Full kindly did she speak
And with dainty lips laughèd.
XLIX
“Good morrow. Sir Gawain,” said the gay lady,
“Ye are a sleeper unsly to be so outwitted;
This time are ye ta’en! Fail a truce between us,
I shall bind yoii in your bed, be ye well sure.”
With laughter the lady launcèd110 her jest.
“Good morrow, my gay,” said Gawain full blithe,
“Ye may work on me your will, it likes me full well,
I surrender me readily, and cry you for ruth;
Meseems ’tis best só, when so me behoves
(Thus he jested in turn and jollily laugh’d).
But please, lovely lady, your leave I would ask,
Your prisoner release, and pray him to rise,
I would boun from my bed and busk me the better—
The more ease should I have, to hold with you converse.”
“Nay for sooth, fair sir,” said that sweet in reply,
“Ye shall not boun from your bed, I offer you better,
I shall hap111 you here on the other side too
And have converse with my captive, now I have caught him;
For I ween full well, ye’re the wight112 Sir Gawain,
That the world all worships, whéreso ye ride;
Your kindness, your courtesy, are knightliest held
Among lords and ladies, and all that life have.
Now I wis ye are with me, and we are alone;
My lord and his lieges a long way are ridden,
Other folks are abed, and my burds are in bower,
And drawn is the door, and dight with a pin;
And since I have in this house the athel belovèd
I shall ware my time well, the while it may last,
with skill.
Ye are welcome to my corse,
Your pleasure to fulfil.
Now must I by mere force
Your servant be, and will.”
L
“In good faith,” quoth Gawain, “gain I must hold it,
Though I be nów no more the Knight that ye name;
To reach to the reverence ye read to me here
I am a wight unworthy, I wot well in my heart.
But by God I were glad, an you good thought it,
If by service or speech I might something do
Your worship to please: ’twere a púre joy tó me.”
“In good faith. Sir Gawain,” said the gay lady,
“The prowess of price that pleases all others
To hold light or belittle, ’twere less than courteous;
There are ladies enow that had liefer today
Have you in their hold, as I have you here,
Dear dalliance to deal with your dainty speeches,
Some solace to seek and assuage their cares,
Than much of the gersom113 and gold that they have
But the High Lord I praise that the heaven upholds,
I have wholly in my hand what áll they desire,
by His grace.”
She made him ay great cheer,
Lady so fair of face;
The Knight with speech sincere
Answer’d her every case.
LI
“Madam,” said the merry man, “Mary reward you,
For I have found, in good faith, your fraunchise is noble;
Others by hearsay hold their opinions,
And the honour they mete is more than my merit,
But ’tis kindness in you, that of courtesy comes.”
“By our Lady,” she answer’d, “but I hold it other:
For were I more worth than all women alive
And all the wealth in the world I might wield at my will
And chaffer and choose to achieve me a lord,
Yet for nobleness, Sir Knight, that I have known in you here,
Your beauty and bounty, and your blithe demeanour,
And for all I e’er heard (and I hold it but true),
Should no free114 upon fold before you be chosen.”
“I wis,” said the wight, “ye have won you a better,
But I am proud of the price that upon me ye set;
I am soothly your servant, my sovrain I deem you,
And your knight I’ll become: and may Christ you reward.”
Much did they moot115 of till midmorn was past,
And áy the lády made líke as she lov’d him too well,
But he fared with defence, as faithful man should.
“Though I were fairest of the fair,” in fear did she ponder,
“The less might his love be”—for the loss that he bode
that day,
The dint that should him deave,
That he might shun no way.
The lady spoke of leave,
And he granted her straightway.
LII
So she gave him “Good-day,” and with a glance she laugh’d,
Then stonied him, as she stood, with stoor116 words enow:
“He that speeds each speech this dispórt117 repay you!
But in mind I debate if ye bé Sir Gawain.”
“Why so?” the wight said, and in sadness he ask’d,
For he fear’d he had fail’d in form of his speech:
But the burd him bless’d and broke forth anon:
“So goodly a groom as Gawain is holden,
Counted for courteous o’er all other knights,
Could not lightly so long with a lady have stay’d
Without craving a kiss, for his courtesy’s sake,
By some trifling touch, as he talk’d to an end.”
Then said Gawain “I grant you, since good it you seems;
I shall kiss at your command, ’tis a Knight’s duty—
Nor would I displease you; so plead it no more.”
Then comes she a-nigh, and catches him in arms,
Bends courteously down and her knight kisses.
Comelily to Christ beken they each other;
She departs by the door without more ado,
And he bouns him from bed and busks him anon,
Calls to his chamberlain, chooses his raiment,
And goes, when he’s graith, gaily to mass.
Then he moved to his meat for a menseful118 hour,
And made merry all day till the moon was up,
well fain.
Fair welcome did he find
Between those ladies twain;
Right gaily did they mind
Their guest to entertain.
LIII
And ay the lord of the land is laiking afield,
Hunting the hinds by holt and by heath:
Such a sum had he slain, when the sun slanted,
Of does and other deer, to deem of were wonder.
Then they flock’d in full fain, the folk at the last,
And quickly of the kill a quarry119 they made.
Those of rank were ready, and right as they should
Gather’d the greatest of grease that were there,
And had them deftly undone, all duly by law;
Sóme
