XXVIII.
Reading edition
She offers him a gold ring, Ho ra3t hym a riche rynk1 of red golde werke3, Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte, Þat bere blusschande beme3 as þe bry3t sunne; 1820 Wyt 3e wel, hit wat3 worth wele ful hoge. but he refuses to accept it, Bot þe renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde, [Fol. 115b.] "I wil no gifte3 for gode, my gay, at þis tyme; as he has none to give in return. I haf none yow to norne, ne no3t 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 3e renay my rynk, to ryche for hit seme3, 1828 3e wolde not so hy3ly halden be to me, I schal gif yow my girdel, þat gaynes yow lasse." Ho la3t a lace ly3tly, þat2 leke vmbe hir syde3, She takes off her "girdle," Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder þe clere mantyle, 1832 Gered hit wat3 with grene sylke, & with golde schaped, No3t bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngre3; & þat ho bede to þe burne, & blyþely bi-so3t and beseeches him to take it. Þa3 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 no3t, 1840 & lette3 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.