The language — a form of Middle English used in the north of England — is demanding. In an earlier version of this text I glossed words with little pop-ups, but I’ve backed off, both because it was difficult to follow and because I suspect it creates problems for readers with visual impairments.
Now my glosses appear to the right of each line of verse; they’re just rough equivalents, not proper definitions. Anything that would benefit from more than that gets a link to the relevant entry in the great Middle English Dictionary (and I’ll just pray they don’t change all the URLs just to screw with me). This will also allow those who know Middle English better than I do to see what I’ve based my interpretation on.
3 |
|
| Þis kyng lay at Camylot vpon Krystmasse | |
| With mony luflych lorde, ledez of þe best, | luflych = good-looking; ledez = men |
| Rekenly of þe Rounde Table alle þo rich breþer, | rekenly = nobly |
| With rych reuel oryȝt & rechles merþes. [40] | oryȝt = fitting; rechles = carefree; merþes = pleasures |
| Þer tournayed tulkes by tymez ful mony, | tulkes = men |
| Justed ful jolilé þise gentyle kniȝtes, | justed = jousted; gentyle = noble |
| Syþen kayred to þe court caroles to make. | syþen = then; kayred = rode |
| For þer þe fest watz ilyche ful fiften dayes, | watz = was; ilyche = so |
| With alle þe mete & þe mirþe þat men couþe avyse; [45] | mete = food; couþe avyse = could devise |
| Such glaum ande gle glorious to here, | glaum = happy sounds |
| Dere dyn vpon day, daunsyng on nyȝtes, | dere dyn = dear din (pleasant noises) |
| Al watz hap vpon heȝe in hallez & chambrez | hap = happiness; heȝe = high |
| With lordez & ladies, as leuest him þoȝt. | leuest = dearest; þoȝt = seemed |
| With all þe wele of þe worlde þay woned þer samen, [50] | wele = joy; woned = lived; samen = together |
| Þe most kyd knyȝtez vnder Krystes seluen, | kyd = famous |
| & þe louelokkest ladies þat euer lif haden, | louelokkest = loveliest |
| & he þe comlokest kyng þat þe court haldes; | comlokest = most attractive; haldes = rules |
| For al watz þis fayre folk in her first age, | her first age = their prime |
| on sille, [55] | on sille = in hall |
| Þe hapnest vnder heuen, | hapnest = most fortunate |
| Kyng hyȝest mon of wylle; | wylle = character |
| Hit were now gret nye to neuen | nye = difficulty; neuen = name |
| So hardy a here on hille. | here = group of warriors |
[During the Christmas revelry at Camelot, a stranger arrives.] 7 |
|
| Now wyl I of hor seruise say yow no more, | |
| For vch wyȝe may wel wit no wont þat þer were. | vch = each; wyȝe = person; wit = know |
| An oþer noyse ful newe neȝed biliue, | neȝed = came near |
| Þat þe lude myȝt haf leue liflode to cach; | |
| For vneþe watz þe noyce not a whyle sesed, | vneþe = hardly |
| & þe fyrst cource in þe court kyndely serued, | kyndely = properly |
| Þer hales in at þe halle dor an aghlich mayster, | hales = rushes; aghlich = ugly; mayster = knight |
| On þe most on þe molde on mesure hyghe; | |
| Fro þe swyre to þe swange so sware & so þik, | swyre = neck; swange = waist; sware = square |
| & his lyndes & his lymes so longe & so grete, | lyndes = loins; lymes = limbs |
| Half etayn in erde I hope þat he were, | etayn = giant |
| Bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene, | most = biggest; algate = entirely; mynn = think; bene = be |
| & þat þe myriest in his muckel þat myȝt ride; | myriest = fairest; muckel = size |
| For of bak & of brest al were his bodi sturne, | sturne = fierce |
| Both his wombe & his wast were worthily smale, | wombe = belly; worthily = appropriately |
| & alle his fetures folȝande, in forme þat he hade, | folȝande = following |
| ful clene; | clene = fair |
| For wonder of his hwe men hade, | hwe = hue |
| Set in his semblaunt sene; | semblaunt = appearance; sene = clearly |
| He ferde as freke were fade, | ferde = behaved; freke = warrior |
| & oueral enker-grene. | enker-grene = vivid green |
8 |
|
| Ande al grayþed in grene þis gome & his wedes: | grayþed = prepared; wedes = clothes |
| A strayte cote ful streȝt, þat stek on his sides, | strayte = tight |
| A meré mantile abof, mensked withinne | mantile = coat; mensked = decorated |
| With pelure pured apert, þe pane ful clene | pelure pured apert = fur trimmed cleanly; clene = fair |
| With blyþe blaunner ful bryȝt, & his hod boþe, | blyþe = cheerful; blaunner = fur |
| Þat watz laȝt fro his lokkez & layde on his schulderes; | laȝt = caught back; lokkez = hair |
| Heme wel-haled hose of þat same, | Heme = well-fitting |
| Þat spenet on his sparlyr, & clene spures vnder | spenet = clung; sparlyr = calf of his leg |
| Of bryȝt golde, vpon silk bordes barred ful ryche, | barred = striped |
| & scholes vnder schankes þere þe schalk rides; | scholes = shoeless; schankes = legs; schalk = man |
| & alle his vesture uerayly watz clene verdure, | clene verdure = pure green |
| Boþe þe barres of his belt & oþer blyþe stones, | |
| Þat were richely rayled in his aray clene | rayled = arranged |
| Aboutte hymself & his sadel, vpon silk werkez. | silk werkez = embroidery |
| Þat were to tor for to telle of tryfles þe halue | tor = difficult; tryfles = details |
| Þat were enbrauded abof, wyth bryddes & flyȝes, | enbrauded = embroidered; bryddes = birds; flyȝes = butterflies |
| With gay gaudi of grene, þe golde ay inmyddes. | ay = always; inmyddes = in the middle |
| Þe pendauntes of his payttrure, þe proude cropure, | payttrure = trappings for a horse |
| His molaynes, & alle þe metail anamayld was þenne, | molaynes = bits for a horse’s bridles |
| Þe steropes þat he stod on stayned of þe same, | |
| & his arsounz al after & his aþel skyrtes, | arsounz = saddlebows |
| Þat euer glemered & glent al of grene stones; | glent = glinted, sparkled |
| Þe fole þat he ferkkes on fyn of þat ilke, | fole = horse; ferkkes = rides |
| sertayn, | |
| A grene hors gret & þikke, | |
| A stede ful stif to strayne, | stif = difficult; strayne = restrain |
| In brawden brydel quik | brawden = embroidered |
| To þe gome he watz ful gayn. | gome = man; gayn = ready |
9 |
|
| Wel gay watz þis gome gered in grene, | |
| & þe here of his hed of his hors swete. | here = hair |
| Fayre fannand fax vmbefoldes his schulderes; | fannand fax vmbefoldes = waiving hair hangs |
| A much berd as a busk ouer his brest henges, | much = great; busk = bush |
| Þat wyth his hiȝlich here þat of his hed reches | hiȝlich = splendid; of = from |
| Watz euesed al vmbetorne abof his elbowes, | euesed = trimmed |
| Þat half his armes þer-vnder were halched in þe wyse | halched = enclosed |
| Of a kyngez capados þat closes his swyre; | capados = hood or cape; swyre = neck |
| Þe mane of þat mayn hors much to hit lyke, | mayn = great |
| Wel cresped & cemmed, wyth knottes ful mony | cresped = curled; cemmed = combed |
| Folden in wyth fildore aboute þe fayre grene, | Folden in = entwined; fildore = gold thread |
| Ay a herle of þe here, an oþer of golde; | herle = strand |
| Þe tayl & his toppyng twynnen of a sute, | toppyng twynnen of = forelock joined in; sute = match |
| & bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bryȝt grene, | |
| Dubbed wyth ful dere stonez, as þe dok lasteda, | dok lasteda = tail extended |
| Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte, | þrawen = twisted; þwong = thong; þwarle = tight |
| Þer mony bellez ful bryȝt of brende golde rungen. | þer = where; brende = burnished |
| Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke þat hym rydes, | fole = horse; folde = earth |
| Watz neuer sene in þat sale wyth syȝt er þat tyme, | sale = hall; er = before |
| with yȝe. | |
| He loked as layt so lyȝt, | layt = lightning; lyȝt = bright |
| So sayd al þat hym syȝe; | |
| Hit semed as no mon myȝt | |
| Vnder his dynttez dryȝe. | dynttez = blows; dryȝe = heavy |
13 |
|
| “Nay, frayst I no fyȝt, in fayth I þe telle, | frayst = seek |
| Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdlez chylder. | hit arn = there are; berdlez chylder = beardless children |
| If I were hasped in armes on a heȝe stede, | hasped = buckled; heȝe = noble |
| Here is no mon me to mach, for myȝtez so wayke. | wayke = weak |
| Forþy I craue in þis court a Crystemas gomen, | |
| For hit is ȝol & Nwe ȝer, & here ar ȝep mony: | ȝol = Yule (Christmas season); ȝep = brave men |
| If any so hardy in þis hous holdez hymseluen, | |
| Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede, | brayn = mad |
| Þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer, | dar = dare; stifly = bravely |
| I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche, | giserne = battle axe |
| Þis ax, þat is heué innogh, to hondele as hym lykes, | |
| & I schal bide þe fyrst bur as bare as I sitte. | bur = blow; bare = unarmed |
| If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle, | felle = fierce; fonde = try |
| Lepe lyȝtly me to, & lach þis weppen, | lach = take |
| I quitclayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen, | auen = own |
| & I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on þis flet, | stonde = endure; stif = fearless; flet = floor |
| Ellez þou wyl diȝt me þe dom to dele hym an oþer | ellez = or else; diȝt = appoint |
| barlay, | barlay = truce |
| & ȝet gif hym respite, | |
| A twelmonyth & a day; | |
| Now hyȝe, & let se tite | hyȝe = hurry; let se tite = let me see quickly |
| Dar any herinne oȝt say.” | oȝt = anything |
[Sir Gawain agrees to take up the offer.] 19 |
|
| Þe grene knyȝt vpon grounde grayþely hym dresses, | grayþely = quickly; dresses = arranges |
| A littel lut with þe hede, þe lere he discouerez, | lut = bowed; lere = flresh; discouerez = uncovers |
| His longe louelych lokkez he layd ouer his croun, | lokkez = hair |
| Let þe naked nec to þe note schewe. | note = work |
| Gauan gripped to his ax, & gederes hit on hyȝt, | gederes = lifts |
| Þe kay fot on þe folde he before sette, | kay = left |
| Let him doun lyȝtly lyȝt on þe naked, | lyȝtly = swiftly; lyȝt = go down |
| Þat þe scharp of þe schalk schyndered þe bones, | scharp = sharp (blade); schyndered = shattered |
| & schrank þurȝ þe schyire grece, & schade hit in twynne, | schrank = sank; schyire grece = shining fat; schade = cut; twynne = two |
| Þat þe bit of þe broun stel bot on þe grounde. | |
| Þe fayre hede fro þe halce hit to þe erþe, | halce = neck |
| Þat fele hit foyned wyth her fete, þere hit forth roled; | þat fele = so that many; foyned = spurned |
| Þe blod brayd fro þe body, þat blykked on þe grene; | brayd = spurted; blykked = shone |
| & nawþer faltered ne fel þe freke neuer þe helder, | holder = more |
| Bot styþly he start forth vpon styf schonkes, | styþly = firmly |
| & runyschly he raȝt out, þere as renkkez stoden, | runyschly = fiercely; raȝt = reached |
| Laȝt to his lufly hed, & lyft hit vp sone; | |
| & syþen boȝez to his blonk, þe brydel he cachchez, | boȝez = goes; blonk = horse |
| Steppez into stelbawe & strydez alofte, | stelbawe = stirrup |
| & his hede by þe here in his honde haldez; | |
| & as sadly þe segge hym in his sadel sette | sadly = steadily |
| As non vnhap had hym ayled, þaȝ hedlez he were | as non vnhap = as if no misfortune |
| in stedde. | stedde = place |
| He brayde his bulk aboute, | brayde = twisted |
| Þat vgly bodi þat bledde; | |
| Moni on of hym had doute, | doute = fear |
| Bi þat his resounz were redde. |