XXII.
Reading edition
He desires to know what had driven Sir Gawayne from Arthur's court before the end of the Christmas holidays. Then frayned þe freke ful fayre at him-seluen, Quat derne1 dede had hym dryuen, at þat dere tyme, 1048 So kenly fro þe kynge3 kourt to kayre al his one, Er þe halidaye3 holly were halet out of toun? The knight replies that "a high errand and a hasty one" had forced him to leave the court. "For soþe sir," quod þe segge, "3e sayn bot þe trawþe A he3e ernde & a hasty me hade fro þo wone3, 1052 For I am sumned my selfe to sech to a place, I wot2 in worlde wheder warde to wende, hit to fynde; I nolde, bot if I hit negh my3t on nw3eres morne, For alle þe londe in-wyth Logres, so me oure lorde help! 1056 For-þy, sir, þis enquest I require yow here, He asks his host whether he has ever heard of the Green Chapel, Þat 3e me telle with trawþe, if euer 3e tale herde Of þe grene chapel, quere hit on grounde stonde3, & of þe kny3t þat hit kepes, of colour of grene? 1060 Þer wat3 stabled bi statut a steuen vus by-twene, for he has to be there on New Year's-day. To mete þat mon at þat mere, 3if I my3t last; & of þat ilk nw3ere hot neked now wonte3, & I wolde loke on þat lede, if God me let wolde, 1064 Gladloker, bi Godde3 sun, þen any god welde! For-þi, I-wysse, bi 3owre wylle, wende me bi-houes, He wonld as lief die as fail in his errand. Naf I now to busy bot bare þre daye3, & me als fayn to falle feye as fayly of myyn ernde." The prince tells Sir Gawayne that he will teach him the way. 1068 Þenne la3ande quod þe lorde, "now leng þe by-houes, For I schal teche yow to þa[t] terme bi þe tyme3 ende, Þe grene chapayle vpon grounde, greue yow no more; Bot 3e schal be in yowre bed, burne, at þyn ese, 1072 Quyle forth dayej, & ferk on pe fyrst of pe 3ere, [Fol. 105b] & cum to þat merk at mydmorn, to make quat yow like3 in spenne; Dowelle3 whyle new 3eres daye, 1076 & rys, & rayke3 þenne, The Green chapel is not more than two miles from the castle. Mon schal yow sette in waye, Hit is not two myle henne." 1 derue (?). 2 not (?).