XVII.
Reading edition
[Fol. 96.] Þen comaunded þe kyng þe kny3t for to ryse; & he ful radly vp ros, & ruchched hym fayre, The king gives his nephew his weapon, 368 Kneled doun bifore þe kyng, & cache3 þat weppen; & he luflyly hit hym laft, & lyfte vp his honde, & gef hym godde3 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 rede3 hym ry3t, redly I trowe, Þat þou schal byden þe bur þat he schal bede after. Gawan got3 to þe gome, with giserne in honde, 376 & he baldly hym byde3, he bayst neuer þe helder The Green Knight enquires the name of his opponent. Þen carppe3 to sir Gawan þe kny3t 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 kny3t, "Gawan I hatte, Þat bede þe þis buffet, quat-so bi-falle3 after, & at þis tyme twelmonyth take at þe anoþer, 384 Wyth what weppen so1 þou wylt, & wyth no wy3 elle3, on lyue." Þat oþer on-sware3 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.