XV.
Reading edition
The Green Knight rested on his axe, The haþel heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested, 2332 Sette þe schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened, looked on Sir Gawayne, who appeared bold and fearless, & loked to þe leude, þat on þe launde 3ede, How þat do3ty dredles deruely þer stonde3, Armed ful a3le3; in hert hit hym lyke3. 2336 þenn he mele3 muryly, wyth a much steuen, and addressed him as follows: "Bold knight, be not so wroth, & wyth a r[a]ykande rurde he to þe renk sayde, "Bolde burne, on þis bent be not so gryndel; No mon here vn-manerly þe mys-boden habbe, 2340 Ne kyd, bot as couenaunde, at kynge3 kort schaped; I promised thee a stroke and thou hast it, be satisfied. I hy3t þe a strok, & þou hit hat3, halde þe wel payed, I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ry3tes alle oþer; 3if1 I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter, I could have dealt worse with thee. 2344 I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wro3t anger.2 Fyrst I mansed þe muryly, with a mynt one, I menaced thee with one blow for the covenant & roue þe wyth no rof, sore with ry3t I þe profered, [Fol. 122b.] between us on the first night. For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst ny3t, 2348 & þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me halde3, Al þe gayne þow me gef, as god mon shulde; Another I aimed at thee because thou kissedst my wife. Þat oþer munt for þe morne, mon, I þe profered, Þou kyssedes my clere wyf, þe cosse3 me ra3te3, 2352 For boþe two here I þe bede bot two bare myntes, boute scaþe; A true man should restore truly, and then he need fear no harm. Trwe mon trwe restore, Þenne þar mon drede no waþe; Thou failedst at the third time, and therefore take thee that tap. (See l. 1861.) 2356 At þe þrid þou fayled þore, & þer-for þat tappe ta þe. 1 uf, in MS. 2 This word is doubtful.