XVII.

Then the other, laughing, thus spoke: Thenne loȝe þat oþer leude, & luflyly sayde, "I halde hit hardily¹ hole, þe harme þat I hade; "Thou art confessed so clean, Þou art confessed so clene, be-knowen of þy mysses, 2392 & hatȝ þe penaunce apert, of þe poynt of myn egge, that I hold thee as pure as if thou hadst never been guilty. I halde þe polysed of þat plyȝt, & pured as clene, As þou hadeȝ neuer forfeted, syþen þou watȝ fyrst borne. I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle, & I gif þe, sir, þe gurdel þat is golde hemmed; 2396 For hit is grene as my goune, sir G:, ȝe maye Þenk vpon þis ilke þrepe, þer þou forth þryngeȝ Among prynces of prys, & þis a pure token as a token of thy adventure at the Green Chapel. Of þe chaunce of þe grene chapel, at cheualrous knyȝteȝ; Come again to my abode, and abide there for the remainder of the festival." 2400 & ȝe schal in þis nwe ȝer aȝayn to my woneȝ, & we schyn reuel þe remnaunt of þis ryche fest, ful bene." Þer laþed hym fast þe lorde, 2404 & sayde, "with my wyf, I wene, We schal yow wel acorde, Þat watȝ your enmy kene." ¹ hardilyly, in MS.