Part 16

[Footnote T69: “not” seems required.]

As I p{re}ſume, he thinkith hyme diſpiſit Of the meſag that we gart to hyme mak; Yhowre-ſelf yhe have ſo ſpecialy out-tak, 2988 He thinkith ewill contempnit for to bee, Conſid{er}ing how that the neceſſitee Moſt prinſpally to yhowr ſupporting lyis. Tharfor my conſell is, yhow to dewyß, 2992 And ek ȝhowre-ſelf i{n} yhowr t{r}eſpas accuß, [Sidenote: ask him mercy, therefore, and excuse your guilt.] And aſk hyme mercy, and yhour gilt excuß. For well it oucht o prince or o king Til honore and til cheriß in al thing 2996 O worthi man, that is in kny{ch}thed p{re}wit. For throw the body of o man eſchevit Mony o wondir, mony one aduenture, That m{er}well war til any creature. 3000 And als oft-tyme is boith hard & ſen, [Sidenote: For often, by one knight’s prowess, have 40,000 been worsted by 5,000.] Quhar xl thouſand haith diſcu{m}fit ben Vith v thouſand, and only be o kny{ch}t; For throw his ſtrenth, his vorſchip, & h{is} my{ch}t, 3004 His falowſchip ſich comfort of hym tais That thai ne dreid the dang{er} of thar fays. And thus, madem, I wot, w{i}t{h}outen were, [Sidenote: If yon knight will continue to help the king,] If that ȝhone kny{ch}t this day will p{er}ſywere 3008 W{i}t{h} his manhed for helping of the king, We ſal have cauß to dred in to no thing. Our folk of hyme thai ſal ſich comfort tak, And ſo adred thar ennemys ſal mak, 3012 That ſur I am, onys or the ny{ch}t, [Sidenote: yon folk shall perforce take to flight.”] Of forß ȝhone folk ſal tak one them the fly{ch}t: Wharffor, madem, that ȝhe have gilt to mend, My conſell is one to ȝhon kny{ch}t ȝe ſend.” 3016

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

[Sidenote: She consents to send a message.] “S{ir},” q{uod} ſche, “quhat pleſſith yhow to do Ȝhe may dewyß, and I conſent thar-to.” Than was the lady of melyhalt {con}tent, And to ſ{ir} gawan in-to-{con}tynent 3020 Sche clepit the maid, wich that paſſit ar; [Fol. 37b.] [Sidenote: A maiden is therefore sent to say,] And he hir bad the meſag thus duclar. “Say [to][T70] the kny{ch}t, the quen hir reco{m}mendith, And ſal correk in quhat that ſche offendith 3024 At his awn will, how ſo hyme liſt dewyß; [Sidenote: that the queen humbly exhorts him] And hyme exortith, in moſt humyll wyß, As eu{er} he will, whar that ſche can or may, Or powar haith hir charg, be ony way, 3028 And for his worſchip and his hie ma{n}hede, [Sidenote: to help in that need to preserve the king’s honour, and to deserve her thanks.] And for hir luf, to helpen i{n} that ned The king{is} honore, his land fore to preſerf, That he hir thonk for eu{er} may deſerf.” 3032

[Footnote T70: “to” seems required.]

[Headnote: SIR GAWANE SENDS HIM TEN SPEARS MORE.]

And four ſquyaris chargit he alſo [Sidenote: Sir Gawane also sends four squires with three horses and ten spears.] W{i}t{h} thre horß and ſperis x to go Furt{h} to the knycht, hyme prayng for his ſak, At his raqueſt thame in his ned to tak. 3036

[T]he maden furt{h} w{i}t{h} the ſqwyar{is} is went One to the kny{ch}t, and ſchawith y{ar} entent. [Sidenote: The message heard, he inquires about the queen,] Tho meſag hard, and ek ye preſent ſeñ, He anſwerit, and aſkith of the qwen; 3040 [Sidenote: and is told that from yon parapet she can witness his deeds.] “S{ir},” q{uod} ſche, [“sche][T71] in to ȝhone bartiis lyis, Whar that this day yhour dedis ſal dewyß, Yhowr manhed, yhour worſchip, and affere, How ȝhe {con}teñ, and how yhe armys bere; 3044 The quen hir-ſelf, and many o lady to, Sal Iug{is} be, and vitnes how yhe do.” Than he, whois hart ſtant in o new aray, [Sidenote: He returns a message that he is the queen’s knight.] Saith, “damyceyll, on to my lady ſay, 3048 How eu{er} that hir lykith that it bee, Als far as wit or powar is in me, I am hir kny{ch}t, I ſal at hir {com}mand Do at I may, w{i}t{h}outen more demand. 3052 And to ſ{ir} gawan, for his gret gentriß, Me reco{m}mend and thonk a thouſand ſyß.” W{i}t{h} that o ſper he takith in his hond, [Sidenote: He stands in his stirrups; and seems to increase a foot in height.] And ſo in to his ſterapis can he ſtond 3056 That to ſ{ir} gawan ſemyth that the kny{ch}t Encreſyng gon o larg fut one hycht; And to the ladice ſaith he, and the qwen, “Ȝhon is the kny{ch}t that eu{er} I have ſen 3060 In al my tyme moſt kny{ch}tly of affere, And in hyme-ſelf gon fareſt armys bere.”

[Footnote T71: A second “sche” is here required.]

[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT’S CHARGE.]

[Sidenote: Greatly encouraged,] [T]he kny{ch}t that haith Reme{m}brit in his tho{ch}t [Fol. 38a.] The qwenys charg{is}, & how ſche hy{m} beſo{ch}t, 3064 Curag can encreſing to his hart; His curſer lap, and gan onon to ſtart; And he the ſqwaris haith reqwyrit ſo, That thai w{i}t{h} hyme one to the feld wald go. 3068 [Sidenote: without delay he crosses over the river to the field;] Than goith he one, w{i}t{h}outen mor abaid, And our the reuar to the feld he raid; Don goith his ſpere onone In to the Reſt, [Sidenote: and goes in wherever he sees most peril.] And in he goith, w{i}t{h}outen mor areſt, 3072 Thar as he ſaw moſt p{er}ell and moſt dred In al the feld, and moſt of help[T72] had ned, Whar ſemblyt was the firſt-{con}queſt king W{i}t{h} mony o kny{ch}t that was in his leding. 3076 [Sidenote: He overthrows two knights.] The firſt he met, doune goith boith horß & man; The ſper was holl, and to the next he Rañ That helpit hyme his hawbrek nor h{is} ſcheld, Bot throuch and throuch haith perſit i{n} the feld. 3080

[Footnote T72: MS. “held.”]

[Headnote: SIX KNIGHTS FOLLOW HIM.]

[Sidenote: Sir Kay, Sir Sygramors, Sir Gresown, Sir Ywan, Sir Brandellis, and Gahers, all six in a race spur across the field with stretched spears,] S{ir} kay, the wich haith this encontyr ſen, His horß he ſtrekith our the larg gren, And ſ{ir} ſygramors ek the deſyrand, W{i}t{h} ſ{ir} greſown cu{m}myth at y{ar} honde, 3084 Son of the duk, and alſua ſ{ir} ywan The baſtart, and ſ{ir} brandellis onan, And gaherß, wich that broyir was To gawan; thir ſex in a Raß 3088 Deliu{er}ly com prekand our the feld{is} W{i}t{h} ſperis ſtraucht, and cou{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ſcheldis; Sum for love, ſum honor to purcheß, [Sidenote: and 100 knights after them.] And aftir them one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was, 3092 In ſamyne will, thar manhed to aſſay. On his v falowis clepit than ſ{ir} kay, [Sidenote: Sir Kay exhorts them] And ſaith them, “ſ{ir}is, thar has ȝhond{er} ben A courß that neu{er}-more farar was ſen 3096 Maid be o kny{ch}t, and we ar cu{m}myn ilkon Only ws one [his] worſchip to diſpone; And neu{er} we in al our dais my{ch}t Have bet axampil than iffith ws ȝone kny{ch}t 3100 [Sidenote: to keep near the black knight, and follow his guidance all day.] Of well doing; and her I hecht for me Ner hyme al day, if that I may, to bee, And folow hyme at al [my] my{ch}t I ſall, Bot deth or vthir adwentur me fall. 3104 W{i}t{h} that thir ſex, al in one aſſent, W{i}t{h} freſch curag In to the feld Is went. The blak kny{ch}t{is} ſpere in pec{is} goñe, [Fol. 38b.] [Sidenote: With a second spear, the black knight seeks the field, closely followed by the six.] Frome o ſqwyar oñe vthir haith he toñe, 3108 And to the feld onone he goith ful ry{ch}t; Thir ſex w{i}t{h} hyme ay holdith at y{ar} my{ch}t. And than bygan his wond{er}is in the feld; Thar was no helme, no hawbryk, nore no ſcheld, 3112 [Sidenote: No knight nor armour can withstand him.] Nor yhit no kny{ch}t ſo hardy, ferß, nore ſtout, No ȝhit no man{er} armour my{ch}t hald owt His ſtrenth, nore was of powar to w{i}t{h}ſtond; So mych of armys dyde he w{i}t{h} his honde, 3116 [Sidenote: Every wight wonders at his deeds.] That euery wight ferleit of h{is} deid, And al his fois ſtondith ful of dreid. So beſely he can his tyme diſpend, That of the ſperis wich ſ{ir} gawan ſend, 3120 [Sidenote: He uses up all Gawane’s spears.] Holl of them all thar was not lewit oñe; Throw wich but m{er}cy to the deyth is gon Ful many o kny{ch}t, and many o weriour, That cout{h} ſuſten ful hardely o ſtour. 3124 [Sidenote: Two horses of his are killed, and he fights on foot.] And of his horß ſupp{ri}ſit ded ar two, One of his awn, of gawanis one alſo, And he one fut was fechtand one the gren, When that ſ{ir} kay haith w{i}t{h} his falowis ſeñ; 3128 [Sidenote: The squire brings him a fresh horse;] The ſqwyar w{i}t{h} his horß than to hy{m} bro{ch}t; Magre his fois he to his courſeir ſo{ch}t Deliu{er}ly, as of o my{ch}ty hart, [Sidenote: he leaps into the saddle without stirrups.] W{i}t{h}out ſteropis in to his ſadill ſtart, 3132 That euery wycht beholding m{er}vell has Of his ſtrenth and deliu{er} beſynes.

[Headnote: SIR KAY ASKS WHO THE BLACK KNIGHT IS.]

[Sidenote: Sir Kay asks who he is,] S{ir} kay, ſeing his horß, and how that thai War cled in to ſ{ir} gawanis aray, 3136 Aſkith at the ſquyar if he knewith What that he was, this kny{ch}t? & he hym ſchewith [Sidenote: but the squire cannot tell.] He wiſt no thing quhat that he was, nore hee Befor that day hyme neu{er} ſaw w{i}t{h} Ee. 3140 Than aſkith he, how and one quhat wyß On gawanis horß makith hyme ſich ſ{er}uice? The ſqw[y]ar ſaith, “forſuth y wot no more; My lord ws bad, I not the cauß quharfore.” 3144 [Sidenote: The black knight returns to the field.] The blak kny{ch}t, horſit, to the feld can ſew Als freſch as he was in the morow new; [Sidenote: The six comrades follow him.] The ſex falowis folowit hyme ilkone, And al in front on to the feld ar goñ; 3148 Ry{ch}t freſchly one thar ennemys thai ſoght, [Fol. 39a.] And many o fair poynt of armys vroght.

[Sidenote: Malangin’s host is discomfited by king Ydras; and retreats to join the second line, commanded by the Conquest-king;] [T]han hapnyt to king malangins oſt By ydras king diſcu{m}fit was, & loſt, 3152 And fled, and to the {con}queſt-king ar goñe, Thar boith the batell{is} aſſemblit In to one; King malengynis in to his hart was wo, For of hyme-ſelf no bett{er} kny{ch}t my{ch}t go; 3156 [Sidenote: so that 40,000 are now opposed to 15,000 of Arthur’s.] Thar xl thouſand war thai for xv. Than my{ch}t the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus be ſen Of armyt kny{ch}t{is} gaping one the ground; Sum deith, and ſum w{i}t{h} mony a grewous wond; 3160 For arthuris kny{ch}t{is}, that manly war and gud, Suppos that vthir was o multitude, Reſauit tham well at the ſperis end; But one ſuch wyß thai may not lang defend. 3164

[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT’S PROWESS.]

[Sidenote: The black knight, knowing who is beholding him,] The blak kny{ch}t ſaw the dang{er} of the feld, And al his doing{is} knowith quho beheld, And ek reme{m}brith in to his entent Of the meſag that ſche haith to hyme ſent: 3168 Than curag, ſtrenth encreſing w{i}t{h} ma{n}hed, Ful lyk o kny{ch}t one to the feld he raid, [Sidenote: thinks to have his lady’s love, or die before her.] Thinking to do his ladice love to have, Or than his deth befor hir to reſave. 3172 Thar he begynyth in his ferß curag Of armys, as o lyoune in his rag; Than m{er}well was his doing to behold; Thar was no kny{ch}t ſo ſtrong, nor yhit ſo bold, 3176 That in the feld befor his ſuerd he met, Nor he ſo hard his ſtrok apone hyme ſet, That ded or wondit to the erth he ſo{ch}t; [Sidenote: He works nothing but wonders;] For thar was not bot wond{er}is that he wro{ch}t. 3180 And magre of his fois eu{er}ilkone, [Sidenote: and often passes alone through the field.] In to the feld oft tymys hyme aloñ Throuch and throuch he paſſith to & fro; For in the ward[T73] it was the man{er} tho 3184 That non o kny{ch}t ſhuld be the brydill tak Hyme to oreſt, nore cum behynd h{is} bak, Nor mo than on at onys one o kny{ch}t Shuld ſtrik, for that tyme worſchip ſtud ſo ry{ch}t. 3188 Ȝhit was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus and ſtrong Till arthuris folk, ſet thai {con}tenyt longe; Bot in ſich wyß this blak kny{ch}t can {con}ten, [Fol. 39b.] [Sidenote: He fights in such wise as to encourage all who see his deeds.] That thai, the wich that hath his manhed ſeñ, 3192 Sich hardyment haith takyne In his ded, Them tho{ch}t thai had no man{er} cauß of dred, Als long as he my{ch}t owthir ryd or go, At euery ned he them recomfort ſo. 3196 [Sidenote: Sir Kay and his fellows follow him all day.] S{ir} kay haith w{i}t{h} his falowis al the day Folowit hyme al that he can or may, And wondir well thai have in armys p{re}wit, And w{i}t{h} thar manhed oft thar folk relewit; 3200 Bot well thai faucht in diu{er}ß placis ſere, [Sidenote: But at last they are nearly all overpowered by numbers.] W{i}t{h} multitud y{ar} folk confuſit were, That long in ſich wyß my{ch}t thai no{ch}t {con}teñ.

[Footnote T73: Another spelling of _warld_, i.e. world, which occurs in the fuller form in l. 3212.]

[Headnote: SIR KAY’S MESSAGE TO SIR HARWY.]

[Sidenote: Sir Kay sends Gawane’s squire with a message to Sir Harwy that he ought not to suffer the best knight that ever bore arms to be surprised,] S{ir} kay, that hath ſ{ir} gawans qſquyar{is} ſen, 3204 He clepit hyme, and haith hyme prayt ſo, That to ſ{ir} harwy the rewell wil he go, And ſay to hyme, “ws think hyme ewil awyſit; For her throuch hyme he ſufferit be ſuppriſit 3208 The beſt kny{ch}t that eu{er} armys bur; And if it ſo befell of adwentur, In his defalt, that he be ded or lamyt, This warld ſal have hyme vtraly defamyt. 3212 [Sidenote: nor six knights of the Round Table to be discomfited.] And her ar of the round table alſo A falouſchip, that ſall in well and wo Abid w{i}t{h} hyme, and furt{h} for to endur Of lyf or deth, this day, thar adwentur; 3216 And if ſo fal diſcumfyt at thai bee, The king may ſay that wond{er} ewill haith he Contenit hyme, and kepit his honore, Thus for to tyne of chevalry the flour!” 3220 [Sidenote: The squire takes the message.] The ſqw[y]ar hard, and furt{h} his way Raid, In termys ſchort he al his meſag ſaid. S{ir} harwy ſaith, “y wytneß god, that I Neu{er} in my days comytit tratory, 3224 And if I now begyne In to myne eld, In ewill tyme fyrſt com I to this feld; [Sidenote: Sir Harwy says that Sir Kay shall have no cause to reprove him.] Bot, if god will, I ſal me ſon diſcharg. Say to ſ{ir} kay, I ſal not ber the charg, 3228 He ſal no mat{er} have me to rapref, I ſal amend this mys if that I lef.” The ſqwyar went and tellit to ſ{ir} kay;

[Sidenote: Sir Harwy comes to support them;] ++And ſ{ir} harwy, in al the haſt he may, 3232 Aſſemblyt hath his oſt{is}, & onoñ In gret deſyre on the feld is gon [Fol. 40a.] Before his folk, and haldith furt{h} his way; Don goith his ſper, and ewyne before ſ{ir} kay 3236 So hard o kny{ch}t he ſtrykith in his ten That horß and he lay boith apone the gren. S{ir} gawan ſaw the count{er} that he maad, And leuch for al the ſarues that he had: 3240 [Sidenote: and proves himself a better warrior than might have been expected of one so old.] That day ſ{ir} harwy prewyt in the feld Of armys more than longith to his eld, For he was more than fyfty yher of ag, Set he was ferß and ȝong in his curag; 3244 And fro that he aſſemblyt his bataill [Sidenote: Galiot’s folk are beaten.] Doune goith the folk of galot{is} al haill; For to w{i}t{h}ſtond thai war of no poware, And yhit of folk x thouſand mo thei vare. 3248

[Sidenote: King Valydone comes to support them.] ++Kyng valydone, that ſauch on ſuch o wyß His falowis dang{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ennemys, W{i}t{h} al his folk, being freß and new, Goith to the feld onon, them to reſſkew; 3252 Thar was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus aȝañe, Of arthuris folk ful many on var ſlan.

[Sidenote: Angus comes to aid Arthur’s men.] ++Bot angus, quhich that lykith not to bid, And ſaw the p{er}ell one the tother ſid, 3256 His ſted he ſtrok, and w{i}t{h} his oſt is gon Whar was moſt ned, and thar the feld has ton.

[Sidenote: Clamedyus comes to aid Galiot’s men.] ++Kyng clamedyus makith non abaid, Bot w{i}t{h} his oſt one to the ſid he raid. 3260

[Headnote: GALIOT’S FOLK ARE WORSTED.]

[Sidenote: Ywons encounters Clamedyus.] ++And ywons king, that haith his cu{m}myn ſen, Encount{er}it hyme in myddis of the greñ. The aucht batell{is} aſſemblyt one this wiß; [Sidenote: Great clamour and lamentable cries on either side.] On ather half the clamore and the cryiß 3264 Was lametable and petws for til her, Of kny{ch}t{is} wich in diu{er}ß placis ſere Wondit war, and fallyng to and fro, Ȝhit galyot{is} folk war xx thouſand mo. 3268

[Sidenote: The black knight bids himself remember love’s power over him;] ++The blak kny{ch}t than on to hyme-ſelf he ſaid: “Remembir the, how yhow haith ben araid, Ay ſen ye hour that yow was makid kny{ch}t, W{i}t{h} love, aȝane quhois powar & whois my{ch}t 3272 Yow haith no ſtrenth, yow may It not endur, Nor ȝhit non vthir erthly creatur; [Sidenote: and that only his lady’s mercy or his life’s end can amend him.] And bot two thing{is} ar the to amend, Thi ladice mercy, or thi lyvys end. 3276 And well yhow wot that on to hir p{re}ſens, Til hir eſtat, nor til hir excellens, [Fol. 40b.] Thi febilneß neu{er}more is able For to attan, ſche is ſo honorable. 3280 And ſen no way yow may ſo hie extend,

[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT’S DARING RESOLUTION.]

[Sidenote: He counsels himself to strive for her thanks,] My verray conſell is, that yow pretend This day, (ſen yow becu{m}myne art hir kny{ch}t Of hir comand, and fechtit in hir ſy{ch}t), 3284 And well yow ſchaw, ſen yow may do no mor, That of reſone ſche ſal the thank tharfore; [Sidenote: and to be ashamed of every point of cowardice.] Of euery poynt of cowardy yow ſcham, And in til armys purcheß the ſum nam.” 3288 W{i}t{h} that of love in to o new deſir [Sidenote: Swift as a crossbow-bolt he seeks the field.] His ſpere he ſtraucht, and ſwift as any wyre W{i}t{h} al his forß the n{er}eſt feld he ſoght; His ful ſtrenth in armys thar he vroght, 3292 In to the feld ruſching to and fro, Doune goith the man, doune goith the horß also; Sum throw the ſcheld is perſit to the hart, Sum throw the hed, he may It not aſtart. 3296 [Sidenote: His sword carves the head from some, and cuts the arms of others in twain.] His bludy ſuerd he dreuch, that carwit ſo Fro ſum the hed, and ſum the arm in two; Sum in the feld fellit is in ſwoñ, Throw ſum his ſuerd goith to the ſadill doune. 3300 His fois waren abaſit of his dedis, His mortell ſtrok ſo gretly for to dred Is; [Sidenote: When his foes see him, they leave the place for dread of death.] Whar thai hyme ſaw, w{i}t{h}in a lytall ſpace, For dreid of ded, thai levyng hyme the place, 3304 That many o ſtrok ful oft he haith forlorñ; The ſpedy horß away the kny{ch}t hath borñ. In to his wyrking neu{er}more he ſeſt, Nor non abaid he makith, nor areſt. 3308 [Sidenote: His knightly deeds assure his fellows.] His falowis, ſo in his kny{ch}thed aſſuryd, Thai ar reco{m}fort, thar manhed is recou{er}yt, And one thar fois ful ferſly thai ſoght, Thar goith the lyf of many o kny{ch}t to no{ch}t. 3312 So was the batell wond{er}ful to tell, Of kny{ch}t{is} to ſe the multitud that fell, [Sidenote: It was pitiful to see the knights gaping upon the green.] That pety was til ony kny{ch}t to ſeñ The kny{ch}t{is} lying gaping on the gren. 3316 The blak kny{ch}t ay {con}tinewit ſo faſt, Whill[T74] many one, diſcumfit at the laſt, Are fled, and planly of the feld thei pas: [Fol. 41a.]

[Footnote T74: MS. “Whilk.”]

[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS WHY HIS MEN FLEE.]

[Sidenote: Galiot asks his men why they flee.] And galyot haith wondyr, for he was 3320 Of mor powar, and aſkit at them qwhy As cowart{is} thai fled ſa ſchamfully? [Sidenote: A knight replies, that whoever likes may go and see marvels.] Than ſaith o kny{ch}t, ſor wondit in the brayne, “Who lykith, he may Retwrn aȝayne 3324 Frome qwhens we come, m{er}walis for to ſee, That in his tyme neu{er} ſich ſauch hee.” [Sidenote: Galiot asks, what marvels; and the knight tells him there is a knight who vanquishes all;] “Marwell,” q{uod} he, “that dar I boldly ſay Thay may be callit, and quhat thai ar, I pray?” 3328 “Schir, in the feld forſuth thar is o kny{ch}t, That only throw his body and his my{ch}t Wencuſſith all, that thar may non ſuſten His ſtrokis, thai ar ſo fureows and ken. 3332 [Sidenote: who fares as a lion or a bear;] He farith as o lyone or o beyre, Wod in his rag, for ſich is his affere. [Sidenote: to whom the red knight hears no comparison.] Nor he the kny{ch}t in to the armys Red, Wich at the first aſſemble in this ſted 3336 Wencuſſith all, and had the holl renown, He may to this be no comp{ar}yſou{n}e, Fore neu{er} he ſeſith ſen the day vas goñ, Bot eu{er}more {con}tinewit in to one.” 3340 [Sidenote: Galiot says he will go and see.] Quod galiot, “in nome of god and we Al, be tyme, the ſuthfaſtneß ſal see.”