XXVIII.
Reading edition
She offers him a gold ring, Ho raȝt hym a riche rynk1 of red golde werkeȝ, Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte, Þat bere blusschande bemeȝ as þe bryȝt sunne; 1820 Wyt ȝe wel, hit watȝ worth wele ful hoge. but he refuses to accept it, Bot þe renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde, [Fol. 115b.] "I wil no gifteȝ for gode, my gay, at þis tyme; as he has none to give in return. I haf none yow to norne, ne noȝt wyl I take." 1824 Ho bede hit hym ful bysily, & he hir bode wernes, & swere swyftel[y] his sothe, þat he hit sese nolde; Very sorrowful was that fair one on account of his refusal. & ho sore þat he forsoke, & sayde þer-after, "If ȝe renay my rynk, to ryche for hit semeȝ, 1828 Ȝe wolde not so hyȝly halden be to me, I schal gif yow my girdel, þat gaynes yow lasse." Ho laȝt a lace lyȝtly, þat2 leke vmbe hir sydeȝ, She takes off her "girdle," Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder þe clere mantyle, 1832 Gered hit watȝ with grene sylke, & with golde schaped, Noȝt bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngreȝ; & þat ho bede to þe burne, & blyþely bi-soȝt and beseeches him to take it. Þaȝ hit vn-worþi were, þat he hit take wolde. 1836 & he nay þat he nolde neghe in no wyse, Gawayne again refuses to accept anything, Nauþer golde ne garysoun, er God hym grace sende, To acheue to þe chaunce þat he hade chosen þere. "& þerfore, I pray yow, displese yow noȝt, 1840 & letteȝ be your bisinesse, for I bayþe hit yow neuer to graunte; I am derely to yow biholde, Bi-cause of your sembelaunt, but promises, "ever in hot and in cold, to be her true servant." 1844 & euer in hot & colde To be your trwe seruaunt. 1 ryng (?). 2 þat þat, in MS.