XIII.
Reading edition
"I seek no fight," says the knight. "Nay, frayst I no fyȝt, in fayth I þe telle, "'Here are only beardless children.' 280 Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdleȝ chylder; If I were hasped in armes on a heȝe stede, Here is no man to match me. Here is no mon me to mach, for myȝteȝ so1 wayke. For-þy I craue in þis court a crystmas gomen, Here are brave ones many, 284 For hit is ȝol & nwe ȝer, & here ar ȝep mony; If any so hardy in þis hous holdeȝ hym-seluen, if any be bold enough to 'strike a stroke for another,' Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede, Þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer, 288 I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche, this axe shall be his; Þis ax, þat is heué in-nogh, to hondele as hym lykes, [Fol. 95.] & I schal bide þe fyrst bur, as bare as I sitte. If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle, 292 Lepe lyȝtly me to, & lach þis weppen, I quit clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen, but I shall give him a 'stroke' in return & I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on þis flet, Elleȝ þou wyl diȝt me þe dom to dele hym an oþer, 296 barlay; & ȝet gif hym respite, within a twelvemonth and a day." A twelmonyth & a day;— Now hyȝe, & let se tite 300 Dar any her-inne oȝt say." 1 MS. fo.