XIV.
Reading edition
The lady of the castle again visits Sir Gawayne. 1476 Ho commes to þe cortyn, & at þe kny3t totes, Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst, & ho hym 3elde3 a3ayn, ful 3erne of hir worde3, Softly she sits by his side, Sette3 hir sof[t]ly by his syde, & swyþely ho la3e3, 1480 & wyth a luflych loke ho layde1 hym þyse worde3: "Sir, 3if 3e be Wawen, wonder me þynkke3, Wy3e þat is so wel wrast alway to god, & conne3 not of compaynye þe coste3 vnder-take, [Fol. 111] 1484 & if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, 3e kest hom of your mynde; and tells the knight that he has forgotten what she taught him the day before. Þou hat3 for-3eten 3ederly þat 3isterday I ta3tte alder-truest token of talk þat I cowþe." "What is þat?" quod þe wyghe, "I-wysse I wot neuer, 1488 If hit be sothe þat 3e breue, þe blame is myn awen." "I taught you of kissing," she says, "that becomes every knight." "3et I kende yow of kyssyng," quod þe clere þenne, "Quere-so countenaunce is couþe, quikly to clayme, Þat bicumes vche a kny3t, þat cortaysy vses." 1492 "Do way," quod þat derf mon, "my dere, þat speche, Gawayne says that he must not take that which is forbidden. For þat durst I not do, lest I denayed were, If I were werned, I were wrang I-wysse, 3if I profered." "Ma fay," quod þe mere wyf, "3e may not be werned, He is told that he is strong enough to enforce it. 1496 3e ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, 3if yow lyke3, 3if any were so vilanous þat yow denaye2 wolde." "3e, be God," quod Gawayn, "good is your speche, Bot þrete is vn-þryuande in þede þer I lende, The knight replies that every gift is worthless that is not given willingly. 1500 & vche gift þat is geuen not with goud wylle; I am at your comaundement, to kysse quen yow lyke3, 3e may lach quen yow lyst, & leue quen yow þynkke3, in space." The lady stoops down and kisses him. 1504 Þe lady loute3 a-doun, & comlyly kysses his face, Much speche þay þer expoun, Of druryes greme & grace. 1 sayde (?). 2 de vaye, in MS.