VI.
Reading edition
Wherefore, good Sir Gawayne, let this man alone. "For-þy, goude sir Gawayn, let þe gome one, & got3 a-way sum oþer gate; vpon Godde3 halue; Go by some other region, 2120 Cayre3 bi sum oþer kyth, þer Kryst mot yow spede; & I schal hy3 me hom a3ayn, & hete yow fyrre, [Fol. 119b.] I swear by God and all His saints, that I will never say that ever ye attempted to flee from any man." Þat I schal swere bi God, & alle his gode hal3e3, As help me God & þe halydam, & oþe3 in-noghe, 2124 Þat I schal lelly yow layne, & lance neuer tale, Þat euer 3e fondet to fle, for freke þat I wyst." "Grant merci;" quod Gawayn, & gruchyng he sayde, "Wel worth þe wy3e, þat wolde3 my gode, 2128 & þat lelly me layne, I leue wel þou wolde3! Gawayne replies that to shun this danger would mark him as a "coward knight." Bot helde þou hit neuer so holde, & I here passed, Founded for ferde for to fle, in fourme þat þou telle3, I were a kny3t kowarde, I my3t not1 be excused. To the Chapel, therefore, he will go, 2132 Bot I wy1 to þe chape1, for chaunce þat may falle, & talk wyth þat ilk tulk þe tale þat me lyste, Worþe hit wele, oþer wo, as þe wyrde lyke3 hit hafe; though the owner thereof were a stern knave. 2136 Þa3e he be a sturn knape, To sti3tel, &2 stad with staue, "Full well can God devise his servants for to save." Ful wel con dry3tyn schape, His seruaunte3 forto saue." 1 mot, in MS. 2 & &, in MS.