Edited by Mary Flowers Braswell - Ywain and Gawain: Part III lyrics

Thus thaire wai forth gan thai hald Until a kastel that was cald The Castel of the Hevy Sorow. Thare wald he bide until the morow; Thare to habide him thoght it best, For the son drogh fast to rest. Bot al the men that thai with met, Grete wonder sone on tham thai set And said, "Thou wreche, unsely man, Whi wil thou here thi herber tane? Thou pa**es noght without despite." Sir Ywain answerd tham als tyte And said, "For soth, ye er unhende An unkouth man so forto shende; Ye sold noght say hym velany, Bot if ye wist encheson why." Thai answerd than and said ful sone, "Thou sal wit or to-morn at none." Syr Ywaine said, "For al yowre saw Unto yon castel wil I draw." He and his lyoun and the may Unto the castel toke the way. When the porter of tham had sight, Sone he said unto the knight, "Cumes forth," he said, "ye al togeder! Ful ille hail er ye cumen heder." Thus war thai welkumd at the gate, And yit thai went al in tharate; Unto the porter no word thai said. A hal thai fand ful gudeli graid, And als Sir Ywaine made entré, Fast bisyde him than saw he A proper place and faire, iwis, Enclosed obout with a palis. He loked in bitwix the trese, And many maidens thare he sese Wirkand silk and gold-wire; Bot thai war al in pover atire. Thaire clothes war reven on evil arai; Ful tenderly al weped thai. Thaire face war lene and als unclene, And blak smokkes had thai on bidene; Thai had mischefs ful manifalde Of hunger, of threst, and of calde; And ever onane thai weped all, Als thai wald to water fall. When Ywaine al this understode, Ogayn unto the gates he gode; Bot thai war sperred ferli fast With lokkes that ful wele wald last. The porter kepid tham with his main And said, "Sir, thou most wend ogain; I wate thou wald out at the gate, Bot thou mai noght by na gate. Thi herber es tane til to-morow, And tharfore getes thou mek** sorow. Omang thi fase here sted ertow." He said, "So have I bene or now And past ful wele; so sal I here. Bot, leve frend, wiltou me lere Of thise maidens what thai are, That wirkes al this riche ware?" He said, "If thou wil wit trewly, Forthermare thou most aspy." "Tharfore," he said, "I sal noght lett." He soght and fand a dern weket, He opind it and in he gede. "Maidens," he said, "God mot yow spede, And als He sufferd woundes sare, He send yow covering of yowre care, So that ye might mak merier chere." "Sir," thai said, "God gif so were." "Yowre sorow," he said, "unto me say, And I sal mend it, yf I may." Ane of tham answerd ogayne And said, "The soth we sal noght layne; We sal yow tel or ye ga ferr, Why we er here and what we err. Sir, ye sal understand That we er al of Maydenland. Oure kyng opon his jolité Pa**ed thurgh many c*ntré Aventures to spir and spy Forto asay his owen body. His herber here anes gan he ta; That was biginyng of oure wa. For heryn er twa champions; Men sais thai er the devil sons, Geten of a woman with a ram; Ful many man have thai done gram. What knight so herbers here a nyght, With both at ones bihoves him fight. So bus the do, by bel and boke; Allas, that thou thine thus here toke. Oure king was wight himself to welde And of fourtene yeres of elde, When he was tane with tham to fyght; Bot unto tham had he no myght, And when he saw him bud be ded, Than he kouth no better rede, Bot did him haly in thaire grace And made tham sureté in that place, Forto yeld tham ilka yere, So that he sold be hale and fere, Threty maidens to trowage, And al sold be of hegh parage And the fairest of his land; Herto held he up his hand. This ilk rent byhoves hym gyf, Als lang als the fendes lyf, Or til thai be in batayl tane, Or els unto thai be al slane. Than sal we pas al hethin quite, That here suffers al this despite. Bot herof es noght for speke; Es none in werld that us mai wreke. We wirk here silver, silk, and golde, Es none richer on this molde, And never the better er we kled, And in grete hunger er we sted; For al that we wirk in this stede, We have noght half oure fil of brede; For the best that sewes here any styk, Takes bot foure penys in a wik, And that es litel wha som tase hede, Any of us to kleth and fede. Ilkone of us withouten lesyng Might win ilk wike fourty shilling; And yit, bot if we travail mare, Oft thai bete us wonder sare. It helpes noght to tel this tale, For thare bese never bote of oure bale. Oure maste sorow, sen we bigan, That es that we se mani a man, Doghty dukes, yrels, and barouns, Oft sithes slane with thir champiowns; With tham to-morn bihoves the fight." Sir Ywayn said, "God, maste of myght, Sal strenkith me in ilka dede Ogains tha devils and al thaire drede; That lord deliver yow of yowre fase." Thus takes he leve and forth he gase. He pa**ed forth into the hall, Thare fand he no man him to call; No bewtese wald thai to him bede, Bot hastily thai toke his stede And also the maydens palfray, War served wele with corn and hay. For wele thai hoped that Sir Ywayn Sold never have had his stede ogayn. Thurgh the hal Sir Ywain gase Intil ane orcherd playn pase; His maiden with him ledes he. He fand a knyght under a tre; Opon a clath of gold he lay. Byfor him sat a ful fayre may; A lady sat with tham infere. The mayden red at thai myght here, A real romance in that place, Bot I ne wote of wham it was. Sho was bot fiftene yeres alde; The knyght was lord of al that halde, And that mayden was his ayre; Sho was both gracious, gode, and fare. Sone, when thai saw Sir Ywaine, Smertly rase thai hym ogayne, And by the hand the lord him tase, And unto him grete myrth he mase. He said, "Sir, by swete Jhesus, Thou ert ful welcum until us." The mayden was bowsom and bayne Forto unarme Syr Ywayne; Serk and breke bath sho hym broght, That ful craftily war wroght Of riche cloth soft als the sylk And tharto white als any mylk. Sho broght hym ful riche wedes to were, Hose and shose and alkins gere. Sho payned hir with al hir myght To serve him and his mayden bright. Sone thai went unto sopere, Ful really served thai were With metes and drinkes of the best, And sethin war thai broght to rest. In his chaumber by hym lay His owin lyoun and his may. At morn, when it was dayes lyght, Up thai rase and sone tham dyght. Sir Ywayn and hys damysele Went ful sone til a chapele, And thare thai herd a mes in haste That was sayd of the Haly Gaste. Efter Mes ordand he has Forth on his way fast forto pas; At the lord hys leve he tase, And grete thanking to him he mase. The lord said, "Tak it to na greve, To gang hethin yit getes thou na leve. Herein es ane unsely law, That has bene used of ald daw And bus be done for frend or fa. I sal do com byfor the twa Grete serjantes of mekil myght; And, whether it be wrang or right, Thou most tak the shelde and spere Ogaynes tham the forto were. If thou overcum tham in this stoure, Than sal thou have al this honoure And my doghter in mariage, And also al myne heritage." Than said Sir Ywayn, "Als mot I the, Thi doghter sal thou have for me; For a king or ane emparoure May hir wed with grete honoure." The lord said, "Here sal cum na knyght, That he ne sal with twa champions fight; So sal thou do on al wise, For it es knawen custum a**ise." Sir Ywaine said, "Sen I sal so, Than es the best that I may do To put me baldly in thaire hend And tak the grace that God wil send." The champions sone war forth broght. Sir Ywain sais, "By Him me boght, Ye seme wele the devils sons, For I saw never swilk champions." Aither broght unto the place A mikel rownd talvace And a klub ful grete and lang, Thik fret with mani a thwang; On bodies armyd wele thai ware, Bot thare hedes bath war bare. The lioun bremly on tham blist; When he tham saw ful wele he wist That thai sold with his mayster fight. He thoght to help him at his myght; With his tayl the erth he dang, For to fyght him thoght ful lang. Of him a party had thai drede; Thai said, "Syr knight, thou most nede Do thi lioun out of this place For to us makes he grete manace, Or yelde the til us als creant." He said, "That war noght mine avenant." Thai said, "Than do thi beste oway, And als sone sal we samyn play." He said, "Sirs, if ye be agast, Takes the beste and bindes him fast." Thai said, "He sal be bun or slane, For help of him sal thou have nane. Thi self allane sal with us fight, For that es custume and the right." Than said Sir Ywain to tham sone: "Whare wil ye that the best be done?" "In a chamber he sal be loken With gude lokkes ful stifly stoken." Sir Ywain led than his lioun Intil a chamber to presoun; Than war bath tha devils ful balde, When the lioun was in halde. Sir Ywayn toke his nobil wede And dight him yn, for he had nede; And on his nobil stede he strade, And baldely to tham bath he rade. His mayden was ful sare adred, That he was so straitly sted, And unto God fast gan sho pray Forto wyn him wele oway. Than strake thai on him wonder sare With thaire clubbes that ful strang ware; Opon his shelde so fast thai feld That never a pece with other held; Wonder it es that any man Might bere the strakes that he toke than. Mister haved he of socoure, For he come never in swilk a stoure; Bot manly evyr with al his mayn And graithly hit he tham ogayn; And als it telles in the boke, He gaf the dubbil of that he toke. Ful grete sorow the lioun has In the chameber whare he was; And ever he thoght opon that dede, How he was helpid in his nede, And he might now do na socowre To him that helpid him in that stoure; Might he out of the chamber breke, Sone he walde his maister wreke. He herd thaire strakes that war ful sterin, And yern he waytes in ilka heryn, And al was made ful fast to hald. At the last he come to the thriswald; The erth thare kest he up ful sone, Als fast als foure men sold have done If thai had broght bath bill and spade; A mekil hole ful sone he made. Yn al this was Sir Ywayn Ful straitly parred with mekil payn, And drede he had, als him wele aght, For nowther of tham na woundes laght. Kepe tham cowth thai wonder wele That dintes derid tham never a dele; It was na wapen that man might welde, Might get a shever out of thaire shelde. Tharof cowth Ywayn no rede, Sare he douted to be ded; And also his damysel Ful mekil murnyng made omell, And wele sho wend he sold be slane, And, sertes, than war hir socore gane. Bot fast he stighteld in that stowre, And hastily him come socowre. Now es the lioun outbroken, His maister sal ful sone be wroken. He rynnes fast with ful fell rese, Than helpid it noght to prai for pese! He stirt unto that a glotowne, And to the erth he brayd him downe. Than was thare nane obout that place, That thai ne war fayn of that faire chace. The maiden had grete joy in hert; Thai said, "He sal never rise in quert." His felow fraisted with al his mayn To raise him smertly up ogayn; And right so als he stowped doun, Sir Ywain with his brand was boun, And strake his nek-bane right insonder, Thareof the folk had mekil wonder. His hevid trindeld on the sand: Thus had Ywain the hegher hand. When he had feld that fowl feloun, Of his stede he lighted down. His lioun on that other lay: Now wil he help him, if he may. The lioun saw his maister cum, And to hys part he wald have som. The right sholder oway he rase, Both arm and klob with him he tase, And so his maister gan he wreke. And, als he might, yit gan he speke And said, "Sir knight, for thi gentry, I pray the have of me mercy; And by scill sal he mercy have, What man so mekely wil it crave; And tharfore grantes mercy to me." Sir Ywain said, "I grant it the, If that thou wil thi selven say, That thou ert overcumen this day." He said, "I grant, withowten fail, I am overcumen in this batail For pure ataynt and recreant." Sir Ywayn said, "Now I the grant Forto do the na mare dere, And fro my liown I sal the were; I grant the pese at my powere." Than come the folk ful faire infere; The lord and the lady als Thai toke him faire obout the hals; Thai saide, "Sir, now saltou be Lord and syre in this c*ntré, And wed oure doghter, for sertayn." Sir Ywain answerd than ogayn; He said, "Sen ye gif me hir now, I gif hir evyn ogayn to yow; Of me forever I grant hir quite. Bot, sir, takes it til no despite; For, sertes, whif may I none wed, Until my nedes be better sped. Bot this thing, sir, I ask of the, That al thir prisons may pas fre. God has granted me this chance, I have made thaire delyverance." The lord answerd than ful tyte And said, "I grant the tham al quite. My doghter als, I rede, thou take; Sho es noght worthi to forsake." Unto the knyght Sir Ywain sais, "Sir, I sal noght hir mysprays; For sho es so curtays and hende, That fra hethin to the werldes ende Es no king ne emparoure Ne no man of so grete honowre, That he ne might wed that bird bright; And so wald I, if that I myght. I wald hir wed with ful gude chere, Bot, lo, I have a mayden here; To folow hir now most I nede, Wheder so sho wil me lede. Tharfore at this time haves goday." He said, "Thou pa**es noght so oway, Sen thou wil noght do als I tell, In my prison sal thou dwell." He said, "If I lay thare al my live, I sal hir never wed to wive; For with this maiden most I wend Until we cum whare sho wil lend." The lord saw it was no bote Obout that mater more to mote. He gaf him leve oway to fare, Bot he had lever he had bene thare. Sir Ywayn takes than forth infere Al the prisons that thare were; Bifore hym sone thai come ilkane, Nerehand naked and wo-bigane; Stil he hoved at the gate, Til thai war went al forth thareate. Twa and twa ay went thai samyn And made omang tham mikel gamyn. If God had cumen fra hevyn on hight And on this mold omang tham light, Thai had noght made mare joy, sertain, Than thai made to Syr Ywayne. Folk of the toun com him biforn And blissed the time that he was born; Of his prowes war thai wele payd: "In this werld es none slike," thai said. Thai cunvayd him out of the toun With ful faire processiowne. The maidens than thaire leve has tane, Ful mekil myrth thai made ilkane; At thaire departing prayed thai thus: "Oure lord God, mighty Jhesus, He help yow, sir, to have yowre will And shilde yow ever fra alkyns ill.' "Maidens," he said, "God mot yow se And bring yow wele whare ye wald be." Thus thaire way forth er thai went: Na more unto tham wil we tent. Sir Ywayn and his faire may Al the sevenight traveld thai. The maiden knew the way ful wele Hame until that ilk castele Whare sho left the seke may; And theder hastily come thai. When thai come to the castel gate, Sho led Sir Ywain yn thareate. The mayden was yit seke lyand; Bot, when thai talde hir this tithand, That cumen was hir messagere And the knyght with hyr infere, Swilk joy thareof sho had in hert, Hir thoght that sho was al in quert. Sho said, "I wate my sister will Gif me now that falles me till." In hir hert sho was ful light; Ful hendly hailsed sho the knight: "A, sir," sho said, "God do the mede, That thou wald cum in swilk a nede." And al that in that kastel were Welkumd him with meri chere. I can noght say, so God me glade, Half the myrth that thai him made. That night he had ful nobil rest With alkins esment of the best. Als sone als the day was sent, Thai ordaind tham and forth thai went. Until that town fast gan thai ride Whare the kyng sojorned that tide; And thare the elder sister lay, Redy forto kepe hyr day. Sho traisted wele on Sir Gawayn, That no knyght sold cum him ogayn; Sho hopid thare was no knyght lifand, In batail that might with him stand. Al a sevenight dayes bidene Wald noght Sir Gawayn be sene, Bot in ane other toun he lay; For he wald cum at the day Als aventerous into the place, So that no man sold se his face; The armes he bare war noght his awyn, For he wald noght in court be knawyn. Syr Ywayn and his damysell In the town toke thaire hostell; And thare he held him prevely, So that none sold him ascry. Had thai dwelt langer by a day, Than had sho lorn hir land for ay. Sir Ywain rested thare that nyght, And on the morn he gan hym dyght; On slepe left thai his lyowne And wan tham wightly out of toun. It was hir wil and als hys awyn At cum to court als knyght unknawyn. Sone obout the prime of day Sir Gawayn fra thethin thare he lay, Hies him fast into the felde Wele armyd with spere and shelde; No man knew him, les ne more, Bot sho that he sold fight fore. The elder sister to court come Unto the king at ask hir dome. Sho said, "I am cumen with my knyght Al redy to defend my right. This day was us set sesowne, And I am here al redy bowne; And sen this es the last day, Gifes dome and lates us wend oure way. My sister has al sydes soght, Bot, wele I wate, here cums sho noght; For, sertainly, sho findes nane, That dar the batail undertane This day for hir forto fyght Forto reve fra me my right. Now have I wele wonnen my land Withowten dint of knightes hand. What so my sister ever has mynt, Al hir part now tel I tynt: Al es myne to sell and gyf, Als a wreche ay sal sho lyf. Tharfore, Sir King, sen it es swa, Gifes yowre dome and lat us ga." The king said, "Maiden, think noght lang." (Wele he wist sho had the wrang.) "Damysel, it es the a**yse, Whils sityng es of the justise, The dome nedes thou most habide; For par aventure it may bityde, Thi sister sal cum al bi tyme, For it es litil pa**ed prime." When the king had tald this scill, Thai saw cum rideand over a hyll The yonger sister and hir knyght; The way to town thai toke ful right. (On Ywains bed his liown lay, And thai had stollen fra him oway.) The elder maiden made il chere, When thai to court cumen were. The king withdrogh his jugement, For wele he trowed in his entent That the yonger sister had the right, And that sho sold cum with sum knyght; Himself knew hyr wele inogh. When he hir saw, ful fast he logh; Him liked it wele in his hert, That he saw hir so in quert. Into the court sho toke the way, And to the king thus gan sho say, "God that governs alkin thing, The save and se, Syr Arthure the Kyng, And al the knyghtes that langes to the, And also al thi mery menye. Unto yowre court, sir, have I broght An unkouth knyght that ye knaw noght; He sais that sothly for my sake This batayl wil he undertake; And he haves yit in other land Ful felle dedes under hand; Bot al he leves, God do him mede, Forto help me in my nede." Hir elder sister stode hyr by, And tyl hyr sayd sho hastily: "For Hys luf that lens us life, Gif me my right withouten strife, And lat no men tharfore be slayn." The elder sister sayd ogayn: "Thi right es noght, for al es myne, And I wil have yt mawgré thine. Tharfore, if thou preche al day, Here sal thou no thing bere oway." The yonger mayden to hir says, "Sister, thou ert ful curtays, And gret dole es it forto se, Slike two knightes als thai be, For us sal put thamself to spill. Tharefore now, if it be thi will, Of thi gude wil to me thou gif Sumthing that I may on lif." The elder said, "So mot I the, Who so es ferd, I rede thai fle Thou getes right noght, withowten fail, Bot if thou win yt thurgh batail." The yonger said, "Sen thou wil swa, To the grace of God here I me ta; And Lord als He es maste of myght, He send his socore to that knyght That thus in dede of charité This day antres hys lif for me." The twa knightes come bifor the king And thare was sone ful grete gedering; For ilka man that walk might, Hasted sone to se that syght. Of tham this was a selly case, That nowther wist what other wase; Ful grete luf was bitwix tham twa, And now er aither other fa; Ne the king kowth tham noght knaw, For thai wald noght thaire faces shew. If owther of tham had other sene, Grete luf had bene tham bitwene; Now was this a grete selly That trew luf and so grete envy, Als bitwix tham twa was than, Might bath at anes be in a man. The knightes for thase maidens love Aither til other kast a glove, And wele armed with spere and shelde Thai riden both forth to the felde; Thai stroke thaire stedes that war kene; Litel luf was tham bitwene. Ful grevosly bigan that gamyn, With stalworth speres strake thai samen. And thai had anes togeder spoken, Had thare bene no speres broken. Bot in that time bitid it swa, That aither of tham wald other sla. Thai drow swerdes and swang obout, To dele dyntes had thai no dout. Thaire sheldes war shiferd and helms rifen, Ful stalworth strakes war thare gifen. Bath on bak and brestes thare War bath wounded wonder sare; In many stedes might men ken The blode out of thaire bodies ren. On helmes thai gaf slike strakes kene That the riche stanes al bidene And other gere that was ful gude, Was overcoverd al in blode. Thaire helmes war evel brusten bath, And thai also war wonder wrath. Thaire hauberkes als war al totorn Both bihind and also byforn; Thaire sheldes lay sheverd on the ground. Thai rested than a litil stound Forto tak thaire ande tham till, And that was with thaire bother will. Bot ful lang rested thai noght, Til aither of tham on other soght; A stronge stowre was tham bitwene, Harder had men never sene. The king and other that thare ware, Said that thai saw never are So nobil knightes in no place So lang fight bot by Goddes grace. Barons, knightes, squiers, and knaves Said, "It es no man that haves So mekil tresore ne nobillay, That might tham quite thaire dede this day." Thir wordes herd the knyghtes twa; It made tham forto be more thra. Knightes went obout gude wane To mak the two sisters at ane: Bot the elder was so unkinde, In hir thai might no mercy finde; And the right that the yonger hase, Puttes sho in the kinges grace. The king himself and als the quene And other knightes al bidene And al that saw that dede that day, Held al with the yonger may; And to the king al thai bisoght, Whether the elder wald or noght, That he sold evin the landes dele And gif the yonger damysele The half or els sum porciowne, That sho mai have to warisowne, And part the two knightes intwyn. "For, sertis," thai said, "it war grete syn, That owther of tham sold other sla, For in the werld es noght swilk twa. When other knightes," said thai, "sold sese, Thamself wald noght asent to pese." Al that ever saw that batayl, Of thaire might had grete mervayl. Thai saw never under the hevyn Twa knightes that war copled so evyn. Of al the folk was none so wise, That wist whether sold have the prise; For thai saw never so stalworth stoure, Ful dere boght thai that honowre. Grete wonder had Sir Gawayn, What he was that f*ght him ogain; And Sir Ywain had grete ferly, Wha stode ogayns him so stifly. On this wise lasted that fight Fra midmorn unto mirk night; And by that tyme, I trow, thai twa War ful weri and sare alswa. Thai had bled so mekil blode, It was grete ferly that thai stode; So sare thai bet on bak and brest, Until the sun was gone to rest; For nowther of tham wald other spare. For mirk might thai than na mare, Tharfore to rest thai both tham yelde. Bot or thai past out of the felde, Bitwix tham two might men se Both mekil joy and grete peté. By speche might no man Gawain knaw, So was he hase and spak ful law; And mekil was he out of maght For the strakes that he had laght. And Sir Ywain was ful wery. Bot thus he spekes and sais in hy: He said, "Syr, sen us failes light, I hope it be no lifand wight, That wil us blame if that we twin. For of al stedes I have bene yn, With no man yit never I met That so wele kowth his strakes set; So nobil strakes has thou gifen That my sheld es al toreven." Sir Gawayn said, "Sir, sertanly, Thou ert noght so weri als I; For if we langer fightand were, I trow I might do the no dere. Thou ert no thing in my det Of strakes that I on the set." Sir Ywain said, "In Cristes name, Sai me what thou hat at hame." He said, "Sen thou my name wil here And covaites to wit what it were, My name in this land mani wote; I hat Gawayn, the King son Lote." Than was Sir Ywayn sore agast; His swerde fra him he kast. He ferd right als he wald wede, And sone he stirt down of his stede. He said, "Here es a fowl mischance For defaut of conisance. A, sir," he said, "had I the sene, Than had here no batel bene; I had me yolden to the als tite, Als worthi war for descumfite." "What man ertou?" said Sir Gawain. "Syr," he said, "I hat Ywayne, That lufes the more by se and sand Than any man that es lifand, For mani dedes that thou me did, And curtaysi ye have me kyd. Tharfore, sir, now in this stoure I sal do the this honowre: I grant that thou has me overcumen And by strenkyth in batayl nomen." Sir Gawayn answerd als curtays: "Thau sal noght do, sir, als thou sais; This honowre sal noght be myne, Bot, sertes, it aw wele at be thine; I gif it the here withowten hone And grantes that I am undone." Sone thai light, so sais the boke, And aither other in armes toke And kissed so ful fele sithe; Than war thai both glad and blithe. In armes so thai stode togeder, Unto the king com ridand theder; And fast he covait forto here Of thir knightes what thai were, And whi thai made so mekil gamyn, Sen thai had so foghten samyn. Ful hendli than asked the king, Wha had so sone made saghteling Bitwix tham that had bene so wrath And aither haved done other scath. He said, "I wend ye wald ful fain Aither of thow have other slayn, And now ye er so frendes dere." "Sir King," said Gawain, "Ye sal here. For unknawing and hard grace Thus have we foghten in this place; I am Gawayn, yowre awin nevow, And Sir Ywayn f*ght with me now. When we war nere weri, iwys, Mi name he frayned and I his; When we war knawin, sone gan we sese. Bot, sertes, sir, this es no lese, Had we foghten forth a stownde, I wote wele I had gone to grounde; By his prowes and his mayne, I wate, for soth, I had bene slayne." Thir wordes menged al the mode Of Sir Ywain als he stode; "Sir," he said, "so mot I go, Ye knaw yowreself it es noght so. Sir King," he said, "withowten fail, I am overcumen in this batayl." "Nai, sertes," said Gawain, "bot am I." Thus nowther wald have the maistri, Bifore the king gan aither grant, That himself was recreant. Than the king and hys menye Had bath joy and grete peté; He was ful fayn thai frendes were, And that thai ware so funden infere. The kyng said, "Now es wele sene That mekil luf was yow bitwene." He said, "Sir Ywain, welkum home!" For it was lang sen he thare come. He said, "I rede ye both a**ent To do yow in my jujement; And I sal mak so gude ane ende That ye sal both be halden hende." Thai both a**ented sone thartill To do tham in the kynges will, If the maydens wald do so. Than the king bad knyghtes two Wend efter the maydens bath, And so thai did ful swith rath. Bifore the kyng when thai war broght He tald unto tham als him thoght, "Lystens me now, maydens hende, Yowre grete debate es broght til ende; So fer forth now es it dreven That the dome most nedes be gifen, And I sal deme yow als I can." The elder sister answerd than: "Sen ye er king that us sold were, I pray yow do to me na dere." He said, "I wil let for na saw Forto do the landes law. Thi yong sister sal have hir right, For I se wele that thi knyght Es overcumen in this were." Thus said he anely hir to fere, And for he wist hir wil ful wele, That sho wald part with never a dele. "Sir," sho said, "sen thus es gane, Now most I, whether I wil or nane, Al yowre cumandment fufill, And tharfore dose right als ye will." The king said, "Thus sal it fall, Al yowre landes depart I sall. Thi wil es wrang, that have I knawin. Now sal thou have noght bot thin awin, That es the half of al bydene." Than answerd sho ful tite in tene And said, "Me think ful grete outrage To gif hir half myne heritage." The king said, "For yowre bother esse In hir land I sal hir sese, And sho sal hald hir land of the And to the tharfore mak fewté; Sho sal the luf als hir lady, And thou sal kith thi curtaysi, Luf hir efter thine avenant, And sho sal be to the tenant." This land was first, I understand, That ever was parted in Ingland. Than said the king, "Withowten fail, For tha luf of that batayl Al sisters that sold efter bene Sold part the landes tham bitwene." Than said the king to Sir Gawain, And als he prayed Sir Ywain Forto unlace thaire riche wede; And tharto had thai bath grete nede. Als thai thusgate stod and spak, The lyown out of the chamber brak. Als thai thaire armurs sold unlace, Come he rinand to that place. Bot he had, or he come thare, Soght his mayster whideware; And ful mekil joy he made When he his mayster funden hade. On ilka side than might men se, The folk fast to toun gan fle; So war thai ferd for the liowne Whan thai saw him theder bown. Syr Ywain bad tham cum ogayn And said, "Lordinges, for sertayn, Fra this beste I sal yow were, So that he sal do yow no dere. And, sirs, ye sal wele trow mi sawes; We er frendes and gude felaws. He es mine and I am his; For na tresore I wald him mys." When thai saw this was sertain, Than spak thai al of Sir Ywaine: "This es the Knight with the Liown, That es halden of so grete renown. This ilk knight the geant slogh; Of dedis he es doghty inogh." Than said Sir Gawayn sone in hi, "Me es bitid grete velani; I cri the mercy, Sir Ywayne, That I have trispast the ogayn. Thou helped mi syster in hir nede; Evil have I quit the now thi mede. Thou anterd thi life for luf of me; And als mi sister tald of the, Thou said that we ful fele dawes Had bene frendes and gude felawes. Bot wha it was ne wist I noght. Sethen have I had ful mekil thoght, And yit for al that I do can, I cowth never here of na man, That me coth tell toure ne town Of the Knight with the Liown." When thai had unlaced thaire wede, Al the folk toke ful gode hede, How that beste his bales to bete Likked his maister both hend and fete. Al the men grete mervail hade Of the mirth the lyown made. When the knightes war broght to rest, The king gert cum sone of the best Surgiens that ever war sene Forto hele tham both bidene. Sone so thai war hale and sownd, Sir Ywayn hies him fast to found. Luf was so in his hert fest, Night ne day haved he no rest, Bot he get grace of his lady, He most go wode or for luf dy. Ful preveli forth gan he wende Out of the court fra ilka frende. He rides right unto the well, And thare he thinkes forto dwell. His gode lyon went with him ay, He wald noght part fro him oway. He kest water opon the stane: The storm rase ful sone onane, The thoner grisely gan outbrest; Him thoght als al the grete forest And al that was obout the well Sold have sonken into hell. The lady was in mekyl dout, For al the kastel walles obout Quoke so fast that men might think That al into the erth sold synk. Thai trembled fast, both boure and hall, Als thai unto the grund sold fall. Was never in this mydlerde In no kastell folk so ferde. Bot wha it was wele wist Lunet; Sho said, "Now er we hard byset; Madame, I ne wate what us es best, For here now may we have no rest. Ful wele I wate ye have no knight, That dar wende to yowre wel and fight With him that cumes yow to asaile; And, if he have here no batayle Ne findes none yow to defend, Yowre lose bese lorn withouten end." The lady said sho wald be dede; "Dere Lunet, what es thi rede? Wirk I wil by thi kounsail, For I ne wate noght what mai avail." "Madame," sho said, "I wald ful fayn Kownsail yow if it might gayn. Bot in this case it war mystere To have a wiser kownsaylere." And by desait than gan sho say, "Madame, par chance this ilk day Sum of yowre knightes mai cum hame And yow defend of al this shame." "A," sho said, "Lunet, lat be; Speke namore of my menye; For wele I wate, so God me mend, I have na knight me mai defend. Tharfore my kownsail bus the be, And I wil wirk al efter the, And tharfore help at al thi myght." "Madame," sho said, "had we that knyght, That es so curtais and avenant And has slane the grete geant, And als that the thre knightes slogh, Of him ye myght be trist inogh. Bot forthermar, madame, I wate, He and his lady er at debate And has bene so ful many day; And als I herd hym selvyn say, He wald bileve with no lady Bot on this kownand utterly, That thai wald mak sertayn ath To do thaire might and kunyng bath Trewly both by day and naght To mak him and hys lady saght." The lady answerd sone hir tyll, "That wil I do with ful gode will; Unto the here mi trowth I plight That I sal tharto do mi might." Sho said, "Madame, be ye noght wrath, I most nedes have of yow an ath, So that I mai be sertayn." The lady said, "That will I fayn." Lunet than riche relikes toke, The chalis and the mes-boke; On knese the lady down hir set (Wit ye wele, than liked Lunet), Hir hand opon the boke sho laid, And Lunet althus to hir said, "Madame," sho said, "Thou salt swere here That thou sal do thi powere Both dai and night opon al wise Withouten anikyns fayntise To saghtel the Knyght with the Liown And his lady of grete renowne, So that no faut be funden in the." Sho said, "I grant, it sal so be." Than was Lunet wele paid of this; The boke sho gert hir lady kys. Sone a palfray sho bistrade, And on hir way fast forth sho rade. The next way ful sone sho nome, Until sho to the well come. Sir Ywain sat under the thorn, And his lyoun lay him byforn. Sho knew him wele by his lioun, And hastily sho lighted downe; And als sone als he Lunet sagh, In his hert than list him lagh. Mekil mirth was when thai met, Aither other ful faire has gret. Sho said, "I love grete God in trone That I have yow fun so sone, And tithandes tel I yow biforn; Other sal my lady be manesworn On relikes and bi bokes brade, Or els ye twa er frendes made." Sir Ywain than was wonder glad For the tithandes that he had; He thanked hir ful fele sith That sho wald him slike gudenes kith, And sho him thanked mek** mare For the dedes that war done are. So ather was in other det, That both thaire travail was wele set. He sais, "Talde thou hir oght my name?" Sho said, "Nay, than war I to blame. Thi name sho sal noght wit for me, Til ye have kyssed and saghteld be." Than rade thai forth toward the town, And with tham ran the gude lyoun. When thai come to the castel gate, Al went thai in thareat. Thai spak na word to na man born Of al the folk thai fand byforn. Als sone so the lady herd sayn, Hir damisel was cumen ogayn And als the liown and the knight, Than in hert sho was ful lyght; Scho covait ever of al thing Of him to have knawlageing. Sir Ywain sone on knese him set, When he with the lady met. Lunet said to the lady sone, "Take up the knight, madame, have done! And, als covenand bituix us was, Makes his pese fast or he pas." Than did the ladi him up rise; "Sir," sho said, "opon al wise, I wil me pain in al thing Forto mak thi saghtelyng Bitwix the and thi lady bryght." "Medame," said Lunet, "That es right, For nane bot ye has that powere. Al the soth now sal ye here. Madame," sho said, "es noght at layn, This es my lord Sir Ywaine. Swilk luf God bitwix yow send, That may last to yowre lives end." Than went the lady fer obak, And lang sho stode or that sho spak. Sho said, "How es this, damysele? I wend thou sold be to me lele, That makes me, whether I wil or noght, Luf tham that me wa has wroght, So that me bus be forsworn Or luf tham that wald I war lorn. Bot, whether it torn to wele or ill, That I have said, I sal fulfill." Wit ye wele, than Sir Ywaine Of the wordes was ful fayne. "Madame," he said, "I have miswroght, And that I have ful dere boght. Grete foly I did, the soth to say, When that I past my terme-day; And, sertes, wha so had so bityd, Thai sold have done right als I dyd. Bot I sal never thorgh Goddes grace At mi might do more trispase; And what man so wil mercy crave, By Goddes law he sal it have." Than sho asented saghteling to mak; And sone in arms he gan hir tak And kissed hir ful oft sith: Was he never are so blith. Now has Sir Ywain ending made Of al the sorows that he hade. Ful lely lufed he ever hys whyfe And sho him als hyr owin life; That lasted to thaire lives ende. And trew Lunet, the maiden hende, Was honord ever with ald and ying And lifed at hir owin likyng. Of alkins thing sho has maystri, Next the lord and the lady. Al honord hir in toure and toun. Thus the Knyght with the Liown Es turned now to Syr Ywayn And has his lordship al ogayn; And so Sir Ywain and his wive In joy and blis thai led thaire live. So did Lunet and the liown Until that ded haves dreven tham down. Of tham na mare have I herd tell Nowther in rumance ne in spell. Bot Jhesu Criste for his grete grace In hevyn-blis grante us a place To bide in, if his wills be. Amen, amen, par charité. Ywain and Gawayn thus makes endyng God grant us all hys dere blyssing. Amen.