43
Then frayned țe freke ful fayre at himseluen
Quat derue dede had hym dryuen at țat dere tyme
So kenly fro țe kyngez kourt to kayre al his one,
Er țe halidayez holly were halet out of toun.
"For soțe, sir," quoț țe segge, "3e sayn bot țe trawțe,
A he3e ernde and a hasty me hade fro țo wonez,
For I am sumned myselfe to sech to a place,
I ne wot in worlde whederwarde to wende hit to fynde.
I nolde bot if I hit negh my3t on Nw 3eres morne
For alle țe londe inwyth Logres, so me oure lorde help!
Forțy, sir, țis enquest I require yow here,
Țat 3e me telle with trawțe if euer 3e tale herde
Of țe grene chapel, quere hit on grounde stondez,
And of țe kny3t țat hit kepes, of colour of grene.
Țer watz stabled bi statut a steuen vus bytwene
To mete țat mon at țat mere, 3if I my3t last;
And of țat ilk Nw 3ere bot neked now wontez,
And I wolde loke on țat lede, if God me let wolde,
Gladloker, bi Goddez sun, țen any god welde!
Forți, iwysse, bi 3owre wylle, wende me bihoues,
Naf I now to busy bot bare țre dayez,
And me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde."
Țenne la3ande quoț țe lorde, "Now leng țe byhoues,
For I schal teche yow to țat terme bi țe tymez ende,
Țe grene chapayle vpon grounde greue yow no more;
Bot 3e schal be in yowre bed, burne, at țyn ese,
Quyle forth dayez, and ferk on țe fyrst of țe 3ere,
And cum to țat merk at mydmorn, to make quat yow likez
in spenne.
Dowellez whyle New 3eres daye,
And rys, and raykez țenne,
Mon schal yow sette in waye,
Hit is not two myle henne."
44
Țenne watz Gawan ful glad, and gomenly he la3ed:
"Now I țonk yow țryuandely țur3 alle oțer țynge,
Now acheued is my chaunce, I schal at your wylle
Dowelle, and ellez do quat 3e demen."
Țenne sesed hym țe syre and set hym bysyde,
Let țe ladiez be fette to lyke hem țe better.
Țer watz seme solace by hemself stille;
Țe lorde let for luf lotez so myry,
As wy3 țat wolde of his wyte, ne wyst quat he my3t.
Țenne he carped to țe kny3t, criande loude,
"3e han demed to do țe dede țat I bidde;
Wyl 3e halde țis hes here at țys onez?"
"3e, sir, for soțe," sayd țe segge trwe,
"Whyl I byde in yowre bor3e, be bayn to 3owre hest."
"For 3e haf trauayled," quoț țe tulk, "towen fro ferre,
And syțen waked me wyth, 3e arn not wel waryst
Nauțer of sostnaunce ne of slepe, soțly I knowe;
3e schal lenge in your lofte, and ly3e in your ese
To-morn quyle țe messequyle, and to mete wende
When 3e wyl, wyth my wyf, țat wyth yow schal sitte
And comfort yow with compayny, til I to cort torne;
3e lende,
And I schal erly ryse,
On huntyng wyl I wende.'
Gauayn grantez alle țyse,
Hym heldande, as țe hende.
45
"3et firre," quoț țe freke, "a forwarde we make:
Quat-so-euer I wynne in țe wod hit worțez to yourez,
And quat chek so 3e acheue chaunge me țerforne.
Swete, swap we so, sware with trawțe,
Quețer, leude, so lymp, lere oțer better."
"Bi God," quoț Gawayn țe gode, "I grant țertylle,
And țat yow lyst for to layke, lef hit me țynkes."
"Who bryngez vus țis beuerage, țis bargayn is maked!"
So sayde țe lorde of țat lede; țay la3ed vchone,
Țay dronken and daylyeden and dalten vnty3tel,
Țise lordez and ladyez, quyle țat hem lyked;
And syțen with Frenkysch fare and fele fayre lotez
Țay stoden and stemed and stylly speken,
Kysten ful comlyly and ka3ten her leue.
With mony leude ful ly3t and lemande torches
Vche burne to his bed watz bro3t at țe laste,
ful softe.
To bed 3et er țay 3ede,
Recorded couenauntez ofte;
Țe olde lorde of țat leude
Cowțe wel halde layk alofte.
mauler's (non-verse) translation:
43
Then the lord politely enquired of the knight,
What fearsome task had forced him at that festive time
To ride so boldly from the king's court,
Before the holidays had even passed completely,
"In truth, sir," said the knight, "Your question has merit.
A noble and urgent errand has brought me from my home,
For I am sworn to seek a place
I have no idea in the world where to go to find.
But I would not fail to reach it by New Years morn,
For all the land in Logres, so help me Lord!
Therefore, sir, this request I must ask of you now—
That you tell me truly if ever a tale you have heard
Of the Green Chapel, or where it stands,
And of the knight who keeps it, who is green in color.
There was struck a solemn agreement between us,
To meet that man at that place, if I am still alive.
Before that New Years appointment, but little time remains,
And I would look upon that man, if God would let me,
More gladly, by God's son, than on any horde of gold!
Therefore, indeed, with your leave, it is time to go;
I have not even three days left to go,
And would rather fall dead than fail in my task.
Then, laughing the lord said, "Now you can stay,
For I shall guide you to your meeting by the appointed time.
Of the Green Chapel's location, worry no more;
Instead you shall lay in your bed at your leisure,
While away the days, and leave on the first of the year,
And be at that place by mid-morning, to do as you will
there
Dwell here until New Year's Day,
And rouse and depart then.
I shall show you the way,
For it is not two miles hence!
44
Gawain was gladdened greatly, and joyfully laughed:
"I thank you heartily for this, above all else.
Now my quest is accomplished, I shall, as you wish
Remain, and do whatever else you desire."
Then his host embraced him and sat down beside him,
And bid the ladies be fetched to increase their pleasure,
But first there was some pleasure between them in private.
The lord in his joy said some merry words,
Like a man out of his mind, knowing not what he did,
Then he said to the knight, shouting loudly,
"You have agreed to do any deed I bid you;
Will you hold to this promise, here, at once?"
"Yes, sir, for sure," said the trusty knight,
While I bide in your abode, I obey your behest."
"You have travailed," said the man, "traveling from afar,
And then stayed up late with me. You have not recovered,
Either your nourishment or your sleep, this I know.
You shall rest in your bed and lie at ease
Tomorrow until the mass, and then come to dinner,
When you wish, with my wife, who will sit with you,
And comfort you with company until I return to the castle.
You stay,
And I shall rise early,
A-hunting I will go.
Gawain agrees to everything
With a courtly bow.
45
"Yet further," said the lord, "let us make one more promise,
That whatsoever I win in the woods belongs to you,
And what reward you achieve here you give me in exchange
We will swap this way, my friend, let us swear to it,
Whatever we win whether worthless or ,wonderful."
"By God," said Gawain, "I grant your request,
And I must say I approve of your penchant for such sport."
"Bring us some beverages, a bargain is made!"
So said the lord of that company and everyone laughed.
They drank and frivoled and flirted without shame
Those lords and ladies, as long as they liked
And then with fine French manners and many lovely phrases,
They stopped and stood, and softly spoke,
Kissed each other affectionately and took their leave.
With many swift attendants carrying gleaming torches,
Each man to his bed was brought at last
quietly.
But before they went to bed
The crafty lord of that land
Made Gawain repeat the bargain,
For he knew well how such games were played.
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