XIV.

The lady of the castle again visits Sir Gawayne. 1476 Ho commes to þe cortyn, & at þe knyȝt totes, Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst, & ho hym ȝeldeȝ aȝayn, ful ȝerne of hir wordeȝ, Softly she sits by his side, Setteȝ hir sof[t]ly by his syde, & swyþely ho laȝeȝ, 1480 & wyth a luflych loke ho layde¹ hym þyse wordeȝ: "Sir, ȝif ȝe be Wawen, wonder me þynkkeȝ, Wyȝe þat is so wel wrast alway to god, & conneȝ not of compaynye þe costeȝ vnder-take, [Fol. 111] 1484 & if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, ȝe kest hom of your mynde; and tells the knight that he has forgotten what she taught him the day before. Þou hatȝ for-ȝeten ȝederly þat ȝisterday I taȝtte 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 ȝe breue, þe blame is myn awen." "I taught you of kissing," she says, "that becomes every knight." "Ȝet I kende yow of kyssyng," quod þe clere þenne, "Quere-so countenaunce is couþe, quikly to clayme, Þat bicumes vche a knyȝt, 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, ȝif I profered." "Ma fay," quod þe mere wyf, "ȝe may not be werned, He is told that he is strong enough to enforce it. 1496 Ȝe ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, ȝif yow lykeȝ, Ȝif any were so vilanous þat yow denaye² wolde." "Ȝe, 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 lykeȝ, Ȝe may lach quen yow lyst, & leue quen yow þynkkeȝ, in space." The lady stoops down and kisses him. 1504 Þe lady louteȝ a-doun, & comlyly kysses his face, Much speche þay þer expoun, Of druryes greme & grace. ¹ sayde (?). ² de vaye, in MS.