XXIX.
Reading edition
"Do you refuse it," says the lady, because it is simple? "Now forsake ȝe þis silke." sayde þe burde þenne, "For hit is symple in hit-self. & so hit wel semeȝ? 1848 Lo! so hit is littel, & lasse hit is worþy; Whoso knew the virtues that it possesses, would highly prize it. Bot who-so knew þe costes þat knit ar þer-inne, He wolde hit prayse at more prys, parauenture; For he who is girded with this green lace, For quat gome so is gorde with þis grene lace, 1852 While he hit hade hemely halched aboute, Þer is no haþel vnder heuen to-hewe hym þat myȝt; cannot be wounded or slain." For he myȝt not he slayn, for slyȝt vpon erþe." Þen kest þe knyȝt, & hit come to his hert, The knight thinks of his adventure at the Green Chapel. 1856 Hit were a Iuel for þe Iopardé, þat hym iugged were, When he acheued to þe chapel, his chek forto fech; The lady presses him to accept the lace. Myȝ1 he haf slypped to þe vn-slayn, þe sleȝt were noble. [Fol. 116.] Þenne ho þulged with hir þrepe, & þoled hir to speke, 1860 & ho bere on hym þe belt, & bede hit hym swyþe, He consents not only to take the girdle, but to keep the possession of it a secret. & he granted, & [ho] hym gafe with a goud wylle, & bisoȝt hym, for hir sake, disceuer hit neuer, Bot to lelly layne for2 hir lorde; þe leude hym acordeȝ. 1864 Þat neuer wyȝe schulde hit wyt, Iwysse, bot þay twayne, for noȝte; He þonkked hir oft ful swyþe, Ful þro with hert & þoȝt. By that time the lady has kissed him thrice. 1868 Bi þat on þrynne syþe, He hatȝ kyst þe knyȝt so toȝt. 1 myȝt (?). 2 fro (?).