why sigh you soe sore vnckle Arthur he said or who hath done thee vnright

O peace o peace thou gentle Gawaine yt faire may thee be ffall

for if thou knew my sighing soe deepe thou would not meruaile att all

Ffor when I came to tearne wadling a bold barron there I fand

wth a great club vpon his backe standing stiffe & strong

And he asked me wether I wold fight

or from him I shold be gone

02 else I must him a ransome pay
& soe dep't him from

To fight wth him I saw noe cause
me thought it was not meet
for he was stiffe & strong wth all
his strokes were nothing sweete

Therfor this is my ransome Gawaine
I ought to him to pay

I must come againe as I am sworne
vpon the Newyeers day

And I must bring him word what thing it is

[About nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then king Arthur drest him for to ryde

in one soe rich array

toward the foresaid Tearne wadling

yt he might keepe his day

And as he rode over a more

hee see a lady where shee sate

betwixt an oke and a greene hollen

she was clad in red scarlett

Then there as shold have stood her mouth

then there was sett her eye

the other was in her forhead fast

the way that she might see

Her nose was crooked and turnd outward

her mouth stood foule a wry

a worse formed lady then shee was neuerman saw wth his eye

To halch vpon him k. Arthur this lady was full faine

but k. Arthur had forgott his lesson

what he shold say againe

What knight art thou the lady sayd that wilt not speak tome

of me thou nothing dismayd

tho I be vgly to see

for I haue halched you curteouslye

& you will not me againe

yett I may happen Sr knight shee said.

to ease thee of thy paine

Giue thou ease me lady he said

or helpe me any thing

thou shalt haue gentle Gawaine my cozen

& marry him with a ring

Why if I helpe thee not thou noble k. Arthur

of thy owne hearts desiringe

of gentle Gawaine .

[About nine Stanzas wanting.]

And when he came to the tearne wadling

the baron there cold he srinde 3

wth a great weapon on his backe

standing stiffe & stronge

And then he tooke k. Arthurs letters in his hands

& away he cold them fling

& then he puld out a good browne sword

& cryd himselfe a k.

And he sayd I haue thee & thy land Arthur to doe as it pleaseth me

for this is not thy ransome sure

therefore yeeld thee to me

And then bespoke him noble Arthur
& bade him hold his hands

& give me leave to speake my mind
in defence of all my
land

the said as I came over a More
I see a lady where shee sate
betweene an oke & a green hollen
shee was clad in redd scarlette

And she says a woman will haue her will & this is all her cheef desire

doe me right as thou art a baron of sckill this is thy ransome & all thy hyer

He sayes an early vengeance light on her she walkes on yonder more

it was my sister that told thee this she is a misshappen hore

But heer Ile make mine avow to god

to do her an euill turne

for an euer I may thate fowle theefe get

in a fyer I will her burne

[About nine Stanzas wanting.

THE SECOND PART.

SIR LANCELOTT & S Steven bold
they rode wth them that day
and the formost of the company
there rode the steward Kay

Soe did Sr Banier & Sr Bore
Sr Garrett wth them soe gay
soe did Sr Tristeram yt gentle k
to the forrest fresh & gay

And when he came to the greene forrest

vnderneath a greene holly tree

their sate that lady in red scarlet

yt vnseemly was to see

S' Kay beheld this Ladys face
& looked vppon her suire
whosoeuer kisses this lady he sayes
of his kisse he stands in feare

Sr Kay beheld the lady againe
& looked vpon her snout
whosoeuer kisses this lady he saies
of his kisse he stands in doubt

Peace coz. Kay then said Sr Gawaine amend thee of thy life

for there is a knight amongst us all yt must marry her to his wife

What wedd her to wiffe then said S▾ Kay in the diuells name anon

gett me a wiffe whereere I may

for I had rather be slaine

Then soome tooke vp their hawkes in hast & some tooke vp their hounds

& some sware they wold not marry her For Citty nor for towne.

And then be spake him noble k. Arthur & sware there by this day

for a litle foule sight and misliking

[About nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then shee said choose thee gentle Gawaine'

truth as I doe say

wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse

in the night or else in the day

And then bespake him Gentle Gawaine

with one soe mild of moode

sayes well I know what I wold say

god grant it may be good

To haue thee fowle in the night

when I wth thee shold play

yet I had rather if I might

haue thee fowle in the day

What when Lords goe wth ther seires 5 shee said

both to the Ale and wine

alas then I must hyde my selfe

I must not goe withinne

And then bespake him gentle gawaine

said Lady thats but a skill

And because thou art my owne lady

Thou shalt haue all thy will

5 Sic in MS. pro feires, i. e. mates.