XVIII.

"It pleases me well, Sir Gawayne," says the Green Knight, "that I shall receive a blow from thy fist; but thou must swear that thou wilt seek me, "Bigog," quod þe grene knyȝt, "sir Gawan, melykes, Þat I schal fange at þy fust þat I haf frayst here; 392 & þou hatȝ redily rehersed, bi resoun ful trwe, Clanly al þe couenaunt þat I þe kynge asked, Saf þat þou schal siker me, segge, bi þi trawþe, Þat þou schal seche me þi-self, where-so þou hopes 396 I may be funde vpon folde, & foch þe such wages to receive the blow in return." As þou deles me to day, bifore þis douþe ryche." "Where shall I seek thee?" says Sir Gawayne; "Where schulde I wale þe," quod Gauan, "where is þy place? I wot neuer where þou wonyes, bi hym þat me wroȝt, 400 Ne I know not þe, knyȝt, þy cort, ne þi name. "tell me thy name and abode and I will find thee." Bot teche me truly þer-to, & telle me howe þou hattes, & I schal ware alle my wyt to wynne me þeder, [Fol. 96b.] & þat I swere þe for soþe, & by my seker traweþ." 404 "Þat is in-nogh in nwe ȝer, hit nedes no more," Quod þe gome in þe grene to Gawan þe hende, "When thou hast smitten me," says the knight, "then tell I thee of my home and name; "ȝif I þe telle trwly, quen I þe tape haue, & þou me smoþely hatȝ smyten, smartly I þe teche 408 Of my hous, & my home, & myn owen nome, Þen may þou frayst my fare, & forwardeȝ holde, if I speak not at all, so much the better for thee. & if I spende no speche, þenne spedeȝ þou þe better, For þou may leng in þy londe, & layt no fyrre, 412 bot slokes; Take now thy grim tool, and let us see how thou knockest." Ta now þy grymme tole to þe, & let se how þou cnokeȝ." "Gladly sir, for soþe," 416 Quod Gawan; his ax he strokes.