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In the tyme of Arthur, as trew men me tald,
The King turnit on ane tyde towart Tuskane,
Hym to seik ovr the sey, that saiklese wes sald,
The syre that sendis all seill, suthly to sane;
With banrentis, barounis, and bernis full bald,
Biggast of bane and blude bred in Britane.
Thai walit out werryouris with wapinnis to wald,
The gayest grumys on grund, with geir that myght gane;1
Dukis and digne lordis, douchty and deir,
Sembillit to his summoune,
Renkis of grete renoune,
Cumly kingis with croune
Of gold that wes cleir.
Thus the Royale can remove, with his Round Tabill,
Of all riches maist rike, in riall array.
Wes never fundun on fold, but fenyeing or fabill,2
Ane farayr floure on ane feild of fresch men, in fay;3
Farand on thair stedis, stout men and stabill,
Mony sterne ovr the streit stertis on stray.
Thair baneris schane with the sone, of silver and sabill,
And uthir glemyt as gold and gowlis so gay;
Of silver and saphir schirly thai schane;
Ane fair battell on breid
Merkit ovr ane fair meid;
With spurris spedely thai speid,
Ovr fellis, in fane.
The King faris with his folk, ovr firthis and fellis,
Feill dais or he fand of flynd or of fyre;
Bot deip dalis bedene, dounis and dellis,4
Montains and marresse, with mony rank myre;
Birkin bewis about, boggis and wellis,
Withoutin beilding of blis, of bern or of byre;
Bot torris and tene wais, teirfull quha tellis.5
Tuglit and travalit thus trew men can tyre,6
Sa wundir wait wes the way, wit ye but wene;
And all thair vittalis war gone,
That thay weildit in wone;
Resset couth thai find none
That suld thair bute bene.
As thay walkit be the syde of ane fair well,
Throu the schynyng of the son ane cieté thai se,
With torris and turatis, teirfull to tell,
Bigly batollit about with wallis sa he.
The yettis war clenely kepit with ane castell;
Myght none fang it with force, bot foullis to fle.
Than carpit King Arthur, kene and cruell:
"I rede we send furth ane seynd to yone cieté,
And ask leif at the lord yone landis suld leid,7
That we myght entir in his toune,
For his hie renoune,
To by us vittale boune,
For money to meid."
Schir Kay carpit to the King, courtes and cleir:
"Grant me, lord, on yone gait graithly to gay;
And I sall boidword, but abaid, bring to you heir,
Gif he be freik on the fold, your freynd or your fay."
"Sen thi will is to wend, wy, now in weir,
Luke that wisly thow wirk, Criste were the fra wa!"
The berne bounit to the burgh with ane blith cheir,
Fand the yettis unclosit, and thrang in full thra.
His hors he tyit to ane tre, treuly that tyde;
Syne hynt to ane hie hall
That wes astalit with pall;
Weill wroght wes the wall,
And payntit with pride.
The sylour deir of the deise dayntely wes dent
With the doughtyest in thair dais dyntis couth dele;8
Bright letteris of gold blith unto blent,
Makand mencioune quha maist of manhede couth mele.9
He saw nane levand leid upone loft lent,10
Nouthir lord na lad, leif ye the lele.
The renk raikit in the saill, riale and gent,
That wondir wisly wes wroght with wourschip and wele.11
The berne besely and bane blenkit hym about;
He saw throu ane entré
Charcole in ane chymné;
Ane bright fyre couth he se
Birnand full stout.
Ane duergh braydit about, besily and bane,
Small birdis on broche be ane bright fyre.
Schir Kay ruschit to the roist, and reft fra the swane,
Lightly claught, throu lust, the lym fra the lyre.12
To feid hym of that fyne fude the freik wes full fane.
Than dynnyt the duergh, in angir and yre,
With raris, quhil the rude hall reirdit agane.
With that come girdand in greif ane woundir grym sire;
With stout contenance and sture he stude thame beforne,
With vesage lufly and lang,
Body stalwart and strang;
That sege wald sit with none wrang
Of berne that wes borne.
The knyght carpit to Schir Kay, cruel and kene:
"Me think thow fedis the unfair, freik, be my fay!
Suppose thi birny be bright, as bachiler suld ben,
Yhit ar thi latis unlufsum and ladlike, I lay.
Quhy has thow marrit my man, with maistri to mene?13
Bot thow mend hym that mys, be Mary, mylde may,
Thow sall rew in thi ruse, wit thow but wene,
Or thow wend of this wane wemeles away!"
Schir Kay wes haisty and hate, and of ane hie will;
Spedely to hym spak:
"Schort amendis will I mak;
Thi schore compt I noght ane caik,
Traist wele thair till."
Thairwith the grume, in his grief, leit gird to Schir Kay,
Fellit the freke with his fist flat in the flure.
He wes sa astonayt with the straik, in stede quhare he lay
Stok still as ane stane, the sterne wes sa sture!
The freik na forthir he faris, bot foundis away.
The tothir drew hym on dreigh in derne to the dure,14
Hyit hym hard throu the hall to his haiknay,
And sped hym on spedely on the spare mure.
The renk restles he raid to Arthour the King;
Said: "Lord, wendis on your way,
Yone berne nykis yow with nay;
To prise hym forthir to pray,
It helpis na thing."
Than spak Schir Gawane the gay, gratious and gude:
"Schir, ye knaw that Schir Kay is crabbit of kynde;
I rede ye mak furth ane man, mekar of mude,15
That will with fairnes fraist frendschip to fynd.
Your folk ar febill and faynt for falt of thair fude;
Sum better boidword to abide, undir wod lynd."
"Schir Gawyne, graith ye that gait, for the gude Rude!
Is nane sa bowsum ane berne, brith for to bynd."
The heynd knight at his haist held to the toune.
The yettis wappit war wyde;
The knyght can raithly in ryde,
Reynit his palfray of pryde,
Quhen he wes lightit doune.
Schir Gawyne gais furth the gait, that graithit wes gay,16
The quhilk that held to the hall, heyndly to se;
Than wes the syre in the saill, with renkis of array,
And blith birdis hym about, that bright wes of ble.
Wourthy Schir Gawyne went on his way;
Sobirly the soverane salust has he:
"I am send to your self, ane charge for to say,
Fra cumly Arthur, the King, cortesse and fre;
Quhilk prays for his saik and your gentrice,
That he might cum this toun till
To by vittale at will,
Alse deir as segis will sell,
Payand the price."
Than said the syre of the saill and the soverane:
"I will na vittale be sauld your senyeour untill."
"That is at your aune will," said wourthy Gawane;
"To mak you lord of your aune, me think it grete skill."
Than right gudly that grome answerit agane:
"Quhy I tell the this taill, tak tent now thair till:17
Pase on thi purpos furth to the plane.
For all the wyis I weild ar at his aune will,
How to luge and to leynd, and in my land lent.
Gif I sauld hym his awin,
It war wrang to be knawin;18
Than war I wourthy to be drawin
Baldly on bent.
"Thare come ane laithles leid air to this place,
With ane girdill ovrgilt, and uthir light gere;
It kythit be his cognisance ane knight that he wes,
Bot he wes ladlike of laitis, and light of his fere.
The verray cause of his come I knew noght the cace,
Bot wondirly wraithly he wroght, and all as of were.
Yit wait I noght quhat he is, be Goddis grete grace!
Bot gif it happin that he be ane knyght of youris here,
Has done my lord to displeise, that I hym said ryght,19
And his presence plane,
I say yow in certane,
He salbe set agane,
As I am trew knight!"
Schir Gawyne gettis his leif, and grathis to his steid,
And broght to the bauld King boidword of blis:
"Weill gretis yow, Lord, yone lusty in leid,
And says hym likis in land your langour to lis;
All the wyis and welth he weildis in theid
Sall halely be at your will, all that is his."
Than he merkit with myrth ovr ane grene meid
With all the best, to the burgh, of lordis, I wis.
The knight kepit the King, cumly and cleir;
With lordis and ladyis of estate,
Met hym furth on the gate,
Syne tuke him in at yate
With ane blith cheir.
He had that heynd to ane hall, hiely on hight,20
With dukis and digne lordis, doughty in deid.
"Ye ar welcum, cumly King," said the kene knyght,
"Ay, quhil you likis and list to luge in this leid.
Heir I mak yow of myne maister of myght,
Of all the wyis and welth I weild in this steid.
Thair is na ridand roy, be resoun and right,
Sa deir welcum this day, doutles but dreid.
I am your cousing of kyn, I mak to yow knawin;
This kyth and this castell,
Firth, forest, and fell,
Ay, quhill yow likis to dwell,
Ressave as your awin.
"I may refresch yow with folk, to feght gif you nedis,
With thretty thousand tald, and traistfully tight,
Of wise, wourthy, and wight, in thair were wedis,
Baith with birny and brand to strenth you ful stright,21
Weill stuffit in steill, on thair stout stedis."
Than said King Arthur hymself, seymly be sight:
"Sic frendschip I hald fair, that forssis thair dedis;
Thi kyndnes salbe quyt, as I am trew knight."
Than thay buskit to the bynke, beirnis of the best.
The King crownit with gold,
Dukis deir to behold,
Allyns the banrent bold
Gladit his gest.
Thair myght service be sene, with segis in saill,
Thoght all selcought war soght fra the son to the see.22
Wynis went within that wane, maist wourthy to vaill,
In coupis of cleir gold, brichtest of blee.
It war full teir for to tell treuly in taill
The seir courssis that war set in that semblee.
The meriest war menskit on mete, at the maill,
With menstralis myrthfully makand thame glee.
Thus thay solaist thameselvin, suthly to say,
Al thay four dais to end;
The King thankit the heynd,
Syne tuke his leve for to wend,
And went on his way.
Thus refreschit he his folk in grete fusioun,
Withoutin wanting in waill, wastell or wyne.
Thai turssit up tentis and turnit of toun,
The Roy with his Round Tabill, richest of ryne.
Thay drive on the da deir be dalis and doun,
And of the nobillest bename, noumerit of nyne.
Quhen it drew to the dirk nycht, and the day yeid doun,
Thai plantit doun pavillonis, proudly fra thine.
Thus journait gentilly thyr chevalrouse knichtis,
Ithandly ilk day,
Throu mony fer contray,
Ovr the montains gay,
Holtis and hillis.
Thai passit in thare pilgramage, the proudest in pall,
The prince provit in prese, that prise wes and deir.
Syne war thai war of ane wane, wrocht with ane wal,
Reirdit on ane riche roche, beside ane riveir,
With doubill dykis bedene drawin ovr all;
Micht nane thame note with invy, nor nygh thame to neir.23
The land wes likand in large and lufsum to call;
Propir schene schane the son, seymly and feir.
The King stude vesiand the wall, maist vailyeand to se:
On that river he saw
Cumly towris to knaw;
The Roy rekinnit on raw
Thretty and thre.
Apone that riche river, randonit full evin
The sidewallis war set, sad to the see;
Scippis saland thame by, sexty and sevyn,
To send, quhen thameself list, in seir cuntré,24
That al thai that ar wrocht undir the hie hevin
Micht nocht warne thame at wil to ische nor entré.
Than carpit the cumly King, with ane lowd stevin:
"Yone is the seymliast sicht that ever couth I se.
Gif thair be ony keyne knycht that can tell it,
Quha is lord of yone land,
Lusty and likand,
Or quham of is he haldand,
Fayne wald I wit."
Than Schir Spynagrose with speche spak to the King:
"Yone lord haldis of nane leid, that yone land aw,
Bot everlesting but legiance, to his leving,25
As his eldaris has done, enduring his daw."
"Hevinly God!" said the heynd, "how happynis this thing?
Herd thair ever ony sage sa selcouth ane saw!
Sal never myne hart be in saill na in liking,
Bot gif I loissing my life, or be laid law,
Be the pilgramage compleit I pas for saull prow,26
Bot dede be my destenyng,
He sall at my agane cumyng
Mak homage and oblissing,
I mak myne avow!"
"A! Lord, sparis of sic speche, quhill ye speir more,
For abandonit will he noght be to berne that is borne.
Or he be strenyeit with strenth, yone sterne for to schore,27
Mony ledis salbe loissit, and liffis forlorne.
Spekis na succeudry, for Goddis sone deir!
Yone knicht to scar with skaitht, ye chaip nocht but scorne.28
It is full fair for to be fallow and feir
To the best that has bene brevit you beforne.
The myghty king of Massidone, wourthiest but wene,29
Thair gat he nane homage,
For all his hie parage,
Of lord of yone lynage,
Nor never none sene.
"The wy that wendis for to were quhen he wenys best,
All his will in this warld, with welthis I wys,
Yit sall be licht as leif of the lynd lest,30
That welteris doun with the wynd, sa waverand it is.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Your mycht and your majesté mesure but mys."
"In faith," said the cumly King, "trou ye full traist,
My hecht sall haldin be, for baill or for blis:
Sall never my likame be laid unlaissit to sleip,
Quhill I have gart yone berne bow,
As I have maid myne avow -
Or ellis mony wedou
Ful wraithly sal weip."
Thair wes na man that durst mel to the King
Quhan thai saw that mighty sa movit in his mude.
The Roy rial raid withoutin resting,
And socht to the cieté of Criste, ovr the salt flude.
With mekil honour in erd he maid his offering,
Syne buskit hame the samyne way that he before yude.
Thayr wes na spurris to spair, spedely thai spring;
Thai brochit blonkis to thair sidis brist of rede blude.
Thus the Roy and his rout restles thai raid
Ithandly ilk day,
Ovr the montains gay,
To Rone tuke the reddy way,
Withoutin mare abaid.
Thai plantit doun ane pailyeoun, upone ane plane lee,
Of pall and of pillour that proudly wes picht,
With rapis of rede gold, riale to see,
And grete ensenyes of the samyne, semly by sicht;
Bordouris about, that bricht war of ble,
Betin with brint gold, burely and bricht;
Frenyeis of fyne silk, fretit ful fre
With deir dyamonthis bedene, that dayntely wes dicht.31
The King cumly in kith, coverit with croune,
Callit knichtis sa kene,
Dukis douchty bedene:
"I rede we cast us betwene,
How best is to done."
Than spak ane wight weriour, wourthy and wise:
"I rede ane sayndis man ye send to yone senyeour,
Of the proudest in pall, and haldin of prise,32
Wise, vailyeing, and moist of valour.
Gif yone douchty in deid wil do your devise,
Be boune at your bidding in burgh and in bour,
Ressave him reverendly, as resoun in lyis;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And gif he nykis you with nay, yow worthis on neid
For to assege yone castel
With cant men and cruel,
Durandly for to duel
Ever quhill ye speid."
Than Shir Gawane the gay, grete of degre,
And Shir Lancelot de Lake, without lesing,
And avenand Schir Ewin, thai ordanit that thre
To the schore chiftane, chargit fra the Kyng.
Spynagros than spekis, said, "Lordingis in le,
I rede ye tent treuly to my teching,
For I knaw yone bauld berne better than ye,
His land, and his lordschip, and his leving.
And ye ar thre in this thede, thrivand oft in thrang,
War al your strenthis in ane,
In his grippis and ye gane,
He wald ovrcum yow ilkane,
Yone sterne is sa strang.
"And he is maid on mold meik as ane child,
Blith and bousum that berne as byrd in hir bour,
Fayr of fell and of face as flour unfild,
Wondir stalwart and strang to strive in ane stour.
Thairfore meikly with mouth mel to that myld,
And mak him na manance, bot al mesoure.33
Thus with trety ye cast yon trew undre tyld,
And faynd his frendschip to fang with fyne favour.
It hynderis never for to be heyndly of speche;
He is ane lord riale,
Ane seymly soverane in sale,
Ane wourthy wy for to wale,
Throu all this warld reche."
"Thi counsale is convenabill, kynd and courtese;
Forthi us likis thi lair listin and leir."34
Thai wyis, wourthy in weid, wend on thair ways,
And caryis to the castell, cumly and cleir;
Sent ane saynd to the soverane sone, and hym sais,
Thre knichtis fra court cum thay weir.
Than the ledis belife the lokkis unlaissis;
On fute freschly thai frekis foundis but feir;
The renkis raithly can raik into the round hald.
Thair met thame at the entré
Ladys likand to se,
Thretty knichtis and thre,
That blith war and bald.
Thai war courtes and couth thair knyghthed to kyth,
Athir uthir wele gret in gretly degré;
Thai bowit to the bernys, that bright war and blith,
Fair in armys to fang, of figure sa fre.
Syne thay sought to the chalmer, swiftly and swith,
The gait to the grete lord semely to se,
And salust the soverane sone, in ane sith,
Courtesly inclinand, and kneland on kne.
Ane blithar wes never borne of bane nor of blude;
All thre in certane
Salust the soverane,
And he inclynand agane,
Hatles, but hude.
Than Schir Gawyne the gay, gude and gracius,
That ever wes beildit in blis, and bounté embrasit,
Joly and gentill, and full chevailrus,
That never poynt of his prise wes fundin defasit,
Egir and ertand, and ryght anterus,
Illuminat with lawté, and with lufe lasit,
Melis of the message to Schir Golagrus.
Before the riale on raw the renk wes noght rasit;
With ane clene contenance, cumly to knaw,
Said: "Our soverane, Arthour,
Gretis the with honour,
Has maid us thre as mediatour,
His message to schaw.
"He is the raillest Roy, reverend and rike,
Of all the rentaris to ryme or rekin on raw.
Thare is na leid on life of lordschip hym like,
Na nane sa doughty of deid, induring his daw.
Mony burgh, mony bour, mony big bike,
Mony kynrik to his clame, cumly to knaw,
Maneris full menskfull, with mony deip dike;
Selcouth war the sevint part to say at saw.
Thare anerdis to our Nobill, to note quhen hym nedis,35
Twelf crownit kingis in feir,
With all thair strang poweir,
And mony wight weryer,
Worthy in wedis.
"It has bene tauld hym with tong, trow ye full traist,
Your dedis, your dignité and your doughtynes,
Brevit throu bounté for ane of the best
That now is namyt neir of all nobilnes,36
Sa wyde quhare wourscip walkis be west.
Our seymly Soverane hymself, forsuth, will noght cese
Quhill he have frely fangit your frendschip to fest;
Gif pament or praier mught mak that purchese,
For na largese my Lord noght wil he never let,
Na for na riches to rigne.37
I mak you na lesing,
It war his maist yarnyng
Your grant for to get."
Than said the syre of the sail, with sad sembland:
"I thank your gracious grete lord and his gude wil;
Had ever leid of this land, that had bene levand,
Maid ony feuté before, freik, to fulfil,
I suld sickirly myself be consentand,
And seik to your soverane, seymly on syll.
Sen hail our doughty elderis has bene endurand,38
Thrivandly in this thede, unchargit as thril,
If I, for obeisance or boist, to bondage me bynde,
I war wourthy to be
Hingit heigh on ane tre,
That ilk creature might se,
To waif with the wynd.
"Bot savand my senyeoury fra subjectioun,
And my lordscip unlamyt, withoutin legiance,
All that I can to yone King, cumly with croun,
I sall preif all my pane to do hym plesance,
Baith with body and beild, bowsum and boun,
Hym to mensk on mold, withoutin manance.
Bot nowthir for his senyeoury, nor for his summoun,
Na for dreid of na dede, na for na distance,
I will noght bow me ane bak for berne that is borne.
Quhill I may my wit wald,
I think my fredome to hald,
As my eldaris of ald
Has done me beforne."
Thai lufly ledis at that lord thair levis has laught;
Bounit to the bauld King, and boidword him broght.
Than thai schupe for to assege segis unsaught,
Ay the manlyest on mold, that maist of myght moght.
Thair wes restling and reling but rest that raught.
Mony sege ovr the sey to the cité socht;
Schipmen ovr the streme thai stithil full straught,
With alkin wappyns, I wys, that wes for were wroght.
Thai bend bowis of bras braithly within;
Pellokis paisand to pase,
Gapand gunnys of brase,
Grundin ganyeis thair wase,
That maid ful gret dyn.
Thair wes blawing of bemys, braging and beir;
Bretynit doune braid wod, maid bewis full bair;
Wrightis welterand doune treis, wit ye but weir,
Ordanit hurdys ful hie in holtis sa haire,
To gar the gayest on grund grayne undir geir.
For to greif thair gomys, gramest that wer,
Thus thai schupe for ane salt, ilk sege seir;
Ilka soverane his enseyne shewin has thair;
Ferly fayr wes the feild, flekerit and faw
With gold and goulis in greyne,
Schynand scheirly and scheyne;
The sone, as cristall sa cleyne,
In scheildis thai schaw.
Be it wes mydmorne and mare, merkit on the day,
Schir Golagros mery men, menskful of myght,
In greis and garatouris, grathit full gay,
Sevyne score of scheildis thai schew at ane sicht.
Ane helme set to ilk scheild, siker of assay,
With fel lans on loft, lemand ful light.
Thus flourit thai the forefront, thair fays to fray,
The frekis, that war fundin ferse and forssy in fight.
Ilk knyght his cunysance kithit full cleir;
Thair names writtin all thare,
Quhat berne that it bare,
That ilk freke quhare he fare
Might wit quaht he weir.
"Yone is the warliest wane," said the wise King,
"That ever I wist in my walk, in all this warld wyde;
And the straitest of stuf, with richese to ring,
With unabasit bernys bergane to abide;
May nane do thame na deir with undoyng;
Yone house is sa huge hie, fra harme thame to hide.
Yit sal I mak thame unrufe, foroutin resting,
And reve thame thair rentis, with routis full ride,
Thoght I suld fynd thame new notis for this nine yeir;39
And in his aune presence
Heir sall I mak residence,
Bot he with force mak defence,
With strenth me to steir."
"Quhat nedis," said Spinagrus, "sic notis to nevin,
Or ony termis be turnit, I tell you treuly?
For thair is segis in yone saill wil set upone sevin40
Or thay be wrangit, I wis, I warne you ilk wy.41
Nane hardiar of hertis undir the hevin:
Or thay be dantit with dreid, erar will thai de;
And thai with men upone mold be machit full evin,
Thai salbe fundin right ferse, and full of chevalrie.
Schir, ye ar in your majesté, your mayne and your myght,
Yit within thir dais thre,
The sicker suth sall ye se,
Quhat kin men that thai be,
And how thai dar fight."
As the reverend Roy wes reknand upone raw,
With the rout of the Round Tabill, that wes richest,
The King crounit with gold, cumly to knaw,
With reverend baronis and beirnis of the best,
He hard ane bugill blast brym and ane loud blaw,
As the seymly sone silit to the rest.
A gome gais to ane garet, glisnand to schaw,
Turnit to ane hie toure, that tight wes full trest;
Ane helme of hard steill in hand has he hynt,
Ane scheld wroght all of weir,
Semyt wele upone feir;
He grippit to ane grete speir,
And furth his wais wynt.
"Quhat signifyis yone schene scheild?" said the Senyeour.
"The lufly helme and the lance, all ar away,
The brym blast that he blew with ane stevin stour?"
Than said Spynagrus with speche: "The suth sall I say.
Yone is ane freik in his force, and fresch in his flour.
To se that his schire weid be sicker of assay,
He thinkis prouese to preve for his paramour,
And prik in your presence to purchese his pray.
Forthi makis furth ane man, to mach hym in feild,
That knawin is for cruel,
Doughty dyntis to dell,
That for the maistry dar mell
With schaft and with scheild."
Than wes the King wondir glaid, and callit Gaudifeir;
Quhilum in Britane that berne had baronyis braid.
And he gudly furth gais, and graithit his geir,
And buskit hym to battell, without mair abaid.
That wy walit, I wis, all wedis of weir
That nedit hym to note gif he nane had.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bery broune wes the blonk, burely and braid,
Upone the mold, quhare thai met, before the mydday.
With lufly lancis and lang,
Ane faire feild can thai fang,
On stedis stalwart and strang,
Baith blanchart and bay.
Gaudifeir and Galiot, in glemand steil wedis,
As glavis glowand on gleid, grymly thai ride.
Wondir sternly thai steir on thair stent stedis:
Athir berne fra his blonk borne wes that tide.42
Thai ruschit up rudly, quhasa right redis;
Out with swerdis thai swang fra thair schalk side.
Thairwith wraithly thai wirk, thai wourthy in wedis,43
Hewit on the hard steil, and hurt thame in the hide.
Sa wondir freschly thai frekis fruschit in feir,
Throw all the harnes thai hade,
Baith birny and breistplade,
Thairin wappynis couth wade,
Wit ye but weir.
Thus thai faught upone fold, with ane fel fair,
Quhill athir berne in that breth bokit in blude.
Thus thai mellit on mold, ane myle way and maire,
Wraithly wroht, as thei war witlese and wode.
Baith thai segis, forsuth, sadly and sair,44
Thoght thai war astonait, in that stour stithly thai stude.
The feght sa felly thai fang, with ane fresch fair,45
Quhil Gaudifeir and Galiot baith to grund yhude.
Gaudifeir gat up agane, throu Goddis grete mightis -
Abone him wichtely he wan,
With the craft that he can.
Thai lovit God and Sanct An,
The King and his knightis.
Than wes Galiot the gome hynt in till ane hald.
Golagrus grew in greif, grymly in hart,
And callit Schir Rigal of Rone, ane renk that wes bald:
"Quhill this querrell be quyt, I cover never in quert.46
With wailit wapnis of were, evin on yone wald,
On ane sterand steid that sternly will stert
I pray the, for my saik, that it be deir sald;
Was never sa unsound set to my hert."
That gome gudly furth gays and graithit his gere,
Blew ane blast of ane horne,
As wes the maner beforne;
Scheld and helm has he borne
Away with his spere.
The King crownit with gold this cumpas wele knew,
And callit Schir Raunald, cruell and kene:
"Gif ony pressis to this place, for prowes to persew,
Schaip the evin to the schalk, in thi schroud schene."47
The deir dight him to the deid, be the day dew:48
His birny and his basnet, burnist full bene;
Baith his horse and his geir wes of ane hale hew,
With gold and goulis sa gay graithit in grene;
Ane schene scheild and ane schaft, that scharply was sched.
Thre ber hedis he bair,
As his eldaris did air,
Quhilk beirnis in Britane wair
Of his blude bred.
Quhen the day can daw, deirly on hight,
And the sone in the sky wes schynyng so schir,
Fra the castell thair come cariand ane knight,
Closit in clene steill, upone ane coursyr.
Schir Rannald to his riche steid raikit full right;
Lightly lap he on loft, that lufly of lyre.
Athir laught has thair lance, that lemyt so light;
On twa stedis thai straid, with ane sterne schiere.
Togiddir freschly thai frekis fruschit, in fay;
Thair speris in splendris sprent
On scheldis, schonkit and schent,
Evin ovr thair hedis went
In feild fir away.
Thai lufly ledis belife lightit on the land,
And laught out swerdis, lufly and lang.
Thair stedis stakkerit in the stour, and stude stummerand,49
Al tostiffillit and stonayt, the strakis war sa strang!
Athir berne braithly bet with ane bright brand;
On fute freschly thai frekis feghtin thai fang;
Thai hewit on hard steil, hartly with hand,
Quhil the spalis and the sparkis spedely out sprang.
Schir Rannald raught to the renk ane rout wes unryde;
Clenely in the collair,
Fifty mailyeis and mair
Evin of the schuldir he schair,
Ane wound that wes wyde.
Thus thai faucht on fute, on the fair feild.
The blude famyt thame fra, on feild quhare thai found;
All the bernys on the bent about that beheild,
For pure sorow of that sight thai sighit unsound.
Schire teris schot fra schalkis, schene undir scheild,
Quhen thai foundrit and fel fey to the grund;
Baith thair hartis can brist braithly, but beild.
Thair wes na stalwart unstonait, so sterne wes the stound!
Schir Rannaldis body wes broght to the bright tent;
Syne to the castel of stone
Thai had Schir Regal of Rone;
With mekil murnyng and mone
Away with him went.
Thus endit the avynantis with mekil honour;
Yit has men thame in mynd for thair manhede.50
Thair bodeis wes beryit baith in ane hour;
Set segis for thair saullis to syng and to reid.
Than Gologrus graithit of his men in glisnand armour
And Schir Louys the lele, ane lord of that leid;
Ane uthir heght Edmond, that provit paramour;51
The thrid heght Schir Bantellas, the batal to leid;
The ferd wes ane weryour worthy and wight,
His name wes Schir Sanguel,
Cumly and cruel;
Thir four, treuly to tell,
Foundis to the feght.
Schir Lyonel to Schir Louys wes levit with ane lance;
Schir Ewin to Shir Edmond, athir ful evin;
Schir Bedwar to Schir Bantellas, to enschew his chance,
That baith war nemmyt in neid, nobil to nevin;
To Schir Sangwel soght gude Gyromalance.
Thus thai mellit and met with ane stout stevin,
Thir lufly ledis on the land, without legiance.
With seymely scheildis to schew, thai set upone sevin,
Thir cumly knightis to kyth ane cruel course maid.52
The frekis felloune in feir
Wondir stoutly can steir,
With geir grundin ful cleir
Rudly thai raid.
Than thair hors with thair hochis sic harmis couth hint,
As trasit in unquart quakand thai stand.
The frekis freschly thai fure, as fyre out of flynt;
Thair lufly lancis thai loissit, and lichtit on the land.
Right styth, stuffit in steill, thai stotit na stynt,
Bot buskit to battaille with birny and brand.
Thair riche birnys thai bet derfly with dynt,
Hewis doun in grete haist, hartly with hand.
Thai mighty men upon mold ane riale course maid,
Quhill clowis of clene maill
Hoppit out as the haill,
Thay beirnys in the bataill
Sa bauldly thai baid!
Thai bet on sa brymly, thai beirnys on the bent,
Bristis birneis with brandis burnist full bene.
Throu thair schene scheildis thair schuldiris war schent;
Fra schalkis schot schire blude ovr scheildis so schene.
Ryngis of rank steill rattillit and rent,
Gomys grisly on the grund grams on the grene.
The Roy ramyt for reuth, richist of rent,
For cair of his knightis cruel and kene,
Sa wondir freschly thair force thai frest on the feildis!
Sa huge wes the mellé,
Wes nane sa sutell couth se
Quhilk gome suld govern the gre,
Bot God that al weildis.
The wyis wroght uthir grete wandreth and weuch,
Wirkand woundis full wyde with wapnis of were.
Helmys of hard steill thai hatterit and heuch;
In that hailsing thai hynt grete harmys and here,
All toturvit thair entyre, traistly and tewch.
Burnist bladis of steill throw birneis thay bere.
Schort swerdis of scheith smertly thay dreuch,
Athir freik to his fallow, with fellonne affere;
Throw platis of polist steill thair poyntis can pase.
All thus thai threw in that thrang
Stalwart strakis and strang;
With daggaris derfly thay dang,
Thai doughtyis on dase.
Schir Lyonell Schir Lowes laught has in hand,
And sesit is Sangwell with Giromalans the gude.
Schir Evin has Schir Edmond laid on the land,
Braithly bartynit with baill, bullerand in blude.
Schir Bedwar to Schir Bantellas yaldis up his brand,
In that stalwart stour thay styth men in stude.
Wes nane forssy on fold that wes feghtand -53
Unmanglit and marrit - myghtles in mude;
Wes nane sa proud of his part, that prisit quhen he yeid.
Bedwer and Lyonell
War led to the castell;
The cumly knight Sangwell
To Arthour thay led.
Schir Edmond loissit has his life, and laid is full law;
Schir Evin hurtis has hynt hidwise and sair.
Knightis caryis to the corse, wes cumly to knaw,
And had hym to the castell with mekill hard cair;
Thai did to that doughty as the dede aw.
Uthir four of the folk foundis to the fair,
That wes dight to the dede, be the day can daw;
Than said bernys bald, brym as bair:
"We sal evin that is od, or end in the pane!"
Thai stuffit helmys in hy,
Breistplait and birny;
Thay renkis maid reddy
All geir that myght gane.
Schir Agalus, Schir Ewmond, honest and habill,
Schir Mychin, Schir Meligor, men of grete estait;
Than stertis out ane sterne knyght, stalwart and stabill,
Ane berne that heght Schir Hew, hardy and hait.
Now wil I rekkin the renkis of the Round Tabill,
That has traistly thame tight to governe that gait.54
Furth faris the folk, but fenyeing or fabill,
That bemyt war be the lord, lufsum of lait:
Schir Cador of Cornwel, cumly and cleir,
Schir Owales, Schir Iwell,
Schir Myreot, mighty emell;
Thir four, treuly to tell,
Foundis in feir.
Thair wes na trety of treux, trow ye full traist,
Quhen thai myghty can mach, on mold quhair thai met.
Thai brochit blonkis to thair sydis out of blude braist,
Thair lufly lancis thai loissit, and lightit but let;
Sadillis thai temyt tyt, thir trew men and traist,
Braidit out brandis, on birnys thai bet.
As fyre that fleis fra the flynt, thay fechtin sa fast,
With vengeand wapnis of were throu wedis thai wet.
It war teirfull to tell treuly the tend
Of thair strife sa strang,
The feght so fellely thai fang.
Thoght it lestit never so lang,
Yit laught it ane end.
Schir Owiles, Schir Iwill, in handis war hynt,
And to the lufly castell war led in ane lyng.
Thairwith the stalwartis in stour can stotin and stynt,
And baith Schir Agalus and Schir Hew wes led to the Kyng.
Than Schir Golograse for greif his gray ene brynt,
Wod wraith as the wynd, his handis can wryng.
Yit makis he mery, magry quhasa mynt -
Said: "I sal bargane abyde, and ane end bryng;
Tomorne, sickirly, my self sall seik to the feild."
He buskit to ane barfray -
Twa smal bellis rang thay;
Than seymly Arthur can say,
Wes schene undir scheild:
"Quhat signifyis yone rynging?" said the Ryale.
Than said Spynagros with speche: "Schir sens peir,
That sall I tell yow with tong, treuly in taill.
The wy that weildis yone wane, I warn you but weir,55
He thinkis his aune self shall do for his dail;
Is nane sa provit in this part of pyth is his peir.56
Yow worthis wisly to wirk, ane wy for to wail,
That sal duchtely his deid do with yone deir.
He is the forsiest freik, be fortoune his freynd,
That I wait levand this day."
Than Schir Gawine the gay
Prayt for the journay,
That he myght furth weynd.
The King grantit the gait to Schir Gawane,
And prayt to the grete God to grant him his grace,
Him to save and to salf, that is our soverane,
As he is makar of man, and alkyn myght haise.
Than Schir Spynagros, the freik, wox ferly unfane,
Murnyt for Schir Gawyne, and mekil mayne maise,
And said: "For His saik, that saiklese wes slane,
Tak nocht yone keyne knight to countir, in this hard cais -57
Is nane sa stalwart in stour, with stoutnes to stand.
Of al that langis to the King,
The mair is my murnyng,
Ye suld this fell fechting
Hynt upone hand.
"Sen ye ar sa wourschipfull, and wourthy in were,
Demyt with the derrest, maist doughty in deid,
Yone berne in the battale wil ye noght forbere,
For al the mobil on the mold, merkit to meid."
"Gif I de doughtely, the les is my dere,
Thoght he war Sampsone himself, sa me Criste reid!
I forsaik noght to feght, for al his grete feir,
I do the weill for to wit, doutlese but dreid."
Than said Schir Spynagrose: "Sen ye will of neid
Be boun to the battale,
Wirkis with counsale -
It sall right gret avale,
And do it in deid.
"Quhen ye mach hym on mold, merk to hym evin,
And bere ye your bright lance in myddis his scheild;
Mak that course cruel, for Crystis lufe of hevin!
And syne wirk as I wise, your wappins to weild.
Be he stonayt, yone sterne, stout beis his stevin;
He wourdis brym as ane bair, that bydis na beild.58
Noy you noght at his note, that nobill is to nevin.
Suppose his dyntis be deip dentit in your scheild,
Tak na haist upone hand, quhat happunys may hynt;
Bot lat the riche man rage,
And fecht in his curage,
To swyng with swerd quhil he suage;
Syne dele ye your dynt.
"Quhen he is stuffit, thair strike, and hald hym on steir:59
Sa sal ye stonay yone stowt, suppose he be strang.
Thus may ye lippin on the lake, throu lair that I leir;60
Bot gif ye wirk as wise, you worthis that wrang."
The King and his knihtis, cumly and cleir,
In armour dewly hym dight, be the day sprang.
Than wes Schir Kay wondir wo, wit ye but weir,
In defalt of ane freik the feghting to fang.61
That gome gudely furth gais, and graithit his geir;
Evin to the castell he raid,
Huvit in ane dern slaid;
Sa come ane knight as he baid,
Anairmit of weir.
That knight buskit to Schir Kay one ane steid broune,
Braissit in birneis and basnet full bene;
He cryis his ensenye and conteris hym full soune,
And maid ane course curagiouse, cruell and kene.
Thair lufly lancis thai loissit, and lightit baith doune,
And girdit out swerdis on the grund grene,
And hewit on hard steill hartlie but houne.
Rude reknyng raise thair renkis betwene.
Thair mailyeis with melle thay merkit in the medis;
The blude of thair bodeis
Throw breistplait and birneis,
As roise ragit on rise,
Ovrran thair riche wedis.
Thus thai faught upone fute, without fenyeing.
The sparkis flaw in the feild, as fyre out of flynt.
Thai lufly ledis in lyke, thai layid on in ane ling,
Delis thair full doughtely mony derf dynt.
Duschand on deir wedis, dourly thai dyng;62
Hidwise hurtis and huge haistely thai hynt.
That knight carpit to Schir Kay, of discomforting:
"Of this stonayand stour I rede that ye stynt.
I will yeild the my brand, sen na better may bene.
Quhair that fortoune will faill,
Thair may na besynes availl."
He braidit up his ventaill
That closit wes clene.
For to ressave the brand the berne wes full blith,
For he wes byrsit and beft, and braithly bledand.
Thoght he wes myghtles, his mercy can he thair myth,
And wald that he nane harm hynt with hart and with hand.63
Thai caryit baith to the Kynge, cumly to kyth;
Thair lancis war loissit and left on the land.
Than said he loud upone loft: "Lord, will ye lyth:64
Ye sall nane torfeir betyde, I tak upone hand.
Na mysliking have in hart, nor have ye na dout.
Oft in romanis I reid:
Airly sporne, late speid."
The King to the pailyeoun gart leid
The knight that wes stout.
Thai hynt of his harnese, to helyn his wound;
Lechis war noght to lait, with sawis sa sle.
With that, mony fresch freik can to the feild found,
With Gologras in his geir, grete of degre;
Armyt in rede gold, and rubeis sa round,
With mony riche relikis, riale to se.
Thair wes on Gologras, quhair he glaid on the ground,
Frenyeis of fine silk, fratit full fre.
Apone sterand stedis, trappit to the heill,
Sexty schalkis full schene
Cled in armour sa clene;
No wy wantit, I wene,
All stuffit in steill.
That berne raid on ane blonk of ane ble quhite,
Blyndit all with bright gold and beriallis bright -
To tell of his deir weid war doutles delite,
And alse ter for to tell the travalis war tight.
His name and his nobillay wes noght for to nyte;
Thair wes na hathill sa heich, be half ane fute hicht.
He lansit out ovr ane land, and drew noght ane lyte,
Quhair he suld frastyn his force, and fangin his fight.
Be that Schir Gawyne the gay wes graithit in his gere;
Cummyng on the ta syde,
Hovand, battale to abyde,
All reddy samyne to ryde,
With schelde and with spere.
Thir lufly ledis on the land left be thame allane,
Tuke nowthir fremmyt nor freyndis, bot found thame fra;
Twa rynnyng renkis raith the riolyse has tane,65
Ilk freik to his feir, to frestin his fa.
Thai gird one twa grete horse, on grund quhil thai grane.66
The trew helmys and traist in tathis thai ta;
The rochis reirdit with the rasch, quhen thai samyne rane.67
Thair speris in the feild in flendris gart ga;
The stedis stakerit in the stour, for strekyng on stray.68
The bernys bowit abak,
Sa woundir rude wes the rak;
Quhilk that happynnit the lak,
Couth na leid say!
Thai brayd fra thair blonkis, besely and bane.
Syne laught out swerdis, lang and lufly,
And hewit on hard steill, wondir hawtane.
Baith war thai haldin of hartis heynd and hardy.
Gologras grew in greif at Schir Gawane;
On the hight of the hard steill he hyt hym in hy,
Pertly put with his pith at his pesane,69
And fulyeit of the fyne maill ma than fyfty.
The knight stakrit with the straik, all stonayt in stound,70
Sa woundir scharply he schair,
The berne that the brand bair.
Schir Gawyne, with ane fell fair,
Can to his faa found.
With ane bitand brand, burly and braid,
Quhilk oft in battale had bene his bute and his belde,
He leit gird to the grome, with greif that he had,
And claif throw the cantell of the clene schelde.
Throw birny and breistplait and bordour it baid;
The fulye of the fyne gold fell in the feild.
The rede blude with the rout folowit the blaid,
For all the wedis, I wise, that the wy weild,
Throw claspis of clene gold, and clowis sa cleir.
Thair with Schir Gologras the syre,
In mekill angir and ire,
Alse ferse as the fyre,
Leit fle to his feir.
Sic dintis he delt to that doughty,
Leit hym destanyt to danger and dreid;
Thus wes he handillit full hait, that hawtane, in hy.
The scheld in countir he kest ovr his cleir weid,
Hewit on hard steill woundir haistely;
Gart beryallis hop of the hathill about hym on breid.71
Than the King unto Criste kest up ane cry,
Said: "Lord, as Thow life lent to levand in leid,
As Thou formit all frute to foster our fude,
Grant me confort this day,
As Thow art God verray!"
Thus prais the King in affray,
For Gawyne the gude.
Golagras at Gawyne in sic ane grief grew
As lyoune, for falt of fude, faught on the fold.
With baith his handis in haist that haltane couth hew,
Gart stanys hop of the hathill, that haltane war hold,72
Birny and breistplait, bright for to schew;
Mony mailye and plait war marrit on the mold.
Knichtis ramyt for reuth; Schir Gawyne thai rew,
That doughty delit with hym sa, for dout he war defold,
Sa wondir scharply he schare throu his schene schroud.
His scheild he chopit hym fra
In twenty pecis and ma.
Schir Wawane writhit for wa,
Witlese and woud.
Thus wourthit Schir Gawyne wraith and wepand,
And straik to that stern knight but stynt.
All engrevit the grome, with ane bright brand,
And delt thairwith doughtely mony derf dynt.
Throw byrny and breistplait, bordour and band,
He leit fle to the freke, as fyre out of flynt.
He hewit on with grete haist, hartly with hand,
Hakkit throw the hard weid, to the hede hynt;
Throw the stuf with the straik, stapalis and stanis,73
Schir Wawine, wourthy in wail,
Half ane span at ane spail,
Quhare his harnes wes hail,
He hewit attanis.
Thus raithly the riche berne rassit his array.
The tothir stertis ane bak, the sterne that wes stout,
Hit Schir Gawayne on the gere quhil grevit wes the gay,
Betit doune the bright gold and beryallis about;
Scheddit his schire wedis scharply away:
That lufly lappit war on loft, he gart thame law lout.74
The sterne stakrit with the straik, and stertis on stray,
Quhill neir his resoune wes tynt, sa rude wes the rout!
The beryallis on the land of bratheris gart light,
Rubeis and sapheir,
Precious stanis that weir;
Thus drese thai wedis sa deir,
That dantely wes dight.
Thai gyrd on sa grymly, in ane grete ire,
Baith Schir Gawine the grome, and Gologras the knight.
The sparkis flew in the feild, as fagottis of fire,
Sa wondir frely thai frekis fangis the fight.
Thai luschit and laid on, thai luflyis of lyre.
King Arthur Jhesu besoght, seymly with sight:
"As Thow art Soverane God, sickerly, and syre,
At Thow wald warys fra wo Wawane the wight,75
And grant the frekis on fold farar to fall,
Baith thair honouris to saif."
At Crist with credence thai craif,
Knight, squyar and knaif;
And thus pray thay all.
Thai mellit on with malice, thay myghtyis in mude,76
Mankit throu mailyeis, and maid thame to mer;77
Wraithly wroght, as thai war witlese and wod.
Be that Schir Wawane the wy likit the wer;78
The ble of his bright weid wes bullerand in blude.
Thair with the nobill in neid nyghit hym ner,79
Straik hym with ane steill brand, in stede quhare he stude.
The scheld in fardellis can fle, in feild away fer;
The tothir hyt hym agane with ane hard swerd.
As he loutit ovr ane bra,
His feit founderit hym fra;
Schir Gologras graithly can ga
Grulingis to erd.
Or ever he gat up agane, gude Schir Gawane
Grippit to Schir Gologras on the grund grene.
Thairof gromys wes glaid, gudly and gane,
Lovit Criste of that case with hartis sa clene.
Ane daggar dayntely dight that doughty has drawne;
Than he carpit to the knight, cruel and kene:
"Gif thou luffis thi life, lelely noght to layne,
Yeld me thi bright brand, burnist sa bene;
I rede thow wirk as I wise, or war the betide."80
The tothir answerit schortly:
"Me think farar to dee,
Than schamyt be, verralie,
And sclander to byde.
"Wes I never yit defoullit, nor fylit in fame,
Nor nane of my eldaris, that ever I hard nevin.
Bot ilk berne has bene unbundin with blame,
Ringand in rialté, and reullit thameself evin.
Sall never sege undir son se me with schame,
Na luke on my lekame with light nor with levin,
Na nane of the nynt degré have noy of my name,81
I swere be suthfast God, that settis all on sevin!
Bot gif that wourschip of were win me away,
I trete for na favour.
Do furth thi devoir -
Of me gettis thou na more,
Doutles this day."
Lordingis and ladyis in the castell on loft,
Quhen thai saw thair liege lord laid on the landis,
Mony sweit thing of sware swownit full oft,
Wyis wourthit for wo to wringin thair handis.
Wes nowthir solace nor sang thair sorow to soft -
Ane sayr stonayand stour at thair hartis standis.
On Criste cumly thay cry: "On Croce as Thou coft,
With Thi blissit blude to bring us out of bandis,
Lat never our soverane his cause with schame to encheif!
Mary, farest of face,
Beseik thi sone in this cace,
Ane drop of His grete grace
He grant us to geif!"
Thus the ledis on loft in langour war lent.
The lordis on the tothir side for likyng thay leugh.
Schir Gawyne tretit the knight to turn his entent,
For he wes wondir wa to wirk hym mare wugh.
"Schir, say for thiself, thow seis thou art schent;
It may nocht mend the ane myte to mak it so teugh.
Rise, and raik to our Roy, richest of rent;
Thow salbe newit at neid with nobillay eneuch,
And dukit in our duchery, all the duelling."
"Than war I woundir unwis,
To purchese proffit for pris,
Quhare schame ay ever lyis,
All my leving.
"The sege that schrenkis for na schame, the schent might hym schend,82
That mare luffis his life than lois upone erd.
Sal never freik on fold, fremmyt nor freynde,
Gar me lurk for ane luke, lawit nor lerd.83
For quhasa with wourschip sall of this warld wende,
Thair wil nane wyis, that ar wis, wary the werd.84
For ony trety may tyde, I tell the the teynd,
I wil noght turn myn entent, for all this warld brerd,
Or I pair of pris ane penny-worth in this place,
For besandis or beryell;
I knaw my aune quarrell -
I dreid not the pereill
To dee in this cace!"
Schir Gawyne rewit the renk, that wes riale,
And said to the reverend, riche and rightwis:
"How may I succour the sound, semely in sale,
Before this pepill in plane, and pair noght thy pris?"
"That sall I tel the with tong, trewly in tale,
Wald yow denye the in deid to do my devis:
Lat it worth at my wil the wourschip to wale,
As I had wonnyn the of were, wourthy and wis;
Syne cary to the castel, quhare I have maist cure.
Thus may yow saif me fra syte;
As I am cristynit perfite,
I sall thi kyndnes quyte,
And sauf thyn honoure."
"That war hard," said that heynd, "sa have I gude hele!
Ane wounder peralous poynt, partenyng grete plight,
To souer in thi gentrice, but signete or sele,85
And I before saw the never, sickerly, with sight.
To leif in thi lauté, and thow war unlele,86
Than had I cassin in cair mony kene knight.
Bot I knaw thou art kene, and alse cruell;
Or thow be fulyeit fey, freke, in the fight,
I do me in thi gentrice, be Drightin sa deir!"87
He leynt up in the place;
The tothir raithly upraise.
Gat never grome sic ane grace,
In feild of his feir!
Than thei nobillis at neid yeid to thair note new -88
Freschly foundis to feght, all fenyeand thair fair.
Tua schort swerdis of scheith smertly thai drew,
Than thai mellit on mold, ane myle way and mare.
Wes newthir casar nor king thair quentance that knew;89
It semyt be thair contenance that kendillit wes care.
Syne thai traist in that feild, throu trety of trew,90
Put up thair brandis sa braid, burly and bair.
Gologras and Gawyne, gracious and gude,
Yeid to the ca |