X.
[A] Mony klyf he ouer-clambe in contraye3 straunge, Fer floten fro his frende3 fremedly he ryde3; [B] At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wy3e passed, 716 He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were, & þat so foule & so felle, þat fe3t hym by-hode; [C] So mony meruayl hi mount þer þe mon fynde3, Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole. 720 [D] Sumwhyle wyth worme3 he werre3, & with wolues als, Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarre3, [E] Boþe wyth bulle3 & bere3, & bore3 oþer-quyle, & etayne3, þat hym a-nelede, of þe he3e felle; 724 [F] Nade he ben du3ty & dry3e, & dry3tyn had serued, Douteles he hade ben ded, & dreped ful ofte. [G] For werre wrathed hym not so much, þat wynter was wors, When þe colde cler water fro þe cloude3 schadden, 728 & fres er hit falle my3t to þe fale erþe; Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes, Mo ny3te3 þen in-noghe in naked rokke3, Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne renne3, 732 & henged he3e ouer his hede in hard ÿsse-ikkles. [H] Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde, Bi contray carye3 þis kny3t, tyl kryst-masse euen, al one; 736 Þe kny3t wel þat tyde, [I] To Mary made his mone. Þat ho hym red to ryde, & wysse hym to sum wone. [Fol. 101.]
[Sidenote A: Many a cliff he climbed over;] [Sidenote B: many a ford and stream he crossed, and everywhere he found a foe.] [Sidenote C: It were too tedious to tell the tenth part of his adventures] [Sidenote D: with serpents, wolves, and wild men;] [Sidenote E: with bulls, bears, and boars.] [Sidenote F: Had he not been both brave and good, doubtless he had been dead.] [Sidenote G: The sharp winter was far worse than any war that ever troubled him.] [Sidenote H: Thus in peril he travels till Christmas-eve.] [Sidenote I: To the Virgin Mary he prays to guide him to some abode.]
XI.
740 [A] Bi a mounte on þe morne meryly he rydes, Into a forest ful dep, þat ferly wat3 wylde, Hi3e hille3 on vche a halue, & holt wode3 vnder, [B] Of hore oke3 fill hoge a hundreth to-geder; 744 Þe hasel & þe ha3-þorne were harled al samen, With ro3e raged mosse rayled ay-where, [C] With mony brydde3 vnblyþe vpon bare twyges, Þat pitosly þer piped for pyne of þe colde. 748 Þe gome vpon Gryngolet glyde3 hem vnder, [D] Þur3 mony misy & myre, mon al hym one, Carande for his costes, lest he ne keuer schulde, To se þe seruy[1] of þat syre, þat on þat self ny3t 752 Of a burde wat3 borne, oure baret to quelle; [E] & þerfore sykyng he sayde, "I be-seche þe, lorde, & Mary, þat is myldest moder so dere. Of sum herber, þer he3ly I my3t here masse. 756 Ande þy matyne3 to-morne, mekely I ask, & þer-to prestly I pray my pater & aue, & crede." He rode in his prayere, 760 & cryed for his mysdede, [F] He sayned hym in syþes sere, & sayde "cros Kryst me spede!"
[Sidenote A: On the morn Sir Gawayne finds himself in a deep forest,] [Sidenote B: where were old oaks many a hundred.] [Sidenote C: Many sad birds upon bare twigs piped piteously for the cold.] [Sidenote D: Through many a mire he goes, that he may celebrate the birth of Christ.] [Sidenote E: He beseeches the Virgin Mary to direct him to some lodging where he may hear mass.] [Sidenote F: Blessing himself, he says, "Cross of Christ, speed me!"] [Footnote 1: seruyce (?).]
XII.
[A] Nade he sayned hym-self, segge, bot þrye, 764 Er he wat3 war in þe wod of a won in a mote. [B] Abof a launde, on a lawe, loken vnder bo3e3, Of mony borelych bole, aboute bi þe diches; [C] A castel þe comlokest þat euer kny3t a3te, 768 Pyched on a prayere, a park al aboute, With a pyked palays, pyned ful þik, Þat vmbe-te3e mony tre mo þen two myle. Þat holde on þat on syde þe haþel auysed, 772 [D] As hit schemered & schon þur3 þe schyre oke3; Þenne hat3 he hendly of his helme, & he3ly he þonke3 Iesus & say[nt] Gilyan, þat gentyle ar boþe, Þat cortaysly hade hym kydde, & his cry herkened. [Fol. 101b.] 776 "Now bone hostel," coþe þe burne, "I be-seche yow 3ette!" Þenne gedere3 he to Gryngolet with þe gilt hele3, [E] & he ful chauncely hat3 chosen to þe chef gate, Þat bro3t bremly þe burne to þe bryge ende, 780 in haste; [F] Þe bryge wat3 breme vp-brayde, Þe 3ate3 wer stoken faste, Þe walle3 were wel arayed, 784 Hit dut no wynde3 blaste.
[Sidenote A: Scarcely had he blessed himself thrice] [Sidenote B: when he saw a dwelling in the wood, set on a hill,] [Sidenote C: the comeliest castle that knight ever owned.] [Sidenote D: It shone as the sun through the bright oaks.] [Sidenote E: Sir Gawayne goes to the chief gate,] [Sidenote F: and finds the draw-bridge raised, and the gates shut fast.]
XIII.
[A] Þe burne bode on bonk, þat on blonk houed, Of þe depe double dich þat drof to þe place, Þe walle wod in þe water wonderly depe, 788 [B] Ande eft a ful huge he3t hit haled vpon lofte, Of harde hewen ston vp to þe table3, [C] Enbaned vnder þe abataylment, in þe best lawe; & syþen garyte3 ful gaye gered bi-twene, 792 Wyth mony luflych loupe, þat louked ful clene; A better barbican þat burne blusched vpon neuer; & innermore he be-helde þat halle ful hy3e, [D] Towre telded bytwene trochet ful þik, 796 Fayre fylyole3 þat fy3ed, & ferlyly long, [E] With coruon coprounes, craftyly sle3e; Chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he in-no3e, Vpon bastel roue3, þat blenked ful quyte; 800 So mony pynakle payntet wat3 poudred ay quere, Among þe castel carnele3, clambred so þik, Þat pared out of papure purely hit semed. [F] Þe fre freke on þe fole hit fayr in-n[o]ghe þo3t, 804 If he my3t keuer to com þe cloyster wyth-inne, To herber in þat hostel, whyl halyday lested auinant; [G] He calde, & sone þer com 808 A porter pure plesaunt, On þe wal his ernd he nome, & haylsed þe kny3t erraunt.
[Sidenote A: The knight abides on the bank,] [Sidenote B: and observes the "huge height,"] [Sidenote C: with its battlements and watch towers.] [Sidenote D: Bright and long were its round towers,] [Sidenote E: with their well-made capitals.] [Sidenote F: He thinks it fair enough if he might only come within the cloister.] [Sidenote G: He calls, and soon there comes a porter to know the knight's errand.]
XIV.
[A] "Gode sir," quod Gawan, "wolde3 þou go myn ernde, 812 To þe he3 lorde of þis hous, herber to craue?" "3e, Peter," quod þe porter, "& purely I trowe,[1] [Fol. 102.] [B] Þat 3e be, wy3e, welcum to won quyle yow lyke3." Þen 3ede þat wy3e a3ayn awyþe, 816 & folke frely hym wyth, to fonge þe kny3t; [C] Þay let doun þe grete dra3t, & derely out 3eden, & kneled doun on her knes vpon þe colde erþe, To welcum þis ilk wy3, as worþy hom þo3t; 820 [D] Þay 3olden hym þe brode 3ate, 3arked vp wyde, & he hem raysed rekenly, & rod ouer þe brygge; Sere segge3 hym sesed by sadel, quel[2] he ly3t, [E] & syþen stabeled his stede stif men in-no3e. 824 [F] Kny3te3 & swyere3 comen doun þenne, For to bryng þis burne[3] wyth blys in-to halle; [G] Quen he hef vp his helme, þer hi3ed in-noghe For to hent hit at his honde, þe hende to seruen, 828 His bronde & his blasoun boþe þay token. Þen haylsed he ful hendly þo haþele3 vch one, & mony proud mon þer presed, þat prynce to honour; Alle hasped in his he3 wede to halle þay hym wonnen, 832 Þer fayre fyre vpon flet fersly brenned. [H] Þenne þe lorde of þe lede loute3 fro his chambre, For to mete wyth menske þe mon on þe flor; He sayde, "3e ar welcum to welde as yow lyke3, 836 Þat here is, al is yowre awen, to haue at yowre wylle & welde." "Graunt mercy," quod Gawayn, "Þer Kryst hit yow for-3elde," 840 [I] As freke3 þat semed fayn, Ayþer oþer in arme3 con felde.
[Sidenote A: "Good sir," says Gawayne, "ask the high lord of this house to grant me a lodging."] [Sidenote B: "You are welcome to dwell here as long as you like," replied the porter.] [Sidenote C: The draw-bridge is let down,] [Sidenote D: and the gate is opened wide to receive him.] [Sidenote E: His horse is well stabled.] [Sidenote F: Knights and squires bring Gawayne into the hall.] [Sidenote G: Many a one hastens to take his helmet and sword.] [Sidenote H: The lord of the country bids him welcome,] [Sidenote I: and they embrace each other.] [Footnote 1: trowoe, MS.] [Footnote 2: quyle (?) or quen (?).] [Footnote 3: buurne, MS.]