He bare his clubbe upon his backe,

Hee ftoode bothe stiffe and stronge;

130

And, when he had the letters reade,

Awaye the lettres flunge.

Nowe yielde thee, Arthur, and thy lands,

All forfeit unto mee;

For this is not thy paye, fir king,

135

Nor may thy ransome bee.

Shee fayes, all women will have their wille,

145

This is their chief defyre;

Now yield, as thou art a barone true,

That I have payd mine hyre.

But here I will make mine avowe,

To do her as ill a turne:

For an ever I may that foule theefe gette,

In a fyre I will her burne.

PART THE SECONDE.

H

Omewarde pricked king Arthùre,

And a wearye man was hee;

And foone he mette queene Guenever,

That bride fo bright of blee.

155

What newes! what newes! thou noble king,

5

Howe, Arthur, haft thou sped?

Where haft thou hung the carlish knighte?

And where bestow'd his head?

And nowe this fills my hearte with woe,

And forrowe of my life;

I fwore a yonge, and courtlye knight,
Sholde marry her to his wife.

Then befpake him fir Gawaine,
That was ever a gentle knighte:
That lothly ladye I will wed;
Therefore be merrye and lighte.

Nowe naye, nowe naye, good fir Gawaine,
My fifter's fonne yee bee:

This lothlye ladye's all too grimme,

And all too foule for yee.

Her nofe is crookt and turnd outwarde,

Her chin ftands all awrye:

A worse form'd ladye than fhee is

Was never feen with eye.

What though her chin ftand all awrye,

And fhee be foule to fee:

I'll marry her, unkle, for thy fake,

And I'll thy ransome bee.

20

25

Nowe thankes! nowe thankes! good fir Gawaine,

And a blessing thee betyde!

To-morrow wee'll have knights and fquires,

And wee'll goe fetch thy bride.

C 2

3.

35

40

And

And wee'll have hawkes and wee'll have houndes

To cover our intent;

And wee'll away to the greene forèst,
As wee a hunting went.

Sir Lancelot, fir Stephen bolde
They rode with them that daye;

45

And foremoste of the companye

There rode the stewarde Kaye :

£ce did fir Banier and fir Bore,

And eke fir Garratte keene,
Sir Triftram too, that gentle knight,

And when they came to the greene forrèft,

Beneathe a faire holley tree

There fate that ladye in riche scarlètte

That unfeemelye was to fee.

Sir Kay beheld that lady's face,
And looked upon her fweere ;

Whoever kiffes that ladye, he fayes,

Of his kiffe he ftands in feare.

Sir Kay beheld that ladye againe,
And looked upon her fnout;
Whoever kiffes that ladye, he fayes,

Of his kiffe he stands in doubt.

50

55

бе

Peace,

Peace, brother Kay, fayde fir Gawaine,

And amend thee of thy life:

For there is a knight amongst us all,

Muft marry her to his wife.

What marry this foule queane, quoth Kay,

I'the devil's name anone;

Get mee a wife wherever I maye,

I'm fure fhee fhall bee none.

Then fome tooke up their hawkes in haste,

And fome took up their houndes;

65

70

And fayd they wolde not marry her,
For cities, nor for townes.

Then befpake him king Arthure,
And fware there by this daye;

For a little foule fighte and miflikinge,
Yee shall not fay her naye.`

Peace, lordings, peace; fir Gawaine fayd,

Nor make debate and ftrife;

This lothlye ladye I will take,

And marry her to my wife.

Nowe thankes, now thankes, good fir Gawaine,

75

80