bot trifel bot I am boun to þe bur barely to morne to sech þe gome of þe grene as god wyl me wysse þenne þe best of þe bur 3 bo 3 ed togeder aywan and errik and oþer ful mony sir doddinanal de sauage þe duk of clarence launcelot and lyonel and lucan þe gode sir boos and sir byduer big men boþe and mony oþer menskful with mador de la port alle þis compayny of court com þe kyng nerre for to counseyl þe kny 3 t with care at her hert þere watz much derue doel driuen in þe sale þat so worþe as wawan schulde wende on þat ernde to dry 3 e a delful dynt and dele no more wyth bronde þe kny 3 t mad ay god chere and sayde quat schuld I wonde of destines derf and dere what may mon do bot fonde he dowellez þer al þat day and dressez on þe morn askez erly hys armez and alle were þay bro 3 t fyrst a tule tapit ty 3 t ouer þe flet and miche watz þe gyld gere þat glent þeralofte þe stif mon steppez þeron and þe stel hondelez dubbed in a dublet of a dere tars and syþen a crafty capados closed aloft þat wyth a bry 3 t blaunner was bounden withinne þenne set þay þe sabatounz vpon þe segge fotez his legez lapped in stel with luflych greuez with polaynez piched þerto policed ful clene aboute his knez knaged wyth knotez of golde queme quyssewes þen þat coyntlych closed his thik þrawen þy 3 ez with þwonges to tachched and syþen þe brawden bryne of bry 3 t stel ryngez vmbeweued þat wy 3 vpon wlonk stuffe and wel bornyst brace vpon his boþe armes with gode cowters and gay and glouez of plate and alle þe godlych gere þat hym gayn schulde þat tyde wyth ryche cote armure his gold sporez spend with pryde gurde wyth a bront ful sure with silk sayn vmbe his syde when he watz hasped in armes his harnays watz ryche þe lest lachet ouer loupe lemed of golde so harnayst as he watz he herknez his masse offred and honoured at þe he 3 e auter syþen he comez to þe kyng and to his cort ferez lachez lufly his leue at lordez and ladyez and þay hym kyst and conueyed bikende hym to kryst bi þat watz gryngolet grayth and gurde with a sadel þat glemed ful gayly with mony golde frenges ayquere naylet ful nwe for þat note ryched þe brydel barred aboute with bry 3 t golde bounden þe apparayl of þe payttrure and of þe proude skyrtez þe cropore and þe couertor acorded wyth þe arsounez and al watz rayled on red ryche golde naylez þat al glytered and glent as glem of þe sunne þenne hentes he þe helme and hastily hit kysses þat watz stapled stifly and stoffed wythinne hit watz hy 3 e on his hede hasped bihynde wyth a ly 3 tly vrysoun ouer þe auentayle enbrawden and bounden wyth þe best gemmez on brode sylkyn borde and bryddez on semez as papiayez paynted peruyng bitwene tortors and trulofez entayled so þyk as mony burde þeraboute had ben seuen wynter in toune þe cercle watz more o prys þat vmbeclypped hys croun of diamauntez a deuys þat boþe were bry 3 t and broun then þay schewed hym þe schelde þat was of schyr goulez wyth þe pentangel depaynt of pure golde hwez he braydez hit by þe bauderyk aboute þe hals kestes þat bisemed þe segge semlyly fayre and quy þe pentangel apendez to þat prynce noble I am in tent yow to telle þof tary hyt me schulde hit is a syngne þat salamon set sumquyle in bytoknyng of trawþe bi tytle þat hit habbez for hit is a figure þat haldez fyue poyntez and vche lyne vmbelappez and loukez in oþer and ayquere hit is emdelez and englych hit callen oueral as I here þe endeles knot forþy hit acordez to þis kny 3 t and to his cler armez for ay faythful in fyue and sere fyue syþez gawan watz for gode knawen and as golde pured voyded of vche vylany wyth verertuez ennourned in mote forþy þe pentangel nwe he ber in schelde and cote as tulk of tale most trwe and gentylest kny 3 t of lote fyrst he watz funden fautlez in his fyue wyttez and efte fayled neuer þe freke in his fyue fyngres and alle his afyaunce vpon folde watz in þe fyue woundez þat cryst ka 3 t on þe croys as þe crede tellez and quere soeuer þys mon in melly watz stad his þro þo 3 t watz in þat þur 3 alle oþer þyngez þat alle his forsnes he fong at þe fyue joyez þat þe hende heuen quene had of hir chylde at þis cause þe kny 3 t comlyche hade in þe inore half of his schelde hir ymage depaynted þat quen he blusched þerto his belde neuer payred þe fyft fyue þat I finde þat þe frek vsed watz fraunchyse and fela 3 schyp forbe al þyng his clannes and his cortaysye croked were neuer and pite þat passez alle poyntez þyse pure fyue were harder happed on þat haþel þen on any oþer now alle þese fyue syþez for soþe were fetled on þis kny 3 t and vchone halched in oþer þat non ende hade and fyched vpon fyue poyntez þat fayld neuer ne samned neuer in no syde ne sundred nouþer withouten ende at any noke I quere fynde whereeuer þe gomen bygan or glod to an ende þerfore on his schene schelde schapen watz þe knot ryally wyth red golde vpon rede gowlez þat is þe pure pentaungel wyth þe peple called with lore now grayþed is gawan gay and la 3 t his launce ry 3 t þore and gef hem alle goud day he wende for euermore he sperred þe sted with þe spurez and sprong on his way so stif þat þe stonfyr stroke out þerafter al þat sey þat semly syked in hert and 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 to fynde hys fere vpon folde in fayth is not eþe warloker to haf wro 3 t had more wyt bene and haf dy 3 t 3 onder dere a duk to haue worþed a lowande leder of ledez in londe hym wel semez and so had better haf ben þen britned to no 3 t hadet wyth an aluisch mon for angardez pryde who knew euer any kyng such counsel to take as kny 3 tez in cauelounz on crystmasse gomnez wel much watz þe warme water þat waltered of y 3 en when þat semly syre so 3 t fro þo wonez þad daye he made non abode bot wy 3 tly went hys way mony wylsum way he rode þe bok as I herde say now ridez þis renk þur 3 þe ryalme of logres sir gauan on godez halue þa 3 hym no gomen þo 3 t oft leudlez alone he lengez on ny 3 tez þer he fonde no 3 t hym byfore þe fare þat he lyked hade he no fere bot his fole bi frythez and dounez ne no gome bot god bi gate wyth to karp til þat he ne 3 ed ful noghe into þe norþe walez alle þe iles of anglesay on lyft half he haldez and farez ouer þe fordez by þe forlondez ouer at þe holy hede til he hade eft bonk in þe wyldrenesse of wyrale wonde þer bot lyte þat auþer god oþer gome wyth goud hert louied and ay he frayned as he ferde at frekez þat he met if þay hade herde any karp of a kny 3 t grene in any grounde þeraboute of þe grene clapel and al nykked hym wyth nay þat neuer in her lyue þay se 3 e neuer no segge þat watz of suche hwez of grene þe kny 3 t tok gates straunge in mony a bonk vnbene his cher ful oft con chaunge þat chapel er he my 3 t sene mony klyf he ouerclambe in contrayez straunge fer floten fro his frendez fremedly he rydez at vche warþe oþer water þer þe wy 3 e passed he fonde a foo hym byfore bot ferly hit were and þat so foule and so felle þat fe 3 t hym byhode fo mony meruayl bi mount þer þe mon fyndez hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole sumwhyle wyth wormez he werrez and with wolues als sumwhyle wyth wodwos þat woned in þe knarrez boþe wyth bullez and berez and borez oþerquyle and etaynez þat hym anelede of þe he 3 e felle nade he ben du 3 ty and dry 3 e and dry 3 tyn had serued douteles he hade ben ded and dreped ful ofte for werre wrathed hym not so much þat wynter was wors when þe colde cler water fro þe cloudez schadden and fres er hit falle my 3 t to þe fale erþe ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes mo ny 3 tez þen innoghe in naked rokkez þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne rennez and henged he 3 e ouer his hede in hard ysse ikkles þus in peryl and payne and plytes ful harde bi contray cayrez þis kny 3 t tyl krystmasse euen al one þe kny 3 t wel þat tyde to mary made his mone þat ho hym red to ryde and wysse hym to sum wone bi a mounte on þe morne meryly he rydes into a forest ful dep þat ferly watz wylde hi 3 e hillez on vche a halue and holtwodez vnder of hore okez ful hoge a hundreth togeder þe hasel and þe ha 3 þorne were harled al samen with ro 3 e raged mosse rayled aywhere with mony bryddez vnblyþe vpon bare twyges þat pitosly þer piped for pyne of þe colde þe gome vpon gryngolet glydez hem vnder þur 3 mony misy and myre mon al hym one carande for his costes lest he ne keuer schulde to se þe seruy of þat syre þat on þat self ny 3 t of a burde watz borne oure baret to quelle and þerfore sykyng he sayde I beseche þe lorde and mary þat is myldest moder so dere of sum herber þer he 3 ly I my 3 t here masse ande þy matynez to morne mekely I ask and þerto prestly I pray my pater and aue and crede he rode in his prayere and cryed for his mysdede he sayned hym in syþes sere and sayde cros kryst me spede nade he sayned hymself segge bot þrye er he watz war in þe wod of a won in a mote abof a launde on a lawe loken vnder bo 3 ez of mony borelych bole aboute bi þe diches a castel þe comlokest þat euer kny 3 t a 3 te pyched on a prayere a park al aboute with a pyked palays pynned ful þik þat vmbete 3 e mony tre mo þen two myle þat holde on þat on syde þe haþel auysed as hit schemered and schon þur 3 þe schyre okez þenne hatz he hendly of his helme and he 3 ly he þonkez jesus and say gilyan þat gentyle ar boþe þat cortaysly hade hym kydde and his cry herkened now bone hostel coþe þe burne I beseche yow 3 ette þenne gederez he to gryngolet with þe gilt helez and he ful chauncely hatz chosen to þe chef gate þat bro 3 t bremly þe burne to þe bryge ende in haste þe bryge watz breme vpbrayde þe 3 atez wer stoken faste þe wallez were wel arayed hit dut no wyndez blaste þe burne bode on bonk þat on blonk houed of þe depe double dich þat drof to þe place þe walle wod in þe water wonderly depe ande eft a ful huge he 3 t hit haled vpon lofte of harde hewen ston vp to þe tablez enbaned vnder þe abataylment in þe best lawe and syþen garytez ful gaye gered bitwene wyth mony luflych loupe þat louked ful clene a better barbican þat burne blusched vpon neuer and innermore he behelde þat halle ful hy 3 e towre telded bytwene trochet ful þik fayre fylyolez þat fy 3 ed and ferlyly long with coroun coprounes craftyly sle 3 e chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he inno 3 e vpon bastel rouez þat blenked ful quyte so mony pynakle payntet watz poudred ayquere among þe castel carnelez clambred so þik þat pared out of papure purely hit semed þe fre freke on þe fole hit fayr innghe þo 3 t if he my 3 t keuer to com þe cloyster wythinne to herber in þat hostel whyl halyday lested auinant he calde and sone þer com a porter pure plesaunt on þe wal his ernd he nome and haylsed þe kny 3 t erraunt gode sir quoþ gawan woldez þou go myn ernde to þe he 3 lorde of þis hous herber to craue 3 e peter quoþ þe porter and purely I trowoe þat 3 e be wy 3 e welcum to won quyle yow lykez þen 3 ede þe wy 3 e a 3 ayn swyþe and folke frely hym wyth to fonge þe kny 3 t þay let doun þe grete dra 3 t and derely out 3 eden and kneled doun on her knes vpon þe colde erþe to welcum þis ilk wy 3 as worþy hom þo 3 t þay 3 olden hym þe brode 3 ate 3 arked vp wyde and he hem raysed rekenly and rod ouer þe brygge sere seggez hym sesed by sadel quel he ly 3 t and syþen stabeled his stede stif men inno 3 e kny 3 tez and swyerez comen doun þenne for to bryng þis buurne wyth blys into halle quen he hef vp his helme þer hi 3 ed innoghe for to hent hit at his honde þe hende to seruen his bronde and his blasoun boþe þay token þen haylsed he ful hendly þo haþelez vchone and mony proud mon þer presed þat prynce to honour alle hasped in his he 3 wede to halle þay hym wonnen þer fayre fyre vpon flet fersly brenned þenne þe lorde of þe lede loutez fro his chambre for to mete wyth menske þe mon on þe flor he sayde 3 e are welcum to welde as yow lykez þat here is al is yowre awen to haue at yowre wylle and welde graunt mercy quoþ gawayn þer kryst hit yow for 3 elde as frekez þat semed fayn ayþer oþer in armez con felde gawayn gly 3 t on þe gome þat godly hym gret and þu 3 t hit a bolde burne þat þe bur 3 a 3 te a hoge haþel for þe nonez and of hyghe eldee brode bry 3 t watz his berde and al beuer hwed sturne stif on þe stryþþe on stalworth schonkez felle face as þe fyre and fre of hys speche and wel hym semed for soþe as þe segge þu 3 t to lede a lortschyp in lee of leudez ful gode þe lorde hym charred to a chambre and clesly cumaundez to delyuer hym a leude hym lo 3 ly to serue and þere were boun at his bode burnez inno 3 e þat bro 3 t hym to a bry 3 t boure þer beddyng watz noble of cortynes of clene sylk wyth cler golde hemmez and couertorez ful curious with comlych panez of bry 3 t blaunmer aboue enbrawded bisydez rudelez rennande on ropez red golde ryngez tapitez ty 3 t to þe wo 3 e of tuly and tars and vnder fete on þe flet of fol 3 ande sute þer he watz dispoyled wyth spechez of myerþe þe burn of his bruny and of his bry 3 t wedez ryche robes ful rad renkkez hem bro 3 ten for to charge and to chaunge and chose of þe best sone as he on hent and happed þerinne þat sete on hyn semly wyth saylande skyrtez þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed welne 3 to vche haþel alle on hwes lowande and lufly alle his lymmez vnder þat a comloker kny 3 t neuer kryst made hem þo 3 t wheþen in worlde he were hit semed as he my 3 t be prynce withouten pere in felde þer felle men fy 3 t a cheyer byfore þe chemne þer charcole brenned watz grayþed for sir gawan grayþely with cloþez whyssynes vpon queldepoyntes þa koynt wer boþe and þenne a mere mantyle watz on þat mon cast of a broun bleeaunt enbrauded ful ryche and fayre furred wythinne with fellez of þe best alle of ermyn in erde his hode of þe same and he sete in þat settel semlych ryche and achaufed hym cefly and þenne his cher mended sone watz telded vp a tapit on trestez ful fayre clad wyth a clene cloþe þat cler quyt schewed sanap and salure and syluerin sponez þe wy 3 e wesche at his wylle and went to his mete seggez hym serued semly inno 3 e wyth sere sewes and sete sesounde of þe best double felde as hit fallez and fele kyn fischez summe baken in bred summe brad on þe gledez summe soþen summe in sewe sauered with spyces and ay sawes so sle 3 ez þat þe segge lyked þe freke calde hit a fest ful frely and ofte ful hendely quen alle þe haþeles rehayted hym at onez as hende þis penaunce now 3 e take and eft hit schal amende þat mon much merþe con make for wyn in his hed þat wende þenne watz spyed and spured vpon spare wyse bi preue poyntez of þat prynce put to hymseluen þat he beknew cortaysly of þe court þat he were þat aþel arþure þe hende haldez hym one þat is þe ryche ryal kyng of þe rounde table and hit watz Wawen hymself þat in þat won syttez comen to þat krystmasse as case hym þen lymped when þe lorde hade lerned þat he þe leude hade loude la 3 ed he þerat so lef hit hym þo 3 t and alle þe men in þat mote maden much joye to apere in his presense prestly þat tyme þat alle prys and prowes and pured þewes apendes to hys persoun and praysed is euer byfore alle men vpon molde his mensk is þe most vch segge ful softly sayde to his fere now schal we semlych se sle 3 tez of þewez and þe teccheles termes of talkyng noble wich spede is in speche vnspurd may we lerne syn we haf fonged þat fyne fader of nurture god hatz geuen vus his grace godly for soþe þat such a gest as gawan grauntez vus to haue when burnez blyþe of his burþe schal sitte and synge in menyng of manerez mere þis burne now schal vus bryng I hope þat may hym here schal lerne of luf talkyng bi þat þe diner watz done and þe dere vp hit watz ne 3 at þe niy 3 t ne 3 ed þe tyme claplaynez to þe chapeles chosen þe gate rungen ful rychely ry 3 t as þay schulden to þe hersum euensong of þe hy 3 e tyde þe lorde loutes þerto and þe lady als into a comly closet coyntly ho entrez gawan glydez ful gay and gos þeder sone þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe and ledez hym to sytte and couþly hym knowez and callez hym his nome and sayde he watz þe welcomest wy 3 e of þe worlde and he hym þonkked þroly and ayþer halched oþer and seten soberly samen þe seruise quyle þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe kny 3 t þenne com ho of hir closet with mony cler burdez ho watz þe fayrest in felle of flesche and of lyre and of compas and colour and costes of alle oþer and wener þen wenore as þe wy 3 e þo 3 t he ches þur 3 þe chaunsel to cheryche þat hende an oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde þat watz alder þen ho an auncian hit semed and he 3 ly honowred with haþelez aboute bot vnlyke on to loke þo ladyes were for if þe 3 onge watz 3 ep 3 ol 3 e watz þat oþer riche red on þat on rayled ayquere rugh ronkled chekez þat oþer on rolled kerchofes of þat on wyth mony cler perlez hir brest and hir bry 3 t þrote bare displayed schon schyrer þen snawe þat scheder on hillez þat oþer wyth a gorger watz gered ouer þe swyre chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk quyte vayles hir frount folden in sylk enfoubled ayquere toret and treleted with tryflez aboute þat no 3 t watz bare of þat burde bot þe blake bro 3 es þe tweyne y 3 en and þe nase þe naked lyppez and þose were soure to se and sellyly blered a mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle for gode hir body watz schort and þik hir buttokez bay and brode more lykkerwys on to lyk watz þat scho hade on lode when gawayn gly 3 t on þat gay þat graciously loked wyth leue la 3 t of þe lorde he went hem a 3 aynes þe alder he haylses heldande ful lowe þe loueloker he lappez a lyttel in armez he kysses hir comlyly and kny 3 tly he melez þay kallen hym of aquoyntaunce and he hit quyk askez to be her seruant sothly if hemself lyked þay tan hym bytwene hem wyth talkyng hym leden to chambre to chemne and chefly þay asken spycez þat vnsparely men speded hom to bryng and þe wynnelych wyne þerwith vche tyme þe lorde luflych aloft lepez ful ofte mynned merthe to be made vpon mony syþez hent he 3 ly of his hode and on a spere henged and wayned hom to wynne þe worchip þerof þat most myrþe my 3 t meue þat crystenmas whyle and I schal fonde bi my fayth to fylter wyth þe best er me wont þe wedez with help of my frendez þus wyth la 3 ande lotez þe lorde hit tayt makez for to glade sir gawayn with gomnez in halle þat ny 3 t til þat hit watz tyme þe kyng comaundet ly 3 t sir gawen his leue con nyme and to his bed hym di 3 t on þe morne as vch mon mynez þat tyme þat dry 3 tyn for oure destyne to de 3 e watz borne wele waxez in vche a won in worlde for his sake so did hit þere on þat day þur 3 dayntes mony boþe at mes and at mele messes ful quaynt derf men vpon dece drest of þe best þe olde auncian wyf he 3 est ho syttez þe lorde lufly her by lent as I trowe gawan and þe gay burde togeder þay seten euen inmyddez as þe messe metely come and syþen þur 3 al þe sale as hem best semed bi vche grome at his degre grayþely watz serued þer watz mete þer watz myrþe þer watz much ioye þat for to telle þerof hit me tene were and to poynte hit 3 et I pyned me parauenture bot 3 et I wot þat wawen and þe wale burde such comfort of her compaynye ca 3 ten togeder þur 3 her dere dalyaunce of her derne wordez wyth clene cortays carp closed fro fylþe and hor play watz passande vche prynce gomen in vayres trumpez and nakerys much pypyng þer repayres vche mon tented hys and þay two tented þayres much dut watz þer dryuen þat day and þat oþer and þe þryd as þro þronge in þerafter þe ioye of sayn jonez day watz gentyle to here and watz þe last of þe layk leudez þer þo 3 ten þer wer gestes to go vpon þe gray morne forþy wonderly þay woke and þe wyn dronken daunsed ful dre 3 ly wyth dere carolez at þe last when hit watz late þay lachen her leue vchon to wende on his way þat watz wy 3 e stronge gawan gef hym god day þe godmon hym lachchez ledes hym to his awen chambre þe hymne bysyde and þere he dra 3 ez hym on dry 3 e and derely hym þonkkez of þe wynne worschip and he hym wayued hade as to honour his hous on þat hy 3 e tyde and enbelyse his bur 3 with his bele chere iwysse sir quyl I leue me worþez þe better þat gawayn hatz ben my gest at goddez awen fest grant nerci sir quoþ gawayn in god fayth hit is yowrez al þe honour is your awen þe he 3 e kyng yow 3 elde and I am wy 3 e at your wylle to worch youre hest as I am halden þerto in hy 3 e and in lo 3 e bi ri 3 t þe lorde fast can hym payne to holde lenger þe kny 3 t to hym answrez gawayn bi non way þat he my 3 t then frayned þe freke ful fayre at himseluen quat derue dede had hym dryuen at þat dere tyme so kenly fro þe kyngez kourt to kayre al his one er þe halidayez holly were halet out of toun for soþe sir quoþ þe segge 3 e sayn bot þe trawþe a he 3 e ernde and a hasty me hade fro þo wonez for I am sumned myselfe to sech to a place I wot in worlde whederwarde to wende hit to fynde I nolde bot if I hit negh my 3 t on nw 3 eres morne for alle þe londe inwyth logres so me oure lorde help forþy sir þis enquest I require yow here þat 3 e me telle with trawþe if euer 3 e tale herde of þe grene chapel quere hit on grounde stondez and of þe kny 3 t þat hit kepes of colour of grene þer watz stabled bi statut a steuen vus bytwene to mete þat mon at þat mere 3 if I my 3 t last and of þat ilk nw 3 ere bot neked now wontez and I wolde loke on þat lede if god me let wolde gladloker bi goddez sun þen any god welde forþi iwysse bi 3 owre wylle wende me bihoues naf I now to busy bot bare þre dayez and me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde þenne la 3 ande quoþ þe lorde now leng þe byhoues for I schal teche yow to þa terme bi þe tymez ende þe grene chapayle vpon grounde greue yow no more bot 3 e schal be in yowre bed burne at þyn ese quyle forth dayez and ferk on þe fyrst of þe 3 ere and cum to þat merk at mydmorn to make quat yow likez in spenne dowellez whyle new 3 eres daye and rys and raykez þenne mon schal yow sette in waye hit is not two myle henne þenne watz gawan ful glad and gomenly he la 3 ed now I þonk yow þryuandely þur 3 alle oþer þynge now acheued is my chaunce I schal at your wylle dowelle and ellez do quat 3 e demen þenne sesed hym þe syre and set hym bysyde let þe ladiez be fette to lyke hem þe better þer watz seme solace by hemself stille þe lorde let for luf lotez so myry as wy 3 þat wolde of his wyte ne wyst quat he my 3 t þenne he carped to þe kny 3 t criande loude 3 e han demed to do þe dede þat I bidde wyl 3 e halde þis hes here at þys onez 3 e sir for soþe sayd þe segge trwe whyl I byde in 3 owre bor 3 e be bayn to 3 owe hest for 3 e haf trauayled quoþ þe tulk towen fro ferre and syþen waked me wyth 3 e arn not wel waryst nauþer of sostnaunce ne of slepe soþly I knowe 3 e schal lenge in your lofte and ly 3 e in your ese to morn quyle þe messequyle and to mete wende when 3 e wyl wyth my wyf þat wyth yow schal sitte and comfort yow with compayny til I to cort torne 3 e lende and I schal erly ryse on huntyng wyl I wende gauayn grantez alle þyse hym heldande as þe hende 3 et firre quoþ þe freke a forwarde we make quat soeuer I wynne in þe wod hit worþez to yourez and quat chek so 3 e acheue chaunge me þerforne swete swap we so sware with trawþe queþer leude so lymp lere oþer better bi god quoþ gawayn þe gode I grant þertylle and þat yow lyst for to layke lef hit me þynkes who bryngez vus þis beuerage þis bargayn is maked so sayde þe lorde of þat lede þay la 3 ed vchone þay dronken and daylyeden and dalten vnty 3 tel þise lordez and ladyez quyle þat hem lyked and syþen with frenkysch fare and fele fayre lotez þay stoden and stemed and stylly speken kysten ful comlyly and ka 3 ten her leue with mony leude ful ly 3 t and lemande torches vche burne to his bed watz bro 3 t at þe laste ful softe to bed 3 et er þay 3 ede recorded couenauntez ofte þe olde lorde of þat leude cowþe wel halde layk alofte ful erly bifore þe day þe folk vprysen gestes þat go wolde hor gromez þay calden and þay busken vp bilyue blonkkez to sadel tyffen he takles trussen her males richen hem þe rychest to ryde alle arayde lepen vp ly 3 tly lachen her brydeles vche wy 3 e on his way þer hym wel lyked þe leue lorde of þe londe watz not þe last arayed for þe rydyng with renkkez ful mony ete a sop hastyly when he hade herde masse with bugle to bent felde he buskez bylyue by þat þat any dayly 3 t lemed vpon erþe he with his haþeles on hy 3 e horsses weren þenne þise cacheres þat couþe cowpled hor houndez vnclosed þe kenel dore and calde hem þeroute blwe bygly in buglez þre bare mote braches bayed þerfore and breme noyse maked and þay chastysed and charred on chasyng þat went a hundreth of hunteres as I haf herde telle of þe best to trystors vewters 3 od couples huntes of kest þer ros for blastez gode gret rurd in þat forest at þe fyrst quethe of þe quest quaked þe wylde der drof in þe dale doted for drede hi 3 ed to þe hy 3 e bot heterly þay were restayed with þe stablye þat stoutly ascryed þay let þe herttez haf þe gate with þe hy 3 e hedes þe breme bukkez also with hor brode paumez for þe fre lorde hade defende in fermysoun tyme þat þer schulde no mon meue to þe male dere þe hindez were halden in with hay and war þe does dryuen with gret dyn to þe depe sladez þer my 3 t mon se as þay slypte slentyng of arwes at vche wende vnder wande wapped a flone þat bigly bote on þe broun with ful brode hedez what þay brayen and bleden bi bonkkez þay de 3 en and ay rachches in a res radly hem fol 3 es hunterez wyth hy 3 e horne hasted hem after wyth such a crakkande kry as klyffes haden brusten what wylde so atwaped wy 3 es þat schotten watz al toraced and rent at þe resayt bi þay were tened at þe hy 3 e and taysed to þe wattrez þe ledez were so lerned at þe lo 3 e trysteres and þe grehoundez so grete þat geten hem bylyue and hem tofylched as fast as frekez my 3 t loke þer ry 3 t þe lorde for blys abloy ful oft con launce and ly 3 t and drof þat day wyth joy thus to þe derk ny 3 t þus laykez þis lorde by lynde wodez euez and gawayn þe god mon in gay bed lygez lurkkez quyl þe dayly 3 t lemed on þe wowes vnder couertour ful clere cortyned aboute and as in slomeryng he slode sle 3 ly he herde a littel dyn at his dor and derfly vpon and he heuez vp his hed out of þe cloþes [fol. 107r] a corner of þe cortyn he ca 3 t vp a lyttel and waytez warly þiderwarde quat hit be my 3 t hit watz þe ladi loflyest to beholde þat dro 3 þe dor after hir ful dernly and stylle and bo 3 ed towarde &t

Reptilian green the wrinkled throat, Green as a bough of yew the beard; He bent his head, and so I smote; Then for a thought my vision cleared. The head dropped clean; he rose and walked; He fixed his fingers in the hair; The head was unabashed and talked; I understood what I must dare. His flesh, cut down, arose and grew. He bade me wait the season’s round, And then, when he had strength anew, To meet him on his native ground. The year declined; and in his keep I passed in joy a thriving yule; And whether waking or in sleep, I lived in riot like a fool. He beat the woods to bring me meat. His lady, like a forest vine, Grew in my arms; the growth was sweet; And yet what thoughtless force was mine! By practice and conviction formed, With ancient stubbornness ingrained, Although her body clung and swarmed, My own identity remained. Her beauty, lithe, unholy, pure, Took shapes that I had never known; And had I once been insecure, Had grafted laurel in my bone. And then, since I had kept the trust, Had loved the lady, yet was true, The knight withheld his giant thrust And let me go with what I knew. I left the green bark and the shade, Where growth was rapid, thick, and still; I found a road that men had made And rested on a drying hill.

(after Saba) Anyone watching you in the water would think: ‘A siren!’ Winner in the women’s swimming event, you seem strange on the screen of my inglorious life. While you smile in triumph I tie a thread, a thin unbreakable thing, to your toe but you stride past without noticing me. Your friends, young like yourself, crowd round and make a noise in the bar; and then just for a moment cloud-shadow, a grave motherly shadow shivers down from your eyebrows to the proud, beautiful chin and joins your rising to my own setting sun.