IX.
[A] Wel gay wat3 þis gome gered in grene, 180 & þe here of his hed of his hors swete; Fayre fannand fax vmbe-foldes his schulderes; [B] A much berd as[1] a busk ouer his brest henges, Þat wyth his hi3lich here, þat of his hed reches, 184 Wat3 euesed al vmbe-torne, a-bof his elbowes, Þat half his armes þer vnder were halched in þe wyse Of a kynge3 capados, þat closes his swyre. [C] Þe mane of þat mayn hors much to hit lyke, 188 Wel cresped & cemmed wyth knottes ful mony, Folden in wyth fildore aboute þe fayre grene, Ay a herle of þe here, an oþer of golde; [D] Þe tayl & his toppyng twynnen of a sute, 192 & bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bry3t grene, Dubbed wyth ful dere stone3, as þe dok lasted, Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte, Þer mony belle3 ful bry3t of brende golde rungen. 196 [E] Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke þat hym rydes, Wat3 neuer sene in þat sale wyth sy3t er þat tyme, with y3e; He loked as layt so ly3t, 200 So sayd al þat hym sy3e, [F] Hit semed as no mon my3t, Vnder his dyntte3 dry3e.
[Sidenote A: Gaily was the knight attired.] [Sidenote B: His great beard, like a bush, hung on his breast.] [Sidenote C: The horse's mane was decked with golden threads.] [Sidenote D: Its tail was bound with a green band.] [Sidenote E: Such a foal nor a knight were never before seen.] [Sidenote F: It seemed that no man might endure his dints.] [Footnote 1: as as, in MS.]
X.
[A] Wheþer hade he no helme ne hawb[e]rgh nauþer, 204 Ne no pysan, ne no plate þat pented to armes, Ne no schafte, ne no schelde, to schwne ne to smyte, [B] Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe, Þat is grattest in grene, when greue3 ar bare, 208 [C] & an ax in his oþer, a hoge & vn-mete, A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle quo-so my3t; Þe hede of an eln3erde þe large lenkþe hade, Þe grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen, 212 [D] Þe bit burnyst bry3t, with a brod egge, As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores; Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi-grypte, Þat wat3 wounden wyth yrn to þe wande3 ende, [Fol. 94.] 216 [E] & al bigrauen with grene, in gracios[1] werkes; A lace lapped aboute, þat louked at þe hede, & so after þe halme halched ful ofte, Wyth tryed tassele3 þerto tacched in-noghe, 220 [F] On botoun3 of þe bry3t grene brayden ful ryche. Þis haþel helde3 hym in, & þe halle entres, Driuande to þe he3e dece, dut he no woþe, [G] Haylsed he neuer one, bot he3e he ouer loked. 224 Þe fyrst word þat he warp, "wher is," he sayd, [H] "Þe gouernour of þis gyng? gladly I wolde Se þat segg in sy3t, & with hym self speke raysoun." 228 To kny3te3 he kest his y3e, & reled hym vp & doun, [I] He stemmed & con studie, Quo walt þer most renoun.
[Sidenote A: The knight carried neither spear nor shield,] [Sidenote B: In one hand was a holly bough,] [Sidenote C: in the other an axe,] [Sidenote D: the edge of which was as keen as a sharp razor,] [Sidenote E: and the handle was encased in iron, curiously "graven with green, in gracious works."] [Sidenote F: Thus arrayed the Green Knight enters the hall,] [Sidenote G: without saluting any one.] [Sidenote H: He asks for the "governor" of the company,] [Sidenote I: and looks for the most renowned.] [Footnote 1: looks like gracons in MS.]
XI.
232 [A] Ther wat3 lokyng on lenþe, þe lude to be-holde, For vch mon had meruayle quat hit mene my3t, Þat a haþel & a horse my3t such a hwe lach, [B] As growe grene as þe gres & grener hit semed, 236 Þen grene aumayl on golde lowande bry3ter; Al studied þat þer stod, & stalked hym nerre, [C] Wyth al þe wonder of þe worlde, what he worch schulde. For fele sellye3 had þay sen, bot such neuer are, 240 For-þi for fantoum & fayry3e þe folk þere hit demed; [D] Þer-fore to answare wat3 ar3e mony aþel freke, & al stouned at his steuen, & stonstil seten, [E] In a swoghe sylence þur3 þe sale riche 244 As al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lote3 in hy3e; I deme hit not al for doute, [F] Bot sum for cortaysye, 248 Bot let hym þat al schulde loute, Cast vnto þat wy3e.
[Sidenote A: Much they marvel to see a man and a horse] [Sidenote B: as green as grass.] [Sidenote C: Never before had they seen such a sight as this.] [Sidenote D: They were afraid to answer,] [Sidenote E: and were as silent as if sleep had taken possession of them;] [Sidenote F: some from fear and others from courtesy.]
XII.
[A] Þenn Arþour bifore þe hi3 dece þat auenture byholde3, & rekenly hym reuerenced, for rad was he neuer, 252 & sayde, "wy3e, welcum iwys to þis place, [B] Þe hede of þis ostel Arthour I hat, [Fol. 94b.] Li3t luflych adoun, & lenge, I þe praye, & quat so þy wylle is, we schal wyt after." 256 [C] "Nay, as help me," quod þe haþel, "he þat on hy3e syttes, To wone any quyle in þis won, hit wat3 not myn ernde; Bot for þe los of þe lede is lyft vp so hy3e, & þy bur3 & þy burnes best ar holden, 260 Stifest vnder stel-gere on stedes to ryde, [D] Þe wy3test & þe worþyest of þe worldes kynde, Preue for to play wyth in oþer pure layke3; & here is kydde cortaysye, as I haf herd carp, 264 & þat hat3 wayned me hider, I-wyis, at þis tyme. 3e may be seker bi þis braunch þat I bere here, [E] Þat I passe as in pes, & no ply3t seche; For had I founded in fere, in fe3tyng wyse, 268 [F] I haue a hauberghe at home & a helme boþe, A schelde, & a scharp spere, schinande bry3t, Ande oþer weppenes to welde, I wene wel als, Bot for I wolde no were, my wede3 ar softer. 272 Bot if þou be so bold as alle burne3 tellen, Þou wyl grant me godly þe gomen þat I ask, bi ry3t." [G] Arthour con onsware, 276 & sayd, "sir cortays kny3t, If þou craue batayl bare, Here fayle3 þou not to fy3t."
[Sidenote A: Arthur salutes the Green Knight.] [Sidenote B: bids him welcome, and invites him to stay awhile.] [Sidenote C: The knight says that he will not tarry.] [Sidenote D: He seeks the most valiant that he may prove him.] [Sidenote E: He comes in peace.] [Sidenote F: At home, however, he has both shield and spear.] [Sidenote G: Arthur assures him that he shall not fail to find an opponent worthy of him.]
XIII.
[A] "Nay, frayst I no fy3t, in fayth I þe telle, 280 [B] Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdle3 chylder; If I were hasped in armes on a he3e stede, [C] Here is no mon me to mach, for my3te3 so[1] wayke. For-þy I craue in þis court a crystmas gomen, 284 [D] For hit is 3ol & nwe 3er, & here ar 3ep mony; If any so hardy in þis hous holde3 hym-seluen, [E] Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede, Þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer, 288 I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche, [F] Þis ax, þat is heué in-nogh, to hondele as hym lykes, & I schal bide þe fyrst bur, as bare as I sitte. [Fol. 95.] If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle, 292 Lepe ly3tly me to, & lach þis weppen, I quit clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen, [G] & I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on þis flet, Elle3 þou wyl di3t me þe dom to dele hym an oþer, 296 barlay; & 3et gif hym respite, [H] A twelmonyth & a day;-- Now hy3e, & let se tite 300 Dar any her-inne o3t say."
[Sidenote A: "I seek no fight," says the knight.] [Sidenote B: "'Here are only beardless children.'] [Sidenote C: Here is no man to match me.] [Sidenote D: Here are brave ones many,] [Sidenote E: if any be bold enough to 'strike a stroke for another,'] [Sidenote F: this axe shall be his;] [Sidenote G: but I shall give him a 'stroke' in return] [Sidenote H: within a twelvemonth and a day."] [Footnote 1: MS. fo.]
XIV.
[A] If he hem stowned vpon fyrst, stiller were þanne Alle þe hered-men in halle, þe hy3 & þe lo3e; [B] Þe renk on his rounce hym ruched in his sadel, 304 & runisch-ly his rede y3en he reled aboute, [C] Bende his bresed bro3e3, bly-cande grene, [D] Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse. When non wolde kepe hym with carp he co3ed ful hy3e, 308 Ande rimed hym ful richley, & ry3t hym to speke: [E] "What, is þis Arþures hous," quod þe haþel þenne, "Þat al þe rous rennes of, þur3 ryalmes so mony? Where is now your sourquydrye & your conquestes, 312 Your gry[n]del-layk, & your greme, & your grete wordes? [F] Now is þe reuel & þe renoun of þe rounde table Ouer-walt wyth a worde of on wy3es speche; For al dares for drede, with-oute dynt schewed!" 316 Wyth þis he la3es so loude, þat þe lorde greued; [G] Þe blod schot for scham in-to his schyre face & lere; [H] He wex as wroth as wynde, 320 So did alle þat þer were Þe kyng as kene bi kynde, Þen stod þat stif mon nere.