XII.

Then the man in green seizes his grim tool. Then þe gome in þe grene grayþed hym swyþe, 2260 Gedereȝ yp hys grymme tole, Gawayn to smyte; With all his force he raises it aloft. With alle þe bur in his body he ber hit on lofte, Munt as maȝtyly, as marre hym he wolde; Hade hit dryuen adoun, as dreȝ as he atled, 2264 Þer hade ben ded of his dynt, þat doȝty watȝ euer. Bot Gawayn on þat giserne glyfte hym bysyde, As it came gliding down, As hit com glydande adoun, on glode hym to schende, Sir Gawayne shrank a little with his shoulders. & schranke a lytel with þe schulderes, for þe scharp yrne. 2268 Þat oþer schalk wyth a schunt þe schene wythhaldeȝ, The other reproved him, saying, & þenne repreued he þe prynce with mony prowde wordeȝ: "Thou art not Gawayne that is so good esteemed, "Þou art not Gawayn," quod þe gome, "þat is so goud halden, Þat neuer arȝed for no here, by hylle ne be vale, [Fol. 121b.] for thou fleest for fear before thou feelest harm. 2272 & now þou fles for ferde, er þou fele harmeȝ; Such cowardise of þat knyȝt cowþe I neuer here. I never flinched when thou struckest. Nawþer fyked I, ne flaȝe, freke, quen þou myntest, Ne kest no kauelacion, in kyngeȝ hous Arthor, My head flew to my foot, yet I never fled, 2276 My hede flaȝ to my fote, & ȝet flaȝ I neuer; & þou, er any harme hent, arȝeȝ in hert, wherefore I ought to be called the better man." Wherfore þe better burne me burde be called þer-fore." "I shunted once," says Gawayne, "but will no more. 2280 Quod G:, "I schunt oneȝ, & so wyl I no more, Bot paȝ my hede falle on þe stoneȝ, I con not hit restore.