Part 15

The {con}queſt king, wich the p{er}ell knowith, [Sidenote: Gawane puts the conquest-king to flight.] Ful manly one to the feld he drowith; The lord ſ{ir} gawan, cou{er}it w{i}t{h} h{is} ſcheld, He ruſchit in myddis of the feld, 2640 And haith them ſo in to his com aſſayt, That of his manhed ware thei al affrait; No lang{er} my{ch}t thei {con}trar hyme endur, Bot fled, and goith one to diſcu{m}fiture. 2644 [Sidenote: Galiot, full of anger and grief, sends out a new band.] And galiot, wich haith the diſc{um}fit ſen, Fulfillit ful of ang{er} and of ten, In{con}tine{n}t he ſend o new poware, Whar-w{i}t{h} the feld{is} al our-cou{er}it ware 2648 Of armyt ſted{is} bot{h} in plait and maill, [Fol. 33a.] W{i}t{h} kny{ch}t{is} wich war reddy to aſſaill. [Sidenote: Gawane draws his men together, and shews them comfortable words.] S{ir} gawan, ſeing al the gret ſuppris Of fois cu{m}myng In to ſich o wys, 2652 Togiddir al his cumpany he drew, And confortable word{is} to them ſchew; So at the cu{m}myng of thar ennemys [Sidenote: They receive the foe in manly wise.] Thei them reſauf, in ſo manly wyß, 2656 That many one felith deithis wound, And wnd{er} horß lyith ſobing one the ground. This vther cu{m}myth in to gret deſir, Fulfillit ful of matelent and Ire, 2660 So freſchly, w{i}t{h} ſo gret o confluens, Thar ſtrong aſſay hath don ſich vyolens, And at thar come arthuris folk ſo led, That thai war ay abayſit and adred. 2664 Bot gawan, wich that, by this vorld{is} fame, Of ma{n}hed and of kny{ch}thed bur the name, Haith p{re}wit [hym] well be exp{er}iens; For only In til armys his defens 2668 [Sidenote: Gawane encourages his fellows,] Haith maid his falowis tak ſich hardyme{n}t, That manfully thei biding one the bent. Of his manhed war m{er}well to raherß; The kny{ch}tis throw the ſcheld{is} can he perß, 2672 That many one thar dethis haith reſauit; None armour frome his my{ch}ty hond them ſauit, [Sidenote: though their foes are three to one;] Ȝhit ay for one ther ennemys wor thre. Long my{ch}t thei no{ch}t endur in ſuch dugree; 2676 The preß it wos ſo creuell & ſo ſtrong, In gret anoy and haith {con}tinewit longe, [Sidenote: yet his men are forced to retreat to their tents.] That, magre them, thei ned{is} moſt abak The way one to thar lug{is} for to tak. 2680 S{ir} gawan thar ſufferith gret myſchef, And wond{er}is in his kny{ch}thed can he pref; His falouſchip haith m{er}well that hym ſaw, So haith his fois that of his ſuerd ſtud aw. 2684 [Sidenote: Arthur beholds the peril of the field, and sends Sir Ywan to help them,] King arthur, that al this whill beheld The dang{er} and the p{er}ell of the feld, S{ir} ywan w{i}t{h} o falowſchip he ſende, Them In that ned to help & to defend, 2688 Qwich fond them In to danger and in were, [Fol. 33b.] And ent{er}it nere In to thar tentis were. [Sidenote: who finds Sir Gawane fighting on foot with only his sword.] S{ir} gawan fechtand was one fut At erde, And no defend, but only in his ſwerde, 2692 Aȝanis them bot{h} w{i}t{h} ſpere and ſcheld. Of galowa the kny{ch}t goith to the erde.[T62]

[Footnote T62: Read “felde”?]

[Headnote: SIR YWAN RESCUES GAWANE.]

[Sidenote: The battle was furious and wood.] Thar was the batell furyous and woud[T63] Of armyt kny{ch}t{is}; to the grownde thai ȝhud. 2696 S{ir} ywane, that was a noble knyght, He ſchew his ſtrenth, he ſchew thar h{is} g{r}et my{ch}t, In al his tyme that neu{er} of before Off armys, nore of kny{ch}thed, did he more: 2700 [Sidenote: Sir Ywan rescues Sir Gawane,] S{ir} gawan thar reſkewit he of fors, Magre his fois, and haith hyme ſet one horß That frome the firſt {con}queſt king he wañ; [Sidenote: who was so evilly wounded, that he was the worse thereof evermore.] Bot ſ{ir} gawan ſo ewill was wondit than, 2704 And in the feld ſupp{ri}ſit was ſo ſore, That he the werß thar-of was eu{er}more. Thar ſchew the lord ſ{ir} ywan h{is} curage, His manhed, & h{is} noble waſſolage; 2708 And gawan, in his doing, wald no{ch}t irk;

[Footnote T63: MS. “woid,” but the “_i_” is undotted, and is therefore perhaps meant for the first stroke of a “_u_.”]

[Headnote: END OF THE FIRST DAY’S BATTLE.]

[Sidenote: Darkness parts the combatants.] So al the day enduring to the dyrk Sal them, magre of thar deſyre, {con}ſt{r}en On ayar half fore [to] dep{ar}t in twen. 2712 And when that gawan of his horß vas toñ, The blud out of his noiß & mouth is goñ, And largly ſo paſſith euery wounde, [Sidenote: Sir Gawane swoons,] In ſwonyng thore he fell one to the ground: 2716 Than of the puple petee was to here The lemytable clamour, and the chere; [Sidenote: so that the king despairs of his “niece’s” life, and laments over him.] And of the king the ſorow and the care, That of his nec{is} lyf was in diſſpare. 2720 “Far well,” he ſais, “my gladnes, & my delyt, Apone kny{ch}thed far well myne appetit, Fare well of manhed al the g{r}et curage, Yow flour of armys and of vaſſolage, 2724 Gif yow be loſt!”--thus til his tent hyme bro{ch}t [Sidenote: The surgeons are sought,] W{i}t{h} wofull hart, and al the ſurryȝenis ſocht, Wich for to cum was reddy at his neid; Thai fond the lord was of his lyf i{n} dreid, 2728 For wondit was he, and ek wondit ſo, [Sidenote: who found he had two broken ribs, but no mortal wound.] And in his ſyd ware brokyne Ribys two. Bot no{ch}t for-thi the king thai maid beleif That at that tyme he ſhuld the deith eſchef. 2732 [Fol. 34a.]

[O]ff melyhalt the ladyis kny{ch}t{is} were In to the feld, and can thir tithing{is} here, [Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt’s knights tell her how the battle went,] And home to thar lady ar thai went, Til hir to ſchewing eft{er} thar entent, 2736 In euery poynt, how that the batell ſtud Of galiot, and of his multitud; [Sidenote: and how Gawane bare him in the field, and of his wounds.] And how gawan hyme in the feld hath borñ, Throw quhoys ſwerd ſo many o kny{ch}t vas lorñ, 2740 And of the kny{ch}tly wond{er}is that he wro{ch}t, Syne how that he one to his tent vas bro{ch}t. The lady hard, that lowit gawan so, [Sidenote: She weeps for him.] She gan to wep, in to[T64] hir hart vas wo. 2744

[Footnote T64: MS. “in in”; but “in to” is clearly meant.]

[Headnote: LANCELOT’S LAMENT FOR GAWANE.]

[Sidenote: Lancelot requests to see the lady;] Thir tythyng{is} one to lancelot ar goñ, Whar-of that he was wond{er} wo-bygone, And for the lady haſtely he sent, And ſche til hyme, at his co{m}mand, Is went: 2748 [Sidenote: and inquires if Gawane is really likely to die.] He ſaluſt hir, and ſaid, “madem, Is trew Thir tithing{is} I her report of new Of the aſſemble, and meting of the oſt, And of ſ{ir} gawan, wich that ſhuld be loſt? 2752 If that be ſwth, adew the flour of armys, [Sidenote: He laments over him,] Now neu{er}more recou{er}yt be the harmys! In hyme was manhed, curteſſy, and trouth, Beſy trawell In kny{ch}thed, ay but ſleuth, 2756 Humilyte, [and] gentrice, and cwrag; In hyme thar was no man{er} of outrage. [Sidenote: first apostrophizing himself,] Allace! kny{ch}t, allace! what ſhal yow ſay? Yow may complen, yow may bewail the day 2760 As of his deith, and gladſchip aucht to ſes, Baith menſtraſy and feſting at the des; For of this lond he was the holl comfort, In tyme of ned al kny{ch}thed to ſupport! 2764 [Sidenote: and next blaming the lady for not having allowed him to be present in the battle.] Allace! madem, and I durſt ſay at ȝhe Al yhour beheſt not kepit haith to me, Whar-of that I was in to full belef Aȝañe this day that I ſchuld have my lef, 2768 And no{ch}t as cowart thus ſchamfully to ly Excludit in to cage frome chewalry, Whar othir kny{ch}t{is} anarmyt on thar ſtedis Hawnt{is} ther ȝhouthhed in to kny{ch}tly dedis.” 2772 “S{ir},” q{uo}d ſche, “I red yhow not diſpleß, Ȝhe may In tyme her-eft{er} cum at es; [Fol. 34b.] [Sidenote: She promises he shall go to the next battle,] For the thrid day Is ordanit, & ſhal be Of the oſt{is} a new aſſemble, 2776 And I have gart ordan al the gere That longith to ȝour body for to were, [Sidenote: saying that his sable armour is ready.] Boith horß and armour In the ſamyne wyß Of ſable, ewyne aftir ȝhour awn dewyß; 2780 And yhe ſal her remayne one to the day; Syne may ȝhe paß, fore well ȝhe knaw the way.” “I will obey, madem, to yhour entent.” W{i}t{h} that ſche goith, and to hir reſt is went: 2784 [Sidenote: In the morn she takes her leave, to go to the court.] One the morn arly vp ſche roß W{i}t{h}out delay, and to the kny{ch}t ſche gois, And twk hir lef, and ſaid that ſcho vald fare On to the court, w{i}t{h}-outen any mare. 2788 [Sidenote: He kneels, and thanks her often.] Than knelit he, and thankit hir oft-ſys, That ſche ſo mych hath done hyme of ge{n}triß, And hir byhecht eu{er}, at his myght, To be hir awn trew & ſtedfaſt kny{ch}t. 2792 [Sidenote: She goes unto the king,] Sche thonkith hyme, and ſyne ſche goith h{er} way On to the king, w{i}t{h}-owten more delay, Whar that i{n}[T65] honour w{i}t{h} king & qwen ſche ſall Ry{ch}t thonkfully reſauit be w{i}t{h}-all. 2796 Eft to ſ{ir} gawan thai hir led, & ſche Ryght gladly hyme deſyrit for to ſee, [Sidenote: and finds Sir Gawane quite different from what had been told her.] And ſche hyme fond, and ſche was glad tharfore, All vthir ways than was hir told before. 2800 The kny{ch}t, the wich in to hir keping vas, [Sidenote: The lady’s cousin cherishes Lancelot in her best manner.] Sche had {com}mandit to hir cuſſynece, Wich cheriſt hyme apone hir beſt manere, And comfort hyme, and maid hy{m} ry{ch}t gud chere. 2804

[Footnote T65: MS. “w{i}t{h};” which is crossed out, and “i{n}” inserted above, rather minutely written.]

[Headnote: LANCELOT PREPARES FOR BATTLE.]

[T]he days goith, ſo paſſith als the ny{ch}t, [Sidenote: The third day, the maiden goes to his chamber, and fastens on his armour.] The thrid morow, as that the ſone vas ly{ch}t, The kny{ch}t onon out of his bed aroß, The maden ſone one to his chalm{er} goß, 2808 And ſacretly his armour one hyme ſpent. He tuk his lef, and ſyne his way he went [Sidenote: He goes to the same green, beside the river, as before.] Ful prewaly, ry{ch}t to the ſamyne greñ One the rewere, whar he befor had ben, 2812 Ewyne as the day [he] the first courß hath maad. Alone ry{ch}t thar he howit, and abaade, Behalding to the bertes, whar the qweñ [Fol. 35a.] [Sidenote: He abides there alone, looking towards the parapet where he saw the queen.] Befor at the aſſemble he had señ 2816 Ry{ch}t ſo the ſone ſchewith furt{h} his ly{ch}t, And to his armour went is euery wy{ch}t; [Sidenote: The jousting begins.] One athir half the Iusting is bygon, And many o fair and knych[t]ly courß is rown. 2820 [Sidenote: The black knight still halts on his steed.] The blak kny{ch}t ȝhit howyns on his ſted, Of al thar doing takith he no hed, Bot ay, apone the beſynes of tho{ch}t, In beholding his ey dep{ar}tit no{ch}t. 2824

[Headnote: THE QUEEN BEHOLDS THE BLACK KNIGHT.]

[Sidenote: The lady beholds him and knows him; but yet inquires who he is,] To quhom the lady of melyhalt beheld, And knew hyme by h{is} armour & h{is} ſcheld, Qwhat that he was; and thus ſche ſaid one hy{ch}t: “Who is he ȝone? who may he be, ȝhone kny{ch}t, 2828 So ſtill that hovith and ſterith not his Ren, And ſeith the kny{ch}t{is} rynyng one the greñ?” [Sidenote: thus calling the attention of Gawane,] Than al beholdith, and in princypale S{ir} gawan beholdith moſt of all; 2832 Of melyha[l]t the lady to hyme maid In{con}tine{n}t, his couche and gart be had Be-fore o wyndew thore, as he my{ch}t se The kny{ch}t, the oſt, and al the aſſemble. 2836 He lukith furt{h}, and ſone the kny{ch}t hath ſen, [Sidenote: who saith to the queen:] And, but delay, he ſaith one to the qwen, [Sidenote: “Madam, remember that the red knight halted where yon knight halts.”] “Madem, if ȝhe remembir, ſo it was The red kny{ch}t in to the ſamyne place 2840 That wencuſt al [at] the first aſſemble; Whar that ȝone kny{ch}t howis, howit hee.” [Sidenote: “Why do you inquire?” she replies.] “Ȝha,” q{uod} the qwen, “ry{ch}t well remembir I; Qwhat is the cauß at ȝhe inquere, & quhy?” 2844 “Madem, of [al] this larg warld is he [Sidenote: “He is the knight, madam, whom I most desire to see.”] The kny{ch}t the wich I most deſir to ſee His ſtrenth, his ma{n}hed, his curag, and h{is} my{ch}t, Or do in armys that longith to o kny{ch}t.” 2848

[Headnote: THE ORDER OF BATTLE.]

[B]y thus, arthur, w{i}t{h} conſell well awyſit, [Sidenote: Arthur arranges his lines of battle.] Haith ordanit his batell{is}, and devyſit: [Sidenote: King Ydrus leads the first;] The firſt of them led ydrus king, & he O worthy man vas ne{m}myt for to bee. 2852 [Sidenote: Harwy the Reweyll, an aged knight, the second.] The ſecund led harwy the Reweyll, That in this world was kny{ch}t that had moſt feill For to p{ro}wid that longith to the were, One agit kny{ch}t, and well couth armys bere. 2856

[T]he thrid feld [he] deliu{er}it in the hond [Fol. 35b.] [Sidenote: King Angus, a cousin of Arthur, leads the third.] Of ang{us}, king of ylys of ſcotlande, Wich cuſing was one to king arthur nere, One hardy kny{ch}t he was, w{i}t{h}outen were. 2860 [Sidenote: King Ywons the fourth.] The ferd batell led ywons the king, O manly kny{ch}t he was In to al thing. And thus dewyſit ware his batell{is} ſere, [Sidenote: In every company are 15,000.] In euery feld xv thouſand were. 2864

[T]he fift[T66] batell the lord ſ{ir} ywan lede, [Sidenote: The lord Sir Ywan leads the rearguard.] Whois ma{n}hed was i{n} euery cu{n}tre dred, Sone he was one to wryne the kyng, Forwart, ſtout, hardy, wyß, and ȝhing; 2868 Xx thouſand in his oſt thai paſt, Wich ordanit was for to aſſemble laſt. [Sidenote: Galiot’s armies.] [A]nd galiot, apone the tothir ſyde, Ry{ch}t wyſly gan h{is} batell{is} to dewid. 2872 [Sidenote: Malenginys leads the first line;] The firſt of them led malenginys the king, None hardyar In to this erth lewyng; He neu{er} more out of his cuntre Raid, Nor he w{i}t{h} hyme one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} hade. 2876

[Footnote T66: MS. “firſt.” See l. 2870.]

[Sidenote: the first-conquest king the second; Walydeyne the third;] [T]he ſecund the first-conqueſt king led, That for no p{er}ell of armys vas adred; The thrid, o king clepit walydeyne, He led, and was o manly kny{ch}t, but weyne. 2880

[Sidenote: Clamedeus the fourth;] [T]he ferd, king clamede{us} has, Wich that lord of far ylys was. [Sidenote: and King Brandymagus the fifth.] The fift[T67] batell, whar xl thouſand were, King brandymag{us} had to led and ſtere, 2884 O manly kny{ch}t, and prewit well oft-ſyß, And in his conſell wond{er} ſcharp & wyß. [Sidenote: Galiot bore no arms;] Galiot non armys bur that day, Nor as o kny{ch}t he wald hyme-ſelf aray, 2888 [Sidenote: but was arrayed as a servant in a habergeon with a “prekyne” hat, and a truncheon in his hand.] But as o ſ{er}uand in o habariowne, O prekyne hat, and ek o gret trownſciowñ In til his hond, and one o curſour ſet, The beſt that was in ony lond to get. 2892 Endlong the rewar men my{ch}t behold & ſee, Of kny{ch}t{is} weryne mony one aſſemble; [Sidenote: The black knight still remains looking towards the parapet.] And the blak kny{ch}t ſtill he couth abyde, W{i}t{h}out remowyng, one the Riwer ſyde, 2896 Bot to the bartes to behold and ſee Thar as his hart deſyrit moſt to bee:

[Footnote T67: MS. “firſt.”]

[Headnote: THE FIRST MESSAGE TO THE BLACK KNIGHT.]

[Sidenote: The lady says to the queen--] And quhen the lady of melyhalt haith ſeñ The kny{ch}t ſo ſtond, ſche ſaid one to the qweñ, [Fol. 36a.] [Sidenote: “Madam, pray commend yourself to yon knight.”] “Madem, It is my conſell at ȝhe send 2901 One to ȝone kny{ch}t, ȝour-ſelf for to {com}mend, Beſeiching hyme that he wald wnd{er}tak This day to do of armys, for ȝour ſak.” 2904 [Sidenote: The queen replies] The quen anſuerit as that hir lykit no{ch}t, For othir thing was more In to hir tho{ch}t, “For well ȝhe ſe the p{er}ell how disio[i]nt, The adwentur now ſtondith one the point 2908 Boith of my lord his honore, and h{is} lond, And of his men, i{n}[T68] dang{er} how thai ſtond:

[Footnote T68: Stevenson reads “the”; but “the” is crossed out, and “i{n}” written over it.]

[Sidenote: that the lady and the rest may send a message, but that she will not herself take part in it.] Bot ȝhe, and ek thir vthere ladice may, If that yhow lykith, to the kny{ch}t gar ſay 2912 The meſag; is none that wil yhow let, For I tharof ſal no{ch}t me ent{er}met.” On to the quen ſcho ſaith, “her I, If ſo it pleß thir vthir ladice by, 2916 Am for to ſend one to the kny{ch}t {con}tent;” And al the ladice can thar-to aſſent, Beſeching hir the meſag to dewyß, As ſche that was moſt prudent & moſt wyß. 2920 [Sidenote: The lady sends a discreet maiden,] Sche grantit, and o madeñ haith thai tone, Diſcret, apone this meſag for till gone; [Sidenote: and Sir Gawane a squire, with two spears,] And ſ{ir} gawan a ſqwyar bad alſo, W{i}t{h} two ſperis one to the kny{ch}t to go. 2924 The lady than, w{i}t{h}outen more dulay, Haith chargit hir apone this wyß to ſay: [Sidenote: to say that all the ladies, the queen alone excepted, commend them to the black knight,] “Schaw to the kny{ch}t, the ladice eu{er}-ilkone Ben In the court, excep the quen allon, 2928 Til hyme them haith reco{m}mandit oft-ſyß, Beſeching hyme of kny{ch}thed and gentriß, (Or if It hapyne eu{er}more that he ſhall Cum, quhar thai may, owther an or all, 2932 In ony thing awail hyme or ſupport, Or do hyme ony pleſans or comfort,) [Sidenote: and pray him to essay some deed of arms.] He wold wichſaif for loue of them this day In armys ſum manhed to aſſay; 2936 And ſay, ſ{ir} gawan hyme the ſper{is} ſent; Now go, this is the fek of our entent.” [Sidenote: The damsel and squire] The damyſell ſche hath hir palfray tone, The sqwyar w{i}t{h} the ſperis w{i}t{h} hir goñ; 2940 The n{er}eſt way thai paß one to ye kny{ch}t, [Fol. 36b.] [Sidenote: repeat the message.] Whar ſche repete hir meſag haith ful ry{ch}t:

[Headnote: SIR LANCELOT IS NOT CONTENT.]

[Sidenote: Sir Lancelot, finding the queen not in the message,] And quhen he hard, and planly wnd{er}ſtude, How that the quen not in the meſag ȝude, 2944 [Sidenote: was not content,] He ſpak no word, bot he was not {con}tent; Bot, of ſ{ir} gawan, glaid in his entent, He aſkit quhar he was, and of h{is} fair? And thai to hyme the man{er} can duclair; 2948 [Sidenote: but asks the squire to hold the two spears ready for him.] Than the ſqwyar he prayth that he wold Paß to the feld, the ſperis for to hold. He ſaw the kny{ch}t{is} ſemblyng her and thare, The ſtedis Rynyng w{i}t{h} the ſadill{is} bare; 2952 His ſpuris goith in to the ſtedis syde, That was ful ſwyft, and lykit not to byd;

[Headnote: HE USES UP SIR GAWANE’S TWO SPEARS.]

And he that was hardy, ferß, and ſtout, [Sidenote: He attacks a company of a hundred knights, slays the nearest,] Furth by o ſyd aſſemblyng on a rout 2956 Whar that one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was, & mo; And w{i}t{h} the firſt has Recount{er}it so, That frome the deth not helpith hy{m} h{is} ſcheld, Boith horß and man is lying in the feld; 2960 The ſpere is gone, and al in pecis brak, [Sidenote: and with the stump of his spear bereaves two or three of their saddles.] And he the trunſcyoune in h{is} hand hath tak That two or thre he haith the ſadill{is} reft, Whill in his hond ſchortly no thing is left. 2964 Syne, to the ſquyar, of the feld is goñ, [Sidenote: He takes a new spear from the squire, and overthrows three knights.] Fro hyme o ſpere In to his hond haith ton, And to the feld returnyt he aȝayne: The firſt he met, he goith one the plan, 2968 And ek the next, and ſyne the thrid alſo; Nor in his hond, nore in his ſtrak was ho. His e{n}nemys that veryng In affray Befor his ſtrok, and makith rovm alway; 2972 And in ſich wyß ay in the feld he vro{ch}t, Whill that his ſperis gon var al to no{cht}; Whar-of ſ{ir} gawan berith vitneſing Throw al this world that thar vas non levyng, 2976 In ſo ſchort tyme ſo mych of armys wro{ch}t.

[Headnote: HE USES UP SIR GAWANE’S TWO SPEARS.]

[Sidenote: His spears gone, he returns to his first position.] His ſperis gone, out of the feld he ſo{ch}t, And paſſit is one to the Rewere syde, Ry{ch}t thore as he was wont for to abyde; 2980 And ſo beholdyne In the ſamyne plañ, [Fol. 37a.] As to the feld hyme lykit no{ch}t aȝañ. [Sidenote: Sir Gawane says to the queen:] Sir gawan ſaw, and ſaith on to the quen, [Sidenote: “Madam, yon knight thinks himself despised, because you so specially excepted yourself in the message;] “Madem, yhone knycht diſponit [not],[T69] I weyñ, 2984 To help ws more, fore he ſo is awyſit;