XXII.

There they drank and discoursed. 1668 Ande þer þay dronken, & dalten, & demed eft nwe, To norne on þe same note, on nweȝereȝ euen; Gawayne begs leave to depart on the morrow. Bot þe knyȝt craued leue, to kayre on þe morn, For hit watȝ neȝ at þe terme, þat he to¹ schulde. [Fol. 113b.] 1672 Þe lorde hym letted of þat, to lenge hym resteyed, His host swears to him, & sayde, "as I am trwe segge, I siker my trawþe, that he shall come to the Green Chapel on New Year's morn long before prime. Þou schal cheue to þe grene chapel, þy charres to make, Leude, on nwȝereȝ lyȝt, longe bifore pryme: 1676 For-þy þow lye in þy loft, & lach þyn ese, & I schal hunt in þis holt, & halde þe towcheȝ, Chaunge wyth þe cheuisaunce, bi þat I charre hider; For I haf fraysted þe twys, & faythful I fynde þe, 1680 Now þrid tyme þrowe best þenk on þe morne, Make we mery quyl we may, & mynne vpon Ioye, For þe lur may mon lach, when so mon lykeȝ." Þis watȝ grayþely graunted, & Gawayn is lenged, Our knight consents to remain for another night. 1684 Bliþe broȝt watȝ hym drynk, & þay to bedde ȝeden, with liȝt; Full still and softly he sleeps all night. Sir G: lis & slepes, Ful stille & softe al niȝt; Early in the morning the lord is up. 1688 Þe lorde þat his crafteȝ kepes, Ful erly he watȝ diȝt. ¹ te (?).