XVII.
Reading edition
[Fol. 96.] Þen comaunded þe kyng þe knyȝt for to ryse; & he ful radly vp ros, & ruchched hym fayre, The king gives his nephew his weapon, 368 Kneled doun bifore þe kyng, & cacheȝ þat weppen; & he luflyly hit hym laft, & lyfte vp his honde, & gef hym goddeȝ blessyng, & gladly hym biddes and tells him to keep heart and hand steady. Þat his hert & his honde schulde hardi be boþe. 372 "Kepe þe cosyn," quod þe kyng, "þat þou on kyrf sette, & if þou redeȝ hym ryȝt, redly I trowe, Þat þou schal byden þe bur þat he schal bede after. Gawan gotȝ to þe gome, with giserne in honde, 376 & he baldly hym bydeȝ, he bayst neuer þe helder The Green Knight enquires the name of his opponent. Þen carppeȝ to sir Gawan þe knyȝt in þe grene, "Refourme we oure for-wardes, er we fyrre passe. Fyrst I eþe þe, haþel, how þat þou hattes, 380 Þat þou me telle truly, as I tryst may?" Sir Gawayne tells him his name, and declares that he is willing to give and receive a blow. "In god fayth," quod þe goode knyȝt, "Gawan I hatte, Þat bede þe þis buffet, quat-so bi-falleȝ after, & at þis tyme twelmonyth take at þe anoþer, 384 Wyth what weppen so1 þou wylt, & wyth no wyȝ elleȝ, on lyue." Þat oþer on-swareȝ agayn, "Sir Gawan, so mot I þryue, The other thereof is glad. 388 As I am ferly fayn. Þis dint þat þou schal dryue." 1 MS. fo.