To fight wth him I saw noe cause,

me thought it was not meet,
for he was stiffe & strong wth-all,
his strokes were nothing sweete;

Therefor this is my ransome, Gawaine,
I ought to him to pay,

I must come againe, as I am sworne,
vpon the Newyeers day.

And I must bring him word what thing it is

[About nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then king Arthur drest him for to ryde

in one soe rich array

toward the foresaid Tearne wadling,

that he might keepe his day.

And as he rode over a more,

hee see a lady where shee sate

betwixt an oke & a greene hollen:

She was cladd in red scarlett.

Then there as shold haue stood her mouth,

then there was sett her eye,

the other was in her forhead fast

the way that she might see.

Her nose was crooked & turnd outward,

her mouth stood foule a-wry;

a worse formed lady than shee was, neuerman saw wth his eye.

To halch vpon him, K. Arthur,

this lady was full faine,

but K. Arthur had forgott his lesson,

what he shold say againe.

What knight art thou, the lady sayd,

that wilt not speak tome?

Of me be thou nothing dismayd

tho I be vgly to see;

for I haue balched you curteouslye,

& you will not me againe,

yett I may happen S Knight, shee said,

to ease thee of thy paine.

Giue thou ease me, lady, he said,

or helpe me any thing,

thou shalt haue gentle Gawaine, my cozen,
& marry him wth a ring.

Why, if I help thee not, thou noble K. Arthur,
Of thy owne hearts desiringe,

of gentle Gawaine . . . .

[About nine Stanzas wanting.]

And when he came to the tearne wadling

the baron there cold he fimde,

wth a great weapon on his backe,

standing stiffe and stronge.

And then he tooke K. Arthurs letters in his hands

& away he cold them fling,

& then he puld out a good browne sword,

& cryd himselfe a K.

And he sayd, I haue thee & thy land, Arthur,

to doe as it pleaseth me,

for this is not thy ransome sure,

therfore yeeld thee to me.

And then bespoke him Noble Arthur,

& bad him hold his hand,

& give me leaue to speake my mind

in defence of all my land.

He said as I came over a More,

I see a lady where shee sate

betweene an oke & a green hollen; shee was clad in red scarlett;

And she says a woman will haue her will, & this is all her cheef desire:

doe me right, as thou art a baron of sckill, this is thy ransome & all thy hyer.

He sayes an early vengeance light on her! she walkes on yonder more;

it was my sister that told thee this;

& she is a misshappen hore!

But heer Ile make mine avow to god

to doe her an euill turne,

for an euer I may thate fowle theefe get in a fyer I will her burne.

[About nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then shee said, choose thee, gentle Gawaine, truth as I doe say,

wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse

in the night or else in the day

And then bespake him Gentle Gawaine,

wth one soe mild of Moode,

sayes, well I know what I wold say, god grant it may be good!

To haue thee fowle in the night
when I wth thee shold play;
yet I had rather, if I might,

haue thee fowle in the day.

What! when Lords goe wth ther seires," shee said,

both to the Ale & wine;

alas! then I must hyde my selfe,

I must not goe withiane.

And then bespake him gentle gawaine,

said, Lady, thats but a skill 6;

And because thou art my owne lady,

Thou shalt haue all thy will.

Then she said, blesed be thou gentle Gawain,

this day that I thee see,

For as thou see me att this time,

from hencforth I wilbe:

Come kisse her, Brother Kay, then said S Gawaine,

& amend thé of thy liffe ;

I sweare this is the same lady

that I marryed to my wiffe.

Sr Kay kissed that lady bright,
standing vpon his ffeete;
he swore, as he was trew knight,
the spice was neuer soe sweete.

Well, Coz. Gawaine, sayes S Kay,

thy chance is fallen arright,

for thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids

I euer saw wth my sight.

It is my fortune, said Sr Gawaine;

for my unckle Arthurs sake

I am glad as grasse wold be of raine, great Joy that I may take.

Sr Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme,

S Kay tooke her by the tother,

they led her straight to K. Arthur as they were brother & brother.

K. Arthur welcomed them there all, & soe did lady Geneuer his queene, wth all the knights of the round table most seemly to be seene.

K. Arthur beheld that lady faire
that was soe faire and bright,
he thanked christ in trinity

for S Gawaine that gentle knight;

Soe did the knights, both more and lesse, reioyced all that day

for the good chance that hapened was to Sr Gawaine & his lady gay. ffins.

END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.