XV.
Reading edition
He assures the knight that no one is afraid of his great words. Ande sayde, "haþel, by heuen þyn askyng is nys, 324 & as þou foly hatȝ frayst, fynde þe be-houes; I know no gome þat is gast of þy grete wordes. Gif me now þy geserne, vpon godeȝ halue, & I schal bayþen þy bone, þat þou boden habbes." [Fol. 95b.] 328 Lyȝtly lepeȝ he hym to, & laȝt at his honde; Þen feersly þat oþer freke vpon fote lyȝtis. Arthur seizes his axe. Now hatȝ Arthure his axe, & þe halme grypeȝ, & sturnely stureȝ hit aboute, þat stryke wyth hit þoȝt. 332 Þe stif mon hym bifore stod vpon hyȝt, Herre þen ani in þe hous by þe hede & more; The knight, stroking his beard, awaits the blow, and with a "dry countenance" draws down his coat. Wyth sturne schere1 þer he stod, he stroked his berde, & wyth a countenaunce dryȝe he droȝ doun his cote, 336 No more mate ne dismayd for hys mayn dinteȝ, Þen any burne vpon bench hade broȝt hym to drynk of wyne, Sir Gawayne beseeches the king to let him undertake the blow. Gawan, þat sate bi þe quene, 340 To þe kyng he can enclyne, "I be-seche now with saȝeȝ sene, Þis melly mot be myne." 1 chere (?).