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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lancelot of the Laik, by Walter William Skeat

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Title: Lancelot of the Laik
       A Scottish Metrical Romance

Editor: Walter William Skeat

Release Date: July 25, 2011 [EBook #36848]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

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[Transcriber's Note:

This text is intended for users whose text readers cannot use the "real"
(Unicode/UTF-8) version of the file. Characters that could not be fully
displayed have been "unpacked" and shown in brackets:

  [s]       (long "s")
  [Gh] [gh] (yogh)
  [-m]      (m with over-line; the equivalent "n" form is shown as
              ñ with tilde for better font support)
  [´æ]      (æ with accent, only in the Glossary)

There are also a few letters with macron ("long" mark), shown as [-a],
[-e] and similar.

Unlike most EETS productions, this book was printed with long "s", here
shown as [s]. The editor's Introduction says:

  We find, in the MS., both the long and the twisted _s_ ([s] and s).
  These have been noted down as they occur, though I do not observe
  any law for their use. The letter "ß" has been adopted as closely
  resembling a symbol in the MS., which apparently has the force of
  double _s_, and is not unlike the "_sz_" used in modern German
  hand-writing.

An italic form of þ (thorn) was apparently not available to the printer.
In the modern parts of this e-text, the letter has been italicized when
context seems to warrant it. In the poem, all italics--representing
expanded contractions or abbreviations--are shown with {braces} as
"se{n}t" or "{and}". Other italics are shown conventionally with
_lines_. To reduce visual clutter, italics in folio numbers ("1 _b_")
are unmarked. The change in labeling from "21, 21b" to "22a, 22b"
appears to be accidental.

Large initial letters in the primary texts are marked with leading
double ++ as "++Messire", "++Maist{er}". The random variation between
capital and lower-case letters after an initial is as in the original.
Superscripts are shown with ^ alone. Unless otherwise noted, the
superscripting continues to the end of the word.

In the Glossary, [gh] (yogh) is alphabetized as z.

In the printed book, some line numbers were moved or omitted for reasons
of space; they have been silently regularized. Sidenotes giving folio
numbers are shown as printed. Other sidenotes have been moved to the
nearest convenient sentence break or major punctuation. Where practical,
footnotes are grouped together, preferably before headnotes, stanza
breaks (random) or decorative capitals. Headnotes have been moved to
agree with the text, and will generally not coincide with printed page
breaks.

Except for footnotes and similar, and the letterforms listed above, all
brackets [] are in the original. Bracketed [s] (long "s") or [gh] (yogh)
do not occur. Conversely, except for the indented stanzas at ll.
699-719, all blank lines within the poem were added by the transcriber.]




  The Romans
  of
  Lancelot of the Laik.




  Dublin:       William Mcgee, 18, Nassau Street.
  Edinburgh:    T. G. Stevenson, 22, South Frederick Street.
  Glasgow:      Ogle & Co., 1, Royal Exchange Square.
  Berlin:       Asher & Co., Unter Den Linden, 11.
  Boston, U.S.: Dutton & Co.
  New York:     C. Scribner & Co.; Leypoldt & Holt.
  Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.




  LANCELOT OF THE LAIK:

  A Scottish Metrical Romance,
  (About 1490-1500 A.D.)

  re-edited
  From a Manuscript in the Cambridge University Library,

  with an
  Introduction, Notes, and Glossarial Index,

  by
  THE REV. W. W. SKEAT, M.A.,

  Late Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge;
  and Translator of the Songs and Ballads of Uhland.


  [Second and Revised Edition, 1870.]


  LONDON:
  Published for the Early English Text Society,
  By N. Trübner & Co., 60, Paternoster Row.
  MDCCCLXV.




  6
  John Childs and Son, Printers.




PREFACE.


I.--DESCRIPTION OF THE MS., ETC.

A former edition of the present poem was printed for the Maitland Club,
in 1839, and edited by Joseph Stevenson, Esq. It has saved me all
trouble of transcription, but by no means, I am sorry to say, that of
correction. Those who possess the older edition will readily perceive
that it differs from the present one very frequently indeed, and that
the variations are often such as considerably to affect the sense. Many
of the errors in it (such as _casualtyee_ for _casualytee_, _grone_, for
_gone_, _reprent_ for _repent_) are clearly typographical, but there are
others which would incline me to believe that the transcription was too
hastily executed; several passages being quite meaningless. Near the
conclusion of Mr Stevenson's preface we read: "The pieces which have
been selected for the present volume[P1] are printed with such errors of
transcription as have crept into them by the carelessness of the
scribe;" a statement which certainly implies that there was no intention
on his part of departing from the original. Yet that he sometimes
unconsciously did so to such an extent as considerably to alter (or
destroy) the sense, the reader may readily judge from a few examples:--

    [Footnote P1: The volume contains other poems besides "Sir
    Lancelot."]

  LINE.   EDITION OF 1839.      TRUE READING OF THE MS.

  26.     fatil (_fatal_),      fatit (_fated_).
  285.    unarmyt (_unarmed_),  enarmyt (_fully armed_).
  682.    can here,             cam nere.
  700.    rendit (_rent_),      vondit (_wounded_).
  764.    refuse (_refusal?_),  reprefe (_defeat_).
  861.    felith (_feeleth_),   [s]etith (_setteth_).
  1054.   vyt,                  ry{ch}t.
  1084.   speiris,              spuris.
  1455.   cumyng (_coming_),    cunyng (_skill_).
  1621.   he war,               be war (_beware_).
  1641.   promyß,               punyß (_punish_).
  2010.   ane desyne,           medysyne.
  2092.   born,                 lorn (_lost_).
  2114.   havin,                harm.
  2142.   Hymene (!),           hyme (_him_).
  2219.   such,                 furth (_forth_).
  2245.   al so y-vroght,       al foly vroght.
  2279.   chichingis (!),       thithingis (_tidings_).
  2446.   love,                 lore (_teaching_). Etc.

Several omissions also occur, as, _e.g._, of the word "off" in l. 7, of
the word "tressore" in l. 1715, and of four whole lines at a time in two
instances; viz., lines 1191-4, and 2877-80. It will be found, in fact,
that the former text can seldom be safely quoted for the purposes of
philology; and I cannot but think Mr Stevenson's claim of being accurate
to be especially unfortunate; and the more so, because the genuine text
is much simpler and more intelligible than the one which he has given.

The original MS. is to be found in the Cambridge University Library,
marked Kk. 1. 5. It formerly formed part of a thick volume, labelled
"Tracts;" but these are now being separated, for greater convenience,
into several volumes. The MS. of "Lancelot" has little to do with any of
the rest as regards its subject, but several other pieces are in the
same hand-writing; and, at the end of one of them, an abstract of
Solomon's proverbs, occur the words, "Expliciunt Dicta Salamonis, per
manum V. de F."[P2] This hand-writing, though close, is very regular,
and my own impression certainly is that the scribe has almost always
succeeded in preserving the sense of the poem, though there is much
confusion in the dialectal forms, as will be shewn presently.

    [Footnote P2: See Mr Lumby's editions of "Early Scottish Verse"
    and "Ratis Raving," both edited for the E.E.T.S. from this MS.
    Only the latter of these is in the hand-writing of V. de F.]

The present text is as close a fac-simile of the MS. as can be
represented by printed letters, every peculiarity being preserved as far
as practicable, even including the use of _y_ for _þ_ (or _th_); so that
the reader must remember that _yow_ in l. 94 stands for _thow_, and
_yis_ in l. 160 for _this_, and so on; but this ought not to cause much
difficulty. The sole points of difference are the following:

1. In the MS. the headings "Prologue," "Book I." etc., do not occur.

2. The lines do not always begin (in the MS.) with a capital letter.

3. The letters _italicized_ are (in the MS.) represented by signs of
contraction. One source of difficulty is the flourish over a word, used
_sometimes_ as a contraction for _m_ or _n_. I have expanded this
flourish as an _m_ or _n_ wherever such letter is manifestly required;
but it also occurs where it is best to attach to it no value. In such
instances, the flourish occurs most frequently over the last word in a
line, and (except very rarely) only over words which have an _m_ or _n_
in them. It would thus seem that their presence is due to the fact of
the scribe wanting employment for his pen after the line had been
written, and that the flourish therefore appears over certain words, not
so much because the _n_ is _wanting_ in them, as because it is _there
already_. Such words have a special attraction for the wandering pen.
Still, in order that the reader may know wherever such flourishes occur,
they have all been noted down; thus, in l. 46, the stroke over the _n_
in "greñ" means that a long flourish occurs drawn over the whole word,
and the reader who wishes to expand this word into "gren{e}" or
"gren{n}" may easily do it for himself, though he should observe that
the most usual form of the word is simply "gren," as in lines 1000,
1305.

In a few nouns ending in _-l_, the plural is indicated by a stroke drawn
through the doubled letter; as in _perillis_, _sadillis_, etc.; and even
the word _ellis_ (else) is thus abbreviated.

4. I am responsible for all hyphens, and letters and words between
square brackets; thus, "with-outen" is in the MS. "with outen;" and
"knych[t]ly" is written "knychly." Whenever a line begins with a capital
letter included between two brackets, the original has a blank space
left, evidently intended for an illuminated letter. Wherever illuminated
letters actually occur in the MS., they are denoted in this edition by
large capitals.

5. We find, in the MS., both the long and the twisted _s_ ([s] and s).
These have been noted down as they occur, though I do not observe any
law for their use. The letter "ß" has been adopted as closely resembling
a symbol in the MS., which apparently has the force of double _s_, and
is not unlike the "_sz_" used in modern German hand-writing. It may be
conveniently denoted by _ss_ when the type "ß" is not to be had, and is
sometimes so represented in the "Notes."

6. The MS. is, of course, not punctuated. The punctuation in the present
edition is mostly new; and many passages, which in the former edition
were meaningless, have thus been rendered easily intelligible. I am also
responsible for the headings of the pages, the abstract at the sides of
them, the numbering of the folios in the margin, the notes, and the
glossary; which I hope may be found useful. The greatest care has been
taken to make the text accurate, the proof-sheets having been compared
with the MS. _three times_ throughout.[P3]

    [Footnote P3: This refers to the edition printed in 1865. In
    executing the present reprint, the proof-sheets have been once
    more compared with the MS., and a very few insignificant errors
    have been thus detected and rectified.]


II.--DESCRIPTION OF THE POEM.

The poem itself is a loose paraphrase of not quite fourteen folios of
the first of the three volumes of the French Romance of Lancelot du Lac,
if we refer to it as reprinted at Paris in 1513, in three volumes, thin
folio, double-columned.[P4] The English poet has set aside the French
Prologue, and written a new one of his own, and has afterwards
translated and amplified that portion of the Romance which narrates the
invasion of Arthur's territory by "le roy de oultre les marches, nomme
galehault" (in the English _Galiot_), and the defeat of the said king by
Arthur and his allies.

    [Footnote P4: "As to the Romance of Sir Lancelot, our author
    [Gower], among others on the subject, refers to a volume of which
    he was the hero; perhaps that of Robert de Borron, altered soon
    afterwards by Godefroy de Leigny, under the title of _Le Roman de
    la Charrette_, and printed, with additions, at Paris by Antony
    Verard, in the year 1494.

  For if thou wilt the bokes rede
  Of Launcelot and other mo,
  Then might thou seen how it was tho
  Of armes," etc. (GOWER: _Confessio Amantis_, Book iv.)

_Quoted from_ Warton's English Poetry, vol. ii., p. 234, _ed._ 1840.
I quote this as bearing somewhat on the subject, though it should be
observed that _Le Roman de la Charrette_ is not the same with _Lancelot
du Lac_, but only a romance of the same class. Chaucer also refers to
Lancelot in his Nonnes Prestes Tale, l. 392; and it is mentioned in the
famous lines of Dante (_Inf._ v. 127)--

  "Noi leggevamo un giorno per diletto
  Di Lancilotto, come amor lo strinse," &c.]

The Prologue (lines 1-334) tells how the author undertook to write a
romance to please his lady-love; and how, after deciding to take as his
subject the story of Lancelot as told in the French Romance, yet finding
himself unequal to a close translation of the whole of it, he determined
to give a paraphrase of a portion of it only. After giving us a brief
summary of the earlier part by the simple process of telling us what he
will _not_ relate, he proposes to begin the story at the point where
Lancelot has been made prisoner by the lady of Melyhalt, and to take as
his subject the wars between Arthur and Galiot, and the distinction
which Lancelot won in them; and afterwards to tell how Lancelot made
peace between these two kings, and was consequently rewarded by Venus,
who

  "makith hyme his ladice grace to have" (l. 311).

The latter part of the poem, it may be observed, has not come down to
us. The author then concludes his Prologue by beseeching to have the
support of a very celebrated poet, whose name he will not mention, but
will only say that

  "Ye fresch enditing of his laiting toung
  Out throuch yis world so wid is yroung," etc.[P5] (l. 328.)

    [Footnote P5: He does not necessarily imply that the poet invoked
    was still alive; and we might almost suppose Petrarch to be meant,
    who was more proud of his Latin poem called "Africa" than of his
    odes and sonnets. See Hallam's Literary History (4 vols.), vol.
    i., p. 85. But this is pure conjecture.]

The first Book introduces us to King Arthur at Carlisle.[P6] The king is
visited by dreams, which he imagines to forebode misfortune; he
therefore convokes all his clerks, and inquires of them the meaning of
the dreams, proposing to hang them in the event of their refusal. Thus
strongly urged, they tell him that those on whom he most relies will
fail him at his need; and when he further inquires if this evil fate can
be averted, they answer him very obscurely that it can only be remedied
by help of the water-lion, the leech, and the flower; a reply which the
king evidently regards as unsatisfactory. Soon after an aged knight,
fully armed, enters the palace, with a message from King Galiot,
requiring him to give "tribute and rent." Arthur at once refuses,
somewhat to the astonishment of the knight, who is amazed at his
hardihood. Next arrives a message from the lady of Melyhalt, informing
Arthur of the actual presence of Galiot's army. We are then momentarily
introduced to Lancelot, who is pining miserably in the lady's custody.
Next follows a description of Galiot's army, at sight of the approach of
which King Arthur and his "niece," Sir Gawain, confer as to the best
means of resistance. In the ensuing battle Sir Gawain greatly
distinguishes himself, but is at last severely wounded. Sir Lancelot,
coming to hear of Sir Gawain's deeds, craves leave of the lady to be
allowed to take part in the next conflict, who grants him his boon on
condition that he promise to return to his prison. She then provides for
him a red courser, and a complete suit of red armour, in which guise he
appears at the second battle, and is the "head and comfort of the
field;" the queen and Sir Gawain beholding his exploits from a tower.
The result of the battle convinces Galiot that Arthur is not strong
enough at present to resist him sufficiently, and that he thus runs the
risk of a too easy, and therefore dishonourable, conquest; for which
excellent reason he grants Arthur a twelvemonth's truce, with a promise
to return again in increased force at the expiration of that period. Sir
Lancelot returns to Melyhalt according to promise, and the lady is well
pleased at hearing the reports of his famous deeds, and visits him when
asleep, out of curiosity to observe his appearance after the fight.

    [Footnote P6: But the French has "Cardueil." See l. 2153.]

In the Second Book the story makes but little progress, nearly the whole
of it being occupied by a long lecture or sermon delivered to Arthur by
a "master," named Amytans, on the duties of a king; the chief one being
that a king should give presents to everybody--a duty which is insisted
on with laborious tediousness. Lines 1320-2130 are almost entirely
occupied with this subject, and will be found to be the driest part of
the whole narrative. In the course of his lecture, Amytans explains at
great length the obscure prophecy mentioned above, shewing that by the
water-lion is meant God the Father, by the leech God the Son, and by the
flower the Virgin Mary. Though the outline of a similar lecture exists
in the old French text, there would seem to be a special reason for the
length to which it is here expanded. Some lines certainly seem to hint
at events passing in Scotland at the time when the poem was composed.
Thus, "kings may be excused when of tender age" (l. 1658); but when they
come to years of discretion should punish those that have wrested the
law. Again we find (l. 1920) strong warnings against flatterers,
concluding (l. 1940) with the expression,

  "Wo to the realme that havith sich o chans!"

Such hints may remind us of the long minorities of James II. and James
III.; and, whilst speaking on this subject, I may note a somewhat
remarkable coincidence. When King Arthur, as related in Book I., asks
the meaning of his dream, he is told that it signifies that "they in
whom he most trusts will fail him" (l. 499); and he afterwards laments
(l. 1151) how his "men fail him at need." Now when we read that a story
is current of a prophetess having told James III. that he was destined
to "fall by the hands of his own kindred,"[P7] and that that monarch was
in the habit of consulting _astrologers_[P8] (compare l. 432) as to the
dangers that threatened him, it seems quite possible that the poem was
really composed about the year 1478; and this supposition is consistent
with the fact that the hand-writing of the present MS. copy belongs to
the very end of the fifteenth century.

    [Footnote P7: Tytler's History of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1841), vol.
    iv., p. 216.]

    [Footnote P8: The French text does not say anything about
    "astronomy." We may especially note the following lines, as _not_
    being in the French, viz., lines 1473-1496, 1523-1542, 1599-1644,
    1658-1680, and the long passage 1752-1998.]

Towards the end of the Second Book, we learn that the twelvemonth's
truce draws near its end, and that Sir Lancelot again obtains permission
from the lady to be present in the approaching combat, choosing this
time to be arrayed in "armys al of blak" (l. 2426).

In the Third Book Galiot returns to the fight with a host thrice as
large as his former one. As before, Gawain distinguishes himself in the
first encounter, but is at length so "evil wounded" that he was "the
worse thereof evermore" (l. 2706). In the second combat, the black
knight utterly eclipses the red knight, and the last thousand (extant)
lines of the poem are almost wholly occupied with a description of his
wonderful prowess. At the point where the extant portion of the poem
ceases, the author would appear to be just warming with his subject, and
to be preparing for greater efforts.

In continuance of the outline of the story, I may add that the French
text[P9] informs us how, after being several times remounted by Galiot,
and finding himself with every fresh horse quite as fresh as he was at
the beginning of the battle, the black knight attempted, as evening
fell, to make his way back to Melyhalt secretly. Galiot, however, having
determined not to lose sight of him, follows and confronts him, and
earnestly requests his company to supper, and that he will lodge in his
tent that night. After a little hesitation, Lancelot accepts the
invitation, and Galiot entertains him with the utmost respect and
flattery, providing for him a most excellent supper and a bed larger
than any of the rest. Lancelot, though naturally somewhat wearied,
passes a rather restless night, and talks a good deal in his sleep. Next
day Galiot prays him to stay longer, and he consents on condition that a
boon may be granted him, which is immediately acceded to without further
question. He then requests Galiot to submit himself to Arthur, and to
confess himself vanquished, a demand which so amazes that chieftain that
he at first refuses, yet succeeds in persuading Lancelot to remain with
him a little longer. The day after, preparations are made for another
battle, on which occasion Lancelot wears Galiot's armour, and is at
first mistaken for him, till Sir Gawain's acute vision detects that the
armour really encases the black knight. As Lancelot now fights on
Galiot's side, it may easily be imagined how utter and complete is the
defeat of Arthur's army, which was before victorious owing to his aid
only; and we are told that Arthur is ready to kill himself out of pure
grief and chagrin, whilst Sir Gawain swoons so repeatedly, for the same
reason, as to cause the most serious fears to be entertained for his
life. At this sorrowful juncture Lancelot again claims his boon of
Galiot, who, in the very moment of victory, determines at last to grant
it, and most humbly sues for mercy at the hands of Arthur, to that
king's most intense astonishment. By this very unexpected turn of
affairs, the scene of dolour is changed to one of unalloyed joy, and
peace is immediately agreed upon, to the satisfaction of all but some
true-bred warriors, who preferred a battle to a peace under all
circumstances. Not long after, Galiot discovers Lancelot with eyes red
and swollen with much weeping, and endeavours to ascertain the reason of
his grief, but with small success. After endeavouring to comfort
Lancelot as much as possible, Galiot goes to visit King Arthur, and a
rather long conference takes place between them as they stand at Sir
Gawain's bedside, the queen being also present. In the course of it,
Galiot asks Arthur what price he would pay to have the black knight's
perpetual friendship; to which Arthur replies, he would gladly share
with him half of everything that he possessed, saving only Queen
Guinevere. The question is then put to Gawain, who replies that, if only
his health might be restored, he would wish to be the most beautiful
woman in the world, so as to be always beloved by the knight. Next it is
put to Guinevere, who remarks that Sir Gawain has anticipated all that a
lady could possibly wish, an answer which is received with much
laughter. Lastly, Arthur puts the question to Galiot himself, who
declares that he would willingly, for the black knight's sake, suffer
that all his honour should be turned into shame, whereat Sir Gawain
allows himself to be outbidden. The queen then obtains a brief private
conference with Galiot, and prays him to obtain for her an interview
with the black knight, who promises to do what he can to that end. He
accordingly sounds the black knight upon the subject, and, finding him
entirely of the same mind, does all he can to promote their
acquaintance, and is at last only too successful; and at this point we
may suppose the Scottish Romance to have stopped, if indeed it was ever
completed. For some account of the Romance of Lancelot, I may refer the
reader to Professor Morley's English Writers, vol. i., pp. 568-570, and
573; to "Les Romans de la Table Ronde," par M. Paulin Paris; and to the
Prefaces to the "Seynt Graal," edited by Mr Furnivall for the Roxburghe
Club, 1861, and "La Queste del Saint Graal," also edited by the same for
the same club in 1864. In the last-named volume short specimens are
given from thirteen MSS. at Paris, ten of which contain the Romance of
Lancelot. There are also manuscript copies of it in the British Museum,
viz., MSS. Harl. 6341 and 6342, Lansdowne 757, and MS. Addit. 10293.

    [Footnote P9: See Appendix.]


III.--THE DIALECT OF THE POEM.

In coming to discuss the dialect, we find everywhere traces of
considerable confusion; but it is not at all easy to assign a
satisfactory reason for this.[P10] Certain errors of transcription soon
shew that the scribe had before his eyes an older copy, which he
mis-read. Thus, in l. 433, we find "set," where the older copy must have
had "fet," and which he must have mis-read as "[s]et;" and again, in
lines 2865, 2883, he has, by a similar confusion between "f" and "[s],"
written "fir[s]t" instead of "fift." It is most probable that the older
copy was written in the Lowland Scottish dialect (the whole tone of the
poem going to prove this), as shewn by the use of _ch_ for _gh_, as in
_bricht_ for _bright_, (unless this be wholly due to the scribe); by the
occurrence of plurals in _-is_, of verbal preterites and passive
participles in _-it_, and of words peculiarly Scottish, such as _syne_
(afterwards), _anerly_ (only), _laif_ (remainder), _oft-syss_
(oft-times), etc. Moreover, the Northern _r_ is clearly indicated by the
occurrence of such dissyllables as _gar-t_, 2777, _lar-g_, 2845,
_fir-st_, 2958, 3075; with which compare the significant spellings
_harrmful_, 1945, and _furrde_, 2583. But, on the other hand, it would
appear as if either the author or the copyist had no great regard for
pure dialect, and continually introduces Southern and Midland forms,
mixing them together in an indiscriminate and very unusual manner. We
find, for example, in line 1765,

  "Be{ith} larg and iff{is} frely of thi thing,"

the Scottish form _iffis_ (give) and the Southern _beith_ in close
conjunction; and we find no less than six or seven forms of the plural
of the past tense of the verb "to be;" as, for example, _war_ (3136),
_veir_ (818), _ware_ (825), _waren_ (3301), _veryng_ (2971), _waryng_
(443), etc. If we could suppose that the scribe was not himself a
Scotchman, we might in some measure account for such a result; but the
supposition is altogether untenable, as the peculiar character of the
handwriting (resembling that found, not in English, but in _French_
MSS.) decides it to be certainly Scottish; as is also evident from the
occurrence, in the same hand-writing, of a Scotticised version of
Chaucer's "Flee from the press."

    [Footnote P10: For many valuable remarks upon the dialect of the
    poem I am indebted to Mr R. Morris.]

The best that can be done is to collect a few instances of
peculiarities.

1. The broad Northumbrian forms _a_, _ane_, _baith_, _fra_, _ga_,
_haill_, _hame_, _knaw_, _law_, _sa_, _wat_, although occasionally
retained, are also at times changed into _o_, _one_, _boith_, _fro_,
_go_, _holl_, _hom_, _know_, _low_, _so_, and _wot_. Thus, at the end of
l. 3246, we find _haill_, which could not have been altered without
destroying the rime; but in l. 3078, we find it changed, in the middle
of the line, into _holl_. In l. 3406, we find _sa_, but only three lines
further on we find _so_ twice.

So, too, we not only find _tane_ (taken), _gais_ (goes), but also the
forms _tone_ and _goß_. See lines 1071, 1073.

2. The true plural form of the verb is shewn by lines 203, 204,

  "Of quhois fame and worschipful dedis
  Clerkis into diuerß bukis _redis_,"

where alteration would have ruined the rime utterly; and the same
termination (_-is_) is correctly used in the imperative mood, as,

          ----"[s]o _giffis_ ws delay" (l. 463);

  "And of thi wordis _beis_ trew and stable" (l. 1671);

but the termination _-ith_ is continually finding its way into the poem,
even as early as in the fourth line,

  "_Uprisith_ arly in his fyre chare;"

and in the imperative mood also, as,

  "_Remembrith_ now it stondith one the poynt" (l. 797).

The most singular point of all, however, is this--that, not content with
changing _-is_ into _-ith_ in the 3rd person singular, the scribe has
done the same even in the 2nd person, thus producing words which belong
to no pure example of any distinct dialect. Observe the following
lines:--

  "O woful wrech, that _levis_ in to were!
  To schew the thus the god of loue me sent,
  That of thi seruice no thing is content,
  For in his court yhoue [= thou] _lewith_ in disspar,
  And vilfully _sustenis_ al thi care,
  And _schapith_ no thinge of thine awn remede,
  Bot _clepith_ ay and _cryith_ apone dede," etc. (ll. 84-90).

Here _levis_ is altered into _lewith_, not only unnecessarily, but quite
wrongly. For similar mistakes, see ll. 1019, 1369, 1384, 2203. For
examples of correct usage, see ll. 1024, 1337, 1796, 2200, 2201.

3. But the terminations which are used in the most confused manner of
all are _-en_, _-yne_, and _-ing_ or _-yng_. Thus we find the
non-Scottish infinitives, _telen_ (494), _makine_ (191); the constant
substitution of _-ing_ for _-and_ in the present participle;[P11]
a confusion between the past participial ending _-ine_ (more correctly
_-yn_), and the present ending _-and_, thus producing such forms as
_thinkine_ (34), and _besichyne_ (418); and also a confusion between
_-ing_ and the past participial ending _-en_, as _fundyng_ for _funden_
(465), _fallyng_ for _fallen_ (1217, 1322, 3267), _swellyng_ for
_swollen_ (1222), and _halding_ for _halden_ (2259). We even find _-ing_
in the infinitive mood, as in _awysing_ (424), _viting_ (to know, 410),
_smyting_ (1326), _warnnyng_ (1035), _passing_ (2148), _[s]chewing_
(2736), etc.; and, lastly, it occurs in the plural of the indicative
present, instead of the Midland _-en_; as in _passing_ (1166), _biding_
(2670), and _levyng_ (3304).[P12]

    [Footnote P11: We find the true forms occasionally, as _obeisand_
    (641), _plesand_ (1731), _thinkand_ (2173), _prekand_ (3089), and
    _fechtand_ (3127). Compare the form _seruand_ (122).]

    [Footnote P12: "The Scottish pronunciation of _-ing_ was already,
    as it still is, _-een_; and the writer, knowing that the correct
    spelling of _dwellin_, for example, was _dwelling_, fancied also
    that _fallen_, _halden_ (Sc. _fallyn_, _haldyn_) were _fallyng_,
    _haldyng_. Lyndesay and Gawain Douglas often do the same. Compare
    _gardinge_ (l. 50), _laiting_ (l. 327)." --J. A. H. Murray.]

It may safely be concluded, however, that the frequent occurrence of
non-Scottish infinitives must not be attributed to the copyist, since
they are probably due rather to the author; for in such a line as

  "Of his desir to viting the sentens" (l. 410),

the termination _-ing_ is required to complete the rhythm of the line.

In the same way we must account for the presence of the prefix _i-_, as
in the line

  "Quharwith that al the gardinge was I-clede" (l. 50).

This prefix never occurs in vernacular Scottish; but we may readily
suppose that this and other numerous Southern forms of words are due (as
in Gawain Douglas and Lyndesay) to the author's familiarity with
Chaucer's poems, as evinced by the similarity of the rhythm to
Chaucer's, and by the close resemblance of several passages. Compare,
for instance, the first seventy lines of the Prologue with the opening
passages of "The Flower and the Leaf," and "The Complaint of the Black
Knight;" and see notes to ll. 432, 1608. Indeed, this seems to be the
only satisfactory way of accounting for the various peculiarities with
which the poem abounds.

Mr J. A. H. Murray, in his remarks printed in the preface to Mr Lumby's
edition of "Early Scottish Verse," comes to a similar conclusion, and I
here quote his words for the reader's convenience and information.
"There is no reason, however, to suspect the scribe of _wilfully_
altering his original; indeed, the reverse appears manifest, from the
fact that the 'Craft of Deyng' has not been assimilated in orthography
to 'Ratis Raving,' but distinctly retains its more archaic character;
while in 'Sir Lancelot,' edited by Mr Skeat for the Early English Text
Society, from the handwriting of the same scribe, we have a language in
its continual Anglicisms quite distinct from that of the pieces
contained in this volume, of which the Scotch is as pure and unmixed as
that of the contemporary Acts of Parliament. With regard to the
remarkable transformation which the dialect has undergone in Sir
Lancelot, there seems reason, therefore, to suppose that it was not due
to the copyist of the present MS., but to a previous writer, if not to
the author himself, who perhaps affected _southernism_, as was done a
century later by Lyndesay and Knox, and other adherents of the English
party in the Reformation movement. The Southern forms are certainly
often shown by the rhyme to be original, and such a form as _tone_ for
_tane_ = taken, is more likely to have been that of a Northerner trying
to write Southern, than of a Southern scribe, who knew that no such word
existed in his dialect. The same may be said of the _th_ in the second
person singular. A Scotch writer, who observed that Chaucer said _he
liveth_, where he himself said _he lyves_, might be excused for
supposing that he would also have said _thou liveth_ for the Northern
_thow lyves_; but we can hardly fancy a Southern copyist making the
blunder."

4. We find not only the Northumbrian forms _sall_ and _suld_, but also
_shall_, _shalt_, and _shuld_.

5. As regards pronouns, we find the Scottish _scho_ (she) in l. 1169;
but the usual form is _sche_. We find, too, not only the broad forms
_thai_, _thair_, _thaim_, but also _thei_ (sometimes _the_), _ther_, and
_them_. As examples of forms of the relative pronoun, we may quote
_who_, _quho_, _whois_, _quhois_ (whose), _quhom_, _qwhome_ (whom),
_quhat_, _qwhat_ (what), and _whilk_, _quhilk_, _quhich_, _quich_,
_wich_ (which). _Wich_ is used instead of _who_ (l. 387), and we also
find _the wich_, or _the wich that_, similarly employed. The nominative
_who_ does not perhaps occur as a _simple_ relative, but has the force
of _whoso_, or _he who_, as _e.g._, in l. 1102; or else it is used
interrogatively, as in l. 1172.

6. Many other peculiarities occur, which it were tedious to discuss
fully. It may suffice, perhaps, to note briefly these following. We find
both the soft sound _ch_, as in _wich_, _sich_, and the hard sound _k_,
as in _whilk_, _reke_ (reach), _streke_ (stretch), etc.; which are the
true Northern forms.

_Mo_ is used as well as _more_.

_Tho_ occurs for _then_ in l. 3184; and for _the_ in l. 247.

_At_ occurs as well as _that_; _atte_ as well as _at the_, 627, 1055.

The short forms _ma_ (make), _ta_ (take), _sent_ (sendeth), _stant_
(standeth), are sometimes found; the two former being Northumbrian.

_Has_ is used twice as a _plural_ verb (ll. 481, 496).[P13]

    [Footnote P13: "The plural in Scottish always ends in _-s_ after a
    noun or when the verb is separated from its pronoun; we still say
    _the men hes_, _the bairns sings_, _them 'at cums_, not _have_,
    _sing_, _come_. Notice the frequent use of _th_ for _t_, as in
    l. 497, _Presumyth_ = _presumit_, presumed, it being presumed."
    --J. A. H. Murray. [Or, _presumyth_ may be the pl. imperative, as
    in _Remembrith_ (l. 797), already noticed. --ED.] ]

_[Gh]ha_ (yes) occurs in l. 2843; but we also meet with _[gh]his_, or
_yis_; with reference to which Mr Morris writes:-- "The latter term was
not much in favour with the people of the North. Even now _yes_ sounds
offensive to a Lancashire man. 'Hoo cou'd naw opp'n hur meawth t' sey
_eigh_ (yea) or _now_ (no); boh simpurt on sed _iss_; th' dickons iss
hur on him too. --_Tim Bobbin._'" In fact, the distinction between
_[gh]ha_ and _[gh]his_, which I have pointed out in _William of Palerne_
(Glossary, s.v. _[gh]is_), viz., that _[gh]ha_ merely assents, whilst
_[gh]his_ shews that the speaker has an opinion of his own, is in this
poem observed. Thus, in l. 2843, _[gh]ha_ = "yes, I admit that I do;"
but in l. 514, _yis_ = "yes, but you had better do so;" in l. 1397,
_[gh]his_ = "yes, indeed I will;" and in l. 3406, _[gh]is_ = "yes, but I
cannot accept your answer."[P14] The true distinction between _thou_ and
_ye_ (_William of Palerne_, Pref. p. xli) is also generally observed.
Thus the Green Bird, in the Prologue, considers the poet to be a fool,
and calls him _thou_; but the clerks, in addressing Arthur (l. 498)
politely say _ye_. And again, Amytans, when rebuking Arthur, frequently
calls him _thou_, without any ceremony. Cf. ll. 659, 908, 921, 2839, &c.

    [Footnote P14: "This _[gh]is_ is the common form in the Scottish
    writers, though _ay_ is largely the modern vernacular." --J. A. H.
    Murray.]

As regards the vocabulary, we find that some Northumbrian terms have
been employed, but others thrown aside. Thus, while we find the
Northumbrian words _thir_ (these), _traist_ (trust), _newis_ (neives,
fists), _radour_ (fear), etc., we do not, on the other hand, meet with
the usual Scottish word _mirk_, but observe it to be supplanted by
_dirk_ (l. 2471). So, again, _eke_ is used in the sense of _also_,
instead of being a verb, as more usual in Northern works. We may note,
too, the occurrence of _frome_ as well as _fra_, and the Scottish form
_thyne-furth_ (thenceforth) in l. 2196.

The spelling is very various. We find even four forms of one word, as
_cusynace_, _cusynece_, _cusynes_, _cwsynes_; and, as examples of
eccentric spelling, may be quoted _qsquyaris_ (squires, l. 3204), whilst
in l. 3221 we find _sqwar_.

Both in the marginal abstract and in the notes I have chiefly aimed at
removing minor difficulties by explaining sentences of which the
construction is peculiar, and words which are disguised by the spelling.
For the explanation of more uncommon words, recourse should be had to
the Glossarial Index.




[Transcriber's Note:

Most of the French text was printed as a single continuous block, except
where decorative initials mark new paragraphs. It has been broken up to
accommodate the sidenotes.]


APPENDIX.

EXTRACTS FROM THE FRENCH ROMANCE OF "LANCELOT DU LAC."


As it seems impossible to do justice to the story of Lancelot without
giving due attention to the famous French Romance, and since a portion
of the French text is really necessary to complete even that fragment of
it which the Scottish author proposed to write, the following extracts
have been made with the view of shewing (1) the general outline of the
earlier part of the story, (2) the method in which the Scottish author
has expanded or altered his original, and (3) the completion of the
story of the wars between Arthur and Galiot.[A1]

    [Footnote A1: The extracts are from the Paris edition of 1513,
    3 vols. folio, a copy of which is in the King's Library in the
    British Museum. There are also two other editions in the Museum,
    one in the Grenville Library, 3 vols. Paris, 1494, folio; the
    other in one folio volume, Paris, 1520.]


I. Headings of the chapters of the French Romance, from its commencement
to the end of the wars with Galiot.

[The commas are inserted by the present editor, and the expansions
marked by italics.]

  ¶ Cy commence la table du premier volume de la table ro{n}de
  lancelot du lac.

[Sidenote: Claudas, king of Scotland, deprives king Ban and king Boort
of their lands.]

  ¶ Comment apres la mort de vterpandragon roy du royaulme de
  logres, & apres la mort aramon, roy de la petite bretaigne, le roy
  claudas de la terre Descosse mena guerre contre le roy ban de benoic
  et le roy boort de gauues ta{n}t quil les desherita[A2] de leurs
  terres.  Fueillet.    i.

    [Footnote A2: See ll. 1447-1449.]

[Sidenote: Claudas besieges Ban in the Castle of Trible.]

  ¶ Comment le roy claudas assiegea le chasteau de trible
  auquel estoit le roy ban de benoic, et comment ilz parlementerent
  ensemble.  f.    i.

[Sidenote: King Ban, his wife, and his son Lancelot repair to the court
of Arthur.]

  ¶ Comment le roy ban de benoic, accompaigne de sa femme et
  de son filz lancelot, auecq{ue}s vng seul escuyer, se partirent du
  chasteau de trible pour aller querir secours deuers le roy Artus a
  la grant bretaigne.  Fueillet    ii.

[Sidenote: The Castle of Trible is treacherously given up to Claudas.]

  ¶ Comment apres ce que le roy ban fut party de son chasteau
  de trible, le seneschal a qui il auoit baille la garde trahit ledit
  chasteau, et le liura es mains du roy claudas.  Fueillet.    ii.

[Sidenote: King Ban dies of grief, and Lancelot is taken away by the
lady of the lake.]

  ¶ Comment le roy ban mourut de dueil quant il veit son
  chasteau ardoir et brouyr. Et comment la dame du lac emporta son
  filz lancelot.[A3]  Fueillet.    iiii.

    [Footnote A3: Lines 215, 220.]

  ¶ Comme{n}t la royne helaine, apres que le roy fut mort et
  elle eut perdu son filz, se rendit nonnain en labbaye du monstier
  royal.  Fueillet.    v.

[Sidenote: The two sisters, widows of kings Ban and Boort, retreat to a
monastery.]

  ¶ Comment le roy de gauues mourut | & co{m}ment la Royne sa
  femme, pour paour de claudas, sen partit de son chasteau pour aller
  au monstier royal, ou sa seur estait rendue, et comment ses enfans
  Lyonnel et Boort luy furent ostez.  Fueillet    vi.

  ¶ Comment la royne de Gauues, apres que son seigneur fut
  mort et que elle eut perdu ses deux enfans, se vint rendre au
  monastere ou estoit sa seur la royne de benoic.  Fueillet    vi.

[Sidenote: Merlin's love for the lady of the lake.]

  ¶ Comment merlin fut engendre du dyable: Et comment il fut
  amoureux de la dame du lac.  Fueillet    vii.

[Sidenote: Sir Farien secretly nourishes the two sons of king Boort, and
is made seneschal to king Claudas.]

  ¶ Comme{n}t le cheualier farien, qui auoit tollu a la royne
  de Gauues ses deux enfans, les emporta en sa maison | et les feist
  nourrir vne espace de temps. Et comment le roy claudas fut amoureux
  de la femme du dict Farien | et pource le fist son seneschal.
    Fueillet    viii.

[Sidenote: Claudas accuses Sir Farien of treason.]

  ¶ Comment le roy claudas fist appeller son cheualier farien
  de trahison par ladmonnesteme{n}t de sa femme, disant quil gardoit
  les deux enfans du roy boort de gauues.  Fueillet.    viii.

[Sidenote: Claudas, in disguise, visits Arthur's court.]

  ¶ comment le roy claudas en maniere de cheualier estrange, se partit
  du royaulme de gauues pour aller en la grant bretaigne a la court du
  roy artus pour veoir sa puissa{n}ce & son gouuernement.
    Fueillet    x.

[Sidenote: The lady of the lake informs Lancelot that he is a king's
son.]

  ¶ Comment la dame du lac bailla a lancelot vng maistre pour
  linstruyre comme il appartenoit a filz de roy.  Fueillet    xii.

  ¶ Comme{n}t la royne helaine alloit faire chascun io{u}r son
  dueil au lieu ou son seigneur mourut | et de la alloit au lac ou
  elle perdit son filz.  Fueillet    xv.

  ¶ Comment le bon Religieux qui auoit dit nouuelles a la
  royne helaine de son filz lancelot, print conge de elle, et sen vint
  au roy artus en la grant bretaigne.  Fueillet    xvi.

[Sidenote: The lady of the lake seeks to deliver the sons of king
Boort.]

  ¶ Comment la dame du lac enuoya sa damoyselle a la court du
  roy claudas, pour delyurer les deux enfans au roy boort que claudas
  tenoit en prison.  Fueillet    xvii.

  ¶ Comment farien, seneschal du roy claudas par le
  comma{n}dement de son seigneur, alla querir en prison les deux filz
  au roy de Gauues.  Fueillet    xviii.

[Sidenote: Lyonnel and Boort wound king Claudas, and slay his son
Dorin.]

  ¶ Comment les deux enfans au roy de gauues blecerent le roy
  claudas, & occire{n}t dorin son filz | et comment la damoyselle du
  lac les emmena en semblance de deux leuriers.  fueil.    xix.

  ¶ De la grant ioye et du grant honneur que la dame du lac
  fist aux deux enfans quant elle les veit en sa maison.
    Fueillet    xx.

[Sidenote: Claudas bewails his son's death.]

  ¶ Comment le roy claudas mena tres grant dueil pour la mort
  de dorin son filz que boort auoit occis.  Fueillet    xx.

  ¶ Comment farien et le peuple de la cyte de gauues
  sesmeure{n}t contre le roy claudas a cause que il vouloit faire
  mourir les deux filz au roy boort de gauues.  Fueillet.    xxi.

[Sidenote: Farien saves Claudas' life.]

  ¶ Comment le roy claudas se partit de gauues | et comment
  ceulx dudit lieu le vouloient occire, se neust este farien le bo{n}
  cheualier.  f.    xxiii.

  ¶ Comment le roy claudas se deffendit vaillamment contre
  ceulx de Gauues qui le vouloyent occire.  Fueillet.    xxv.

  ¶ Comment lyonnel et boort perdirent le boire et le manger
  pource quilz ne scauoyent nouuelles de leur maistres | lesquelz
  estoyent demourez auec le roy claudas | & comment la dame du lac
  enuoya vne sie{n}ne damoyselle a gauues pour les amener.
    Fueillet.    xxvii.

[Sidenote: Leonce and Lambegues go to seek Lyonnel and Boort.]

  ¶ Comment, par le conseil des baro{n}s de gauues: leonce &
  lambegues sen allerent auecques la damoyselle pour veoir leurs
  seigneurs lyonnel et boort.  Fueillet    xxviii.

  ¶ Comment la dame du lac sen retourna apres ce quelle eut
  monstre a leonce et a lambegues les enfa{n}s du roy de gauues leurs
  seign{eu}rs, et comment lesditz cheualiers sen retournere{n}t a
  gauues.  Fueillet    xxx.

[Sidenote: Claudas meditates revenge.]

  ¶ Comment le roy claudas retourna a gauues, po{u}r soy
  venger de la honte quon luy auoit faicte, et pour la mort de son
  filz.  Fueil.    xxxi.

  ¶ Comment lappointement fut fait entre le roy claudas et les
  barons, par le moyen de farien et lambegues son nepueu.
    fueillet.    xxxiii.

[Sidenote: Death of Farien.]

  ¶ Comme{n}t farien | sa femme, et son nepueu lambegues sen
  partirent pour aller veoir lyonnel et boort, qui estoyent au lac | &
  comment farien mourut.  Fueillet    xxxv.

[Sidenote: The widow of king Boort sees her children and Lancelot in a
vision, and dies.]

  ¶ Comment les deux roynes menerent saincte vie au monstier
  royal | et comment celle de gauues veit ces deux enfans & lancelot
  en aduision | et comment elle trespassa de ce siecle.
    Fueillet.    xxxv.

[Sidenote: Arthur holds a tournament, and Banin, son of king Ban, is the
victor.]

  ¶ Comment le roy artus assembla le iour de pasques tous ses
  barons, & tint grant court a karahes, et comment banin le filleul au
  Roy ban emporta le pris du behourdys celluy iour.
    Fueillet.    xxxvi.

[Sidenote: The lady of the lake sends Lancelot to Arthur to be knighted,
and provides for him white armour.]

  ¶ Comment la dame du lac se pourpensa de mener lancelot au
  roy artus pour le faire cheualier,[A4] et elle luy bailla armes
  blanches, et partit du lac a tout quarante cheualliers pour le
  conuoyer.  Fueillet    xxxvii.

    [Footnote A4: Line 223.]

[Sidenote: Of the wounded knight who came to Arthur's court.]

  ¶ Comment vng cheuallier naure, lequel auoit vne espee
  fichee en la teste et deux tronco{n}s de lance parmy le corps,[A5]
  vint a la court du roy artus | et comment la dame du lac le mena
  deuant le roy artus, et luy prya quil le fist cheualier.
    Fueillet    xxxix.

    [Footnote A5: Lines 237-245.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot is knighted.]

  ¶ Comment messire yuain, a qui le roy Artus auoit
  recomma{n}de lancelot, alla faire sa requeste audit roy artus, que
  le lendemain il fist ledit lancelot cheualier, et comment ledit
  lancelot defferra le cheualier naure.[A6]  Fueillet.    xli.

    [Footnote A6: Lines 249-252.]

[Sidenote: How the white knight defended the lady of Nohalt,]

  ¶ Comment la dame de noehault[A7] enuoya deuers le roy
  artus, luy supplier q{u}il luy enuoyast secours contre le Roy de
  norhombellande qui luy menoit guerre. Et comment Lancelot requist au
  roy artus quil luy donnast congie dy aller | & il luy octroya.
    Fueillet      xlii.

    [Footnote A7: Line 255.]

[Sidenote: and won the battle for her.]

  ¶ Co{m}ment le nouueau cheualier aux armes blanches vainquit
  la bataille pour la dame de noehault.  Fueillet    xliii.

  ¶ Comment lancelot apres ce quil se fut party de la dame de
  noehault, se co{m}batit auec vng cheualier qui lauoit mouille.
    Fueillet    xlv.

[Sidenote: How Lancelot conquered the "Sorrowful Castle."]

  ¶ Comment lancelot conquist vaillamme{n}t par sa force et
  proesse le chasteau de la douloureuse garde q{ue} nul aultre ne
  pouoit conquerre.[A8]  Fueillet    xlv.

    [Footnote A8: Lines 257-259.]

[Sidenote: How Arthur hears of it, and sends Gawain to see if it is
true.]

  ¶ Comment les nouuelles vindrent au roy artus que la
  douloureuse garde estoit conquise par la cheualier aux armes
  blanches | Et le roy y enuoya messire gauuain pour en scauoir la
  verite.  Fueillet    xlviii.

[Sidenote: Gawain is imprisoned, and supposed to be dead.]

  ¶ Comment messire Gauuain fut mys en prison | et comment le
  roy et la royne entrerent en la premiere porte de la | et la veirent
  des tu{m}bes ou il y auoit escript que monseigneur gauuain estoit
  mort, et plusieures aultres cheualiers.  Fueillet.    xlix.

[Sidenote: Lancelot hears of Gawain's imprisonment,]

  ¶ Comment vne damoyselle de lhostel de la dame du lac feist
  assauoir au cheuallier blanc que monseigneur gauuain & ses
  compaigno{n}s estoyent emprisonnez par celluy qui auoit este
  seigneur de la douloureuse garde.  Fueillet    l.

[Sidenote: and delivers him and his companions.]

  ¶ Comme{n}t le blanc cheualier se combatit encontre celluy
  qui auoit este seigneur de la douloureuse garde, q{u}i tenoit en
  prison messire gauuain et ses compaignons.[A9]  Fueillet.    l.

    [Footnote A9: Lines 263, -4.]

  ¶ Comment le cheuallier blanc emmena le cheualier conquis en
  vng hermitaige. et comment ledit cheualier conquis luy rendit audit
  hermitage gauuain & ses compaignons.  f.    lii.

[Sidenote: Gawain returns to Arthur and his Queen at Douloureuse Garde.]

  ¶ Comment messire gauuain et ses compaignons sen vindre{n}t
  par deuers le roy artus qui estoit a la douloureuse garde. Et
  comment le roy et la royne furent ioyeulx quant ilz les virent.
    Fueillet.    liii.

[Sidenote: Lancelot hears of the war to come between Arthur and Galiot.]

  ¶ Comment le cheuallier blanc retourna a labbaye ou il auoit
  laisse ses escuyers | et comment il sceut lassemblee qui deuoit
  estre entre le roy artus et le roy doultre les marches, & co{m}ment
  il conquist le cheualier qui disoit mieulx aymer le cheualier qui
  auoit naure que celluy qui lauoit este.[A10]  Fueillet.    liiii.

    [Footnote A10: See ll. 244, -5.]

[Sidenote: Gawain goes to seek the white knight,]

  ¶ Comment messire gauuain se mist en queste pour trouuer le
  blanc cheuallier.[A11] Et comment la meslee dentre les gens au roy
  des cent cheualiers et les gens de la dame de noehault fut appaisee.
    Fueillet    lv.

    [Footnote A11: Line 267.]

[Sidenote: who is wounded in the battle against Galiot by the
king-of-a-hundred-knights.]

  ¶ Comment le blanc cheualier vainquit lassemble dentre les
  deux roys | et comme{n}t il fut naure du roy des cent cheualiers.
    Fueillet.    lvi.

[Sidenote: Arthur and Queen Genure return home.]

  ¶ Comme{n}t apres que le cheualier qui auoit gangne le
  tournoyement dentre le roy doultre les marches sen fut alle, le roy
  artus & la royne genieure se partirent pour aller en leurs pays.
    Fueillet    lvii.

  ¶ Comment messire gauuain se combatit a brehain-sans-pitie,
  et le rua par terre. et co{m}ment apres ilz sen allerent a la
  douloureuse garde: & comment les deux pucelles que messire Gauuain
  menoit luy furent tollues.  Fueillet.    lviii.

[Sidenote: Lancelot ends the adventures of the "Sorrowful Castle."]

  ¶ Comment lancelot print congie de son mire | et comment il
  mist a fin les aduentures de la douloureuse garde.
    Fueillet    lx.

[Sidenote: Lancelot is again victorious in the combat between Arthur and
Galiot.]

  ¶ Comment messire gauuain recouura les deux pucelles qui luy
  auoyent este tollues, Et comment lancelot vainquit la seconde
  assemblee dentre le roy artus & le roy doultre les marches.
    Fueillet    lxi.

[Sidenote: Gawain returns to Arthur's court.]

  ¶ Comment messire gauuain retourna a la court du roy artus
  apres la seconde assemblee dentre le roy artus & le roy doultre les
  marches, et comment lancelot vainquit le cheualier qui gardoit le
  gue.  Fueillet    lxiii.

[_Here begins the Scotch Translation._]

[Sidenote: Arthur's evil dreams.]

  ¶ Comment le roy Artus songea plusieurs songes | et apres
  manda tous les saiges clercs de son royaulme pour en scauoir la
  signifiance.[A12]  Fueillet    lxiiii.

    [Footnote A12: Lines 363-527.]

[Sidenote: Galiot defies Arthur.]

  ¶ Comment le roy doultre les marches, nomme gallehault,
  enuoya deffier le roy artus[A13] | et comment Lancelot occist deux
  geans empres kamalot.[A14]  Fueillet    lxv.

    [Footnote A13: Lines 540-592.]
    [Footnote A14: Line 280.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot is assailed by forty knights, and imprisoned by the
lady of Melyhalt.]

  ¶ Comment lancelot occist vng cheualier q{u}i disoit moins
  aymer le cheualier naure que celluy qui lauoit naure.[A15] | et
  comment il fut assailly de .xl. cheualliers, et mys en prison de la
  dame de mallehault.[A16]  Fueillet    lxviii.

    [Footnote A15: Lines 233-252.]
    [Footnote A16: Lines 281-292.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot, released from prison, is again victorious against
Galiot.]

  ¶ Comment gallehault assembla au roy artus vng iour durant
  que lancelot estoit en prison[A17] | et comment le lendemain
  lancelot fut deliure de prison[A18] | et vainquit lassemblee dentre
  les deux roys.[A19]  Fueillet    lxvii.

    [Footnote A17: Lines 634-894.]
    [Footnote A18: Lines 895-974.]
    [Footnote A19: Lines 975-1138.]

[Sidenote: Arthur is reproved by Amytans, and Galiot proposes a truce
for a year.]

  ¶ Comment le roy artus fut reprins de ses vices, et moult
  bien conseille par vng cheualier qui suruint en son ost[A20] | Et
  comment gallehault donna tresues au roy Artus iusques a vng an.[A21]
    Fueillet    lxix.

    [Footnote A20: Lines 1275-2130.]
    [Footnote A21: Lines 1543-1584.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot returns to the lady of Melyhalt.]

  ¶ Comment lancelot, apres ce quil eut vaincu lassemblee,
  retourna en la prison de la dame de mallehault[A22] | et comment
  elle le congneut, a son cheual et par les playes quil auoit, que
  cestoit celluy q{u}i auoit vaincu lassemblee.[A23]
    Fueillet    lxxii.

    [Footnote A22: Lines 1139-1152.]
    [Footnote A23: Lines 1181-1274.]

[Sidenote: Gawain, with 39 comrades, departs to seek the red knight.]

  ¶ Comment messire gauuain, soy quarantiesme de compaignons,
  se mist en queste pour trouuer le cheuallier qui auoit porte lescu
  vermeil a lassemblee dentre le roy artus et Gallehault.[A24]
    Fueillet    lxxii.

    [Footnote A24: Lines 2161-2256.]

[Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt accepts Lancelot's ransom.]

  ¶ Comment la dame de mallehault mist a rancon le cheuallier
  quelle tenoit en prison, et le laissa aller quant elle veit quelle
  ne peult scauoir son nom.[A25] fu.  lxxiii.

    [Footnote A25: Lines 2347-2442.]

[Sidenote: The truce ended, Galiot again attacks Arthur.]

  ¶ Co{m}ment messire gauuain et ses compaignons retournerent
  de leur queste[A26] | et comme{n}t apres les treues faillies
  galehault vint assembler co{n}tre le roy artus, & tous ses gens en
  fure{n}t moult troublez.[A27]  fu.      lxxiiii.

    [Footnote A26: Lines 2504-2530.]
    [Footnote A27: Lines 2531-3268.]

[Sidenote: Galiot gains over the black knight.]

  ¶ Comment gallehault suyuit le cheuallier aux noires
  armes,[A28] & fist tant par belles parolles quil lemmena en son ost,
  dont le roy artus et tous ses gens en furent moult troublez.
    Fueillet    lxxviii.

    [Footnote A28: Lines 3343-3487.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot induces Galiot to submit to Arthur.]

  ¶ Co{m}ment lancelot par sa prouesse conquist tout, et fist
  tant que gallehault crya mercy au roy artus.  fu.    lxxix.

[Sidenote: The Queen and Lancelot meet.]

  ¶ Co{m}ment gallehault fist tant que la royne vit lancelot |
  & co{m}ment ilz se arraisonnerent ensemble.  fu.    lxxxi.

[Sidenote: The Queen knows Lancelot from his adventures that he tells
her.]

  ¶ Co{m}ment la royne co{n}gneut lancelot apres ce q{u}il eut
  longuement parle a elle, & quil luy eut co{m}pte de ses aduentures.
  & co{m}ment la premiere acointance fut faicte entre la royne &
  la{n}celot p{ar} le moyen de galehault.  fu.    lxxxii.

[Sidenote: Galiot becomes acquainted with the lady of Melyhalt.]

  ¶ Co{m}ment la premiere acointance fut faicte de galehault &
  de la dame de malehault par le moyen de la royne de logres, &
  co{m}me[nt] lancelot & galehault sen alloyent esbatre & deuiser
  auecques leurs dames.  fu.    lxxxiiii.


II. The Chapter of the French romance from which the translator has
taken the beginning of his First Book is here given, in order to shew in
what manner he has treated his original. It begins at Fol. lxiii. _a_,
col. 1.

[Sidenote: Arthur's evil dreams.]

  Comment le roy artus so{n}gea plusieurs songes, et apres manda tous
  les sages clercz de son royaulme pour en scauoir la signifiance.

[Sidenote: King Arthur being at Cardueil, his knights are annoyed at
meeting with no adventures.]

  ++OR dit le compte que le roy artus auoit longueme{n}t seiourne a
  cardueil. Et pource ny auenoit mie gra{nde}ment de aduentures, il
  ennuya mo{u}lt aux compaignons du Roy de ce q{u}ilz auoient si
  longuement seiourne, & ne veoient riens de ce quilz souloyent veoir.
  Principallement keu le seneschal en fut trop ennuye Et en parloit
  moult souuent, et disoyt deua{n}t le roy que trop estoit ce seio{ur}
  ennuyeulx, & trop auoit dure.

[Sidenote: Sir Kay counsels that they should go to Camelot.]

  Le roy luy demande "Keu | q{ue} vouldriez vous que no{us} feissons?"
  "Certes," fait keu, "ie conseilleroye que nous allissions a kamalot
  | car la cite est plus aduantureuse q{ue} vous ayez | et la nous
  verrions souuent et orrions choses de merueilles que nous ne voyons
  pas icy. Nous auons seiourne ia icy plus de deux moys, et oncques ne
  y veismes gueres de choses aduenir."

[Sidenote: The king consents to go;]

  "Or alons donc," fait le roy, "a Kamalot, puis que vous le
  co{n}seillez."

[Sidenote: but the same night dreams that all his hair falls off, which
delays him.]

  Lendemain deust partir le roy | mais la nuyct luy aduint vne
  merueilleuse aduenture. Il songa q{ue} tous les cheueulx de sa teste
  cheoie{n}t, et to{us} les poilz de sa barbe, dont il fut moult
  espouente. Et p{ar} ce demoura encores en la ville.

[Sidenote: The third night after he dreams that all his fingers fall off
except his thumbs.]

  La tierce nuyt apres il songa q{ue} il luy estoit aduis q{ue} tous
  les dois luy cheoie{n}t fors les poulces, & lors fut pl{us} esbahy
  que deuant.


[Sidenote: Again, that all his toes fall off except his great toes.]

  ++A Lautre nuyct songea il q{ue} to{us} les ortelz des piedz luy
  cheoient fors les poulces. de ce fut si trouble que plus ne peult.

[Sidenote: The Queen and his chaplain disregard the dreams;]

  "Sire," fait son chappelain a q{u}i il lauoit dit, "ne vous chaille
  | car songes ne so{n}t pas a croire;" le roy le dit a la royne, et
  elle respo{n}d tout ainsi q{ue} luy auoit fait so{n} chappelain.

[Sidenote: but Arthur sends for his bishops, archbishops, and their
wisest clerks;]

  "En verite," dist il, "ie ne laisseray pas la chose ainsi" | il fait
  mander ses euesques et archeuesques q{u}ilz soie{n}t a luy au .ix
  iour ensuyuant a kamalot, & q{u}ilz amainent auec eulx tous les plus
  sages clercz quils po{u}rroient auoir et trouuer.

[Sidenote: whom he imprisons till they shall tell him what the dreams
mean.]

  A tant se part de cardueil & sen va par les chasteaulx et par les
  citez | tant q{ue} au neufniesme iour est venu a kamalot, et aussi
  sont venus les clercz du pays. Il leur demande co{n}seil de son
  songe, _et_ ilz elise{n}t dix des plus sages: le roy les fist bien
  enserrer, et dist que iamais nen sortiroient de priso{n} deuant
  quilz luy auroient dit la signifiance de son songe.

[Sidenote: After trying for nine days, they fail.]

  Ilz esprouuerent la force de le{u}r scie{n}ce par neuf iours, et
  puis vindre{n}t au roy, & dirent quilz nauoient riens trouue.
  "Ai{n}si maist dieu," dit le roy, "ia ainsi neschapperez."

[Sidenote: They twice obtain a delay of three days.]

  Et ils demande{n}t respit iusques au troisiesme iour ensuyuant, et
  il leur donne. Les .iii iours passez, ilz reuiennent deuant le roy,
  et dient que ilz ne peuent riens trouuer | et dema{n}dent encores
  autre delay | et ilz ont. Et de rechief vindrent pour demander
  aultres troys iours de dilacion, ainsi que le roy auoit so{n}ge de
  tierce nuyt en tierce nuyt. "Or sachez," fait le roy, "q{ue} iamais
  plus nen aurez."

[Sidenote: The king threatens to slay them.]

  Quant vint au tiers iour ilz dirent quilz nauoient rien trouue; "ce
  ne vault rien," fait le roy, "ie vous feray tous destruire se vous
  ne me dictes la verite;" et ils dirent. "Sire nous ne vous en
  scairions que dire." Lors se pense le roy quil leur fera paour de
  mort.

[Sidenote: Five are to be burnt, and five hung.]

  Il fait fair vng grant feu, & commanda en le{u}rs presences que les
  .v. y fusse{n}t mis, et que les autres cinq soyent penduz | mais
  priueeme{n}t deffent a ses baillifz quilz ne les menassent que
  iusques a la paour de mourir.

[Sidenote: The five who are to be hung, having the cords round their
necks, offer to speak out.]

  Quant les ci{n}q qui furent menez aux fourches euerent les cordes
  entour leurs colz, ils eurent paour de mourir, et dirent, que se les
  aultres cinq le vouloyent dire, ilz le diroyent. La nouuelle vint au
  .v. que len menoit ardre | et ilz dire{n}t que, se les autres le
  vouloyent dire, ils le diroyent | ils furent amenez ensemble
  deua{n}t le roy, et les plus sages dirent

[Sidenote: They stipulate not to be held as liars if their
interpretations fail.]

  | "sire, nous vous dirons ce q{ue} no{us} auons trouue | mais nous
  ne vouldrions mie que vous nous tenissiez a menteurs se il ne
  aduenoit | car nous vouldrions bien quil nen fust rien, et voulons,
  comment quil en aduiengne, que vous nous asseurez q{ue} ia mal ne
  no{us} en aduiendra;" et il leur promet.

[Sidenote: The dreams mean that he will lose his land and his honour.]

  Lors dist lung de eulx qui pour tous parla. "Sire, sachez que ceste
  terre et tout honneur vo{us} conuie{n}dra perdre et ceulx en qui
  plus vous fiez vous fauldront; telle est la substa{n}ce et
  signifiance de voz songes."

[Sidenote: Arthur asks if anything can avert such fate.]

  De ceste chose fut le roy moult effraye, "Or me dictes," fait il,
  "sil est chose qui me{n} peult garantir." "Certes," fait le maistre,
  "nous auons veu une chose | Mais cest si grande merueille que on ne
  le pourroyt penser, et ne la vo{us} oso{n}s dire." "Dictes," fait
  il, "seurement | car pis ne me pouez vous dire que vous mauez dit."

[Sidenote: He is told, "nothing, except the savage lion and the leech
without medicine, by help of the counsel of the flower."]

  "Sire, riens ne vous peult garder de perdre tout honneur terrien
  fors le lyon sauluaige, et le mire sans medecine, par le co{n}seil
  de la fleur, & se no{us} semble estre si grande folie que nous ne
  losions dire | Car lyon sauluaige ne y peult estre, ne mire sans
  medecine | ne fleur qui parlast |" le roy est moult entreprins de
  ceste chose: mais plus en fait belle chiere que le cueur ne luy
  apporte.

[Sidenote: Arthur goes to the chase.]

  Ung iour alla le roy chasser au boys bien matin | et mena auec luy
  messire gauuain, keu le seneschal, et ceulx qui lui pleust. Si
  laisse icy le compte a parler de luy, et retourne a p{ar}ler du
  cheualier dont messire Gauuain aporta le nom en court.


[Sidenote: Lancelot on his wanderings.]

  ++QVant[A29] le cheuallier qui lasse{m}blee auoyt vaincu se partast
  de la ou il se combatist a son hoste, il erra toute io{u}r sa{n}s
  autre aduanture trouuer. Il se logea la nuyt chiez une veufue dame a
  lyssue dune forest a cinq lieues angleches pres de kamelot.

[Sidenote: He meets an esquire, and asks him, "what news?"]

  Le cheualier se leua matin, et erra, luy et ses escuyers et sa
  damoyselle, tant q{u}il encontra vng escuyer. "Varlet," fait il,
  "scez tu nulles nouuelles?"

[Sidenote: "The queen," he says, "is at Camelot."]

  "Ouy," fait il, "ma dame la royne est icy pres a kamalot." "quelle
  royne" fait il "Le fe{m}me au roy artus," fait lescuyer.

[Sidenote: Lancelot goes on till he sees a large house, a lady, and her
damsel.]

  Le cheuallier sen part, et cheuauche tant quil treuue vne maison
  forte, et voit vne dame en son surcot, qui regardoit les prez et la
  forest | & auoit auec elle vne damoiselle.

[Sidenote: He regards her fixedly.]

  Le cheuallier se arreste, et regarde la dame moult longuement tant
  quil oublie tout autre chose. Et maintenant passa vng cheuallier
  arme de toutes armes, qui luy dist.

[Sidenote: An armed knight, passing, asks him what he is regarding so
closely.]

  "Sire cheualier, que attendez vous?" et celluy ne respo{n}d mot |
  car il ne la pas ouy. Et le cheualier le boutte, et luy demande quil
  regarde.

[Sidenote: He replies, that he looks at what pleases him.]

  "Je regarde," fait il, "ce q{ue} me plaist: Et vous nestes mie
  courtois, qui de mo{n} penser me auez iecte."

[Sidenote: The knight asks if he knows who the lady is, and he replies
that he knows it is the queen.]

  "Par la foy que vous deuez o dieu," fait le cheuallier estrange,
  "scauez vous bien qui la dame est que vous regardez?" "Je le cuyde
  bien scauoir," fait le bon cheualier. "Et q{u}i este elle," fait
  lautre. "Cest ma dame la royne." "Si maist dieu, estrangement la
  congnoissez, deables vous font bien regarder dames." "Pourquoy,"
  faict il. "Pource que vous ne me oseriez suyuir par deuant la Royne
  la ou ie yroye." "Certes," faict le bon cheuallier, "se vous osiez
  aller la ou ie vous oseray suyuir, vous aurez passez de couraige
  tous les plus gra{n}s oseurs qui oncques furent." A tant sen part le
  cheualier. Et le bon cheualier va apres.

[Sidenote: The stranger takes Lancelot home to lodge with him, and he is
well entertained.]

  Et quant ilz ont vne piece alle, lautre luy dist, "vous
  he[r]bergerez ennuyt auec moy, et le matin ie vous meneray la ou ie
  vous diz;" et le bon cheuallier luy demande sil conuient ainsi
  faire. "Oy" | fait il. Et il dist que donc lottroyera il.
  Il geut la nuyt chez le cheualier sur la riuiere de kamalot, et fut
  moult bien herberge, et sa pucelle | et ses escuyers.

    [Footnote A29: There is no trace of the rest of this chapter in
    the Scottish poem.]


  III. Our last extract will shew exactly where the Scottish poem
  suddenly ceases, and how the story was probably continued. For the
  latter purpose, four chapters of the French Romance are added beyond
  the point where the Scotch ends; and it is possible (judging from
  lines 306-312 of the Prologue) that the author did not intend to go
  very much further. The passage begins, in the French copy, at Fol.
  lxxvii. _b_, col. 1; and, in the Scotch poem, at l. 3427.

  Lors descent de son cheual, et la baille au cheualier.

[Sidenote: Galiot gives Lancelot his own horse, and gives orders to his
own men.]

  Et celluy si y monte sans arrest. Et gallehault monta sur vng autre,
  et vient a son conroy | Si prent auec soy les dix mille, et dit
  quilz voisent assembler deuant; "et vous," fait il au roy vend,
  "viendres apres, si ne assemblerez mie si tost comme ceulx cy seront
  assemblez | mais quant les derrains de ceulx de dela seront venus,
  vous assemblerez, & moy mesmes vous iray querir."

[Sidenote: He commands the trumpets to be sounded.]

  A tant amaine les dix mille pour assembler,[A30] Et qua{n}t il fut
  entre en la bataille il fist sonner ses busines tant q{ue} tout en
  retentissoit.[A31] Quant le noir cheuallier les ouyt venir, si luy
  sembla que gra{n}t effort de gens eut la, si se retrait vng pou vers
  les siens, et les appella entour luy, & leur dist.

[Sidenote: Lancelot harangues his men.]

  "Seigne{u}rs, vous estes tous amys du roy. Or y perra co{m}me{n}t
  vo{us} le ferez."[A32]

[Sidenote: Sir Yvain comforts Arthur's soldiers.]

  Et messire yuain, qui les vit venir, dist a ses gens, "Or soyes tous
  asseurs q{ue} no{us} ne perdro{n}s au iourdhuy p{ar} force de
  gens."[A33] Et ce disoit il pource quil cuidoit q{ue} les gens
  gallehault fussent tous venus.[A34]

    [Footnote A30: Line 3432.]
    [Footnote A31: Lines 3435-3440.]
    [Footnote A32: Lines 3441-3476.]
    [Footnote A33: Lines 3477-3480.]
    [Footnote A34: Lines 3481-3484.]


  ++QVant les .x.m. de gallehault sassemblerent, si fut gra{n}de la
  noise, et moult en abbatent a le{u}r venir | mais qua{n}t messire
  yuain vint, si reco{n}forta mo{u}lt les gens du roy artus | et
  to{us} les fuyans retourne{n}t auec luy.

[Sidenote: Galiot orders charge.]

  Et gallehault sen va arriere a son conroy, et commande q{ui}lz
  cheuauchent fermement | et quilz se frappent es gens du roy
  artus[A35] de telle maniere[A36] que nul dentreulz ne demeure a
  cheual "Vous estes to{us} frays. Or y perra comment vous le ferez."
  A tant cheuauchent les conroys deuers le{u}rs ge{n}s, Car ilz
  auoyent ia du pire.

[Sidenote: Galiot's reserve arriving, his men awhile prevail.]

  Et quant le conroy de Gallehault fut venu, si changa moult laffaire
  | Car moult y auoyt grant effort de gens. Et fut a le{ur} venue le
  cheualier noir mis a terre.[A37] Et aussi les six compaigno{n}s qui
  toute iour auoyent este pres de luy.[A38]

[Sidenote: Galiot again remounts Lancelot.]

  Lors vint gallehault, qui le remonta sur le cheual mesmes ou so{n}
  corps seoit.[A39] Et si tost comme il fut mo{n}te, il sen reuint a
  la meslee aussi frays comme il auoit le io{u}r este. Et qua{n}t il
  vint aux coups donner, tous ceulx qui le veoyent sen
  esmerueilloyent, Ainsi dura la bataille iusques a la nuyt.

[Sidenote: Night arriving, the hosts retreat.]

  Et quant il vint au soir ilz se departirent | et toutesfoys les gens
  du roy Artus en eurent du meilleur.

[Sidenote: Lancelot tries to depart unobserved, but is followed by
Galiot, who prays him to lodge with him for that night.]

  Le bon cheualier se departit de lost le plus coyement quil
  peut,[A40] et sen alla par vng chemin entre les prestz et vng
  tertre, et cuyda que nul ne le veist | mais Gallehault sen print
  tres bien garde, et picqua tant son cheual qui luy fut au deuant par
  vne adresse, et le vint rencontrer au pied du tertre. Si le salue,
  et dit 'que dieu le co{n}duit.' Et celuy le regarde en trauers, et
  luy a a moult grant peine re{n}du son salut. "Bel amy," fait
  galehault, "qui estes vous?" "Sire," fait il, "ie suis vng
  cheualier, ce pouez vo{us} veoir." "Certes," fait galehault,
  "cheualier estes vous meilleur qui soit | & vous estes lhomme du
  monde que plus ie vouldroye honnourer,[A41] et si vous suis venu
  prier que vous herbergez ceste nuyt auec moy." Et il luy dist ainsi
  co{m}me sil ne lauoit huy veu, "Qui estes vous, sire, q{u}i me auez
  prie de me he[r]berger?" "Je suis gallehault, le sire de ces gens
  icy, vers qui vous auez au iourdhuy gara{n}ty le royaulme de logres,
  leq{ue}l ie eusse ia conquis se ne fust vostre corps." "Comme{n}t"
  (fait il) "vous estes ennemy de monseigneur le roy artus, et me
  priez de herberger? |

[Sidenote: Lancelot at first refuses, till Galiot agrees to do whatever
Lancelot may require of him, and promises to entertain him sumptuously;]

  Auec vo{us} ne herbergeray ie mie en ce point." "Haa sire," faict
  gallehault, "plus feray ie pour vous, et si nay mye a commencer. Et
  ie vous prie que vous y herbergiez par tel conuena{n}t que ie feray
  tout ce que me scaurez requerre." A tant se arresta le cheuallier,
  et dist a gallehault; "Sire, vo{us} promettez assez | mais ie ne
  scay co{m}ment il est du re{n}dre" | et gallehault luy dist.
  "Sire, se vous he[r]bergez ennuyt auec moy, ie vous donneray tout ce
  que vous oserez diuiser de bouche, et bien vo{us} en feray seur,"

[Sidenote: whereupon they return together to Galiot's camp.]

  Et lors luy fiance, & apres luy promet bailler bons plaiges; Ado{n}c
  sen vo{n}t tous deux en lost.

    [Footnote A35: Lines 3485, 6.]
    [Footnote A36: Line 3487 _and last_.]
    [Footnote A37: Compare lines 3365-3368.]
    [Footnote A38: Lines 3369, 70.]
    [Footnote A39: Compare lines 3391-3426.]
    [Footnote A40: Compare line 1140.]
    [Footnote A41: Compare lines 2845-8.]


  ¶ Comment gallehault suyuit le cheuallier aux noires armes,
  et fist tant par belles parolles q{u}il le{m}mena en son ost, do{n}c
  le roy artus & tous ses gens en furent moult troublez.

[Sidenote: Gawain, seeing Lancelot with Galiot, tells the Queen that now
they are all lost;]

  ++MEssire gauuain auoyt veu aller le cheuallier au noir escu, & le
  eust voulentiers suiuy sil eust peu mo{n}ter a cheual. Lors regarde
  contre val la riuiere, et voit gallehault et le cheuallier noir qui
  retournoyent pour venir a lost, et dist a la royne, "Haa dame, or
  pouons nous bien dire que nous sommes gens perdus | regardez que
  gallehault a conquis par scauoir," Et elle regarde, & voyt q{ue}
  cest le cheuallier noir q{ue} gallehault emmaine; si en est tant
  iree quelle ne peut dire mot.

[Sidenote: and swoons away more than three times.]

  Et messire gauuai{n} se pasme en pou dheure pl{us} de trois fois. Le
  roi artus vint leans | et ouyt le cry q{ue} chascun disoit, "il est
  mort, il est mort." Si vint a luy, et lembrassa, et commenca a
  plorer mo{u}lt tendrement. Et reuient monseigneur Gauuain de
  pasmoison;

[Sidenote: He tells Arthur that his time of misfortune is come;]

  Et quant il veit le roy artus, il commence a le blasmer, et dit.
  "Ores est venu le terme que les clercz vous disrent.

[Sidenote: for their protector is lost.]

  Regardez le tresor que vous auez huy perdu. celluy vous toldra terre
  qui toute iour la vous a garantie par son corps, et se vo{us}
  fussiez preudhomme vous leussiez retenu, ainsi comme a fait le plus
  preudhomme qui viue, qui par cy deuant lemmaine."

[Sidenote: Arthur also sees Galiot, and is deeply grieved, but tries to
comfort his nephew.]

  Lors voit le roy gallehault, qui emmenoit le cheuallier, dont il a
  tel dueil que a pou quil ne est cheut | mais de plorer ne se peut
  tenir, et toutesfois faict il la plus belle chere q{u}il peut pour
  son nepueu reconforter. Et si tost q{ue} il vit en la salle, il fist
  gra{n}t dueil | aussi fist chascun preudhomme.


[Sidenote: Galiot and Lancelot arrive at Galiot's camp, and Lancelot
asks to speak with the two men whom Galiot most trusts.]

  ++TAnt sont allez gallehault et le cheualier quilz sont venus empres
  lost, Adonc luy dist le cheualier, "Sire, ains que ie entre dedans
  vostre ost, faictes moi p{ar}ler aux deux pl{us} preudhommes que
  vous ayez et esquelz vous fiez le plus." Et gallehault lottroye.
  Lors sen va en son tref, et prent deux des hommes du mo{n}de ou plus
  il se fie, et leur dist, "Venez auec moy et vous verrez le plus
  riche homme du monde." "Comme{n}t," font ilz, "nestes vous mie le
  plus riche qui soit au monde?"

[Sidenote: Galiot takes him to the "first-conquest" king and the king of
a hundred knights, and Lancelot repeats to them his compact with Galiot,
and takes their pledge that they will forsake Galiot if he breaks his
agreement, and will go with himself (Lancelot).]

  "Nenny," dist il | "mais ie le seray ains que ie dorme." Ces deux
  estoyent le roy premier conquis | et le roi des cent cheualliers.
  Qua{n}t ilz virent le cheuallier, si lui firent moult grant ioye |
  Car ilz le congneurent bien par ses armes. Et le cheuallier leur
  demanda qui ilz estoient | et ilz se nommerent sicomme vous auez ouy
  | et il leur dist. "Seigneurs, vostre sire vous faict moult grant
  honneur | Car il dit que vous estes les deux hommes du monde que
  plus il ayme, et entre luy et moy a vne conuenance que ie vueil que
  vous oyez | Car il ma fiance que pour en nuyt herberger auec luy me
  donnera ce que ie luy vouldray demander." Et gallehault dist | "vous
  dictes verite." "Sire," faict le cheuallier, "ie vueil encores auoir
  la seurte de ses hommes." Et gallehault dist, "Dictes moy
  co{m}me{n}t." "Ilz me fianceront," fait le cheuallier, "q{ue} se
  vous me faillez de co{n}uenant, ilz vous guerpiront et sen viendront
  auec moy la ou ie diray," Et gallehault dit que ainsi le veult | et
  il le fait fia{n}cer. Lors appella gallehault le roy premier
  co{n}quis a vne part, et luy dist. "Allez auant & dictes a mes
  barons quilz assemblent maintenant a monstre si honnorablement comme
  ilz pourront, et gardez que en mon tref soient to{us} les deduys que
  le{n} pourra trouuer en tout lost."

[Sidenote: Galiot orders all kinds of entertainments to be brought to
his tent.]

  Lors sen va celluy au ferir des esperons, & fist le commandement de
  son seigneur. Et gallehault tient le cheualier aux parolles, luy &
  son seneschal, tant que le commandeme{n}t fust fait.

[Sidenote: Twenty-eight kings, beside dukes and counts, come to the
feast, and honour Lancelot as the flower of the knighthood of the
world.]

  Si ne demoura gueres que encontre eulx vindrent deux cens barons qui
  tous estoient ho{m}mes de gallehault, .xxviii. roys, et les autres
  estoient ducz et contes; la fut le cheuallier telleme{n}t honnoure
  que oncques si grant feste ne fut pour vng homme mescongneu comme
  le{n} fit pour luy a celle fois | et disoie{n}t grans & petis, "Bien
  viengnez, la fleur de la cheualerie du monde" | et il en auoit grant
  honte. Ainsi vindrent iusques au tref de gallehault, si ne
  po{u}rroient estre comtez les deduys et les instrumens qui leans
  estoient.

[Sidenote: Lancelot is richly attired, and nobly served.]

  A telle ioye fut receu, et qua{n}t il fut desarme, gallehault luy
  fit apporter vne robe mo{u}lt riche, et il la vestit. quant le
  ma{n}ger fut prest, ilz se assirent a table, et furent noblement
  seruis, et le cheualier fut mo{u}lt honnoure.


[Sidenote: After supper four beds are prepared, one larger than the
rest, for Lancelot.]

  ++APres manger co{m}manda gallehault a faire quatre litz desquelz
  lung estoit plus grant que les aultres. Quant les litz furent si
  richeme{n}t atournez, gallehault maine le cheuallier coucher. Et
  dist. "Sire, vous gerrez icy;" "Et qui gerra de la?" fait le
  cheualier. "Quattre sergens," faict gallehault, "qui vous seruiront
  | Et ie iray en vne chambre par dela, affin que vous soyez icy plus
  en paix." "Haa, Sire, pour dieu," faict il, "ne me faictes gesir
  plus ayse que ces aultres cheualiers | car tant ne me deuez a
  vilennir." "Nayez garde," faict galehault, "Car ia pour chose que
  vous faciez pour moi vo{us} ne serez tenu a villain."

[Sidenote: Galiot awhile departs, and Lancelot falls asleep.]

  A ta{n}t sen part gallehault. Et le cheuallier commence a penser au
  grant honneur que gallehault luy faisoit. Si lenprise moult | puis
  se coucha, et tantost il sendormit | car moult estoit las;

[Sidenote: Galiot then returns, and lies near Lancelot, and hears how
his guest murmurs in his sleep.]

  Et qua{n}t gallehault sceut quil fut endormy, le plus coyement quil
  peut se coucha en vng autre lit empres luy | et es deux aultres litz
  se coucherent deux cheualiers, et nestoyent en la chambre que eulx
  quatre, sans plus. La nuyt se plaint moult le cheualier en son
  dormant, et gallehault loit bien, car il ne dormoit gueres. Ains
  pensa toute la nuyt a le retenir.

[Sidenote: Next day they go to hear mass, and Lancelot then demands his
arms, wishing to depart.]

  Lendemain le cheualier se leua et alla ouyr messe; et ia estoit
  gallehault leue | car il ne voulut mie que le cheualier laperceust.
  Quant ilz vindrent du monstier, le cheualier demanda ses armes, &
  gallehault dema{n}de pourquoy. Et il dist quil sen vouloit aller. Et
  gallehault luy dist. "Beau doulx amy, demourez | et ne cuydez mye
  que ie vous vueille deceuoir. Car vous noserez ia riens dema{n}der
  que vous nayez. Et sachez q{ue} vous pourriez bien auoir compagnie
  de plus riche homme que ie suis | mais vous ne laurez iamais a homme
  qui plus vous ayme." "Sire," faict le cheuallier, "ie demoureray
  donc puis quil vous plaist.

[Sidenote: Galiot induces him to stay, but again promises to do for him
whatever he asks.]

  Car meilleure compaignie que la vostre ne pourroye ie mye auoir |
  Mais ie vous diray presenteme{n}t le don pourquoy ie demoureray auec
  vous | et se ie ne lay, ie ny demoureray ia." "Sire," fait
  gallehault, "dictes seurement et vous laurez, se cest chose que ie
  puisse acomplir;"

[Sidenote: Lancelot then demands that Galiot shall submit himself to
Arthur.]

  Et le cheuallier appella ses deux plaiges et dist deuant eulx, "Je
  vous demande," fait il, "q{ue} si tost que vous serez au dessus du
  roy artus, que vous luy alliez crier mercy si tost comme ie vous en
  semondray." Quant gallehault lentent, si en est tout esbahy, et
  co{m}mence a penser. Et les deux roys luy dirent. "A quoy pensez
  vous icy endroit, de penser nauez mestier | car vous auez tant couru
  que vous ne pouez retourner."

[Sidenote: Galiot is confounded, and ponders, but then grants Lancelot's
request.]

  "Comment," faict Gallehault, "cuydez vous que ie me vueille repentir
  | se tout le mo{n}de estoit mien si luy oseroye ie bien do{n}ner.
  mais ie pensoye a vng seul mot quil a dit | mais ia dieu ne maist,"
  dist il, "se vous nauez le don | car ie ne pourroye riens faire
  po{u}r vous ou ie peusse auoir honte. Mais ie vous prye que ne me
  tollez vostre compagnie pour la donner a aultruy;" et le cheualier
  luy creanca. Ainsi demoura | et ilz se asseirent au manger qui
  estoit appreste. Si font moult grant ioye par tout lost du cheualier
  qui est demoure.

[Sidenote: Lancelot remains with him another night.]

  Ainsi passerent celle nuyt. Lendemain gallehault et son compaignon
  allerent ouyr messe, et gallehault luy deist | "Sire, il est huy
  iour dassembler; voullez vous armes porter?" "Ouy," dist il. "donc
  porterez vous les miennes," fait gallehault, "pour le commencement."
  Et il dist quil les porteroit voulentiers | "mais vous ne porterez
  armes," feist il a gallehault, "si non comme mon sergent?" "Non,"
  dist il. Lors firent apporter les armes, & armerent le cheuallier du
  fort haulbert, & des chausses qui trop estoyent longues & lees;

[Sidenote: Next day, the hosts are again armed for battle.]

  Lors se armerent les gens de gallehault. et pareillement les gens du
  roy Artus, & passerent les lices de telz y eut. Touteffoys le roy
  auoyt deffendu que nul ne les passast. Si y eut de bonnes ioustes en
  pou dheure | si se assemblerent tous les ostz deuant la lice, &
  commencerent a faire armes. Le roy artus estoit a son estandart, et
  auoit commande que ilz menassent la royne a sauluete se la
  descomfiture tournoit sur eulx | quant tous les ostz furent
  assemblez et le bon cheualier fust arme, si cuida chascu{n} que ce
  fust gallehault, & disoyent tous.

[Sidenote: Lancelot is at first mistaken for Galiot; but is recognized
by Gawain.]

  "Voicy gallehault, voicy gallehault" | messire gauuain le
  co{n}gneust bien & dist. "Ce nest mye gallehault | ains est le
  cheualier aux armes noires, le meilleur cheualier du mo{n}de" |

[Sidenote: Arthur's men cannot stand against Lancelot.]

  & si tost comme ilz furent assemblez, oncques ne se tint le roy
  Artus ne ses ge{n}s depuis que le cheualier y fut arriue | et trop
  se desco{n}fortoyent du bon cheualier q{u}i contre eulx estoit, si
  fure{n}t menez iusques a la lice. car trop estoient grans gens auec
  gallehault. au partir des lices ce tindrent vne piece et souffrirent
  lo{n}gueme{n}t | mais le souffrit ny peut riens valoir. Grant fut le
  meschief des gens au roy artus. et dit le compte q{ue} le cheualier
  neust mie moins de peine de tenir les gens de gallehault que ilz ne
  passassent oultre la lice quil auoit de chasser les gens au roy
  Artus. Et nompourtant moult les auoit supportez | & il les eut mis
  oultre a force sil eust voulu | mais il demoura emmy le pas pour les
  aultres detenir.

[Sidenote: Lancelot calls upon Galiot to keep his compact.]

  Lors regarda tout entour de luy, et commenca a hucher | "gallehault,
  gallehault." et gallehault vient gra{n}t alleure, et dist. "bel amy,
  que voulez vous?" "quoy," faict il, "ie vueil que mon conuenant me
  tenez;" "Par ma foy," fait gallehault, "ie suis tout prest de
  lacomplir puis quil vous plaist."

[Sidenote: Galiot rides forward, and finds Arthur ready to kill himself
for grief, the Queen being escorted away by a guard of forty knights,
and Gawain wishing to die.]

  Lors picque le cheual des esperons & vient iusques a lestandart ou
  le roy artus estoit, q{u}i faisoit si tresgrant dueil que a peu quil
  ne se occioit pource quil estoit desconfit. Si estoit ia la royne
  mo{n}tee, et lemmenoyent quarante cheualliers. Et monseigneur
  gauuain, que on vouloit emporter en lictiere | mais il dit q{u}il
  aymeroit mieulx mourir en ce point que veoir toute cheualerie morte
  et honnye: si se pasma tellement que len cuydoit bien que il mourust
  incontinent.


[Sidenote: How Lancelot makes Galiot cry mercy to Arthur.]

  ¶ Comment lancelot par la prouesse conquis tout, et fist
  tant que galehault cria mercy au roy artus.

  ++QVant le cheualier veit gallehault prest dacomplir son
  co{n}uenant, il iura bien que oncques si loyal compaignon ne fut
  trouue. Il en a telle pytie quil en souspire moult fort, & dit entre
  ses dens.

[Sidenote: Galiot demands to see King Arthur, and, at sight of him,
dismounts, kneels to him, and submits himself to him humbly.]

  "Haa dieu, q{u}i pourra ce desseruir?" & gallehault cheuauche
  iusq{ue}s a lestandart et demande le roy artus. Il vient auant
  mo{u}lt dolent & esmaye comme celluy q{u}i tout honneur et toute
  ioye terrienne cuyde auoir perdue; Et quant gallehault le voit, si
  luy dit. "sire, roy artus, venez auant, & nayez paour | car ie vueil
  a vous parler." et qua{n}t le roy louyt, il sesmerueille moult que
  ce peult estre; Et de si loing comme galehault le voit venir, il
  descend de son cheual et se agenouille, et dit. "Sire, ie vous viens
  faire droit de ce que ie vous ay meffait; si men repens, et me metz
  en vostre mercy."


[Sidenote: Arthur, overjoyed, praises God.]

  ++QVant le roy lentend, il a merueilleusement gra{n}t ioye, et lieue
  les mains vers le ciel, louant Dieu de ceste aduanture | et se le
  roy fait bonne chere, encores la faict meilleure Gallehault. et il
  se lieue de genoulx, & sentrebaisent, en font moult grande chere
  lung a lautre. lors dist Gallehault | "sire, faictes vostre plaisir
  de moy | car ie metz en vostre saisine mon corps pour en faire ce
  que il vous plaira.

[Sidenote: Galiot, first asking Arthur's leave, dismisses his troops to
their tents.]

  Et sil vo{us} plaist, ie yray retraire mes gens arriere, & puis
  reuiendray a vous incontinent." "Allez doncq{ue}s," fait le roy |
  "car ie vueil parler a vous." A tant sen part gallehault & reuient a
  ses gens | & les en faict aller. Et le roy enuoya apres la royne,
  qui sen alloit faisant grand dueil. et les messages cheuauchent tant
  que ilz lattaingnent | et sont venus a elle, & luy comptent la ioye
  que aduenue leur est. Et elle ne le peult croire tant q{ue}lle voy
  les enseignes que le roy luy enuoye. ta{n}t coururent les nouuelles
  que monseign{eu}r gauuain le sceut, lequel en eut grant ioye sur
  tous les aultres, et dist au roy.

[Sidenote: The Queen and Sir Gawain rejoice greatly.]

  "Sire, comment a ce este?" "Certes, ie ne scay," fait il: "mais ie
  croy que telle a este le plaisir de nostre seigneur." moult est
  grande la ioye, & moult se esmerueille chascun co{m}ment ce peult
  estre aduenu. Gallehault dist a son compaignon. "que voulez vous que
  ie face? iay fait vostre commandement; & le roy ma dit que ie
  retourne | mais ie vous conuoyeray aua{n}t iusques a voz tentes."
  "Haa sire," fait le cheualier, "aincoys vous irez au roy & luy
  porterez le plus grant honneur que vous pourrez.

[Sidenote: Lancelot prays Galiot not to reveal where he is, and they
return to their tents.]

  Et tant auez fait pour moy que ie ne le pourroye desseruir | mais
  tant vous prye, pour dieu | et pour lamour que vous auez a moy, que
  nul ne sache ou ie suis" | ainsi sen vont parlant iusq{ue}s a leurs
  tentes. chascun scait que la paix est faicte | mais plusie{ur}s en
  sont dolens | car mieulx aymassent la guerre que la paix. lors sont
  descenduz les deux compaignons, et si tost quilz furent desarmez,
  Gallehault print vne de ses meilleures robbes pour aller a la court.
  et feist cryer par tout son ost q{ue} chascun sen allast, fors tant
  seullement ceulx de son hostel.

[Sidenote: Galiot commits his guest to the care of the two kings, and
departs to speak with Arthur.]

  Apres appella les deux roys, et leur baille son compaignon, & leur
  commande quilz facent autant de luy comme de son corps mesmes.
  A tant monte Gallehault, et sen va a la court du roy artus. Et le
  roy luy vint alencontre, et la royne qui ia estoit retournee, & la
  dame de malehault auec plusieurs dames & damoyselles.

[Sidenote: Arthur and Galiot go together to the tower where Gawain lies
ill.]

  A tant vont en la bretesche ou monseigneur gauuain gisoit malade. et
  quant il sceut que gallehault venoit, il sefforce de belle chere
  faire, comme celluy qui oncques mes ne lauoit veu de si pres.

[Sidenote: Gawain welcomes Galiot.]

  lors luy dist | "bien soyez vous venu comme de celluy dont ie
  desiroye moult lacointance | car vous estes lhomme du monde qui plus
  doibt estre prise & ayme a droit de toutes gens. Et ie cuyde que nul
  ne scait si bien congnoistre preudho{m}me co{m}me vous & bien y a
  paru." Ainsi parle messire gauuain a gallehault, & il luy demande
  comment il luy est | et Gauuain dist. "Jay este pres de mort. mais
  la grant amour qui est entre vous & le roy ma guery."

[Sidenote: The Queen, the King, and Gawain rejoice at Galiot's coming,
but he, soon after, departs to see Lancelot for a short time, promising
to return.]

  Moult font grant ioye le roy artus & la royne & monseigneur gauuain
  de la venue de gallehault | et tout le iour ont parle de amour et
  daccointance. Mais du noir cheualier ne tiennent ilz nulles parolles
  | ains passent le iour a resiouyr lung lautre ta{n}t quil vint au
  vespre. Lors demande gallehault congie de ses gens aller veoir.
  Et le roy le luy do{n}ne | "mais vous reuiendrez," fait il,
  "inco{n}tinent;" et gallehault le luy octroye | si senreuient a son
  compaignon & luy demande comment il a depuis fait | et il luy
  respondit que bien; "Sire," fait gallehault, "comment feray ie |: le
  roy ma moult prie que ie retourne a luy, & il me feroit mal de vous
  laisser en ce point."

[Sidenote: Lancelot tells Galiot to do whatever Arthur wishes.]

  "Haa, sire cheualier, po{u}r dieu mercy, vous ferez ce q{ue}
  monseigneur le roy vouldra. car iamais a plus preudhomme que il est
  ne eustes accointance. Mais ie vueil que vous me donnez vng don." Et
  gallehault luy dist.

[Sidenote: He charges Galiot again not to ask his name, but to tell him
about Arthur.]

  "Demandez ce quil vous plaira | car ie ne vous escondiroye iamais;"
  "Sire," fait il, "ie vous remercye. Vous me auez donne que vous ne
  me demanderez mon nom deuant q{ue} ie le vous diray." "Et ie men
  tiendray a tant puis q{ue} vous le voulez," dit gallehault. "Et ne
  doubtez pas que ce eust este la premiere chose que ie vous eusse
  demande, si men tairay a tant." Lors luy demanda de laccointance du
  roy artus | mais il ne no{m}me mie la royne | et gallehault dit que
  "le roy est moult preudhomme, & moult me poyse que ie ne lay congneu
  pieca | Car moult en feusse amende |

[Sidenote: Galiot praises the Queen, and Lancelot sheds tears.]

  mais ma dame la royne est sy vaillante que oncques plus honneste
  dame ne vey." et quant le cheualier ouyt parler de la royne, si se
  embronche et commence a souspirer durement. et gallehault le regarde
  et se esmerueille moult pource q{ue} les larmes luy cheoyent des
  yeulx, si commence a parler daultre chose.


[Sidenote: Lancelot asks Galiot to return to Arthur, and to report to
him all the conversation.]

  ++QVant ilz ont longuement parle ense{m}ble, le cheualier noir luy
  dist. "Allez, si ferez a monseigneur le roy compaignie, et si
  escoutez sy vouz orrez de moy nulles parolles, & vous me compterez
  demain ce que vous aurez ouy." "Voulentiers, sire," faict gallehault
  | lors le accolle, et dit aux roys. "Je vous baille en garde cest
  homme comme le cueur de mon ventre." Ainsi sen va gallehault & le
  cheuallier demeure en la garde de deux preu[d]hommes du pays de
  Gallehault | mais il ne fault mye demander sil fust honnore | car
  len faisoit assez plus pour luy quil neust voulu.

[Sidenote: Lancelot sleeps with the two kings in Galiot's tent;]

  celle nuyt geurent les deux roys au tref gallehault pour lamour du
  cheualier & luy firent entenda{n}t quilz ny coucheroye{n}t mye | &
  ilz le firent coucher ainsi que Gallehault auoit fait lautre nuyt.

[Sidenote: but awakes at midnight, and makes a great moaning.]

  Au commencement dormit le cheualier mo{u}lt fort, et qua{n}t vint a
  mynuit si comme{n}ca a soy tourner, et commenca a faire vng dueil si
  gra{n}t que tous ceulz qui entour luy estoyent sen esueillerent. Et
  en son refrain disoit souuent. "Haa chetif, que pourray ie faire?"
  Et toute nuyt demena tel deuil. Au matin se leuerent les deux roys
  le plus coyement quilz peurent | & moult se merueillent quil pouoit
  auoir.

[Sidenote: Galiot comes to see after Lancelot, finds him with his eyes
red and swoln, and conjures him to tell him what the matter is.]

  daultre part fut gallehault leue, & vint a son tref veoir son
  compaignon. Il demande aux deux roys que son compaignon fait. Et ilz
  luy dient quil auoit toute nuyt mene grant dueil. Lors entre en la
  chambre ou il estoit, et si tost comme il le ouyt venir il essuye
  ses yeulx; Ado{n}c gallehault, cuidant que il dormist, saillist
  dehors de la cha{m}bre incontinent; apres le cheualier se leua.
  Et gallehault vit que il auoit les yeulx rouges et enflez. Adonc le
  prent par la main, et le tyre a part, et luy dist. "Beau doulx
  compaignon, po{ur}quoy vous occiez vous ainsi? dont vous vient ce
  dueil que vous auez toute nuyt demene, & le desplaisir que vous
  auez? Je vous prye pour dieu que vous me diez la cause, et ie vous
  ayderay se nul homme mortel y peult co{n}seil mettre;"

[Sidenote: Lancelot cries bitterly, and says that it is his heart, which
has all the dread that it is possible for mortal heart to have.]

  & commence a plourer si durement comme sil veist mort la chose du
  mo{n}de que mieulx aymast. Lors est gallehault moult a malayse et
  luy dit, "Beau doulx compaignon, dictes moy vostre mescheance | car
  il nest nul homme au monde, sil vous auoit riens forfait, que ie nen
  pourchassasse vostre droit." Et il dist que nul ne luy a riens
  meffait. "beau doulx amy, pourquoy menez vous doncq{ue}s si gra{n}t
  dueil? Vous poise il que ie vous ay fait mon maistre & mo{n}
  compaignon?" "Haa," fait il, "vous auez assez plus fait pour moy que
  ie ne pourroye desseruir, ne riens du mo{n}de ne me met a malaise
  que mon cueur, qui a toute paour que cueur mortel po{u}rrait auoir.
  Si doubte moult que vostre grant debonnairete ne me occie." De ceste
  chose est gallehault moult a malayse, si reconforte son compaignon.

[Sidenote: They go to Mass, and Lancelot declares his belief that the
Bread is the Body of Christ.]

  Apres allerent ouyr masse. Quant vint q{ue} le prestre eut fait
  trois parties du corps de nostre seigneur, gallehault se trait
  auant, et tient son compaignon par la main, & luy monstre le corps
  de nostre seigneur que le prestre tenoit entre ses mains; Puis luy
  dist. "doncques ne croyez vous pas bien que cest le corps de nostre
  saulueur?" "Voirement le croy ie bien," fait le cheualier. Et
  gallehault luy dist. "beau doulx amy, or ne me mescreez mye que ces
  trois parties de chair que ie vois en semblance de pain, ia ne feray
  en ma vie chose q{ue} ie cuyde q{u}i vous ennuye: mais toutes les
  choses que ie scauray qui vous plairont, pourchasseray a mon
  pouoir." "sire," fait il, "grant mercys."

[Sidenote: After Mass, Lancelot bids Galiot go again to Arthur.]

  A tant se taisent iusques apres la messe | et lors demanda
  gallehault a son compaignon quil fera; "Sire," fait il, "vous ne
  laisserez mie le roy en ce poi{n}t | ains yrez luy faire
  compaignie." "Sire," faict il, "grant mercys;" A tant sen part de
  luy, si le rebaille aux preudhommes de la court du roy artus. si
  fo{n}t de luy grant signeurie sicomme ilz peuent.


[Sidenote: After dinner the King and Queen visit Gawain, and he asks
Galiot who made peace between him and Arthur.]

  ++ET quant vint apres disner, sy furent le roy & la royne &
  gallehault appuyez au lict de messire gauuain, tant q{ue} messire
  gauuain dist a gallehault. "Sire, or ne vous poise dune chose que ie
  vous dema{n}deray." "Certes," fait galehault, "non fera il." "sire,
  celle paix qui fut entre vous & mon oncle, par qui fut elle, par la
  chose au monde q{u}i plus vous aymez?"

[Sidenote: "A knight," says Galiot. "But what knight?" asks Gawain.]

  "Sire," fait il, "vous me auez tant coniure que ie le vous diray.
  Vng cheualier la fist." "Et qui est le cheualier?" fait messire
  gauuain. "Si maist dieu," fait gallehault, "ie ne scay." "Qui fut
  celluy aux noires armes?" deist messire gauuain. "Ce fut," fait il,
  "vng cheualier;" "Tant," fait il, "en pouez vo{us} bien dire | mais
  acquitter vous conuient." "Je me suis acquite de ce que me
  coniurastes. Ne plus ne vous en diray ores | ne rien ne vous en
  eusse ores dit, se vous ne me eussiez coniure."

[Sidenote: "The Black Knight," answers the Queen; "show him to us."]

  "Par dieu," faict la royne, "ce fut le cheuallier noir | mais
  faictes le nous monstrer." "Qui | moy, dame?" faict gallehault, "ie
  le vous puys bien monstrer sicomme celluy qui rie{n}s nen scait!"
  "Taisez vous," fait la royne, "il est demoure auec vo{us}, & hier
  porta voz armes."

[Sidenote: "I cannot," says Galiot; "he is not from my country;"]

  "Dame," fait il | "il est vray | mais ie ne le vys oncques puis que
  ie party du roy a la premiere fois." "comment," fait le roy, "ne le
  cognoissiez vous mye | ie cuydoye que il fust de vostre terre." "Si
  maist dieu, non est," fait gallehault. "certes," fait le roy, "ne de
  la myenne non est il mye." |

[Sidenote: and Galiot will not disclose the knight's name, but asks
Arthur if he ever saw a better knight, and what he would give to know
him henceforth.]

  Moult tindrent longuement gallehault a parolle le roy et la royne
  pour auoir le nom du cheualier | mais plus nen peurent traire. et
  messire gauuain craint quil ne ennuye a gallehault, si dist au roy.
  "Or en laissez a tant le parler. certes le cheualier est preudhomme,
  & pleust a dieu que ie luy ressemblasse." Moult loe messire gauuain
  le cheualier. Si en ont la parolle laissee | et gallehault la
  recommence et dit. "Sire, veistes vous oncques meilleur cheuallier
  que celluy au noir escu?" "certes," fait le roy, "ie ne vy oncques
  cheualier de qui ie aymasse mieulx laccointance po{u}r cheualerie;"
  "Non," | fait gallehault. "Or me dictes," faict gallehault, "par la
  foy que vous deuez a ma dame q{u}i cy est, combien vous vouldriez
  auoir donne pour auoir son accointance a tousioursmais?"

[Sidenote: "Half of all I have, except my wife," Says Arthur.]

  "Si maist dieu," faict il, "ie luy partiroye la moytie de tout ce
  que ie po{u}rroye auoir, fors seullement de ceste dame." "Certes,"
  fait gallehault, "assez y mettriez.

[Sidenote: "And what would you give, Gawain?"]

  Et vous, messire gauuain, se dieu vous doint sante que tant desirez,
  quel meschief en feriez vous pour auoir compaignie a si preudhomme?"
  Et qua{n}t messire gauuain lot, si pense vng petit comme celluy qui
  ne cuyde iamais auoir sante.

[Sidenote: "I should like to turn woman if he would love me all his
life."]

  "Se dieu me donnoit la sante que ie desire | ie vouldroye
  ore{n}droit estre vne des plus belles dames du monde, par conuenant
  quil me aymast to{us} les iours de sa vie." "par ma foy," fait
  gallehault, "assez y auez mis." "Et vous, madame, quel meschef
  feriez vous par conuena{n}t que vng tel cheualier fust tousiours en
  vostre seruice?"

[Sidenote: "I can offer no more than Gawain," says the Queen.]

  "par dieu," fait elle, "messire gauuain y a mis toutes les offres
  que dame y peult mettre." Et mo{n}seigneur gauuain & tous aultres se
  commencerent a rire. "Gallehault," fait messire gauuain, "qui tous
  nous auez adiurez par le serment que ie vous co{n}iuray, ores qui
  vouldriez vous y auoir mys?"

[Sidenote: "Well," says Galiot, "I would turn all my honour into shame,
for his sake."]

  "Si maist dieu," faict gallehault, "ie y vouldroye auoir tourne mon
  honneur a honte, par tel si q{ue} ieusse a tousioursmais vng si bon
  cheualier en ma compaignie." "Sy maist dieu," faict messire gauuain,
  "plus y auez mys que nous."

[Sidenote: So Gawain concludes that it was the Black Knight who brought
about the peace.]

  et lors se pensa messire gauuain que cestoit le noir cheualier qui
  le paix auoit faicte | car pour luy auoit tourne son honneur a
  honte, quant il veit quil estoyt au dessus. Et le dist gauuain a la
  royne, & se fut la cause do{n}t gallehault fut plus prise; Moult
  tindrent longuement parolles du cheualier.

[Sidenote: The Queen walks away with Galiot, tells him she loves him
much, and prays him to let her see the Black Knight.]

  et la royne sadressa, et dist quelle sen voulloit aller vers la
  bretesche pour veoir les prez, et gallehault la conuoye: si le print
  la royne par la main & luy dist. "Gallehault, ie vous ayme moult, &
  il est vray que vous auez le cheualier en vostre baillie, & par
  aduenture il est tel que ie le congnois bien; si vous prie si cher
  que vous auez mamour, que vous faciez tant que ie le voye." "Dame,"
  fait gallehault, "ie nen ay encores nulle saisine | & ne le vy puis
  que la paix fut faicte de moy & du roy.

[Sidenote: He promises to do all he can for her;]

  Et se il estoit or en mon tref, si y conuiendroit il aultre voulente
  q{ue} le vostre & que la mienne. Et bien saichez que tant me auez
  coniure q{ue} ie mettray tout le pouoir que ie pourray. co{m}ment
  vous pourrez parler a luy?"

[Sidenote: and the Queen says, "I shall be sure to see him if you try,
for he is in your custody. Send and get him."]

  "se vous en faictes vostre pouoir," fait elle, "ie le verray bien, &
  ie men attens a vous, et faictes tant que ie soye vostre a
  tousiours: car cest vng des hommes du monde que ie verroye plus
  voulentiers." "Dame," fait il, "ie en feray mon pouoir." "Grant
  mercys," fait elle. "Or gardez que ie le voye au plus tost que vous
  pourrez | car il est en vostre baillie, ie le scay bien | et se il
  est en vostre terre, enuoyez le querre." Atant sen part gallehault &
  sen vient au roy.

[Sidenote: Arthur wishes Galiot's people and his own to be brought
nearer to one another.]

  Et mo{n}seigneur gauuain & le roy lui dient. "gallehault, ie suis
  deliure de mes gens, ores faictes approcher voz ge{n}s des nostres,
  ou ie feray approcher les nostres des vostres | Car nous sommes a
  priuee mesgnie." "Sire," faict gallehault, "ie feray approcher les
  miens daultre part de cest riuiere si que mon tref sera endroit le
  vostre, et sera vne nef appareillee en quoy nous passerons dicy la
  et de la icy." "Certes," fait le roy, "moult auez bien dit."


[Sidenote: Galiot returns to Lancelot, tells him what the King, Gawain,
and the Queen have said of him, and asks him what answer he shall give
the Queen.]

  ++LOrs sen va Gaillehault en sa tente, et trouue son compaignon
  mo{u}lt pensif. Il luy demande co{m}ment il a puis fait; Et il dist,
  "bien, se paour ne me mestriast." et gallehault dist, "de quoy auez
  vous telle paour?" "que ie ne soye co{n}gneu," dist il. "or nen ayez
  mie paour, car vous ny serez ia congneu, se vostre voulente ne y
  est;" Lors luy compte les offres que le roy et messire gauuain ont
  faict pour luy, et ce que la royne dit | et comment la royne la tenu
  a grant parlement de le veoir | et comme il luy respondit. "et
  saichez que elle na de nully si tres grant desir de veoir comme de
  vous. Et mo{n}seigneur la Roy ma prye que ie face mes gens approcher
  | car nous sommes trop loing lung de lautre. Or me dictes que vous
  voulez que je face | car il est en vostre plaisir." "Je loue que
  vous facez ce que monseign{eu}r le roy vous prye;" "Et a ma dame que
  respondray ie, beau doulx amy?" "Certes," fait il, "ie ne scay."
  Lors commence a souspirer.

[Sidenote: Lancelot sighs, and says, "Whatever you advise."]

  Et gallehault luy deist. "Beau doulx amy, ne vous esmayez point |
  mais dictes moy comment vous voulez quil soit | car bien saichez
  quil sera ainsi comme vous vouldrez | et ie aymeroye mieulx estre
  courrouce a la moytie du monde que a vous tout seul. ores me dictes
  quil vous en plaist." "Sire," faict ledit cheualier, "ce que vous me
  louerez | car ie suis en vostre garde desormais."

[Sidenote: "There will be no harm in seeing her," answers Galiot.]

  "Certes," fait gallehault, "il me semble que pour veoir ma dame la
  royne il ne vous peult empyrer."

[Sidenote: Lancelot says the matter must be managed secretly; and they
agree that Galiot shall tell the Queen he has sent to seek for
Lancelot.]

  Lors apperceut galehault assez de son penser, & le tient si court
  quil luy octroye ce quil demande | "mais il conuiendra," faict il,
  "que il soyt faict celeement, que nul ne le saiche | fors moy et
  vous." Et gallehault dit que il ne se soulcye point. "Or dictes,"
  (fait le cheualier a gallehault,) "a ma dame que vous me auez enuoye
  querre." "Sur moy en laissez le surplus," dit Gallehault. Lors sen
  part a tant, et commanda ses trefz a tendre la ou il auoit en
  conuenant au roy | et son seneschal fist son commandement.


[Sidenote: How Guinevere and Lancelot meet and talk.]

  ¶ Comment gallehault fist tant que la royne veit Lancelot,
  Et comment ilz se araisonnerent ensemble, et parlerent de plusieurs
  choses.

[Sidenote: The Queen asks Galiot what he has done for her.]

  ++A Tant sen partit gallehault & sen vient au tref du roy, & si tost
  comme la royne le voit, si luy courut a lencontre, & luy dema{n}de
  comment il auoit exploycte la besongne. "dame," faict il, "ie en ay
  fait tant que ie craing que lamour de vostre pryere ne me tolle la
  chose du monde que ie ayme plus." "Sy maist dieu," faict elle, "vous
  ne perderez riens par moy que ie ne vous rende ou double | mais que
  y pouez vo{us}," fait elle, "perdre?" "Celluy mesmes que vous
  demandez," fait gallehault | "Car ie doubte quil ne se courrouce, et
  que ie ne le perde a tousiours." "Certes," faict elle, "ce ne
  pourray ie pas rendre | mais ia par moy ne le perderez, se dieu
  plaist. Et touteffoys dictes moy quant il viendra" |

[Sidenote: "Sent to seek for your knight," says he.]

  "dame," fait il, "quant il pourra | car ie lay enuoye querre, et
  croy que il ne demourra mye longuement." De leur conseil entendit
  ung peu la dame de mallehault qui sen prenoit garde et nen faisoit
  mye semblant.

[Sidenote: Galiot returns to his men, and tells his Seneschal to bring
Lancelot when he sends for him.]

  Lors sen partit gallehault et vient a ses gens qui estoyent logez la
  ou il auoit commande.


  ++QVant il fut descendu, il parla a son Seneschal et luy deist |
  "quant ie vous enuoyeray querir, venez a moy, vous & mon compaignon
  en ce lieu la." Et le roy des cent cheualiers, qui son seneschal
  estoit, dist que mo{u}lt voulentiers feroit son commandement & son
  plaisir.

[Sidenote: Galiot then goes back to the Queen, says he thinks she will
see her knight that evening, and appoints to meet her in an Orchard
below.]

  Lors salua Gallehault son compaignon, et sen retourna a la court. Et
  quant la royne veit gallehault qui estoit venu, elle luy dist que il
  gardast bien et loyaulment ce quil luy auoit promis. Et il luy dist
  | "dame, ie cuyde que vous verrez ennuyt ce que vous auez tant
  desire." Quant elle ouyt ce, si en fut moult ioyeuse, et moult luy
  ennuya ce iour pour sa voulente acomplir du desir q{ue} elle auoit
  de parler a celuy ou toutes ses pensees estoyent. Lors luy deist
  Gallehault, "nous yrons apres soupper en ce vergier la aual" | et
  elle luy octroye.

[Sidenote: After supper the Queen goes to the Orchard, and Galiot sends
for his Seneschal and the Knight, who come.]

  Quant ce vint apres souper, si appelle la royne | la dame de
  mallehault | et dame Lore de cardueil, une sienne pucelle, et sen
  vont tout droit la ou gallehault auoyt dit | et gallehault prent ung
  escuyer et luy dist. "Va et dy a mon seneschal que il viengne la ou
  ie luy commanday." Et celuy y va. Apres ne demoura guaires que le
  seneschal y vint, luy et le cheualier. Ilz estoye{n}t tous deux de
  grant beaulte; Quant ilz approchere{n}t, si congneut la dame de
  mallehault le cheualier comme celluy que elle auoyt eu maint iour en
  sa baillie. Et pource quelle ne vouloit mye que il la congneut, se
  embroncha, et ilz passent oultre. le seneschal les salue. Et
  gallehault dit a la royne. "Dame, lequel vous semble il que se
  soit?" | et elle dit.

[Sidenote: The Queen at first cannot think that either is the black
knight, but one is so bashful that she fixes on him, seats him by her,
smiles on him, says she has so longed to see him, and now he must tell
her who he is. "I don't know," he answers.]

  "Certes, ilz sont tous deux beaulx cheualliers | mais ie ne voy
  corps ou il puisse auoir tant de prouesse que le noir cheualier
  auoit." "or saichez, dame, que cest lung de ces deux" | a tant sont
  venuz auant, et le cheuallier tremble si que a peine peult saluer la
  royne, & la royne sen esmerueille. lors se agenouillent eulx deux,
  et le cheualier la salue | mais cest moult pourement | car moult
  estoit honteux. Lors se pense la royne que cest il. Et gallehault
  dit au seneschal. "allez, si faictes a ces dames compaignie." Et
  celluy fait ce que son sire luy comma{n}de. A doncq{ue}s la royne
  prent le cheualier par la main & le assiet iouxte elle. Sy luy fait
  moult beau semblant & dit en riant. "Sire, moult vo{us} auons
  desire, tant que, dieu mercy et gallehault, vous voyons. et
  nonpourtant encores ne croy ie mye que ce soit celluy que ie demande
  | & gallehault ma dit que cestes vous | & encores vouldroye scauoir
  qui vous estes par vostre bouche mesmes, se vostre plaisir y
  estoit." Et celuy dit que il ne scait | et oncques ne la regarda au
  visaige. Et la royne ce esmerueille que il peult auoir, tant quelle
  souspeconne une partie de ce quil a.

[Sidenote: Galiot leaves the two to themselves, and the Queen asks the
knight, "Are not you he who wore the black armour, and overcame
everyone?"]

  Et gallehault, qui le voigt si honteux, pense quil veult dire a la
  royne son penser seul a seul. lors sen vient messire gauuain celle
  part, et fait rasseoir les damoyselles pour ce que leuees sestoient
  encontre luy. Puis commence{n}t a parler de maintes choses. Et la
  Royne dit au cheuallier, "Beau sire, pourquoy vous celez vous de
  moy? Certes il ne y a cause pourquoy; nestes vo{us} mie celluy qui
  porta les noires armes, et qui vainquist lassemblee?" "Dame, nenny"
  | "et nestes vous pas celluy qui porta lendemain les armes a
  gallehault?" "Dame, ouy;" "Do{n}c estes vous celluy qui vainquistes
  lassemblee qui fut faicte le premier iour par deuer{s} nous et
  par[A42] deuers Gallehault?"

[Sidenote: "No, I am not," saith he, refusing to praise himself.]

  "Dame, non suis." Quant la royne ot ainsi parler le cheualier, a
  donc appercoit elle bien quil ne veult mie congnoistre quil eust
  vaincue lassemblee, si len prise mieulx la royne | car quant vng
  homme se loe luy mesmes, il tourne son honneur a honte | et quant
  aultruy le loe, adonc il est mieulx prise.

[Sidenote: "Then who made you a knight, and when?"]

  "Or me dictes," fait la royne a lancelot | "q{ui} vous fist
  cheuallier?" "Dame," fait il, "vous;" "Moy?" fait elle, "Et quant?"

[Sidenote: "You, at Kamalot, when the pieces of a spear were drawn out
of the wounded knight, and you girded on my sword, thus knighting me,
and I went away to help the Lady of Noehault, and sent you two damsels.]

  "Dame," fait il, "vous remembrez vous point quant vng cheuallier
  vint a Kamalot, lequel estoyt naure de deux troncons de lance au
  corps, et dune espee parmy la teste, et que vng varlet vi{n}t a
  co{ur}t en vng vendredy, et fut cheualier le dymenche, et deffera le
  cheuallier?" "De ce," fait elle, "me souient il bien | et se dieu
  vous aist, feustes vous ce q{ue} la dame du lac amena en court vestu
  dune robe blanche?" "Dame, ouy." "Et pourquoy dictes vous donc que
  ie vous fis cheuallier?" "Dame," fait il, "ie dys vray | Car la
  coustume est telle que nul ne peut estre cheuallier sans ceindre
  espee. Et celluy de qui il tient lespee, le faict cheuallier; de
  vous la tiens ie. Car le roy ne la me donna onques. Pour ce dis ie
  que vous me feistes cheualier." De ce est la royne mo{u}lt ioyeuse |
  "ou vous en allastes vous au partir de co{ur}t?" "Dame, ie men allay
  pour secourir la dame de noehault;" "Et durant ce temps me mandastes
  vous riens?" "Dame, ouy | ie vo{us} enuoyay peux pucelles." "Il est
  vray," dist la royne. "Et quant vous partistes de noehault,
  trouuastes vous nul cheuallier qui se reclamast de moy?"

[Sidenote: Then I met a man, who said he was your knight, and I fought
him (for which I crave your pardon).]

  "Dame, ouy; vng qui gardoit vng gue, et me dist que descendisse de
  dessus mon cheual et le vouloit auoir, et ie luy demanday a qui il
  estoit | et il dist a vous. Puis luy demanday apres, qui le
  commandoyt. Et il me dist quil nauoyt nul commandement que le
  sie{n}. Et adoncques remys le pied en lestrief et remontay |
  Car ie estoye ia descendu | et luy dis que il ne lauoyt point, et me
  combatis a luy. Et ie scay bien que ie vous fis oultraige, si vous
  en crie mercy" | "Certes a moy ne en feistes vous point | Car il
  nestoyt mye a moy | et luy sceuz mauluais gre de ce quil ce reclama
  de moy. Mais or me dictes on vous en allastes la?"

[Sidenote: After that I took the Sorrowful Castle, and there I saw you
thrice, last when you thought you had lost Gawain and his companions,
and I helped to deliver him from prison."]

  "Dame, ie men allay a la douloureuse garde" | "& qui la conquist?"
  "Dame, ie y entray" | "et ne vous y viz ie oncques." "Ouy, plus de
  troys foys." "Et en quel temps?" fist elle. "Dame," fist il, "vng
  iour que ie vous demanday se vous vouliez leans entrer; Et vous
  deistes ouy | et estiez moult esbahye par semblant." "Et quel escu
  portiez vo{us}?" "Dame, ie portay a la premiere foys vng escu blanc
  a vne bande de belif vermeille. Et lautre foys vng ou il y auoyt
  deux bendes" | "Et vous vys ie plus?" "Ouy, la nuyt que vous cuidiez
  auoir perdu messire Gauuain et ses co{m}paignons, et que les gens
  cryoyent que le{n} me prenist; Je vins hors a tout mon escu a troys
  bendes." "Certes," faict elle, "ce poise moy | car se on vous eust
  detenu, tous les enchantements feussent demourez | Mais or me
  dictes, fustes vous ce qui iettastes messire Gauain de prison?"
  "Dame, ie y ayday a mon pouoir." "Certes," faict elle, "en toutes
  les choses q{ue} vous me dictes ie nay trouue si non verite.

[Sidenote: The Queen asks the knight who was in the turret above his
room there.]

  Mais or me dictes qui estoit en vne tournelle dessus la chambre
  monseigneur."

[Sidenote: "A damsel whom I never dishonoured, but I asked her not to
leave till she saw my messenger or me, which I then forgot, and kept her
there a very long time."]

  "Dame, cestoyt vne pucelle que ie ne villennay oncques | Car ma dame
  du lac la me auoyt enuoyee | si me trouua en ceste tournelle | il
  fut assez qui la honnora pour moy. Quant ie ouy nouuelles de
  monseigneur Gauuain, si en fut mo{u}lt angoisseux, et men party de
  la Damoyselle qui auecques moy debuoit venir, et luy priay que elle
  ne se remuast tant que elle eust mon messaige ou moy. Si fus si
  surprins de tresgrant affaire que ie loubliay | et elle fut plus
  loyalle uers moy que ie ne fus courtois vers elle | car oncques ne
  se remua iusques a ce q{ue}lle eut mes enseignes, et ce fut grant
  piece apres."

    [Footnote A42: The original has _pat_.]


[Sidenote: How the Queen knew Lancelot.]

  Comment la royne congneut Lancelot apres q{u}il eut lo{n}guement
  parle a elle, et q{u}il luy eut compte de ses adue{n}tures. Et
  comment la premiere acointance fut faicte entre lancelot et la royne
  genieure par le moyen de gallehault.

[Sidenote: When she heard of this damsel the Queen knew it must be
Lancelot, and asks him if he was the knight whom Daguenet took.]

  ++QVant la royne eut parle de la damoiselle, si scait bien q{ue}
  cest La{n}celot. Si luy enquist de toutes les choses q{ue}lle auoit
  ouy de luy, et de toutes le trouua vray disa{n}t; "Or me dictes,"
  fait elle, "vous vy ie puis?"

[Sidenote: He answers "Yes;" and that two rascals killed his horse, and
Ywain gave him another.]

  "Ouy, dame, telle heure que vo{us} me eustes bie{n} mestier | car
  ieusse este noye a kamalot se ne eussiez vous este." "Comment!
  feustes vous celluy que daguenet le fol print?" "Dame, prins fus ie
  sans faulte." "Et ou alliez vous?" "Dame, ie alloye apres vng
  cheuallier." "Et vous combatistes vous a luy" | "dame, ouy." "Et
  dillec ou allastes vous?" "Dame, ie trouuay deux grans villains que
  me occirent mo{n} cheual | mais messire yuain, qui bonne aduenture
  ayt, men donna vng."

[Sidenote: "Ah, then your name is Lancelot," says she, "and for what
lady or damsel did you do such feats of arms the day before yesterday?"]

  "Ha, ha," fait elle, "ie scay bien qui vous estes; Vous auez nom
  lancelot du lac." Il se taist. "Par dieu," faict elle, "pourneant le
  celez | long temps a que messire Gauuain apporta nouuelles de vostre
  nom a co{ur}t;" Lors luy compta comment messire yuain auoit compte
  que la damoyselle auoit dit | cest la tierce. "Et anten quelles
  armes portastes vous?" "Vnes vermeilles." "Par mo{n} chef cest
  verite. Et auant hier pourquoy feistes vo{u}s tant darmes comme vous
  feistes?" Et il commenca a souspirer. "Dictes moy seurement | Car ie
  scay bien que pour aulcune dame ou damoyselle le feistes vous, et me
  dictes qui elle est, par la foy que vous me deuez."

[Sidenote: "For you, Lady; and for you I broke the three lances that
your maiden brought me for you had made me your _friend_, and said I was
your knight in all lands, and bid me adieu as your own sweet friend.]

  "Haa, dame, ie voy bien quil le me conuient dire, cestes vo{us}."
  "Moy?" faict elle. "Voire, dame." "Pour moy ne ro{m}pistes vous pas
  les troys lances que ma pucelle vous porta?" "Car ie me mis bien
  hors du mandement, dame; ie fis pour elle ce q{ue} ie deuz, et pour
  vous ce que ie peux." "Et combien a il que vous me aymez tant?" "Des
  le iour que ie fus tenu pour cheuallier, et ie ne lestoye mye" |
  "Par la foy que vous me deuez, dont vindrent ces amours que vous
  auez en moy mises?" "dame," fait il, "vous le me feistes faire qui
  de moy feistes vostre amy, se vostre bouche ne me a me{n}ty." "Mon
  amy!" faict elle, "comment?" "Dame," fait il, "ie vins deuant vous
  quant ie eu prins congie monseigneur le roy | si vous commanday a
  dieu, et dis que ie estoye vostre cheuallier en tous lieux. Et vous
  me dictes que vostre amy et vostre cheuallier voulliez vous que ie
  feusse. Et ie dys, "a dieu! dame." Et vous distes "a dieu! mon beau
  doulx amy!"

[Sidenote: That word has never left me, but always been my strength and
wealth."]

  Ce fut le mot qui preudhomme me fera, se ie le suis, ne oncques puis
  ne fus a si grant meschef que il ne men remembrast. Ce mot ma
  conforte en to{us} mes ennuys. Cest mot ma de tous maulx guary. Cest
  mot ma fait riche en mes pouretez;" "Par ma foy," fait la royne, "ce
  mot fut en bo{n}ne heure dict | et dieu en soyt aoure | ne ie ne le
  prenoye pas acertes comme vous feistes, et a maint preudhomme ay ie
  ce dict ou ie ne pensay oncques riens que le dire.

[Sidenote: "Oh, but that was only an ordinary compliment," says
Guinevere, to tease him.]

  Mais la coustume est telle des cheualliers que font a mainte dame
  semblant de telles choses dont a gueres ne leur est au cueur." Et ce
  disoit elle po{ur} veoir de combien elle le pourroit mettre en
  malaise;

[Sidenote: This grieves Lancelot so that he nearly faints, at which
Galiot is greatly grieved, tells the Queen that Lancelot is the
gallantest and truest of men, and prays her to have mercy on him.]

  Car elle veoit bien quil ne pretendoit a autre amour que a la sienne
  | mais elle se delectoyt a sa malaisete veoir, et il eut si grant
  angoisse que par vng pou q{u}il ne se pasma | & la royne eut paour
  quil ne cheist, si appella gallehault, et il y vint acourant. Quant
  il voyt q{ue} son compaigno{n} est si courrouce, si en a si gra{n}t
  angoisse q{ue} plus ne peut. "Haa, dame," fait gallehault, "vous le
  nous pourrez bien tollir, et ce seroit trop grand do{m}maige."
  "Certes, sire, se seroit mo{n};" "Et ne scauez vous pour qui il a
  tant fait darmes?" faict gallehault. "Certes, nenny," faict elle |
  "mais, se il est veoir ce qui ma este dict, cest pour moy;" "Dame,
  se maist dieu, bien len pouez croire | car aussi comme il est le
  plus preudho{m}me de tous les hommes | aussi est son cueur plus vray
  que tous aultres." "Voireme{n}t," fait elle, "diriez vous quil
  seroit preudhomme se vous scauiez quil a fait darmes puis quil fut
  cheuallier." Lors luy compte tout ainsi co{m}ment vous auez ouy |
  "et saichez quil a ce faict seullement pour moy," fait elle. Lors
  luy prie gallehault, & dist. "Pour dieu, dame, ayez de luy mercy, et
  faictes pour moy ainsi comme ie fis pour vous quant vous men
  priastes."

[Sidenote: "What mercy?" says she;]

  "Quelle mercy voulez vous que ien aye?" "Dame, vous scauez que ie
  vous ayme sur toutes, et il a fait po{u}r vous plus que oncques
  cheualier ne fist po{u}r dame, et sachez que la paix de moy et de
  monseign{eu}r neust ia este faicte se neust il este."

[Sidenote: "there is nothing he can ask of me that I will not do; but he
will not ask."]

  "Certes," faict elle, "il a plus faict pour moy que ne pourroye
  desseruir, ne il ne me pourroyt chose requerre dont ie le peuisse
  esconduyre | mais il ne me requiert de riens | ains est tant
  melencolieux que merueilles." "Dame," fait gallehault, "auez en
  mercy; il est celluy qui vo{us} ayme plus que soy mesmes. Si maist
  dieu, ie ne scauoye riens de sa voulente quant il vint, fors quil
  doubtoit de estre congneu, ne oncques plus ne men descouurit." "Je
  en auray," fait elle, "telle mercy comme vous vouldrez." "Dame, vous
  auez fait ce que ie vous ay requis; aussi doy ie bien faire ce q{ue}
  vous me requerez." Se dit la royne, "il ne me requiert de riens."

[Sidenote: "He does not dare," answers Galiot, "but I will ask for
him."]

  "Certes, dame," fait gallehault, "il ne ose | car le{n} ne aymera ia
  riens par amo{ur}s que len ne craigne | mais ie vous en prie pour
  luy, & se ie ne vous en priasse, si le deussiez vo{us} pourchasser.
  Car plus riche tresor ne pourriez vous conquester."

[Sidenote: "Then I will grant it," says Queen Guinevere. Galiot prays
her to give Lancelot her love, and become his loyal lady all her life.]

  "Certes," fait elle, "ie le scay bien et ie en feray tout ce que
  vous commanderez." "Dame," fait Gallehault, "grant mercy. Je vous
  prie que vous luy donnez vostre amour, et le retenez pour vostre
  cheuallier a tousiours, et deuenez sa loyalle dame toute vostre vie
  | et vous le aurez fait plus riche que se vo{us} luy auiez donne
  tout le monde."

[Sidenote: She promises to be Lancelot's, and that she will do
everything she is told.]

  "Certes," faict elle, "ie luy ottroye que il soyt mien | et moy
  toute sienne, et que par vous soyent amendez tous les meffaitz."
  "Dame," faict Gallehault, "grant mercy. Or conuient il commencement
  de seruice;" "Vous ne deuiserez riens," fait la royne, "que ie ne
  face."

[Sidenote: "Then kiss Lancelot before me," says Galiot.]

  "Dame," faict il, "grant mercy | donc baisez le deuant moy pour
  commencement de vrayes amours."

[Sidenote: This Guinevere agrees to do, if Lancelot wishes it.]

  "Du baiser," faict elle, "ie ne voy ne lieu ne temps | et ne doubtez
  pas," faict elle, "que ie ne le voulsisse faire aussi voullentiers
  quil feroit | mais ces dames sont cy qui mo{u}lt se merueillent
  q{ue} no{us} auons tant fait, si ne po{ur}royt estre que ilz ne le
  vissent. Nompourtant, se il veult, ie le baiseray voullentiers." Et
  il en est si ioyeulx que il ne peult respondre si non tant quil
  dict.

[Sidenote: Galiot says there is no doubt about Lancelot's wish;]

  "Dame," faict il, "grant mercy" | "dame," faict Gallehault, "de son
  vouloir nen doubtez ia | Car il est tout vostre, bien le saichez, ne
  ia nul ne sen apperceuera; Nous troys serons ensemble ainsi comme se
  nous conseillions" | "Dequoy me feroye ie pryer" | faict elle |
  "plus le vueil ie que vous." Lors se trayent a part, et font
  semblant de conseiller.

[Sidenote: and as he is bashful, the Queen takes him by the chin, and
kisses him before Galiot. (The Lady of Mallehault sees her.)]

  La Royne voyt que le cheuallier nen ose plus faire, si le prent par
  le menton, et baise deuant Gallehault assez longuement. Et la dame
  de Mallehauli (_sic_) sceut de vray que elle le baisoyt. Lors parla
  la Royne qui moult estoyt sage & vaillant dame.

[Sidenote: Guinevere tells Lancelot that she is his, but charges him to
keep the matter secret, and Galiot too.]

  "Beau doulx amy," faict elle, "tant auez faict que ie suys vostre;
  Et moult en ay grant ioye. Or gardez que la chose soyt celee. Car
  mestier en est. Je suys une des Dames du monde dont len a greigneur
  bien dict, Et se ma renommee empiroyt par vous, il y auroyt layde
  amour et villaine | et vous, Gallehault, ie vous prye que mon
  honneur gardez | Car vous estes le plus saige | Et se mal men
  venoyt, ce ne seroyt si non par vous; Et se ien ay bien et ioye,
  vous me lauez donnee."

[Sidenote: Galiot promises this, and asks Guinevere to make Lancelot his
companion for ever.]

  "Dame," faict Gallehault, "il ne pourroyt vers vous mesprendre, et
  ien ay bien faict ce que vous me commandastes. Or vous prye que
  faciez ma voulente ainsi comme iay fait la vostre;" "Dictes," fait
  elle, "tout ce quil vo{us} plaira hardyment | car vous ne me
  scauriez chose comma{n}der que ie ne face." "Dame," faict il, "donc
  mauez vous ottroye que ie seray son compaignon a tousiours."
  "Certes," fait elle, "se de ce vo{us} failloit, vous auriez mal
  employe la peine que vous auez prinse pour luy et pour moy."

[Sidenote: She takes Lancelot's hand, gives him to Galiot, and says she
has given him Lancelot of the Lake, son of King Ban.]

  Lors prent le cheuallier par la main, et dict. "Gallehault, ie vous
  donne ce cheualier a tousiours sans ce que iay auant eu, et vous le
  me creancez ainsi" | et aussi le cheualier luy creance | "scauez
  vous," fait elle, "Gallehault, que ie vous ay donne lancelot du lac,
  le filz au roy ban de benoic;" Ainsi luy a fait le cheualier
  congnoistre, qui moult en a grant honte.

[Sidenote: This gives Galiot more joy than ever he had before, as he had
often heard how Lancelot was the gallantest knight in the world.]

  Lors a gallehault greigneure ioye quil neust oncq{ue}s | car il
  auoit maintesfois ouy dire, comme parolles vont, que cestoyt le
  meilleur cheualier et le plus preux du monde, et bien scauoit que le
  roy ban auoit este moult gentil ho{m}me, et moult puissant de amys
  et de terre.


  ++AInsi fut faicte la premiere acointance de la royne et de lancelot
  par gallehault | et Gallehault ne lauoit oncques congneu que de
  veue, et pource luy fait creancer q{u}il ne luy demanderoit son nom
  tant quil luy dist, ou autre po{ur} luy. Lors se leuerent tous
  troys, et il anuytoit durement.

[Sidenote: By the bright moonlight they recross the meads towards
Lancelot's tent, and Galiot sends Lancelot there, while he conducts the
Queen to Arthur's tent, and tells him they have only been looking at the
fields by themselves.]

  Mais la lune estoyt leuee, si faisoit cler | Si que elle luysoyt par
  toute la praerie | Lors sen retournerent a vne part contrement les
  prez droit vers le tref le cheualier, & le seneschal et gallehault
  vint apres luy & les dames ta{n}t q{u}ilz vindre{n}t endroit les
  te{n}tes de gallehault. Lors enuoya Gallehault son compaignon a son
  tref, et prent co{n}ge de la royne, et gallehault la conuoye iusques
  au tref du Roy. Et qua{n}t le roy les veyt, si demanda dont ilz
  venoyent. "Sire," fait Gallehault, "nous uenons de veoir ces pres a
  si peu de compaignie comment vo{us} veez." Lors se assient, et
  parlent de plusieurs choses; si sont la Royne et Gallehault moult
  ayses.


  ++AV chef de piece se leua la royne, et sen alla en la bretesche;
  gallehault la conuoya iusq{ue}s la.

[Sidenote: Galiot sees the Queen to her tower, and then takes leave of
Arthur and of Gawain, and goes to Lancelot's bed.]

  Puis la comma{n}de a dieu, et dist quil sen yroit gesir auec son
  compaignon. "Bien auez fait," dit la royne, "il en sera plus ayse" |
  A tant sen part gallehault, et vient au roy prendre congie, et dist
  quil ne luy desplaise, et que il yra gesir auec les gens pource quil
  ny auoyt geu de grant piece, et dist. "Sire, ie me doibz pener de
  faire leur voulente | car ilz me ayment moult." "Sire," fait messire
  gauuain, "vo{us} dictes bien, et len doit bien honnorer telz
  preudhommes q{u}i les a." Lors sen part gallehault et vient a son
  compaignon; Ilz se coucherent to{us} deux en vng lict, et deviserent
  la une piece. Si nous laisserons ores a parler de gallehault & de
  son compaignon, et dirons de la royne qui est venu en la bretesche.


[Sidenote: Queen Guinevere goes to the window to think, and the Lady of
Mallehault asks her why four are bad company.]

  ++QVa{n}t gallehault fut party, la royne sen alla en vne fenestre,
  et comme{n}ce a penser a ce que plus luy plaisoyt. La dame de
  mallehault saprocha delle quant elle la vit seulle, et luy dist le
  plus priueement que elle peut. "Haa, dame! pourquoy ne est bonne la
  compaignie de quatre?"

[Sidenote: At first Guinevere will not hear this, but the Lady repeats
it; the Queen asks why she says it, and the Lady asks pardon, as perhaps
she has said too much.]

  La royne le ouyst bien, si ne dit mot, et fait semblant q{ue} riens
  nen ouyt. Et ne demoura gueres q{ue} la dame dist celle parolle
  mesmes; la royne lapella et dist. "Dame, pourquoy auez ce dit?"
  "Dame," fait elle, "pardonnez moi, ie nen diray ores plus | car par
  aduenture en ay plus dit que a moy napartient | & le{n} ne se doit
  mi faire plus priuee de sa dame que len est | car tost en acquiert
  on hayne."

[Sidenote: "No," says Guinevere, "speak boldly out; I wish it."]

  "Si maist dieu," fait la royne, "vous ne me po{ur}riez rie{n}s dire
  do{n}t vous eussiez ma haine | ie vous tiens tant a saige et a
  courtoyse, que vous ne diriez riens qui fust encontre ma voulente |
  Mais dictes hardyment | Car ie le vueil, et si vous en prie."

[Sidenote: "Then I must say that I think four very good company. I saw
the new acquaintance you made to-day, and know he is the man who loves
you most in the world.]

  "Dame," fait elle, "donc le vous diray ie | Je dy que moult est
  bonne la compaignie de quatre; Jay huy veu nouueau accointement
  q{ue} vous auez faict au cheuallier qui parla a vous la bas en ce
  vergier. Et scay bien que cest la personne du mo{n}de qui plus vous
  ayme, et vous ne auez pas tort se vous laymez | car vous ne pourriez
  vostre amour mieulx employer;" "Comment," fait la royne, "le
  congnoissez vous?"

[Sidenote: I kept him a year and a half in prison, and gave him both the
red and the black arms in which he won the tourneys;]

  "Dame," fait elle, "telle heure a este ouen que ie vous en eusse
  bien peu faire refus comme vous en pouez ores faire a moy | car ie
  lay tenu vng an et demy en prison. Cest celluy qui vaincquit
  lassemblee aux armes vermeilles | & celle de deuant hier aux armes
  noires, les vnes & les autres luy baillay ie; Et quant il fut auant
  hier sur la riuiere pensif, et ie luy voulu mander q{ue} il fist
  vaillamment armes, ie ne le faisoye sinon pour ce que ie esperoye
  quil vous aymast; si cuydoye telle heure fust que il me aymast |

[Sidenote: and I thought then that he loved me, but he soon undeceived
me."]

  Mais il me mist tost hors de cuyder, tant me descouurit de son
  penser." Lors luy compta co{m}ment elle lauoyt tenu en prison an et
  demy | et pourquoy elle lauoit prins.

[Sidenote: The Queen answers, "But tell me why four are better company
than three."]

  "Or me dictes," fait la royne, "quelle compaignie vault mieulx de
  quatre que de troys | car mieulx est vne chose celee par trois que
  par quatre." "Certes non est cy endroit, et si vo{us} diray.

[Sidenote: "Because, though your knight loves you, he loves Galiot too,
and they will not stay here long, but you will; and if you have no one
else to tell your thought to, you will be forced to keep your faith to
yourself; but if you will let me be a fourth, we can comfort one
another."]

  Vray est que le cheualier vous ayme, et aussi fait il gallehault, et
  desormais se confortero{n}t lung lautre en quelque terre quilz
  soient. Car icy ne sero{n}t ilz pas longuement: et vous demourerez
  cy toute seule, et ne le scaura nul fors vous | ne si ne aurez a qui
  descouurir vostre pensee, si porterez ainsi vostre faix toute seulle
  | mais sil vo{us} pleust que ie fusse la quarte en la compaignie
  entre nous deux dames, nous solacierons ainsi co{m}me entre eulx
  deux cheualiers feront, si en seriez plus aise." "Scauez vous," fait
  la royne, "qui est le cheuallier?" "Se maist dieu," fait la dame,
  "nen{n}y." "Vous auez bien ouy co{m}ment il se couurit vers moy."

[Sidenote: Queen Guinevere agrees to this with great joy, and tells the
Lady that the knight is Lancelot of the Lake.]

  "Certes," faict la royne, "moult estes apparceuante, et moult
  conuiendroit estre sage qui vous vouldroit rien embler, & puis que
  ainsi est que vous lauez aperceu, et que vous me requerez la
  compagnie, vous laurez | mais ie vueil que vous portez vostre faix
  ainsi co{m}me ie feray le mie{n}." "Dame," faict elle, "ie feray ce
  que il vous plaira, pour ci haulte compaignie auoir." "En verite,"
  faict la royne, "vous laurez | car meilleure compaignie que vous ne
  pourroye ie mye auoir," "Dame," fait elle, "nous serons ensemble
  toutes les heures quil vous plaira." "Jen suys ioyeuse," faict la
  Royne. "Et no{us} affermerons demain la compaignie de nous quattre."
  Lors luy compte de Lancelot, comment il auoyt ploure quant il
  regarda deuers elle, "et ie scay que il vous congneut, et saichez
  que cest lancelot du lac, le meilleur cheuallier qui viue." Ainsi
  parlerent longuement entre elles deux | et font moult grant ioye de
  le{ur} accointement nouueau.

[Sidenote: At night the ladies sleep together, and talk of their new
loves, the Lady of Mallehault saying that she never loved but one, and
then only in thought (and that was Lancelot).]

  Icelle nuyct ne souffrit oncques la Royne de logres que la dame de
  mallehault geust sinon auec elle | mais elle y geut a force. Car
  elle doubtoyt moult de gesir auec si riche dame; Quant elles furent
  couchees si commencerent a parler de leurs nouuelles amours; La
  royne demanda a la dame de mallehault selle a[y]me nulluy par
  amours, et elle luy dict que nenny. "Saichez, dame, que ie naymay
  oncques que vne foys, ne de celle amour ne fis ie que penser;" et ce
  dit elle de lancelot, quelle auoit tant ayme co{m}me femme pourroit
  aymer homme mortel | Mais elle nen auoit oncques aultre ioye eue,
  non pourtant ne dit pas que ce eust il este.

[Sidenote: The Queen thinks she will make the Lady and Galiot fall in
love with one another.]

  La royne pensa quelle feroyt ses amours de elle et de gallehault,
  mais elle nen veult parler iusques a ta{n}t quelle scaura de
  gallehault sil la veult aymer ou non | car autrement ne len
  requerroit elle pas.

[Sidenote: Next morning they go to Arthur's tent and wake him, and then
return over the meadows where the meeting with Lancelot took place, and
the Queen tells the Lady of Mallehault all about it, and then praises
Galiot as the wisest and best man in the world.]

  Lendemain se leuerent matin elles deux, & allerent au tref du roy,
  qui gisoit la pour faire a monseigneur gauuain et aux aultres
  cheualiers compaignie. La royne sesueilla, & dist, "que moult estoyt
  mauluais qui a ceste heure dormoyt." Lors se tournerent contreual
  les prez, et dames et damoyselles auec elles. Et ils allerent la ou
  laccointement damours auoyt este faict, et dict la Royne a la dame
  de mallehault toute laccointance de lancelot | et comme il estoit
  esbahy deuant elle, et riens ne luy laissa a dire. Puis commenca a
  louer gallehault, et dit que cestoit le plus saige homme et le plus
  vertueulx du monde; "Certes," fait elle, "ie luy compteray
  lacointance de nous deux quant il viendra, et sachez que il en aura
  gra{n}t ioye. Or allo{n}s | car il ne demourra gueres quil ne
  viengne."


The rubric of the next chapter is as follows:

[Sidenote: How Galiot became acquainted with the Lady of Melyhalt.]

  ¶ Co{m}me{n}t la premiere acointa{n}ce fut faicte de gallehault et
  de la dame de malehault p{ar} le moye{n} de la royne de logres. Et
  comme{n}t lancelot & gallehault sen alloie{n}t esbatre et deuiser
  auec leurs dames.

It relates how Queen Guinevere requires Galiot to let her dispose of his
love as he had disposed of hers. To this he consents, and she commends
him to the Lady of Mallehault. Next, they arrange for the promised
_parlement de eulx quatre_; and the queen points out to Lancelot the
lady who had so many a day kept him in prison, i.e., the Lady of
Mallehault. At recognizing his old acquaintance, Lancelot feels somewhat
distressed, but is reassured by observing the new love-making between
her and Galiot. Seated in a wood, the four "demourerent grant piece, ne
oncq{ue}s ne tindrent parolles, fors tant seullement de accoller & de
baiser comme ceulx qui voulentiers le faisoyent."

We next hear of Gawain's recovery, and of the separation of the party of
four above spoken of. Galiot takes Lancelot home with him to his own
country, whilst the Lady of Mallehault remains for a time with the queen
and Arthur. When Lancelot is next spoken of, he is in Galiot's country,
where we will now leave him.




NOTES TO THE APPENDIX.


  P. xxiii. _Descosse_ = _d'Écosse_, of Scotland. In Old French, words
  are frequently run together; thus we have _labbaye_ for _l'abbaye_,
  _sesmeurent_ for _s'émeurent_, etc. Also the letter _s_ is often
  replaced in modern French by an acute or circumflex accent; so that
  _Escosse_ = _Êcosse_; _chasteau_ = _château_, etc.
    The word _si_ often occurs below with a great variety of meanings,
      _viz._ I, he; and, also; so, thus; etc.

  P. xxiv. _baille_, given, entrusted.
    _brouyr_ (_brûler_), being burnt.
    _monstier_, monastery.
    _gauues_, so in the original throughout; _gaunes_ is used in other
      romances.

  P. xxv. _auecques_ = _avec_, with.

  P. xxvi. _aduision_, vision.
    _behourdys_, tournament.
    _naure_, wounded.
    _deffera_ = _desferra_, un-ironed; it means that Lancelot drew the
      weapons out of the knight's wounds.
    _deuers_, "Préposition relative au temps et au lieu dont on parle;
      près, vers, contre, proche; de _versus_." Roquefort.
    _octroya_, permitted (authorized).
    _mouille_, _lit._ wetted; insulted.

  P. xxvii. _veirent_, saw.
    _escript_ (_écrit_), written.
    _lassemblee_, the gathering; _i.e._ the war, strife.
    _rua_, overthrew.

  P. xxviii. _mire_, physician.
    _gue_, ford, pass.
    _tresues_, a truce; spelt _treues_ on p. xxix.

  P. xxix. _esbatre_, to divert oneself. In modern French, _s'ébattre_.

  P. xxx. _orrions_, shall hear.
    _deust_ = _dût_.
    _cheoient_, from _cheoir_, to fall. Compare _chûte_.
    _poilz_, hairs.
    _esbahy_, amazed.
    _ortelz_, toes.
    _chaille_; from _chaloir_, to be anxious about.
    _dilacion_, delay.

  P. xxxi. _paour_, fear.
    _mire_, physician.
    _veufue_, old.

  P. xxxii. _cheuauche_, rides.
    _boutte_, buts, pushes.
    _iecte_ (_jeté_), cast.
    _cuyde_, I believe.
    _Si maist dieu_, so God aid me. Here _maist_ is put for _m'aist_.
    _oncques_, ever.
    _ennuyt_, this night, to-night.
    _lottroyera_, will grant him his request.
    _conroy_, troops.

  P. xxxiii. _derrains_ (_derniers_), last.
    _busines_, trumpets.
    _Or y perra_, now it will appear.
    _cuidoit_, believed; from the old verb _quider_.
    _cheuauchent_, ride.
    _ia_, already.
    _tertre_, a small hill.

  P. xxxiv. _adresse_, a cross-path.
    _huy_, just before; _lit._ this day. Lat. _hodiè_.
    _se pasme_, swoons.
    _leans_, thither.

  P. xxxv. _ores_, now.
    _huy_, to-day.
    _preudhomme_, a wise and prudent man.
    _lottroye_, permits him.
    _tref_, tent.
    _nenny_, no!
    _ains_, before.
    _guerpiront_, will leave.
    _deduys_, amusements, diversions.

  P. xxxvi. _leans_, there.
    _gerrez_, will lie.
    _las_, tired.
    _Ains_, but.

  P. xxxvii. _semondray_, shall ask.
    _esbahy_, amazed.
    _tollez_, take away.
    _creanca_, promised.
    _lees_, wide, full.
    _lices_, lists.

  P. xxxviii. _emmy le pas_, in the midst of the passage.
    _hucher_, to cry aloud.

  P. xxxix. _lieue_, lifts.
    _saisine_, disposal.
    _enseignes_, tokens.
    _aincoys_, first of all.

  P. xl. _oncques mes_, never.
    _a resiouyr_ (_réjouir_), in amusing.
    _escondiroye_, will refuse.
    _me poyse_, it troubles me.
    _pieca_, long ago.
    _se embronche_, covers his face.

  P. xli. _sen esueillerent_, awoke thereat.
    _Adonc_, then.
    _riens forfait_, anyway injured.

  P. xlii. _ne me mescreez mye que_, do not doubt me more than.

  P. xliii. _doint_, gives, were to give.

  P. xliv. _mesgnie_, properly the _suite_ or household of a prince; see
      Roquefort s.v. _magnie_ and _maignee_.
    _nef_, a boat.
    _loue_, advise.

  P. xlv. _vous esmayez_, afflict yourself.
    _courrouce_, wroth, displeased.

  P. xlvi. _vergier_, orchard.
    _aual_, below.
    _se embroncha_, she veiled herself, or, hid herself.
    _iouxte_, beside.

  P. xlvii. _maintes_, many.
    _ot_, heard.
    _len prise mieulx_, esteemed it better.
    _loe_, praises.
    _deffera_, dis-ironed, drew the weapons out of.
    _lestrief_, the stirrup.

  P. xlviii. _leans_ (_la dédans_), there.
    _belif_. We find in Cotgrave's French Dictionary, "_Belic_, a kind
      of red or geueles, in Blazon."
    _enseignes_, tokens, message.

  P. xlix. _mestier_, serviceable.
    _dillec_, thence.
    _pourneant_, for nothing, in vain.
    _voire_, truly.
    _commanday a dieu_, commended to God, bade farewell.

  P. li. _mestier en est_, there is need of it.
    _greigneur bien_, exceedingly well, very highly.

  P. lii. _greigneure_, greater.
    _anuytoit_, became night.
    _ie me doibz pener_, I ought to take pains.

  P. liii. _ouen_, this year.




  The Romans
  of
  Lancelot of the Laik.


[PROLOGUE.]

  [Sidenote: In April, when the fresh luminary upriseth,]
    ++THe [s]oft morow ande The lu[s]tee Aperill,            [Fol. 1.]
    The wynt{er} set, the stormys in exill,
    Quhen that the bry{ch}t {and} fre[s]ch illumynare
    Upri[s]ith arly in his fyre chare                                4
    His hot courß in to the orient,
  [Sidenote: and sendeth from his sphere his golden streams,]
    And frome h{is} [s]pere his goldine [s]tremis sent
    Wpone the grond, in man{er} off me[s]ag,
    One eu{er}y thing to valkyne thar curage,                        8
    That natur haith set wnd{er} hire mycht,
    Boith gyrß, and flour, {and} eu{er}y lu[s]ty vicht:
    And namly thame that felith the a[s][s]ay
    Of lufe, to [s]chew the kalendis of may,                        12
    Throw birdis [s]onge w{i}t{h} opine wox one hy,
    That [s]e[s][s]it not one lufar{is} for to cry,
    Le[s]t thai for[gh]het, throw [s]lewth of Ignorans,
    The old w[s]age of lowis ob[s]{er}uans.                         16

[Headnote: THE POET BEWAILS HIS LOT.]

  [Sidenote: and when I espy his bright face,]
    And fro[-m]e I can the bricht face a[s][s]py,
    It deuit me no langare fore to ly,
    Nore that loue schuld [s]leuth In to me finde,
  [Sidenote: I walk forth, bewailing my sad life.]
    Bot walkine furth, bewalinge in my mynde                        20
    the dredful lyve endurit al to longe,
    Sufferans in loue of [s]orouful harmys [s]tronge,
    The [s]charpe dais and the hewy [gh]erys,
    Quhill phebus thris haith pa[s][s]ith al h{is} [s]peris,        24
    Vithoutine hope ore trai[s]tinge of comfort;
    So be such meine fatit was my sort.
    Thus in my [s]aull Rolinge al my wo,
  [Sidenote: The sword of love carves my heart.]
    My carful hart carwing cañ In two                               28
    The derdful [s]uerd of lowis hot di[s][s]ire;
    So be the morow set I was a-fyre
    In felinge of the acceß hot {and} colde,
    That haith my hart in [s]ich a fevir holde,                     32
    Only to me thare was noñe vthir eß
    Bot thinkine qhow I [s]chulde my lady pleß.
    The [s]charp a[s][s]ay and ek the Inwart peine
    Of dowblit wo me neulyng{is} cañ con[s]trein,                   36
    Quhen that I have remembrit one my tho{ch}t
  [Sidenote: My lady knoweth not how I am wobegone.]
    How sche, quhois bewte al my har[-m] haith wrocht,
    Ne knouith not how I ame wo begoñe,                     [Fol. 1b.]
    Nor how that I ame of hire [s]{er}uand{is} oñe;                 40
    And in my [s]elf I cañ nocht fynde the meyne
    In to quhat wyß I [s]al my wo compleine.
  [Sidenote: I walked thus in the field, and came to a well-beseen
  garden.]
    Thus in the feild I walkith to {and} froo,
    As tho{ch}tful wicht that felt of no{ch}t bot woo,              44
    Syne to o gardinge, that weß weil be[s]eñ,
    Of quiche the feild was al depaynt w{i}t{h} greñ.
    The tendyre and the lu[s]ty flour{is} new
    Up thr[-o]ue the greñ vpone thar [s]talk{is} grew               48
    A[gh]hane the [s]one, and thare levis [s]pred,
    Quharw{i}t{h} that al the gardinge was I-clede;
    That pryapus, in to his tyme before,
    In o lu[s]tear walkith nevir more;                              52
  [Sidenote: It was closely environed with leaves.]
    And al about enweronyt and Iclo[s]it
    One [s]ich o wyß, that none w{i}t{h}in [s]uppo[s]it
    Fore to be [s]eñ w{i}t{h} ony vicht thare owt;
    So dide the levis clo[s] it[T1] all about.                      56
    Thar was the flour, thar was the queñ alphe[s]t,[T2]
    Ry{ch}t wering being of the ny{ch}t{is} re[s]t,
    Wnclo[s]i{n}g gañe the crownel for the day;
  [Sidenote: The sun illumined the sprays;]
    The bry{ch}t [s]one illumynit haith the [s]pray,                60
    The ny{ch}t{is} [s]obir ande the mo[s]t [s]chowr{is},
    As cri[s]toll terys w{i}t{h}hong vpone the flour{is},
    Haith vpwarpith In the lu[s]ty aire,
    The morow makith soft, ameyne, and faire;                       64
  [Sidenote: the birds sang till the woods resounded;]
    And the byrd{is} thar my{ch}ty voce out-throng,
    Quhill al the wood re[s]onite of thar [s]onge,
    That gret confort till ony vicht It wer
    That ple[s][s]ith thame of lu[s]tenes to here.                  68
    Bot gladneß til the tho{ch}tful, eu{er} mo
    The more he [s]eith, the more he haith of wo.
  [Sidenote: the garden was adorned with flowers.]

      [Footnote T1: MS. "clo[s]it."]
      [Footnote T2: May we read "alcest"?]

[Headnote: HE SEES A VISION OF A GREEN BIRD.]

    Thar was the garding w{i}t{h} the flour{is} ourfret,
    Quich is in po[s]y fore my lady set,                            72
    That hire Repre[s]ent to me oft befor,
    {And} thane al[s]o; thus al day gan be [s]or[T3]
    Of tho{ch}t my go[s]t w{i}t{h} torment occupy,                  75
    That I beca[-m]e In to one exa[s]y,                      [Fol. 2.]
    Ore [s]lep, or how I wot; bot [s]o befell
    My wo haith done my livis go[s]t expell,
    And in [s]ich wiß weil long I can endwr,
    So me betid o wondir aventur.                                   80
  [Sidenote: I fell there into an ecstasy or sleep,
  and saw in my dream a green bird, who said:]
    As I thus lay, Ry{ch}t to my [s]preit vas [s]eñ
    A birde, yat was as ony lawrare greñ,
    A-licht, and [s]ayth in to hir bird{is} chere;

      [Footnote T3: MS. "be[s]or."]

[Headnote: THE BIRD'S MESSAGE.]

    "O woful wrech, that levis in to were!                          84
    To [s]chew the thus the god of loue me [s]ent,
    That of thi [s]{er}uice no thing is content,
  [Sidenote: "The God of Love is discontent with thee.]
    For in his court yhoue lewith i{n} di[s][s]par,
    And vilfully su[s]tenis al thi care,                            88
    And [s]chapith no thinge of thine awn remede,
    Bot clepith ay and cryith apone dede.
    Yhow callith the bird{is} be morow fro thar bour{is},
    Yhoue devith boith the erbis and the flour{is},                 92
    And clepit hyme vnfaithful king of lowe,
    Yow dewith hyme in to h{is} rigne abufe,
    Yhow tempith hyme, yhoue doith thi [s]elf no gud,
    Yhoue are o moñ of wit al de[s]titude.                          96
  [Sidenote: You are destitute of wit.]
    Wot yhoue no{ch}t that al liwis creatwre
    Haith of thi wo i{n} to h{is} hand the cwre?
  [Sidenote: Though you call on trees, your lady hears not.]
    And [s]et yhoue clep one erbis and one treis,
    Sche her{is} not thi wo, nore [gh]hit [s]che [s]eis;           100
    For none may know the dirkneß of thi tho{ch}t,
    Ne blamyth h{er} thi wo [s]che knowith no{ch}t.
    And It is weil accordinge It be so
    He [s]uffir harme, that to redreß h{is} wo                     104
    Previdith not; for long ore he be [s]onde,
    Holl of his leich, that [s]chewith not h{is} vound.
  [Sidenote: Ovid says it is better to shew, than to conceal love.]
    And of owid ye autor [s]chall yhow knaw
    Of lufe that [s]eith, for to con[s]el or [s]chow,              108
    The la[s]t he clepith althir-be[s]t of two;
    And that is [s]uth, and [s]al be eu{er} mo.
    And loue al[s]o haith chargit me to [s]ay,                     111
    Set yhoue pre[s]ume, ore beleif, ye a[s][s]ay           [Fol. 2b.]
    Of his [s]{er}uice, as It wil ryne ore go,
    Pre[s]wme It not, fore It wil not be so;
    Al magre thine a [s]{er}uand [s]chal yow bee.
  [Sidenote: As touching thine adversity, seek the remedy."]
    And as tueching thine adu{er}[s]ytee,                          116
    Complen and sek of the ramed, the cwre,
    Ore, gif yhow likith, furth thi wo endure."
    And, as me tho{ch}t, I an[s]uerde a[gh]aiñe
  [Sidenote: Then answered I:]
    Thus to the byrde, in word{is} [s]chort and plane:             120
    "It ganyth not, as I have harde Recorde,
    The [s]{er}uand for to di[s]put w{i}t{h} ye lord;
  [Sidenote: "Love knows the reason of my wo."]
    Bot well he knowith of al my vo the quhy,
    And in quhat wyß he hath me [s]et, quhar I                     124
    Nore may I not, nore can I not attane,
    Nore to hir hienes dare I not complane."
  [Sidenote: "Fool," said the bird, "despair not;]
    "Ful!" q{uo}d the bird, "lat be thi nyß di[s]pare,
    For in this erith no lady is [s]o fare,                        128
    So hie e[s]tat, nore of [s]o gret empriß,
    That in hire [s]elf haith vi[s]dome ore gentrice,
    Yf that o wicht, that worthy is to be
    Of lovis court, [s]chew til hir that he                        132
    Seruith hire in lovis hartly wyß,
    That [s]chall thar for hyme hating or di[s]piß.

[Headnote: SHE BIDS HIM WRITE A POEM.]

  [Sidenote: the God of Love charges thee to speak out your love, or
  else to write thy plaint;]
    The god of love thus chargit the, at [s]chort,
    That to thi lady yhoue thi wo Report;                          136
    Yf yhoue may not, thi plant [s]chall yhov vrit.
    Se, as yhoue cane, be man{er} oft endit
    In metir, quhich that no ma{n} haith [s]u[s][s]pek,
    Set oft tyme thai contenyng gret effecc;                       140
    Thus one [s]ume wyß yhow [s]chal thi wo dwclar.
    And, for thir [s]edulis and thir billis are
    So gen{er}all, and ek [s]o [s]chort at lyte,
    And [s]wme of thai{m} is lo[s]t the appetit,                   144
  [Sidenote: write, then, some treatise for her to read;]
    Sum trety [s]chall yhoue for yi lady [s]ak,
    That wnkouth is, als tak one hand and mak,
    Of love, ore armys, or of [s]u{m} othir thing,
    That may hir one to thi Reme{m}bry{n}g brynge;                 148
    Qwich [s]oundith Not one to no hewynes,                  [Fol. 3.]
    Bot one to gladneß and to lu[s]teneß,
  [Sidenote: one that may please her and get her thanks.]
    That yhoue belevis may thi lady pleß,
    To have hir thonk and be one to hir eß;                        152
    That [s]che may wit in [s]{er}uice yhow art one.
  [Sidenote: Farewell, and be merry."]
    Faire weil," q{uo}d [s]che, "thus [s]chal yhow the di[s]pone,
    And mak thi [s]elf als mery as yhoue may,
    It helpith not thus fore to wex al way."                       156
    W{i}t{h} that, the bird [s]che haith hir leif tak,
  [Sidenote: Thereon I awoke, and wondered what it might mean.]
    For fere of quich I can onone to wak;
    Sche was ago, and to my [s]elf tho{ch}t I
    Quhat may yis meyne? quhat may this [s]ig{n}ify?               160
    Is It of troucht, or of Illu[s]ioune?

[Headnote: HE RESOLVES TO DO SO.]

    Bot finaly, as in conclu[s]ioune,
    Be as be may, I [s]chal me not discharge,
    Sen It apperith be of lovis charg;                             164
    And ek myne hart noñe othir bi[s][s]ynes
    Haith bot my ladice [s]{er}uice, as I geß;
  [Sidenote: I determined to take in hand this occupation.]
    Among al vther{is} I [s]chal one honde tak
    This litil occupatioune for hire [s]ak.                        168
    Bot hyme I pray, the my{ch}ty gode of loue,
    That [s]itith hie in to his [s]pir abuf,
    (At {com}mand of o wyß quhois vi[s]ioune
    My go[s]t haith takin this opvnioune,)                         172
    That my lawboure may to my lady pleß
    And do wnto hir lade[s]chip [s]u{m} eß,
    So that my t{ra}uell be no{ch}t tynt, and I
    Quhat vther{is} [s]ay [s]etith nothing by.                     176
  [Sidenote: I know it will but hurt my name, when men hear my feeble
  negligence.]
    For wel I know that, be this world{is} fa[-m]e.
    It [s]chal not be bot hurting to my na[-m]e,
    Quhen that thai here my febil negligens,
    That empit is, and bare of eloquens,                           180
    Of di[s]cre[s][s]iou{n}e, and ek of Retoryk;
    The metire and the cu{n}ing both elyk
    So fere di[s]cording frome p{er}fecciou{n}e;
  [Sidenote: I submit my poem to the correction of the wise;]
    Q{uhil}k I [s]ubmyt to the correcciou{n}e                      184
    Of yai{m} the quhich that is di[s]cret {and} wyß,
    And ent{er}it is of loue in the [s]{er}uice;
    Quhich knouyth that no lovare dare w{i}t{h}[s]tonde,    [Fol. 3b.]
    Quhat loue hyme chargit he mot tak one honde,                  188
    Deith, or defa[-m], or ony man{er} wo;
    And at this tyme w{i}t{h} me It [s]tant ry{ch}t [s]o,
  [Sidenote: for I dare not oppose Love's command.]
    As I that dar makine no demande
    To quhat I wot It lykith loue co{m}mande.                      192
    Tueching his charg{is}, as w{i}t{h} al de[s]titut,
    W{i}t{h}in my mynd [s]chortly I conclud
    For to fulfyll, for ned I mot do [s]o.

[Headnote: HE THINKS OF THE STORY OF LANCELOT.]

  [Sidenote: At last I thought of the story of "Lancelot of the
  Lake,"]

    Thane in my tho{ch}t rolling to and fro                        196
    Quhare that I my{hc}t [s]u{m} wnkouth mat{er} fynde,
    Quhill at ye la[s]t it fell in to my mynd
    Of o [s]tory, that I befor had [s]ene,
    That boith of loue and armys can conteñ,                       200
    Was of o kny{ch}t clepit lancelot of ye laik,
    The [s]one of bane was, king of albanak;
    Of quhois fame {and} wor[s]chipful dedis
    Clerk{is} in to diu{er}ß buk{is} red{is},                      204
  [Sidenote: of whom I here think to write something.]
    Of quhome I thynk her [s]u{m} thing for to writ
    At louis charge, and as I cane, endit;
    Set me{n} tharin [s]al by exp{er}iens
    Know my con[s]ait, and al my negligens.                        208
  [Sidenote: But because my ignorance cannot comprehend the French
  romance,]
    Bot for that [s]tory is [s]o pa[s]ing larg,
    One to my wit It war [s]o gret o charg
    For to tran[s]lait the romans of that kny{ch}t;
    It pa[s][s]ith fare my cu{n}yng and my mycht,                  212
    Myne Ignorans may It not comp{re}hende;

[Headnote: HE BRIEFLY ENUMERATES / LANCELOT'S EARLY DEEDS.]

  [Sidenote: I shall not tell how he was born;]
    Quharfor thare one I wil me not depend
    How he was borne, nor how his fad{er} deid
    And ek his mod{er}, nore how he was denyed                     216
    Eft{er} thare deth, p{re}[s]umyng he was ded,
  [Sidenote: nor how he was nourished by the Lady of the Lake;]
    Of al ye lond, nore how he fra that [s]tede
    In sacret wyß wnwy[s]t away was tak,
    And nwri[s]t w{i}t{h} ye lady of ye lak.                       220
  [Sidenote: nor how he was brought to Arthur's court,]
    Nor, in his [gh]outh, think I not to tell
    The aue{n}tour{is}, quhich to hyme befell;
    Nor how the lady of the laik hyme had
    One to the court, quhare that he kny{ch}t was mad;             224
    None wi[s]t his nome, nore how that he was tak           [Fol. 4.]
    By loue, and was Iwondit to the [s]tak,
  [Sidenote: and pierced to the heart by the beauty of Wanore
  (Guinevere),]
    And throuch {and} throuch per[s]it to ye hart,
    That al his tyme he cout{h} It not a[s]tart;                   228
    For thare of loue he ent{er}it in [s]{er}uice,
    Of wanore throuch the beute and franchis,
  [Sidenote: for whose service he wrought many wonders;]
    Throuch quhois [s]{er}uice in armys he has vro{ch}t
    Mony wond{er}is, and p{er}ell{is} he has socht.                232
    Nor how he thor, in to his [gh]oung curage,
  [Sidenote: nor how he made a vow to revenge a wounded knight,]
    Hath maid awoue, and in to louis rage,
    In the rewenging of o wondit kny{ch}t
    That cu{m}yne was in to the court that ny{ch}t;                236
  [Sidenote: who had a broken sword in his head, and a truncheon of
  a broken spear in his body;]
    In to his hed a brokin[T4] [s]uerd had he,
    And in his body al[s]o my{ch}t me{n} see
    The tron[s]ione of o brokine [s]per that was,
    Quhich no ma{n} out dedenyt to aras;                           240
    Nor how he haith the wapnis out tak,
    And his awow apone this wis can mak,
    That he [s]chuld hyme Reweng at h{is} poware
    One eu{er}y kny{ch}t that louith the hurtare                   244
    Bett{er} thane hyme, the quhich that vas Iwond.
    Throw quich awoue in armys hath ben founde
  [Sidenote: a vow which caused the death of many a wight warrior;]
    The deth of mo{n}y wereoure ful wicht;[T5]

      [Footnote T4: MS. "abrokin."]
      [Footnote T5: The MS. wrongly transposes ll. 247 and 248.]

    For, fro tho wow was knowing of the kny{ch}t,                  248
    Thare was ful mony o pa[s]age in the londe
    By me{n} of armys kepit to with[s]tond
    This kny{ch}t, of quhome thai ben al set afyre
    Thai{m} to reweng in armys of de[s]ir.                         252
  [Sidenote: or how he and Sir Kay were sent to defend the lady of
  Nohalt;]
    Nor how that thane in{con}tyne{n}t was [s]end
    He and [s]{ir} kay togidd{er} to defend
    The lady of nohalt, nor how that hee
    Gou{er}nit hyme thare, nore in quhat degre.                    256
    Nor how the gret pa[s]ing va[s][s]olag
    He e[s]cheuit, thr[-o]ue the outragouß curag,
  [Sidenote: or how he conquered the Sorrowful Castle;]
    In conquiryng of the sorowful ca[s]tell.
    Nor how he pa[s][s]ith dou{n}e in the cauis fell,              260
    And furth ye keys of Inchantme{n}t bro{ch}t,
    That al di[s]troyt quhich that thare vas vro{ch}t.
  [Sidenote: or how he rescued Sir Gawane and his nine fellows;]
    Nore howe that he re[s]kewit [s]{ir} gawane,            [Fol. 4b.]
    W{i}t{h} h{is} ix falouß in to pre[s]one tane;                 264
    Nore mony vthere diu{er}ß aduenture,
    Quhich to report I tak not in my cwre,
  [Sidenote: nor of the many "assemblies" Gawane held to find out
  his name;]
    Nor mony a[s][s]emblay that gawane gart be maid
    To wit h{is} name; nor how that he hyme hade                   268
    Wnwi[s]t, and hath the wor[s]chip {and} empriß;
    Nor of the kny{ch}t{is} in to mony[T6] diu{er}ß wyß
    Throuch his awoue that hath thare dethis found;

      [Footnote T6: We should perhaps omit "mony."]

  [Sidenote: nor of his suffering caused by love's wound;]
    Nor of the [s]ufferans that by louis wounde                    272
    He in his trawel [s]ufferith au{er} more;
    Nor in the quenis p{rese}ns how tharfor
  [Sidenote: nor how he was nearly drowned at Camelot;]
    By camelot, in to that gret Revare,
    He was ner dround. I wil It not declare                        276
    How that he was in louis hewy tho{ch}t
  [Sidenote: nor how he was brought to court by Dagenet;]
    By dagenet in to the court I-bro{ch}t;
    Nor how the kny{ch}t that tyme he cane p{er}[s]ew,
  [Sidenote: nor of the giants he slew at Camelot;]
    Nor of the gyant{is} by camelot he [s]lew;                     280
    Nor wil I not her tell the man{er} how
    He [s]lew o kny{ch}t, by nat{ur} of his wow,
  [Sidenote: nor how he slew a knight of Melyholt;]
    Off melyholt; nore how in to that toune
    Thar came one hyme o gret confu[s]ione                         284
    Of pupil {and} [of] kny{ch}t{is}, al enarmyt,
  [Sidenote: and there defended himself against a crowd;]
    Nor how he thar haith kepit hyme wnharmyt;
    Nor of his wor[s]chip, nor of h{is} gret prowes,
    Nor his defens of armys in the pres.                           288
  [Sidenote: whereupon the lady of Melyhalt prayed him to yield his
  sword to her; and kept him in her power.]
    Nor how the lady of melyhalt y{a}t [s]che
    Came to the feild, and pray[i]th hyme that he
    As to o lady to hir[T7] his [s]uerd hath [gh]old,
    Nor how he was in to hir keping hold;                          292

      [Footnote T7: MS. "his."]

    And mony vthir nobil deid al[s]o
    I wil report quharfor I lat ourgo.
  [Sidenote: Whoever likes, might make of these things a long story.]
    For quho thai{m} lykith for to [s]pecyfy,
    Of one of thai{m} my{ch}t mak o gret [s]tory;                  296
    Nor thing I not of his hye ren[-o]wn
    My febil wit to makin men[s]ioune;
  [Sidenote: But I think to tell of the wars between Arthur and
  Galiot;]
    Bot of the wer{is} that was [s]charp {and} [s]trong,
    Richt p{er}ellouß, and hath enduryt long,                      300
    Of Arthur In defending of his lond                       [Fol. 5.]
    Frome galiot, [s]one of the fair gyonde,
    That bro{ch}t of kny{ch}t{is} o pa[s]ing confluens;
  [Sidenote: wherein Lancelot won renown by his defence of Arthur;]
    And how lancelot of arthur{is} hol defens                      304
    And of the ver{is} berith the renowñ;
    And how he be the wais of fortou{n}e
  [Sidenote: and at last made peace between the two princes.]
    Tuex the two princ{is} makith the accorde,
    Of al there mortall wer{is} to concorde;                       308
  [Sidenote: I shall also tell how Venus rewarded him.]
    And how that venus, [s]iting hie abuf,
    Reuardith hyme of trauell in to loue,
    And makith hyme his ladice grace to have,
    And thankfully his [s]{er}uice cane re[s]ave;                  312
    This is the mat{er} quhich I think to tell.
    Bot [s]til he mot ry{ch}t w{i}t{h} the lady duell,
    Quhill tyme cu{m} eft that we [s]chal of hy{m} [s]pek.
  [Sidenote: My summary must end for the present.]
    This p{ro}ceß [now] mot clo[s]ine beñ and [s]tek;              316
    And furth I wil one to my mat{er} go.

[Headnote: THE DEDICATION.]

  [Sidenote: But I pray for the support of a very great poet,]
    Bot first I pray, and I be[s]ek also,
    One to the mo[s]t conpilour to [s]upport,
    Flour of poyet{is}, quhois nome I wil report                   320
    To me nor to noñ vthir It accordit,
  [Sidenote: whose name I may not mention;]
    In to our rymyng his na[-m] to be recordit;
    For [s]um [s]uld deme It of pre[s]ump[s]ioune,
  [Sidenote: for our riming is but derision, when his excellence is
  remembered.]
    And ek our rymyng is al bot dery[s]ioune,                      324
    Quhen that reme{m}brit is his excellens,
    So hie abuf that [s]tant in reu{er}ans.
    Ye fre[s]ch enditing of h{is} laiting toung
  [Sidenote: The world knows his eloquence in inditing Latin;]
    Out throuch yis world [s]o wid is yroung,                      328
    Of eloquens, and ek of retoryk;
    Nor is, nor was, nore neu{er} beith hyme lyk,
  [Sidenote: and none can ever gladden the world like him:]
    This world gladith of h{is} [s]uet poetry.
    His [s]aul I blyß con[s]eruyt be for-thy;                      332
  [Sidenote: to him be the thanks for my success.]
    And yf that ony lusty terme I wryt
    He haith the thonk y{er}of, {and} this endit.

EXPLICIT P{RO}LOG{US}, ET INCIPIT P{RI}M{US} LIBER.


[Headnote: ARTHUR AT CARLISLE.]

[BOOK I.]

  [Sidenote: When Titan, being in Aries, had apparelled the fields,]
    ++Quhen [that] tytan, withe his lusty heit,             [Fol. 5b.]
    Twenty dais In to the aryeit                                   336
    Haith maid his courß, and all with diu{er}ß hewis
    Aparalit haith the feldis and the bewis;
  [Sidenote: and birds began to make their bowers;]
    The bird{is} amyd the erbis {and} the flour{is},
    And one the branchis, makyne gone thar bour{is},               340
    And be the morow [s]inging in ther chere
    Welcum to the lu[s]ty [s]e[s][s]one of the [gh]ere.
    In to this tyme the worthi conqueroure
  [Sidenote: king Arthur was at Carlisle.]
    Arthure, wich had of al this worlde the floure                 344
    Of cheuelry auerding to his crown,
    So pa[s]ing war his kny{ch}t{is} in renoune,
    Was at carlill; and hapy{n}nit [s]o that hee
    Soiornyt well long in that faire cuntree.                      348
  [Sidenote: His knights, hearing of no adventure, were annoyed.]
    In to whilk tyme In to the court thai heire
    None awenture, for wich the knyght{is} weire
    Anoit all at the abiding thare.
    For-why, beholding one the [s]obir ayre                        352
    And of the tyme the pa[s]ing lu[s]tynes,
    Can [s]o thir knyghtly hart{is} to encreß,
  [Sidenote: They therefore sent Sir Kay to pray the king to go to
  Camelot.]
    That thei [s]hir kay one to the king haith [s]ende,
    Be[s]eiching hyme he wold wich[s]aif to wende                  356
    To camelot the Cetee, whare that thei
    Ware wont to heryng of armys day be day.
    The king for[s]uth, heryng thare entent,
    To thare de[s]ir, be [s]chort awy[s]ment,                      360
  [Sidenote: The king proposed to do so on the morrow.]
    Ygrantid haith; and [s]o the king p{ro}ponit
    And for to pas hyme one[T8] the morne di[s]ponit.

      [Footnote T8: MS. "to pas one hyme one," with first "one"
      lightly crossed out.]

[Headnote: ARTHUR'S TWO DREAMS.]

    Bot [s]o befell hyme [on] that nycht to meit
    An aperans, the wich one to his [s]preit                       364
  [Sidenote: That night he dreamt that his hair all fell off;]
    It [s]emyth that of al his hed ye hore
    Of fallith and maid de[s]olat; wharfore
    The king therof was pensyve in his mynd,
    That al the day he couth no re[s]ting fynde,                   368
  [Sidenote: which made him delay his journey.]
    Wich makith hyme his Iorneye to delaye.
    And [s]o befell apone the thrid day,
    The bricht [s]one, pa[s]ing in the we[s]t,
    Haith maid his courß, and al thing goith to Re[s]t;            372
  [Sidenote: Again he dreamt, that his bowels fell out, and lay beside
  him.]
    The king, [s]o as the [s]tory can dewyß,
    He thoght a[gh]eine, apone the [s]amyne wyß,
    His vombe out fallith vith his hoil syde                 [Fol. 6.]
    Apone the ground, {and} liging hyme be[s]id;                   376
    Throw wich anon out of his [s]lep he [s]tert,
    Aba[s]it and adred in to his hart.
  [Sidenote: He told the queen, who answered, "No man should respect
  vain dreams."]
    The wich be morow one to the qwen he told,
    And [s]he a[gh]eine to hyme haith an[s]uer [gh]olde;           380
    "To dremys, [s]{ir}, [s]huld no man have Re[s]pek,
    For thei ben thing{is} weyn, of non affek."
    "Well," q{uo}d the king, "god grant It [s]o befall!"

[Headnote: HE SENDS FOR HIS CLERKS.]

  [Sidenote: The king next shewed his dream to a clerk,]
    Arly he roß, and gert one to hyme call                         384
    O clerk, to whome that al his hewynes
    Tweching his drem [s]hewith he expreß,
  [Sidenote: who said, "Sir, such things testify nothing."]
    Wich an[s]uer yaf and [s]eith one to the kinge;
    "Shir, no Record lyith to [s]uch thing;                        388
    Wharfor now, [s]hir, I praye yow tak no kep,
    Nore trai[s]t in to the vanyteis of slep;
    For thei are thing{is} that a[s]kith no credens,
    But cau[s]ith of [s]um maner influe{n}s,                       392
    Empriß of thoght, ore [s]up{er}fleuytee,
    Or than [s]um othir ca[s]ualytee."
  [Sidenote: "Yet," replied he, "I shall not leave it so."]
    "[Gh]it," q{uo}d the king, "I [s]al no{ch}t leif It so;"
    And furth he chargit me[s]inger{is} to go                      396
    Throgh al his Realm, w{i}t{h}outen more demande,
  [Sidenote: He bade all the bishops and clergy come to Camelot
  within twenty days.]
    And bad them [s]tratly at thei [s]hulde comande
    All the bi[s]hopes, and makyng no delay
    The [s]huld appere be the tuenty day                           400
    At camelot, with al thar hol clergy
    That mo[s]t expert war, for to certefye
    A mat{er} tueching to his go[s]t be nyght;
    The me[s]ag goith furth with the l{ett}res Right.              404

    ++The king eft [s]one, w{i}t{h}in a litill [s]pace,
    His Iornay makith haith frome place to place,
  [Sidenote: He goes to Camelot, and finds the clerks assembled.]
    Whill that he cam to camelot; and there
    The clerk{is} all, as that the chargit were,                   408
    A[s][s]emblit war, and came to his pre[s]ens,
    Of his de[s]ir to viting the [s]entens.
    To them that war to hyme mo[s]t [s]peciall
    Furth his entent [s]hauyth he al hall;                         412
  [Sidenote: He discloses all to the ten that are most expert,]
    By whois con[s]eil, of the worthie[s]t
    He che[s]ith ten, yclepit for the be[s]t,
    And mo[s]t expert and wi[s]e[s]t was [s]uppo[s]it,             415
    To qwhome his drem all hail he haith di[s]clo[s][s]it;  [Fol. 6b.]
    The houre, the nyght, and al the c{er}cum[s]tans;
  [Sidenote: and beseeches them to explain the dreams.]
    Be[s]ichyne them that the [s]ignifycans
    Thei wald hyme [s]haw, that he my{ch}t re[s]ting fynde
    Of It, the wich that occupeid his mynde.                       420
  [Sidenote: One of them asks for nine days to advise upon the
  matter.]
    And one of them with[T9] al ther holl a[s][s]ent
    Saith, "[s]hire, fore to declare our entent
    Vpone this matere, ye wil ws delay
    Fore to awy[s]ing one to the ix day."                          424
    The king ther-to grantith haith, bot hee
  [Sidenote: The king complies, but shuts them up in a strong place.]
    In to o place, that [s]trong was and hye,
    He clo[s]ith them, whare thei may no whare get,
    Vn to the day, the wich he to them set.                        428
    Than goith the clerk{is} [s]adly to awyß
    Of this mat{er}, to [s]eing in what wyß
    The king{is} drem thei [s]hal be[s]t [s]pecefy.
  [Sidenote: The masters of astronomy fetch their books,]
    And than the mai[s]tris of a[s]tronomy                         432
    The book{is} longyne to ther artis set;[T10]
    Not was the buk{is} of arachell forget,
    Of nembrot, of dan[gh]helome, thei two,
    Of moy[s]es, {and} of herynes all soo;                         436
  [Sidenote: and calculate the disposition of the planets.]
    And [s]eking be ther calcolaciou{n}e
    To fynd the planet{is} di[s]po[s]iciou{n}e,
    The wich thei fond ware wond{er} ewill y[s]et
    The [s]amyne nyght the king his [s]weuen met.                  440

      [Footnote T9: MS. "saith with" (with a very slight scratch
      through "saith").]
      [Footnote T10: So in MS. Read "fet."]

[Headnote: THEY REFUSE TO EXPLAIN THEM.]

    So ner the point [s]ocht thei have the thing,
  [Sidenote: They found the matter heavy for the king, and doubted if
  they should tell him so.]
    Thei fond It wond{er} hewy to the king,
    Of wich thing thei waryng in to were
    To [s]hew the king, for dreid of his danger.                   444
    Of ane accorde thei planly haue p{ro}ponit
    No worde to [s]how, and [s]o thei them di[s]ponit.
  [Sidenote: Being sent for,]
    The day is cu{m}yng, and he haith fore them [s]ent,
    Be[s]ichyne them to [s]hewing ther entent.                     448
  [Sidenote: they all spake, "Sir, we can find no evidence."]
    Than [s]pak they all, and that of an accorde;
    "Shir, of this thing we can no thing Recorde,
    For we can noght fynd in til our [s]ciens
    Tweching this mater ony ewydens."                              452
  [Sidenote: "Ere we part," quoth the king, "ye shall witness
  something."]
    "Now," q{uo}d the king, "and be the glorius lorde,
    Or we depart ye [s]hall [s]um thing recorde;
    So pas yhe not, nor [s]o It [s]all not bee."
    "Than," q{uo}d the clerk{is}, "grant ws dais three."           456
  [Sidenote: He grants them three days more.]
    The wich he grantid them, and but delay,                 [Fol. 7.]
    The term pa[s][s]ith, no thing wold the [s]ay,
    Wharof the king [s]tondith heuy cherith,
    And to the clerk{is} his vi[s]ag [s]o apperith,                460
    That all thei dred them of the king{is} myght.
  [Sidenote: They pray for a further delay of three days.]
    Than [s]aith o clerk, "s{ir}, as the thrid nyght
    Ye dremyt, [s]o [now] giffis ws delay
    The thrid tyme, and to the thrid day."                         464
    By whilk tyme thei fundyng haith the ende
    Of this mater, als far as [s]hal depend
    To ther [s]ciens; yit can thei not awyß
    To [s]chewing to the king be ony wyß.                          468
  [Sidenote: They still refuse to declare their thought.]
    The day is cum, the king haith them be[s]ocht,
    But one no wyß thei wald declar ther thoght;
    Than was he wroth in to his [s]elf and noyt,
  [Sidenote: The king vows to destroy them;]
    And maid his wow that thei [s]hal[T11] ben di[s]troyt.         472
    His baronis he co{m}mandit to gar tak
    Fyve of them one to the fir-[s]tak,
    And vther fyue be to the gibbot tone;
    And the furth w{i}t{h} the king{is} charg ar gone.             476
  [Sidenote: but secretly charges his knights not to harm them.]
    He bad them in to [s]ecret wyß that thei
    Shud do no harm, but only them aßey.
    The clark{is}, dredful of the king{is} Ire,
    And [s]aw the p{er}ell of deth and of the fyre,                480
    Fyve, as thei can, has grantit to record;
    That vther herde and ben of ther accorde;
    And al thei ben yled one to the king,
  [Sidenote: They yield at last, and say,]
    And [s]hew hyme thus as tueching of this thing.                484

      [Footnote T11: MS. "[s]hat."]

[Headnote: INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAMS.]

    "Shir, [s]en that we con[s]trenyt ar by myght
    To [s]haw that wich[T12] we knaw no thing aricht;
    For thing to cum pre[s]eruith It allan
    To hyme the wich is euery thing c{er}tañ,                      488
    Excep the thing that til our knawleg hee
    Hath ordynat of certan for to bee;
    Therfor, [s]hir king, we your magnificens
    Be[s]eich It turne till ws to non offens,                      492
  [Sidenote: "Hold us not as liars, though it happen not as we say.]
    Nor hald was no{ch}t as lear{is}, thoght It fall
    Not in this mat{er}, as that we telen [s]hall."
    And that the king haith grantit them, {and} thei
    Has chargit one, that one this wiß [s]all [s]eye.              496
    "Pre[s]umyth, [s]hir, that we have fundyne so;
  [Sidenote: You must forego all earthly honour;]
    All erdly honore ye nedis[T13] mo[s]t for-go,
  [Sidenote: and those on whom you most rely, will fail you."]
    And them the wich ye mo[s]t affy in-tyll                [Fol. 7b.]
    Shal failye [gh]ow, magre of ther will;                        500
    And thus we haue in to this matere founde."
    The king, quhois hart was al wyth dred ybownd,
    And a[s]kit at the clerk{is}, if thei fynde
    By there clergy, that [s]tant i{n} ony kynde                   504
  [Sidenote: The king asks if his destiny can be altered.]
    Of po[s][s]ibilitee, fore to reforme
    His de[s]teny, that [s]tud in [s]uch a forme;
    If in the hewyne Is preordynat
    On [s]uch o wiß his honor to tran[s]lat.                       508
    The clerk{is} [s]aith, "for[s]uth, and we haue [s]ene
  [Sidenote: They reply, that the matter is dark.]
    O thing whar-of, if we the trouth [s]hal meñ,
    Is [s]o ob[s]cure and dyrk til our clergye,
    That we wat not what It [s]hal [s]ignefye,                     512
    Wich cau[s]ith ws we can It not furth [s]ay."
    "Yis," q{uo}d the king, "as lykith yow ye may,
    For wers than this can nat be [s]aid for me."

      [Footnote T12: MS. "wich that."]
      [Footnote T13: MS. "nedi[s]t;" but see l. 518.]

[Headnote: THE CLERKS GIVE MYSTERIOUS ADVICE.]

  [Sidenote: A master says, there is no help but in the true watery
  lion, and in the leech, and in the flower.]
    Thane [s]aith o mai[s]tir, "than [s]uthly th{us} finde we;     516
    Thar is no thing [s]al [s]ucour nor re[s]kew,
    Your worldly honore nedis mo[s]t adew,
    But throuch the watrye lyone {and} ek fyne,
    On throuch the liche {and} ek the wattir [s]yne,               520
  [Sidenote: God knows what this should mean.]
    And throuch the con[s]eill of the flour; god wot
    What this [s]hude meñ, for mor ther-of we not."
    No word the king an[s]uerid ayane,
    For al this re[s]one thinkith bot i{n} weyne.                  524
  [Sidenote: The king shews no outward grief,]
    He [s]hawith outwart his contenans
    As he therof takith no greuans;
  [Sidenote: but is not rid of anxiety all night.]
    But al the nyght it pa[s][s]id nat his thoght.
    The dais courß w{i}t{h} ful de[s]ir he [s]ocht,                528
    And furth he goith to bring his mynd i{n} re[s]t
  [Sidenote: Next day he goes to the forest.]
    W{i}t{h} mony O knyght vn to the gret fore[s]t;
    The rachis gon wn-copelit for the deire,
    That in the wodis makith nois {and} cheir:                     532
    The knycht{is}, w{i}t{h} the grewhund{is} in aweit,
    Secith boith the planis and the [s]treit.
  [Sidenote: The chase.]
    Doune goith the hart, doune goith the hynd al[s]o;
    [In to the feld can ru[s]ching to and fro][T14]                536
    The [s]wift grewhund, hardy of a[s][s]ay;
    Befor ther hedis no thing goith away.
    The king of hunting takith haith his [s]port,
  [Sidenote: The king returns.]
    And to his palace home he can Re[s]ort,                        540
    Ayan the noon; and as that he was set
  [Sidenote: As they sit at meat, an aged knight enters, fully armed.]
    Vith all his noble knyght{is} at the met,                [Fol. 8.]
    So cam ther in an agit knyght, {and} hee
    Of gret e[s][s]tat [s]emyt for to bee;                         544
    Anarmyt all, as tho It was the gyß,
    And thus the king he [s]alu[s]t, one this wiß,

      [Footnote T14: A line must here be lost, but there is nothing
      to shew this in the MS. The inserted line is imitated from
      l. 3293.]

[Headnote: GALIOT'S MESSAGE.]

  [Sidenote: The knight's message is that king Galiot bids Arthur to
  yield to him his kingdom.]
    ++"Shir king, one to yow am y [s]ende
    Frome the worthie[s]t that i{n} world is kend,                 548
    That leuyth now of his tyme and age,
    Of manhed, wi[s]dome, {and} of hie curag,
    Galiot, [s]one of the fare gyande;
    And thus, at [s]hort, he bid{is} yow your londe                552
    Ye yald hyme our, w{i}t{h}out Impedyment;
    Or of hyme holde, and if tribut and rent.
    This is my charge at [s]hort, whilk if youe le[s]t
    For to fulfill, of al he haith conque[s]t                      556
    He [s]ais that he mo[s]t tendir [s]hal youe hald."

[Headnote: ARTHUR DEFIES GALIOT.]

  [Sidenote: The king refuses.]
    By [s]hort awys the king his an[s]uer yald;
    "Shir kny{ch}t, your lorde wondir hie pretendis,
    When he to me [s]ic [s]alutatioune send{is};                   560
    For I as yit, in tymys that ar gone,
    Held neu{er} lond excep of god alone,
    Nore neu{er} thinkith til erthly lord to yef
    Trybut nor rent, als long as I may lef."                       564
  [Sidenote: The knight replies, that his lord bids him defiance, and
  will invade his land in a month;]
    "Well," q{uo}d the kny{ch}t, "ful [s]or repentith me;
    Non may reci[s]t the thing the wich mone bee.
    To yow, [s]{ir} king, than frome my lord am I
    With diffyans [s]ent, and be this re[s]one why;                568
    His purpos Is, or this day moneth day,
    With all his o[s]t, planly to a[s][s]ay
    Your lond, w{i}t{h} mony ma{n}ly man of were,
  [Sidenote: not to return till he has conquered;]
    And helmyt kny{ch}t{is}, boith with [s]held {and} [s]pere;     572
    And neu{er} thinkith to retwrn home whill
    That he this lond haith conque[s]t at his will;
  [Sidenote: and he intends to possess queen Vanour.]
    And ek vanour the quen, of whome that hee
    Herith report of al this world that [s]hee                     576
    In fairhed and in wertew doith excede,
    He bad me [s]ay he think{is} to po[s][s]ede."
  [Sidenote: Arthur returns his defiance.]
    "Schir," q{uod} the king, "your me[s]ag me behuf{is}
    Of re[s]one and of curta[s]y excu[s]ß;                         580
    But tueching to your lord {and} to his o[s]t,
    His powar [and] his me[s]ag and his bo[s]t,
    That pretendith my lond for to di[s]troy,
    Thar-of as [gh]it tak I non anoye;                             584
    And [s]ay your lord one my behalf, when hee             [Fol. 8b.]
    Haith tone my lond, that al the world [s]hal see
    That It [s]hal be magre myne entent."
  [Sidenote: The knight departs, lamenting Arthur's adventurous
  spirit.]
    With that the kny{ch}t, w{i}t{h}outen leif, is went,           588
    And richt as he was pa[s]ing to the dure,
    He [s]aith, "a gode![T15] what wykyt aduenture
    Apperith!" w{i}t{h} that his hors he nome,
    Two knicht{is} kepit, waiting h{is} outcome.                   592

      [Footnote T15: MS. "agod^e."]

    The kni{ch}t is gon, the king he gan Inquere
    At gawan, and at other kny{ch}t{is} sere,
  [Sidenote: Arthur asks Gawane who Galiot is.]
    If that thei knew or eu{er} hard recorde
    Of galiot, and wharof he wes lorde;                            596
    And ther was non among his kny{ch}t{is} all
    Which an[s]uerd o word in to the hall.
    Than galygantynis of walys ra[s]e,
  [Sidenote: Galygantynis of Wales replies,]
    That trauelit in diu{er}ß lond{is} has,                        600
    In mony kny{ch}tly aue{n}tur haith ben;
    And to the king he [s]aith, "[s]{ir}, I haue sen
    Galiot, which is the fare[s]t kny{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: that Galiot is the tallest knight by half a foot of all
  he ever saw; that he is wise, liberal, humble,]
    And hie[s]t be half a fut one hycht,                           604
    That eu{er} I saw, and ek his me{n} accordith;
    Hyme lakid no{ch}t that to a lord recordith.
    For vi[s]are of his ag is non than hee,
    And ful of larges and humylytee;                               608
  [Sidenote: courageous, and under xxiv years of age.]
    An hart he haith of pa[s]ing hie curag,
    And is not xxiiij [gh]er of age,
    And of his tyme mekil haith conquerit;
  [Sidenote: Ten kings obey him.]
    Ten king{is} at his {com}mand ar [s]terit.                     612
    He v{i}t{h} his me{n} [s]o louit is, y geß,
    That hyme to pleß is al ther be[s]ynes.
    Not [s]ay I this, [s]{ir}, in to ye entent
    That he, nor none wnd{er} the firmame{n}t,                     616
    Shal pouere haue ayane your maie[s]tee;
    And or thei [s]huld, this y [s]ey for mee,
    Rather I [s]hall kny{ch}tly in to feild
    Re[s]aue my deith anarmyt wnd{er} [s]held.                     620
    This [s]pek y le[s]t;"--the king, ayan the morn,
  [Sidenote: The king goes again to the chase.]
    Haith varnit huntar{is} baith with hund {and} horne,
    And arly gan one to the fore[s]t ryd,
    With mony manly knyght{is} by h{is} [s]id,                     624
    Hyme for to [s]port and comfort w{i}t{h} the dere,
    Set contrare was the [s]e[s]one of y^e yere.
  [Sidenote: He likes boar-hunting best.]
    His mo[s]t huntyng was atte wyld bore;
    God wot a lu[s]tye cuntree was It thoore,             628[Fol. 9.]
    In the ilk tyme! weil long this noble king
    In to this lond haith maid his [s]uiornyng;

[Headnote: THE LADY OF MELYHALT'S MESSAGE.]

  [Sidenote: A messenger comes from the lady of Melyhalt,]
    Frome the lady was send o me[s]inger
    Of melyhalt, wich [s]aith one this maner,                      632
    As that the [s]tory [s]hewith by recorde:

    ++"TO yow, [s]{ir} king, as to hir [s]ou{er}an lorde,
    My lady hath me chargit for to [s]ay
    How that your lond [s]tondith i{n} affray;                     636
  [Sidenote: to say that Galiot has entered Arthur's land,]
    For galiot, [s]one of the fare gyande,
    Enterit Is by armys in your land,
    And [s]o the lond and cuntre he anoyth,
    That quhar he goith planly he di[s]troyth,                     640
    And makith al obei[s]and to his honde,
  [Sidenote: and has conquered all but two castles belonging to his
  mistress.]
    That nocht is left wnconque[s]t i{n} that lond,
    Excep two ca[s]tell{is} longing to hir cwre,
    Wich to defend [s]he may no{ch}t long endure.                  644
    Wharfor, [s]{ir}, in word{is} plan {and} [s]hort,
    Ye mon di[s]pone your folk for to [s]upport."

[Headnote: ARTHUR'S READINESS FOR WAR.]

  [Sidenote: The king promises not to delay, and inquires the number
  of the foe.]
    "Wel," q{uod} the king, "one to thi lady [s]ay
    The neid is myne, I fall It not delay;                         648
    But what folk ar thei ne{m}myt for to bee,
    That in my lond is cu{m}yne in [s]ich degree?"
  [Sidenote: "A hundred thousand," is the reply.]
    "An hundreth thou[s]and boith vith [s]held {and} [s]pere
    On hors ar armyt, al redy for the were."                       652
    "Wel," q{uo}d the king, "and but delay this ny{ch}t,
    Or than to morn as that the day is lycht,
  [Sidenote: The king says he will set off that very night.]
    I [s]hal remuf; ther [s]hal no thing me mak
    Impedyme{n}t, my Iorney for to tak."                           656
    Than [s]eith his kny{ch}t{is} al w{i}t{h} one a[s][s]ent,
  [Sidenote: 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 wnwi[s]t,
    And ye ar here our few for to reci[s]t                         660
    [Gh]one power, and youre cuntre to defende;
    Tharfor abid, and for your folk ye send,
    That lyk a king and lyk a weriour
    Ye may [s]u[s]ten in armys your honoure."                      664
    "Now," q{uod} the king, "no langer that I [gh]eme
    My crowne, my [s]epture, nor my dyademe,
    Frome that I here, ore frome I wnd{er}[s]tand,
    That ther by fors be entrit in my land                         668
    Men of armys, by [s]trenth of vyolens,
  [Sidenote: He refuses to wait longer than till the morrow.]
    If that I mak abid or re[s]ydens
    In to o place langar than o ny{ch}t,
    For to defend my cuntre {and} my ry{ch}t."                     672
    The king that day his me[s]age haith furth sent         [Fol. 9b.]
    Throuch al his realme, and [s]yne to re[s]t is went.

    ++Up goith the morow, wp goith the bry{ch}t day,
    Wp goith the sone in to his fre[s]h aray;                      676
    Richt as he [s]pred his bemys frome northe[s]t,
  [Sidenote: The king arises next morning without delay,]
    The king wpraß w{i}t{h}outen more are[s]t,
    And by his awn con[s]eil and entent
    His Iornaye tuk at [s]hort awy[s]ment.                         680
    And but dulay he goith frome place to place
    Whill that he cam nere whare[T16] the lady was,
  [Sidenote: and reaches a plain by the river side,]
    And in one plane, apone o reuer [s]yde,
    He lichtit doune, and ther he can abide;                       684
    And yit w{i}t{h} hyme to batell fore to go
  [Sidenote: having only seven thousand with him.]
    Vij thousand fechter{is} war thei, {and} no mo.

      [Footnote T16: MS. "whare that," with slight scratch through
      "that."]

  [Sidenote: Lancelot, having been imprisoned by the lady of
  Melyhalt,]
    ++This was the lady, of qwhome befor I tolde,
    That lancilot haith in to hir kepinge holde;                   688
    But for to tell his pa[s]ing hewyne[s][s]e,
    His peyne, his [s]orow, and his gret di[s]tre[s][s]e
    Of pre[s]one and of loues gret [s]uppris,
    It war to long to me for to dewys.                             692
    When he reme{m}brith one his hewy charge
    Of loue, wharof he can hyme not di[s]charge,
    He wepith and he [s]orowith in his chere,
    And euery nyght [s]emyth hyme o yere.                          696
    Gret peite was the [s]orow that he maad,
  [Sidenote: laments his fate.]
    And to hyme-[s]elf apone this wiß he [s]aade:

[Headnote: LANCELOT'S LAMENT.]

  [Sidenote: Lancelot's lament; his pleasure is gone;]
    ++"Qwhat haue y gilt, allace! or qwhat de[s]{er}uit?
    That thus myne hart [s]hal vondit ben {and} carwit             700
      One by the [s]uord of double peine and wo?
      My comfort and my ple[s]ans is ago,
    To me is nat that [s]huld me glaid re[s]eruit.

  [Sidenote: he curses his natal day;]
    I curß the tyme of myne Natiuitee,                             704
    Whar in the heuen It ordinyd was for me,
      In all my lyue neu{er} til haue eeß;
      But for to be example of di[s]eß,
    And that apperith that eu{er}y vicht may see.                  708

  [Sidenote: he has never spent a single day free from anxiety,]
    Sen thelke tyme that I had [s]ufficians
    Of age, and chargit thoght{is} [s]ufferans,
      Nor neu{er} I {con}tinewite haith o day
      With-out the payne of thoght{is} hard a[s][s]ay;             712
    Thus goith my youth in tempe[s]t {and} penans.

  [Sidenote: and is now in prison; and invokes Death.]
    And now my body is In pre[s]one broght;
    But of my wo, that in Regard is noght,                  [Fol. 10.]
      The wich myne hart felith euer more.                         716
      O deth, allace! whi hath yow me forbore
    That of remed haith the [s]o long be[s]oght!"

  [Sidenote: Thus the smart of love's sorrow pricketh him.
  He is kept by her from the exercise of knighthood;
  and there we let him dwell.]
    Thus neu{er}emore he [s]e[s]ith to compleine,
    This woful knyght that felith not bot peine;                   720
    So prekith hyme the [s]mert of loues [s]ore,
    And eu{er}y day encre[s][s]ith more and more.
    And with this lady takine is al[s]o,
    And kepit whar he may no whare go                              724
    To haunt knychthed, the wich he mo[s]t de[s]irit;
    And, thus his hart w{i}t{h} dowbil wo yfirite,
    We lat hyme duel here with the lady [s]till,
    Whar he haith lai[s]ere for to compleine his fyll.             728

[Headnote: GALIOT BESIEGES A CASTLE.]

  [Sidenote: Meanwhile, Galiot besieged a castle.]
    ++And galiot in this meyne tyme he laie
    By [s]trong myght o ca[s]tell to a[s][s]ay,
    With many engyne and diu{er}ß wais [s]ere,
    For of fute folk he had a gret powere                          732
    That bowis bur, and vther In[s]trument{is},
  [Sidenote: His army had pavilions, tents, and iron-wheeled
  chariots.]
    And with them lede ther pal[gh]onis {and} ther te{n}t{is},
    With mony o [s]trong chariot and cher
    With yrne qwhelis and barris long {and} [s]qwar;               736
    Well [s]tuffit with al maner apparell
    That longith to o [s]ege or to batell;
    Whar-with his o[s]t was clo[s]it al about,
    That of no [s]trenth nedith hyme to dout.                      740
  [Sidenote: When he heard of Arthur's coming,]
    And when he hard the cu{m}yne of the king,
    And of his o[s]t, and of his gaderyng,
    The wich he reput but of febil myght
    Ayanis hyme for to [s]u[s]ten the ficht,                       744
    His con[s]ell holl a[s][s]emblit he, but were,
  [Sidenote: he assembled his council,]
    Ten knight{is} with other lord{is} [s]ere,
    And told theme of the cu{m}ing of the king,
    And a[s]kit them there con[s]ell of that thing.                748
  [Sidenote: who thought it would degrade him, to fight in proper
  person against so few.]
    Hyme thoght that it his wor[s]chip wold degrade,
    If he hyme [s]elf in p{ro}pir p{er}[s]one raide
    Enarmyt ayane [s]o few menye
    As It was told arthur[{is}] fore to bee;                       752
    And thane the kyng-An-hund{er}eth-kny{ch}t{is} cold,
    (And [s]o he hot, for neu{er}more he wolde
    Ryd of his lond, but In his cu{m}pany
    O hundyre knyght{is} ful of chiuellry).                        756

[Headnote: PREPARATION FOR THE BATTLE.]

  [Sidenote: The king of a hundred knights (Maleginis) undertakes
  the exploit;]
    He [s]aith, "shir, ande I one hond [may] tak,          [Fol. 10b.]
    If It you pleß, this Iorney [s]hal I mak."
    Quod galiot, "I grant It yow, but ye
    Shal fir[s]t go ryd, yone kny{ch}t{is} o[s]t {and} see."       760
    With-outen more he ridith our the plan,
    And [s]aw the o[s]t and is returnyd ayañ;
    And callit them mo than he hade [s]en, for why
    He dred the reprefe of his cumpany.                            764
  [Sidenote: 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 [s]aith hee,
    "Shir, ten thou[s]and y ges them for to bee."
    And galiot haith chargit hyme to tak
    Als fell folk, and for the feld hyme mak.                      768
    And [s]o he doith and haith them wel Arayt;
    Apone the morne his banaris war di[s]playt.

    ++Up goth the trumpet{is} with the clariou{ni}s,
    Ayaine the feld blawen furth ther [s]ownis,                    772
  [Sidenote: Galiot's host set out.]
    Furth goth this king w{i}t{h} al his o[s]t anon.
    Be this the word wes to king arthur gone,
    That knew no thing, nor wi[s]t of ther entent,
  [Sidenote: Arthur's host don their armour.]
    But [s]one his folk ar one to armys went;                      776
    But arthur by Report hard saye
  [Sidenote: Arthur, hearing that Galiot is unarmed, will not arm
  himself;]
    How galiot non armys bur that day,
    Wharfor he thoght of armys nor of [s]held
    None wald he tak, nor mak hyme for the feld.                   780
  [Sidenote: 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 man{er}, and one what wyß
    He [s]huld his batelles ordand and dewys;                      784
    Be[s]eching hyme, [hyme] wi[s]ly to for-see
    A[gh]aine thei folk, wich was far mo than hee.
    He knew the charg and pa[s][s]ith one his way
    Furth to his horß, and makith no dulay;                        788
    The clariou{n}is blew and furth goth al onoñ,
  [Sidenote: Gawane and his men cross over the water at the ford.]
    And our ye watt{er} and the furd ar goñe.

[Headnote: GAWANE HARANGUES HIS MEN.]

    Within o playne vpone that other [s]yd
    Ther gawan gon his batellis to dewide,                         792
    As he wel couth, and set them i{n} aray,
    Syne with o manly contynans can [s]ay,
  [Sidenote: He harangues his men.]
    "Ye falowis wich of the round table beñ,
    Through al this erth whois fam is hard {and} [s]en,            796
    Reme{m}brith now It [s]tondith one the poynt,
    For why It lyith one your [s]peris poynt,[T17]
    The well-fare of the king and of our londe;             [Fol. 11.]
    And [s]en the [s]ucour lyith in your honde,                    800
    And hardement is thing [s]hall mo[s]t awaill
    Frome deth ther men of armys in bataill,
    Lat now your ma{n}hed and your hie curage
    The pryd of al thir multitude a[s][s]uage;                     804
    Deth or defence, non other thing we wot."
  [Sidenote: Maleginis and all his host come over the plain, and
  Gawane sends a company against them.]
    This fre[s]ch king, that maleginis was hot,
    With al his o[s]t he cu{m}myne our the plañ,
    And gawan [s]end o batell hyme agañ;                           808
    In myde the borde,[T18] and fe[s]tinit in the [s]tell
    The [s]perithis poynt, that bitith [s]charp {and} well;
  [Sidenote: But they were all too few; wherefore Gawane sends
  a second company;]
    Bot al to few thei war, and my{ch}t no{ch}t le[s]t
    This gret Rout that cu{m}myth one [s]o fa[s]t.                 812
    Than haith [s]{ir} gawan [s]end, them to [s]upport,
    One othir batell with one kny{ch}tly sorte;
  [Sidenote: then a third; then a fourth; and then sets out himself,
  to resist the 10,000.]
    And [s]yne the thrid, and [s]yne the ferde al[s]o;
    And [s]yne hyme-[s]elf one to the feld can go,                 816
    When that he [s]auch thar latt{er} batell [s]teir,
    And the ten thou[s]and cu{m}myne al thei veir;
    Qwhar that of armes prewit he so well,
    His e{n}nemys gane his mortall [[s]trokis] fell.               820

      [Footnote T17: At the bottom of this page appears for the
      first time a catchword, which is-- "The wel fare."]
      [Footnote T18: Or "berde."]

[Headnote: GAWANE DEFEATS MALEGINIS.]

  [Sidenote: He goes among them in his courage,]
    He goith ymong them in his hie curage,
    As he that had of knyghthed the w[s]age,
    And couth hyme weill {con}ten i{n} to on hour;
    A[gh]aine his [s]trok re[s]i[s]tit non armour;                 824
  [Sidenote: and many other of Arthur's knights perform wonders.]
    And mony kny{ch}t, that worth ware and bolde,
    War thore with hyme of arthur{is} hou[s]hold,
    And knyghtly gan one to the feld them bere,
    And mekil wroght of armys In to were;                          828
    S{ir} gawan than vpone [s]uch wyß hyme bure,
  [Sidenote: Maleginis goeth to discomfiture, and 7,000 of his men
  flee.]
    This othere goith al to di[s]cu{m}fitoure;
    Sewyne thou[s]and fled, {and} of the feld thei go,
    Whar-of this king in to his hart was wo,                       832
    For of hyme [s]elf he was of hie curage.
    To galiot than [s]end he in me[s]ag,
    That he [s]huld help his folk for to defende;
  [Sidenote: Galiot sends him 30,000 more.]
    And he to hyme hath xxx^te thousand sende;                     836
    Whar-of this king gladith in his hart,
    And thinkith to Reweng all the [s]mart
    That he to-for haith [s]uffirit and the payne.         [Fol. 11b.]
  [Sidenote: His folk return across the field as thick as hail.]
    And al his folk returnyt Is ayayne                             840
    Atour the feld, and cu{m}myne thilk as haill;[T19]
    The [s]wyft horß goith fir[s]t to the a[s][s]all.
    This noble knyght that [s]eith the g{r}ete forß
    Of armyt men, that cu{m}myne vpone horß,                       844
    To-giddir [s]emblit al his falow[s]chip,
    And thoght them at the [s]harp poynt to kep,
    So that thar har[-m] [s]hal be ful deir yboght.
    This vthere folk with [s]traucht courß hath [s]ocht            848
    Out of aray atour the larg felld;
    Thar was the [s]trok{is} fe[s]tnit i{n} the [s]helde,
    Thei war Re[s]auit at the [s]per{is} end.
  [Sidenote: Arthur's folk receive them manfully.]
    So arthur{is} folk can manfully defend;                        852
    The forme[s]t can thar lyues end conclude,
    Whar [s]one a[s][s]emblit al the multitude.
    Thar was defens, ther was gret a[s][s]aill,
    Richt wond{er}full and [s]trong was y^e bataill,               856
  [Sidenote: but sustain much pain,]
    Whar arthur{is} folk [s]u[s]tenit mekil payn,
    And kny{ch}tly them defendit haith a[gh]aine.

      [Footnote T19: MS. "thilk as (Rayne) haill," as if it were at
      first intended to find a rime to "ayayne."]

[Headnote: GAWANE'S VALIANT DEEDS.]

  [Sidenote: and cannot endure against so many.]
    Bot endur thei my{ch}t, apone no wyß,
    The multitude and ek the gret [s]upp{ri}ß;                     860
    But gawan, wich that [s]etith al h{is} payn
    Vpone knyghthed, defendid [s]o a[gh]aine,
    That only in the manhede of this knyght
    His folk reIo[s]it them of his gret myght,                     864
    And ek aba[s]it hath his ennemys;
    For throw the feld he goith in [s]uch wyß,
    And in the preß [s]o ma{n}fully them [s]{er}uith,
  [Sidenote: Gawane carves helmets in two, and smites heads off
  shoulders;]
    His [s]uerd atwo the helmys al to-kerwith,                     868
    The hed{is} of he be the [s]houd{er}is [s]mat;
    The horß goith, of the mai[s]t{er} de[s]olat.
    But what awaleth al his be[s]ynes,
    So [s]trong and [s]o in[s]ufferable vas the preß?              872
  [Sidenote: but his men recross the ford to go to their lodges.]
    His folk are pa[s][s]it atour the furdis ilkon,
    Towart ther bretis and to ther luges gon;
    Whar he and many worthy knyght al[s]o
    Of arthur{is} houß endurit mekill wo,                          876
    That neu{er} men mar in to armys vroght
    Of manhed, [gh]it was It al for noght.
    Thar was the [s]trenth, ther was the pa[s]ing myght     [Fol. 12.]
  [Sidenote: Gawane fights alone till night,]
    Of gawan, wich that whill the dirk nyght                       880
    Befor the luges faucht al hyme aloñ,
    When that his falowis entrit ware ilkoñ,
    On arthur{is} half war mony tan and [s]lan;
  [Sidenote: when Galiot's folk return home.]
    And galot{is} folk Is hame ret{u}rnyd a[gh]aine,               884
    For it was lait; away the o[s]tis ridith,
    And gawan [gh]it apone his horß abidith,
    W{i}t{h} [s]uerd in hond, when thei away var gon,
    And so for-wrocht hys ly{m}mys ver ilkon,                      888
    And wondit ek his body vp and doune,
  [Sidenote: Gawane swoons upon his horse.]
    Vpone his horß Right thore he fel in [s]woune;
    And thei hyme tuk {and} to his lugyne bare,
  [Sidenote: The king and queen fear he has brought himself to
  confusion.]
    Boith king and qwen of hyme vare i{n} di[s]pare;               892
    For thei [s]uppo[s]it, throw marwellis that he vroght,
    He had hyme-[s]elf to his confu[s]iou{n}e broght.

[Headnote: LANCELOT PRAYS TO BE RELEASED.]

      [T]his[T20] was nere by of melyhalt, the hyll,
    Whar lan[s]celot [gh]it was w{i}t{h} the lady [s]till.         896
    The kny{ch}t{is} of the court [can] pa[s]ing ho[-m]e;
    This ladiis kny{ch}t{is} to hir palice com,
    And told to hir, how that the feld was vent,
  [Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt hears of Gawane's deeds;]
    And of gawan, and of his hardyme{n}t,                          900
    That merwell was his manhed to behold;
  [Sidenote: and Lancelot also,]
    And [s]one thir tithing{is} to the kny{ch}t vas told,
    That was with wo and hewyne[s]s oppre[s]t;
    So noyith hyme his [s]uiorne and his re[s]t,                   904
  [Sidenote: who sends for a knight to take a message to the lady;]
    And but dulay one for o kny{ch}t he send,
    That was mo[s]t [s]peciall with the lady kend.
    He comyne, and the kny{ch}t vn to hyme [s]aid,
    "Di[s]pleß yow not, [s]{ir}, be [gh]he not ill paid,           908
    So homly thus I yow exort to go,
    To gare my lady [s]pek o word or two
    With me, that am a carful p{re}[s]onere."[T21]
    "S{ir}, your co{m}mande y [s]hall, w{i}t{h}outen were,         912
    Fulfill;" and to his lady pa[s][s]it hee
    In lawly wyß be[s]iching hir, that [s]he
    Wald grant hyme to pas at his reque[s]t,
    Vnto hir kny{ch}t, [s]tood wnd{er} hir are[s]t;                916
    And [s]he, that knew al gentilleß aright,
  [Sidenote: who comes to his chamber.]
    Furth to his chamber pa[s][s]it wight[T22] the licht.

      [Footnote T20: See note to this line.]
      [Footnote T21: MS. "preson{er}ere."]
      [Footnote T22: Read "with" (?).]

    ++And he aroß and [s]alu[s]t Curta[s]ly                [Fol. 12b.]
  [Sidenote: Lancelot beseeches her to appoint his ransom,]
    The lady, and [s]aid, "madem, her I,                           920
    Your pre[s]oner, be[s]ekith yow that [gh]he
    Wold mer[s]y and compa[s][s]ione have of me,
    And mak the ran[s]one wich that I may yeif;
    I wai[s]t my tyme in presou{n}e thus to leife.                 924
    For why I her on be report be told,
    That arthur, with the flour of his hou[s]holde,
    Is cu{m}myne here, and in this cuntre lyis,
    And [s]tant In danger of his ennemyis,                         928
    And haith a[s][s]emblit; and eft this [s]halt bee
    Within [s]hort tyme one new a[s][s]emblee.
    Thar-for, my lady, y youe g{ra}ce be[s]ech,
    That I mycht pas, my Ran[s]on for to fech;                     932
  [Sidenote: presuming that some of Arthur's knights will pay it.]
    Fore I p{re}[s]ume thar longith to that [s]ort
    That louid me, and [s]hal my nede [s]upport."

[Headnote: THE LADY AT FIRST REFUSES;]

    ++"Shire kny{ch}t, It [s]tant no{ch}t in [s]ich dugree;
  [Sidenote: She replies that she does not want a ransom, but has
  imprisoned him for his guilt.]
    It is no ran[s]one wich that cau[s]ith me                      936
    To holden yow, or don yow [s]ich offens;
    It is your gilt, It is your wiolens,
    Whar-of that I de[s]ir no thing but law,
    W{i}t{h}out report your awñ tre[s]pas to knaw."                940
    "Madem, your ple[s]ance may ye wel fulfill
    Of me, that am in p{re}[s]one at your will.
  [Sidenote: He prays for pardon,]
    Bot of that gilt, I was for til excuß,
    For that I did of werrey nede behwß,                           944
    It tuechit to my honore and my fame;
    I mycht no{ch}t lefe It but hurting of my nam,
    And ek the knycht was mor to blam than I.
    But ye, my lady, of your curte[s][s]y,                         948
    Wold [gh]e deden my Ransou{n}e to re[s]aue,
  [Sidenote: and begs for liberty:]
    Of pre[s]one [s]o I my libertee myght haue,
    Y ware [gh]olde eu{er}more [to be] your knyght,
    Whill that I leif, w{i}t{h} al my holl myght.                  952
    And if [s]o be ye lykith not to ma
  [Sidenote: or at least to be allowed to go to the next battle,]
    My ra{n}[s]one, [madem,] if me leif to ga
    To the a[s][s]emble, wich [s]al be of new;
  [Sidenote: under a promise to return at night.]
    And as that I am feithful kny{ch}t {and} trew,                 956
    At ny{ch}t to yow I ent{er} [s]hall a[gh]aine,
    But if that deth or other lat c{er}tañ,
    Throw wich I [may] have [s]uch Impediment,
    That I be hold,[T23] magre myne entent."           960  [Fol. 13.]

      [Footnote T23: MS. "behold."]

[Headnote: BUT AT LAST GRANTS HIS BOON.]

  [Sidenote: She consents, if he will specify to her his name.]
    "S{ir} kny{ch}t," q{uo}d [s]he, "I grant yow leif, w{i}t{h}thy
    Your name to me that [gh]e wil [s]pecify."
    "Madem, as [gh]it, [s]utly I ne may
    Duclar my name, one be no man{er} way;                         964
  [Sidenote: He refuses for the present.]
    But I p{ro}myt, als fa[s]t as I haue tyme
    Conuenient, or may vith-outen cryme,
    I [s]hall;" and than the lady [s]aith hyme tyll,
    "And I, [s]chir kny{ch}t, one this condi[s]cione will          968
  [Sidenote: She grants him leave, under the proposed condition.]
    Grant yow leve, [s]o that ye obli[s]t bee
    For to Return, as ye haue [s]aid to me."
    Thus thei accord, the lady goith to re[s]t,
    The [s]one di[s]cending clo[s]it in the ve[s]t;                972
    The ferd day was dewy[s]it for to bee
    Betuex the o[s]t{is} of the a[s][s]emblee.

    ++And galiot Richt arly by the day,
    Ayane the feld he can h{is} folk aray;                         976
  [Sidenote: Galiot assembles 40,000 fresh men.]
    And fourty thou[s]and armyt me{n} haith he,
    That war not at the othir a[s][s]emble,
    Co{m}mandit to the batell for to gon;
    "And I my-[s]elf," q{uod} he, "[s]hal me di[s]pone             980
    On to the feild a[gh]aine the thrid day;
    Whar of this were we [s]hal the end a[s][s]ay."

  [Sidenote: Arthur also provides his men for the field.]
    ++ANd arthur{is} folk that come one eu{er}y [s]yd,
    He for the feld can them for to p{ro}uide,                     984
    Wich ware to few a[gh]aine the gret affere
    Of galiot [gh]it to [s]u[s]ten the were.
  [Sidenote: The knights of Melyhalt join him.]
    The kny{ch}t{is} al out of the cete roß
    Of melyholt, and to the [s]emble gois.                         988
  [Sidenote: The lady secretly provides Lancelot with a red courser,
  and a shield and spear, both red also.]
    And the lady haith, in to [s]acret wyß,
    Gart for hir kny{ch}t and pre[s]on{er} dewyß
    In red al thing, that ganith for the were;
    His cur[s]eir red, [s]o was boith [s]cheld {and} [s]pere.      992

[Headnote: LANCELOT ENCOURAGES HIMSELF.]

    {And} he, to qwham the pre[s]one hath ben [s]mart,
    With glaid de[s]ir apone his cur[s]our [s]tart;
  [Sidenote: He rides towards the field, and halts in a plain by the
  river-side.]
    Towart the feld anon he gan to ryd,
    And in o plan houit one reu{er} syde.                          996
    This kny{ch}t, the wich that long haith ben i{n} cag,
  [Sidenote: Lancelot is encouraged, seeing the blithe morn, the mead,
  the river, the green woods, and the knights and banners.]
    He grew in to o fre[s]ch {and} new curage,
    Seing the morow bly{th}full and amen,
    The med, the Reuer, and the vodis gren,                       1000
    The kny{ch}t{is} in [ther] armys them arayinge,
    The baner{is} ayaine the feld di[s]playng,             [Fol. 13b.]
    His [gh]outh in [s]trenth and in p{ro}[s]perytee,
    And [s]yne of lu[s]t the gret aduer[s]ytee.[T24]              1004
    Thus in his tho{ch}t reme{m}bryng at the la[s]t,
  [Sidenote: Casting his eyes aside, he sees the queen looking over
  a parapet.]
    Eft{er}ward one [s]yd he gan his Ey to ca[s]t,
    Whar our a bertes[T25] lying haith he sen
    Out to the feld luking was the qwen;                          1008
    Sudandly with that his go[s]t a[s]tart
  [Sidenote: Love catches him by the heart.]
    Of loue anone haith caucht hyme by the hart;
    Than [s]aith he, "How long [s]hall It be so,
    Loue, at yow [s]hall wirk me al this wo?                      1012
    Apone this wyß to be Infortunat,
    Hir for to [s]{er}ue the wich thei no thing wate
    What [s]ufferance I in hir wo endure,
    Nor of my wo, nor of myne aduenture?                          1016
    And I wnworthy ame for to attane
    To hir p{rese}ns, nor dare I noght complane.
  [Sidenote: He counsels his heart to help itself at need,]
    Bot, hart, [s]en at yow knawith [s]he is here,
    That of thi lyue and of thi deith is [s]tere,                 1020
    Now is thi tyme, now help thi-[s]elf at neid,
    And the dewod of eu{er}y point of dred,
  [Sidenote: to forego cowardice,]
    That cowardy be none In to the señ,
    Fore and yow do, yow knowis thi peyne, I weyn;                1024
    Yow art wnable eu{er} to attane
    To hir mercy, or cum be ony mayne.
  [Sidenote: and to deserve her thanks or die.]
    Tharfor y red hir thonk at yow di[s][s]erue,
    Or in hir p{rese}ns lyk o kny{ch}t to [s]terf."               1028

      [Footnote T24: May we read "diuer[s]ytee"?]
      [Footnote T25: MS. "abertes."]

[Headnote: THE RED KNIGHT'S TRANCE.]

  [Sidenote: Confused with a heavy thought,]
    With that confu[s]it w{i}t{h} an hewy tho{ch}t,
    Wich ner his deith ful oft tyme haith hyme [s]o{ch}t,
    Deuoydit was his sprit{is} and his go[s]t,
    He wi[s]t not of hyme-[s]elf nor of his o[s]t;                1032
  [Sidenote: he [sits] on his horse as still as stone.]
    Bot one his horß, als [s]till as ony [s]ton.
    When that the kny{ch}t{is} armyt war ilkon,
  [Sidenote: The bugles are blown, and the knights are ready on
  horseback, 20,000 in number.]
    To warnnyng them vp goith the bludy [s]own,
    And eu{er}y knyght vpone his horß is bown;                    1036
    Twenty thou[s]and armyt men of were.
    The king that day he wold non armys bere;
    His batell{is} ware devy[s]it eu{er}ilkon,
  [Sidenote: They are forbidden to cross the fords, but cannot
  be restrained.]
    And them forbad out our the furd{is} to gon.                  1040
    Bot frome that thei ther ennemys haith sen,
    In to [s]uch wys thei cout{h} them noght [s]u[s]teñ;
    Bot ovr thei went vithouten more delay,          [Fol. 14.]
    And can them one that oy{er} sid a[s][s]ay.                   1044
  [Sidenote: The red knight still halting by the ford, a herald
  seizes his bridle, and bids him awake.]
    The red kny{ch}t [s]till in to his hewy thoght
    Was hufyng [gh]it apone the furd, {and} noght
    Wi[s]t of hime [s]elf; with that a harrold com,
    And [s]one the kny{ch}t he be the brydill nom,                1048
    Saying, "awalk! It is no tyme to [s]lep;
    Your wor[s]chip more expedient vare to kep."
    No word he [s]pak, [s]o prikith hyme the [s]mart
    Of hevynes, that [s]tood vnto his hart.                       1052
  [Sidenote: Two shrews next approach; one takes his shield off his
  neck,]
    Two [s]crewis cam with that, of quhich [that] oñ
    The kny{ch}t{is} [s]held ry{ch}t frome his hals haith toñ;
  [Sidenote: the other casts water at his ventayle, which causes him
  to wink, and arouse himself.]
    That vthir watt{er} takith atte la[s]t,
    And in the kny{ch}t{is} wentail haith It ca[s]t;              1056
    When that he felt the vatt{er} that vas cold,
    He wonk, and gan about hyme to behold,
    And thinkith how he [s]um-quhat haith my[s]goñ.
    With that his [s]pere In to his hand haith ton,               1060
  [Sidenote: He goes to the field, and sees the first-conquest king.]
    Goith to the feild w{i}t{h}outen vordis more;
    So was he vare whare that there cam before,
    O manly man he was in to al thing,
    And clepit was the fer[s]t-conquest king.                     1064
    The Red kny{ch}t w{i}t{h} [the] [s]pur{is} [s]mat the [s]ted,
    The tother cam, that of hyme hath no drede;
  [Sidenote: They meet.]
    With ferß curag ben the kny{ch}t{is} met,
    The king his [s]pere apone the kny{ch}t hath set,             1068
    That al in peciß flaw in to the felde;

[Headnote: THE RED KNIGHT FIGHTS LIKE A LION.]

  [Sidenote: The red knight, though shieldless, overthrows his foe.]
    His hawbrek helpit, [s]uppos he had no [s]cheld.
    And he the king in to the [s]cheld haith ton,
    That horß and man boith to the erd ar gon.                    1072
  [Sidenote: The shrew restores his shield.]
    Than to the kny{ch}t he cu{m}myth, that haith tan
    His [s]held, to hyme deliu{er}ith It ayane,
    Be[s]iching hyme that of his Ignorance,
    That knew hyme nat, as takith no grewance.                    1076
    The kny{ch}t h{is} [s]che[l]d but mor delay haith tak,
    And let hyme go, and no thing to hyme [s]pak.
    Than thei the[T26] wich that [s]o at erth haith [s]en
  [Sidenote: The men of the first-conquest king come to the rescue.]
    Ther lord, the fer[s]t-conque[s]t king, y meñ,                1080
    In hai[s]t thei cam, as that thei var agrevit,
    And manfully thei haith ther king Releuit.

      [Footnote T26: MS. "thei," altered to "thee," which is still
      wrong.]

      [A]nd Arthuris folk, that lykith not to byde,
    In goith the spur{is} in the [s]ted{is} syde;                 1084
    To-giddir thar a[s][s]emblit al the o[s]t:             [Fol. 14b.]
    At whois meting many o kny{ch}t was lo[s]t.
  [Sidenote: The battle was right cruel to behold.]
    The batell was richt crewell to behold,
    Of kny{ch}t{is} wich that haith there lyvis [gh]olde.         1088
    One to the hart the [s]pere goith throw the [s]cheld,
    The kny{ch}t{is} gaping lyith in the feld.
    The red kny{ch}t, byrnyng in loues fyre,
    Goith to o kny{ch}t, als [s]wift as ony vyre,                 1092
    The wich he per[s]it throuch {and} throuch the hart;
  [Sidenote: The red knight loses his spear, but draws his sword,
  and roams the field like a lion.]
    The [s]pere is went; w{i}t{h} that anon he [s]tart,
    And out o [s]uerd in to his hond he tais;
    Lyk to o lyone in to the feld he gais,                        1096
    In to his Rag [s]myting to and fro
    Fro [s]um the arm, fro [s]um the nek in two,
    Sum in the feild lying is in [s]wou{n},
  [Sidenote: Some he cleaves to the belt.]
    And sum his [s]uerd goith to the belt al douñe.               1100
    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,
    Shwld [s]ay in world war not [s]uch o wight.                  1104
  [Sidenote: His fellows take comfort from his deeds,]
    His falou[s]chip siche comfort of his dede
    Haith ton, that thei ther ennemys ne dreid;
    But can them-self ay manfoly conten
    In to the [s]tour, that hard was to [s]u[s]ten;               1108
  [Sidenote: though Galiot's host was a surpassing multitude.]
    For galyot was O pa[s]ing multitude
    Of prewit men in armys that war gude,
    The wich can w{i}t{h} o fre[s]ch curag a[s][s]aill
    Ther ennemys that day In to batell;                           1112
  [Sidenote: Had it not been for the manhood of the red knight,
  Arthur's folk had been in peril.]
    That ne ware not the vor[s]chip {and} manhede
    Of the red kny{ch}t, in p{er}ell and in dreid
    Arthur{is} folk had ben, vith-outen vere;
    Set thei var good, thei var of [s]mal powere.                 1116

[Headnote: GAWANE BEHOLDS THE RED KNIGHT.]

  [Sidenote: Gawane is led to the parapet,]
    And gawan, wich gart bryng hyme-[s]elf befor
    To the bertes, set he was vondit sore,
    Whar the qwen vas, and whar that he my{ch}t see
    The manere of the o[s]t and a[s][s]emble;                     1120
    And when that he the gret manhed haith sen
  [Sidenote: and saith to the queen, that none ever did better than
  yon red knight.]
    Of the red kny{ch}t, he [s]aith one to the qwen,
    "Madem, [gh]one knyght in to the armys Rede,
    Nor neu{er} I hard nore [s]aw in to no [s]ted                 1124
    O kny{ch}t, the wich that in to [s]chortar [s]pace
    In armys haith mor forton nore mor grace;
    Nore bettir doith boith with [s]per and [s]cheild,
    He is the hed and comfort of our feild."          1128  [Fol. 15.]
  [Sidenote: The queen prays for Lancelot.]
    "Now, [s]{ir}, I trai[s]t that neu{er} more vas [s]en
    No man in feild more knyghtly hyme {con}ten;
    I pray to hyme that eu{er}y thing hath cure,
    Saif hyme fro deth or wykit aduenture."                       1132
  [Sidenote: The field was perilous on both sides,]
    The feild It was ry{ch}t p{er}ellus and [s]trong
    On boith the [s]ydis, and continewit long,
  [Sidenote: from early morn till the sun had gone down.]
    Ay from the [s]one the varld{is} face gan licht
    Whill he was gone {and} cu{m}yne vas the nycht;               1136
    And than o forß thei my{ch}t It not a[s][s]tart,
    On eu{er}y [s]yd behouit them depart.
  [Sidenote: Every knight then returns home, and the red knight
  privily goes back to the city.]
    The feild is don and ham goith eu{er}y kny{ch}t,
    And prevaly, unwi[s]t of any wicht,                           1140
    The way the red kny{ch}t to the cete taiis,
    As he had hecht, {and} in h{is} chambre gais.
    When arthure hard how the kny{ch}t Is gon,
    He blamyt [s]ore his lordis eu{er}ilk-one;                    1144
    And oft he haith remembrit in his thoght,
  [Sidenote: Arthur, seeing the multitude of Galiot's men, recalls
  his dream, saying,]
    What multitud that galiot had broght;
    Seing his folk that ware so ewil arayt,
    In to his mynd he [s]tondith al affrayt,                      1148
    And [s]aith, "I trai[s]t ful [s]uth It [s]al be founde
    My drem Richt as the clerk{is} gan expounde;
  [Sidenote: "My men now fail me at need."]
    For why my men fail[gh]eis now at neid,
    My-[s]elf, my londe, in p{er}ell and in dreide."              1152

[Headnote: GALIOT PROPOSES A TRUCE.]

  [Sidenote: Galiot tells his council]
    And galiot vpone hie wor[s]chip set,
    And his con[s]ell anon he gart be fet,
    To them he [s]aith, "with arthur weil [gh]e see
    How that It [s]tant, and to qwhat degre,                      1156
    A[gh]anis ws that he is no poware;
  [Sidenote: that there is no honour in conquering Arthur,]
    Wharfor, me think, no wor[s]chip to ws ware
    In conqueryng of hyme, nor of his londe,
    He haith no [s]trenth, he may ws not vith[s]tonde.            1160
    Wharfor, me think It be[s]t is to delay,
  [Sidenote: and proposes a twelvemonth's truce.]
    And re[s]put hyme for a tuelmoñeth day,
    Whill that he may a[s][s]emble al his myght;
    Than is mor wor[s]chip a[gh]anis hyme to ficht;"              1164
    And thus concludit thoght hyme for the be[s]t.
    The very kny{ch}t{is} pa[s][s]ing to there Re[s]t;
    Of melyholt the ladeis kny{ch}t{is} ilkone
    Went home, and to hir p{rese}ns ar thei gon;                  1168
  [Sidenote: The lady of Melyholt asks her knights who hath won
  most honour.]
    At qwhome ful [s]one than gan [s]cho to Inquere,
    And al the maner of the o[s]t{is} till spere;
    How that It went, and in what man{er} wyß,
    Who haith mo[s]t wor[s]chip, {and} who is mo[s]t to pryß?     1172
    "Madem," q{uod} thei, "O kny{ch}t was In the feild,    [Fol. 15b.]
  [Sidenote: They reply, that a red knight had exceeded all others.]
    Of Red was al his armour and his [s]held,
    Whois manhed can al otheris to exced,
    May nan report in armys half his deid;                        1176
    Ne wor his wor[s]chip, [s]hortly to conclud,
    Our folk of help had ben al de[s]titud.
    He haith the thonk, the vor[s]chip in hyme lyis,
    That we the feld defendit in [s]ich wyß."                     1180
  [Sidenote: The lady wonders if her prisoner is meant.]
    The lady thane one to hir-[s]elf haith tho{ch}t,
    "Whether Is [gh]one my p{re}[s]onar, ore noght?
    The [s]uthfa[s]tneß that [s]hal y wit onon."
    When euery wight vn to ther Re[s]t war gon,                   1184

[Headnote: THE LADY VISITS LANCELOT.]

  [Sidenote: She calls her cousin,]
    She clepith one hir cw[s]ynes ful nere
    Wich was to hir mo[s]t [s]peciall and dere,
    And [s]aith to hir, "qwheyar if yone bee
    Our pre[s]oner, my consell Is we see."                        1188
  [Sidenote: who takes a torch, and they go to the stable,]
    With that the maden In hir hand hath ton
    O torche, and to the [s]tabille ar thei gon;
  [Sidenote: and find his steed wounded.]
    And fond his [s]ted lying at the ground,
    Wich wery was, ywet w{i}t{h} mony wounde.                     1192
    The maden [s]aith, "vpone this horß is [s]en,
    He in the place quhar strok{is} was hath beñ;
    And [gh]hit the horß It is no{ch}t wich that hee
    Furt{h} w{i}t{h} hyme hade;"--the lady [s]aid, "p{er} dee,    1196
    He v[s]yt haith mo horß than one or two;
  [Sidenote: Next they view his armour,]
    I red one to his armys at we go."
    Tharwith one to his armys ar thei went;
  [Sidenote: and find his hauberk rent, and his shield frushed all
  to naught.]
    Thei fond his helm, thei fond his hawbrek rent,               1200
    Thei fond his [s]cheld was fru[s]chit al to no{ch}t;
    At [s]chort, his armour In sich wyß vas vro{ch}t
    In eu{er}y place, that no thing was left haill,
    Nore neu{er} eft accordith to bataill.                        1204
  [Sidenote: They think he has well used his armour.]
    Than [s]aith the lady to hir cu[s]yneß,
    "What [s]al we [s]ay, what of this mat{er} geß?"
    "Madem, I [s]ay, thei have no{ch}t ben abwsyt;
    He that them bur [s]chortly he has them v[s]yt."              1208
    "That may [gh]e [s]ay, [s]uppos the be[s]t that lewis,
    Or mo[s]t of wor[s]chip in til armys prewis,
    Or [gh]hit haith ben in ony tyme beforñ,
    Had them in feld in his ma[s]t curag borñ."                   1212
  [Sidenote: They next visit the knight himself,]
    "Now," q{uo}d the lady, "will we paß, and see
    The kny{ch}t hyme-self, and ther the [s]ut{h} may we
    Knaw of this thing." Incontynent them[T27] boith        [Fol. 16.]
    Thir ladeis vn to his chambre goith.                          1216
  [Sidenote: who was now asleep.]
    The kny{ch}t al wery fallyng was on [s]lep;
    This maden pa[s][s]ith In, {and} takith kep.
  [Sidenote: The lady's cousin observes his breast and shoulders
  bloody, his face hurt, and his fists swollen.]
    Sche [s]auch his bre[s]t w{i}t{h} al his [s]chowd{er}is bare,
    That bludy war and woundit her and thare;                     1220
    His face was al to-hurt and al to-[s]chent,
    His newis [s]wellyng war and al to-Rent.
    Sche [s]mylyt a lyt, and to hir lady [s]aid,
    "It [s]emyth weill this kny{ch}t hath ben a[s][s]aid."        1224

      [Footnote T27: "then" (?).]

[Headnote: THE LADY IS LOVE-SMITTEN.]

  [Sidenote: The lady next observes him,]
    The lady [s]auch, and rewit in hir thoght
    The kny{ch}t{is} wor[s]chip wich that he haith vroght.
  [Sidenote: and is smitten to the heart by the dart of love,]
    In hire Reme{m}brance loues fyre dart
    W{i}t{h} hot de[s]yre hir [s]mat one to the hart;             1228
    And then a quhill, w{i}t{h}-outen word{is} mo,
    In to hir mynd thinking to and fro,
    She [s]tudeit [s]o, and at the la[s]t abraid
  [Sidenote: and prays her cousin to draw aside, while she kisses
  the knight.]
    Out of hir tho{ch}t, and [s]udandly thus [s]aid,              1232
    "W{i}t{h}-draw," q{uod} [s]he, "one [s]yd a lyt[T28] the lyght,
    Or that I paß that I may kyß the knyght."

      [Footnote T28: MS. "alyt."]

[Headnote: HER COUSIN REPROVES HER.]

  [Sidenote: Her cousin reproves her,]
    "Madem," q{uod} [s]che, "what is It at [gh]e meñ?
    Of hie wor[s]chip our mekill have [gh]e señ                   1236
    So sone to be [s]upp{ri}[s]it w{i}t{h} o thoght.
  [Sidenote: lest the knight should awake.]
    What is It at [gh]he think? p{re}[s]wm [gh]e noght
    That if yon kny{ch}t wil walkin, and p{er}[s]aif,
    He [s]hal yarof no thing bot ewill con[s]aif;                 1240
    In his entent Ruput yow therby
    The ablare to al ly{ch}tneß and foly?
    And blam the more al vther{is} in h{is} mynd,
    If your gret wit in [s]ich de[s]ire he fynde?"                1244
  [Sidenote: The lady replies.]
    "Nay," q{uod} the lady, "no thing may I do
    For [s]ich o kny{ch}t may be defam me to."
  [Sidenote: Her cousin next argues the point;]
    "Madem, I wot that for to loue yone kny{ch}t,
    Con[s]idir his fame, his wor[s]chip, and h{is} my{ch}t;       1248
    And to begyne as wor[s]chip wil dewyß,
    Syne he ayaine my{ch}t lowe yow one [s]uch wyß,
    And hold yow for his lady and his loue,
    It war to yow no maner of Reprwe.                             1252
  [Sidenote: "What if he loves another?"]
    But quhat if he appelit be and thret
    His hart to lowe, and ellis whar y-[s]et?
    And wel y wot, madem, if It be so,
    His hart hyme sal not [s]uffir to loue two,                   1256
    For noble hart wil have no dowbilneß;                  [Fol. 16b.]
    If It be [s]o, [gh]he tyne yowr low, I geß;
    Than is your-[s]elf, than is your loue Refu[s]it,
    Your fam is hurt, your gladneß is conclu[s]it.                1260
    My con[s]ell is, therfore, you to ab[s]ten
    Whill that to yow the werray Ry{ch}t be [s]eñ
    Of his entent, the wich ful [s]on [gh]he may
    Have knawlag, If yow lykith to a[s][s]ay."                    1264
  [Sidenote: She persuades the lady to return to her chamber,
  without further delay.]
    So mokil to hir lady haith [s]he vroght
    That at that tyme [s]he haith Ret{ur}nyt h{ir} tho{ch}t,
    And to hir chambre went, w{i}t{h}outen more,
    Whar loue of new a[s][s]aith hir ful sore.                    1268
    So well long thei [s]peking of the kny{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: Her cousin labours to expel her love for Lancelot from
  her thoughts, but her labour is in vain.]
    Hir cu[s]ynace hath don al at [s]he my{ch}t
    For to expel that thing out of hir tho{ch}t;
    It wil not be, hir labour Is for no{ch}t.                     1272
    Now leif we hir In to hir newe[s]t pan,
    And to arthur we wil retwrn agañ.

EXPLICIT P{RI}M{US} LIBER, INCIPIT SECUND{US}.


[Headnote: ARTHUR'S GREAT ANXIETY.]

[BOOK II.]

  [Sidenote: Night.]
    ++The clowdy nyght, wndir whois ob[s]cure
    The re[s]t and quiet of euery criatur                         1276
    Lyith [s]auf, quhare the go[s]t w{i}t{h} be[s]yneß
    Is occupiit, w{i}t{h} thoghtfull hewynes;
    And, for that tho{ch}t furth [s]chewing vil h{is} my{ch}t,
    Go fare-wel re[s]t and quiet of the ny{ch}t.                  1280
  [Sidenote: Arthur cannot rest.]
    Artur, I meyne, to whome that re[s]t is no{ch}t,
    But al the ny{ch}t [s]uppri[s]it is with tho{ch}t;
    In to his bed he turnyth to and fro,
    Remembryng the apperans of his wo,                            1284
    That is to [s]ay, his deith, his confu[s]ioune,
    And of his realme the opin di[s]truccioune.
    That in his wit he can no thing p{ro}wide,
    Bot tak his forton thar for to abyd.                          1288
  [Sidenote: The sun goeth up.]
    Vp goith the [s]on, vp goith the hot morow;
    The thoghtful king al the ny{ch}t to [s]orow,
    That [s]auch the day, vpone his feit he [s]tart,        [Fol. 17.]
  [Sidenote: Arthur goeth forth.]
    And furth he goith, di[s]trublit in his hart.                 1292
    A quhill he walkith in his pen[s]yf go[s]t,
  [Sidenote: He hears that a clerk has arrived,]
    So was he ware thar cu{m}myne to the o[s]t
    O clerk, with whome he was aqwynt befor,
    In to his tyme non bett{er} was y-bore;                       1296
    Of qwhois com he gretly vas Reio[s]it,
    For in to hyme [s]um comfort he [s]uppo[s]it;
  [Sidenote: between whom and himself there was a hearty affection.]
    Betuex them was one hartly affeccioune.
    Non ord{er}is had he of Relegioune,                           1300
    Fam{us} he was, and of gret excellence,
  [Sidenote: He was expert in the seven sciences,]
    And ry{ch}t exp{er}t in al the vij. [s]cience;
    Contemplatif and cha[s]t in gou{er}nance,
  [Sidenote: and was named Amytans.]
    And clepit was the mai[s]t{er} amytans.                       1304
    The king befor his pal[gh]ou{n}e one the gren,
    That knew hyme well, {and} haith his cu{m}myn [s]eñ,
  [Sidenote: Arthur welcomes him.]
    Velcu{m}myt hyme, and maid hyme ry{ch}t gud chere,
    And he agan, agrewit as he were,                              1308
  [Sidenote: He recks nothing of Arthur's salutation.]
    Saith, "nothir of thi [s]alo[s]ing, nor the,
    Ne rak I no{ch}t, ne charg I no{ch}t," q{uo}d hee.
  [Sidenote: The king inquires what trespass he has committed.]
    Than q{uod} the king, "mai[s]t{er}, {and} for what why
    Ar [gh]e agrewit? or quhat tre[s][s]pas have I                1312
    Co{m}mytit, [s]o that I [s]hal yow di[s]ples?"

[Headnote: AMYTANS REPROVES ARTHUR.]

  [Sidenote: He replies, "It is not against me, but against thyself.]
    Quod he, "no thing It is ayane myn eß,
    But only {con}trare of thi-[s]elf alway;
    So fare the courß yow pa[s][s]ith of the way.                 1316
  [Sidenote: Thy ship is almost drowned in the whirlpool.]
    Thi [s]chip, that goth apone the [s]tormy vall,
    Ney of thi careldis in the [s]welf it fall,
    Whar [s]he almo[s]t is in the p{er}ell drent;
    That is to [s]ay, yow art [s]o far my[s]went                  1320
    Of wykitneß vpone the vrechit dans,
    That yow art fallyng in the storng[T29] vengans
  [Sidenote: That is, God's wrath shall soon devour thee.]
    Of goddis wreth, that [s]hal the [s]on deuour;
    For of his [s]trok approchit now the hour                     1324
    That boith thi Ringe, thi ceptre, {and} thi crovñ,
    Frome hie e[s]tat he [s]myting [s]hal adoune.
    And that accordith well, for in thi tho{ch}t
  [Sidenote: Because thou knowest Him not, who set thee up in this
  high estate,]
    Yow knawith not hyme, the wich that haith the wro{ch}t,       1328
    And [s]et the vp in to this hie e[s]tat
    From powert; for, as the-[s]elwyne wat,
    It cu{m}myth al bot only of his myght,
    And not of the, nor of thi eld{er}is Richt                    1332
    To the di[s]cending, as in heritage,
  [Sidenote: though not begotten in spousage.]
    For yow was not byget in to spou[s]ag.
    Wharfor yow aucht his biding to ob[s]erf,              [Fol. 17b.]
    And at thy my{ch}t yow [s]huld hyme pleß {and} [s]erf;        1336
    That dois yow nat, for yow art [s]o confu[s][s]it
    With this fals warld, that thow haith hyme Refu[s]it,
    And brokine haith his reul and ordynans,
    The wich to the he gave in gou{er}nans.                       1340

      [Footnote T29: So in MS. Is it necessary to alter it to
      "strong"?]

[Headnote: THE TYRANNY OF KINGS.]

  [Sidenote: He made thee king,]
    He maid the king, he maid the gou{er}nour,
    He maid the [s]o, and [s]et in hie honour
    Of Realmys and of [diuerß] peplis [s]ere;
    Eft{er} his loue thow [s]huld them Reul {and} [s]tere,        1344
    And wnoppre[s][s]it kep in to Iu[s]tice,
    The wykit men and pwnyce for ther wice.
    Yow dois no thing, bot al in the {con}trare,
  [Sidenote: and thou sufferest thy people to fare ill.]
    And [s]uffrith al thi puple to forfare;                       1348
    Yow haith non Ey but one thyne awn delyt,
    Or quhat that ple[s]ing [s]hall thyne appetyt.
    In the defalt of law and of Iu[s]tice,
    Wndir thi hond is [s]ufferyt gret [s]uppriß                   1352
    Of fadirleß, and modirleß al[s]o,
    And wedwis ek [s]u[s]tenit mekill wo.
  [Sidenote: The poor are oppressed.]
    With gret my[s]chef oppre[s][s]it ar the pure;
    And thow art cauß of al this hol Iniure,                      1356
    Whar-of that god a raknyng [s]al craf
    At the, and a [s]ore Raknyng [s]al hafe;
    For thyne e[s]tat is gewyne to Redreß
    Thar ned, and kep them to ry{ch}twyneß;                       1360
    And thar is non that ther complant{is} her{is};
    The my{ch}ty folk, and ek the flattereris
    Ar cheif with the, and doith this oppre[s][s]iou{n};
  [Sidenote: If they complain, it is their confusion.]
    If thai complen, It is ther confu[s][s]iou{n}e.               1364
    And daniell [s]aith that who doith to the pure,
    Or fad{er}leß, or modirleß, EnIure,
    Or to the puple, that ilke to god doth hee;
    And al this harme [s]u[s]tenit Is throw the.                  1368
    Yow [s]ufferith them, oppre[s][s]ith {and} anoyith;
    So yow art cauß, throw the thei ar di[s]troyth;
    Than, at thi my{ch}t, god [s]o di[s]troys yow.
  [Sidenote: What wilt thou do, when God destroys sinners off the
  visage of the earth?]
    What [s]hal he do a[gh]ane? quhat [s]hal yow,                 1372
    When he di[s]troys by vengance of his [s]uerd
    The [s]ynar{is} fra the vysag{is} of the Erde?
    Than vtraly yow [s]hall di[s]troyt bee;
    And that Richt weill apper{is} now of thee,                   1376
    For yow allon byleft art [s]olitere;
  [Sidenote: Solomon saith, 'Wo to him who is left alone! He hath
  no help.']
    And the wyß salamon can duclar,
    'Wo be to hyme that is byleft alone,
    He haith no help;' so Is thi forton goñe;         1380  [Fol. 18.]
    For he is callit, w{i}t{h} quhom that god is no{ch}t,
    Allone; and [s]o thi wykitneß haith wro{ch}t
    That god hyme-[s]elf he is bycu{m}myn thi fo,
  [Sidenote: Thou hast lost thy people's hearts,]
    Thi pupleis hart{is} haith thow tynt al[s]o;                  1384
    Thi wykitneß thus haith the maid alon,
    That of this erth thi fortone Is y-goñ.
    Yow mone thi lyf, yow mone thi vor[s]chip tyne,
  [Sidenote: and shalt come to death that hath no end."]
    And eft to deth that neu{er} [s]hal haf fyne."                1388

[Headnote: ARTHUR ASKS ADVICE.]

    ++"Maist{er}," q{uo}d he, "of yowre beneuolens,
    Y yow be[s]ech that tueching my{n} offens,
    [Gh]he wald wich[s]aif your con[s]ell to me If
  [Sidenote: Arthur asks how he shall amend,]
    How I [s]al mend, and ek her-eftir leif."                     1392
    "Now," q{uo}d the mai[s]ter, "and I have m{er}well qwhy
    Yow a[s]kith con[s]ail, and wil in non affy,
    Nor wyrk thar-by; and [gh]hit yow may In tym,
    If yow lykith to amend the cryme."                            1396
    "[Gh]his," [s]aith the king, "and [s]uthfa[s]tly I will
  [Sidenote: and promises to fulfil his bidding.]
    [Gh]our ordynans in eu{er}y thing fulfyll."
    "And if the li[s]t at con[s]ail to abide,
  [Sidenote: The master replies, "Thou must first dread the Lord.]
    The remed of thi harme to p{ro}uyde--                         1400
    Fir[s]t, the begyning is of [s]apiens,
    To dreid the lord and his mag{ni}ficens;
    And what thow haith in contrar hyme ofendit,
    Whill yow haith my{ch}t, of fre de[s]ir amend it;[T30]        1404
  [Sidenote: Repent thy guilt.]
    Repent thi gilt, repent thi gret tre[s]paß,
    And remembir one goddis richwy[s]neß;
    How for to hyme that wykitneß anoyt,
    And how the way of [s]ynaris he di[s]troit;                   1408
    And if ye lyk to ryng wnd{er} his peß,
    Ye wengans of his my{ch}ty hond yow [s]eß,
    This [s]chalt yow do, if yow wil be p{er}fit.
    Fir[s]t, mone yow be penitent and contrit                     1412
    Of euery thing that tuechith thi con[s]iens,
    Done of fre will, or [gh]hit of neglygens.
  [Sidenote: Thy need requireth full contrition.]
    Thi neid requirith ful contretioune,
    Princepaly with-out conclu[s]ioune;                           1416
    With humble hart and go[s]tly by[s]yneß,
    Syne [s]halt yow go deuotly the confeß
  [Sidenote: Confess to some holy confessor.]
    Ther-of vnto [s]um haly confe[s][s]our,
    That the wil con[s]ail tueching thin arour;                   1420
    And to fulfill his will and ordynans,
  [Sidenote: Do penance, and amend all wrong."]
    In [s]ati[s]faccione and doing of penans,
    And to amend al wrang and al Iniure,
    By the ydone til euery Creature;                              1424
    If yow can In to thi hart fynde,                       [Fol. 18b.]
    Contretioune well dege[s]t In to thi mynd.
    Now go thi weie, for if it leful were,
    Confe[s][s]ioune to me, I [s]huld It here."                   1428

      [Footnote T30: MS. "amendit."]

[Headnote: ARTHUR CONFESSES HIS SINS,]

  [Sidenote: Arthur tries to remember every sin done since his years
  of innocence,]
    ++Than arthur, Richt obedient {and} mek,
    In to his wit memoratyvecan [s]eik
    Of euery gilt wich that he can pens,
    Done frome he pa[s][s]ith the [gh]er{is} of Innocens;         1432
    And as his mai[s]ter hyme commandit hade,
  [Sidenote: and made his confession with lamentable cheer.]
    He goith and his confe[s][s]ione haith he maad
    Richt deuotly with lementable chere;
    The man{er} wich quho lykith for to here                      1436
    He may It fynd In to the holl romans,
    Of confe[s][s]ione o pa[s]ing c{er}cum[s]tans.
    I can It not, I am no confe[s][s]our,
    My wyt haith ewill con[s]at of that labour,                   1440
    Quharof I wot I aucht repent me [s]ore.
    The king wich was confe[s][s]it, what is more,
    Goith and til his mai[s]t{er} tellith hee,
    How euery [s]yne In to his awn degree                         1444
    He shew, that mycht occuryng to his mynde.
  [Sidenote: "Leftest thou aught behind," quoth the master, "about
  Ban, king of Albanak, and his disinherited wife?"]
    "Now," q{uo}d the mai[s]tere, "left thow aght behynde
    Of albenak the vor[s]chipful king ban,
    The wich that vas in to my [s]{er}uice [s]lan,                1448
    And of his wif di[s]heri[s]t eft al[s]o?
    Bot of ther [s]one, the wich was them fro,
    Ne [s]pek[T31] y not;"--the king in his entent
    Aba[s]yt was, and furt{h}w{i}t{h} is he went                  1452
  [Sidenote: The king again confesses, and returns,]
    A[gh]ane, and to his confe[s][s]our declarith;

      [Footnote T31: MS. apparently has "srpek;" but a comparison
      with line 1543 shews that the apparent _r_ is due to the meeting
      of two slight flourishes belonging to the _s_ and _p_.]

[Headnote: AND AGAIN ASKS FOR ADVICE.]

    Syne to his mai[s]t{er} he ayane Reparith,
    To quhome he [s]aith, "I aftir my cu{n}yng
    Your ordinans fulfillit in al thing;                          1456
    And now right hartly y be[s]eich and prey,
    [Gh]he wald w{i}t{h}[s]chaif [s]um thing to me [s]ay,
  [Sidenote: prays for comfort,]
    That may me comfort in my gret dreid,
    And how my men ar fal[gh]et in my Neid,                       1460
  [Sidenote: and inquires about his dream.]
    And of my dreme, the wich that is [s]o dirk."
  [Sidenote: The master saith, "If thou art bound to work by my
  counsel,]
    This mai[s]t{er} [s]aith, "and thow art bound to virk
    [T32] ++AT my con[s]ail, and if yow has maad
    Thi confe[s][s]ione, as yow before hath [s]aid,               1464
    And in thi conciens thinkith p{er}[s]euere,
    As I p{re}[s]ume that thow onon [s]halt here
    That god hyme-[s]elf [s]hal [s]o for y^e p{ro}uide,
  [Sidenote: thou shalt abide in thy kingdom.]
    Thow [s]hal Remayne and In thi Ring abyd.                     1468
    And why thi men ar fal[gh]et At this nede,              [Fol. 19.]
    At [s]hort this is the cauß, [s]halt yow no{ch}t dred,
    Fore thow to gode was frawart and p{er}wert;
    Thi ryngne and the he tho{ch}t for to [s]ubwart;              1472
    And yow [s]al knaw na power may reci[s]t,
    In contrar quhat god lykith to a[s][s]i[[s]]t.

      [Footnote T32: This line (though it should not) begins with an
      illuminated letter.]

[Headnote: KINGS DERIVE THEIR POWER FROM GOD.]

  [Sidenote: Strength of victory cometh from God only.]
    The vertw nore the [s]trenth of victory
    It cu{m}myth not of man, bot an{er}ly                         1476
    Of hyme, the wich haith eu{er}y [s]trinth; {and} than,
    If that the waiis ple[s][s]it hyme of man,
    He [s]hal have forß a[gh]ane his e{n}nemys.
    A-ryght agan apone the [s]amyne vyß,                          1480
  [Sidenote: Whoso displeases Him shall be subject to his enemies,
  as we read in the Bible concerning the Jews.]
    If he di[s]pleß vn to the lord, he [s]hall
    Be to his fais a [s]ubiet or a thrall,
    As that we may In to the bible red,
    Tueching the folk he tuk hyme-[s]elf to led                   1484
    In to the lond, the wich he them byhicht.
    Ay when thei [gh]hed in to his ways Richt,
    Ther fois gon befor there [s]uerd to no{ch}t;
  [Sidenote: When they wrought against Him, they were so full of
  fear that the sound of a falling leaf made a thousand flee.]
    And when that thei ayanis hyme hath vro{ch}t,                 1488
    Thei war [s]o full of radur and di[s][s]pare,
    That of o leif fleing in the air,
    The [s]ound of It haith gart o thou[s]and tak
    At onys apone them-[s]elf the bak,                            1492
    And al ther manhed vterly foryhet;
    Sich dreid the lord apone ther hart{is} set.
    So [s]halt yow know no powar may w{i}t{h}[s]tond,
    Ther god hyme-[s]elf hath ton the cauß on hond.               1496
  [Sidenote: Thine own offence is the reason why thy people fail
  thee.]
    And ye quhy [s]tant in thyne awn offens,
    That al thi puple fal[gh]het off defens.
    And [s]um ar fal[gh]eing magre ther entent;
    Thei ar to quhom thow yewyne hath thi rent,                   1500
    Thi gret Reuard, thi richeß and thi gold,
    And cheri[s][s]ith and held in thi hou[s]hold.
    Bot the mo[s]t p{ar}t ar fal[gh]heit the at wyll,
  [Sidenote: Thou hast shewn some of them unkindness,]
    To quhome yow haith wnkyndneß [s]chawin till;                 1504
    Wrong and i{n}Iure, and ek defalt of law,
    And pwny[s]ing of qwhich that thei [s]tand aw;
    And makith [s]{er}uice but reward or fee,
    Syne haith no thonk bot fre{m}mytneß of the.                  1508
    Such folk to the cu{m}myth bot for dred,
    Not of fre hart the for to help at nede.
    And what awalith owthir [s]held or [s]per,
    Or horß or armoure according for ye were,                     1512
    Vith-outen man them for to [s]tere and led?            [Fol. 19b.]
  [Sidenote: and a man that wanteth heart is dead.]
    And man, yow wot, that vantith hart is ded,
    That in to armys [s]{er}uith he of noght;
    A cowart oft ful mekil harm haith vroght.                     1516
    In multitude nore [gh]hit in confluens
    Of [s]ich, is nowther manhed nore defens.
  [Sidenote: Thou hast so conducted thyself as to lose all thy
  people's hearts.]
    And [s]o thow hath the rewlyt, that almo[s]t
    Of al thi puple the hart{is} ben ylost;                       1520
    And tynt richt throw thyne awn my[s]gou{er}nans
    Of auerice and of thyne errogans.
  [Sidenote: What is a prince without honour?]
    What is o prince? quhat is o gou{er}noure
    W{i}t{h}outen fame of wor[s]chip and honour?                  1524
    What is his my{ch}t, [s]uppos he be A lorde,
    If that his folk [s]al no{ch}t to hyme accorde?
  [Sidenote: Can he by himself sustain his kingdom, by serving his
  own appetite?]
    May he his Rigne, may he his holl Empire
    Su[s]ten al only of his owne de[s]yre,                        1528
    In [s]erwyng of his wrechit appetit
    Of awerice and of his awn delyt,
    And hald his men, wncheri[s]t, in thraldome?
  [Sidenote: His oppression of his people consumes his high estate,
  and makes other kings war on them.]
    Nay! that [s]hal [s]one his hie e[s]tat con[s]ome.            1532

[Headnote: UNJUST KINGS ARE PUNISHED.]

    For many o kny{ch}t[T33] therby is broght ydoune,
    All vt{r}aly to ther confu[s]ioune;
    For oft it makith vther king{is} by
    To wer on them In tra[s]t of victory;                         1536
    And oft als throw his peple is di[s]troyth,
    That fyndith them agrewit or anoyth;
  [Sidenote: God also punishes their vices."]
    And god al[s]o oft w{i}t{h} his awn [s]werd,
    Puny[s]ith ther wy[s]is one this erd.                         1540
    Thus falith not o king but gou{er}nans,
    Boith realme and he goith one to my[s]chans."

      [Footnote T33: "king" (?).]

[Headnote: A MESSAGE FROM GALIOT.]

  [Sidenote: Meanwhile, the king of a hundred knights and the
  first-conquest king come from Galiot,]
    ++AS thai war thus [s]peking of this thinge,
    Frome galiot cam two kny{ch}t{is} to the king;                1544
    That one the king of hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was;
    That other to nome the fyrst-co{n}que[s]t king[T34] has,
    At fir[s]t that galyot conquerit of one.
    The n{er}e[s]t way one to the king thei gon,                  1548
    And vp he roß, as he that wel cout{h} do
    Honor, to quhome that It afferith to;
    And [gh]hit he wi[s]t not at thei king{is} were;
    So them[T35] thei boith and vyt{h} ry{ch}t knyghtly cher      1552
    Reu{er}endly thei [s]alu[s]t hyme, and thane
  [Sidenote: and the former delivers his message, to the effect that]
    The king of hund{er} knyght{is} he began
    And [s]aid hyme, "[s]{ir}, to [gh]ow my lord ws [s]ende,
    Galiot, whilk bad ws [s]ay he wende,                1556[Fol. 20.]
    That of this world the vorthie[s]t king wor [gh]he,
    Grete[s]t of men and of awtoritee.

      [Footnote T34: MS. "kinghe," a spelling due to confusion with
      "knight." See l. 1533.]

[Headnote: A TRUCE PROPOSED AND ACCEPTED.]

  [Sidenote: Galiot wonders at the feebleness of Arthur's folk,]
    Wharof he has gret wond{er} that [gh]he ar
    So feble cu{m}myne In to his contrare,                        1560
    For to defend your cuntre {and} your londe,
    And knowith well [gh]he may hyme no{ch}t w{i}t{h}[s]tonde.
    Wharfor he thinkith no wor[s]chip to conquere,
    Nore in the wer{is} more to p{er}[s]yuere;                    1564
    Con[s]iddir yowr wakneß and yowr Indegens,
    A[gh]anis hyme as now to mak defens.
  [Sidenote: and is willing to grant a year's truce,]
    Wharfore, my lord haith grantit by vs here
    Trewis to yhow and re[s]put for o [gh]here,                   1568
  [Sidenote: if Arthur will return to fight against him in a year's
  time;]
    If that yhow lykith by the [gh]her{is} [s]pace
    For to retwrn ayane In to this place,
    Her to manteine yhour cuntre and w{i}t{h}[s]tond
    Hyme w{i}t{h} the holl power of yhour lond.                   1572
    And for the tyme the trewis [s]hal endure,
    Yhour cuntre and yhour lond he will a[s][s]urre;
    And wit [gh]he [gh]hit his powar is no{ch}t here.
    And als he bad ws [s]ay yhow by the yhere,                    1576
  [Sidenote: and desires to have the red knight in his household.]
    The gud kny{ch}t wich that the Red armys bure
    And in the feild maid the di[s]cumfiture,
    The whilk the flour of kny{ch}thed may be cold,
    He thinkith hyme to haue of his hou[s]hold."                  1580
    "Well," q{uo}d the king, "I have hard quhat yhe [s]ay,
    But if god will, and ek if that I may,
    In to [s]ich wyß I think for to with[s]tond,
    Yhour lord [s]hall have no powar of my londe."                1584
  [Sidenote: Arthur rejoices at the truce,]
    Of this me[s]ag the king Reio[s]ing haß,
    And of the trewis wich that grantit was,
    Bot anoyt [gh]hit of the kny{ch}t was he,
    Wich thei awant to have in [s]uch dogre.                      1588
    Ther leif thei tuk; and when at thei war gon,
  [Sidenote: which the master attributes to God's providence, and
  exhorts him, saying,]
    [T36] ++This mai[s]t{er} [s]aith, "how lykith god di[s]pone!

      [Footnote T35: "then" (?).]
      [Footnote T36: The initial T is illuminated.]

    Now may yhow [s]e {and} [s]uth is my recorde;
    For by hyme now is makith this accord;                        1592
    And by non vthir worldly p{ro}videns,
    Sauf only grant of his bynewolans,
    To [s]e if that the lykith to amend,
    And to p{ro}uid thi cuntre to defend.                         1596
    Wharfor yow [s]halt in to thi lond home fair,
    And gowerne the as that I [s]hall declaire.
  [Sidenote: "First, serve God with humble heart, and let the wand
  of law pass through the land.]
    Fir[s]t, thi god with humble hart yow [s]erfe,         [Fol. 20b.]
    And his comand at al thi my{ch}t ob[s]erf;                    1600
    And [s]yne, lat paß the ilk ble[s][s]it wonde
    Of lowe w{i}t{h} m{er}cy Iu[s]tly throw thi londe;
    And y be[s]eich--to quhome yow [s]al direke
    The rewle vpone, the wrang{is} to correk--                    1604
    That yow be no{ch}t in thi electioune blynde;
    For writin It Is and yow [s]al trew It fynde.
    That, be thei for to thonk or ell{is} blame,
    And towart god thi p{ar}t [s]hal be the [s]a[-m];             1608
    Of Ignorans [s]halt yow no{ch}t be excu[s]it,
    Bot in ther werk{is} [s]orly be accu[s]it,
    For thow [s]huld eu{er} cheß apone [s]ich wyß
  [Sidenote: Thus shalt thou choose the ministers of justice.]
    The mi{ni}[s]teris[T37] that rewll haith of Iustice:--        1612

[Headnote: HOW TO CHOOSE JUDGES.]

    Fir[s]t, that he be de[s]cret til wnd{er}[s]tond
    And lowe and ek the mat{er} of the londe;
    And be of my{ch}t and ek Autoritee,
    (For puple ay {con}tempnith low degre,)                       1616
    And that of trouth he folow furth the way;
    That is als mych as he louyth trewth alway,
    And haitith al them the wich [s]al pas therfro.
    Syne, that he god dreid and lowe al-so.                       1620
  [Sidenote: Avoid avaricious and wrathful men.]
    Of auerice be-war with the de[s]yre,
    And of hyme full of ha[s]tynes {and} fyre;
    Be-war thar-for of malice and de[s]ire,
    And hyme al[s]o that lowith no medyre;                        1624
    For al this abhomi{n}able was hold,
    When Iu[s]tice was in to the tymis olde.
    For qwho that is of an of thir by-know,
    The le[s]t of them [s]ubu{er}tith all the low,                1628
    And makith It w[n]Iustly[T38] to p{ro}cede;

      [Footnote T37: MS. "m[-i][s]teris."]
      [Footnote T38: MS. "w Iustly."]

[Headnote: KINGS MUST BE JUST AND TRUE.]

  [Sidenote: Eschew unfit men, for this shall be thy meed in the day
  of judgment.]
    E[s]chew tharfor, for this [s]al be thi meid
    Apone the day when al thing goith aright,
    Whar none excuß hidyng [s]chal ye lyght;                      1632
    But he the Iug, that no man may [s]u[s][s]pek,
    Eu{er}y thing ful Iu[s]tly [s]al correk.
    Be-war thar-w{i}t{h}, as before have I told,
    And cheß them wy[s]ly that thi low [s]hal hold.               1636
    And als I will that it well oft be sen,
    Richt to thi-self how thei thi low {con}ten;
  [Sidenote: Be diligent to inquire how judgment is given.]
    And how the Right, and how the dom is went,
    For to Inquer that yow be delygent.                           1640
    And punyß for, for o thing [s]hal yow know,             [Fol. 21.]
    The most tre[s]pas is to [s]ubuert the low,
    So that yow be not in thar gilt accu[s]it,
    And frome the froit of bli[s][s]it folk refu[s]it.            1644
  [Sidenote: Visit every chief town throughout the bounds of thy
  kingdom.]
    And pas yow [s]halt to euery chef toune,
    Throw-out the boundis of thi Regioune
    Whar yow [s]all be, that Iu[s]tice be Elyk
    With-out diui[s]ione baith to pur {and} ryk.                  1648
    And that thi puple have [ane] awdiens
    W{i}t{h} thar complant{is}, and al[s]o thi p{rese}ns;
    For qwho his eris frome the puple [s]tekith,
    And not his hond in ther [s]upport furth rekith,              1652
    His dom [s]all be ful grewous & ful hard,
    When he [s]al cry and he [s]al no{ch}t be hard.
  [Sidenote: Give thine ears to the poor.]
    Wharfor thyne eris ifith to the pwre,
    Bot in redreß of ned, & not of i{n}Iure;                      1656
    Thus [s]all thei don of Re[s][s]one & knawlag.

  [Sidenote: Kings, while minors, may be excused; but, when
  of age, they must punish those that have wrested justice.]
    ++But king{is} when thei ben of tend{er} ag,
    Y wil not [s]ay I tra[s]t thei ben excu[s]it,
    Bot [s]chortly thei [s]all be [s]ar accu[s]it,                1660
    When [s]o thei cum to yheris of Re[s]one,
    If thei tak not full contri[s]ioune,
    And pwnyß them that hath ther low my[s]gyit.
    That this is trouth it may not be denyit;                     1664
    For vther ways thei [s]al them not di[s]charg,
    [Excep thei pwnyß them that have the charg][T39]
    One e[s]tatis of ther realm, that [s]hold
    W{i}t{h}-in his [gh]outh [s]e that his low be hold.[T40]      1668
  [Sidenote: Temper justice with mercy.]
    And thus thow the, w{i}t{h} mercy, kep alway
    Of Iu[s]tice furt{h} the ilk ble[s][s]it way.

      [Footnote T39: A blank space here occurs, just sufficient to
      contain one line.]
      [Footnote T40: MS. "behold."]

  [Sidenote: Be true and stable in thy words.]
    ++And of thi wordis beis trew and [s]table,
    Spek not to mych, nore be not vareable.                       1672
    O king{is} word [s]huld be o king{is} bonde,
    And [s]aid It is, a king{is} word [s]huld [s]tond;
    O king{is} word, among our fad{er}is old,
    Al-out more p{re}cious & more [s]ur was hold                  1676
    Than was the oth or [s]eel of any wight;
  [Sidenote: A king should be the very light of truth.]
    O king of trouth [s]uld be the werray lyght,
    So treuth and Iu[s]tice to o king accordyth.
    And als, as thir clerk{is} old recordith,                     1680
    [T41] ++In tyme is larges and humilitee
    Right well according vnto hie dugre,
    And ple[s][s]ith boith to god and man al-so;
    Wharfor I wil, in{con}tine{n}t thow go,          1684  [Fol. 21b.]
    And of thi lond in euery p{ar}t abide,
    Whar yow gar fet and clep one eu{er}y [s]id
    Out of thi cuntreis, and ek out of thi tovnis,
  [Sidenote: Invite thy dukes, earls, great barons, thy poor knights,
  and thy bachelors, and welcome them severally.]
    Thi duk{is}, erlis, and thi gret baronis,                     1688
    Thi pur kny{ch}t{is}, and thi bach[e]ler{is},
    And them re[s]auf als hartly as afferis,
    And be them-[s]elf yow welcum them ilkon:
    Syne, them to glaid and cheris, thee di[s]pone                1692
    With fe[s]ting and with humyll {con}tynans.

      [Footnote T41: The initial I is illuminated; rather because
      there is here a change of subject than because it begins a new
      sentence.]

[Headnote: KINGS SHOULD CHERISH ALL MEN.]

    Be not pen[s]yve, nore proud in arrogans,
  [Sidenote: Keep company not with the rich man only, but with the
  poor worthy man also.]
    Bot w{i}t{h} them hold in gladnes cumpany;
    Not with the Rich nor myghty an{er}ly,                        1696
    Bot with the pure worthi man al[s]o,
    W{i}t{h} them thow [s]it, w{i}t{h} them yow ryd and go.
    I [s]ay not to be our fameliar,
    For, as the mo[s]t philo[s]ephur can duclar,                  1700
  [Sidenote: Yet remember that familiarity breeds contempt.]
    To mych to oyß familiaritee
    Contempnyng bryngith one to hie dugre;
    Bot cherice them w{i}t{h} wordis fair depay{n}t,
    So with thi pupelle [s]al yow the aquay{n}t.                  1704
  [Sidenote: Choose out of each district an aged knight to be thy
  counsellor.]
    Than of ilk cuntre wy[s]ly yow enquere
    An agit kny{ch}t to be thi con[s]ulere,
    That haith ben hold in armys Richt fam{us},
    Wyß and di[s]cret, & no thing Inwy{us};                       1708
    For there is non that knowith [s]o wel, I-wyß,
    O worthy man as he that worthi Is.

[Headnote: KINGS MUST BE LIBERAL.]

  [Sidenote: When thou hast sojourned long in a place, then provide
  thee with plenty of horses, armour, gold, silver, and clothing;]
    When well long haith yow [s]wiornyt i{n} a place,
    And well acqueynt the v{i}t{h} thi puple has,                 1712
    Than [s]halt thow ordand & p{ro}wid the
    Of horß and ek of armour gret plente;
    Of gold, and [s]ilu{er}, tressore, and cleithing,
    And euery Riches that lo{n}gith to o king;                    1716
  [Sidenote: and, before leaving, distribute gifts liberally.]
    And when the lykith for to tak thi leif,
    By largeß thus yow thi reward geif,
    First to the pure worthy honorable,
    That is til armys and til ma{n}hed able;                      1720
    (Set he be pur, [gh]hit wor[s]chip in hyme bidith);
  [Sidenote: Give to the poor worthy man the horse thou thyself
  ridest.]
    If hyme the horß one wich thi-[s]elwyne Ridith,
    And bid hyme that he Rid hyme for yhour [s]ak;
    Syne til hyme gold and [s]ilu{er} yow betak;                  1724
    The horß to hyme for wor[s]chip and prowes,
    The tre[s]or for his fredome and larges.
    If mo[s]t of Riches and of Cheri[s]ing;                [Fol. 22a.]
    Eftir this gud kny{ch}t berith vitne[s]ing.                   1728
  [Sidenote: Give to thy tenants and vavasours easy hackneys,
  palfries, and coursers.]
    Syne to thi te{n}nand{is} & to thi wawa[s]ouris
    If e[s][s]y haknays, palfrais, and cur[s]ouris,
    And robis [s]ich as ple[s]and ben and fair;
    Syne to thi lord{is}, wich at my{ch}ty aire,                  1732
  [Sidenote: Give to thy lords things strange and uncouth.]
    As duk{is}, erlis, princ{is}, and ek king{is},
    Yow if them [s]trang, yow if them vncout{h} thing{is},
    As diu{er}ß iowell{is}, and ek p{re}ciouß [s]tonis,
    Or halk{is}, hundis, ordinit for the nonis,                   1736
    Or wantone horß that can no{ch}t [s]tand in [s]t[-a]ble;
    Thar gift{is} mot be fair and delitable.
    Thus, fir[s]t vn to the vorthi pur yow if
    Giftis, that may ther pouerte Releif;                         1740
    And to the rich ift{is} of ple[s]ans,
    That thei be fair, [s]et no{ch}t of gret [s]ub[s]tans;
    For riches a[s]kith no thing bot delyt,
    And powert haith ay ane appetyt                               1744
    For to support ther ned and Indigens:
    Thus [s]hall yow if and makith thi di[s]pens.
  [Sidenote: So, too, shall the queen give to maidens and ladies,]
    And ek the quen, my lady, [s]halt al[s]o
    To madenis and to ladeis, quhar [gh]he go,                    1748
    If, and cheriß one the [s]amyne wyß;
  [Sidenote: for all thy welfare lies in liberality.]
    For in to largeß al thi welfar lyis.
    And if thy gift{is} with [s]ich {con}tinans
    That thei be [s]en ay gifyne v{i}t{h} ple[s]ans;              1752
    The wyß man [s]ais, and [s]uth it is app{ro}uit,
    Thar is no thonk, thar is no ift alowit,
    Bot It be ifyne In to [s]ich manere,
  [Sidenote: Remember that the giver should be as glad in his cheer
  as the receiver.]
    (That is to [s]ay, als glaid i{n} to his chere),              1756
    As he the wich the ift of hyme Re[s]auith;
    And do he not, the gifar is di[s][s]auith.

[Headnote: LIBERAL KINGS ARE LOVED IN LIFE,]

    For who that iff{is}, as he not if wald,
    Mor p{ro}fit war his ift for to w{i}t{h}-hald;                1760
    His thonk he tynith, and his ift al[s]o.
    Bot that thow ifith, if w{i}t{h} boith two,
  [Sidenote: Give with both hand and heart at once;]
    That is to [s]ay, vith hart and hand atonis;
    And [s]o the wy[s]man ay ye ift di[s]ponis.                   1764
    Beith larg and iff{is} frely of thi thing;
  [Sidenote: for liberality is the treasure of a king.]
    For largeß is the tre[s]our of o king,
    And not this other Iowell{is} nor this gold
    That is in to thi tre[s]ory with-holde.                       1768
    Who gladly iffith, be vertew of larges                 [Fol. 22b.]
  [Sidenote: Whoso gives liberally, his treasury increases.]
    His tre[s]ory encre[s]is of Riche[s]ß,
    And [s]al a[gh]añe the mor al-out re[s]awe.
  [Sidenote: For the receiver shall place his goods at the king's
  disposal,]
    For he to quhome he [gh]ewith [s]all hawe,                    1772
    Fir[s]t his body, [s]yne his hart with two,
    His gudis al for to di[s]pone also
  [Sidenote: who shall gain, moreover, both worship and praise.]
    In his [s]{er}uice; and mor atour he [s]hall
    Have O thing, and that is be[s]t of all;                      1776
    That is to [s]ay, the wor[s]chip and the loß
    That vpone larges in this world furth goß.
    And yow [s]hal knaw the lawbour & the preß
    In to this erth about the gret Richeß.                        1780
  [Sidenote: Is there any labour except for meat and clothing?
  All the remnant is for fame.]
    Is ony, bot[T42] apone the cauß we see
    Of met, of cloth, & of p{ro}[s]peritee?
    All the remanant [s]tant apone the name
    Of purches, furth apone this world{is} fame.                  1784
    And well yow wot, in thyne allegians
    Ful many Is, the wich haith [s]ufficians
    Of euery thing that longith to ther ned;                      1787
    What haith yow more, qwich [haith] them al to lede,
    For al thi Realmys and thi gret Riches,
    If that yow lak of wor[s]chip the encreß?
    Well leß, al-out; for eft{er} thar e[s]tate
    Thei have vor[s]chip, and kepith It al-gat;                   1792
    And yow degradith al thyne hie dugree,
    That [s]o [s]chuld [s]hyne In to nobelitee,
    Throuch wys and throw the wrechitneß of hart.

      [Footnote T42: MS. "Is ony bout bot;" "bout" being defaced.]

[Headnote: AND COMMENDED AFTER DEATH.]

  [Sidenote: Knowest thou not what shall be thy part, when thou
  passest away from this world?]
    And knowis yow not what [s]all be[T43] thi part,              1796
    Out of this world when yow [s]al paß the courß?
    Fair well, I-wyß! yow neu{er} [s]hall Recourß
    Whar no prince more [s]hall the subiet[T44] have,
    But be als dep in to the erd y-grave,                         1800
  [Sidenote: Virtue and honour will alone remain.]
    Sauf vertew only and wor[s]chip wich abidith;
    W{i}t{h} them the world apone the laif dewidith;
  [Sidenote: And if thy successor be liberal, he will be commended
  of the world;]
    And if he, wich [s]hal eftir the [s]ucced,
    By larges [s]pend, of quhich that yhow had dreid,             1804
    He of the world comendit is and pri[s]it,
    And yow [s]tant furth of euery thing di[s]pi[s]it;
    The puple [s]aith and demyth thus of thee,
    "Now is he gone, a werray vrech was hee,                      1808
    And he the wich that is our king and lord
    Boith wertew haith & larges in accorde;
    Welcum be he!" and [s]o the puple [s]oundith.
    Thus through thi viß his wertew mor aboundith,   1812  [Fol. 23a.]
  [Sidenote: and his virtue will abound through thy vice.]
    And his vertew the more thi wice furth [s]chawith.
    Wharfor [gh]he, wich that princes ben y-knawith,
    Lat not yhour vrechit hart so yhow dant,
    That he that cu{m}myth next yhow may awant                    1816
    To be mor larg, nore more to be co{m}mendit;

      [Footnote T43: MS. has "by."]
      [Footnote T44: MS. has "subei^et."]  [[superscript e only]]

[Headnote: LIBERAL KINGS WIN SUBJECTS,]

  [Sidenote: Riches well spent are the best kept.]
    Best kepit Is the Riches well di[s]pendit.
    O [gh]he, the wich that king{is} ben, fore [s]ham
    Remembrith yhow, this world hath bot o naa[-m]                1820
    Of good or ewill, eft{er} [gh]he ar gone!
    And wy[s]ly tharfor che[s][s]ith yhow the toñ
    Wich mo[s]t accordith to nobilitee,
    And knytith larges to yhour hie degre.                        1824
    For qwhar that fredome In O p{ri}nce Ri{n}gnis,
    It bryngith In the victory of king{is},
    And makith realmys and puple boith to dout,
    And [s]ubect{is}[T45] of the cuntre al about.                 1828
  [Sidenote: Whoso will be a conqueror, let him not reck to give
  largely.]
    And qwho that thinkith ben o co{n}querour,
    Suppos his largeß [s]umquhat pas my[s]our,
    Ne rak he nat, bot frely iffith ay;
    And as he wynyth, beis var al-way                             1832
    To mych nor [gh]hit to gredy that he hold,
    Wich [s]al the hart{is} of the puple colde.
  [Sidenote: Both love and fear spring from liberality.]
    And low and radour cu{m}myth boith two
    Of larges; Reid and [gh]he [s]al fynd It [s]o.                1836
    Alex{ander} this lord the warld that wan,
    Fir[s]t w{i}t{h} the [s]uerd of larges he began,
  [Sidenote: Alexander gave so liberally,]
    And as he wynith ifith largely,
    He rakith No thing bot of cheuelry;                           1840
    Wharfor of hyme [s]o pa[s][s]ith the Renown,
  [Sidenote: that many cities desired to have such a lord,]
    That many o cetee, and many o [s]trang towñ
    Of his wor[s]chip that herith the Recorde,
    Di[s][s]irith [s]o to haveing [s]ich o lorde;                 1844
  [Sidenote: and offered themselves peaceably to him, though they
  were manly men of war.]
    And offerith them w{i}t{h}-outen [s]trok of [s]pere,
    Suppos that thei war manly men of were,
    But only for his gentilleß that thei
    Have hard; and [s]o he louit was al-way                       1848
    For his larges, humilitee, and manhed,
    W{i}t{h} his awn folk, that neu{er}more, we Reid,
    For al his weris nor his gret trawell,                 [Fol. 23b.]
    In al his tym that thei hyme onys faill;                      1852
    Bot in his wor[s]chip al thar be[s]ynes
    Thei [s]et, and lewith in to no di[s]tres;
    Whar-throw the [s]uerd of victory he berith.

      [Footnote T45: Or "subett{is}."]

[Headnote: BUT UNJUST ONES DESPOIL THEM.]

  [Sidenote: Many princes bear the palm of victory, through
  liberality;]
    And many prince full oft the palm werith,                     1856
    As has ben hard, by largeß, of before,
    In conqueringe of Rignis & of glore.
  [Sidenote: while miserliness hath made realms desolate.]
    And wrechitnes Richt [s]o, in the contrar,
    Haith Realmys maid ful de[s]olat & bare,                      1860
    And king{is} broght doun from ful hie e[s]tat;
    And who that Red ther old buk{is}, wat
    The vicis lef, the wertew have in mynde,
    And takith larges In his awn kynd;                            1864
  [Sidenote: Choose the mean between prodigality and avarice.]
    A-myd [s]tanding of the vicis two,
    Prodegalitee and awerice al[s]o.
    Wharfor her-of It nedith not to more,
    So mych ther-of haith clerk{is} vrit to-fore.                 1868
  [Sidenote: Whoso chooses to be liberal,]
    Bot who the wertw of larges & the law
    Sal cheß, mot ned con[s]idir well & knaw
  [Sidenote: must understand three things: the _amount he has_,
  to _whom_ he giveth, and the _fit time_ for giving.]
    In to hyme-[s]elf, and thir thre wnd{er}[s]tande,
    The [s]ub[s]tans fir[s]t, the powar of his land,              1872
    Whome to he iffith, and the cauß wharfore,
    The nedful tyme awatith eu{er}more.
    Kepith thir thre; for qwho that [s]al exced
    His rent, he fallith [s]odandly in nede.                      1876
  [Sidenote: (1) The king that becomes _indigent_ overthrows his
  subjects.]
    And [s]o the king, that on to my[s]t{er} drowis,
    His subiett{is} and his puple he our-thrawis,
    And them di[s]pol[gh]eith boith of lond and Rent;
    So is the king, [s]o is the puple [s]chent.                   1880
  [Sidenote: For the voice of the oppressed shrieketh up ceaselessly
  to heaven;]
    For-quhi the woice It [s]crik[i]th vp ful ewyne
    W{i}t{h}-out abaid, and pa[s][s]ith to the hewyne,
    Whar god hyme-[s]elf re[s]auith ther the crye
    Of the oppre[s]ioune and the teranny,                         1884
  [Sidenote: and God smiteth down with the sword of vengeance.]
    And vith the [s]uerd of wengans dou{n} y-[s]mytith,
    The wich that caruith al to [s]or, and bitith,
    And hyme di[s]troyth, as has ben hard or this
    Of euery king that wirkith [s]ich o mys.                      1888
    For ther is few e[s]chapith them, It [s]all
  [Sidenote: For God hath given the king the wand of justice:]
    Boith vpone hyme & his [s]ucce[s][s]ione fall;
    For he for[s]uth haith ifyne hyme the wond
    To Iu[s]tefy and Reull in pece his lond,           1892[Fol. 24a.]
    The puple all [s]ubmytit to his cure;
    And he a[gh]an one to no creatur
    Save only [s]hall vn to his gode obey.

[Headnote: BEWARE OF INJUSTICE AND FLATTERY.]

    And if he pa[s][s]ith [s]o far out of the wey,                1896
  [Sidenote: and if he oppresses them whom he should rule,]
    Them to oppreß, that he [s]huld reul & gid,
    Ther heritag, there gwdis to dewide,
    Ye, wnd{er} whome that he mo[s]t nedis [s]tond,
  [Sidenote: God shall stretch His mighty hand for correction.]
    At correccioune [s]al [s]trek his my{ch}ty hond,              1900
    Not euery day, bot [s]hal at onys fall
    On hyme, mayhap, and his [s]ucce[s]cione all.
  [Sidenote: Herein, alas! is the blindness of kings.]
    In this, allace! the blynd{is} of the king{is},
    And Is the fall of princ{is} and of Rygnis.                   1904
    The mo[s]t wertew, the gret Intellegens,
  [Sidenote: The blessed token of a king's wisdom is for him to
  restrain his hand from his people's riches.]
    The ble[s][s]it tokyne of wy[s]dom and prudens
    I[s]ß, in o king, for to re[s]tren his honde
    Frome his pupleis Riches & ther lond.                         1908
    Mot euery king have this wice i{n} mynd
    In tyme, and not when that he ned fynde!
    And in thi larges beith war, I pray,
  [Sidenote: (2) Choose a _fitting time_.]
    Of nedful tyme, for than is be[s]t alway.                     1912
  [Sidenote: (3) Take care _to whom_ you give.]
    Awyß the ek quhome to that thow [s]alt if,
    Of there fam, and ek how that thei leif;
  [Sidenote: Let not the virtuous and the vicious stand in the same
  degree.]
    And of the wertws and wicious folk al[s]o,
    I the be[s]eich dewidith well thir two,                       1916
    So that thei [s]tond no{ch}t in[to] o degree;
    Di[s]creccioune [s]all mak the diu{er}[s]itee,
    Wich clepith the mod{er} of al vertewis.

[Headnote: FLATTERERS SUCCEED WHEN KINGS ARE FOOLISH.]

  [Sidenote: Beware of flattery.]
    And beith war, I the be[s]eich of this,                       1920
    That is to [s]ay of flatry, wich that longith
    To court, and al the king{is} larges fongith.
    The vertuouß man no thing thar-of re[s]auith,
    The flatterer{is} now [s]o the king di[s][s]auith             1924
    And blyndith them that wot no thing, I-wyß,
    When thei do well, or quhen thei do o myß;
    And latith king{is} oft til wnd{er}[s]tonde
    Thar vicis, and ek ye falt{is} of ther lond.                  1928
    In to the realme about o king Is holde
  [Sidenote: A flatterer is worse than a storm or a pestilence.]
    O flatterere were than is the [s]tormys cold,
    Or pe[s]telens, and mor the realme anoyith;
    For he the law and puple boith di[s]troyith.                  1932
  [Sidenote: Three things make flatterers in favour.]
    And in to principall ben ther three thing{is},         [Fol. 24b.]
    That cau[s][s]ith flattereris [s]tonding w{i}t{h} the king{is};
  [Sidenote: First, the blind ignorance of kings.]
    And on, It is the blyndit Ignorans
    Of king{is}, wich that hath no gou{er}nans                    1936
    To wnd{er}[s]tond who doith [s]ich o myß;
    But who that fare[s]t [s]chewith hym, I-wyß,
    Mo[s]t [s]uffi[s]ith and be[s]t to his ple[s]ans.
    Wo to the realme that havith [s]ich o chans!                  1940
  [Sidenote: Secondly, where a king is vicious himself.]
    And [s]ecundly, quhar that o king Is
    Weciuß hyme-[s]elf, he cheri[s][s]ith, ywys,
    Al them the wich that one to vicis [s]oundith,
    Whar-throw that vicis and flattery ek aboundith.              1944
  [Sidenote: Thirdly, where the king is so foolish, that he knows
  their flattery, yet withdraws from reproving them.]
    The thrid, is the ilk [s]chrewit harrmful wice,
    Wich makith o king w{i}t{h}in hyme-[s]elf [s]o nyce,
    That al thar flattry and ther gilt he knowith
    In to his wit, and [gh]hit he hyme w{i}t{h}-drowith           1948
    Them to repref, and of ther vicis he wot;
    And this It is wich that di[s][s]emblyng hot,
    That in no way accordith for o king.
    Is he not [s]et abuf apone his Ri{n}gne,                      1952
    As [s]ou{er}ane his puple for to lede?
  [Sidenote: Why should a king spare to say the truth?]
    Whi [s]chuld he [s]pare, or quhom of [s]chuld he dred
    To [s]ay the treuth, as he of Right is hold?
    And if [s]o ware that al the king{is} wold,                   1956
    When that his leg{is} comytit ony wyce,
    As beith not to [s]chamful, nore to nyce,
    That thei pre[s]ume that he is negligent,
  [Sidenote: He should reprove without dissembling, as it is fitting.]
    But als far as he thinkith that thei myß-went,                1960
    But di[s][s]emblyng reprewith as afferis;
    And pwnice them quhar pwny[s]ing Requeris,
    Sauf only m{er}cy in the tyme of ned.
    And [s]o o king he [s]chuld his puple led,                    1964
    That no tre[s]paß, that cu{m}myth in his way,
    Shuld paß his hond wne-pwni[s]t away;
    Nore no good deid in to the [s]amyn degree,
    Nore no wertew, [s]uld wn-Reuardid bee.                       1968
  [Sidenote: Then flattery, that now is high, should be low.]
    Than flattry [s]huld, that now is he, be low,
    And wice from the king{is} court w{i}t{h}-drow;
    His mini[s]t{er}is that [s]huld the Iu[s]tice reull,
    Shuld kep well furt{h} of quiet & reull,                      1972
    That now, god wat, as It con[s]erwit Is,
    The [s]tere is lo[s]t, and al is gon amys;
    And vertew [s]huld hame to the court hyme dreß,        [Fol. 25a.]
    That exillith goith in to the wild{er}nes.                    1976

[Headnote: WISE KINGS MAKE A WISE PEOPLE.]

  [Sidenote: If a king thus stood like his own degree, his people
  would be virtuous and wise.]
    Thus if o king [s]tud lyk his awn degree,
    Wertwis and wyß than [s]huld his puple bee,
    Only [s]et by vertew hyme to pleß,
    And [s]ore adred his wi[s]dom to di[s]pleß.                   1980
    And if that he towart the vicis draw,
    His folk [s]all go on to that ilk law;
    What [s]hal hyme pleß that wil no{ch}t ell{is} fynd,
    Bot ther-apon [s]etith al ther mynde.                         1984
  [Sidenote: Thus the rule of his people and kingdom standeth only
  in the king's virtue.]
    Thus only in the wertew of o king
    The reull [s]tant of his puple & his ringne,
    If he be wyß and, but di[s][s]emblyng, [s]chewis,
    As I have [s]aid, the vicis one to [s]chrewis.                1988
    And [s]o thus, [s]{ir}, It [s]tant apone thi will
    For to omend thi puple, or to [s]pill;
    Or have thi court of vertewis folk, or fullis;
  [Sidenote: Since thou art wholly master of the schools, teach them,
  and they shall gladly learn."]
    Sen yow art holl mai[s]t{er} of the [s]coullis                1992
    Teichith them, and thei [s]al gladly leir,
    That is to [s]ay, that thei may no thing heir[T46]
    Sauf only wertew towart thyn e[s]tat;
    And cheriß them that wertews ben algait.                      1996
    And thinkith what that wertew is to thee;
    It ple[s][s]ith god, vphaldith thi degree."
  [Sidenote: Arthur considers his counsel profitable.]
    "Mai[s]t{er}," q{uo}d he, "me think ry{ch}t profitable
    Yowr con[s]eell Is, and wond{er} honorable                    2000
    For me, and good; ry{ch}t well I have {con}[s]auit,
    And in myne hart{is} Inwartneß re[s]auit.
    I [s]hal fulfill and do yowr ordynans
    Als far of wit as I have [s]uffi[s]ans;                       2004
    Bot y be[s]eich yow, in til hartly wyß,
  [Sidenote: He beseeches him to expound his dream,]
    That of my drem [gh]he [s]o to me dewyß,
    The wich [s]o long haith occupeid my mynd,
  [Sidenote: how he shall only find help through the water-lion,
  the leech, and the flower.]
    How that I [s]hal no man{er} [s]ucour fynd                    2008
    Bot only throw the wattir lyon, & [s]yne
    The leich that is w{i}t{h}outen medy[s]yne;
    And of the con[s]ell of the flour; wich ayre
    Wond{er}is lyk that no man can duclar."                       2012

      [Footnote T46: Or, "leir." MS. apparently has "leir," corrected
      to "heir."]

[Headnote: THE WATER-LION MEANS GOD.]

    ++"Now, [s]{ir}," q{uod} he, "and I of them al thre,
    What thei betakyne [s]hal I [s]chaw to the,
  [Sidenote: The master's explanation.]
    Such as the clerk{is} at them [s]pecifiit;
    Thei v[s]it no thing what thei [s]ignefiit.          2016[Fol. 25b.]
  [Sidenote: The water-lion is the very God.]
    The wattir lyone Is the god werray,
    God to the lyone is lyknyt many way;
    But thei have hyme In to the wattir [s]eñ,
    Confu[s]it were ther wittis al, y weñ;                        2020
  [Sidenote: The water is men's fragility;]
    The wattir was ther awn fragelitee,
    And thar tre[s]pas, and thar Inequitee
    In to this world, the wich thei [s]tond y-clo[s]it;
    That was the wattir wich thei have [s]uppo[s]it,              2024
    That haith there knowlag maad [s]o Inp{er}fyt;
    Thar [s]yne & ek ther worldis gret delyt,
    As clowdy wattir, was eu{er}more betweñ,
  [Sidenote: whereby they see not the lion perfectly.]
    That thei the lyone p{er}fitly hath no{ch}t [s]eñ;            2028
    Bot as the wattir, wich was y{er} awn [s]yn{n}e,
    That eu{er}mor thei [s]tond confu[s]it In.
  [Sidenote: Had men been always religious, they had seen the lion
  not in water, but clearly.]
    If thei haith [s]tond in to religioñ clen,
    Thei had the lyone Not in watt{er} [s]en,                     2032
    Bot clerly vp in to the hewyne abuf,
    Et{er}naly whar he [s]hal not remufe.
    And eu{er}more in vatt{er} of [s]yne vas hee,
    For-quhi It is Impo[s][s]eble for to bee;[T47]                2036
  [Sidenote: The world is enclosed in the darkness of their sin.]
    And thus the world, wich that thei ar In,
    Y-clo[s]it Is in dyrknes of ther [s]yne;
    And ek the thikneß of the air betwen
    The lyone mad in vattir to be [s]en.                          2040
    For It was no{ch}t bot [s]trenth of ther clergy
    Wich thei have here, and It is bot erthly,
    That makith them there re[s]ou{n}s dewyß,
    And [s]e the lyone thus in erthly wyß.                        2044
  [Sidenote: The lion is God's son, Jesu Christ.]
    This is the lyone, god, and goddis sone,
    Ih{es}u cri[s]t, wich ay in hewyne [s]al won{n}e.
    For as the lyone of euery be[s]t is king,
    So is he lord and mai[s]t{er} of al thing,                    2048
    That of the ble[s][s]it vyrgyne vas y-bore.
    Ful many a natur the lyone haith, quhar-fore
    That he to god re[s]emblyt is, bot I
    Lyk not mo at this tyme [s]pecify.                            2052
    This is the lyone, thar-of have yow no dred,
    That [s]hal the help and comfort In thi ned.

      [Footnote T47: "see"(?).]

[Headnote: THE LEECH WITHOUT MEDICINE IS CHRIST.]

    ++The [s]entens here now woll I the defyne
  [Sidenote: The leech without medicine is also God.]
    Of hyme, the lech w{i}t{h}outen medy[s]yne,                   2056
    Wich is the god that euery thing hath vroght.
    For yow may know that vther Is It noght,               [Fol. 26a.]
  [Sidenote: Not as surgeons,]
    As [s]urgynis and fe[s]icianis, wich that delith
    W{i}t{h} mortell thing{is}, and mortell thing{is} helyth,     2060
  [Sidenote: whose art is in medicine,]
    And al thar art is in to medy[s]yne,
    As it is ordanit be the my{ch}t dewyne,
  [Sidenote: and in plaisters, drinks, and various anointments; who
  know the quality of the year, and the disposition of the planets.]
    As pla[s]t{er}is, drink{is}, and anouy{n}tme{n}t{is}[T48] [s]eir,
    And of the qualyte watyng of the yher;                        2064
    And of the planet{is} di[s]po[s]iciou{n}e,
    And of the naturis of compleccyoune,
    And in the diu{er}ß changing of hwmowr{is}.
    Thus wnd{er} reull lyith al there cwris;                      2068
    And yhit thei far as blynd man In the way,
    Oft quhen that deith thar craft li[s]t to a[s][s]ay.
    Bot god, the wich that is the [s]ou{er}an lech,
    Nedith no man{er} medy[s]yne to [s]ech;                       2072
    For ther is no Infyrmyte, nore wound,
    Bot as hyme lykith al is holl and [s]ound.
  [Sidenote: But God can heal infirmity of thought,]
    So can he heill Infyrmytee of thoght,
    Wich that one erdly mede[s]yne can noght;                     2076
  [Sidenote: and also the soul that goeth to confusion.]
    And als the [s]aul that to confu[s]ioune goith,
    And haith with hyme and vther p{ar}teis boith,
    His dedly wound god helyth frome the ground;
    On to his cure no medy[s]yne is found.                        2080
    This Is his my{ch}t that neu{er} more [s]hall fyne,
    This is the leich w{i}t{h}outen medy[s]yne;
    And If that yhow at confe[s][s]ioune hath ben
    And makith the of al thi [s]yn{n}is clen,                     2084
  [Sidenote: He shall be thy leech in all necessity.]
    Yow art than holl, and this ilk [s]amyn is he
    Schall be thi leich In al nece[s][s]itee.

      [Footnote T48: MS. "anoñytm[-e]t{is}," or "ano[-u]ytm[-e]t{is}."]

[Headnote: THE FLOWER IS THE VIRGIN MARY.]

    ++Now of the flour y woll to the di[s]cerñ:
    This is the flour that haith[T49] the froyt eterñ,            2088
    This is the flour, this fadith for no [s]chour,
    This is the flour of euery flouris floure;

      [Footnote T49: The word, though indistinct, is almost certainly
      "haith." Stevenson has "high;" but this gives no sense.]

  [Sidenote: The flower is she of whom the eternal fruit was born,]
    This is the flour, of quhom the froyt vas borñ,
    This ws redemyt eft{er} that we war lorñ;                     2092
    This Is the flour that eu{er} [s]pryngith new,
    This is the flour that changith neu{er} hew;
  [Sidenote: the virgin that bore the Saviour,]
    This is the vyrgyne, this is the ble[s][s]it flour
    That Ih{es}u bur is our salweour,                             2096
    This flour wnwe{m}myt of hir wirginitee;
    This is the flour of our felicitee,
    This is the flour to quhom ve [s]huld exort,
  [Sidenote: that ceaseth not to support us caitiffs,]
    This is the flour not [s]e[s][s]ith to [s]upport              2100
    In prayere, con[s]ell, and in by[s][s]ynes,
    Vs catifis ay In to our wrechitnes                     [Fol. 26b.]
    On to hir sone, the quich hir con[s]ell herith;
    This is the flour that al our gladneß [s]terith,              2104
  [Sidenote: through whose prayer are many saved.]
    Throuch whois prayer mony one is [s]awit,
    That to the deth et{er}naly war re[s]awit,
    Ne war hir hartly [s]uplicatioune.
    This is the flour of our [s]aluatioune,                       2108
    Next hir sone, the froyt of euery flour;
    This is the [s]am that [s]hal be thi [s]uccour,
    If that the lykith hartly Reu{er}ans
    And [s]{er}uice [gh]eld one to hir excellens,                 2112
    Syne wor[s]chip hir w{i}t{h} al thi by[s][s]yneß;
    Sche [s]al thi harm, [s]che [s]all thi ned redreß.
  [Sidenote: She shall so counsel the lion and the leech, that thou
  need not despair.]
    Sche [s]all [s]ice con[s]ell if one to the two,
    The lyone and the [s]ou{er}ane lech al[s]o,                   2116
    Yow [s]all not Ned yi dre[-m] for to di[s]par,
    Nor [gh]hit no thing that is in thi contrare.
    Now--q{uo}d the mai[s]t{er}--yow may well wnd{er}[s]tand
    Tueching thi drem as I have born on hande;                    2120
    And planly haith the mat{er} al declarith,
    That yhow may know of wich yow was di[s]parith.
    The lech, the lyone, and the flour al[s]o,
    Yow wor[s]chip them, yow [s]erve them eu{er}mo;               2124
    And ples the world as I have [s]aid before;
    In gou{er}nans thus [s]tondith al thi glore.
  [Sidenote: Do now as thou list, for all is in thy hand.]
    Do as yow li[s]t, for al is in thi honde,
    To tyne thi-[s]elf, thi honore, and thi londe,                2128
    Or lyk o prince, o {con}querour, or king,
    In honore and in wor[s]chip for to Ringe."

[Headnote: ARTHUR IS COMFORTED.]

  [Sidenote: The king replies,]
      "Now," q{uod} the king, "I fell that the [s]upport
    Of yhour con[s]ell haith don me [s]ich comfort,               2132
  [Sidenote: that his heart is eased from fear;]
    Of euery raddour my hart is In to eß,
    To [gh]hour {com}mand, god will, y [s]al obeß.
    Bot o thing is yneuch wn to me,
  [Sidenote: but inquires if Galiot will win over the red knight,
  and what is his name.]
    How galiot makith his awant that he                           2136
    Shall have the kny{ch}t, that only by his honde
    And manhed, was defendour of my londe;
    If that [s]hall fall y pray yhow tellith me,
    And quhat he hecht, and of quhat lond is hee?"                2140
    "What that he hecht yow [s]hall no fory{er} know,
  [Sidenote: The master evades reply.]
    His dedis [s]all her-eft{er}wart hyme [s]chaw;
    Bot {con}trar the he [s]hall be found no way.
    No more thar-of as now y will the [s]ay."[T50]                2144
    With that the king haith at his mai[s]tir tone         [Fol. 27a.]
  [Sidenote: The king and the host return home.]
    His leve, one to to his cuntre for to goñe;
    And al the o[s]t makith none abyde,
    To pa[s][s]ing home anone thei can p{ro}wid;                  2148
    And to [s]{ir} gawane thei haith o lytt{er} maad,
    Ful [s]ore ywound, and hyme on w{i}t{h} them haade.

      [Footnote T50: At the bottom of the page is the catch-word,
      "With that the king."]

      [T]he king, as that the [s]tory can declar,
  [Sidenote: The king sojourns twenty-four days at Cardole, in Wales.]
    Pa[s][s]ith to o Cete that was Right fair,                    2152
    And clepit cardole, In to walis, was,
    For that tyme than It was the n{er}e[s]t place,
    And thar he [s]oiornyt xxiiijti days
    In ryall fe[s]ting, as the auttore [s]ays.                    2156
    So di[s]cretly his puple he haith cherit,
    That he thar hartis holy haith {con}querit.
  [Sidenote: Sir Gawan is healed in fifteen days.]
    And [s]{ir} gawan, helyt holl and [s]ound
    Be xv dais he was of euery wounde;                            2160
    Right blyt{h} therof in to the court war thei.

[Headnote: ARTHUR AGAIN BECOMES MOURNFUL.]

    And [s]o befell, the xxiiij[T51] day,
  [Sidenote: The king becomes mournful, as he sits at the mess.]
    The king to fall in to o hewynes,
    Right ate his table [s]iting at the meß;                      2164
  [Sidenote: Gawan rebukes him.]
    And [s]{ir} gawan cu{m}myth hyme before,
    And [s]aid hyme, "[s]{ir}, yhour thoght is al to [s]ore,
    Con[s]id{er}ing the diu{er}ß kny{ch}t{is} [s]ere
    Ar of wncouth and [s]trang land{is} here."                    2168
  [Sidenote: The king answers in "matalent,"]
    The king an[s]uert, as in to matalent,
    "S{ir}, of my tho{ch}t, or [gh]hit of myne entent,
    Yhe have the wrang me to repref, for-quhy
    Thar lewith none that [s]huld me blam, for I                  2172
  [Sidenote: that he was thinking of the worthiest knight living;]
    Was thinkand one the worthie[s]t that lewyt,
    That al the wor[s]chip In to armys prewyt;
    And how the thonk of my defens he had,
    And of the wow that galiot haith mad.                         2176
    But I have [s]en, when that of my hou[s]hold
    Thar was, and of my falow[s]chip, that wold,
    If that thei wi[s]t, quhat thing [s]huld me pleß,
    Thei wald no{ch}t leif for trawell nor for eß.                2180
    And [s]um tyme It p{re}[s]wmyt was & [s]aid,
  [Sidenote: that he once had the flower of knighthood in his
  household, but now this flower is away.]
    That in my hou[s]hold of al this world I had
    The flour of kny{ch}thed and of chevalry;
    Bot now thar-of y [s]e the contrarye,                         2184
    Sen that the flour of kny{ch}thed is away."
    "Schir," q{uod} he, "of Re[s]one [s]uth yhe [s]ay;
    And if god will, In al this warld [s]o Round           [Fol. 27b.]
    He [s]al be [s]oght, if that he may he found."                2188

      [Footnote T51: MS. "xxviij," altered to "xxiiij."]

[Headnote: GAWANE'S EXPEDITION.]

  [Sidenote: Gawan departs to seek Lancelot.]
    Than gawan goith w{i}t{h} o kny{ch}tly chere,
    At the hal dure he [s]aith In this maner:
    "In this pa[s]ag who lykith for to wend?
    It is o Iorne mo[s]t for to comend                            2192
    That In my tyme In to the court fallith,
    To knyght{is} wich that chewellry lowith
    Or trawell In to armys for to hant;
    And lat no kny{ch}t fra thyne-furt{h} hyme awant              2196
  [Sidenote: All the knights rise to go with him.]
    That it denyith;"--w{i}t{h} that onon thei roß,
    Al the kny{ch}t{is}, and frome the burdis goß.
    The king that [s]auch In to his hart was wo,
  [Sidenote: Arthur reproves him.]
    And [s]aid, "[s]{ir} gawan, nece, why dois yow [s]o?          2200
    Knowis yow no{ch}t I myne hou[s]hold [s]uld encreß,
    In kny{ch}thed, and in honore, and largeß?
    And now yow thinkith mak me di[s][s]olat
    Of kny{ch}t{is}, and my houß tran[s]ulat,                     2204
    To [s]ek o kny{ch}t, and It was neu{er} more
    Hard [s]ich o [s]emble makith o before."
  [Sidenote: Gawan explains.]
    "S{ir}," q{uod} he, "als few as may yhow ple[s]ß;
    For what I said was no thing for myne eß,                     2208
    Nor for de[s]ir of falou[s]chip, for-why
    To paß alone, but cumpany, think I;
    And ilk kny{ch}t to paß o [s]undry way;
    The mo thei paß the fewar e[s]chef thay,                      2212
    Bot thus [s]hal pas no mo bot as yhow le[s]t."
  [Sidenote: Arthur assigns him forty companions.]
    "Takith," q{uod} he, "of quhom [gh]he lykith be[s]t,
    Fourty in this pa[s]ag for to go;"
    At this {com}mand and gawan che[s]it [s]o                     2216
    Fourty, quhich that he louit, & that was
    Richt glaid in to his falow[s]chip to pas.

[Headnote: GAWANE AND HIS FELLOWS DEPART.]

  [Sidenote: These knights arm themselves,]
      [A]nd furth thei go, and al anarmyt thei
    Come to the king, w{i}t{h}outen more delay,                   2220
  [Sidenote: and bring the relics, whereon to swear to shew the
  truth.]
    The relyk{is} bro{ch}t, as was the man{er} tho,
    When any knyght{is} frome the court [s]uld go.
    Or when the pa[s][s]it, or quhen thei com, thei [s]wor
    The trouth to [s]chaw of euery aduentur.                      2224
    S{ir} gawan knelyng to his falowis [s]ais,
    "Yhe lord{is}, wich that in this [s]eking gais,
    So many noble and worthi kny{ch}t{is} ar [gh]he,
    Me think in wayne yhour t{ra}uel [s]huld no{ch}t be,          2228
    For aduentur is non so gret to pref,                   [Fol. 28a.]
    As I [s]uppone, nor [gh]he [s]al It e[s][s]chef,
    And if [gh]he lyk as I that [s]hal dewyß,
    Yhour oth to [s]wer In to the [s]amyne wyß                    2232
    Myne oith to kep;"--and that thei vnd{er}tak,
    How eu{er} [s]o that he his oith mak
    It to con[s]erf, and that thei have all [s]worñ.
    Than gawan, wich that was the king beforn,                    2236
  [Sidenote: Gawane swears not to return till he has found Lancelot,
  or evidence of him.]
    On kneis [s]wore, "I [s]al the [s]uth duclar
    Of euery thing when I agan Repar,
    Nor neu{er} more a[gh]hane [s]al I returñ,
    Nore in o place long for to [s]uiorñ                          2240
    Whill that the kny{ch}t or verray evydens
    I have, that [s]hal be toknis of credens."
    His falou[s]chip aba[s]it of that thing,
    And als therof anoyt was the king,                            2244
  [Sidenote: Arthur reproves him for forgetting the coming day of
  battle.]
    Sayng, "Nece, yow haith al foly vroght
    And wilfulneß, that haith no{ch}t in thi thoght
    The day of batell of galot and me."
  [Sidenote: Gawane says it must be so.]
    Q{uod} gawan, "Now non other ways ma be."                     2248
  [Sidenote: Gawane and his fellow lace their helms, and take their
  leave.]
    Thar-w{i}t{h} he and his falow[s]chip al[s]o
    Thar halmys la[s]it, on to ther horß thei go,
    Syne tuk ther lef, and frome the court the fare,
    Thar names ware to long for to declar.                        2252
    Now [s]al we leif hyme and h{is} cumpany,
    That in thar [s]eking pa[s][s]ith bi[s][s]ely;
  [Sidenote: The story returns to the lady of Melyhalt.]
    And of the lady of melyhalt we tell,
    W{i}t{h} whome the kny{ch}t mot ned alway duell.              2256

      [T52] [O] day [s]he mayd hyme on to h{ir} p{re}[s]ens fet,
    And on o [s]ege be-[s]id hir haith hyme [s]et,
    "S{ir}, in keping I have yow halding long,"
    And thus [s]che [s]aid, "for gret tre[s]pas & wrong,          2260
    Magre my [s]tewart, in wor[s]chip, and for-thi
    [Gh]he [s]uld me thonk;"--"madem," q{uod} he, "and I
    Thonk yhow [s]o that eu{er}, at my mycht,
    Whar-[s]o I paß that I [s]al be yhour kny{ch}t."              2264

      [Footnote T52: Room is here left in the MS. for an illuminated
      letter, and a small "o" inserted as a note.]

[Headnote: THE LADY ASKS LANCELOT HIS NAME.]

  [Sidenote: She inquires Lancelot's name.]
    "Grant mercy, [s]{ir}, bot o thing I [gh]ow pray,
    What that [gh]he ar [gh]he wold w{i}c{h}sauf to [s]ay."
  [Sidenote: He refuses to tell.]
    "Madem," q{uod} he, "yhour mercy a[s]k I, quhy
    That for to [s]ay apone no wyß may I."                        2268
    "No! wil [gh]he not? non oy{er} ways as now
  [Sidenote: She vows to keep him in thrall till the day of combat;]
    [Gh]he [s]al repent, and ek I mak awow
    One to the thing the wich that I be[s]t love,                 2271
    Out frome my keping [s]al [gh]he not Remuf             [Fol. 28b.]
    Befor the day of the a[s][s]emblee,
    Wich that, o [gh]her, is n{er}e[s]t for to bee;
    And if that [gh]ow haith ple[s][s]it for to [s]ay,
    [Gh]he had fore me deliu{er}it ben this day;                  2276
  [Sidenote: and to go to the court to try and learn it.]
    And I [s]al knaw, quhey{er} [gh]he wil or no,
    For I furt{h}-w{i}t{h} one to the court [s]al go,
    Whar that al thithing{is} goith & cu{m}yth [s]oñ."
    "Madem," q{uod} he, "yhour ple[s]ance mot be doñe."           2280
  [Sidenote: The knight retires.]
    W{i}t{h} that the kny{ch}t one to his chalm{er} goith,
    And the lady hir makith to be wroith
    A[gh]anis hyme, but [s]uthly vas [s]che not,
    For he al-out was mor in to hir thoght.                       2284
    Than [s]chapith [s]he a[gh]ane the ferd day,
    And richly [s]che gan hir-[s]elf aray;
    Syne clepit haith apone her cu[s]ynes,
  [Sidenote: Before going to the court,]
    And [s]aith, "y will one to the court me dreß;                2288
    And malice I have [s]chawin on to [gh]hon kny{ch}t,
    For-quhy he wold no{ch}t [s]chew me quhat he hicht,
    Bot [s]o, I-wyß, It is no{ch}t in my tho{ch}t,
    For worthyar non In to this erth is wro{ch}t.                 2292
  [Sidenote: she prays her cousin to take care of him.]
    Tharfor I pray, and hartly I requer
    [Gh]he mak hyme al the cu{m}pany and chere,
    And do hyme al the wor[s]chip and the eß,
    Excep his honore, wich that may hym pleß;                     2296
    And quhen I cum deliu{er}ith hyme als fre
    As he is now;"--"ne have no dred," q{uod} [s]che.

[Headnote: SHE GOES TO SEE ARTHUR.]

      [T]he lady p{ar}tit, and hir lef hath ton,
    And by hir Iorne to the court Is gon.                         2300
  [Sidenote: The lady meets Arthur at Logris;]
    The king hapnit at logris for to bee,
    Wich of his realme was than the chef cete;
    And haith hir met, and In til hartly wyß
    Re[s]auit her, and welcu{m}myt oft-[s]yß;                     2304
  [Sidenote: who brings her home to his palace;]
    And haith hir home one to his palice bro{ch}t,
    Whar that no dante nedith to be [s]ocht,
    And maid hir cher w{i}t{h} al his ful entent.
    Eft fupir one to o chalm{er} ar thei went,                    2308
    The king and [s]che, and ek the quen al thre;
    Of hir tithand{is} at hir than a[s]kit hee,
  [Sidenote: and inquires what has brought her.]
    And what that hir one to the court had bro{ch}t?
    "S{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, "I come[T53] not al for no{ch}t;      2312
  [Sidenote: She says she has a friend who has made a challenge,]
    I have o frend haith o dereyne ydoo,
    And I can fynd none able kny{ch}t tharto;              [Fol. 29a.]
    For he the wich that in the {con}trar Is
    Is hardy, [s]trong, and of gret kyne, I-wyß;                  2316
    Bot, It is [s]aid, If I my{ch}t have w{i}t{h} me
    [Gh]our kny{ch}t, quich in the last a[s][s]emble
  [Sidenote: which the red knight could best maintain.]
    Was in the feld, and the red armys bur,
    In his manhed y my{ch}t my cauß a[s][s]ur;                    2320
    And yhow, [s]{ir}, richt hartly I exort
    In to this ned my my[s]t{er} to [s]upport."
    "Madem, by faith one to the quen I aw

      [Footnote T53: MS. "conne."]

[Headnote: ARTHUR CAN TELL HER NOTHING.]

  [Sidenote: Arthur replies that Gawane is gone to seek him.]
    That I be[s]t loue, the kny{ch}t I neu{er} [s]aw              2324
    In nerneß by which that I hyme knew;
    And ek gawane Is gan hyme for to [s]ew
    W{i}t{h} other fourty kny{ch}t{is} In to cumpany."
    The lady [s]mylit at ther fante[s][s]y;                       2328
    The quen thar-w{i}t{h} p{re}[s]umyt wel that [s]che
  [Sidenote: The queen asks the lady if she knows where he is.]
    Knew quhat he was, and [s]aid, "madem, If [gh]he
    Knowith of hyme what that he is, or quhar,
    We [gh]how be[s]ech til ws for to declar."                    2332
  [Sidenote: She replies no, and proposes to return.]
    "Madem," q{uod} [s]che, "now be the faith that I
    Aw to the king and yhow, as for no why
    To court I cam, but of hyme to Inquere;
    And [s]en of hyme I can no tithing{is} here,                  2336
    Nedlyng{is} to-morn homwart mon I fair."
  [Sidenote: Arthur prays her to stay.]
    "Na," q{uod} the king, "madem, our [s]on It waire;
    [Gh]he [s]al remayne her for the qwenys [s]ak;
    Syne [s]hal [gh]he of our be[s]t kny{ch}t{is} tak."           2340
    "S{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, "I pray [gh]ow me excuß,
    For-quhy to paß nedis me behuß;
    Nor, [s]en I want the kny{ch}t which I have [s]o{ch}t,
    Wtheris w{i}t{h} me to have de[s]ir I no{ch}t,                2344
    For I of otheris have that may [s]uffice."
    Bot [gh]hit the king hir prayt on [s]ich wyß,
  [Sidenote: She remains till the third day.]
    That [s]che remanit whill the thrid day;
    Syne tuk hir leif to pa[s]ing hom hir way.                    2348
  [Sidenote: She is sumptuously entertained,]
    It nedis not the fe[s]ting to declar
    Maid one to hir, nor company nor fare;
    Sche had no kny{ch}t, [s]che had no damy[s]eill,
    Nor thei richly rewardit war and well.                        2352
  [Sidenote: and returns home.]
    Now goith the lady homwart, and [s]che
    In her entent de[s]yrus Is to [s]ee
    The flour of kny{ch}thed and of chevelry;
    So was he pry[s]it and hold to euery wy.                      2356

[Headnote: THE LADY AGAIN SENDS FOR LANCELOT.]

    ++The lady, which one to hir palace come,              [Fol. 29b.]
  [Sidenote: Soon after, she sends for Lancelot,]
    Bot of [s]chort time remanith haith at home
    When [s]che gart bryng, w{i}t{h}outen Recidens,
    W{i}t{h} grete effere this kny{ch}t to hir p{rese}ns,         2360
    And [s]aid hyme; "[s]{ir}, [s]o mekil have I [s]o{ch}t
    And knowith that be-for I knew no{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: and proposes to ransom him,]
    That If yhow lyk I wil yhour Ransone mak."
    "Madem, gladly, wil [gh]he wich[s]auf to tak                  2364
    Eft{er} that as my powar may atteñ,
    Or that I may p{ro}wid be ony meñ."
    "Now, [s]{ir}," [s]ho [s]aid, "for[s]ut{h} It [s]al be so,
  [Sidenote: on one of three conditions.]
    Yhe [s]al have thre, and cheß yhow on of tho;                 2368
    And if yhow lykith them for to refuß,
    I can no mor, but [gh]he [s]al me excuß,
    Yhe ned{is} mot [s]u[s]ten yhour aduentur
    Contynualy In ward for til endur."                            2372
    "Madem," q{uod} he, "and I yhow hartly pray,
    What that thei [s]ay[T54] [gh]he wald w{i}c{h}[s]auf to [s]ay?"

      [Footnote T54: So MS. We should probably read "bee."]

  [Sidenote: Either he must tell whom he loves,]
      "[T]he fir[s]t," q{uod} [s]che, "who hath in to the cheñ
    Of low yhour hart, and if [gh]he may dereñ?                   2376
  [Sidenote: or declare his name,]
    The next, yhour nam, the which [gh]e [s]al not lye?
  [Sidenote: or say if he expects again to equal his former exploits.]
    The thrid, if eu{er} [gh]he think of cheualry
    So mekil wor[s]chip to atten in feild
    Apone o day in armys wnd{er} [s]cheld,                        2380
    As yat [gh]he dyd the [s]amyne day, when [gh]he
    In red armys was at the a[s][s]emblee?"
    "Madem," q{uod} he, "is thar non vther way
    Me to redem, but only thus to [s]ay                           2384
    Of thing{is}, which that Rynyth me to blam,
    Me to awant my lady or hir name?
    But If that I mo[s]t [s]chawin furth that one,
    What su{er}te [s]chal I have for to gone                      2388
    At libertee out of this dang{er} free?"
    "Schir, [s]or to dred no my[s]t{er} is," q{uod} [s]hee;
    "As I am trew and fa{i}t{h}full woman hold,
    [Gh]he [s]al go fre quhen one of thir is told."               2392
    "Madem, yhour will non vther ways I may,
  [Sidenote: He refuses to tell his lady's name,]
    I mone obey; and to the fir[s]t y [s]ay,
    [T55] [I]s, to declar the lady of myne hart,
    My go[s]t [s]al rather of my bre[s]t a[s]tart"--              2396
    Whar-by the lady fayndit al for no{ch}t
    The lowe quhich long hath ben In to h{is} tho{ch}t--
  [Sidenote: or his own;]
    "And of my nam, [s]chortly for to [s]ay,
    It [s]tondith [s]o that one no wyß I may.                     2400
    Bot of the thrid, madem, I se that I                   [Fol. 30a.]
    Mon [s]ay the thing that tuechith velany;
  [Sidenote: but declares that he trusts to do more than ever before;
  and requires his liberty.]
    For [s]ut{h} it is I tra[s]t, and god before,
    In feld that I [s]al do of armys more                         2404
    Than eu{er} I did, if I {com}mandit bee.

      [Footnote T55: A space is here left for an illuminated letter.]

[Headnote: LANCELOT CLAIMS HIS LIBERTY;]

    And now, madem, I have my libertee,
    For I have [s]aid I neu{er} tho{ch}t to [s]ay."
    "Now, [s]{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, "when-eu{er} [gh]he wil ye may;2408
  [Sidenote: She begs of him a boon;]
    Bot o thing Is, I yhow hartly raquer,
    Sen I have hold yhow apone [s]uch maner
    Not as my fo, that [gh]he vald grant me till."
    "Madem," q{uod} he, "It [s]al be as [gh]he will."             2412
    "Now, [s]{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, "it is no thing bot [gh]he
  [Sidenote: that he will remain with her till the day of battle;]
    Remañ w{i}t{h} ws wn to the a[s][s]emble,
    And euery thyng that In yhour my[s]t{er} lyis
    I [s]all gar ordan at yhour awn dewyß;                        2416
    And of the day I [s]hall yow c{er}tefy
    Of the a[s][s]emble [gh]he [s]al not pas therby."
    "Madem," q{uod} he, "It [s]al be as yhow li[s]t."
    "Now, [s]{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, "and than I hald It be[s]t,    2420
    That [gh]he remañ lyk to the [s]amyne dogre
    As that [gh]he war, yat non [s]al wit that [gh]he
    Deliu{er}it war; and in to [s]acret wyß
    Thus may [gh]he be; and now yhe [s]al dewyß                   2424
  [Sidenote: and inquires what arms he would like to have made
  for him. He chooses black armour,]
    What armys that yhow lykyth I gar mak."

[Headnote: AND ASKS FOR BLACK ARMOUR.]

    "Madem," q{uod} he, "armys al of blak."
    W{i}t{h} this, this kny{ch}t is to his chalm{er} goñ;
    The lady gan ful prewaly di[s][s]pone                         2428
    For al that longith to the kny{ch}t, in feild;
    Al blak his horß, his armour, and his [s]cheld,
  [Sidenote: which is provided.]
    That nedful is, al thing [s]che well p{re}widith;
    And in hir keping thus w{i}t{h} hir he bidith.                2432
    Suppos of love [s]che takyne hath the charg,
  [Sidenote: She keeps her love close,]
    Sche bur It clos, ther-of [s]che vas not larg,
    Bot wy[s]ly [s]che ab[s]tenit hir di[s][s]ir,
    For ell{is} quhat, [s]che knew, he was afyre;                 2436
    Thar-for hir wit hir wor[s]chip haith defendit,
  [Sidenote: being commended for discretion.]
    For in this world thar was nan mor co{m}mendit,
    Boith of di[s]creccioune and of womanhed,
    Of gou{er}nans, of nurtur, and of farhed.                     2440
    This kny{ch}t w{i}t{h} hir thus al this whil mon duell,
  [Sidenote: The story returns to Arthur--]
    And furt{h} of arthur [s]umthing wil we tell--

      [T]hat walkyng vas furt{h} in to his Regiou{n}is,
    And [s]oiornyt in his ceteis and his townis,                  2444
    As he that had of vi[s]dome [s]ufficyans.              [Fol. 30b.]
  [Sidenote: who obeys the counsel of Amytans,]
    He kepit the lore of mai[s]t{er} amytans
    In ryghtwy[s]nes, In fe[s]ting and larges,
    In cheri[s]ing cu{m}pany and hamlynes;                        2448
    For he was bi[s][s]y and was deligent,
  [Sidenote: and gives away largely;]
    And largly he iffith, and di[s]pent
    Rewardis, boith one to the pur & riche,
    And holdith fe[s]t throw al the [gh]her eliche.               2452

[Headnote: ARTHUR'S LIBERALITY.]

    In al the warld pa[s][s]ing gan his name,
    He chargit not bot of encreß and fa[-m]e,
    And how his puples hart{is} to empleß;
    Thar gladnes ay was to his hart mo[s]t eß.                    2456
    He rakith not of riches nor tre[s][s]our,
    Bot to di[s]pend one wor[s]chip & honour;
    He ifith riches, he ifith lond and rent,
    He cherißyth them w{i}t{h} word{is} eloquent,                 2460
  [Sidenote: and thus gains his people's love.]
    So that thei can them vtraly p{ro}pone
    In his [s]{er}uice thar lyves to di[s]pone:
    So gladith the[-m]e his homely {con}tynans,
    His cheri[s]yng, his wordis of ple[s]ans,                     2464
    His cumpany, and ek his mery chere,
    His gret rewardis, and his ift{is} [s]ere.
    Thus hath the king non vthir be[s]ynes
    Bot cheri[s]ing of kny{ch}t{is} and largeß,                   2468
    To mak hyme-[s]elf of honour be {com}mend;
    And thus the [gh]her he drywith to the ende.

EXPLICIT SECUNDA P{AR}S, INCIPIT T{ER}CIA P{AR}S.


[Headnote: THE TRUCE DRAWS TO A CLOSE.]

[BOOK III.]

  [Sidenote: The sun ascends in his altitude.]
    ++The long dirk pa[s]ag[T56] of the vint{er}, & the ly{ch}t
    Of phebus {com}prochit w{i}t{h} his my{ch}t;                  2472
    The which, a[s]cending In his altitud,
    Awodith saturñ w{i}t{h} his [s]tormys Rude;
  [Sidenote: The soft dew falls down from heaven.]
    The [s]oft dew one fra the hewyne doune valis[T57]
    Apone the erth, one hill{is} and on valis,                    2476
    And throw the [s]obir & the mw[s]t hwmour{is}
    Vp nuri[s]it ar the erbis, and in the flouris
  [Sidenote: Nature decks the earth with various hues.]
    Natur the erth of many diu{er}ß hew
    Our-fret, and cled w{i}t{h} the tendir new.                   2480
    The birdis may them hiding in the grawis               [Fol. 31a.]
  [Sidenote: The birds may hide them from the hawk in the groves,
  and Scilla may ascend in the air.]
    Wel frome the halk, that oft ther lyf berevis;
    And scilla hie a[s]cending in the ayre,
    That euery vight may heryng hir declar                        2484
    Of the [s]e[s][s]one the pa[s][s]ing lu[s]tynes.
    This was the tyme that phebus gan hy{m} dreß
    In to the rame, and haith his courß bygown,
    Or that the trewis and the [gh]her vas Rown,                  2488
  [Sidenote: The time of combat between Galiot and the king drew
  near.]
    Which was y-[s]et of galiot and the king
    Of thar a[s][s]emble, and of thar meting.
    Arthur haith a xv dais before
    A[s][s]emblit al his barnag and more                          2492
    That weryng wnd{er} his [s]ubieccioune,
    Or louith hyme, or longith to his crown;
    And haith his Iornay tone, w{i}t{h}outen let,
  [Sidenote: Arthur goes to the appointed place.]
    On to the place the wich that was y-[s]et,                    2496
    Whar he hath found befor hyme mony o kny{ch}t
    That cu{m}myng war w{i}t{h} al thar holl my{ch}t,
    Al enarmyt both w{i}t{h} [s]pere & [s]cheld,
    And ful of lug{is} plantith haith the feld,                   2500
    Hyme In the wer for to [s]upport and [s]erf
    At al ther my{ch}t, his thonk for to di[s][s]erf.

      [Footnote T56: So MS. Should we read "pasith"?]
      [Footnote T57: So MS. It should be "falis."]

[Headnote: GAWANE REJOINS ARTHUR.]

    And gawan, which was in the [s]eking [gh]hit
    Of the gud kny{ch}t, of hyme haith got no wit,                2504
  [Sidenote: Gawane remembers the day,]
    Remembrith hyme apone the king{is} day,
    And to his falowis one this wys can [s]ay:
    "To [gh]how is knowin the mat{er}, in what wyß
    How that the king hath w{i}t{h} his e{n}nemys                 2508
    A c{er}tan day, that now comprochit nere,
    And one to ws war hewynes to here
    That he var in to p{er}ell or in to dreid,
    And we away and he of ws haith neid;                          2512
    For we but hyme no thing may e[s]chef,
    And he but ws in honore well may lef;
    For, be he lo[s]t, we may no thing w{i}t{h}[s]tond,
    Our-[s]elf, our honore we tyne, & ek o{ur} lond.              2516
  [Sidenote: and proposes to his fellows to go to help the king.]
    Tharfor, I red we pas on to the king,
    Suppos our oth It hurt in to [s]um thing,
    And in the feld w{i}t{h} hyme for til endur,
    Of lyf or deth and tak our aduentur."                         2520
    Thar-to thei ar con[s]entit eu{er}ilkon,
    And but dulay the have thar Iorney toñe.
    When that the king them [s]aw, in h{is} entent         [Fol. 31b.]
  [Sidenote: Arthur is well content at their coming,]
    Was of thar com Right wond{er} well {con}tent;                2524
    For he p{re}[s]wmyt no thing that thei wold
  [Sidenote: not expecting them.]
    Have cu{m}myne, but one furt{h} to y{er} [s]eking hold.
    And thus the kinghis o[s]t a[s][s]emblit has
    A[gh]ane the tyme, a[gh]aine the day that vas                 2528
    Y-[s]tatut and ordanit for to bee,
    And euery thing hath [s]et in the dogre.

[Headnote: THE TRUCE ENDS.]

      [A]nd galiot, that haith no thing for[gh]het
    The termys quhich that he befor had set,                      2532
  [Sidenote: Galiot also assembles his folk,]
    A[s][s]emblit has, apone his best maner,
    His folk, and al his other thing{is} [s]ere,
    That to o weryour longith to p{ro}uid,
    And is y-come apone the tothir [s]yde.                        2536
  [Sidenote: doubling his army and artillery;]
    Whar he befor was one than vas he two,
    And al his vthir artil[gh]ery also
    He dowblith hath, that m{er}well was to [s]eñ;
  [Sidenote: and pitches on the green by the river.]
    And by the rewere ly{ch}tit one the greñ,                     2540
    And [s]tronghar thane ony wallit toune
    His o[s]t y-bout yclo[s]it in Randoune.
    Thus war thei cu{m}myne apone ather [s]yd
  [Sidenote: Before the truce is ended,]
    Be-for the tyme, them-[s]elf for to p{ro}wid.                 2544
    Or that the trewis was complet & rwn,
    Men my{ch}t have [s]en one euery [s]id begwn
  [Sidenote: many combats are seen between lusty men;]
    Many a fair and knychtly Iup{er}ty
    Of lu[s]ty me{n}, and of [gh]ong chevalry,                    2548
    Di[s]yrus In to armys for to pruf;
    Sum for wynyng, [s]u{m} cau[s]ith vas for luf,
    Sum In to wor[s]chip to be exaltate,
    Sum cau[s]it was of wordis he & hate,                         2552
    That lykit not ydill for to ben;
  [Sidenote: a hundred pair at once.]
    A hund{er}eth pair at onis one the gren.
    Thir lu[s]ty folk thus can thar tyme di[s]pend,
    Whill that the trewis goith to the ende.                      2556
  [Sidenote: The truce past,]
    The trewis pa[s]t, the day is cu{m}myne onoñe,
    One euery [s]yd the can them to di[s]pone;
    And thai that war mo[s]t [s]acret & mo[s]t dere
  [Sidenote: Galiot's friends inquire who shall fight on his side
  on the morrow.]
    To galiot, at hyme the can enquere,                           2560
    "Who [s]al a[s][s]emble one yhour [s]yd to-morñe?
    To-ny{ch}t the trewis to the end is worne."
    He an[s]uerit, "As yhit one to this were
    I ame awy[s]it I wil none armys bere,                         2564
    Bot If It [s]tond of more Nece[s][s]itee;              [Fol. 32a.]
    Nor to the feld will pas, bot for to [s]ee
    Yhone kny{ch}t, the which that berith [s]ich o fame."
  [Sidenote: He commands the first-conquest king to take 30,000 men.]
    Than clepit he the {con}quest king be name,                   2568
    And hyme {com}mandit xxx thou[s]and tak
    A[gh]aine the morne, and for the feld hyme mak.
    And gawane haith, apone the toy{er} syde,
    Con[s]ulit his Eme he [s]chuld for them p{ro}wid,             2572
    And that he [s]chuld none armys to hyme tak
    Whill[T58] galiot will for the feld hyme mak.
    "I grant," q{uo}d [he [T59]], "wharfor [gh]he mone di[s]pone
  [Sidenote: Gawane leads Arthur's forces.]
    Yhow to the feld w{i}t{h} al my folk to-morne,                2576
    And thinkith in yhour manhed and curage
    For to reci[s]t [gh]hone folk{is} gret owtrag."

      [Footnote T58: MS. "Wihill."]
      [Footnote T59: Omitted in MS.]

  [Sidenote: The day comes.]
      [T]he ny{ch}t is gone, vp goith the morow gray,
    The bry{ch}t [s]one [s]o cherith al the day:                  2580
    The kny{ch}t{is} gone to armys than, in ha[s]t;
    One goith the [s]cheild{is} and the helmys la[s]t;
  [Sidenote: Arthur's men cross the ford.]
    Arthuris o[s]t out our the furrde thai ryd.
    And thai agane, apone the toy{er} syd,                        2584
  [Sidenote: Galiot's men assemble in a vale.]
    A[s][s]emblit ar apone o lu[s]ty greyne,
    In to o waill, whar [s]one thar my{ch}t be [s]eyne
    Of kny{ch}t{is} to-gedder many o pair
    In to the feld a[s][s]emblyng her & thair,                    2588
    And [s]ted{is} which that haith thar ma[s]t{er} lorne;[T60]
    The kny{ch}t{is} war done to the erth doune borne.

      [Footnote T60: MS. has "borne." We should read "lorne," as in
      line 2092.]

[Headnote: DEEDS OF SIR ESQUYRIS.]

  [Sidenote: Sir Esquyris, a manly knight,]
    S{ir} e[s]quyris, which was o manly kny{ch}t
    In to hyme-[s]elf, and hardy vas & wy{ch}t;                   2592
    And in till armys gretly for to pryß,
    [Gh]hit he was pure, he prewit wel oft-[s]yß;
  [Sidenote: at that time of Galiot's company,]
    And that tyme was he of the cu{m}panee
    Of galiot, bot eft{er}wart was hee                            2596
    W{i}t{h} arthur; and that day In to the feild
    He come, al armyt boith w{i}t{h} [s]pere and [s]cheld,
    W{i}t{h} ferß de[s]ir, as he that had na dout,
  [Sidenote: attacks a band,]
    And is a[s][s]emblit ewyne apone a rowt;                      2600
    His [s]pere is gone, the kny{ch}t goith to the erd,
    And out onon he pullith haith o [s]werd;
  [Sidenote: and proves his manhood.]
    That day In armys p{re}wit he ry{ch}t well
    His [s]trenth, his manhed; arthuris folk thai fell.           2604

[Headnote: DEEDS OF SIR GWYANS.]

  [Sidenote: Then Galys Gwynans, brother of Ywan,]
    Than galys gwynans, w{i}t{h} o manly hart,
    Which broy{er} was of ywane the ba[s]tart,
    He cu{m}myne Is onone one to the [s]tour
    For {con}quering In armys of honour,             2608  [Fol. 32b.]
  [Sidenote: encounters him, and horse and man go all four to earth.]
    And cownt{er}it w{i}t{h} e[s]quyris hath so
    That[T61] horß and man, al four, to erth thai go;
    And [s]till o quhill lying at the ground.
    W{i}t{h} that o p{ar}t of arthur{is} folk thei found          2612
  [Sidenote: Arthur's folk rescue Gwyans;]
    Till gwyans, and haith hyme [s]one re[s]kewit.
    A[gh]anis them til e[s]quyris thei [s]ewyt
  [Sidenote: thirty knights of Galiot's arrive, and rescue Esquyris.]
    Of galiot{is} well xxx^ti kny{ch}t{is} & mo;
    Gwyans goith done, and vthir vij al[s]o,                      2616
    The wich war tone & e[s]qwyris relewit.
  [Sidenote: Next Ywan comes to the _mêlée_.]
    Than ywane the anterus, aggrewit,
    W{i}t{h} kyn{n}i[s]me{n} one to the melle [s]o{ch}t.
    The hardy kny{ch}t{is}, that one thar wor[s]chip tho{ch}t,    2620
    Cownt{er}it them In myddis of the [s]cheld,
    Whar many o kny{ch}t was born doñ i{n} the feld;
  [Sidenote: Galiot's men give way.]
    Bot thei wich ware on galiot{is} p{ar}t,
    So wnd{er}takand nor of [s]o hardy hart                       2624
    Ne ware thei not as was i{n} ye {con}trare.
  [Sidenote: Gwyans is again rescued.]
    S{ir} galys gwyans was re[s]qwyt thare
    W{i}t{h} his falowis, and e[s]qwyris don bore.
    Thar al the batell{is} cam, w{i}t{h}outen more,               2628
    On ather p{ar}t, and is a[s][s]emblit [s]o
  [Sidenote: 50,000 men are assembled.]
    Whar fyfty thou[s]and war thei, & no mo.
  [Sidenote: 30,000 on Galiot's side approach the river,]
    In o plane be[s]yd the gret Riwere
    Xxx thou[s]and one galiot{is} half thei vare;                 2632
  [Sidenote: and 10,000 on Arthur's.]
    Of arthuris x thou[s]and and no mo
    Thei ware, and [gh]hit thai {con}tenit them [s]o
    And in the feld [s]o manly haith borñ,
    That of thar fois haith the feld for[s]worñ.                  2636

      [Footnote T61: MS. has "than."]

[Headnote: SIR GAWANE'S INTREPIDITY.]

    The {con}que[s]t king, wich the p{er}ell knowith,
  [Sidenote: Gawane puts the conquest-king to flight.]
    Ful manly one to the feld he drowith;
    The lord [s]{ir} gawan, cou{er}it w{i}t{h} h{is} [s]cheld,
    He ru[s]chit in myddis of the feld,                           2640
    And haith them [s]o in to his com a[s][s]ayt,
    That of his manhed ware thei al affrait;
    No lang{er} my{ch}t thei {con}trar hyme endur,
    Bot fled, and goith one to di[s]cu{m}fiture.                  2644
  [Sidenote: Galiot, full of anger and grief, sends out a new band.]
    And galiot, wich haith the di[s]c{um}fit [s]en,
    Fulfillit ful of ang{er} and of ten,
    In{con}tine{n}t he [s]end o new poware,
    Whar-w{i}t{h} the feld{is} al our-cou{er}it ware              2648
    Of armyt [s]ted{is} bot{h} in plait and maill,         [Fol. 33a.]
    W{i}t{h} kny{ch}t{is} wich war reddy to a[s][s]aill.
  [Sidenote: Gawane draws his men together, and shews them
  comfortable words.]
    S{ir} gawan, [s]eing al the gret [s]uppris
    Of fois cu{m}myng In to [s]ich o wys,                         2652
    Togiddir al his cumpany he drew,
    And confortable word{is} to them [s]chew;
    So at the cu{m}myng of thar ennemys
  [Sidenote: They receive the foe in manly wise.]
    Thei them re[s]auf, in [s]o manly wyß,                        2656
    That many one felith deithis wound,
    And wnd{er} horß lyith [s]obing one the ground.
    This vther cu{m}myth in to gret de[s]ir,
    Fulfillit ful of matelent and Ire,                            2660
    So fre[s]chly, w{i}t{h} [s]o gret o confluens,
    Thar [s]trong a[s][s]ay hath don [s]ich vyolens,
    And at thar come arthuris folk [s]o led,
    That thai war ay abay[s]it and adred.                         2664
    Bot gawan, wich that, by this vorld{is} fame,
    Of ma{n}hed and of kny{ch}thed bur the name,
    Haith p{re}wit [hym] well be exp{er}iens;
    For only In til armys his defens                              2668
  [Sidenote: Gawane encourages his fellows,]
    Haith maid his falowis tak [s]ich hardyme{n}t,
    That manfully thei biding one the bent.
    Of his manhed war m{er}well to raherß;
    The kny{ch}tis throw the [s]cheld{is} can he perß,            2672
    That many one thar dethis haith re[s]auit;
    None armour frome his my{ch}ty hond them [s]auit,
  [Sidenote: though their foes are three to one;]
    [Gh]hit ay for one ther ennemys wor thre.
    Long my{ch}t thei no{ch}t endur in [s]uch dugree;             2676
    The preß it wos [s]o creuell & [s]o [s]trong,
    In gret anoy and haith {con}tinewit longe,
  [Sidenote: yet his men are forced to retreat to their tents.]
    That, magre them, thei ned{is} mo[s]t abak
    The way one to thar lug{is} for to tak.                       2680
    S{ir} gawan thar [s]ufferith gret my[s]chef,
    And wond{er}is in his kny{ch}thed can he pref;
    His falou[s]chip haith m{er}well that hym [s]aw,
    So haith his fois that of his [s]uerd [s]tud aw.              2684
  [Sidenote: Arthur beholds the peril of the field, and sends Sir
  Ywan to help them,]
    King arthur, that al this whill beheld
    The dang{er} and the p{er}ell of the feld,
    S{ir} ywan w{i}t{h} o falow[s]chip he [s]ende,
    Them In that ned to help & to defend,                         2688
    Qwich fond them In to danger and in were,              [Fol. 33b.]
    And ent{er}it nere In to thar tentis were.
  [Sidenote: who finds Sir Gawane fighting on foot with only his
  sword.]
    S{ir} gawan fechtand was one fut At erde,
    And no defend, but only in his [s]werde,                      2692
    A[gh]anis them bot{h} w{i}t{h} [s]pere and [s]cheld.
    Of galowa the kny{ch}t goith to the erde.[T62]

      [Footnote T62: Read "felde"?]

[Headnote: SIR YWAN RESCUES GAWANE.]

  [Sidenote: The battle was furious and wood.]
    Thar was the batell furyous and woud[T63]
    Of armyt kny{ch}t{is}; to the grownde thai [gh]hud.           2696
    S{ir} ywane, that was a noble knyght,
    He [s]chew his [s]trenth, he [s]chew thar h{is} g{r}et my{ch}t,
    In al his tyme that neu{er} of before
    Off armys, nore of kny{ch}thed, did he more:                  2700
  [Sidenote: Sir Ywan rescues Sir Gawane,]
    S{ir} gawan thar re[s]kewit he of fors,
    Magre his fois, and haith hyme [s]et one horß
    That frome the fir[s]t {con}que[s]t king he wañ;
  [Sidenote: who was so evilly wounded, that he was the worse thereof
  evermore.]
    Bot [s]{ir} gawan [s]o ewill was wondit than,                 2704
    And in the feld [s]upp{ri}[s]it was [s]o [s]ore,
    That he the werß thar-of was eu{er}more.
    Thar [s]chew the lord [s]{ir} ywan h{is} curage,
    His manhed, & h{is} noble wa[s][s]olage;                      2708
    And gawan, in his doing, wald no{ch}t irk;

      [Footnote T63: MS. "woid," but the "_i_" is undotted, and is
      therefore perhaps meant for the first stroke of a "_u_."]

[Headnote: END OF THE FIRST DAY'S BATTLE.]

  [Sidenote: Darkness parts the combatants.]
    So al the day enduring to the dyrk
    Sal them, magre of thar de[s]yre, {con}[s]t{r}en
    On ayar half fore [to] dep{ar}t in twen.                      2712
    And when that gawan of his horß vas toñ,
    The blud out of his noiß & mouth is goñ,
    And largly [s]o pa[s][s]ith euery wounde,
  [Sidenote: Sir Gawane swoons,]
    In [s]wonyng thore he fell one to the ground:                 2716
    Than of the puple petee was to here
    The lemytable clamour, and the chere;
  [Sidenote: so that the king despairs of his "niece's" life, and
  laments over him.]
    And of the king the [s]orow and the care,
    That of his nec{is} lyf was in di[s][s]pare.                  2720
    "Far well," he [s]ais, "my gladnes, & my delyt,
    Apone kny{ch}thed far well myne appetit,
    Fare well of manhed al the g{r}et curage,
    Yow flour of armys and of va[s][s]olage,                      2724
    Gif yow be lo[s]t!"--thus til his tent hyme bro{ch}t
  [Sidenote: The surgeons are sought,]
    W{i}t{h} wofull hart, and al the [s]urry[gh]enis [s]ocht,
    Wich for to cum was reddy at his neid;
    Thai fond the lord was of his lyf i{n} dreid,                 2728
    For wondit was he, and ek wondit [s]o,
  [Sidenote: who found he had two broken ribs, but no mortal wound.]
    And in his [s]yd ware brokyne Ribys two.
    Bot no{ch}t for-thi the king thai maid beleif
    That at that tyme he [s]huld the deith e[s]chef.     2732[Fol. 34a.]

      [O]ff melyhalt the ladyis kny{ch}t{is} were
    In to the feld, and can thir tithing{is} here,
  [Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt's knights tell her how the battle
  went,]
    And home to thar lady ar thai went,
    Til hir to [s]chewing eft{er} thar entent,                    2736
    In euery poynt, how that the batell [s]tud
    Of galiot, and of his multitud;
  [Sidenote: and how Gawane bare him in the field, and of his wounds.]
    And how gawan hyme in the feld hath borñ,
    Throw quhoys [s]werd [s]o many o kny{ch}t vas lorñ,           2740
    And of the kny{ch}tly wond{er}is that he wro{ch}t,
    Syne how that he one to his tent vas bro{ch}t.
    The lady hard, that lowit gawan so,
  [Sidenote: She weeps for him.]
    She gan to wep, in to[T64] hir hart vas wo.                   2744

      [Footnote T64: MS. "in in"; but "in to" is clearly meant.]

[Headnote: LANCELOT'S LAMENT FOR GAWANE.]

  [Sidenote: Lancelot requests to see the lady;]
    Thir tythyng{is} one to lancelot ar goñ,
    Whar-of that he was wond{er} wo-bygone,
    And for the lady ha[s]tely he sent,
    And [s]che til hyme, at his co{m}mand, Is went:               2748
  [Sidenote: and inquires if Gawane is really likely to die.]
    He [s]alu[s]t hir, and [s]aid, "madem, Is trew
    Thir tithing{is} I her report of new
    Of the a[s][s]emble, and meting of the o[s]t,
    And of [s]{ir} gawan, wich that [s]huld be lo[s]t?            2752
    If that be [s]wth, adew the flour of armys,
  [Sidenote: He laments over him,]
    Now neu{er}more recou{er}yt be the harmys!
    In hyme was manhed, curte[s][s]y, and trouth,
    Be[s]y trawell In kny{ch}thed, ay but [s]leuth,               2756
    Humilyte, [and] gentrice, and cwrag;
    In hyme thar was no man{er} of outrage.
  [Sidenote: first apostrophizing himself,]
    Allace! kny{ch}t, allace! what [s]hal yow [s]ay?
    Yow may complen, yow may bewail the day                       2760
    As of his deith, and glad[s]chip aucht to [s]es,
    Baith men[s]tra[s]y and fe[s]ting at the des;
    For of this lond he was the holl comfort,
    In tyme of ned al kny{ch}thed to [s]upport!                   2764
  [Sidenote: and next blaming the lady for not having allowed him
  to be present in the battle.]
    Allace! madem, and I dur[s]t [s]ay at [gh]he
    Al yhour behe[s]t not kepit haith to me,
    Whar-of that I was in to full belef
    A[gh]añe this day that I [s]chuld have my lef,                2768
    And no{ch}t as cowart thus [s]chamfully to ly
    Excludit in to cage frome chewalry,
    Whar othir kny{ch}t{is} anarmyt on thar [s]tedis
    Hawnt{is} ther [gh]houthhed in to kny{ch}tly dedis."          2772
    "S{ir}," q{uo}d [s]che, "I red yhow not di[s]pleß,
    [Gh]he may In tyme her-eft{er} cum at es;              [Fol. 34b.]
  [Sidenote: She promises he shall go to the next battle,]
    For the thrid day Is ordanit, & [s]hal be
    Of the o[s]t{is} a new a[s][s]emble,                          2776
    And I have gart ordan al the gere
    That longith to [gh]our body for to were,
  [Sidenote: saying that his sable armour is ready.]
    Boith horß and armour In the [s]amyne wyß
    Of [s]able, ewyne aftir [gh]hour awn dewyß;                   2780
    And yhe [s]al her remayne one to the day;
    Syne may [gh]he paß, fore well [gh]he knaw the way."
    "I will obey, madem, to yhour entent."
    W{i}t{h} that [s]che goith, and to hir re[s]t is went:        2784
  [Sidenote: In the morn she takes her leave, to go to the court.]
    One the morn arly vp [s]che roß
    W{i}t{h}out delay, and to the kny{ch}t [s]che gois,
    And twk hir lef, and [s]aid that [s]cho vald fare
    On to the court, w{i}t{h}-outen any mare.                     2788
  [Sidenote: He kneels, and thanks her often.]
    Than knelit he, and thankit hir oft-[s]ys,
    That [s]che [s]o mych hath done hyme of ge{n}triß,
    And hir byhecht eu{er}, at his myght,
    To be hir awn trew & [s]tedfa[s]t kny{ch}t.                   2792
  [Sidenote: She goes unto the king,]
    Sche thonkith hyme, and [s]yne [s]che goith h{er} way
    On to the king, w{i}t{h}-owten more delay,
    Whar that i{n}[T65] honour w{i}t{h} king & qwen [s]che [s]all
    Ry{ch}t thonkfully re[s]auit be w{i}t{h}-all.                 2796
    Eft to [s]{ir} gawan thai hir led, & [s]che
    Ryght gladly hyme de[s]yrit for to [s]ee,
  [Sidenote: and finds Sir Gawane quite different from what had been
  told her.]
    And [s]che hyme fond, and [s]che was glad tharfore,
    All vthir ways than was hir told before.                      2800
    The kny{ch}t, the wich in to hir keping vas,
  [Sidenote: The lady's cousin cherishes Lancelot in her best manner.]
    Sche had {com}mandit to hir cu[s][s]ynece,
    Wich cheri[s]t hyme apone hir be[s]t manere,
    And comfort hyme, and maid hy{m} ry{ch}t gud chere.           2804

      [Footnote T65: MS. "w{i}t{h};" which is crossed out, and "i{n}"
      inserted above, rather minutely written.]

[Headnote: LANCELOT PREPARES FOR BATTLE.]

      [T]he days goith, [s]o pa[s][s]ith als the ny{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: The third day, the maiden goes to his chamber, and
  fastens on his armour.]
    The thrid morow, as that the [s]one vas ly{ch}t,
    The kny{ch}t onon out of his bed aroß,
    The maden [s]one one to his chalm{er} goß,                    2808
    And [s]acretly his armour one hyme [s]pent.
    He tuk his lef, and [s]yne his way he went
  [Sidenote: He goes to the same green, beside the river, as before.]
    Ful prewaly, ry{ch}t to the [s]amyne greñ
    One the rewere, whar he befor had ben,                        2812
    Ewyne as the day [he] the first courß hath maad.
    Alone ry{ch}t thar he howit, and abaade,
    Behalding to the bertes, whar the qweñ                 [Fol. 35a.]
  [Sidenote: He abides there alone, looking towards the parapet
  where he saw the queen.]
    Befor at the a[s][s]emble he had señ                          2816
    Ry{ch}t [s]o the [s]one [s]chewith furt{h} his ly{ch}t,
    And to his armour went is euery wy{ch}t;
  [Sidenote: The jousting begins.]
    One athir half the Iusting is bygon,
    And many o fair and knych[t]ly courß is rown.                 2820
  [Sidenote: The black knight still halts on his steed.]
    The blak kny{ch}t [gh]hit howyns on his [s]ted,
    Of al thar doing takith he no hed,
    Bot ay, apone the be[s]ynes of tho{ch}t,
    In beholding his ey dep{ar}tit no{ch}t.                       2824

[Headnote: THE QUEEN BEHOLDS THE BLACK KNIGHT.]

  [Sidenote: The lady beholds him and knows him; but yet inquires
  who he is,]
    To quhom the lady of melyhalt beheld,
    And knew hyme by h{is} armour & h{is} [s]cheld,
    Qwhat that he was; and thus [s]che [s]aid one hy{ch}t:
    "Who is he [gh]one? who may he be, [gh]hone kny{ch}t,         2828
    So [s]till that hovith and [s]terith not his Ren,
    And [s]eith the kny{ch}t{is} rynyng one the greñ?"
  [Sidenote: thus calling the attention of Gawane,]
    Than al beholdith, and in princypale
    S{ir} gawan beholdith mo[s]t of all;                          2832
    Of melyha[l]t the lady to hyme maid
    In{con}tine{n}t, his couche and gart be had
    Be-fore o wyndew thore, as he my{ch}t se
    The kny{ch}t, the o[s]t, and al the a[s][s]emble.             2836
    He lukith furt{h}, and [s]one the kny{ch}t hath [s]en,
  [Sidenote: who saith to the queen:]
    And, but delay, he [s]aith one to the qwen,
  [Sidenote: "Madam, remember that the red knight halted where yon
  knight halts."]
    "Madem, if [gh]he remembir, [s]o it was
    The red kny{ch}t in to the [s]amyne place                     2840
    That wencu[s]t al [at] the first a[s][s]emble;
    Whar that [gh]one kny{ch}t howis, howit hee."
  [Sidenote: "Why do you inquire?" she replies.]
    "[Gh]ha," q{uod} the qwen, "ry{ch}t well remembir I;
    Qwhat is the cauß at [gh]he inquere, & quhy?"                 2844
    "Madem, of [al] this larg warld is he
  [Sidenote: "He is the knight, madam, whom I most desire to see."]
    The kny{ch}t the wich I most de[s]ir to [s]ee
    His [s]trenth, his ma{n}hed, his curag, and h{is} my{ch}t,
    Or do in armys that longith to o kny{ch}t."                   2848

[Headnote: THE ORDER OF BATTLE.]

      [B]y thus, arthur, w{i}t{h} con[s]ell well awy[s]it,
  [Sidenote: Arthur arranges his lines of battle.]
    Haith ordanit his batell{is}, and devy[s]it:
  [Sidenote: King Ydrus leads the first;]
    The fir[s]t of them led ydrus king, & he
    O worthy man vas ne{m}myt for to bee.                         2852
  [Sidenote: Harwy the Reweyll, an aged knight, the second.]
    The [s]ecund led harwy the Reweyll,
    That in this world was kny{ch}t that had mo[s]t feill
    For to p{ro}wid that longith to the were,
    One agit kny{ch}t, and well couth armys bere.                 2856

      [T]he thrid feld [he] deliu{er}it in the hond        [Fol. 35b.]
  [Sidenote: King Angus, a cousin of Arthur, leads the third.]
    Of ang{us}, king of ylys of [s]cotlande,
    Wich cu[s]ing was one to king arthur nere,
    One hardy kny{ch}t he was, w{i}t{h}outen were.                2860
  [Sidenote: King Ywons the fourth.]
    The ferd batell led ywons the king,
    O manly kny{ch}t he was In to al thing.
    And thus dewy[s]it ware his batell{is} [s]ere,
  [Sidenote: In every company are 15,000.]
    In euery feld xv thou[s]and were.                             2864

      [T]he fift[T66] batell the lord [s]{ir} ywan lede,
  [Sidenote: The lord Sir Ywan leads the rearguard.]
    Whois ma{n}hed was i{n} euery cu{n}tre dred,
    Sone he was one to wryne the kyng,
    Forwart, [s]tout, hardy, wyß, and [gh]hing;                   2868
    Xx thou[s]and in his o[s]t thai pa[s]t,
    Wich ordanit was for to a[s][s]emble la[s]t.
  [Sidenote: Galiot's armies.]
      [A]nd galiot, apone the tothir [s]yde,
    Ry{ch}t wy[s]ly gan h{is} batell{is} to dewid.                2872
  [Sidenote: Malenginys leads the first line;]
    The fir[s]t of them led malenginys the king,
    None hardyar In to this erth lewyng;
    He neu{er} more out of his cuntre Raid,
    Nor he w{i}t{h} hyme one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} hade.       2876

      [Footnote T66: MS. "fir[s]t." See l. 2870.]

  [Sidenote: the first-conquest king the second; Walydeyne the third;]
      [T]he [s]ecund the first-conque[s]t king led,
    That for no p{er}ell of armys vas adred;
    The thrid, o king clepit walydeyne,
    He led, and was o manly kny{ch}t, but weyne.                  2880

  [Sidenote: Clamedeus the fourth;]
      [T]he ferd, king clamede{us} has,
    Wich that lord of far ylys was.
  [Sidenote: and King Brandymagus the fifth.]
    The fift[T67] batell, whar xl thou[s]and were,
    King brandymag{us} had to led and [s]tere,                    2884
    O manly kny{ch}t, and prewit well oft-[s]yß,
    And in his con[s]ell wond{er} [s]charp & wyß.
  [Sidenote: Galiot bore no arms;]
    Galiot non armys bur that day,
    Nor as o kny{ch}t he wald hyme-[s]elf aray,                   2888
  [Sidenote: but was arrayed as a servant in a habergeon with
  a "prekyne" hat, and a truncheon in his hand.]
    But as o [s]{er}uand in o habariowne,
    O prekyne hat, and ek o gret trown[s]ciowñ
    In til his hond, and one o cur[s]our [s]et,
    The be[s]t that was in ony lond to get.                       2892
    Endlong the rewar men my{ch}t behold & [s]ee,
    Of kny{ch}t{is} weryne mony one a[s][s]emble;
  [Sidenote: The black knight still remains looking towards the
  parapet.]
    And the blak kny{ch}t [s]till he couth abyde,
    W{i}t{h}out remowyng, one the Riwer [s]yde,                   2896
    Bot to the bartes to behold and [s]ee
    Thar as his hart de[s]yrit mo[s]t to bee:

      [Footnote T67: MS. "fir[s]t."]

[Headnote: THE FIRST MESSAGE TO THE BLACK KNIGHT.]

  [Sidenote: The lady says to the queen--]
    And quhen the lady of melyhalt haith [s]eñ
    The kny{ch}t [s]o [s]tond, [s]che [s]aid one to the qweñ,[Fol. 36a.]
  [Sidenote: "Madam, pray commend yourself to yon knight."]
    "Madem, It is my con[s]ell at [gh]he send                     2901
    One to [gh]one kny{ch}t, [gh]our-[s]elf for to {com}mend,
    Be[s]eiching hyme that he wald wnd{er}tak
    This day to do of armys, for [gh]our [s]ak."                  2904
  [Sidenote: The queen replies]
    The quen an[s]uerit as that hir lykit no{ch}t,
    For othir thing was more In to hir tho{ch}t,
    "For well [gh]he [s]e the p{er}ell how disio[i]nt,
    The adwentur now [s]tondith one the point                     2908
    Boith of my lord his honore, and h{is} lond,
    And of his men, i{n}[T68] dang{er} how thai [s]tond:

      [Footnote T68: Stevenson reads "the"; but "the" is crossed out,
      and "i{n}" written over it.]

  [Sidenote: that the lady and the rest may send a message, but that
  she will not herself take part in it.]
    Bot [gh]he, and ek thir vthere ladice may,
    If that yhow lykith, to the kny{ch}t gar [s]ay                2912
    The me[s]ag; is none that wil yhow let,
    For I tharof [s]al no{ch}t me ent{er}met."
    On to the quen [s]cho [s]aith, "her I,
    If [s]o it pleß thir vthir ladice by,                         2916
    Am for to [s]end one to the kny{ch}t {con}tent;"
    And al the ladice can thar-to a[s][s]ent,
    Be[s]eching hir the me[s]ag to dewyß,
    As [s]che that was mo[s]t prudent & mo[s]t wyß.               2920
  [Sidenote: The lady sends a discreet maiden,]
    Sche grantit, and o madeñ haith thai tone,
    Di[s]cret, apone this me[s]ag for till gone;
  [Sidenote: and Sir Gawane a squire, with two spears,]
    And [s]{ir} gawan a [s]qwyar bad al[s]o,
    W{i}t{h} two [s]peris one to the kny{ch}t to go.              2924
    The lady than, w{i}t{h}outen more dulay,
    Haith chargit hir apone this wyß to [s]ay:
  [Sidenote: to say that all the ladies, the queen alone excepted,
  commend them to the black knight,]
    "Schaw to the kny{ch}t, the ladice eu{er}-ilkone
    Ben In the court, excep the quen allon,                       2928
    Til hyme them haith reco{m}mandit oft-[s]yß,
    Be[s]eching hyme of kny{ch}thed and gentriß,
    (Or if It hapyne eu{er}more that he [s]hall
    Cum, quhar thai may, owther an or all,                        2932
    In ony thing awail hyme or [s]upport,
    Or do hyme ony ple[s]ans or comfort,)
  [Sidenote: and pray him to essay some deed of arms.]
    He wold wich[s]aif for loue of them this day
    In armys [s]um manhed to a[s][s]ay;                           2936
    And [s]ay, [s]{ir} gawan hyme the [s]per{is} [s]ent;
    Now go, this is the fek of our entent."
  [Sidenote: The damsel and squire]
    The damy[s]ell [s]che hath hir palfray tone,
    The sqwyar w{i}t{h} the [s]peris w{i}t{h} hir goñ;            2940
    The n{er}e[s]t way thai paß one to ye kny{ch}t,        [Fol. 36b.]
  [Sidenote: repeat the message.]
    Whar [s]che repete hir me[s]ag haith ful ry{ch}t:

[Headnote: SIR LANCELOT IS NOT CONTENT.]

  [Sidenote: Sir Lancelot, finding the queen not in the message,]
    And quhen he hard, and planly wnd{er}[s]tude,
    How that the quen not in the me[s]ag [gh]ude,                 2944
  [Sidenote: was not content,]
    He [s]pak no word, bot he was not {con}tent;
    Bot, of [s]{ir} gawan, glaid in his entent,
    He a[s]kit quhar he was, and of h{is} fair?
    And thai to hyme the man{er} can duclair;                     2948
  [Sidenote: but asks the squire to hold the two spears ready for
  him.]
    Than the [s]qwyar he prayth that he wold
    Paß to the feld, the [s]peris for to hold.
    He [s]aw the kny{ch}t{is} [s]emblyng her and thare,
    The [s]tedis Rynyng w{i}t{h} the [s]adill{is} bare;           2952
    His [s]puris goith in to the [s]tedis syde,
    That was ful [s]wyft, and lykit not to byd;

[Headnote: HE USES UP SIR GAWANE'S TWO SPEARS.]

    And he that was hardy, ferß, and [s]tout,
  [Sidenote: He attacks a company of a hundred knights, slays the
  nearest,]
    Furth by o [s]yd a[s][s]emblyng on a rout                     2956
    Whar that one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was, & mo;
    And w{i}t{h} the fir[s]t has Recount{er}it so,
    That frome the deth not helpith hy{m} h{is} [s]cheld,
    Boith horß and man is lying in the feld;                      2960
    The [s]pere is gone, and al in pecis brak,
  [Sidenote: and with the stump of his spear bereaves two or three
  of their saddles.]
    And he the trun[s]cyoune in h{is} hand hath tak
    That two or thre he haith the [s]adill{is} reft,
    Whill in his hond [s]chortly no thing is left.                2964
    Syne, to the [s]quyar, of the feld is goñ,
  [Sidenote: He takes a new spear from the squire, and overthrows
  three knights.]
    Fro hyme o [s]pere In to his hond haith ton,
    And to the feld returnyt he a[gh]ayne:
    The fir[s]t he met, he goith one the plan,                    2968
    And ek the next, and [s]yne the thrid al[s]o;
    Nor in his hond, nore in his [s]trak was ho.
    His e{n}nemys that veryng In affray
    Befor his [s]trok, and makith rovm alway;                     2972
    And in [s]ich wyß ay in the feld he vro{ch}t,
    Whill that his [s]peris gon var al to no{cht};
    Whar-of [s]{ir} gawan berith vitne[s]ing
    Throw al this world that thar vas non levyng,                 2976
    In [s]o [s]chort tyme [s]o mych of armys wro{ch}t.

[Headnote: HE USES UP SIR GAWANE'S TWO SPEARS.]

  [Sidenote: His spears gone, he returns to his first position.]
    His [s]peris gone, out of the feld he [s]o{ch}t,
    And pa[s][s]it is one to the Rewere syde,
    Ry{ch}t thore as he was wont for to abyde;                    2980
    And [s]o beholdyne In the [s]amyne plañ,               [Fol. 37a.]
    As to the feld hyme lykit no{ch}t a[gh]añ.
  [Sidenote: Sir Gawane says to the queen:]
    Sir gawan [s]aw, and [s]aith on to the quen,
  [Sidenote: "Madam, yon knight thinks himself despised, because you
  so specially excepted yourself in the message;]
    "Madem, yhone knycht di[s]ponit [not],[T69] I weyñ,           2984
    To help ws more, fore he [s]o is awy[s]it;

      [Footnote T69: "not" seems required.]

    As I p{re}[s]ume, he thinkith hyme di[s]pi[s]it
    Of the me[s]ag that we gart to hyme mak;
    Yhowre-[s]elf yhe have [s]o [s]pecialy out-tak,               2988
    He thinkith ewill contempnit for to bee,
    Con[s]id{er}ing how that the nece[s][s]itee
    Mo[s]t prin[s]pally to yhowr [s]upporting lyis.
    Tharfor my con[s]ell is, yhow to dewyß,                       2992
    And ek [gh]howre-[s]elf i{n} yhowr t{r}e[s]pas accuß,
  [Sidenote: ask him mercy, therefore, and excuse your guilt.]
    And a[s]k hyme mercy, and yhour gilt excuß.
    For well it oucht o prince or o king
    Til honore and til cheriß in al thing                         2996
    O worthi man, that is in kny{ch}thed p{re}wit.
    For throw the body of o man e[s]chevit
    Mony o wondir, mony one aduenture,
    That m{er}well war til any creature.                          3000
    And als oft-tyme is boith hard & [s]en,
  [Sidenote: For often, by one knight's prowess, have 40,000 been
  worsted by 5,000.]
    Quhar xl thou[s]and haith di[s]cu{m}fit ben
    Vith v thou[s]and, and only be o kny{ch}t;
    For throw his [s]trenth, his vor[s]chip, & h{is} my{ch}t,     3004
    His falow[s]chip [s]ich comfort of hym tais
    That thai ne dreid the dang{er} of thar fays.
    And thus, madem, I wot, w{i}t{h}outen were,
  [Sidenote: If yon knight will continue to help the king,]
    If that [gh]hone kny{ch}t this day will p{er}[s]ywere         3008
    W{i}t{h} his manhed for helping of the king,
    We [s]al have cauß to dred in to no thing.
    Our folk of hyme thai [s]al [s]ich comfort tak,
    And [s]o adred thar ennemys [s]al mak,                        3012
    That [s]ur I am, onys or the ny{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: yon folk shall perforce take to flight."]
    Of forß [gh]hone folk [s]al tak one them the fly{ch}t:
    Wharffor, madem, that [gh]he have gilt to mend,
    My con[s]ell is one to [gh]hon kny{ch}t [gh]e [s]end."        3016

[Headnote: THE SECOND MESSAGE TO THE BLACK KNIGHT.]

  [Sidenote: She consents to send a message.]
    "S{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, "quhat ple[s][s]ith yhow to do
    [Gh]he may dewyß, and I con[s]ent thar-to."
    Than was the lady of melyhalt {con}tent,
    And to [s]{ir} gawan in-to-{con}tynent                        3020
    Sche clepit the maid, wich that pa[s][s]it ar;         [Fol. 37b.]
  [Sidenote: A maiden is therefore sent to say,]
    And he hir bad the me[s]ag thus duclar.
    "Say [to][T70] the kny{ch}t, the quen hir reco{m}mendith,
    And [s]al correk in quhat that [s]che offendith               3024
    At his awn will, how [s]o hyme li[s]t dewyß;
  [Sidenote: that the queen humbly exhorts him]
    And hyme exortith, in mo[s]t humyll wyß,
    As eu{er} he will, whar that [s]che can or may,
    Or powar haith hir charg, be ony way,                         3028
    And for his wor[s]chip and his hie ma{n}hede,
  [Sidenote: to help in that need to preserve the king's honour,
  and to deserve her thanks.]
    And for hir luf, to helpen i{n} that ned
    The king{is} honore, his land fore to pre[s]erf,
    That he hir thonk for eu{er} may de[s]erf."                   3032

      [Footnote T70: "to" seems required.]

[Headnote: SIR GAWANE SENDS HIM TEN SPEARS MORE.]

    And four [s]quyaris chargit he al[s]o
  [Sidenote: Sir Gawane also sends four squires with three horses
  and ten spears.]
    W{i}t{h} thre horß and [s]peris x to go
    Furt{h} to the knycht, hyme prayng for his [s]ak,
    At his raque[s]t thame in his ned to tak.                     3036

      [T]he maden furt{h} w{i}t{h} the [s]qwyar{is} is went
    One to the kny{ch}t, and [s]chawith y{ar} entent.
  [Sidenote: The message heard, he inquires about the queen,]
    Tho me[s]ag hard, and ek ye pre[s]ent [s]eñ,
    He an[s]werit, and a[s]kith of the qwen;                      3040
  [Sidenote: and is told that from yon parapet she can witness his
  deeds.]
    "S{ir}," q{uod} [s]che, ["sche][T71] in to [gh]hone bartiis lyis,
    Whar that this day yhour dedis [s]al dewyß,
    Yhowr manhed, yhour wor[s]chip, and affere,
    How [gh]he {con}teñ, and how yhe armys bere;                  3044
    The quen hir-[s]elf, and many o lady to,
    Sal Iug{is} be, and vitnes how yhe do."
    Than he, whois hart [s]tant in o new aray,
  [Sidenote: He returns a message that he is the queen's knight.]
    Saith, "damyceyll, on to my lady [s]ay,                       3048
    How eu{er} that hir lykith that it bee,
    Als far as wit or powar is in me,
    I am hir kny{ch}t, I [s]al at hir {com}mand
    Do at I may, w{i}t{h}outen more demand.                       3052
    And to [s]{ir} gawan, for his gret gentriß,
    Me reco{m}mend and thonk a thou[s]and [s]yß."
    W{i}t{h} that o [s]per he takith in his hond,
  [Sidenote: He stands in his stirrups; and seems to increase a foot
  in height.]
    And [s]o in to his [s]terapis can he [s]tond                  3056
    That to [s]{ir} gawan [s]emyth that the kny{ch}t
    Encre[s]yng gon o larg fut one hycht;
    And to the ladice [s]aith he, and the qwen,
    "[Gh]hon is the kny{ch}t that eu{er} I have [s]en             3060
    In al my tyme mo[s]t kny{ch}tly of affere,
    And in hyme-[s]elf gon fare[s]t armys bere."

      [Footnote T71: A second "sche" is here required.]

[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT'S CHARGE.]

  [Sidenote: Greatly encouraged,]
      [T]he kny{ch}t that haith Reme{m}brit in his tho{ch}t  [Fol. 38a.]
    The qwenys charg{is}, & how [s]che hy{m} be[s]o{ch}t,         3064
    Curag can encre[s]ing to his hart;
    His cur[s]er lap, and gan onon to [s]tart;
    And he the [s]qwaris haith reqwyrit [s]o,
    That thai w{i}t{h} hyme one to the feld wald go.              3068
  [Sidenote: without delay he crosses over the river to the field;]
    Than goith he one, w{i}t{h}outen mor abaid,
    And our the reuar to the feld he raid;
    Don goith his [s]pere onone In to the Re[s]t,
  [Sidenote: and goes in wherever he sees most peril.]
    And in he goith, w{i}t{h}outen mor are[s]t,                   3072
    Thar as he [s]aw mo[s]t p{er}ell and mo[s]t dred
    In al the feld, and mo[s]t of help[T72] had ned,
    Whar [s]emblyt was the fir[s]t-{con}que[s]t king
    W{i}t{h} mony o kny{ch}t that was in his leding.              3076
  [Sidenote: He overthrows two knights.]
    The fir[s]t he met, doune goith boith horß & man;
    The [s]per was holl, and to the next he Rañ
    That helpit hyme his hawbrek nor h{is} [s]cheld,
    Bot throuch and throuch haith per[s]it i{n} the feld.         3080

      [Footnote T72: MS. "held."]

[Headnote: SIX KNIGHTS FOLLOW HIM.]

  [Sidenote: Sir Kay, Sir Sygramors, Sir Gresown, Sir Ywan, Sir
  Brandellis, and Gahers, all six in a race spur across the field
  with stretched spears,]
    S{ir} kay, the wich haith this encontyr [s]en,
    His horß he [s]trekith our the larg gren,
    And [s]{ir} [s]ygramors ek the de[s]yrand,
    W{i}t{h} [s]{ir} gre[s]own cu{m}myth at y{ar} honde,          3084
    Son of the duk, and al[s]ua [s]{ir} ywan
    The ba[s]tart, and [s]{ir} brandellis onan,
    And gaherß, wich that broyir was
    To gawan; thir [s]ex in a Raß                                 3088
    Deliu{er}ly com prekand our the feld{is}
    W{i}t{h} [s]peris [s]traucht, and cou{er}it w{i}t{h}
            thar [s]cheldis;
    Sum for love, [s]um honor to purcheß,
  [Sidenote: and 100 knights after them.]
    And aftir them one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was,              3092
    In [s]amyne will, thar manhed to a[s][s]ay.
    On his v falowis clepit than [s]{ir} kay,
  [Sidenote: Sir Kay exhorts them]
    And [s]aith them, "[s]{ir}is, thar has [gh]hond{er} ben
    A courß that neu{er}-more farar was [s]en                     3096
    Maid be o kny{ch}t, and we ar cu{m}myn ilkon
    Only ws one [his] wor[s]chip to di[s]pone;
    And neu{er} we in al our dais my{ch}t
    Have bet axampil than iffith ws [gh]one kny{ch}t              3100
  [Sidenote: to keep near the black knight, and follow his guidance
  all day.]
    Of well doing; and her I hecht for me
    Ner hyme al day, if that I may, to bee,
    And folow hyme at al [my] my{ch}t I [s]all,
    Bot deth or vthir adwentur me fall.                           3104
    W{i}t{h} that thir [s]ex, al in one a[s][s]ent,
    W{i}t{h} fre[s]ch curag In to the feld Is went.
    The blak kny{ch}t{is} [s]pere in pec{is} goñe,         [Fol. 38b.]
  [Sidenote: With a second spear, the black knight seeks the field,
  closely followed by the six.]
    Frome o [s]qwyar oñe vthir haith he toñe,                     3108
    And to the feld onone he goith ful ry{ch}t;
    Thir [s]ex w{i}t{h} hyme ay holdith at y{ar} my{ch}t.
    And than bygan his wond{er}is in the feld;
    Thar was no helme, no hawbryk, nore no [s]cheld,              3112
  [Sidenote: No knight nor armour can withstand him.]
    Nor yhit no kny{ch}t [s]o hardy, ferß, nore [s]tout,
    No [gh]hit no man{er} armour my{ch}t hald owt
    His [s]trenth, nore was of powar to w{i}t{h}[s]tond;
    So mych of armys dyde he w{i}t{h} his honde,                  3116
  [Sidenote: Every wight wonders at his deeds.]
    That euery wight ferleit of h{is} deid,
    And al his fois [s]tondith ful of dreid.
    So be[s]ely he can his tyme di[s]pend,
    That of the [s]peris wich [s]{ir} gawan [s]end,               3120
  [Sidenote: He uses up all Gawane's spears.]
    Holl of them all thar was not lewit oñe;
    Throw wich but m{er}cy to the deyth is gon
    Ful many o kny{ch}t, and many o weriour,
    That cout{h} [s]u[s]ten ful hardely o [s]tour.                3124
  [Sidenote: Two horses of his are killed, and he fights on foot.]
    And of his horß [s]upp{ri}[s]it ded ar two,
    One of his awn, of gawanis one al[s]o,
    And he one fut was fechtand one the gren,
    When that [s]{ir} kay haith w{i}t{h} his falowis [s]eñ;       3128
  [Sidenote: The squire brings him a fresh horse;]
    The [s]qwyar w{i}t{h} his horß than to hy{m} bro{ch}t;
    Magre his fois he to his cour[s]eir [s]o{ch}t
    Deliu{er}ly, as of o my{ch}ty hart,
  [Sidenote: he leaps into the saddle without stirrups.]
    W{i}t{h}out [s]teropis in to his [s]adill [s]tart,            3132
    That euery wycht beholding m{er}vell has
    Of his [s]trenth and deliu{er} be[s]ynes.

[Headnote: SIR KAY ASKS WHO THE BLACK KNIGHT IS.]

  [Sidenote: Sir Kay asks who he is,]
    S{ir} kay, [s]eing his horß, and how that thai
    War cled in to [s]{ir} gawanis aray,                          3136
    A[s]kith at the [s]quyar if he knewith
    What that he was, this kny{ch}t? & he hym [s]chewith
  [Sidenote: but the squire cannot tell.]
    He wi[s]t no thing quhat that he was, nore hee
    Befor that day hyme neu{er} [s]aw w{i}t{h} Ee.                3140
    Than a[s]kith he, how and one quhat wyß
    On gawanis horß makith hyme [s]ich [s]{er}uice?
    The [s]qw[y]ar [s]aith, "for[s]uth y wot no more;
    My lord ws bad, I not the cauß quharfore."                    3144
  [Sidenote: The black knight returns to the field.]
    The blak kny{ch}t, hor[s]it, to the feld can [s]ew
    Als fre[s]ch as he was in the morow new;
  [Sidenote: The six comrades follow him.]
    The [s]ex falowis folowit hyme ilkone,
    And al in front on to the feld ar goñ;                        3148
    Ry{ch}t fre[s]chly one thar ennemys thai [s]oght,      [Fol. 39a.]
    And many o fair poynt of armys vroght.

  [Sidenote: Malangin's host is discomfited by king Ydras; and
  retreats to join the second line, commanded by the Conquest-king;]
      [T]han hapnyt to king malangins o[s]t
    By ydras king di[s]cu{m}fit was, & lo[s]t,                    3152
    And fled, and to the {con}que[s]t-king ar goñe,
    Thar boith the batell{is} a[s][s]emblit In to one;
    King malengynis in to his hart was wo,
    For of hyme-[s]elf no bett{er} kny{ch}t my{ch}t go;           3156
  [Sidenote: so that 40,000 are now opposed to 15,000 of Arthur's.]
    Thar xl thou[s]and war thai for xv.
    Than my{ch}t the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus be [s]en
    Of armyt kny{ch}t{is} gaping one the ground;
    Sum deith, and [s]um w{i}t{h} mony a grewous wond;            3160
    For arthuris kny{ch}t{is}, that manly war and gud,
    Suppos that vthir was o multitude,
    Re[s]auit tham well at the [s]peris end;
    But one [s]uch wyß thai may not lang defend.                  3164

[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT'S PROWESS.]

  [Sidenote: The black knight, knowing who is beholding him,]
    The blak kny{ch}t [s]aw the dang{er} of the feld,
    And al his doing{is} knowith quho beheld,
    And ek reme{m}brith in to his entent
    Of the me[s]ag that [s]che haith to hyme [s]ent:              3168
    Than curag, [s]trenth encre[s]ing w{i}t{h} ma{n}hed,
    Ful lyk o kny{ch}t one to the feld he raid,
  [Sidenote: thinks to have his lady's love, or die before her.]
    Thinking to do his ladice love to have,
    Or than his deth befor hir to re[s]ave.                       3172
    Thar he begynyth in his ferß curag
    Of armys, as o lyoune in his rag;
    Than m{er}well was his doing to behold;
    Thar was no kny{ch}t [s]o [s]trong, nor yhit [s]o bold,       3176
    That in the feld befor his [s]uerd he met,
    Nor he [s]o hard his [s]trok apone hyme [s]et,
    That ded or wondit to the erth he [s]o{ch}t;
  [Sidenote: He works nothing but wonders;]
    For thar was not bot wond{er}is that he wro{ch}t.             3180
    And magre of his fois eu{er}ilkone,
  [Sidenote: and often passes alone through the field.]
    In to the feld oft tymys hyme aloñ
    Throuch and throuch he pa[s][s]ith to & fro;
    For in the ward[T73] it was the man{er} tho                   3184
    That non o kny{ch}t [s]huld be the brydill tak
    Hyme to ore[s]t, nore cum behynd h{is} bak,
    Nor mo than on at onys one o kny{ch}t
    Shuld [s]trik, for that tyme wor[s]chip [s]tud [s]o ry{ch}t.  3188
    [Gh]hit was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus and [s]trong
    Till arthuris folk, [s]et thai {con}tenyt longe;
    Bot in [s]ich wyß this blak kny{ch}t can {con}ten,     [Fol. 39b.]
  [Sidenote: He fights in such wise as to encourage all who see his
  deeds.]
    That thai, the wich that hath his manhed [s]eñ,               3192
    Sich hardyment haith takyne In his ded,
    Them tho{ch}t thai had no man{er} cauß of dred,
    Als long as he my{ch}t owthir ryd or go,
    At euery ned he them recomfort [s]o.                          3196
  [Sidenote: Sir Kay and his fellows follow him all day.]
    S{ir} kay haith w{i}t{h} his falowis al the day
    Folowit hyme al that he can or may,
    And wondir well thai have in armys p{re}wit,
    And w{i}t{h} thar manhed oft thar folk relewit;               3200
    Bot well thai faucht in diu{er}ß placis [s]ere,
  [Sidenote: But at last they are nearly all overpowered by numbers.]
    W{i}t{h} multitud y{ar} folk confu[s]it were,
    That long in [s]ich wyß my{ch}t thai no{ch}t {con}teñ.

      [Footnote T73: Another spelling of _warld_, i.e. world, which
      occurs in the fuller form in l. 3212.]

[Headnote: SIR KAY'S MESSAGE TO SIR HARWY.]

  [Sidenote: Sir Kay sends Gawane's squire with a message to Sir
  Harwy that he ought not to suffer the best knight that ever bore
  arms to be surprised,]
    S{ir} kay, that hath [s]{ir} gawans q[s]quyar{is} [s]en,      3204
    He clepit hyme, and haith hyme prayt [s]o,
    That to [s]{ir} harwy the rewell wil he go,
    And [s]ay to hyme, "ws think hyme ewil awy[s]it;
    For her throuch hyme he [s]ufferit be [s]uppri[s]it           3208
    The be[s]t kny{ch}t that eu{er} armys bur;
    And if it [s]o befell of adwentur,
    In his defalt, that he be ded or lamyt,
    This warld [s]al have hyme vtraly defamyt.                    3212
  [Sidenote: nor six knights of the Round Table to be discomfited.]
    And her ar of the round table al[s]o
    A falou[s]chip, that [s]all in well and wo
    Abid w{i}t{h} hyme, and furt{h} for to endur
    Of lyf or deth, this day, thar adwentur;                      3216
    And if [s]o fal di[s]cumfyt at thai bee,
    The king may [s]ay that wond{er} ewill haith he
    Contenit hyme, and kepit his honore,
    Thus for to tyne of chevalry the flour!"                      3220
  [Sidenote: The squire takes the message.]
    The [s]qw[y]ar hard, and furt{h} his way Raid,
    In termys [s]chort he al his me[s]ag [s]aid.
    S{ir} harwy [s]aith, "y wytneß god, that I
    Neu{er} in my days comytit tratory,                           3224
    And if I now begyne In to myne eld,
    In ewill tyme fyr[s]t com I to this feld;
  [Sidenote: Sir Harwy says that Sir Kay shall have no cause to
  reprove him.]
    Bot, if god will, I [s]al me [s]on di[s]charg.
    Say to [s]{ir} kay, I [s]al not ber the charg,                3228
    He [s]al no mat{er} have me to rapref,
    I [s]al amend this mys if that I lef."
    The [s]qwyar went and tellit to [s]{ir} kay;

  [Sidenote: Sir Harwy comes to support them;]
    ++And [s]{ir} harwy, in al the ha[s]t he may,                 3232
    A[s][s]emblyt hath his o[s]t{is}, & onoñ
    In gret de[s]yre on the feld is gon                    [Fol. 40a.]
    Before his folk, and haldith furt{h} his way;
    Don goith his [s]per, and ewyne before [s]{ir} kay            3236
    So hard o kny{ch}t he [s]trykith in his ten
    That horß and he lay boith apone the gren.
    S{ir} gawan [s]aw the count{er} that he maad,
    And leuch for al the [s]arues that he had:                    3240
  [Sidenote: and proves himself a better warrior than might have
  been expected of one so old.]
    That day [s]{ir} harwy prewyt in the feld
    Of armys more than longith to his eld,
    For he was more than fyfty yher of ag,
    Set he was ferß and [gh]ong in his curag;                     3244
    And fro that he a[s][s]emblyt his bataill
  [Sidenote: Galiot's folk are beaten.]
    Doune goith the folk of galot{is} al haill;
    For to w{i}t{h}[s]tond thai war of no poware,
    And yhit of folk x thou[s]and mo thei vare.                   3248

  [Sidenote: King Valydone comes to support them.]
    ++Kyng valydone, that [s]auch on [s]uch o wyß
    His falowis dang{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ennemys,
    W{i}t{h} al his folk, being freß and new,
    Goith to the feld onon, them to re[s][s]kew;                  3252
    Thar was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus a[gh]añe,
    Of arthuris folk ful many on var [s]lan.

  [Sidenote: Angus comes to aid Arthur's men.]
    ++Bot angus, quhich that lykith not to bid,
    And [s]aw the p{er}ell one the tother [s]id,                  3256
    His [s]ted he [s]trok, and w{i}t{h} his o[s]t is gon
    Whar was mo[s]t ned, and thar the feld has ton.

  [Sidenote: Clamedyus comes to aid Galiot's men.]
    ++Kyng clamedyus makith non abaid,
    Bot w{i}t{h} his o[s]t one to the [s]id he raid.              3260

[Headnote: GALIOT'S FOLK ARE WORSTED.]

  [Sidenote: Ywons encounters Clamedyus.]
    ++And ywons king, that haith his cu{m}myn [s]en,
    Encount{er}it hyme in myddis of the greñ.
    The aucht batell{is} a[s][s]emblyt one this wiß;
  [Sidenote: Great clamour and lamentable cries on either side.]
    On ather half the clamore and the cryiß                       3264
    Was lametable and petws for til her,
    Of kny{ch}t{is} wich in diu{er}ß placis [s]ere
    Wondit war, and fallyng to and fro,
    [Gh]hit galyot{is} folk war xx thou[s]and mo.                 3268

  [Sidenote: The black knight bids himself remember love's power
  over him;]
    ++The blak kny{ch}t than on to hyme-[s]elf he [s]aid:
    "Remembir the, how yhow haith ben araid,
    Ay [s]en ye hour that yow was makid kny{ch}t,
    W{i}t{h} love, a[gh]ane quhois powar & whois my{ch}t          3272
    Yow haith no [s]trenth, yow may It not endur,
    Nor [gh]hit non vthir erthly creatur;
  [Sidenote: and that only his lady's mercy or his life's end can
  amend him.]
    And bot two thing{is} ar the to amend,
    Thi ladice mercy, or thi lyvys end.                           3276
    And well yhow wot that on to hir p{re}[s]ens,
    Til hir e[s]tat, nor til hir excellens,                [Fol. 40b.]
    Thi febilneß neu{er}more is able
    For to attan, [s]che is [s]o honorable.                       3280
    And [s]en no way yow may [s]o hie extend,

[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT'S DARING RESOLUTION.]

  [Sidenote: He counsels himself to strive for her thanks,]
    My verray con[s]ell is, that yow pretend
    This day, ([s]en yow becu{m}myne art hir kny{ch}t
    Of hir comand, and fechtit in hir [s]y{ch}t),                 3284
    And well yow [s]chaw, [s]en yow may do no mor,
    That of re[s]one [s]che [s]al the thank tharfore;
  [Sidenote: and to be ashamed of every point of cowardice.]
    Of euery poynt of cowardy yow [s]cham,
    And in til armys purcheß the [s]um nam."                      3288
    W{i}t{h} that of love in to o new de[s]ir
  [Sidenote: Swift as a crossbow-bolt he seeks the field.]
    His [s]pere he [s]traucht, and [s]wift as any wyre
    W{i}t{h} al his forß the n{er}e[s]t feld he [s]oght;
    His ful [s]trenth in armys thar he vroght,                    3292
    In to the feld ru[s]ching to and fro,
    Doune goith the man, doune goith the horß also;
    Sum throw the [s]cheld is per[s]it to the hart,
    Sum throw the hed, he may It not a[s]tart.                    3296
  [Sidenote: His sword carves the head from some, and cuts the arms
  of others in twain.]
    His bludy [s]uerd he dreuch, that carwit [s]o
    Fro [s]um the hed, and [s]um the arm in two;
    Sum in the feld fellit is in [s]woñ,
    Throw [s]um his [s]uerd goith to the [s]adill doune.          3300
    His fois waren aba[s]it of his dedis,
    His mortell [s]trok [s]o gretly for to dred Is;
  [Sidenote: When his foes see him, they leave the place for dread
  of death.]
    Whar thai hyme [s]aw, w{i}t{h}in a lytall [s]pace,
    For dreid of ded, thai levyng hyme the place,                 3304
    That many o [s]trok ful oft he haith forlorñ;
    The [s]pedy horß away the kny{ch}t hath borñ.
    In to his wyrking neu{er}more he [s]e[s]t,
    Nor non abaid he makith, nor are[s]t.                         3308
  [Sidenote: His knightly deeds assure his fellows.]
    His falowis, [s]o in his kny{ch}thed a[s][s]uryd,
    Thai ar reco{m}fort, thar manhed is recou{er}yt,
    And one thar fois ful fer[s]ly thai [s]oght,
    Thar goith the lyf of many o kny{ch}t to no{ch}t.             3312
    So was the batell wond{er}ful to tell,
    Of kny{ch}t{is} to [s]e the multitud that fell,
  [Sidenote: It was pitiful to see the knights gaping upon the green.]
    That pety was til ony kny{ch}t to [s]eñ
    The kny{ch}t{is} lying gaping on the gren.                    3316
    The blak kny{ch}t ay {con}tinewit [s]o fa[s]t,
    Whill[T74] many one, di[s]cumfit at the la[s]t,
    Are fled, and planly of the feld thei pas:             [Fol. 41a.]

      [Footnote T74: MS. "Whilk."]

[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS WHY HIS MEN FLEE.]

  [Sidenote: Galiot asks his men why they flee.]
    And galyot haith wondyr, for he was                           3320
    Of mor powar, and a[s]kit at them qwhy
    As cowart{is} thai fled [s]a [s]chamfully?
  [Sidenote: A knight replies, that whoever likes may go and see
  marvels.]
    Than [s]aith o kny{ch}t, [s]or wondit in the brayne,
    "Who lykith, he may Retwrn a[gh]ayne                          3324
    Frome qwhens we come, m{er}walis for to [s]ee,
    That in his tyme neu{er} [s]ich [s]auch hee."
  [Sidenote: Galiot asks, what marvels; and the knight tells him
  there is a knight who vanquishes all;]
    "Marwell," q{uod} he, "that dar I boldly [s]ay
    Thay may be callit, and quhat thai ar, I pray?"               3328
    "Schir, in the feld for[s]uth thar is o kny{ch}t,
    That only throw his body and his my{ch}t
    Wencu[s][s]ith all, that thar may non [s]u[s]ten
    His [s]trokis, thai ar [s]o fureows and ken.                  3332
  [Sidenote: who fares as a lion or a bear;]
    He farith as o lyone or o beyre,
    Wod in his rag, for [s]ich is his affere.
  [Sidenote: to whom the red knight hears no comparison.]
    Nor he the kny{ch}t in to the armys Red,
    Wich at the first a[s][s]emble in this [s]ted                 3336
    Wencu[s][s]ith all, and had the holl renown,
    He may to this be no comp{ar}y[s]ou{n}e,
    Fore neu{er} he [s]e[s]ith [s]en the day vas goñ,
    Bot eu{er}more {con}tinewit in to one."                       3340
  [Sidenote: Galiot says he will go and see.]
    Quod galiot, "in nome of god and we
    Al, be tyme, the [s]uthfa[s]tneß [s]al see."

[Headnote: GALIOT RALLIES HIS MEN.]

  [Sidenote: Galiot is armed, rallies the flyers, and encourages
  his men.]
      [T]han he in armys that he had is gon,
    And to the feld w{i}t{h} hyme a[gh]ane hath ton               3344
    Al the flear{is}, and foundyne [in][T75] [s]ich aray
    His folk, that ner di[s]cumfyt al war thay;
    Bot quhen thai [s]aw cu{m}myne our the plan
    Thar lord, thai tuk [s]ich hardeme{n}t a[gh]añ,               3348
  [Sidenote: They shout their war-cries.]
    That thar e[s][s]en[gh]eis lowd thai gon to cry.
    He chargit tham to go, that ware hyme by,
    Straucht to the feld, w{i}t{h} al thar holl forß;
    And thai, the wich that [s]parit not the horß,                3352
    All redy war to fillyng his {com}mand,
    And fre[s]chly went, w{i}t{h}owten more demand:
    Throw qwich thar folk recou{er}yt haith thar place,
  [Sidenote: All think a new host is coming.]
    For al the feld p{re}[s]wmyt that thar was                    3356
    O new o[s]t, one [s]uch o wyß thai [s]oght;
  [Sidenote: Arthur's folk determine rather to die than fly.]
    Whar arthuris folk had pa[s][s]ith al to no{ch}t,
    Ne war that thai the bett{er} war ilkoñe,
    And at thai can them vtraly di[s]poñe                         3360
    Rathar to dee than flee, in thar entent,               [Fol. 41b.]
    And of the blak kny{ch}t haith [s]ich hardyment;
    For at al p{er}ell, al harmys, and my[s]chef,
    In tyme of ned he can tham al ralef.                          3364

      [Footnote T75: The sense, but not the metre, requires "in."]

      [T]har was the batell danger{us} & [s]trong,
    Gret was the pres, bat{h} perell{us} & throng;
  [Sidenote: The black knight is borne to the ground.]
    The blak kny{ch}t is born on to the ground,
    His horß hyme falyth, that fellith dethis wound.              3368
  [Sidenote: The six comrades go to the earth.]
    The vi falowis, that falowit hyme al day,
    Sich was the preß, that to the erth go thay;
    And thar in myd among his ennemys
    He was about enclo[s]it one [s]ich wyß                        3372
  [Sidenote: None know where he is.]
    That quhare he was non of [his] falowis knew,
    Nor my{ch}t no{ch}t cum to help hyme, nore re[s]kew.
    And thus among his ennemys allon
  [Sidenote: He defends himself with his sword.]
    His nakid [s]uerd out of his hond haith ton;                  3376
    And thar he p{re}wit his wertew & h{is} [s]trenth;
    For thar was none w{i}t{h}in the [s]uerdis lenth
    That came, bot he goith to confu[s]ioune.
  [Sidenote: No helm nor habergeon may resist his sword.]
    Thar was no helme, thar was no habirioune,                    3380
    That may re[s]i[s]t his [s]uerd, he [s]mytith so;
    One euery [s]yd he helpith to and fro,
    That al about the compas thai my{ch}t ken;
    The ded horß lyith vir[s]lyng w{i}t{h} the men.               3384
    Thai hyme a[s][s]al[gh]eing bot{h} w{i}t{h} [s]cheld & [s]pere,
  [Sidenote: He fares like a bear at the stake, that snubs the
  hardy hounds.]
    And he a[gh]ane; as at the [s]tok the bere
    Snybbith the hardy hound{is} that ar ken,
    So farith he; for neu{er} my{ch}t be [s]en                    3388
    His [s]uerd to re[s]t, that in the gret rout
    He rowmyth all the compas hyme about.

[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS AT LANCELOT'S PROWESS.]

      [A]nd galiot, beholding his manhed,
  [Sidenote: Galiot wonders at his deeds;]
    W{i}t{h}in his-[s]elf wond{er}ith of his ded,                 3392
    How that the body only of o kny{ch}t
    Haith [s]ich o [s]trenth, haith [s]ich affere & my{ch}t;
    Than [s]aid he thus, "I wald not that throw me,
  [Sidenote: and says that such a knight shall not die on his
  account.]
    Or for my cauß, that [s]uch o kny{ch}t [s]uld dee,            3396
    To conquer all this world that is [s]o larg."
    His horß than can he w{i}t{h} his [s]puris charg,
    A gret trun[s]ioune In to his hond hath ton,
    And in the thike[s]t of the preß is goñ,                      3400
  [Sidenote: He charges all his folk to cease;]
    And al his folk chargit he to [s]eß.
    At his {com}mand thai levyng al the preß;
    And quhen he had departit all the rout,                [Fol. 42a.]
    He [s]aid, "[s]{ir} kny{ch}t, havith now no dout."            3404
    Wich an[s]werit, "I have no cauß to dred."
  [Sidenote: and assures the black knight that he will himself
  warrant him from all harm.]
    "[Gh]is," q{uod} he, "[s]a eu{er} god me [s]ped,
    Bot apone fut quhill [gh]e ar fechtand here,
    And yhow defendith apone [s]ich manere,                       3408
    So hardely, and ek [s]o lyk o kny{ch}t,
    I [s]al my-[s]elf w{i}t{h} al my holl my{ch}t
    Be yhour defens, and varand fra al harmys;
    Bot had yhe left of wor[s]chip In til armys,                  3412
    What I have don I wold apone no wyß;
    Bot [s]en yhe ar of kny{ch}thed [s]o to prys,
    [Gh]he [s]al[T76] no man{er} cauß have for to dred:

      [Footnote T76: MS. "[s]alt."]

[Headnote: GALIOT GIVES LANCELOT HIS OWN HORSE.]

  [Sidenote: He offers him as many horses as he needs; and proposes
  that they shall never again part.]
    And [s]et yhour horß be falit at this ned,                    3416
    Di[s]pleß yhow not, for-quhy [gh]e [s]al not want
    Als many as yhow lykith for to hawnt;
    And I my-[s]elf, I [s]al yhowr [s]qwyar bee,
    And, if god will, neu{er} more [s]al wee                      3420
  [Sidenote: He 'lights from his horse, and gives him to Lancelot,
  who thanks him.]
    Dep{ar}t;" w{i}t{h} that, anon he can to lycht
    Doune frome his horß, and gaf hyme to y^e kny{ch}t.
    The lord he thonkit, and the horß hath ton,
    And als [s]o fre[s]ch one to the feld is gon,                 3424
    As at no [s]trok{is} he that day had ben.
    His falowis glad, one horß that hath hy{m} [s]en,
    To galiot one vthir horß thai broght;
    And he goith one, and frome the feld he [s]o{ch}t,            3428
  [Sidenote: Galiot returns to his host, and chooses a band of
  10,000 men.]
    And to the plan quhar that his o[s]t{is} were;
    And brandymagus chargit he to [s]tere
    Eft{er} hyme, w{i}t{h}in a lytill [s]pace,
    And x thou[s]and he takyne w{i}t{h} hy{m} haß.                3432
    Towart the feld onon he can to Rid,
    And chargit them befor ye o[s]t to byd.
  [Sidenote: The trumpets, clarions, horns, and bugles are sounded.]
    Wp goith the trumpet{is}, and the claryownis,
    Hornys, bugill{is} blawing furt{h} thar [s]ownis,             3436
    That al the cuntre re[s]ownit hath about;
  [Sidenote: Arthur's folk despair.]
    Than arthuris folk var in di[s]par & dout,
    That hard the noys, and [s]aw the m{u}ltitud
    Of fre[s]ch folk; thai cam as thai war wod.                   3440

[Headnote: LANCELOT HARANGUES ARTHUR'S HOST.]

  [Sidenote: The sable knight, still fearless,]
      [B]ot he that was w{i}t{h}owten any dred,
    In [s]abill cled, and [s]aw the gret ned,
    A[s][s]emblyt al his falowis, and arayd;
  [Sidenote: harangues his men, saying,]
    And thus to them in manly t{er}mes [s]aid:                    3444
    "What that [gh]e ar I knaw not yhour e[s]tat,          [Fol. 42b.]
  [Sidenote: "I know not who ye are, but I know that ye ought to
  be commended.]
    Bot of ma{n}hed and wor[s]chip, well I wat,
    Out throuch this warld yhe aw to be {com}me{n}dit,
    This day [gh]e have [s]o kny{ch}tly yhow defendit.            3448
  [Sidenote: Ye see how your enemies, as night approaches, are
  striving to give you an outrage or a fright.]
    And now yhe [s]ee how that, a[gh]anis the ny{ch}t,
    Yhour ennemys p{re}tendit w{i}t{h} thar myght
    Of multitud, and w{i}t{h} thar new o[s]t,
    And w{i}t{h} thar buglis and thar wynd{is} bo[s]t             3452
    Fre[s]chly cu{m}myng In to [s]ich aray,
    To ifyne yhow one owtrag[T77] or affray.
    And now almo[s]t cu{m}myne Is the ny{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: Employ then your courage, so that the honour ye have
  won be not again lost.]
    Quharfor yhour [s]trenth, yhour curag, & yhovr my{ch}t        3456
    Yhe occupye in to [s]o manly wyß,
    That the wor[s]chip of kny{ch}thed & empryß
    That yhe have wonyng, and ye g{re}t renown
    Be not ylo[s]t, be not ylaid doune.                           3460
    For one hour the [s]ufferyng of di[s]treß,
    Gret harm It war yhe tyne the hie encreß
    Of vor[s]chip, [s]{er}uit al this day before.
    And to yhow al my con[s]ell is, tharfore,                     3464
  [Sidenote: Resolve then to meet them sharply, without fear, so
  that they may feel the cold spear in their hearts.]
    W{i}t{h} manly curag, but radour, yhe p{re}tend
    To met tham [s]charply at the [s]peris end,
    So that thei feil the cold [s]peris poynt
    Out-throw thar [s]cheld{is}, in thar hart{is} poynt.          3468
    So [s]al thai fynd we ar no-thing affrayt;
    Whar-throuch we [s]all the well leß be a[s][s]ayt.
  [Sidenote: Perhaps then the foremost will make the rest afraid."]
    If that we met them [s]charply in the berd,
    The forme[s]t [s]al mak al the laif afferd."                  3472
    And w{i}t{h} o woyß thai cry al, "[s]{ir} kny{ch}t,
    Apone yhour manhed, and yhour gret my{ch}t,
  [Sidenote: They promise to stand firm.]
    We [s]al abid, for no man [s]hall e[s]chef
    Frome yhow this day, his ma{n}hed for to pref."               3476
  [Sidenote: Sir Yvan also bids his men be comforted; for that they
  see all the strength of their enemies.]
    And to his o[s]t the lord [s]{ir} yvane [s]aid,
    "Yhe comfort yow, yhe be no-thing affrayd,
    Ws ned no more to dreding of [s]uppriß;
    We [s]e the [s]trenth of al our ennemys."                     3480
    Thus he [s]aid, for he wend thai var no mo,
  [Sidenote: Sir Gawane, however, knew better.]
    Bot [s]{ir} gawan knew well It vas not [s]o;
    For al the o[s]t{is} my{ch}t he [s]e al day,
    And the gret ho[s]t he [s]aw quhar y{a}t it lay.              3484

      [Footnote T77: MS. "owtray." See Glossary.]

[Headnote: THE POEM ABRUPTLY ENDS.]

  [Sidenote: Galiot also exhorts his men.]
      [A]nd galiot he can his folk exort,
    Be[s]eching them to be of good comfort,
                            And [s]ich encont{er}

[_The rest is wanting._]




NOTES.


[It may be observed, once for all, that the expression _in to_
repeatedly occurs where we should simply use _in_; and _one to_ is in
like manner put for _unto_. The ending _-ith_ (for _-ed_) is frequent in
the past tense, and _-it_ (also for _-ed_) in the past participle,
though this distinction is not always observed. A still more noticeable
ending is _-ing_ (for _-en_) in the infinitive. Observe further that the
letters _v_, _u_, and _w_ are perfectly convertible, and used quite
indiscriminately; so that _wpone_ means _upon_; _vthir_ means _uthir_,
i.e., _other_: _our_ is put for _over_; _vounde_ signifies _wound_,
etc.]

Page 1, line 1. _The soft morow._ This nominative case has no verb.
A similar construction occurs in the first lines of Books II. and III.

4. _Uprisith--his hot courss_, Upriseth in his hot course; _chare_,
chariot.

6. _sent_, sendeth; so also _stant_, standeth, l. 326.

8. _valkyne_, waken.

10. _gyrss_, grass.

11. _assay_, assault.

13. _wox_, voice.

17. _frome I can_, from the time that I did.

18. _It deuit me_, it availed me. Jamieson gives "_Dow_, 1. to be able;
A.S. _dugan_ (_valere_), to be able. 2. to avail; Teut. _doogen_."

P. 2, l. 23. _hewy [gh]erys_, heavy years.

24. "Until that Phoebus had thrice gone through his full circuits" (lit.
spheres). See the peculiar use of "pas" in other places.

26. "So, by such a manner, was my lot fated;" see l. 41.

28. _carving can_, did cut.

30. _be the morow_, by the morn.

36. _neulyngis_, newly, anew.

43. _walkith_, walked.

50. _I-clede_, y-clad, clad. Ch. has _clede_.

54. "No one within thought he could be seen by any wight outside."

P. 3, l. 56. _clos it_, enclose it; the MS. has _closit_.

57. _alphest._ This reading of the MS. is an error for _alcest_. See
Chaucer, Prologue to Legend of good women, l. 511:

  "The gret{e} goodnesse of the quene Alceste,
  That turned was into a dayesye,"

Alceste being the contracted form of Alcestis.

59. _Wnclosing gane_, did unclose.

60. "The bright sun had illumined the spray, and had updrawn (upwarped)
into the lusty air the night's soft (sober) and moist showers; and had
made the morning soft, pleasant, and fair." With this difficult passage
we should compare l. 2477.

66. _Quhill_, until.

67. _till ony vicht_, to any wight.

69. _Bot gladness til the thochtful, euer mo_, etc., "But, as for
gladness to the melancholy man, evermore the more he seeth of it, the
more wo he hath."

73. _represent_, represented (accented on the second syllable).

74. _Al day gan be sor_, etc., "All the day, my spirit began to dwell in
torment, through sorrow of thought;" _be sor_, by sorrow (A.S. sorh).

77. _Ore slep, or how I wot_, "Or sleep, ere I knew how."

83. _A-licht_, alighted.

84. _levis in to were_, livest in doubt.

P. 4, l. 91. _be morow_, by morrow; at early morn.

99. _set_, although.

103. _weil accordinge_, very fitting.

105. _long ore he be sonde_, (It is) long ere he be sound.

108. _seith, for to consel_, saith, that as for concealing or shewing,
etc.

109. _althir-best_, lit. best of all; see Chaucer's use of _alderfirst,
alderlast_.

P. 5, l. 127. _lat be thi nyss dispare_, let be thy nice (foolish)
despair.

128. _erith_, earth.

134. _schall hyme hating_, shall hate him. The termination _-ing_ is
here the sign of the infinitive mood after the verb _shall_.

140. _Set_, although.

146. _tak one hand and mak_, undertake and compose; _trety_, treatise;
_vnkouth_, unknown, new.

151. _belevis_, believe will please thy lady.

160. _yis_, this.

P. 6, l. 161. _troucht_, truth.

163. _discharge_, release.

170. _spir_, sphere.

171. "At command of a wise (god from) whose vision," etc. We sometimes
find in old English the adjective "a wise" used absolutely for "a wise
man." See "Le Morte Arthur," ed. F. J. Furnivall, l. 3318.

175. _tynt_, lost.

177. _be this worldis fame_. Here again, as in many other passages, "be"
expresses with relation to, as regards.

185. _yaim_, them.

191. _demande_, demur.

P. 7, l. 198. _Quhill_, until.

200. _conten_, treat; lit. contain.

202. Lancelot is here called the son of Ban, king of Albanak; so again
in l. 1447.

204. _redis_, read.

214. "I will not waste my efforts thereupon."

219. _wnwyst_, unwist, unknown.

225. _nome_, name.

226. _Iwondit to the stak_, very deeply wounded; but there is no doubt
about the origin of the phrase. See Glossary.

228. _astart_, get rid of it, escape it.

P. 8, l. 240. _dedenyt to aras_, deigned to pluck out.

244. _hurtare_, hurter.

245. _Iwond_, wounded.

248. _ful wicht_, full nimble.

251. _of quhome_, by whom.

253. _send_, sent.

257. _pasing vassolag_, surpassing prowess.

260. "Passed down into the fell caves."

264. _tane_, taken.

266. _cwre_, care.

P. 9, l. 267. _gart be maid_, caused to be made.

271. _awoue_, vow.

275. _in to that gret Revare_, in that great river.

284. _o gret confusione of pupil and knychtis_, al enarmyt, a great
medley of people and knights, all fully armed. Stevenson actually reads
_unarmyt!_

294. _I wil report_; both here and in l. 320 we should almost expect to
find "_I nil report_;" i.e. I will not tell. It must mean, "I will tell
you why I omit to mention these things." Compare lines 266, 320.

297. _thing_, think.

P. 10, l. 305. _veris_, wars.

306. _be the wais_, by the ways.

307. _Tuex_, betwixt; _accorde_, agreement.

314. _mot_, must.

316. _stek_, concluded.

319. _most conpilour_, very great composer.

320. "As to whose name I will only say, that it is unfit," etc.

326. _stant_, standeth.

328. _yroung_, rung.

330. _beith_, shall be; observe the _future_ sense of _beith_ in this
place.

331. _suet_, sweet.

332. "His soul in bliss preserved be on that account."

334. _and this endit._ Whether _endit_ here refers to _inditing_ or
_ending_ is perhaps doubtful.


NOTES TO BOOK I.

P. 11, l. 336. If by _aryeit_ is here meant the _sign_, not the
_constellation_ of Aries, the day referred to is April 1 or 2, according
to Chaucer's "Astrolabie."

338. _bewis_, boughs.

340. _makyne gone_, did make.

341. _in ther chere_, after their fashion. (For _chere_, see Glossary.)

345. _auerding to_, belonging to.

351. _Anoit_, annoyed.

352. _For why_, wherefore; so also _for-thi_, therefore.

354. _can_, began.

355. _sende_, sent.

358. _heryng_, hear (infin. mood). In the next line it occurs as a
present participle.

362. _to pas hyme_, to go, depart.

364. _meit_, to dream of; _aperans_, an appearance, apparition.

P. 12, l. 365. _hore_, hair.

375. _vombe_, womb; hence bowels.

377. _stert_, started.

384. _gert_, caused.

390. _traist_, trust.

397. _demande_, demur, delay.

398. _at_, that.

P. 13, l. 407. _whill_, until.

408. _the_, they.

410. _to viting_, to know.

412. _shauyth al hall_, sheweth all whole.

414. _chesith_, chooseth.

422. _shire_, sir.

424. _fore to awysing_, in order to take counsel.

432. All this about _astronomy_ (i.e. astrology) should be compared with
Gower; Conf. Amantis, lib. vii; ed. Pauli, vol. 3, pp. 133, 134.
Arachell, Nembrote, Moises, Hermes are there mentioned as astrologers.

433. The MS. has "set" (_not_ with a long _s_). Mr Stevenson has "fet,"
which would seem right.

P. 14, l. 435. _nembrot_, Nimrod; see _Genesis and Exodus_ (E.E.T.S.),
l. 659.

436. _herynes_, miswritten for _herymes_, i.e. Hermes.

439. "The which they found were wondrously evil set."

440. _his sweuen met_, dreamed his dream.

443. _waryng in to were_, were in doubt.

444. _danger_, power to punish; compare Shakspere's use of the word.

457. _but delay_, without delay.

459. _stondith heuy cherith_, stood heavy-cheered, was sad in his
demeanour.

465. _fundyng_, found.

466. _depend to_, depend upon.

P. 15, l. 475. _tone_, taken.

478. _assey_, test.

481. _record_, to tell out, speak.

487. _preseruith It allan_, is preserved alone.

499. _affy in-tyll_, rely upon.

500. _failye_, fail.

504. _there clergy_, their science.

P. 16, l. 519. "Through the watery lion, who is also faithful, and
through the leech and eke the water also, and through the counsel of the
flower." It is very possible this passage is partly corrupt; l. 520
should certainly be (as may be seen from lines 2010, 2056),

  "And throuch the leich withouten medysyne."

The meanings of lion, leech, and flower are fully explained, however, in
lines 2013-2120.

524. _weyne_, vain.

527. _passid nat his thoght_, left not his thoughts.

531. _rachis_, braches, dogs.

533. _grewhundis_, grayhounds.

536. This purely conjectural line is merely inserted to carry on the
sense. It is imitated from line 3293. In the next line we should read
"grewhundis," rather than "grewhund."

538. _Befor ther hedis_, before their heads.

P. 17, l. 545. "All armed, as was then the fashion."

546. _salust_, saluted.

548. _kend_, known.

549. _leuyth_, liveth.

552. The rime requires "land," as in l. 638.

553. _yald hyme our_, yield him over.

554. _if tribut_, give tribute.

566. _recist_, resist; _mone bee_, must be.

568. _be_, by.

569. _day moneth day_, ere this day month; comp. l. 1162.

P. 18, l. 577. _fairhed_, fair-hood, beauty.

587. _magre myne entent_, in spite of my intention.

591. _nome_, took.

593. _Inquere at_, inquire of.

596. _wes_, was.

599. _rase_, rose.

605. _accordith_, agree thereto.

606. _recordith_, belongith.

607. _visare_, wiser.

P. 19, l. 621. _This spek I lest_, this I list to speak.

622. _varnit_, warned.

626. "Though the season of the year was contrary."

627. _atte_, at the.

629. _the ilk_, that (Scotch _thilk_).

632. _Melyhalt_, the name both of a hill, and of the town built upon it.

636. _affray_, terror.

642. _wnconquest_, unconquered.

643. _cwre_, care.

P. 20, l. 649. _nemmyt_, named.

652. _were_, war.

654. _or than to morn_, earlier than to-morrow.

660. _our few_, over few.

677. _northest_, north-east.

P. 21, l. 686. _fechteris_, fighters.

688. _holde_, held.

691. _presone_, prison.

697. _peite_, pity.

699. The metre of Lancelot's lament is that of Chaucer's "Cuckoo and
Nightingale," and was very possibly copied from it. _Qwhat haue y gilt_,
what crime have I committed.

702. _ago_, gone.

703. _nat_, naught; _me glaid_, gladden me.

706. _til haue_, to have.

709. _Sen thelke tyme_, since that time.

P. 22, l. 718. _of remed_, for a remedy.

719. _sesith_, ceaseth.

723. _with this lady_, by this lady.

728. _laisere_, leisure.

731. _diuerss wais sere_, divers several ways.

733. _bur_, bore.

735. _cher_, car.

740. _dout_, to fear.

745. _but were_, without doubt. This expression often occurs.

P. 23, l. 751. _few menye_, small company; an oddly sounding expression
to modern ears.

753. _cold_, called.

754. _hot_, hight, was named.

755. _but in his cumpany_, unless he had with him.

757. _He saith_; the speaker is the captain of the hundred knights,
called in l. 806 _Maleginis_.

768. _als fell_, just as many.

777. _hard_, heard.

781. _clepit_, called.

P. 24, l. 793, _as he wel couth_, as he well knew how.

796. _sen_, seen.

800. _sen_, since.

806. _was hot_, was hight, was named.

809. _In myde the borde and festinit in the stell_, In the midst they
encounter, and fastened in the steel. See l. 850.

812. _Rout_, company.

815. _ferde_, fourth.

817. _sauch thar latter batell steir_, saw their last division stir.

P. 25, l. 820. _gane his mortall fell._ A word seems here omitted; if
after _mortall_ we insert _strokis_, the sense will be, "His enemies
began his mortall strokes to feel."

825. _worth_, worthy. It would improve the metre to read _worthy_
(l. 875).

828. _In to were_, in war, in the strife.

829. _hyme bure_, bore himself.

839. _to-for_, heretofore.

841. _Atour_, i.e. _at over_, across.

842. _assall_, assault. The rime shews we should read _assaill_, as in
l. 855.

849. _socht atour_, made their way across. The use of _seke_ in Early
English is curious.

P. 26, l. 861. _setith his payn vpone_, devotes his endeavours to.

868. _al to-kerwith_, wholly cutteth in pieces.

880. _dirk_, dark.

883. _tan and slan_, taken and slain.

P. 27, l. 895. It frequently occurs in the MS. that a space is left at
the beginning of a line, and the first letter of the line is omitted. It
is evident that the intention was that the first letter should be
illuminated, and that this, after all, was not done. Here, for instance,
the T is omitted, as indicated by the square brackets. So also in
l. 1083, etc.

897. _pasing home_, go home.

899. _was vent_, had gone.

905. _dulay_, delay. So also _duclar_ for _declare_.

907. _comyne_, came.

908. _ill paid_, displeased.

909. _homly_, humbly. Stevenson reads _hourly_, but this is wrong; see
l. 914.

911. _carful_, full of care, unhappy.

912. _withouten were_, without doubt.

914. _lawly_, lowly.

918. _wight_, with (unusual, and perhaps wrong).

P. 28, l. 924. _leife_, live.

929. _eft_, after.

933. _thar longith_, there belongeth.

943. _I was for til excuss_, I had some excuse.

944. "Because I did behove (to do it), out of very need."

946. _lefe it but_, leave it without.

953. _ma_, make.

954. _ga_, go.

955. _of new_, anew.

958. _But if that deth or other lat certan_, "Except it be owing to
death or other sure hindrance."

P. 29, l. 960. _be hold_, be held. MS. _behold_. Stevenson suggested the
alteration, which is certainly correct.

961. _withthy_, on the condition that.

965. _promyt_, promise; _als fast as_, as soon as.

973. _ferd_, fourth.

982. "Where we shall decide the end of this war."

P. 30, l. 997. _cag_, cage, prison.

999. _amen_, pleasant.

1000. _vodis_, woods.

1004. _lust_, pleasure (Ch.). But the line is obscure; unless we read
"_diuersitee_."

1009. "His spirit started (owing to the) love (which) anon hath caught
him," etc.

1012. _at_, that.

1014. "(As to) whom they know not at all."

1019. _sen at_, since that.

1022. _the dewod_, devoid thee.

1024. _and_, if.

1026. _be ony mayne_, by any mean.

P. 31, l. 1027. _y red_, I advise.

1035. _To warnnyng_, to warn.

1040. _our the furdis_, over the fords.

1044. _oyer._ So in MS.; the _y_ representing the old _th_ (_þ_); other.

1046. _hufyng_, halting.

1050. _worschip_, honour. "It were more expedient to maintain your
honour."

1058. _wonk_, winked.

1062. _vare_, aware.

P. 32, l. 1064. The meaning of "ferst-conquest" is "first-conquered"
(_conquest_ being Old Fr. for conquered). It is explained in l. 1547 as
having been a title given to the king whom Galiot first subdued.

1067. _ferss_, fierce.

1070. _suppos_, although.

1073. _he_; viz. the shrew.

1077. The MS. has "[s]ched."

1080. _ymen_, I mean.

1095. _tais_, takes.

P. 33, l. 1109. _Galyot_ put for _Galiotes_, the genitive case-ending
being often omitted, after a proper name especially.

1110. _prewit_, proved, tried.

1129. _traist_, trust.

1131. _that euery thing hath cure_, that (of) everything hath care.

P. 34, l. 1135. "Aye from the time that the sun began to light the
world's face, until he was gone."

1137. _o forss_, perforce.

1141. _taiis_, takes.

1142. _hecht_, promised.

1151. _fail[gh]eis_, fail.

1154. _fet_, fetched.

1156. _stant_, standeth.

1162. _resput_, respite.

1166. _very knychtis passing_, weary knights go.

P. 35, l. 1170. _till spere_, to inquire.

1177. _ne wor his worschip_, had it not been for his valour.

1187. _qwheyar_, whether. 1191-4. "And fond," etc. These four lines are
now for the first time printed. They were omitted by Stevenson,
evidently by accident.

1196. _Per dee._ Fr. _par Dieu_: an oath common in old ballads,
generally in the form _pardy_.

1197. _vsyt_, used.

1198. "I advise that we go unto his arms" (armour).

1203. _haill_, whole.

P. 36, l. 1207. _abwsyt_, abused, i.e. made an ill use of.

1208. _vsyt_, used.

1209. _suppos the best that lewis_, even though (it were) the best that
lives.

1217. _on slep_, asleep. The prefix _a-_ in English is due to the Saxon
_on_.

1221. _al to-hurt_, etc. See note in Glossary on the word _To-kerwith_.

1225. _sauch_, saw; _rewit_, rued, pitied.

1233. _one syd a lyt_, a little on one side.

1236. _our mekill_, over much.

P. 37, l. 1240. _yarof_, thereof.

1241. _ruput_, repute, think.

1242. _ablare_, abler, readier.

1253. Insert a comma after _thret_, and destroy that after _lowe_. The
meaning perhaps is, "But what if he be appealed to and threatened, and
(meanwhile) his heart be elsewhere set to love." Observe that _and_ is
often the third or fourth word in the sentence it should begin. See
l. 2833.

1258. _[gh]he tyne yowr low_, you lose your love.

1260. _conclusit_, ended.

1265. _mokil_, much.

1268. _of new_, anew, again.

1273. _pan_, pain.


NOTES TO BOOK II.

P. 38, l. 1279. _thocht_, anxiety.

1284. _apperans_, i.e. vision, as in l. 364.

1295. _aqwynt_, acquainted; Burns uses _acquent_.

1297. _com_, coming.

P. 39, l. 1316. "So far out of the way you go in your course." Compare
l. 1797.

1317. "Thy ship, that goeth upon the stormy surge, nigh of thy revels
(i.e. because of thy revels) in the gulf it falls, where it is almost
drowned in the peril."

1321. "In the wretched dance of wickedness." See the curious uses of the
word "daunce" in Chaucer.

1323. _the son_, thee soon.

1330. _powert_, poverty; _as the-selwyne wat_, as thyself knows.

1334. _in to spousag_, in wedlock.

P. 40, l. 1343. The word _diuerss_ is required to complete the line; cf.
l. 731.

1352. _suppriss_, oppression.

1354. _wedwis_, widows.

1367. _that ilke_, that same.

1369. _sufferith_, makest to suffer.

P. 41, l. 1379. Eccles. iv. 9, 10.

1387. _yow mone_, thou must.

1392. _her-efter leif_, hereafter live.

1401. A comma is scarcely needed after "_sapiens_." It means "The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Prov. ix. 10.

P. 42, l. 1409. _to ryng wnder his pess_, to reign under His peace, by
His permission. Roquefort gives _pais_, licence, permission.

1420. _arour_, error.

1427. _leful_, lawful.

P. 43, l. 1447. Ban, king of Albanak, was Lancelot's father. See l. 202,
1450.

1474. The MS. has "a[s][s]it."

P. 44, l. 1491. _tak the bak apone themself_, turn their backs.

1500. _yewyne_, given.

1504. _till_, to; redundant.

1506. _stand aw_, stand in awe. So also in l. 2684. The same expression
occurs in _The Bruce_, iii. 62, ed. Pinkerton, p. 42, ed. Jamieson; and
also in _Havelok_, l. 277, where the word _in_, supplied from
conjecture, should be struck out.

P. 45, l. 1537. _throw his peple_, by his people.

1541. _Thus falith not_, etc., "Except wise conduct falleth to a king."

1546. It may be right to retain the spelling of the MS.--"kinghe;" for,
though strange and unusual, it occurs again in l. 2527.

P. 46, l. 1556. _wende_, weened.

1560. _in to his contrare_, against him.

1568. _trewis_, truce.

1575. _his powar_, his chief army.

1576. _by the yhere_, by the ear, privately.

1579. _cold_, called; as in l. 753.

P. 47, l. 1597. _home fair_, go home.

1608. _And_; redundant in modern English. For many of the precepts given
by Amytans the author must have been indebted to Gower, or, at any rate,
to the author of the _Secreta Secretorum_. See Gower; Conf. Amantis; ed.
Pauli, lib. vii; vol. 3, pp. 152-159. And cf. Tyrwhitt's note to the
Canterbury Tales, l. 16915; and Warton's Hist. Eng. Poetry.

P. 48, l. 1628. _lest_, least; _low_, law. It requires care to
distinguish the two meanings of _low_, viz. _love_ and _law_.

1633. _Iug_, judge.

P. 49, l. 1660. _sar_, sorely.

1666. A line omitted. The inserted line is purely conjectural.

P. 50, l. 1704. _pupelle_, people.

1708. _Inwyus_, envious.

1716. _longith_, belongeth.

1717. _the lykith_, it likes thee, thou art pleased.

P. 51, l. 1724. _betak til hyme_, confer upon him.

1730. _essy_, easy.

1736. _for the nonis_, for the occasion. See White's Ormulum.

1739. _vn to the vorthi pur yow if_, unto the worthy poor thou give.

1742. _set nocht of gret substans_, though not of great value.

1754. _alowit_, approved of.

P. 52, l. 1761. _tynith_, loseth.

1763. _atonis_, at once.

1771. _resawe_, receive.

1773. _with two_, also.

P. 53, l. 1791. _well less, al-out_, much less, altogether. The
punctuation hereabouts in Stevenson's edition is very wild.

1795. _wys_, vice; _the wrechitness_, thy miserliness.

1797. _pass the courss_, go thy way.

1808. _vrech_, wretch; but here used instead of _miser_.

1812. _viss_, vice.

1814. _ben y-knawith_, are known (to be) (?).

1815. _dant_, daunt.

1822. _the ton_, the one.

P. 54, l. 1832. _beis var_, beware.

1834. _colde_, cool.

1852. _onys_, once.

1855. _whar-throw_, through which, whereby.

P. 55, l. 1864, _awn_, own. The metre requires the more usual form
_awin_.

1879. _dispol[gh]eith_, despoileth.

1881. _For-quhi_, wherefore. In this line the MS. has "scrikth."

P. 56, l. 1899. _most nedis_, must needs. _Ye_ = _the_; i.e. The one,
He.

1909. _Mot_, might.

1917. _in_ should be _into_, as elsewhere.

P. 57, l. 1940. _havith_, hath.

1950. _hot_, hight, is called.

P. 58, l. 1966. _wnepwnist_, unpunished.

1990. _omend_, amend; _spill_, destroy.

P. 59, l. 2011. _ayre_, are.

2012. _duclar_, declare; so also _dulay_ for delay.

2017. _the god werray_, the Very God.

P. 60, l. 2036. _For-quhi_, wherefore.

2040. _mad_, made.

2041. _clergy_, science.

2062. _be the mycht dewyne_, by the might divine.

P. 61, l. 2069. _far_, fare.

2079. _helyth frome the ground_, heals from the bottom; i.e.
effectually.

2100. _not sessith_, who ceaseth not.

P. 62, l. 2107. _Ne war_, were it not for; _hartly_, hearty; it occurs
again four lines below.

2135. _yneuch_, enough. He means he will ask but one question more.

P. 63, l. 2148. _To passing home_, to go home.

2162. _the _xxiiij_ day_. The first _i_ in the MS. is like a "v" smudged
over; we should read "xxiiij," as in l. 2155. The contraction is to be
read _four and twentieth_, not _twenty-fourth_; so also in l. 610.

P. 64, l. 2190. _hal dure_, hall door.

2192. _o iorne most for to comend_, a journey most to be commended.

2194. _lowith_, love.

P. 65, l. 2212. _the fewar eschef thay_, the less they achieve.

2229. "For no adventure will prove so great, that ye shall not achieve
it."

2241. _whill_, until.

P. 66, l. 2247. _galot_; so in MS.

2265. _grant mercy_, great thanks; Fr. _grand merci_.

2267. _quhy_, because.

P. 67, l. 2279. _thithingis_, tidings; probably an error of the scribe
for _tithingis_. Stevenson has _chichingis_!

2284. _al-out_, altogether.

2304. _oft syss_, oft-times. See Glossary (_Syss_).

2306. _dante_, dainty.

2310. _tithandis_, tidings; compare l. 2279.

P. 68, l. 2323. _aw_, owe.

2328. _fantessy_, fancy, notion.

2334. _for no why_, for no reason.

2337. _mon I fair_, must I go.

2338. _our son It waire_, over soon it were.

2342. _For-quhy_, because.

P. 69, l. 2352. _nor_ has the force of _but_.

2366. _be ony men_, by any means.

2368. _on of tho_, one of them.

2375. _chen of low_, chain of love.

2376. _and if [gh]he may deren_, an if you may declare.

P. 70, l. 2409. _hartly raquer_, heartily require.

2416. _gar ordan_, cause to be provided.

P. 71, l. 2428. _prewaly disspone_, privily dispose.

2436. _ellis-quhat_; I suppose this means, "he was on fire _elsewhere_."

2448. _hamlynes_, homeliness.

2452. _fest throw al the [gh]her eliche_, feast through all the year
alike.

P. 72, l. 2469. _commend_, commended.

2470. _he drywith_, he driveth, pursueth. The reading is not _drawith_,
as in Stevenson.


NOTES TO BOOK III.

P. 73, l. 2471. This line is too long, and the sense imperfect; but
there is no doubt about the reading of the MS.

2474. _Awodith_, expels.

2475. _doune valis_, falls down; for it is evident that _valis_ is an
error for _falis_, the mistake having arisen from confusion with the
succeeding line.

2480. _cled_, clad.

2487. _bygown_, begun. In the next line Stevenson has _sown_; but the
true reading is _Rown_, run; as in l. 2820.

2492. _barnag_, baronage, nobility.

P. 74, l. 2522. _but dulay_, without delay; _the_, they.

2524. _thar com_, their coming.

2530. _in the dogre_, in its (due) degree.

P. 75, l. 2545. _Or that_, ere that.

2552. _he and hate_, high and hot.

2558. _the can_, they began.

P. 76, l. 2574. _hyme mak_, prepare himself; or perhaps simply, make
(for the field), go.

2582. _helmys last_; _last_ clearly means _laced_; see l. 2250.

2594. _[Gh]hit_, although.

2599. _dout_, fear.

2600. _is assemblit_, made an attack. The peculiar use of _assemble_
must always be borne in mind.

2601. _erd_, earth.

P. 77, l. 2612. _found till gwyans_, go to Gwyans.

2614. _til esquyris thei sewyt_, after Esquyris they followed.

2619. _one to the melle socht_, made their way to the mêlée.

2627. _don bore_, borne down.

2630. Fifty thousand. It would appear that Galiot had 40,000, of whom
10,000 were held _in reserve_; so that in l. 2632 only 30,000 are
mentioned. See l. 2569, 2647.

P. 78, l. 2646. _ten_, sorrow, vexation.

2656. _resauf_, receive.

2663. _at thar come_, at their coming; _led_, put down.

2670. _biding one the bent_, abide on the grassy plain.

P. 79, l. 2679. "That, despite their efforts, they must needs retire."

2684. _stud aw_, stood in awe; see note to l. 1506. 2693, 4. These lines
do not rime. But we should certainly read _felde_, _erde_ having slipped
in from confusion with l. 2691. The knight of Galloway goes _to the
field_, i.e. joins battle.

P. 80, l. 2712. _On ayar half_, on either side. The MS. omits _to_.

2713. _of_, off.

2714. _noiss_, nose.

2731. _Bot nocht forthi_, But not on that account.

P. 81, l. 2754. _harmys_, loss.

2761. _aucht to ses_, ought to cease.

2765. _at_, that.

2768. _my lef_, my leave, permission.

2770. _in to cage_, in prison.

P. 82, l. 2802. _commandit_, commended.

P. 83, l. 2819. _one athir half_, on either side.

2820. _rown_, run.

2821. _howyns_; an ungrammatical form; perhaps _howyng_ is meant.

2827. _one hycht_, on height; i.e. aloud.

2829. _sterith_, stirreth.

2833. "The lady of Melyhalt made (her way) to him, and immediately
caused his couch to be placed before a window." Mr Stevenson reads,

  "Of Melyhalt the lady to hyme maid
  Incontinent his couche, and gart he[N1] had," etc.

i.e. "The lady immediately made his bed for him," etc.

2841. _wencust_, vanquished. After this word we should perhaps insert
"at," as in l. 3336.

    [Footnote N1: But the MS. has "be;" also "melyhat" instead of
    "Melyhalt."]

P. 84, ll. 2877-2880. These lines were printed by me for the first time,
four lines having been here again omitted by Mr Stevenson.

2880. _but weyne_, without doubt.

2884. _to led and stere_, to lead and direct.

P. 85, l. 2893. _Endlong_, along.

2894. _weryne_, were.

2913. _let_, hinder.

P. 86, l. 2925. _dulay_, delay; as in several other places.

2938. _fek_, effect.

2944. _[gh]ude_, went.

2947. _fair_, welfare.

P. 87, l. 2964. _Whill_, until.

2970. _ho_, stop, pause.

2971. _veryng In affray_, were in terror.

2972. _rovm_, room.

2978. _socht_, made his way.

2984. _disponit_, intends; but we must insert "not," to complete the
sense and the metre.

P. 88, l. 2998. _eschevit_ (used passively), is achieved.

3003. _o knycht_, a single knight.

3005. _tais_, takes.

3006. _fays_, foes.

3013. _onys or the nycht_, once ere the night.

3015. _that [gh]he have gilt to mend_, to amend that in which ye have
trespassed.

P. 89, l. 3052. _Do at I may_, Do that which I can.

P. 90, l. 3065. This line is printed by Mr Stevenson,

  "Curag can [   ] encresing in[N2] his hart";

but it is not clear that a word is wanting, for the metre is as complete
as in many other lines; whilst, as regards the sense, "the knycht" is
probably a nominative without a verb, and l. 3065 means, "Courage did
increase in his heart." Or the reader may, if he pleases, insert "fele."
Compare l. 3058.

3066. _lap_, leaped.

3079. Observe the omission of the word "neither" in this line.

3080. _persit_, pierced.

3086. _onan_, anon. A.S. _on-án_.

    [Footnote N2: MS. has "to."]

P. 91, l. 3093. _In samyne will_, with like intent.

3100. _bet axampil_, better example.

3104. _bot_, unless; _me fall_, befall me.

3108. _one vthir_, another.

3120. _send_, sent.

3121. _lewit one_, left one.

3122. _but mercy_, without mercy.

P. 92, l. 3134. _deliuer besynes_, clever readiness.

3136. _aray_, livery.

3140. _Ee_, eye.

3146. _the morow new_, the early morning.

3160. _deith_, dead.

3162. _Suppos_, although.

P. 93, l. 3178. _Nor_; we now use _but_.

3184. _ward_; see Glossary. _tho_, then.

P. 94, l. 3200. _relewit_, relieved.

3201. _diuerss placis sere_; as _sere_ = _diuerss_, one of these words
is redundant. So in l. 3266.

3207. _ewil awysit_, ill advised.

3217. "And if it so happen, that they be discomfited."

P. 95, l. 3240. _leuch_, laughed; _sarues_, service.

3246. _al haill_, all whole.

3248. _x thousand mo_, ten thousand, and more.

3259. _abaid_, delay.

3263. _aucht_, eight.

3265. _petws for til her_, piteous to hear.

P. 96, l. 3297. _dreuch_, drew.

3299. _fellit_, fallen.

3304. _levyng_, leave.

P. 97, l. 3307. _sest_, ceased.

3321. _askit at_, asked of.

3331. _Wencussith_, vanquisheth.

3340. _in to one_, continually; which is sometimes the sense of A.S.
_on-án_.

P. 98, l. 3353. _to fillyng_, to fulfil.

3357. _soght_, came on; see Glossary.

3359. _Ne war_, etc., "Had it not been that they were, individually, the
better men."

3364. _ralef_, relieve.

3368. _fellith_, feeleth.

P. 99, l. 3384. _virslyng_, wrestling, _i.e._ entangled with; a strong
expression!

3385. _assal[gh]eing_, assail.

3390. _rowmyth_, roometh, emptieth.

3403. _departit_, parted.

3404. _dout_, fear.

P. 100, l. 3412. _left_, failed.

3423. _The lord_, i.e. Galiot, as I suppose; Mr Stevenson has, "The
Lord."

3430. _stere_, to stir, move, come.

P. 101, l. 3450. _pretendit_, endeavour.

3457. _occupye_, employ.

3461. _For one hour_, etc., "On account of suffering distress for one
hour."

3470. _the well less_, much less; see l. 1791.

3471. _berd_, beard.

3473. _o woyss_, one voice.

3475. _eschef frome yhow_, not, _win_ from you; but, _withdraw_ himself
from you. See Glossary.

P. 102, l. 3481. _wend thai var no mo_, thought they were no more.

3487. _And sich enconter_, and such encounter. These three words are
written at the bottom of the page as a catchword. The rest of the MS. is
wanting.




GLOSSARIAL INDEX.


[As many of the words occurring in "Lancelot" are well explained either
in Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary or in Roquefort's "Glossaire de la
langue Romane," I have frequently referred to these works by means of
the letters J. and R. Other abbreviations, as O.N. for Old Norse; Goth.
for Moeso-Gothic; Su.-G. for Suio-Gothic, etc., will be readily
understood. Ch. has also been used as an abbreviation for Chaucer. The
various French, Danish, German, and other words referred to in the
Glossary are merely added by way of illustration, to indicate in what
direction a word may be most easily traced up. To ensure accuracy as far
as possible, I have verified every foreign word by the aid of
dictionaries, referring for Gothic words to my own Glossary, edited for
the Philological Society; for Suio-Gothic words, to Ihre's Glossarium;
for Icelandic words, to Egilsson; and for Old French words, to Roquefort
and Burguy. Whatever errors occur below may thus, I hope, be readily
traced.]


  { Abaid, Abyde, } delay, tarrying, 1882, 2147, 3069, 3308.
    A.S. _abídan_, J.
  { Abasit, Abasyt, Abaysit, } abashed, humbled, dispirited,
      cast down, 378, 1452, 2664.
    Abasit of, dispirited by, 3301.
    R. _abaiser_.
  Abasit of (used passively), were dispirited by, 2243.
  Abraid, awoke, 1231;
    (Ch.) A.S. _on-bredan_.
  Abwsyt (abused), made an ill use of, 1207.
  Access, a fever; or better, a fit of the ague; Lat. _accessus
      febris_, (Wright's Glossary), 31.
  Accorde, to agree with, 1526.
    Fr. _s'accorder_.
  Accordith, is suitable for, becomes, 1679, 1951;
      agree therewith, 605;
      is useful for, is fit for, 1204.
  According for, suitable for, 1512.
    R. _accordant_.
  Adred, terrified, 378, 2664.
    A.S. _on-dr[´æ]dan_, to dread.
  Affek, effect, 382.
    Cf. _Fek_.
  Afferd, afraid, 3472.
    A.S. _afered_, _af[´æ]ran_.
  Affere, warlike preparation, 985;
      aspect, bearing, 3043, 3334, 3394.
    See J., who makes it of Teutonic origin; but it may be no more than
      the O.Fr. _afeire, afaire_ = state, condition; as explained by
      Burguy.
  Afferith, belongs to, suits, 1550.
  Afferis, is suitable, 1690, 1961.
    R. _aferer_.
  Affrait, terrified, from the verb _Affray_ (Ch.), 2462, 3469.
    R. _effraer_.
  Affray, terror, fright, 636, 3454.
    Fr. _effroi_.
  Affy in till, trust to, rely upon, 499, 1394.
    R. _affier_.
  Afyre, on fire, 30, 251;
      hence, used allegorically, in love, 2436.
  { Agrewit, Aggrewit, } aggrieved, vexed, 1308, 1538;
      angry, enraged, 2618.
    R. _agrever_.
  Ago, gone, 159.
    A.S. _of-gán_.
  Aire, are, 1732.
  Algait, Algat, always, 1996, 1792.
    Gothic _gatwô_, a street, way.
  Al magre thine, in spite of thee, 115.
    An expression compounded of A.S. _al_, wholly; _maugre_ (Fr. _mal
    grè_), ill-will, and _thine_ (A.S. _thín_, the gen. case of _thú_,
    thou).
  Al-out, altogether, 1676, 1791, etc.
  Alowit, approved, 1754.
    Fr. _allouer_.
  Als, (1) as; (2) also.
  { Amen, Ameyne, } pleasant, 64, 999.
    Lat. _amoenus_.
  Anarmyt, fully armed, 545, 620, 2219, 2771.
    See _Enarmyt_.
  And, if, 1024, 1591;
      and if (= an if), if, 2376.
  Anerly, only, 1476, 1696.
    A.S. _[´æ]n-líc_.
  { Anoit, Anoyt, } annoyed, vexed, 351, 2244.
  Anoyt, annoyeth, 1407.
  Anterous, (for Aunterous, the shortened form of Aventurous),
      adventurous, 2618.
    Fr. _aventure_.
  Aparalit, apparelled, 338.
  Aperans, an appearance, a vision, 364.
    _So also_ Apperans, 1284.
  Apone, upon, 765, etc.
  Appetit, desire, 2722.
    Ch. has _appetite_ as a verb, to desire.
  Aqwynt, acquainted, 1295.
    Burns uses _acquent_.
  Aras, to pluck out, 240.
    Fr. _arracher_.
  Araid, disordered, afflicted, 3270.
    See _Araye_ in Halliwell. The examples there given shew that to
      _araye_ sometimes actually signifies to _disorder_.
  Arest, stop, delay, 678, 3072, 3308.
    Fr. _arrêt_.
  Arly, early, 4, 384, 975.
    A.S. _árlíce_.
  Artil[gh]ery, implements of warfare, 2538.
    See R. _artillerie_. Compare 1 Samuel, xx. 40.
  Assay, (1) assault, trial, 11, 35, 112, 712;
      attack, 537, 2662.
    As a verb, to assault, attack, assail, 570, 1044.
    Fr. _assaillir_.
    (2) to essay, attempt, 2936;
      to test, 478, 982.
    Fr. _essaier_.
  { Assaid, Assayt, } assaulted, 1224, 2641.
  Assall, assault, attack, 842.
    We should perhaps read "assaill," as in l. 855.
  Assal[gh]eing, assail (_3 pers. plural_), 3385.
  Assemblay, an assembling of knights for a combat, a tournament, 267.
  Assemble, a hostile meeting, combat, battle, 978, 3336.
    See J.
  Assemblyng, encountering, 2588.
  Assemblyng on, attacking, 2956.
  Assey, to test, 478.
    _See_ Assay.
  Astart, to start away from; hence to escape from, avoid, 228, 3296.
    Ch. has _asterte_.
  At, that, 1019, etc.
    Compare Dan. _at_; O.N. _at_.
  Atour, at over, i.e. across, 841, 849, 873;
      in excess, in addition, besides, 1775.
  Ather, either, 2629, 2819, 3264.
    A.S. _[´æ]gther_.
  Atte, at the, 627, 1055.
  Aucht, eight, 3263.
    Compare Ger. _acht_.
  Auentur, adventure, 601.
  Auer, ever, 273, etc.
  Auerding to, belonging to (?), 345.
    The sense seems to point to the A.S. _and-weardian_, to be present,
    Goth. _and-wairths_, present.
  Aventur, Auentoure, adventure, 80, 222.
  Aw, owe, deserve; the present tense of the verb of which _ought_
      is the past tense; 3447.
    A.S. _áh_, _áhte_.
  Awalk, awake, 1049.
    Goth. _wakan_. The form _awalk_ occurs in Dunbar,
      "_Awalk_, luvaris, out of your slomering."
        (The Thistle and the Rose.)
  Awant, boast, 2136.
      As a verb, 1588;
      and as a reflective verb, 2196, 2386.
    Fr. _se vanter_. Ch. has _avante_.
  Awin, own, 89.
    A.S. _ágen_.
  Awodith, maketh to depart, 2474.
    See _Avoid_ in Nares' Glossary, edited by Halliwell and Wright.
  { Awow, Awoue, } vow, 234, 242, 246.
    Ch. has _avowe_.
  Awys, consideration, advisement, 558.
  Awyß the, advise thee, consider, 1913.
  { Awyß, Awy[s]ing, } to consider, 424, 429.
    Fr. _s'aviser_.
  Awysment, advisement, consideration, 360, 680.
  Ay, ever, continually, 1135, 1486.
    A.S. _á_.
  Ayar (_written instead of_ Athar), either, 2712.
  Ayre, are, 2011.
  { Ayanis, 744, A[gh]anis, 1164, 2283, } against.
    A.S. _ongean_.
  A[gh]ane, A[gh]eine, again, 3253, 380.

  Bachleris, bachelors; a name given to novices in arms or arts, 1689.
    See _bacheler_ in R.
  Banaris, banners, 770.
  { Bartes, 2897. Bartiis, 3041. } _See_ Bertes.
  Barnag, baronage, nobility, 2492.
    See _barniez_ in R.
  Batell, a battalion, division of an army, 784, 808, etc.
  Be, by.
    A.S. _be_.
  Behest, promise, 2766.
    A.S. _behæs_.
  Behufis, behoves, 579.
    A.S. _behófan_, often used impersonally.
  { Behuß, Behwß, } it behoves, it is necessary (to do), 944, 2342;
    apparently contracted from _behufis_.
  Beleif, _in phr._ ore belief = beyond belief, 112.
  Bent, a grassy plain (properly a coarse grass; in German, _binse_),
      2670. J.
  Bertes, a parapet, a tower, 1007, 1118, 2815.
    R. _bretesche_, from Low Latin _brestachia_.
  Betak til, to confer upon, 1724.
    A.S. _be-t[´æ]can_, in the sense, to assign.
  Betakyne, betoken, 2014.
    A.S. _be-t[´æ]can_, in the sense, to shew.
  Bewis, boughs, 338.
    A.S. _boh_.
  Billis, letters, 142.
    Fr. _billet_.
  Blindis, blindness (?), 1903.
  Borde, to meet in a hostile manner, encounter, 809.
    We find in R. _border_, to joust, fight with lances.
    Compare Fr. _aborder_, and Spenser's use of _bord_. See _horde_
      in Burguy.
  Bot, (1) but; (2) without. In general, _without_ is expressed by
      _but_, and the conjunction by _bot_; but this distinction is
      occasionally violated.
  Bown, ready, prepared, 1036.
    O.N. _búinn_, past part. of _búa_, to prepare. Su.-G. _boa_,
      to prepare. J.
  Bretis, fortifications, forts, 874; "properly wooden towers or
      castles: _Bretachiæ_, castella lignea, quibus castra et oppida
      muniebantur, Gallis _Bretesque_. Du Cange." Jamieson.
    See _Bertes_.
  Bukis, books, 434, 1862.
  Burdis, boards, i.e. tables, 2198.
    A.S. _bórd_, which means--1. a plank; 2. a table, etc.
  Bur, bore, 733, 778.
  But, without; common in the phrase _but were_, without doubt.
  But if, unless, except, 958.
  { Byhecht, Byhicht, } promised, 1485, 2791.
    A.S. _be-h[´æ]tan_.
  Byknow, notorious for, known to be guilty of, 1627.
    Compare "I _know_ nothing _by_ myself" (1 Cor. iv. 4). Compare
    also Dan. _bekiende_, to make known.
  By, near at hand, 1535, 2916.

  { Cag, Cage, } cage, prison, 997, 2770.
  Can, an auxiliary verb, used nearly as we now use _did_.
  Careldis, plural of Careld, a merry-making, revel (?), 1318.
    "_Caraude_, réjouissance;" and "_Caroler_, danser, se divertir,
      mener une vie joyeuse." Roquefort.
  Catifis, wretches, 2102.
    R. _caitif, captif_. Compare Ital. _cattivo_.
  Chalmer, chamber, 2281, 2308, 2427, 2808. J.
  { Chare, Cher, } chariot, 4, 735.
    R. _cher_.
  Charge, load, 693.
    Fr. _charge_; see _discharge_ in the line following (694),
    meaning to shake off a load.
  Chargit, gave attention to, 710, 2454.
    Fr. _se charger de_.
  Chen, chain, 2375.
  Cher, car, chariot, 735. See _Chare_.
  Chere, cheer, demeanour, 83, 341, 695;
      sad demeanour, outward grief, 2718.
    Fr. _chère_; compare Ital. _ciera_, the face, look.
      "_Wepinge_ was hyr mosté _chere_."
        (Le Morte Arthur, l. 726.)
  Cheß, choose, 1611, 1636, 2368.
    A.S. _ceósan_; Ger. _kiesen_; Dutch _kiezen_.
  Clariouns, clarions, 771, 789.
  Clepe, to call, 90, 99.
    A.S. _clepan_.
  Clepit, callest, 93;
      called, 781.
  Clepith, is called, 1919.
  Clergy, science, knowledge, 504, 511, 2041.
    R. _clergie_.
  Closine, closed, concluded, 316.
  Closith, enclosed, shut up, 427.
  Cold, called, 753, 1579.
  Commandit, commended, 2802.
  Comprochit, approached, 2472, 2509.
  Conpilour, compiler, poet, 319.
  Conquest, conquered, 574;
    Fyrst-conquest, first conquered, 1545, etc.
  Conseruyt, preserved, 332.
  Conten (used as a reflective verb), to demean oneself valorously,
      to maintain one's ground, 823, 1107, 1130.
    See R. "_contenement_, contenance, conduite, maintien, posture."
  Contenit hyme, behaved himself, 3219;
    Contenit them, 2634.
  Contenyt, endured, 3190.
  Contretioun, contrition, 1415, 1426.
  Contynans, demeanour, 1693, 1747.
  Counter, encounter, attack, charge, 3239.
  Couth, could, 793.
    A.S. _cunnan_; past tense, _ic cúðe_.
  Cowardy, cowardice, 1023, 3287.
  Cownterit, encountered, 2609, 2621. J.
  Crownel, coronal, corolla of a flower, 59. J.
  { Cummyne, Comyne, } came, 807, 907.
  { Cumyne, 650, 1136, Cumyng, 447, Cummyng, 2498, } come (past part.).
  Cunyng, knowledge, 1455.
  { Cusynace, 1270, Cusynece, 2802, Cusynes, 2287, Cwsynes, 1185, }
      kinswoman.
  Cwre, care, 98, 266, 643.
    Lat. _cura_. (N.B. Though _Cwre_ = _cura_, yet _cura_ should be
      distinguished from A.S. _cearu_.)

  Danger, power to punish; "the power of a feudal lord over his
      vassals," (Wright), 444.
    Also, power to injure, 3006.
    See R. _dangier_.
  Dans, (dance), in the phrase "wrechit dans," evil mode of life, 1321.
    See Chaucer's use of _daunce_; and compare--
      "I sai [gh]ow lely how thai lye
      Dongen doun alle in a _daunce_."
    Lawrence Minot; quoted in Specimens of Early English, by
    R. Morris; p. 194.
  { Dede, 90, Ded, 3304, } death.
      Dan. _död_. A.S. _deáð_. O.N. _dauði_.
  Deden, deign, 949. J.
  Dedenyt, deigned, 240.
  Deid, died, 215.
  Deith, dead (past part.), 3160.
  Delitable, delightful, 1738.
    R. _delitable_.
  Deliuer, nimble, clever, 3134.
  Deliuerly, (cleverly), nimbly, lightly, 3089, 3131.
    R. _delivre_.
  Demande, demur, 191, 397, 3052, 3354.
    See R. "_demander_, contremander, changer, revoquer l'ordre donné."
  Depart, to part, 3421.
    R. _departir_.
  Departit, parted, 3403.
  Depaynt, painted, 46, 1703.
    Fr. _dépeint_. Ch. _depeint_.
  Depend me, waste or consume (my powers), 214;
    possibly miswritten for _despend_.
    Cf. _Dispendit_.
    Depend to, to concern, appertain to, 466.
  Deren, to speak out, tell, 2376.
    R. _derainier_.
  Dereyne, a plea, 2313;
    "haith o dereyne ydoo," hath appealed to trial by combat.
    R. _derainier_.
  Des, daïs, high table, 2762.
    R. _deis_; Lat. _discus_.
  Deuit, availed, 18. See note.
  { Devith, Dewith, } deafen, 92, 94.
    "Su.-G. _deofwa_; Icel. _deyfa_," J.
    Compare Dan. _döve_. Burns has _deave_.
  Dewod the, devoid thyself, 1022.
  Deuoydit was = departed, 1031.
    Compare _Awodith_.
  Dewyß, to tell, narrate, 373.
  Discharg, to put aside one's liability, 163, 1665.
  Diseß, lack of ease, misery, 707.
  Disiont (Disioint?), disjointed, out of joint; hence uncertain,
      hazardous, 2907.
    "Disjoint, A difficult situation." Halliwell.
  Dispendit, spent, 1808.
    R. _despendre_.
  Dispens, expenditure, 1746.
    Fr. _dépense_.
  Dispol[gh]eith, despoileth, 1879.
  Dispone, to dispose, provide; or, as a reflective verb, to be
      disposed to do, to intend, 54, 446, 980, 1590, 2428, 2462.
  Disponit, declines (?); but much more probably, intends; and we
      must read "disponit not," 2984.
  Dout, fear, 2599, 3404, 3438;
    (as a verb), to fear, 740, 1827.
    Ch. _doute_. R. _doubtance_.
  Drent, drowned, 1319.
    A.S. _drencan_.
  Dreß (as a reflective verb), to direct oneself, proceed, go, 1975,
      2288, 2486.
    Lat. _dirigere_.
  Drywith, drives; "he drywith to the end," i.e. concludes, 2470.
  Duclar, declare, 3022.
  Dulay, delay, 681, 788, 2925.

  Effere, shew, pomp, 2360.
    Compare _Affere_.
  Efter, after, 217.
    A.S. _efter_.
  Eld, old age, 3225, 3242.
    A.S. _yldo_. Gothic _alds_.
  Elyk, Eliche, alike, 182, 2452.
  Eme, uncle, 2572.
    A.S. _eám_.
  Empit, emptied, empty, 180.
    A.S. _æmtian_.
  Empleß, to please, 2455. J.
  Empriß, worth, honour, 129, 269, 3458;
    _cf._ Romans of Partenay, l. 2013.
    Anxiety, oppression, 393.
    R. _emprindre_.
  Enarmyt, fully armed, 285, 751, 2499. J.
  Endit, indited, 138;
      indite, 206;
      inditing, poem (?), 334.
    If the meaning were, "this ends," the form "endis" would be
      required; besides which, the rime shews that the _i_ is long;
      cf. ll. 138, 206.
  Endlong, along, 2893.
    A.S. _andlang_; Ger. _entlang_.
  Entent, intention, will, meaning, thoughts, 448, 1451, 1499, 2938.
    R. _entente_. Used by Chaucer.
  Entermet, to intermeddle with, to have do with, 2914.
    R. _entremetre_.
  Enweronyt, environed, 53.
  Erde, earth, 1072, 1540, 2601.
    Compare Ger. _erde_.
  Erdly, earthly, 498.
  Erith, earth, 128.
    A.S. _eorð_.
  Eschef (1. eschew), to shun, withdraw himself, 3475.
    R. _eschever_;
    (2. achieve), to accomplish, 2212, 2513.
    R. _eschavir_.
    Eschef deith, to die, 2732.
  Escheuit, achieved, 258.
  Eschevit, is achieved, 2998.
  { Eß, 174, Eeß, 706, } ease.
  Essen[gh]eis (ensigns), warcries, 3349, J.
    See also R. _enseigne_.
  Euerilkon, every one, 1039, etc.
  Exasy, extasy, 76. (Possibly miswritten.)
  Exortith, beseecheth, 3026.
  Extend, attain, 3281.

  Fail[gh]eis, fail, (3 pers. plu. indicative), 1151.
  Fairhed (fairhood), beauty, 577.
    In A.S. _fægernes_, but in Dan. _förhed_.
  Fall, to happen, befall, 493, 2139.
    A.S. _feallan_; Dan. _falde_.
  Fallyng, fallen, 1217, 1322.
  Falowschip, used as we now use company, 1105, 2687, etc.
  Fal[gh]eing, failing, 1499.
  Fal[gh]et, Fal[gh]heit, failed, 1460, 1469, 1498, 1503.
  Farhed, beauty, 2440.
    See _Fairhed_.
  Fayndit (feigned), dissembled, 2397.
  Fays, foes, 3006.
    A.S. _fáh_.
  Fechtand, fighting, 2691, 3127, 3407.
    Ger. _fechten_.
  Fechteris, fighters, 686.
  Feill, knowledge, skill, 2854. J.
    A.S. _félian_.
  Fek (effect), sum, amount, result, drift, 2938.
    Fr. _effet_.
  Fell, to feel, 820, 2131.
  Fellith, feeleth, 3368.
  Fell, many; als fell, as many, 768.
    A.S. _féala_; Gothic _filu_.
  Fell, horrible, 260.
    A.S. _fell_, cruel, fierce.
  Ferde, fourth, 815, 973, 2285.
    Compare Dan. _fierde_.
  Ferleit, wondered, 3117.
    A.S. _f[´æ]r-líc_, sudden, fearful. Burns has _ferlie_.
  Fet, fetched, 433, 1154.
    A.S. _feccan_, past tense, _ic feahte_.
  Fongith, catcheth, seizeth, 1922.
    A.S. _fangan_; Goth. _fahan_.
  Forfare, to fare amiss, to perish, 1348.
    A.S. _for-faran_.
  Forlorn, lost, 3305.
    A.S. _forloren_; cf. Goth. _fra-liusan_.
  For-quhy; see _For-why_.
  { For-thi, For-thy, } (there-fore), on that account, 332, 2261, 2731.
    A.S. _forthý_; where _thý_ (Gothic _thê_) is the instrumental case
      of _se_, that.
  For-wrocht (for-wrought), over-worked, wearied out, 888.
    A.S. _forwyrcan_.
  { For-why, 798, 925, 2209, For-quhy, 2171, 2342, 2290, } for the
      reason that, because that.
  Found, to advance, go, 2612. J.
    A.S. _fundian_, to try to find, go forward.
  Franchis, generosity, 230.
    R. _franchise_.
  Fremmytneß, strangeness, alienation, 1508.
    A.S. _fremdnes_.
  Froit, enjoyment, 1644;
      fruit, 2088, 2109.
    R. _fruit_.
  Frome, from the time that, 17, 1432.
    Goth. _frums_, a beginning.
  Fruschit, broken, dashed in pieces, 1201.
    R. _frois_, broken; from the verb _froier_.
  { Fundyne, 497, Fundyng, 465, } found (past part.).
  Fyne, faithful, true, 519.
    See R. "_fine_, fidéle;" and "_fine_, foi."
  Fyne, end, 1388, 2081.
    Fr. _fin_.

  Ganith, is suitable for, 991.
    Icel. _gegna_. J. Compare Dan. _gavne_.
  Ganyth, it; it profits; _used impersonally_, 121.
    R. _gaagner_.
  Gare, to cause, 910, 2416.
    Dan. _giöre_; Icel. _göra_.
  Gart, caused, 267, 2777.
  Gentilleß, 917, 1847.
    See _Gentrice_.
  { Gentrice, 130, 2757, Gentriß, 2790. } courtesy, nobleness.
    R. _gentilesse_.
  Gere, gear, equipment, armour, 2777.
    A.S. _gearwa_.
  Gert, 384.
    See _Gart_.
  Giffis, give thou, (lit. give _ye_, the plural being used in
      addressing the king), 463.
    A.S. _gifan_.
  Gifyne, given, 1752.
  Gilt, offended, done wrong, 699, 3015.
    A.S. _gyltan_.
  Grewhundis, greyhounds, 533, 537.
    "O.N. _grey_, _grey-hundr_, a bitch." Wedgwood.
  Gowerne the, conduct thyself, 1598.
  Grawis, groves, 2481.
    Ch. _greves_.
  Gyrß, grass, 10.
    A.S. _gærs_.
  Gyß, guise, fashion, custom, 545.
    Ch. _gise_.

  Haade, had, 2150.
  Habariowne, habergeon, 2889.
    From _haubergeon_, the French form of Ger. _halsberge_.
    See _Hawbrek_.
  Habirioune, habergeon, 3380.
  Haill, whole, 3246.
    A.S. _hæl_.
  Haknay, an ambling horse for a lady, 1730.
    R. _hacquenée_.
  Half; _in the phrase_ on arthuris _half_, i.e. on Arthur's _side_,
      883.
    Compare use of Germ. _halb_.
  Halk, a hawk, 1736, 2482.
    A.S. _hafoc_.
  { Hall, Hoil, Holl, Hail, } various spellings of Haill, whole.
  Hals, neck, 1054.
    A.S. _hals_. Goth. _hals_.
  Hant, to exercise, practise, 2191.
    Fr. _hanter_, lit. to frequent.
  { Hardement, 801, 2669, Hardyment, 900, 3362, } hardihood, boldness.
    R. _hardement_.
  Harrold, herald, 1047.
  Hate, hot, 2552.
  Havith, hath, 1940;
      have, 3404.
  { Hawbrek, 1070, 1200, Hawbryk, 3112, } hauberk, neck-defence;
    Ger. _hals-berge_, armour for the neck.
  Hawnt, to use, 3418.
    See _Hant_.
  Hawntis, exercise, 2772.
  He, high, 1969, 2552.
    A.S. _háh_.
  Hecht, hight, is called, 2140;
      was called, 2290.
  Hecht, to promise, 3101;
      promised (_past part._), 1142.
    A.S. _hátan_.
  Hedis, heads, 538, 869.
  { Hewy, 442, Heuy, 459, } heavy.
    A.S. _hefig_.
  { Hie, 550, Hye, 297, } high.
    See _He_.
  Hienes, highness, 126.
  Ho, pause, stop, cessation, 2970.
    According to J. radically the same with the verb _Houe_, or
      _How_ (see _Houit_). The Dutch, however, use _hou_, hold! from
      _houden_, to hold.
  Holl, whole, 106, 745.
  Hore, hair, 365.
      "Hol[gh]e were his y[gh]en and vnder campe hores."
    (Early English Alliterative Poems; _ed._ Morris. See Poem B.
      l. 1695.) The meaning of the line quoted is, "Hollow were his
      eyes, and under bent hairs."
  Hot, hight, was called, 754, 806;
      is called, 1950.
    A.S. _hátan_ (neuter).
  Houit, delayed, tarried, halted, 996.
    "W. _hofian, hofio_, to fluctuate, hover, suspend," Morris.
  Hovith, stays, halts, 2829.
  Howit, halted, 2814, 2842.
  Howyns, halts, tarries, 2821.
    Probably miswritten for "howyng."
  Hufyng, halting, delaying, 1046.
  Hundyre, a hundred, 756, 1554.

  I, in, 332.
    Dan. _i_; Icel. _í_.
  Iclosit, y-closed; i.e. enclosed, shut in, 53.
  If, to give, 554.
    In lines 1718-1910 the word occurs repeatedly in several forms;
      as _iffis_, _iffith_, giveth; _iffis_, give ye (put for give
      thou); _ifyne_, given, etc.
  Ifyne, to give, 3454.
  Iftis, gifts, 1741.
    In the line preceding we have _giftis_.
  Ilk; the ilk (= thilk) that, 629, 1601.
    Literally, the ilk = the same.
    A.S. _ylc_. See 1367.
  Ilk, each, 2211, etc.
    A.S. _ælc_.
  Illumynare, luminary, 3.
  { Incontinent, Incontynent, } immediately, 253, 1215, 2647, 2834.
    Still used in French.
  In-to-contynent (= Incontinent), 3020.
  In to, used for "in;" _passim_.
  Iornaye, journey, 680.
  Irk, to become slothful, grow weary, tire, 2709.
    A.S. _eargian_.
  Iuperty, combat, 2547.
    Fr. _jeu parti_, a thing left undecided;
    hence the meanings, 1. strife, conflict; 2. jeopardy, as in Ch.
      See J.; and Tyrwhitt's note to C. T. 16211.
  { Iwond, 245, Iwondit, 226, } wounded.
    We find in A.S. both _wúnd_ and _wúnded_.
  I-wyß, certainly, of a surety, 1709, 1925, 1938.
    A.S. _gewís_; Ger. _gewiss_. Often _wrongly_ interpreted to mean,
      _I know_.
    See _Wit_.

  Kend, known, 548, 906.

  Laif, the remainder (lit. what is _left_), 1802, 3472.
    A.S. _láf_. Burns has "the _lave_."
  Lametable, lamentable, 3265.
    The omission of the _n_ occurs again in l. 2718, where we have
      _lemytable_.
  Larges, liberality, 608, 1681, 1750.
    Fr. _largesse_.
  Larg, prodigal, profuse, 2434.
  Lat, impediment, 958.
    A.S. _l[´æ]tan_, means (1) to suffer, (2) to hinder.
  Lat, to let, permit (used as an auxiliary verb), 803.
  Latith, preventeth, 1927.
  Lawrare, a laurel, 82.
    Ch. _laurer_.
  Learis, liars, 493.
  Led, put down, beat down, depressed, overpowered, 2663.
    It is the past tense of A.S. _lecgan_, to lay, to cause to submit,
      to kill.
  Lef, to live, 564, 3230.
  Leful, lawful, 1427.
  Legis, lieges, subjects, 1957.
    R. _lige_; Lat. _ligatus_.
  Leich, leech, physician, 106.
    A.S. _l[´æ]ce_; Dan. _læge_.
    See 520, 2056.
  Leif, to live, 952, 1392.
    A.S. _lybban_; Goth. _liban_.
  Leir, to learn, 1993.
    Comp. D. _leeren_.
  Lest, to list, to please, 555, 621.
    A.S. _lystan_.
  Lest, to last out against, sustain, 811.
    A.S. _l[´æ]stan_.
  Lest, least, 1628.
  Let, hindrance, 2495.
  Leuch, laughed, 3240.
    A.S. _hlihan_, past tense _ic hloh_.
  Lewis, liveth, 1209.
  Lewith, left, deserted, 1854.
  Liging, 376.
    The sense requires _lay_, i.e. the _3rd p. s. pt. t. indic._,
      but properly the word is the present participle, _lying_.
  Longith, belongeth, 738, 1921, 2429, 2778.
    Compare Dan. _lange_, to reach.
  Longith, belonged, 3242.
  Longyne, belonging, 433.
  Lorn, lost, 2092;
      destroyed, 2740.
    See _For-lorn_.
  Loß, praise, 1777.
    Lat. _laus_. Ch. has _losed_, praised.
  { Low, Lowe, } (1) law, 1602, 1628, 1636, etc.
    (2) love, 29, 1620.
    It is sometimes hard to say which is meant.
    Compare Dan. _lov_, law; A.S. _luf_, love.
  Luges, tents, 874, 881, 2500, 2680.
    Fr. _loge_, _logis_; Ger. _laube_, a bower, from _laub_, foliage;
      Gothic _laúf_, a leaf.
  Lugyne, a lodging, tent, 891.
  Lyt, a little, 1233.
    At lyte, in little, used as an expletive, 143.

  Ma, short form of Make, 953.
  Maad, made, 697.
  Magre of, in spite of, 500, 960, 2679, 2702, 2711.
    Sometimes "magre" is found without "of."
    Fr. _mal gré_.
  { Matalent, Matelent, } displeasure, anger, 2169, 2660.
    In both cases Mr Stevenson wrongly has _maltalent_. R. _maltalent,
      mautalent_.
  Mayne, 1026.
    See _Men_.
  Medyre, mediator (?), 1624.
    I am not at all sure of this word, but we find in R. many strange
      forms of "mediator," such as _méener, méeisneres_, etc. In the
      Supplement to the "Dictionnaire de l'Academie" we find
      _mediaire_, qui occupe le milieu, from Low Lat. _mediarius_.
    N.B. In the MS. the "d" is indistinct.
    See _mediare_ in Ducange.
  Meit, to dream, 363.
    A.S. _mætan_.
  Mekill, much, 876, 1236.
    Mokil, 1265.
  Melle, contest, battle, 2619.
    Fr. _melée_, J.
  Memoratyve, mindful, bearing in remembrance, 1430.
    Fr. _mémoratif_.
  Men, mean, way; "be ony men" = by any means, 2366;
      so, too, "be ony mayne," 1026.
    Fr. _moyen_.
  Men, to tell, declare, 510.
    A.S. _mænan_.
  Menye, a company, multitude (without special reference to number);
      whence "a few menye," a small company, 751.
    Apparently from A.S. _menigu_; Ger. _menge_; but it may have
      nothing to do with the modern word _many_, and is more probably
      from the O.F. _maisnée_, a household.
  Met, dreamt, 440.
    See _Meit_.
  Meyne, 41.
    See _Men_.
  Misgyit, misguided, 1663.
    R. _guier_.
  Mo, more, 3187, etc.
    A.S. _má_.
  Mon, man, 96.
  Moneth, month, 569.
    A.S. _mónáð_; Goth. _menoth_.
  Morow, morning, 1, 30, 64, 341.
    Goth. _maúrgins_.
  Mot, must, 195.
    A.S. _ic mót_.
  Mys, a fault, 1888, 1937, 3230.
    A.S. _mis_. Do o myß, to commit a fault, 1926.
  Mysour, measure, 1830.
  Myster, need, 1877, 2322.
    Ch. _mistere_; R. _mester_; Lat. _ministerium_. Cf. Ital.
      _mestiere_.

  Nat, naught, 703.
    Shortened from A.S. _ná wuht_, i.e. _no whit_.
  Nece, nephew, 2200, 2245, 2720.
    R. _niez_.
  Nedlyngis, of necessity, 2337, J.
    A.S. _neádinga_.
  Nemmyt, considered, estimated, 649, 2852.
    A.S. _nemnan_, to name, call.
  Ner, near, 441.
  Neulyngis, newly, again, 36, J.
    A.S. _níwe-líce_ (?).
  Newis, for Nevis, nieves, fists, 1222.
    Icel. _hnefi_. Dan. _næve_. Burns has _nieve_; Shakspeare _neif_.
  Noght, not, 1182.
  Noiß, nose, 2714.
    R. _néis_.
  Nome, name, 226, 320, 1546, 3341.
    Fr. _nomme_.
  Nome, took, 591, 1048.
    A.S. _niman_, past tense, _ic nám_.
  Northest, north-east, 677.
  Not (shortened from Ne wot), know not, 522, 3144.
    A.S. _nát_, from _nitan_ = _ne witan_.
  Not, naught, 720.
    See _Nat_.
  Noyith, annoyeth, 904.
    Fr. _nuire_. Lat. _nocere_.
  Noyt, annoyed, offended, 471.
  { Nys, Nyce, } (nice), foolish, 127, 1946.
    Fr. _niais_.

  O, a, an, _passim_; one, a single, 2998, 3003, 3393, etc.
  Obeisand, obedient, 641.
  Obeß, obey, 2134.
  Oblist, obliged, 969.
  Occupye, to use, employ, 3457;
      to dwell, 75.
    Lat. _occupare_.
  Of, with, 66.
  Oft-syß, oft-times, 2304, 2594, 2789, 2885, 2929.
    See _Syß_.
  On, and, 519.
    Possibly a mistake.
  One, on, often used for In; One to = unto.
  { Onan, Onone, Onon, } anon, 158, 1466, 2602, etc.
    The form "onan," l. 3086, suggests the derivation of _anon_; viz.
      from A.S. _on-án_, in one; hence, forthwith, immediately.
  Onys, once, at some time or other, 3013;
      at onys, at once, 3187.
  { Opin, 1286, Opine, 13, } open.
  Or, ere, before, 77, 1887, 2545.
    A.S. _[´æ]r_.
  Ordand, to set in array, 784;
      to prepare, procure, 1713.
    R. _ordener_; Lat. _ordinare_.
  Ordan, to provide, 2416, 2777.
  Ordynat, ordained, 490.
    See l. 507.
  Orest (= Arest), to arrest, stop, 3186.
  Orient, east, 5.
  Oucht, it; it is the duty of (= Lat. _debet_), 2995.
    Strictly, we should here have had "it owes" (_debet_), not "it
      ought" (_debuit_).
    See _Aw_.
  Ourfret, over-adorned, decked out, 71, 2480.
    A.S. _frætwian_, to trim, adorn.
  Out-throng (= Lat. _expressit_), expressed, uttered, 65.
    A.S. _út_, out, and _þringan_, to press.
  Owtrag, outrage, 3454.
    R. _outrage_; Ital. _oltraggio_, from Lat. _ultra_.
    The MS. has _outray_, probably owing to confusion with _affray_
      in the same line.
    We find "owtrag" in l. 2578.
  Oyß, to use, 1701, J.

  Paid, pleased; ill paid, displeased, 908.
    Low Lat. _pagare_, to pay, satisfy.
  Pal[gh]onis, pavilions, tents, 734;
    _plural of_
  Pal[gh]oune, a pavilion, a tent, 1305.
    R. gives _pavillon_, a tent; cf. Low Lat. _papilio_, a tent.
  Pan, pain, 1273.
  Pas hyme, to pace, go, 362.
  Paß, to go, 1213.
  Pasing, pacing, departing, 371;
      surpassing, 303, 346, 689, etc.
  Pens, to think of, 1431.
    Fr. _penser_.
  Planly, at once, 3319.
    J. gives "Playn, out of hand, like Fr. _de plain_." In the same
      line "of" = off.
  Plant, plaint, complaint, 137.
    Fr. _plainte_.
  Plesance, Plesans, pleasure, 941, 1939.
  Plessith, pleases, 68.
  Possede, to possess, 578.
    Fr. _posseder_.
  Poware, a power, a strong band of men, 2647. We now say _force_.
  Powert, poverty, 1330, 1744.
  Pref, to prove, 2229, 3476.
  Prekand, pricking, spurring, 3089.
    See the very first l. of Spenser's _Faerie Queene_.
  Prekyne, 2890, showy(?), gaudy(?).
    J. gives "Preek, to be spruce; to crest; as 'A bit _preekin_
      bodie,' one attached to dress; _to prick_, to dress oneself."
    Compare D. _prijcken_.
  Pretend, to attempt, aspire to, 3282, 3465.
    Fr. _prétendre_. So, too, in lines 559, 583.
  Pretendit, endeavour, attempt, 3442.
  Process, narration, 316.
    Wright gives "Proces, a story or relation, a process." The writer
      is referring to his prologue or introduction.
  Promyt, to promise, 965.
  Proponit, proposed, 361, 445.
  Pupil, people, 285.
  Puple, people, 1367, 1498, 1520.
  { Pur, 1648, Pure, 1697, Pwre, 1655, } poor.


  Quh-. Words beginning thus begin in modern English with Wh. Thus,
      Quhen = when, etc.
  Quhilk (whilk), which, 184.
    A.S. _hwylc_ = Lat. _qualis_ rather than _qui_.
  Quhill, while, _used as a noun_, 1229, 1293.
    A.S. _hwíl_, a period of time.
  Quhill, until, 24, 198.
    See _Whill_.
  Quhy; the quhy = the why, the reason, 123, 1497.
  Qwhelis, wheels, 736.
    A.S. _hweol_.
  Qwheyar, whether, 1187.
  { Quhois, Qwhois, } whose, 171, 1297.

  Rachis, hounds, 531.
    Su-G. _racka_, a bitch, which from the v. _racka_, to race,
      course. Perhaps connected with _brach_.
  Radur, fear, 1489, J.
    From Su-G. _rædd_, fearful; Dan. _ræd_.
  { Raddour, 2133, Radour, 1835, 3465, } fear.
  Raid, rode, 3070, 3260, etc.
  Ralef, relieve, 3364.
  Ramed, remedy, 117.
    See _Remed_.
  Randoune, in, 2542.
    The corresponding line (l. 739) suggests that _in Randoune_ =
      _al about_, i.e. in a circuit. But if we translate it by "in
      haste," or "in great force," we keep nearer to the true
      etymology. In Ogilvie's Imperial Dictionary, _s.v._ Random,
      we find the Nor. Fr. _randonnée_ explained to mean the "sweeping
      circuit made by a wounded and frightened animal;" but the true
      meaning of _randonnée_ is certainly _force, impetuosity_; see
      R., Cotgrave, etc. In Danish, _rand_ is a surrounding edge or
      margin; while in Dutch we find _rondom_ round about.
  Raquer, require, 2409.
  Raß, race, swift course, 3088.
    A.S. _r[´æ]s_. Compare Eng. _mill-race_, and D. _ras_.
  Recidens, delay, 2359.
    R. _residier_, to defer.
  Recist, resist, 566, 660, 2578.
  Recounterit, met (in a hostile manner), encountered, 2958.
    Fr. _rencontrer_.
  Record, witness, testimony; hence value, 388.
    R. _record_.
  Recorde, to speak of, mention;
    hard recorde, heard say, 121, 595.
  Recorde, speak out, 454, 481.
    See R. _recorder_.
  Recordith, is suitable, belongs, 606.
  Recourse, to return, 1798.
    Lat. _recurrere_.
  Red, to advise, 1027, 1198.
    A.S. _r[´æ]dan_; Goth. _rêdan_.
  Relewit (relieved), lifted up again, rescued, 2617.
    Fr. _relever_. J.
  { Remede, 89, Remed, 718, } remedy.
  Remuf, remove, 655.
  Report, to narrate, 266;
      to explain, 294;
      to state, 320.
  Reprefe, reproof, defeat, 764.
  Reput, he reputed, i.e. thought, considered, 743.
  Resauit, received, 2796.
  Resawit, received, kept, 2106.
    We should have expected to find "reseruit."
  Resonite, resounded, 66.
  Resydens, delay, 670.
    See _Recidens_.
  { Revare, 275, Rewar, 2893, Rewere, 2812, } river.
  Reweyll, proud, haughty, 2853.
    R. _revelé_, fier, hautain, orgueilleux. Compare Lat. _rebellare_.
  Richwysneß, righteousness, 1406.
    A.S. _rihtwísnes_.
  { Rigne, 94, 1527, Ring, 1468, Ringe, 1325, } a kingdom.
    Fr. _régne_. Ch. _regne_.
  Rignis, kingdoms, 1858.
  Rignis, Rignith, reigneth, 1825, 782.
  Ringne, a kingdom, 1952.
  Rout, a company, a band, 812, 2956, 3403.
    Rowt, 2600.
  Rowmyth, roometh, i.e. makes void, empties, 3390.
    A.S. _rúmian_.
  Rown, run; _past part._ 2488, 2820.
  Rwn, run, 2545.
  Rygnis, kingdoms, 1904.
  Ryne, to run, 113. See 2952.
  Ryng, to reign, 1409, 2130.

  Sa, so, 3322, 3406.
    Dan. _saa_.
  Saade, said, 698.
  Salust, saluted, 546, 919, 1553, 2749.
    Ch. _salewe_.
  Salosing, salutation, 1309.
  Sar, sorely, 1660.
  Sauch, saw, 817, 1219, 1225.
    A.S. _ic seáh_, from _seón_.
  Schawin, shewn, 2387.
  Schent, disgraced, ruined, 1880.
    A.S. _scendan_; Dan. _skiænde_.
  Schrewit, accursed, 1945.
  Scilla, the name of a bird, also called Ciris, 2483.
    ----"plumis in avem mutata vocatur
    Ciris, et a tonso est hoc nomen adepta capillo."
      --(Ovid, Met. viii. 150.)
  Screwis, shrews, ill-natured persons, 1053.
    More often used of males than females in old authors.
  Sedulis, letters, 142.
    R. _cedule_.
  Sege, a seat, 2258.
    Fr. _siége_.
  Semble, a warlike assembly, hostile gathering, 988, 2206.
  Semblit, assembled, 845.
    G. _sammeln_; from Goth. _sama_, _samana_.
  Semblyng, encountering, 2951.
    See _Assemble_.
  Sen, since, 709, 800, etc.
      Sen at, since that. In Piers Plowman we find _syn_.
  Septure, sceptre, 666.
  Sere, several, various, 594, 731, 746.
    "Su-G. _sær_, adv. denoting separation." J. Cf. Lat. _se-_.
  Sess, to cease, 14, etc.
    Fr. _cesser_.
  Set, although.
  Sew, to follow up, seek, 2326.
    R. _suir_; Fr. _suivre_.
  Sew, to follow up, go, proceed, 3145.
    Sewyt, 2614.
  Shauyth, shewith, 412.
  Sice, such, 2115.
    Scotch, _sic_.
  Snybbyth, snubs, checks, 3387.
    Comp. D. _sneb_, a beak; _snebbig_, snappish.
  Sobing, sobbing, moaning, 2658.
  { Socht, Soght, } sought to go; and hence, made his (or their) way,
      proceeded, went, 2619, 3179, 3357, 3428.
  Sought one, advanced upon, attacked, 3149, 3311.
  Sought to, made his way to, 3130.
    A.S. _sécan_, past tense _ic sóhte_, to seek, approach, go towards.
  Sor, sorrow, anxiety, 74.
    A.S. _sorh_; Goth. _saúrga_.
  Sort, lot, fate, 26.
    Fr. _sort_.
  Sound, to be consonant with, 149.
    See Gloss. to Tyrwhitt's Chaucer.
    Lat. _sonare_.
  Soundith, 1811. "So the puple soundith," so the opinion of the
    people tends.
      "As fer as _souneth_ into honestee."
        (Chaucer: _Monkes Prologue_.)
  Soundith, tend, 1943;
      tends, 149.
  Sown, sound, 1035.
    Fr. _son_.
  Sownis, sounds, 772, 3436.
  Spent, fastened, clasped, 2809.
    A.S. _spannan_, to clasp, join. Comp. Dan. _spænde_, to stretch,
      span, buckle together.
  { Spere, Spir, } sphere, 6, 170;
  speris, spheres, circuits, 24.
  Spere, to inquire, 1170.
    A.S. _spirian_, to track. Cf. G. _spur_.
  Sperithis, spear's, 810.
  Spill, to destroy, ruin, 1990.
    A.S. _spillan_.
  Spreit, spirit, 81, 364.
  Stak, 226. J. gives "to the steeks, _completely_;" and this is the
      sense here.
    See Jamieson: s.v. "Steik." Halliwell gives _stake_, to block up;
      also _steck_, a stopping place (cf. Shakespeare's
      _sticking-place_, Macb. i. vii. l. 60). In the N. of France it
      is said of one killed or severely wounded, _il a eu son
      estoque_, he has had his belly-ful; from _estoquer_, to cram,
      satiate, "stodge."
    Compare Ital. _stucco_, cloyed. It has also been suggested that
      _to the stak_ may mean to the _stock_, i.e. up to the hilt,
      very deeply.
  Start, started up, leapt, 994, 1094.
  Stede, stead, place, 218, 1124.
    A.S. _stede_.
  Steir, to stir, 817.
    A.S. _stirian_.
  Stekith, shuts, 1651.
    Ger. _stecken_. Burns has _steek_.
  Stek, shut, concluded, 316.
  Stell, steel, 809.
    Stell commonly means a stall, or fixed place; but the form
      _stell_ for _steel_ occurs; e.g. "Brounstelle was heuy and
      also kene." _Arthur_, l. 97.
  { Sterapis, 3056, Steropis, 3132, } stirrups.
    A.S. _stí-rap_ or _stíge-ráp_, from _stígan_, to mount, and
      _ráp_, rope.
  Stere, ruler, arbiter, 1020;
      control, guidance, 1974.
  Stere, to rule, control, 1344, 2884,
    A.S. _stýran_.
  Stere, to stir, move, go, 3430.
    See _Steir_.
  Sterith, stirreth, 2829.
  Sterf, to die, 1028.
    A.S. _steorfan_.
  Sterit, governed, 612.
    A.S. _stýran_.
  Stert, started, 377.
  Stok, the stake to which a baited bear is chained, 3386.
  Stour, conflict, 1108, 2607, 3124.
    R. _estour_.
  Straucht, stretched out, 3090.
    A.S. _streccan_, past part. _gestreht_.
  Strekith, stretcheth, i.e. exciteth to his full stride, 3082.
  { Subiet, 1799, Subeitis, 1828, Subiettis, 1878, } subject;
      subjects.
  Sudandly, Sodandly, suddenly, 1009, 1876.
  Suet, sweet, 331.
  Suppris, (surprise), overwhelming power, 691, 860, 2651;
      oppression, 1352.
    Fr. _surprendre_, to catch unawares.
  Supprisit, overwhelmed, 1237, 1282;
      overpowered, 2705, 3208.
    Supprisit ded, suddenly killed, 3125.
  Surry[gh]enis, surgeons, 2726.
  Suth, sooth, true, 110.
    A.S. _sóð_.
  Suthfastnes, truth, 1183.
    A.S. _sóðfæstnes_.
  Sutly, soothly, truly, 963.
  Swelf, a gulf such as is in the centre of a whirlpool, a vortex,
      1318, J.
    A.S. _swelgan_, to swallow up.
  Sweuen, a dream, 440.
    A.S. _swefn_.
  Swth, sooth, true, 2753.
    See _Suth_.
  { Syne, 2026, Synne, 2029, } sin.
  Syne, afterwards, next. J. 45, 794, etc.
  Syß, times, 3054.
    A.S. _sið_.

  { Tais, 1095, 3005, Taiis, 1141. } takes. Abbreviated, as "ma" is
      from "make."
    See _Ma_.
  Tane, taken, 264.
  Ten, grief, vexation, 2646, 3237.
    A.S. _teonan_, to vex.
  Tennandis, tennants, vassals holding fiefs, 1729.
    R. _tenancier_.
  Than, then, 3111.
  The, (1) they, (2) thee, (3) thy.
  Thelke, that, 709.
    See l. 629, where _the ilk_ occurs; and see _Ilk_.
  Thir, these, those, 2734, 2745, 2911, 3110, etc.
  Thithingis, tidings, 2279.
    A.S. _tidan_, to happen.
  Tho, then, 545, 2221;
      them, 2368.
  Thoore, there, 628. Thore, 1102.
  Thrid, third, 370, 2347, 2401.
    A.S. _þridda_.
  Throng, closely pressed, crowded, 3366.
    A.S. _þringan_.
  Til, to; til have, to have, 706.
  Tint, lost, 1384.
    See _Tyne_.
  Tithandis, tidings, 2310.
  Tithingis, tidings, 902, 2336.
  To, too, besides, 3045.
  Togidder, together, 254.
  To-kerwith, carves or cuts to pieces; al to-kerwith, cuts all to
      pieces, 868.
    A.S. _to-ceorfian_. The prefix _to-_ is intensive, and forms a
      part of the verb. See Judges ix. 53: "All to-brake his skull;"
      i.e. utterly brake; sometimes misprinted "all to break" (!).
  Ton, taken, 1054, 1071.
  Ton, one; the ton, the one, 1822.
    The tone = A.S. _þæt áne_.
  To-schent, disfigured, 1221.
    The intensive form of the A.S. verb _scendan_, to shame, destroy.
      In the same line we have _to-hurt_, and in the next line
      _to-rent_, words modelled on the same form. We find, e.g.,
      in Spenser, the forms _all to-rent_, _all to-brus'd_. (See the
      note on the prefix _To-_ in the Glossary to William of Palerne.)
  Tothir, the other, 2536.
    The tothir = A.S. _þæt oþere_, where _þæt_ is the neuter gender
      of the definite article. Burns has _the tither_.
  Toyer (= tother), the other;
    _y_ being written for the A.S. _þ_ (_th_), 2571, 2584.
  Traist, to trust, to be confident, 390, 1129, 1149, J.
    Trast, 1659.
  Traisting of (trusting), reliance upon, or expectation of, 25, J.
  { Translat, 508, Transulat, 2204, } to transfer, remove.
  Tratory, treachery, 3224.
    See R. _traïtor_.
  Trety, treatise, 145.
    Fr. _traité_.
  Trewis, truce, 1568, 2488, 2545.
  { Tronsione, 239, Trunscyoune, 2962, Trownsciown, 2890, }
      a truncheon, a stump of a spear.
    Fr. _tronçon_; from Lat. _truncus_.
    In the last passage it means a sceptre, _bâton_.
      "One hytte hym vpon the oldé wounde
      Wyth A tronchon of an ore;" (oar.)
      (Le Morte Arthur, l. 3071.)
  Troucht, truth, 161.
  { Tueching, 403, Tweching, 386, } touching.
  Tyne, to lose, 1258, 1387.
    Icel. _týna_.
  Tynith, loseth, 1761.
  Tynt, lost, 175, 1384, 1521.

  Unwist, unknown, 1140.

  Valis, falls; we should read "falis," 2475.
  Valkyne, to waken, 8.
    See _Awalk_.
  Vall, billow, wave, 1317.
    Ger. _welle_, a wave; _quelle_, a spring; Icel. _vella_, to _well_
      up, boil. Cf. also A.S. _wæl_; Du. _wiel_; Lancashire _weele_,
      an eddy, whirlpool. So, too, in Burns:--
    "Whyles owre a linn the burnie plays,
      As thro' the glen it wimpl't;
    Whyles round a rocky scaur it stays,
      Whyles in a _wiel_ it dimpl't."
  Varand, to warrant, protect, 3411.
    R. _warandir_.
  Varnit, warned, 622.
  Vassolag, a deed of prowess.
    Pasing vassolag, surpassing valour, 257.
    R. has _vasselage_, courage, valour, valourous deeds, as
      indicative of the fulfilment of the duties of a _vassal_.
      We now speak of rendering _good service_.
  Vassolage, valour, 2724.
  Veir, were, 818.
  Veris, wars, 305.
    See _Were_.
  Veryng, were, 2971.
    A.S. _w[´æ]ron_.
  Vicht, a wight, a person, 10, 55, 67.
    A.S. _wiht_.
  Virslyng, wrestling, struggling, 3384.
    J. gives the forms _warsell, wersill_.
  Visare, wiser, 607.
  Viting, to know, 410.
    A.S. _witan_.
  Vncouth, lit. _unknown_; hence little known, rare, valuable, 1734.
    A.S. _uncúð_.
  Vodis, woods, 1000.
  Vombe, womb, bowels, 375.
    Goth. _wamba_.
  Vondit, wounded, 700.
  Vpwarpith, warped up, i.e. drawn up, 63.
    See Note to this line. It occurs in Gawain Douglas's prologue to
      his translation of the 12th Book of the Æneid.
    Du. _opwerpen_, from Goth. _waírpan_, to cast.
  Vsyt, used, 1197, 1208.
  Vyre, a cross-bow bolt, 1092.
    R. _vire_; cf. Lat. _vertere_.

  Wald, would, 419, 470, etc.
  Walkin, to waken, wake, 1239.
    See _Awalk_.
  Wapnis, weapons, 241.
    A.S. _w[´æ]pen_, or _w[´æ]pn_.
  Ward, world, 3184.
    Grose's Provincial Dictionary gives _Ward_ = world; and the
      omission of the _l_ is not uncommon; see _Genesis and Exodus_
      (E.E.T.S.), ll. 32, 1315.
  Wassolage, valour, 2708.
    See _Vassolag_.
  Wat, know, 512.
  Wawasouris, vavasours, 1729.
    A _Vavasour_ was a sub-vassal, holding a small fief dependent on
      a larger fief; a sort of esquire.
    R. _vavaseur_.
  Weil, very. Weil long, a very long time, 79.
    Comp. Ger. _viel_, J.
  Wencussith, vanquisheth, 3331;
      vanquished, 3337.
  Wencust, vanquished, 2841.
  Wend, (1) to go, 2191;
    (2) weened, thought, 3481.
  Wentail, ventaile, a part of the helmet which opened to admit air,
      1056.
    R. _ventaile_; from Lat. _ventus_.
  Were, (1) war. Fr. _guerre_. R. _werre_, 308, etc.
    (2) doubt, 84, etc. "But were," without doubt. A.S. _w[´æ]r_,
      cautious, _wary_.
    (3) worse, 1930. Burns has _waur_.
  Wering, weary, 58.
    A.S. _wérig_.
  Werray, very, true, 1262, 2017.
  Werroure, warrior, 248.
  Weriour, warrior, 663.
  Wers, worse, 515.
  Weryng, were, 2493.
  Wex, to be grieved, be vexed, 156.
  Weyn, vain, 382, 524.
  Weyne, _in phr._ but weyne, without doubt, 2880.
    A.S. _wénan_, to ween, to suppose.
  Whill, until, 1136, J. Formed from A.S. _hwíl_, a period of time.
  Wice, advice, counsel, 1909.
    Shortened from Awys.
  Wichsaif, vouchsafe, 355, 1391.
  Wichsauf, _id._ 2364.
  Wicht, wight, person, 131.
  Wicht, strong, nimble, 248.
    "Su-G. _wig_" J. Sw. _vig_.
  Wight, with, 918. Possibly miswritten.
  Wist, knew, 225, 1047.
    See _Wit_.
  Wit, to know, 268.
    A.S. _witan_; pres. _ic wát_, past tense, _ic wiste_.
  Wit, knowledge, 2504.
  With, by, 723.
  Withschaif, vouchsafe, 1458.
  With-thy, on this condition, 961.
    See _For-thy_.
  Wnkouth, little known, 146.
    See _Vncouth_.
  Wnwemmyt, undefiled, 2097.
    A.S. _wam, wem_, a spot.
  Wnwyst, unknown, secretly, 219, 269.
  Wod (wood), mad, 3334, 3440.
    A.S. _wód_. Goth. _wôds_.
  Woid, mad, 2695. Perhaps we should read _woud_.
  Wonde, wand, rod, or sceptre of justice, 1601, 1891. J.
  Wonk, winked, 1058.
  Wonne, to dwell, 2046.
    A.S. _wunian_.
  Worschip, honour, 1158, 1164.
    A.S. _weorð-scipe_.
  Wot, know, 192, etc.
    See _Wit_.
  Wox, voice, 13.
    Lat. _vox_.
  Woyß, voice, 3473.
  Wrechitnes, misery, 2102;
      miserliness, niggardliness, 1795, 1859.
  Wy, reason; "to euery wy," for every reason, on all accounts, 2356.
    Compare _Quhy_.
  Wycht, strong, nimble, 2592.
    See _Wicht_.
  Wynyth, getteth, acquireth, 1832.
  Wyre, a cross-bow bolt, 3290.
    See _Vyre_.
  Wys, vice, 1795.
    Wysis, 1540.

  Y, written for "th." Thus we find "oyer" for "other," etc. The
      error arose with scribes who did not understand either the
      true form or force of the old symbol þ.
  Yaf, gave, 387.
  Yald, yield, 553;
      yielded, 558.
    A.S. _gildan_.
  Yclepit, called, 414.
  Yef, give, 563.
  Yeif, give, 923.
  Yer, year, 610.
    Used instead of the plural "yeris," as in l. 3243.
  Yewyne, given, 1500.
  Ygrave, buried, 1800.
    Comp. Ger. _begraben_.
  Yhere, ear, 1576.
  Yher, year, 2064.
    Used instead of "yheris," 3243.
  Yhis, yes, 1397.
  Yis, yes, 514;
      this, 160.
  Ylys, isles, 2858, 2882.
  Ymong, among, 821.
  Yneuch, enough, 2135.
    A.S. _genog_.
  Yolde, yielded (to be), 951, 1088.
  Ystatut, appointed, 2529.
    Fr. _statuer_.
  Ywyß, certainly, 1798, 1942.
    See _Iwyß_.

  [Gh]eme, to take of, regard, have respect to, 665.
    A.S. _géman_.
  [Gh]ere, year, 342.
  [Gh]erys, years, 23, 1432.
  [Gh]ewith, giveth, 1772.
  [Gh]ha, yes, 2843.
    Ger. _ja_.
  [Gh]he, ye, 921.
    Observe that, as in this line, _ye_ (A.S. _ge_) is the _nominative_,
    and _you_ (A.S. _eów_) the _objective_ case.
  [Gh]hed, went, 1486.
    Ch. has _yede_.
    A.S. _ic eóde_, past tense of _gán_, to go.
    Goth. _ik ïddja_, past tense of _gaggan_, to go.
  [Gh]her, year, 2064, 2274.
  [Gh]hing, young, 2868.
  [Gh]his, yes, 1397.
  [Gh]houth-hed, youth-hood, youth, 2772.
  [Gh]hud, went, 2696.
    See _[Gh]hed_.
  [Gh]is, yes, 3406.
  [Gh]olde, yielded, 291, 380, 951.
    A.S. _ic geald_, past tense of _gyldan_, to pay, to yield.
  [Gh]ude, went, 2944.
    See _[Gh]hed_.




INDEX OF NAMES, ETC.


  Albanak, 202, 1447.
  Alexander, 1837.
  Alphest, 57.
  Amytans, 1304, 2446.
  Angus, 2858.
  April, 1.
  Arachell, 434.
  Aries, 336.
  Arthur (_passim_).

  Ban, 202, 1447.
  Bible, the, 1483.
  Brandellis, 3086.
  Brandymagus, 2884, 3430.

  Camelot, 275, 280, 357, 407.
  Cardole, 2153.
  Carlisle, 347.
  Christ, 2046.
  Clamedeus, 2881, 3259.

  Dagenet, 278.
  Daniel, 1365.
  Dan[gh]elome, 435.

  Esquyris, 2591, 2609, etc.

  First-conquest king, 1064, etc.; 2568, etc.

  Gahers, 3087.
  Galiot (_passim_).
  Galys Gwyans, 2605, 2613, etc.
  Galygantynis, 599.
  Galloway, 2690.
  Gawane (_passim_).
  Gwynans or Gwyans. See _Galys_.
  Gyonde or Gyande, 302, 551, 637.

  Harwy, 2853, 3206, etc.
  Herynes (_i.e._ Hermes), 436.
  Hundred knights, king of, 1545, 1554.

  Jhesu, 2046, 2096.

  Kay, 254, 355, 3081, etc.

  Lady of the Lake, 220, 223.
  Lancelot (_passim_);
    appears as the _red_ knight, 991, etc.;
    as the _black_ knight, 2430, etc.
  Logris, 2301.

  Maleginis, 806.
    See _Malenginys_.
  Malenginys, 2873, 3151, 3155.
    See also _Hundred knights, king of_.
  May, 12.
  Melyhalt, 283, 895.
  Melyhalt, lady of (_passim_).
  Moses, 436.

  Nembrot (_i.e._ Nimrod), 435.
  Nohalt, 255.

  Phoebus, 24, 2472, 2486.
  Priapus, 51.

  Round Table, 795, 3213.

  Saturn, 2474.
  Scilla, 2483.
  Solomon, 1378.
  Sygramors, 3083.

  Titan, 335.

  Valydone, 3249.
    See _Walydeyne_.
  Vanore, 575.
    See _Wanore_.
  Virgin (Mary), 2049, 2087, etc.
  Venus, 309.

  Wales, 599, 2153.
  Walydeyne, 2879.
  Wanore, 230.
  Wryne, 2867.

  Ydrus, 2851, 3152.
  Ywan, 2606, 2618, etc.
  Ywons, 2861.


JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

       *       *       *       *       *
           *       *       *       *
       *       *       *       *       *

Errors and Inconsistencies (noted by transcriber):

_The word "invisible" means that there is an appropriately sized blank
space, but the character itself is missing. In the two primary texts
(French and Scottish), errors in editorial punctuation have been
corrected, while other apparent errors are noted but not changed. For
the French text, it was assumed that Skeat's word "commas" includes
"inverted commas" or quotation marks._

_The form "reflective" (for "reflexive") is used consistently._

_In the primary text, the following unexpected forms are not
individually noted:_

  capital I at mid-sentence or mid-word
  non-final round s; final long s
  non-initial v; initial u
  word-final [s]ß (apparent "sss")


_Preface_

  fancy a Southern copyist making the blunder."  [blunder.']
  between _thou_ and _ye_ (_William of Palerne_, Pref. p. xli)
    [_printed "William of Palerne" in roman (plain) type_]


_"Appendix"_ (French romance)

  [Footnote A16: Lines 281-292.]  [_missing ._]
  "Sire nous ne vous en scairions que dire."  [_final . invisible_]
  "Certes," fait le maistre, "nous auons veu une chose
    [_missing open quote before "nous"_]
  | ne fleur qui parlast |"
    [_printed as shown, with close quote after pipe_]
  "quelle royne" fait il "Le fe{m}me au roy artus," fait lescuyer.
    [_missing . after "fait il"_]
  "scauez vous bien qui la dame est que vous regardez?"
    [_missing open quote_]
  que nul dentreulz ne demeure a cheual  [_final . missing_]
  "ne de la myenne non est il mye."  [_final . invisible_]
  "Non," | fait gallehault.  [_comma after "Non" invisible_]
  "Dame, ouy | ie vo{us} enuoyay peux pucelles."
    [_printed as shown: error for "deux"_]
  fustes vous ce qui iettastes messire Gauain de prison?"
    [_text unchanged: elsewhere "Gauuain"_]
  [Sidenote: ... two rascals killed his horse, and Ywain gave him
  another.]
    [_text unchanged: elsewhere "Yvain"_]
  "Et vous combatistes vous a luy"  [_no question mark_]
  Dame, vous scauez que ie vous ayme sur toutes
    [_printed as shown: error for "il vous ayme"?_]
  Et ie dys, "a dieu! dame." Et vous distes "a dieu! mon beau
  doulx amy!"
    [_printed as shown: inner and outer quotes both use double
    quotation marks_]


_Notes to "Appendix"_

  P. xxiv. ... _brouyr_ (_brûler_), being burnt.
      [_printed "brûler" in roman (plain) type_]


_Lancelot_

  197  Quhare that I my{hc}t [s]u{m} wnkouth mat{er} fynde,
    [_text unchanged: error for "my{ch}t"?_]
  297  Nor thing I not of his hye ren[-o]wn
    [_text unchanged: error for "think"?_]
  648  The neid is myne, I fall It not delay;
    [_text unchanged: error for "sall" (i.e. shall)?_]
  1360  Thar ned, and kep them to ry{ch}twyneß;
    [_text unchanged: error for "ry{ch}twy[s]neß"?_]
  1433  And as his mai[s]ter hyme commandit hade,
    [_final "e" conjectural_]
  1641  And punyß for, for o thing [s]hal yow know
    [_text unchanged: error for "[s]or, for"?_]
  2016  [Fol. 25b.]  [_final . invisible_]
  2146-47  His leve, one to to his cuntre for to goñe;
  And al the o[s]t makith none abyde,
    [_text unchanged: error for "one to his"? (As printed, does not
    fit metre; another edition has "one to his".)
    Missing syllable in second line?_]
  2308  Eft fupir one to o chalm{er} ar thei went,
    [_text unchanged: error for "[s]upir"?_]
  [Footnote T60: ... "lorne," as in line 2092.]  [_final . missing_]
  [Sidenote: Then Galys Gwynans, brother of Ywan,]
  2605  Than galys gwynans, w{i}t{h} o manly hart,
    [_sidenote text has "Than" as in body text; both have "Gwynans"
    instead of the usual "Gwyans"_]
  3104  Bot deth or vthir adwentur me fall."
    [_close quote missing_]
  [3380]  [Sidenote: ... resist his sword.]  [_final . missing_]

_Notes_

  [Introductory paragraph]
  _vthir_ means _uthir_, i.e., _other_  [i.e,]
  P. 25, l. 820. ... "His enemies began his mortall strokes to feel."
    [_spelling unchanged_]
  P. 33, l. 1109. _Galyot_ put for _Galiotes_
    [_illegible "t" in "Galyot" restored from body text_]
  P. 71 ... 2436. _ellis-quhat_
    [_text unchanged; body text has two words "ellis quhat"_];
  P. 84 ... 2884. _to led and stere_, to lead and direct.
    [_comma missing or invisible_]
  P. 90, l. 3065. ... "encresing in[N2] his hart";
    [_original footnote tag has 1 for 2_]

_Glossary_

  Borde ... See _horde_ in Burguy.
  Bretis ... Gallis _Bretesque_. Du Cange
    [_printed as shown, but cited text has "Bretesques"_]
  Dispol[gh]eith, despoileth, 1879.  [_final . missing_]
  Haill, whole, 3246.
    [_text reads "Heill", but correctly alphabetized as "Haill"_]
  Ma, short form of Make, 953.  [Ma;]
  Resydens, delay, 670.  [delay 670.]
  { Subiet, 1799, Subeitis, 1828, Subiettis, 1878, } subject;
  subjects.
    [_printed as shown, but l. 1828 has "subectis" or (footnote)
    "subett{is}"_]
  Valkyne, to waken, 8. / See _Awalk_.  [_final . missing_]
  [Gh]hed, went, 1486. ... Goth. _ik ïddja_  [_text unchanged_]


_Index of Names_

  Aries, 336.  [_"e" invisible_]







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