I Never Felt So Right

When these wordes was said, the Welsh king himselven Was ware of this widerwin that warrayed his knightes;           adversary; warred on Brothely in the vale with voice he ascries:           Quickly "Viscount of Valence, envious of deedes, The vassalage of Viterbo today shall be revenged! Unvanquisht fro this place void shall I never."           leave Then the viscount, valiant, with a voice noble Avoided the avauntward, enveround his horse;           Left; vanguard, turned He dressed in a derf sheld, endented with sable,           strong; edged With a dragon engoushed, dredful to shew,           swollen Devourand a dolphin with doleful lates,           Devouring; expression In sign that our soveraign sholde be destroyed, And all done of dayes, with dintes of swordes, For there is nought but dede there the dragon is raised!           death Then the comlich king castes in fewter, With a cruel launce coupes full even           strikes exactly Aboven the spayre a span, among the short ribbes,           Six inches above the waist, between the short ribs That the splent and the spleen on the spere lenges!           piece of armour plate The blood sprent out and spredde as the horse springes,           spurt; spread And he sproules full spakely, but spekes he no more!           sprawls; swiftly And thus has Sir Valiant holden his avowes, And vanquisht the Viscount that victor was holden! Then Sir Ewain fitz Urien full enkerly rides           eagerly Anon to the Emperour his egle to touch;           eagerly Through his brode batail he buskes belive,           hurries quickly Braides out his brand with a blithe cheer,           Draws Reversed it redily and away rides, Ferkes in with the fowl in his fair handes,           Goes; i.e., the eagle And fittes in freely on front with his feres.           companions Now buskes Sir Launcelot and braides full even           hurries; pulls To Sir Lucius the lord and lothly him hittes; Through paunce and plates he perced the mailes           stomach guard; pierced That the proud pensel in his paunch lenges!           pennon The hed hailed out behind an half foot large,           came Through hawberk and haunch with the hard wepen; The steed and the steren man strikes to the ground,           (Lancelot) strikes Strak down a standard and to his stale wendes!           Struck; company "Me likes well," says Sir Lot, "yon lordes are delivered!           fulfilled their vows The lot lenges now on me, with leve of my lord; Today shall my name be laid, and my life after,           laid low But some lepe fro the life that on yon land hoves!"           leap; stand Then strekes the steren and straines his bridle,           Then rushes the stern man and grips his bridle Strikes into the stour on a steed rich,           battle Enjoined with a giaunt and jagged him through!           Engaged; slashed Jollily this gentle knight for-jousted another,           outjousted Wrought wayes full wide, warrayand knightes,           attacking And woundes all wathely that in the way standes!           woefully Fightes with all the frap a furlong of way,           troop Felled fele upon feld with his fair wepen,           many Vanquisht and has the victory of valiant knightes, And all enverouned the vale and void when him liked.           rode around; left Then bowmen of Bretain brothely there-after           quickly Bekered with brigandes of fer in tho landes;           Fought with foot-soldiers (brigands) from afar in those lands With flones fletterd they flit full freshly thir frekes,           With feathered arrows they very eagerly shoot those men Fichen with fetheres through the fine mailes;           Pierce; feathers Such flytting is foul that so the flesh deres,           contention; harms That flow a ferrom in flankes of steedes.           flew; from afar Dartes the Dutch-men delten againes,           Germans; dealt in return With derf dintes of dede dagges through sheldes;           cut Quarrels quaintly quappes through knightes           Crossbow bolts skilfully whip through knights With iron so wekerly that wink they never.           swiftly So they shrinken for shot of the sharp arrows, That all the sheltron shunt and shuddered at ones;           troops hung back The rich steedes rependes and rashes on armes,           buck; rush The hole hundreth on hie upon hethe ligges;           whole; hastily; heath But yet the hatheliest on hie, hethen and other,           most noble hastily All hourshes over hede, harmes to work.           rush And all these giauntes before, engendered with fendes, Joines on Sir Jonathal and gentle knightes,           Attack With clubbes of clene steel clanked in helmes, Crashed down crestes and crashed braines, Killed coursers and coverd steedes,           armoured Chopped through chevalers on chalk-white steedes; Was never steel ne steed might stand them againes, But stonays and strikes down that in the stale hoves,           astonish; troop Til the conquerour come with his keen knightes. With cruel countenaunce he cried full loud: "I wend no Bretons wolde be bashed for so little,           supposed; abashed And for bare-legged boyes that on the bente hoves!"           knaves; remain He clekes out Caliburn, full clenlich burnisht,           draws Excalibur Graithes him to Golopas, that greved him most, Cuttes him even by the knees clenly in sonder; "Come down," quod the king, "and carp to thy feres! Thou art too high by the half, I hete thee in trewth!           promise Thou shall be handsomer in hie, with the help of my Lord!"           hastily With that steelen brand he stroke off his hed.           struck Sterenly in that stour he strikes another. Thus he settes on seven with his seker knightes; Whiles sixty were served so ne sesed they never;           did not cease And thus at this joining the giauntes are destroyed,           encounter And at that journee for-jousted with gentle knightes.           outjousted Then the Romanes and the renkes of the Round Table Rewles them in array, rereward and other,           Arrange With wight wepenes of war they wroughten on helmes,           worked Rittes with rank steel full real mailes           Rip But they fit them fair, these frek bernes,           ordered themselves; bold Fewters in freely on feraunt steedes           Fix lances; iron-grey Foines full felly with flishand speres,           Duel; fiercely; flashing Fretten off orfrayes fast upon sheldes;           Cut; gold ornaments fastened So fele fey is in fight upon the feld leved That ech a furth in the firth of red blood runnes.           every stream; forest By that swiftely on swarth the swet is beleved,           By then; ground; lifeblood Swordes swangen in two, sweltand knightes           swung; dying Lies wide open welterand on walopand steedes;           rolling about; galloping Woundes of wale men workand sides,           choice; paining Faces fetteled unfair in feltered lockes,           enclosed; matted All craysed, for-trodden with trapped steedes,           All crushed, stamped to death by armoured steeds The fairest on folde that figured was ever,           earth; created As fer as a furlong, a thousand at ones! By then the Romanes were rebuked at little,           somewhat Withdrawes them drerily and dreches no lenger;           drearily; delay Our prince with his power persewes them after,           pursues Prikes on the proudest with his pris knightes, Sir Kayous, Sir Clegis, Sir Cleremond the noble, Encounters them at the cliff with clene men of armes; Fightes fast in the firth, frithes no wepen,           spares Felled at the first come five hundreth at ones! And when they fande them for-set with our fers knightes,           found; blockaded Few men again fele mot fich them better,           against many must pierce Fightes with all the frap, foines with speres,           troop; duel And fought with the frekkest that to Fraunce longes.           boldest But Sir Kayous the keen castes in fewter, Chases on a courser and to a king rides; With a launce of Lettow he thirles his sides           Lithuania; pierces That the liver and the lunges on the launce lenges; The shaft shuddered and shot in the shire berne,           shining armour And sought throughout the sheld and in the shalk restes.           went; man But Kayous at the in-come was keeped unfair           entry; poorly protected With a coward knight of the kith rich;           Against; powerful kinsmen At the turning that time the traitour him hit In through the felettes and in the flank after           loins; lower belly That the bustous launce the bewelles entamed,           wild; bowels pierced That braste at the brawling and broke in the middes.           middle Sir Kayous knew well by that kidd wound           infamous That he was dede of the dint and done out of life; Then he raikes in array and on row rides,           goes; at the rank On this real renk his dede to revenge:           royal person "Keep thee, coward!" he calles him soon,           Defend yourself Cleves him with his clere brand clenlich in sonder: "Had thou well delt thy dint with thy handes, I had forgiven thee my dede, by Crist now of heven!"           death He wendes to the wise king and winly him greetes:           pleasantly "I am wathely wounded, waresh mon I never;           woefully; recover may Work now thy worship, as the world askes,           requires And bring me to burial; bid I no more.           ask Greet well my lady the queen, yif thee world happen,           if you survive And all the burlich birdes that to her bowr longes;           stately maids And my worthily wife, that wrathed me never,           worthy; angered Bid her for her worship work for my soul!" The kinges confessour come with Crist in his handes,           i.e., the Host For to comfort the knight, kend him the wordes;           told; i.e., absolution The knight covered on his knees with a kaunt herte,           arose to; stout And caught his Creatour that comfortes us all. Then romes the rich king for rewth at his herte,           bellows Rides into rout his dede to revenge, Pressed into the plump and with a prince meetes           crowd That was eier of Egypt in those este marches,           heir; east Cleves him with Caliburn clenlich in sonder!           Excalibur He broches even through the berne and the saddle bristes, And at the back of the blonk the bewelles entamed!           bowels pierced Manly in his malencoly he meetes another;           rage The middle of that mighty that him much greved He merkes through the mailes the middes in sonder,           slashes; middle That the middes of the man on the mount falles,           ground The tother half of the haunch on the horse leved;           other; remained Of that hurt, as I hope, heles he never!           suppose He shot through the sheltrons with his sharp wepen,           troops Shalkes he shrede through and shrinked mailes;           Men; cut; wrinkled Banners he bore down, brittened sheldes;           destroyed Brothely with brown steel his brethe he there wrekes;           shining; anger Wrothely he writhes by wightness of strenghe,           Wrathfully Woundes these widerwinnes, warrayed knightes           adversaries, attacked Threped through the thickes thriteen sithes,           Fought; crouds; times Thringes throly in the throng and chis even after!           Presses hard; pushes Then Sir Gawain the good with worshipful knightes Wendes in the avauntward by tho wood hemmes,           vanguard; edges Was ware of Sir Lucius on land there he hoves With lordes and lege-men that to himself longed. Then the Emperour enkerly askes him soon:           eagerly "What will thou, Wawain? Work for thy wepen?           do you want I wot by thy wavering thou wilnes after sorrow;           roving; want I shall be wroken on thee, wretch for all thy grete wordes!"           Avenged He laght out a long sword and lushed on fast,           took out; lashed And Sir Lionel in the land lordly him strikes, Hittes him on the hed that the helm bristes, Hurtes his herne-pan an hand-bred large!           skull; hand's breadth deep Thus he layes on the lump and lordly them served,           crowd Wounded worthily worshipful knightes, Fightes with Florent, that best is of swordes, Til the fomand blood til his fist runnes!           foaming Then the Romans releved that ere were rebuked,           rallied And all torattes our men with their reste horses;           scatter; rested For they see their cheftain be chauffed so sore,           bothered They chase and chop down our chevalrous knightes! Sir Bedvere was borne through and his breste thirled           pierced With a burlich brand, brode at the hiltes; The real rank steel to his herte runnes,           noble stout sword And he rushes to the erthe; rewth is the more!           sorrow is the greater Then the conquerour took keep and come with his strenghes To rescue the rich men of the Round Table, To outraye the Emperour, yif aunter it shew,           outrage; chance Even to the egle, and "Arthur!" ascries. The Emperour then egerly at Arthur he strikes, Awkward on the umbrere, and egerly him hittes;           Slantwise; visor The naked sword at the nose noyes him sore;           annoys The blood of the bold king over the breste runnes, Bebledde at the brode sheld and the bright mailes!           Bloodied Our bold king bowes the blonk by the bright bridle,           turns; horse With his burlich brand a buffet him reches           blow; gives Through the breny and breste with his bright wepen;           hauberk O slant down fro the slot he slittes him at ones!           Aslant; base of throat Thus endes the Emperour of Arthure handes,           by And all his austeren host there-of were affrayed.           afraid Now they ferk to the firth, a few that are leved, For ferdness of our folk, by the fresh strandes;           fear The flowr of our fers men on feraunt steedes           iron-grey Followes frekly on the frekes that frayed was never.           frightened Then the kidd conquerour cries full loud: "Cosin of Cornwall, take keep to thyselven That no capitain be keeped for none silver,           preserved Ere Sir Kayous dede be cruelly venged!"           death "Nay," says Sir Cador, "so me Crist help! There ne is kaiser ne king that under Crist regnes That I ne shall kill cold-dede by craft of my handes!" There might men see cheftains on chalk-white steedes Chop down in the chase chevalry noble, Romanes the richest and real kinges, Braste with rank steel their ribbes in sonder, Braines forbrusten through burnisht helmes,           burst into pieces With brandes forbrittened on brode in the landes;           battered to death abroad They hewed down hethen men with hilted swordes, By hole hundrethes on hie by the holt eves;           hastily; edges of the wood There might no silver them save ne succour their lives,           ransom Sowdan, ne Sarazen, ne senatour of Rome. Then releves the renkes of the Round Table,           rally; warriors By the rich river that runnes so fair; Lodges them lovely by tho lighte strandes,           pleasant All on lowe in the land, those lordlich bernes.           on the ground They kaire to the carriage and took what them likes,           go Camels and cokadrisses and coffers full rich,           crocodiles Hackes and hackenays and horses of armes,           Work horses Housing and herberage of hethen kinges;           lodgings They drew out dromedaries of diverse lordes, Moilles milk-white and marvelous bestes,           Mules; beasts Olfendes and arrabys and olyfauntes noble           Camels; Arabian horses; elephants That are of the Orient with honourable kinges. But Sir Arthur anon ayeres thereafter           advances Even to the emperour with honourable kinges, Laght him up full lovelyly with lordlich knightes, And led him to the layer there the king ligges.           resting place Then harawdes hiely at hest of the lordes,           heralds quickly; command Huntes up the haythemen that on height ligges,           heathens The Sowdan of Surry and certain kinges, Sixty of the chef senatours of Rome. Then they buskes and bawmed thir burlich kinges,           embalmed these strong Sewed them in sendell sixty-fold after,           fine linen Lapped them in lede, less that they sholde           Wrapped; lead Change or chauffe yif they might escheve           Spoil or rot before they could arrive Closed in kestes clene unto Rome,           Enclosed in chests With their banners aboven, their badges there-under, In what countree they kaire, that knightes might know Ech king by his colours, in kith where he lenged. Anon on the second day, soon by the morn,           immediately at dawn Two senatours there come and certain knightes, Hoodless fro the hethe, ovre the holt-eves,           wood's edge Bare-foot over the bente with brandes so rich,           ground Bowes to the bold king and biddes him the hiltes.           offer Whether he will hang them or hedde or hold them on life,           behead Kneeled before the conquerour in kirtels alone,           without armour With careful countenaunce they carped these wordes: "Two senatours we are, thy subjettes of Rome,           subjects That has saved our life by these salt strandes, Hid us in the high wood through the helping of Crist, Beseekes thee of succour, as soveraign and lord;           Beseech Graunt us life and limm with liberal herte,           limb For His love that thee lente this lordship in erthe!"           granted "I graunt," quod the good king, "through grace of myselven; I give you life and limm and leve for to pass, So ye do my message menskfully at Rome,           Providing; honourably That ilke charge that I you give here before my chef knightes." "Yes," says the senatours, "that shall we ensure, Sekerly by our trewthes, thy sayinges to fulfill;           pledged words We shall let for no lede that lives in erthe, For pope ne for potestate ne prince so noble,           potentate That ne shall lely in land thy letteres pronounce, For duke ne for douspeer, to die in the pain!" Then the bannerettes of Bretain brought them to tents There barbours were boun with basins on loft;           barbers; ready With warm water, iwis, they wet them full soon; They shoven these shalkes shapely thereafter           shaved; men suitably To reckon these Romanes recreant and yelden           mark; surrendered Forthy shove they them to shew for skomfit of Rome.           shaved; discomfiture They coupled the kestes on camelles belive,           chests; quickly On asses and arrabyes, these honourable kinges;           Arabian horses The Emperour for honour all by him one, Even upon an olyfaunt, his egle out over;           elephant Bekend them the captives, the king did himselven,           Entrusted them to And all before his keen men carped these wordes: "Here are the kestes," quod the king, "kaire over the mountes,           chests Mette full monee that ye have mikel yerned,           Measured; money; much The tax and the tribute of ten score winteres That was teenfully tint in time of our elders;           painfully lost Say to the senatour the citee that yemes           controls That I send him the sum; assay how him likes! But bid them never be so bold, whiles my blood regnes           family Eft for to brawl them for my brode landes,           Again Ne to ask tribute ne tax by nokin title,           no kind of But such tresure as this, whiles my time lastes." Now they raik to Rome the rediest wayes           quickest Knelles in the Capitol and commouns assembles,           Ring bells Soveraignes and senatours the citee that yemes,           rule Bekend them the carriage, kestes and other,           Gave; baggage, chests Als the conquerour commaunde with cruel wordes: "We have trustily travailed this tribute to fetch,           worked The tax and the trewage of foure score winteres,           tribute Of England, of Ireland and all thir out-iles,           those outer isles That Arthur in the Occident occupies at ones. He biddes you never be so bold whiles his blood regnes To brawl you for Bretain ne his brode landes, Ne ask him tribute ne tax by nokins title           no kind of But such tresure as this, whiles his time lastes. We have foughten in Fraunce and us is foul happened, And all our much fair folk fey are beleved; Eschaped there ne chevalry ne cheftaines nother,           Escaped; neither But chopped down in the chase, such chaunce is befallen! We rede ye store you of stone and stuffen your walles; You wakens wandreth and war; be ware if you likes!"           awaken trouble In the kalendes of May this case is befallen;           first day The roy real renowned with his Round Table On the coste of Constantine by the clere strandes           Cotentin Has the Romanes rich rebuked for ever! When he had foughten in Fraunce and the feld wonnen And fersely his fomen felld out of life,           felled He bides for the burying of his bold knightes, That in batail with brandes were brought out of life. He buries at Bayonne Sir Bedwere the rich; The corse of Kayous the keen at Came is beleved,           Caen; left Covered with a crystal clenly all over; His fader conquered that kith knightly with handes. Senn in Burgoine he badde to bury mo knightes,           Burgundy; abode; more Sir Berade and Bawdwyne, Sir Bedwar the rich, Good Sir Cador at Came, as his kind askes.           Caen; race requires Then Sir Arthur anon in the Auguste thereafter,           autumn Enteres to Almaine with hostes arrayed,           Germany Lenges at Lusheburgh to lechen his knightes,           Luxembourg; heal With his lele lege-men as lord in his owen;           own (realm) And on Cristofer day a counsel he holdes           July 25 With kinges and kaisers, clerkes and other, Commaundes them keenly to cast all their wittes How he may conquer by craft the kith that he claimes; But the conquerour keen, courtais and noble, Carpes in the counsel these knightly wordes: "Here is a knight in these cleves, enclosed with hilles,           valleys That I have covet to know because of his wordes,           desire That is Lorraine the lele, I keep not to laine.           take care not to deceive The lordship is lovely, as ledes me telles;           men I will that duchy devise and dele as me likes,           divide; deal out And senn dress with the duke, if destainy suffer;           deal; destiny allow The renk rebel has been unto my Round Table, Redy ay with Romanes to riot my landes.           to ravage We shall reckon full rathe, if resoun so happen, Who has right to that rent, by rich God of heven! Then will I by Lumbardy, likand to shew,           pleasing to see Set law in the land that last shall ever, The tyrauntes of Tuskan tempest a little,           Tuscany trouble Talk with the temporal, whiles my time lastes;           temporal lords (lay rulers) I give my protection to all the pope landes, My rich pensel of pees my pople to shew.           pennant; peace It is a folly to offend our fader under God           father Other Peter or Paul, tho postles of Rome;           Either; apostles If we spare the spiritual we speed but the better;           succeed Whiles we have for to speke, spill shall it never!"           While I have power to speak, the Church's possessions shall never be harmed Now they speed at the spurres withouten speche more, To the march of Meyes, these manlich knightes,           region; Metz; manly That is in Lorraine alosed as London is here,           praised Citee of that seinour that soveraign is holden.           lord The king ferkes forth on a fair steed With Ferrer and Ferawnte and other four knightes; About the citee tho seven they sought at the next,           nearest (way) To seek them a seker place to set with engines.           secure; siege engines Then they bended in burgh bowes of vise,           town crossbows Bekers at the bold king with bustous lates,           Shoot; hostile expressions Allblawsters at Arthur egerly shootes           Arbalasters (crossbowmen) For to hurt him or his horse with that hard wepen. The king shunt for no shot ne no sheld askes,           hangs back But shews him sharply in his sheen weedes, Lenges all at leisere and lookes on the walles           leisure Where they were lowest the ledes to assail. "Sir," said Sir Ferrer, "a folly thou workes, Thus naked in thy noblay to nighe to the walles,           nobleness Singly in thy surcote this citee to reche           surcoat (i.e., without armour) And shew thee within there to shend us all;           to those within; shame Hie us hastily henne or we mon foul happen,           hence; must For hit they thee or thy horse, it harmes for ever!" "If thou be ferde," quod the king, "I rede thee ride utter,           further back Less that they rew thee with their round wepen.           lest; harm Thou art but a fauntekein, no ferly me thinkes!           baby; wonder Thou will be flayed for a fly that on thy flesh lightes! I am nothing aghast, so me God help!           afraid Though such gadlinges be greved, it greves me but little;           worthless men They win no worship of me, but wastes their tackle;           equipment They shall want ere I wend, I wagen mine heved!           lack (equipment); wager Shall never harlot have happe, through help of my Lord,           rascal; fortune To kill a crownd king with crisom annointed!"           holy oil Then come the herbariours, harageous knightes,           scouts; violent The hole batailes on hie harraunt thereafter,           in haste shouting And our forreours fers upon fele halfes           foragers; many sides Come flyand before on feraunt steedes,           iron-grey Ferkand in array, thir real knightes,           Going; these The renkes renowned of the Round Table! All the frek men of Fraunce followed thereafter, Fair fitted on front and on the feld hoves. Then the shalkes sharply shiftes their horses,           men To shewen them seemly in their sheen weedes; Buskes in batail with banners displayed, With brode sheldes enbraced and burlich helmes,           on their arms; stately With penouns and pensells of ilke prince armes,           pennons; pennants Apparelled with perry and precious stones;           pearls The launces with loraines and lemand sheldes,           pennons; shining Lightenand as the levening and lemand all ove           Flashing; lightning; gleaming Then the pris men prikes and proves their horses, Satilles to the citee upon sere halves;           Converge on; many Enserches the suburbes sadly thereafter,           Search; carefully Discoveres of shot-men and skirmish a little,           archers Scares their skotifers and their scout-watches           shield-bearers; guards Brittenes their barrers with their bright wepens,           barriers Bette down a barbican and the bridge winnes;           Beat; main gate tower Ne had the garnison been good at the grete gates,           Had not; garrison They had won that wonne by their owen strenghe!           dwelling; own Then with-drawes our men and dresses them better, For drede of the draw-bridge dashed in-sonder;           For fear of being dashed asunder by the drawbridge Hies to the herberage there the king hoves           lodging With his batail on high, horsed on steedes. Then was the prince purveyed and their places nomen, Pight paviliouns of pall and plattes in sege.           Pitched tents of silk and placed (themselves) in siege Then lenge they lordly as them lef thought,           seemed good to them Watches in ilke ward, as to the war falles, Settes up sodenly certain engines.           siege engines On Sononday by the sun has a flethe yolden,           On Sunday by the time the sun gave out a flood of light The king calles on Florent, that flowr was of knightes:           king (of Lorraine) "The Fraunchmen enfeebleshes; ne ferly me thinkes!           grow feeble; no wonder They are unfonded folk in tho fair marches,           weakened For them wantes the flesh and food that them likes.           is lacking to them Here are forestes fair upon fele halves, And thider fomen are fled with freelich bestes.           noble beasts Thou shall founde to the felle and forray the mountes:           go; mountains; forage Sir Ferawnte and Sir Floridas shall follow thy bridle. Us moste with some fresh mete refresh our pople           We must That are fed in the firth with the fruit of the erthe. There shall wend to this viage Sir Gawain himselven,           journey Warden full worshipful, and so him well seemes; Sir Wecharde, Sir Walter, these worshipful knightes, With all the wisest men of the west marches, Sir Clegis, Sir Claribald, Sir Cleremond the noble, The Capitain of Cardiff, clenlich arrayed. Go now, warn all the watch, Gawain and other, And wendes forth on your way withouten mo wordes." Now ferkes to the firth these fresh men of armes, To the felle so fawe, these freshlich bernes,           mountain; colourful; eager Through hoppes and hemland, hilles and other,           valleys; borderland Holtes and hore woodes with heslin shawes,           grey; hazel copses Through morass and moss and mountes so high, And in the misty morning on a mede falles,           meadow Mowen and unmade, mainovred but little,           (The hay) mown and unstacked, worked over but little In swathes sweppen down, full of sweet flowres;           In rows of cuttings swept down There unbridels these bold and baites their horses.           graze To the gryging of the day that birdes gan sing           dawning; did Whiles the sours of the sun, that sande is of Crist,           rising; messenger That solaces all sinful that sight has in erthe. Then wendes out the warden, Sir Gawain himselven, Als he that wise was and wight, wonders to seek; Then was he ware of a wye, wonder well armed, Baitand on a water bank by the wood eves,           Grazing his horse Busked in breny bright to behold, Enbraced a brode sheld on a blonk rich,           Holding on his arm; horse Withouten any berne, but a boy one           servant Hoves by him on a blonk and his spere holdes. He bore gessenande in gold three grayhoundes of sable,           couchant With chappes and chaines of chalk-white silver,           jowls; collars A charbocle in the chef, changand of hewes,           A carbuncle is in the chef (upper third of the shield), changing in colours And a chef aunterous, challenge who likes.           And (he was) an adventurous chief, challenge him who will Sir Gawain gliftes on the gome with a glad will;           looks; man A grete spere from his groom he grippes in handes, Girdes even over the streme on a steed rich           Goes right To that steren in stour on strenghe there he hoves,           To that man, steadfast in battle, strongly he stands Egerly on English "Arthur!" he ascries. The tother irously answers him soon           other On the lange of Lorraine with a loud steven           language; voice That ledes might listen the lenghe of a mile:           hear; length "Whider prikes thou, pilour, that proffers so large?           spur; soldier Here pickes thou no prey, proffer when thee likes, But thou in this peril put of the better,           Unless; i.e., fight better Thou shall be my prisoner for all thy proud lates!"           appearance "Sir," says Sir Gawain, "so me God help, Such glaverand gomes greves me but little!           chattering But if thou graithe thy gere thee will gref happen           prepare; gear Ere thou go of this greve, for all thy grete wordes!"           from; grove Then their launces they latchen, these lordlich bernes,           seize Laggen with long speres on liard steedes,           Lay on; grey Coupen at aunter by craftes of armes           Strike at random Til both the cruel speres brusten at ones;           break Through sheldes they shot and sheered through mailes,           cut Both sheer through sholders a shaft-monde large.           span (six inches) deep Thus worthily these wyes wounded are bothen; Ere they wreke them of wrath away will they never. Then they raght in the rein and again rides,           pulled Redily these rathe men rushes out swordes,           hasty Hittes on helmes full hertilich dintes, Hewes on hawberkes with full hard wepens! Full stoutly they strike, thir steren knightes,           these Stokes at the stomach with steelen pointes,           Thrust Fighten and flourish with flamand swordes, Til the flawes of fire flames on their helmes.           gusts Then Sir Gawain was greved and grouched full sore;           angered With Galuth his good sword grimly he strikes, Clef the knightes sheld clenlich in sonder.           Cleaved Who lookes to the left side, when his horse launches, With the light of the sun men might see his liver. Then grones the gome for gref of his woundes,           groans And girdes at Sir Gawain as he by glentes,           strikes; goes And awkward egerly sore he him smites;           slantwise An alet enameld he oches in sonder,           shoulder-plate; hacks Bristes the rerebrace with the brand rich,           upper arm plate Carves off at the coutere with the clene edge           elbow piece Anentis the avawmbrace vailed with silver;           Near the lower arm plate, veiled with silver Through a double vesture of velvet rich With the venomous sword a vein has he touched That voides so violently that all his wit changed;           empties The vesar, the aventail, his vestures rich           visor; lower face-guard With a valiant blood was verred all over.           spotted Then this tyraunt tite turnes the bridle,           quickly Talkes untenderly and says: "Thou art touched! Us bus have a blood-band ere thy blee change!           We must have a bandage, ere your colour changes For all the barbours of Bretain shall not thy blood staunch,                     barbers (surgeons) For he that is blemist with this brode brande blinne shall he never!           For he who is wounded with this broad sword shall never cease bleeding "Ya," quod Sir Gawain, "thou greves me but little. Thou weenes to glopin me with thy grete wordes;           think to terrify Thou trowes with thy talking that my herte talmes;           suppose; falters Thou betides torfer ere thou henne turn           trouble; hence But thou tell me tite and tarry no lenger           quickly What may staunch this blood that thus fast runnes." "Yis, I say thee soothly and seker thee my trewth,           pledge my word to you No surgeon in Salerne shall save thee the better,           Salerno With-thy that thou suffer me for sake of thy Crist           Providing; allow To shew shortly my shrift and shape me for mine end."           confession; prepare "Yis," quod Sir Gawain, "so me God help, I give thee grace and graunt, though thou have gref served,           I give you grace and grant your life, though you have deserved grief With-thy thou say me sooth what thou here seekes,           Providing Thus singly and sulain all thyself one,           alone And what lay thou leves on - laine not the sooth -           religion; believe; hide And what legeaunce and land and where thou art lord."           allegiance "My name is Sir Priamus, a prince is my fader,           father Praised in his partyes with proved kinges;           country; experienced In Rome there he regnes he is rich holden; He has been rebel to Rome and ridden their landes, Warrayand wisely winters and yeres           Waging war By wit and by wisdom and by wight strenghe And by worshipful war his owen has he won. He is of Alexander blood, overling of kinges;           overlord The uncle of his aiele, Sir Ector of Troy.           grandfather; Hector And here is the kinreden that I am of come,           family Of Judas and Josue, these gentle knightes;           Judas Maccabeus; Joshua I am apparent his eier, and eldes of other;           his heir apparent Of Alexandere and Afrike and all tho out-landes           Alexandria I am in possession and plenerly sesed.           fully in possession In all the pris citees that to the port longes I shall have trewly the tresure and the landes And both tribute and tax whiles my time lastes. I was so hautain of herte whiles I at home lenged           haughty I held none my hip-height under heven rich;           as tall as my hip For-thy was I sent hider with seven score knightes To assay of this war by sente of my fader;           experience; assent And I am for surquidrie shamely surprised           pride shamefully captured And by aunter of armes outrayed for ever!           disgraced Now have I told thee the kin that I of come, Will thou for knighthede ken me thy name?"           knighthood "By Crist," quod Sir Gawain, "knight was I never! With the kidd conquerour a knave of his chamber           servant Has wrought in his wardrope winters and yeres           wardrobe On his long armour that him best liked; I poine all his paviliouns that to himselve pendes,           pitch; tents; belong Dightes his doublettes for dukes and erles,           Put on Aketouns avenaunt for Arthur himselven           Padded jackets seemly That he has used in war all these eight winter! He made me yomen at Yole and gave me grete giftes,           yeoman (free man); Yule An hundreth pound, and a horse, and harness full rich." "Yif I hap to my hele that hende for to serve           If I have the good luck, for my recovery, to serve that noble (Arthur) I be holpen in haste, I hete thee for-sooth!           I will be quickly cured, I tell you truly If his knaves be such, his knightes are noble! There is no king under Crist may kempe with him one!           battle He will be Alexander eier that all the world louted,           bowed to Abler than ever was Sir Ector of Troy! Now for the crisom that thou caught that day thou was cristened,           holy oil Whether thou be knight or knave knowe now the sooth."           acknowledge "My name is Sir Gawain, I graunt thee for-sooth Cosin to the conquerour, he knowes it himselven,           acknowledges Kidd in his kalender a knight of his chamber,           records And rolled the richest of all the Round Table!           recorded as I am the douspeer and duke he dubbed with his handes Daintily on a day before his dere knightes; Grouch not, good sir, though me this grace happen;           Grudge It is the gift of God; the gree is his owen!"           reward "Peter!" says Priamus, "now payes me better           (it) pleases Than I of Provence were prince and of Paris rich! For me were lever privily be priked to the herte           I would rather be stabbed to the heart in private Than ever any priker had such a prise wonnen.           Than to have an ordinary soldier win such a prize But here is herberd at hand in yon huge holtes,           lodged; woods Hole batailes on high, take heed if thee like! The Duke of Lorraine the derf and his dere knightes,           cruel The doughtiest of Dolfinede and Dutch-men many,           Dauphine (in France) The lordes of Lumbardy that leders are holden,           leaders The garnison of Goddard gaylich arrayed,           garrison; Mt. Goddard The wyes of the Westfale, worshipful bernes,           Westphalia Of Sessoine and Suryland Sarazenes ynow;           Saxony; Syria They are numbered full nigh and named in rolles Sixty thousand and ten, for sooth, of seker men of armes; But if thou hie fro this hethe, it harmes us bothe,           Unless And but my hurtes be soon holpen, hole be I never!           helped, healthy Take heed to this hansemen, that he no horn blow,           henchman (servant) Or thou hiely in haste bes hewen all to peces,           quickly; will be; pieces For they are my retinues to ride where I will; Is none redier renkes regnand in erthe; Be thou raght with that rout, thou rides no further,           If you are seized by Ne thou bes never ransouned for riches in erthe!" Sir Gawain went ere the wathe come where him best liked,           trouble With this worthilich wye that wounded was sore, Merkes to the mountain there our men lenges           Goes Baitand their blonkes there on the brode mede,           Grazing; mead Lordes lenand low on lemand sheldes,           leaning; gleaming With loud laughters on loft for liking of birdes, Or larkes, of linkwhites, that lovelich songen;           linnets And some was sleght on sleep with slight of the pople           And some had fallen asleep because of the skillful singing of the creatures That sang in the sesoun in the sheen shawes,           season; shrubs So low in the laundes so likand notes.           hills; pleasing Then Sir Wicher was ware their warden was wounded           aware And went to him weepand and wringand his handes; Sir Wecharde, Sir Walter, these wise men of armes Had wonder of Sir Wawain and went him againes,           toward Met him in the mid-way and marvel them thought How he mastered that man, so mighty of strenghes. By all the welth of the world so wo was them never:           wealth "For all our worship, iwis, away is in erthe!" "Greve you not," quod Gawain, "for Goddes love of heven, For this is but gosesomer and given on erles;           gossamer; to be expected Though my shoulder be shrede and my sheld thirled,           cut; pierced And the weld of mine arm workes a little,           movement; hurts This prisoner, Sir Priamus, that has perilous woundes, Says that he has salves shall soften us bothen." Then stertes to his stirrup sterenfull knightes,           stern And he lordly alightes and laght off his bridle,           pulled And let his burlich blonk baite on the flowres,           graze Braides off his bacenett and his rich weedes,           Draws; helmet Bounes to his brode sheld and bowes to the erthe;           Leans on In all the body of that bold is no blood leved! Then presses to Sir Priamus precious knightes, Avisely of his horse hentes him in armes           Carefully off; take His helm and his hawberk they taken off after, And hastely for his hurt all his herte changed; They laid him down in the laundes and laght off his weedes,           lawn And he lened him on long or how him best liked.           stretched out A foil of fine gold they fande at his girdle,           found That is full of the flowr of the four welle That flowes out of Paradise when the flood rises, That much fruit of falles that feed shall us all; Be it frette on his flesh there sinews are entamed,           rubbed; where; cut The freke shall be fish-hole within four houres.           fit as a fish They uncover that corse with full clene handes, With clere water a knight clenses their woundes, Keled them kindly and comforted their hertes;           Cooled And when the carves were clene they cledde them again.           wounds; clad Barrel-ferrers they broched and brought them the wine,           Wine-casks; broke open Both brede and brawn and bredes full rich;           roast; lead meat; breads When they had eten anon they armed after.           eaten Then tho auntrend men "As armes!" ascries,           those adventuring; To arms With a clarioun clere thir knightes togeder           trumpet; these Calles to counsel and of this case telles: "Yonder is a company of clene men of armes, The keenest in contek that under Crist lenges;           strife In yon oken wood an host are arrayed,           oak Under-takand men of these oute-landes,           Determined As says Sir Priamus, so help Saint Peter! Go men," quod Gawain, "and grope in your hertes           search Who shall graithe to yon greve to yon grete lordes;           wood If we get-less go home, the king will be greved           empty-handed And say we are gadlinges, aghast for a little.           worthless men We are with Sir Florent, as to-day falles, That is flowr of Fraunce, for he fled never; He was chosen and charged in chamber of the king Cheftain of this journee, with chevalry noble; Whether he fight or he flee we shall follow after; For all the fere of yon folk forsake shall I never!"           fear "Fader," says Sir Florent, "full fair ye it tell!           Father (i.e., Sir) But I am but a fauntekin, unfraisted in armes;           infant, untested If any folly befall the faut shall be ours           falt And fremedly o Fraunce be flemed for ever!           hostilely; chased Woundes not your worship, my wit is but simple, Ye are our warden, iwis; work as you likes." "Ye are at the ferrest not passand five hundreth           (Priamus speaks); most And that is fully too few to fight with them all, For harlottes and hansemen shall help but little;           rascals; servants They will hie them henn for all their grete wordes!           hence I rede ye work after wit, as wise men of armes,           according to And warpes wilily away, as worshipful knightes."           go with wile "I graunt," quod Sir Gawain, "so me God help! But here are some galiard gomes that of the gree serves,           deserve a reward The cruelest knightes of the kinges chamber, That can carp with the cup knightly wordes; We shall prove today who shall the prise win!"           prize Now forreours fers unto the firth rides           foragers And fanges a fair feld and on foot lightes,           take Prikes after the prey, as pris men of armes, Florent and Floridas, with five score knightes, Followed in the forest and on the way foundes, Flingand a fast trot and on the folk drives.           Dashing at Then followes fast to our folk well a five hundreth Of frek men to the firth upon fresh horses; One Sir Feraunt before, upon a fair steed, Was fostered in Famacoste; the fend was his fader;           Famagusta (on Cyprus) He flinges to Sir Florent and prestly he cries:           quickly "Why flees thou, false knight? The Fend have thy soul!" Then Sir Florent was fain and in fewter castes,           eager On Fawnell of Frisland to Feraunt he rides,           i.e., his horse And raght in the rein on the steed rich,           pulled And rides toward the rout, restes he no lenger! Full butt in the front he flishes him even,           Smack-dab; forehead; pierces And all disfigures his face with his fell wepen!           cruel weapon Through his bright bacenett his brain has he touched,           helmet And brusten his neck-bone that all his breth stopped!           broke; breath Then his cosin ascried and cried full loud: "Thou has killed cold-dede the king of all knightes! He has been fraisted on feld in fifteen rewmes;           tested He fand never no freke might fight with him one!           found Thou shall die for his dede, with my derf wepen, And all the doughty for dole that in yon dale hoves!" "Fy," says Sir Floridas, "thou fleryand wretch!           sneering Thou weenes for to flay us, floke-mouthed shrew!"           twisted-mouthed But Floridas with a sword, as he by glentes,           glides All the flesh of the flank he flappes in sonder           strikes asunder That all the filth of the freke and fele of his guttes Followes his fole foot when he forth rides!           horse's Then rides a renk to rescue that berne;           man; man That was Raynald of the Rodes, and rebel to Crist,           Rhodes Perverted with paynims that Cristen persewes,           pagans; persecute Presses in proudly as the prey wendes, For he had in Prussland much prise wonnen;           Prussia; praise For-thy in presence there he proffers so large. But then a renk, Sir Richere of the Round Table, On a real steed rides him againes; Through a round red sheld he rushed him soon That the rosseld spere to his herte runnes!           tempered The renk reeles about and rushes to the erthe, Rores full rudly but rode he no more! Now all that is fere and unfey of these five hundreth           unhurt; alive Falles on Sir Florent and five score knightes, Betwix a plash and a flood, upon a flat land;           marshy place Our folk fangen their feld and fought them againes;           take Then was loud upon loft "Lorraine!" ascried, When ledes with long speres lashen togeders,           rush And "Arthur!" on our side when them ought ailed. Then Sir Florent and Floridas in fewter they cast, Frushen on all the frap and bernes affrayed,           Rush; company Felles five at the front there they first entered And, ere they ferk further, fele of these other; Brenyes brouden they briste, brittened sheldes,           braided Betes and beres down the best that them bides; All that rewled in the rout they riden away, So rudly they rere, these real knightes!           rudely; move When Sir Priamus, that prince, perceived their gamen,           sport He had pitee in herte that he ne durste proffer;           dared He went to Sir Gawain and says him these wordes: "Thy pris men for thy prey put are all under; They are with Sarazenes over-set, mo than seven hundreth Of the Sowdanes knightes, out of sere landes; Wolde thou suffer me, sir, for sake of thy Crist           allow me With a sop of thy men suppowel them ones."           small troop; support "I grouch not," quod Gawain, "the gree is their owen;           grudge; reward They mon have guerdons full grete graunt of my lord;           should; granted by But the frek men of Fraunce fraist themselven;           But let; bold; test Frekes fought not their fill this fifteen winter! I will not stir with my stale half a steed lenghe,           troop; length But they be stedde with more stuff than on yon stede hoves!"           beset; place Then Sir Gawain was ware, withouten the wood-hemmes, Wyes of the Westfale, upon wight horses,           Westphalia Walopand wodely as the way forthes,           Galloping madly; goes forth With all the wepens, iwis, that to the war longes; The erl Antele the old the avauntward he buskes,           vanguard Ayerand on either hand eight thousand knightes;           Coming His pelours and pavisers passed all in number           bowmen; shield bearers That ever any prince lede purveyed in erthe!           princely Then the Duke of Lorraine dresses thereafter With double of the Dutch-men that doughty were holden,           double the number Paynims of Prussland, prikers full noble,           Pagans Come prikand before with Priamus knightes. Then said the erl Antele to Algere his brother: "Me angers ernestly at Arthures knightes, Thus enkerly on an host aunters themselven!           Who thus eagerly They will be outrayed anon, ere undron ring,           undern (i.e., 9 A.M.) Thus foolily on a feld to fight with us all!           foolishly But they be fesed, in fey, ferly me thinkes;           If they are not defeated, in faith, it would seem to me a great wonder Wolde they purpose take and pass on their wayes, Prik home to their prince and their prey leve, They might lenghen their life and losen but little,           lengthen; lose It wolde lighten my herte, so help me our Lord!" "Sir," says Sir Algere, "they have little used To be outrayed with host; me angers the more! The fairest shall be full fey that in our flock rides, Als few as they ben, ere they the feld leve!"           be Then good Gawain, gracious and noble, All with glorious glee he gladdes his knightes: "Glopins not, good men, for glitterand sheldes,           Fear Though yon gadlinges be gay on yon grete horses!           worthless men Bannerettes of Bretain, buskes up your hertes!           buck up Bes not baist of yon boyes ne of their bright weedes!           Be; abashed by; knaves We shall blenke their boste, for all their bold proffer,           weaken; boast Als buxom as bird is in bed to her lord!           submissive; maid Yif we fight today, the feld shall be ours, The fekil fey shall fail and falssede be destroyed!           false of faith; falsehood Yon folk is on frontere, unfraisted them seemes;           in front, untested They make faith and faye to the Fend selven!           belief We shall in this viage victores be holden           engagement And avaunted with voices of valiant bernes,           praised by Priased with princes in presence of lordes And loved with ladies in diverse landes! Ought never such honour none of our elders,           Possessed Unwine ne Absolon ne none of these other! When we are most in distress Marie we mene           pray to That is our master's saine that he much traistes,           saint; trusts Meles of that milde queen that menskes us all;           Speaks; dignifies Who-so meles of that maid, miscarries he never!" By these wordes were said they were not fer behind,           By the time that But the lenghe of a land and "Lorraine!" ascries;           length of the field Was never such a jousting at journee in erthe In the vale of Josephate, as gestes us telles,           tales When Julius and Joatelle were judged to die, As was when the rich men of the Round Table Rushed into the rout on real steedes, For so rathely they rush with rosseld speres           swiftly; tempered That the rascal was rade and ran to the greves,           fearful; woods And kaired to that court as cowardes for ever! "Peter!" says Sir Gawain, "this gladdes mine herte,           gladdens That yon gadlinges are gone that made grete number!           worthless fellows I hope that these harlottes shall harm us but little,           suppose; low fellows For they will hide them in haste in yon holt eves; They are fewer on feld than they were first numbered By fourty thousand, in faith, for all their fair hostes." But one Jolyan of Gene, a giaunt full huge, Has joined on Sir Gerard, a justice of Wales;           judge Through a jerownde sheld he jagges him through,           gyronny; stabs And a fine gesseraunt of gentle mailes;           coat of mail Jointer and gemous he jagges in sonder!           Joint; clasp On a jambe steed this journee he makes;           swift Thus is the giaunt for-jouste, that erraunt Jew,           outjousted; wandering And Gerard is jocound and joyes him the more. Then the genatours of Gene enjoines at ones           horse soldiers; Genoa And ferkes on the frontere well a five hundreth;           front rank A freke hight Sir Frederik with full fele other           named Ferkes on a frush and freshlich ascries           charge; eagerly To fight with our forreours that on feld hoves;           forragers And then the real renkes of the Round Table Rode forth full ernestly and rides them againes, Melles with the middle-ward, but they were ill-matched;           Meddles; middle guard Of such a grete multitude was marvel to here. Senn at the assemblee the Sarazenes discoveres The soveraign of Sessoine that salved was never;           saved Giauntes for-jousted with gentle knightes           outjousted by Through gesserauntes of Gene jagged to the herte!           hauberks; Genoa They hew through helmes hautain bernes,           haughty That the hilted swordes to their hertes runnes! Then the renkes renowned of the Round Table Rives and rushes down renayed wretches;           renegade And thus they driven to the dede dukes and erles           death All the dregh of the day, with dredful workes!           length Then Sir Priamus the prince, in presence of lordes, Presses to his penoun and pertly it hentes,           pennon; openly Reverted it redily and away rides           Reversed To the real rout of the Round Table; And hiely his retinue raikes him after,           quickly; rushes For they his resoun had redde on his sheld rich.           intent; read Out of the sheltron they shed as sheep of a fold,           poured; from And steeres forth to the stour and stood by their lord. Senn they sent to the duke and said him these wordes: "We have been thy soudeours these six yere and more;           mercenaries We forsake thee today by sert of our lord.           feudal service We sew to our soveraign in sere kinges landes;           follow Us defautes our fee of this four winteres.           We lack our pay Thou art feeble and false and nought but fair wordes; Our wages are wered out and thy war ended;           worn We may with worship wend whither us likes! I rede thou trete of a trewe and troufle no lenger,           truce; trifle Or thou shall tinne of thy tale ten thousand ere even."           lose; number "Fy a diables!" said the duke, "the Devil have your bones!"           Devil take you The daunger of yon dogges drede shall I never! We shall dele this day, by deedes of armes,           bargain for My dede and my duchery and my dere knightes;           dukedom Such soudeours as ye I set but at little,           mercenaries; reckon That sodenly in defaut forsakes their lord!"           despite obligation The duke dresses in his sheld and dreches no lenger,           delays Drawes him a dromedary with dredful knightes; Graithes to Sir Gawain with full grete number           Confronts Of gomes of Gernaide that grevous are holden.           Granada Those fresh horsed men to the front rides, Felles of our forreours by fourty at ones!           forragers They had foughten before with a five hundreth; It was no ferly, in faith, though they faint waxen.           wonder; grow faint Then Sir Gawain was greved and grippes his spere, And girdes in again with galiard knightes, Meetes the Marches of Meyes and melles him through,           Marquis of Metz As man of this middle-erthe that most had greved! But one Chastelayne, a child of the kinges chamber,           young man Was ward to Sir Wawain of the west marches, Chases to Sir Cheldrik, a cheftain noble; With a chasing-spere he shockes him through!           hunting spear; drives This check him escheved by chaunces of armes.           defeat; achieved So they chase that child eschape may he never;           escape But one Swyan of Swecy, with a sword edge,           Sweden The swyers swire-bone he swappes in sonder!           young noble's neck-bone He swoonand died and on the swarth lenged,           turf Sweltes even swiftly and swank he no more!           Dies; worked Then Sir Gawain gretes with his gray eyen;           weeps The guite was a good man, beginnand of armes.           youth For the chery child so his cheer changed           dear That the chilland water on his cheekes runned! "Wo is me," quod Gawain, "that I ne witten had!           known I shall wage for that wye all that I weld,           spend But I be wroken on that wye that thus has him wounded!"           avenged He dresses him drerily and to the duke rides, But one Sir Dolphin the derf dight him againes,           cruel confronted And Sir Gawain him gird with a grim launce That the grounden spere glode to his herte!           glided And egerly he hent out and hurt another,           pulled An hethen knight, Hardolf, happy in armes;           fortunate Slyly in at the slot slittes him through           base of throat That the slidand spere of his hand slippes! There is slain in that slope by sleghte of his handes           hillside by skill Sixty slongen in a slade of sleghe men of armes!           slung; ditch; skillful Though Sir Gawain were wo, he waites him by And was ware of that wye that the child wounded, And with a sword swiftly he swappes him through, That he swiftly swelt and on the erthe swoones! And then he raikes to the rout and rushes on helmes, Rich hawberkes he rent and rased sheldes;           destroyed Rides on a randoun and his raik holdes;           swiftly; course Throughout the rereward he holdes wayes, And there raght in the rein, this real the rich,           powerful nobleman And rides into the rout of the Round Table.           i.e., back to Then our chevalrous men changen their horses, Chases and choppes down cheftaines noble, Hittes full hertely on helmes and sheldes, Hurtes and hewes down hethen knightes! Kettle-hattes they cleve even to the shoulders;           kettle-shaped helmets Was never such a clamour of capitaines in erthe! There was kinges sonnes caught, courtais and noble, And knightes of the countree that knowen was rich; Lordes of Lorraine and Lumbardy bothen Laght was and led in with our lele knightes.           Seized Those that chased that day their chaunce was better; Such a check at a chase escheved them never!           victory; achieved When Sir Florent by fight had the feld wonnen He ferkes in before with five score knightes; Their preyes and their prisoneres passes on after, With pelours and pavisers and pris men of armes;           bowmen; shield bearers Then goodly Sir Gawain guides his knightes, Gos in at the gainest, as guides him telles,           Goes; quickest way For gref of a garnison of full grete lordes           fear; troop Sholde not grip up his gere ne such gram work;           booty; mischief For-thy they stood at the straightes and with his stale hoved,           pass Til his preyes were past the path that he dredes. When they the citee might see that the king seged (Soothly the same day was with assaut wonnen),           assault An heraud hies before at heste of the lordes,           herald; behest Home at the herberage, out of the high landes,           to; lodgings Turnes tite to the tent and to the king telles           quickly All the tale soothly and how they had sped: "All thy forreours are fere that forrayed withouten,           forragers; safe Sir Florent and Sir Floridas and all thy fers knightes; They have forrayed and foughten with full grete number And fele of thy fo-men has brought out of life! Our worshipful warden is well escheved,           has well succeeded For he has won today worship for ever; He has Dolphin slain and the duke taken!           Dauphin Many doughty is dede by dint of his handes! He has prisoners pris, princes and erles, Of the richest blood that regnes in erthe; All thy chevalrous men fair are escheved, But a child, Chastelain, mischaunce has befallen." "Hautain," says the king, "heraud, by Crist,           Valiant man; herald Thou has heled mine herte, I hete thee for-sooth!           healed; promise I give thee in Hampton a hundreth pound large!" The king then to assaut he sembles his knightes           assault With somercastel and sowe upon sere halves,           moveable towers; shelters Shiftes his skotiferes and scales the walles,           Moves about; shield-bearers And ech watch has his ward with wise men of armes.           division; guard Then boldly they busk and bendes engines           catapults Paises in pillotes and proves their castes.           Heave; pellets; try Ministeres and masondewes they mall to the erthe,           Monasteries and hospitals they hammer to earth Churches and chapels chalk-white blaunched,           painted Stone steeples full stiff in the street ligges, Chambers with chimnees and many chef inns,           chimneys Paised and pelled down plastered walles;           Demolished; struck The pine of the pople was pitee for to here!           pain Then the duchess her dight with damesels rich, The countess of Crasine with her clere maidens, Kneeles down in the kirnelles there the king hoved,           battlements On a covered horse comlyly arrayed.           armoured They knew him by countenaunce and cried full loud: "King crowned of kind, take keep to these wordes!           by right; heed We beseek you, sir, as soveraign and lord, That ye save us today, for sake of your Crist! Send us some succour and saughte with the pople,           make peace Ere the citee be sodenly with assaut wonnen!"           assault He veres his vesar with a vout noble,           raises; visor; expression With visage virtuous, this valiant berne, Meles to her mildly with full meek wordes: "Shall none misdo you, madame, that to me longes; I give you charter of pees, and your chef maidens, The childer and the chaste men, the chevalrous knightes;           i.e., priests The duke is in daunger; dredes it but little!           doubt He shall be deemed full well, dout you nought elles."           fear Then sent he on ech a side to certain lordes For to leve the assaut; the citee was yolden           yielded (With the erle eldest son he sent him the keyes) And sesed the same night, by sent of the lordes.           seized; assent The duke to Dover is dight and all his dere knightes, To dwell in daunger and dole the dayes of his life. There fled at the ferrer gate folk withouten number,           farther For ferd of Sir Florent and his fers knightes;           fear Voides the citee and to the wood runnes With vitail and vessel, and vesture so rich;           victuals; precious vessels They busk up a banner aboven the brode gates. Of Sir Florent, in fay, so fain was he never!           happy The knighte hoves on a hill, beheld the walles, And said: "I see by yon sign the citee is oures!" Sir Arthur enters anon with hostes arrayed, Even at the undron ettles to lenge.           undern (9 a.m.); intends In eche levere on loud the king did cry           division On pain of life and limm and lesing of landes           limb; loss That no lele lege-man that to him longed, Sholde lie by no ladies, ne by no lele maidens, Ne by no burgess wife, better ne worse Ne no bernes misbid that to the burgh longed.           harm what When the king Arthur had lely conquered And the castel covered of the kith rich, All the cruel and keen, by craftes of armes, Capitains and constables, knew him for lord.           acknowledged He devised and delt to diverse lordes           divided A dower for the duchess and her dere childer;           widow's estate Wrought wardenes by wit to weld all the landes           rule That he had wonnen of war through his wise knightes. Thus in Lorraine he lenges as lord in his owen, Settes lawes in the land as him lef thought, And on Lammas day to Lucerne he wendes,           August 1 Lenges there at leisere with liking ynow.           leisure; pleasure There his galleys were graithed, a full grete number,           prepared All glitterand as glass, under green hilles, With cabanes covered for kinges annointed           cabins With clothes of clere gold for knightes and other; Soon stowed their stuff and stabled their horses, Strekes streke over the streme into the strait landes.           Strikes straight; narrow; (He crosses over Lake Lucerne into Switzerland) Now he moves his might with mirthes of herte Over mountes so high, those marvelous wayes, Gos in by Goddard, the garret he winnes,           Mount Goddard; watch tower Graithes the garnison grisly woundes!           Deals; garrison When he was passed the height, then the king hoves With his hole batail beholdand about, Lookand on Lumbardy and on loud meles: "In yon likand land lord be I think!"           I intend to be lord of that pleasing land Then they kaire to Combe with kinges annointed,           Como That was kidd of the coste, key of all other.           i.e., of Lake Como Sir Florent and Sir Floridas then foundes before With freke men of Fraunce well a five hundreth; To the citee unseen they sought at the gainest,           quickest way And set an enbushment, als themselve likes,           ambush Then ishewes out of that citee, full soon by the morn;           issue Sleyly discoverers skiftes their horses; Slyly scouts manage Then skiftes these scowerers and skippes on hilles,           shift; searchers Discoverers for skulkers that they no scathe limpen.           Scout for those hiding so that no harm may befall them Poverall and pastorelles passed on after           Poor people; shepherds With porkes to pasture at the pris gates;           hogs Boyes in the suburbes bourden full high           Servants; jest At a bore singlere that to the bente runnes.           wild boar Then brekes our bushment and the bridge winnes,           breaks out; ambush Braides into the burgh with banners displayed,           Rush Stekes and stabbes through that them again-standes;           Stick; withstand Four streetes, ere they stint, they stroyed forever! Now is the conquerour in Combe and his court holdes           Como Within the kidd castel with kinges annointed, Recounseles the commouns that to the kith longes,           Advises Comfortes the care-full with knightly wordes, Made a capitain keen a knight of his owen; But all the countree and he full soon were accorded. The Sire of Milan herde say the citee was wonnen, And send to Arthur certain lordes, Grete summes of gold, sixty horses charged,           laden Besought him as soveraign to succour the pople, And said he wolde soothly be subjet forever,           subject And make him service and suite for his sere landes;           feudal homage For Plesaunce, for Pawnce, and for Pownte Tremble,           Piacenza; Ponte; Pontremole For Pise and for Pavy he proffers full large           Pisa; Pavia Both purpure and pall and precious stones,           purple dye; silk Palfreyes for any prince and proved steedes And ilk a yere for Milan a melion of gold,           million Meekly at Martinmas to menske with his hordes, Meekly on St. Martin's Day (November 11) to pay homage with his treasures And ever, withouten asking, he and his eiers Be hommagers to Arthur whiles his life lastes. The king by his counsel a condeth him sendes,           safe conduct And he is comen to Combe and knew him as lord.           Como; acknowledged Into Tuskane he turnes when thus wel timed, Takes townes full tite with towres full high; Walles he welt down, wounded knightes,           knocked Towres he turnes, and tourmentes the pople,           overturns Wrought widowes full wlonk wrotherayle singen,           fair misery to sing Oft werye and weep and wringen their handes;           curse And all he wastes with war there he away rides; Their welthes and their wonninges wandreth he wrought!           dwellings; sadness Thus they springen and sprede and spares but little,           spread Spoiles dispiteously and spilles their vines,           Plunder pitilessly; destroy Spendes unsparely that spared was long,           without stinting; saved Speedes them to Spolett with speres ynow!           Spoletto Fro Spain into Spruysland the word of him springes           Prussia And spekings of his spenses; despite is full huge.           talk; spending; bitterness Toward Viterbo this valiant aveeres the reines;           turns Avisely in that vale he vitailes his bernes,           Shrewdly; victuals With Vernage and other wine and venison baken           white wine; baked And on the Viscounte landes he vises to lenge.           Viscount's; determines Vertely the avauntward voides their horses           Quickly In the Vertenonne vale the vines i-monges;           among There sujournes this soveraign with solace in herte, To see when the Senatours sent any wordes, Revel with rich wine, riotes himselven,           carouse This roy with his real men of the Round Table,           king With mirthes and melody and manykin gamnes;           many sorts of pleasures Was never merrier men made on this erthe!