[Headnote: SIR KAY"S MESSAGE TO SIR HARWY.]
[Sidenote: Sir Kay sends Gawane"s squire with a message to Sir Harwy that he ought not to suffer the best knight that ever bore arms to be surprised,]
S{ir} kay, that hath ?{ir} gawans q?quyar{is} ?en, 3204 He clepit hyme, and haith hyme prayt ?o, That to ?{ir} harwy the rewell wil he go, And ?ay to hyme, "ws think hyme ewil awy?it; For her throuch hyme he ?ufferit be ?uppri?it 3208 The be?t kny{ch}t that eu{er} armys bur; And if it ?o befell of adwentur, In his defalt, that he be ded or lamyt, This warld ?al have hyme vtraly defamyt. 3212 [Sidenote: nor six knights of the Round Table to be discomfited.]
And her ar of the round table al?o A falou?chip, that ?all in well and wo Abid w{i}t{h} hyme, and furt{h} for to endur Of lyf or deth, this day, thar adwentur; 3216 And if ?o fal di?c.u.mfyt at thai bee, The king may ?ay that wond{er} ewill haith he Contenit hyme, and kepit his honore, Thus for to tyne of chevalry the flour!" 3220 [Sidenote: The squire takes the message.]
The ?qw[y]ar hard, and furt{h} his way Raid, In termys ?chort he al his me?ag ?aid.
S{ir} harwy ?aith, "y wytne G.o.d, that I Neu{er} in my days comyt.i.t tratory, 3224 And if I now begyne In to myne eld, In ewill tyme fyr?t com I to this feld; [Sidenote: Sir Harwy says that Sir Kay shall have no cause to reprove him.]
Bot, if G.o.d will, I ?al me ?on di?charg.
Say to ?{ir} kay, I ?al not ber the charg, 3228 He ?al no mat{er} have me to rapref, I ?al amend this mys if that I lef."
The ?qwyar went and tellit to ?{ir} kay;
[Sidenote: Sir Harwy comes to support them;]
++And ?{ir} harwy, in al the ha?t he may, 3232 A??emblyt hath his o?t{is}, & onon In gret de?yre on the feld is gon [Fol. 40a.]
Before his folk, and haldith furt{h} his way; Don goith his ?per, and ewyne before ?{ir} kay 3236 So hard o kny{ch}t he ?trykith in his ten That hor and he lay boith apone the gren.
S{ir} gawan ?aw the count{er} that he maad, And leuch for al the ?arues that he had: 3240 [Sidenote: and proves himself a better warrior than might have been expected of one so old.]
That day ?{ir} harwy prewyt in the feld Of armys more than longith to his eld, For he was more than fyfty yher of ag, Set he was fer and ?ong in his curag; 3244 And fro that he a??emblyt his bataill [Sidenote: Galiot"s folk are beaten.]
Doune goith the folk of galot{is} al haill; For to w{i}t{h}?tond thai war of no poware, And yhit of folk x thou?and mo thei vare. 3248
[Sidenote: King Valydone comes to support them.]
++Kyng valydone, that ?auch on ?uch o wy His falowis dang{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ennemys, W{i}t{h} al his folk, being fre and new, Goith to the feld onon, them to re??kew; 3252 Thar was the feld ry{ch}t p{er}ellus a?ane, Of arthuris folk ful many on var ?lan.
[Sidenote: Angus comes to aid Arthur"s men.]
++Bot angus, quhich that lykith not to bid, And ?aw the p{er}ell one the tother ?id, 3256 His ?ted he ?trok, and w{i}t{h} his o?t is gon Whar was mo?t ned, and thar the feld has ton.
[Sidenote: Clamedyus comes to aid Galiot"s men.]
++Kyng clamedyus makith non abaid, Bot w{i}t{h} his o?t one to the ?id he raid. 3260
[Headnote: GALIOT"S FOLK ARE WORSTED.]
[Sidenote: Ywons encounters Clamedyus.]
++And ywons king, that haith his cu{m}myn ?en, Encount{er}it hyme in myddis of the gren.
The aucht batell{is} a??emblyt one this wi; [Sidenote: Great clamour and lamentable cries on either side.]
On ather half the clamore and the cryi 3264 Was lametable and petws for til her, Of kny{ch}t{is} wich in diu{er} placis ?ere Wondit war, and fallyng to and fro, ?hit galyot{is} folk war xx thou?and mo. 3268
[Sidenote: The black knight bids himself remember love"s power over him;]
++The blak kny{ch}t than on to hyme-?elf he ?aid: "Remembir the, how yhow haith ben araid, Ay ?en ye hour that yow was makid kny{ch}t, W{i}t{h} love, a?ane quhois powar & whois my{ch}t 3272 Yow haith no ?trenth, yow may It not endur, Nor ?hit non vthir erthly creatur; [Sidenote: and that only his lady"s mercy or his life"s end can amend him.]
And bot two thing{is} ar the to amend, Thi ladice mercy, or thi lyvys end. 3276 And well yhow wot that on to hir p{re}?ens, Til hir e?tat, nor til hir excellens, [Fol. 40b.]
Thi febilne neu{er}more is able For to attan, ?che is ?o honorable. 3280 And ?en no way yow may ?o hie extend,
[Headnote: THE BLACK KNIGHT"S DARING RESOLUTION.]
[Sidenote: He counsels himself to strive for her thanks,]
My verray con?ell is, that yow pretend This day, (?en yow becu{m}myne art hir kny{ch}t Of hir comand, and fecht.i.t in hir ?y{ch}t), 3284 And well yow ?chaw, ?en yow may do no mor, That of re?one ?che ?al the thank tharfore; [Sidenote: and to be ashamed of every point of cowardice.]
Of euery poynt of cowardy yow ?cham, And in til armys purche the ?um nam." 3288 W{i}t{h} that of love in to o new de?ir [Sidenote: Swift as a crossbow-bolt he seeks the field.]
His ?pere he ?traucht, and ?wift as any wyre W{i}t{h} al his for the n{er}e?t feld he ?oght; His ful ?trenth in armys thar he vroght, 3292 In to the feld ru?ching to and fro, Doune goith the man, doune goith the hor also; Sum throw the ?cheld is per?it to the hart, Sum throw the hed, he may It not a?tart. 3296 [Sidenote: His sword carves the head from some, and cuts the arms of others in twain.]
His bludy ?uerd he dreuch, that carwit ?o Fro ?um the hed, and ?um the arm in two; Sum in the feld fellit is in ?won, Throw ?um his ?uerd goith to the ?adill doune. 3300 His fois waren aba?it of his dedis, His mortell ?trok ?o gretly for to dred Is; [Sidenote: When his foes see him, they leave the place for dread of death.]
Whar thai hyme ?aw, w{i}t{h}in a lytall ?pace, For dreid of ded, thai levyng hyme the place, 3304 That many o ?trok ful oft he haith forlorn; The ?pedy hor away the kny{ch}t hath born.
In to his wyrking neu{er}more he ?e?t, Nor non abaid he makith, nor are?t. 3308 [Sidenote: His knightly deeds a.s.sure his fellows.]
His falowis, ?o in his kny{ch}thed a??uryd, Thai ar reco{m}fort, thar manhed is recou{er}yt, And one thar fois ful fer?ly thai ?oght, Thar goith the lyf of many o kny{ch}t to no{ch}t. 3312 So was the batell wond{er}ful to tell, Of kny{ch}t{is} to ?e the mult.i.tud that fell, [Sidenote: It was pitiful to see the knights gaping upon the green.]
That pety was til ony kny{ch}t to ?en The kny{ch}t{is} lying gaping on the gren. 3316 The blak kny{ch}t ay {con}tinewit ?o fa?t, Whill[T74] many one, di?c.u.mfit at the la?t, Are fled, and planly of the feld thei pas: [Fol. 41a.]
[Footnote T74: MS. "Whilk."]
[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS WHY HIS MEN FLEE.]
[Sidenote: Galiot asks his men why they flee.]
And galyot haith wondyr, for he was 3320 Of mor powar, and a?kit at them qwhy As cowart{is} thai fled ?a ?chamfully?
[Sidenote: A knight replies, that whoever likes may go and see marvels.]
Than ?aith o kny{ch}t, ?or wondit in the brayne, "Who lykith, he may Retwrn a?ayne 3324 Frome qwhens we come, m{er}walis for to ?ee, That in his tyme neu{er} ?ich ?auch hee."
[Sidenote: Galiot asks, what marvels; and the knight tells him there is a knight who vanquishes all;]
"Marwell," q{uod} he, "that dar I boldly ?ay Thay may be callit, and quhat thai ar, I pray?" 3328 "Schir, in the feld for?uth thar is o kny{ch}t, That only throw his body and his my{ch}t Wencu??ith all, that thar may non ?u?ten His ?trokis, thai ar ?o fureows and ken. 3332 [Sidenote: who fares as a lion or a bear;]
He farith as o lyone or o beyre, Wod in his rag, for ?ich is his affere.
[Sidenote: to whom the red knight hears no comparison.]
Nor he the kny{ch}t in to the armys Red, Wich at the first a??emble in this ?ted 3336 Wencu??ith all, and had the holl renown, He may to this be no comp{ar}y?ou{n}e, Fore neu{er} he ?e?ith ?en the day vas gon, Bot eu{er}more {con}tinewit in to one." 3340 [Sidenote: Galiot says he will go and see.]
Quod galiot, "in nome of G.o.d and we Al, be tyme, the ?uthfa?tne ?al see."
[Headnote: GALIOT RALLIES HIS MEN.]
[Sidenote: Galiot is armed, rallies the flyers, and encourages his men.]
[T]han he in armys that he had is gon, And to the feld w{i}t{h} hyme a?ane hath ton 3344 Al the flear{is}, and foundyne [in][T75] ?ich aray His folk, that ner di?c.u.mfyt al war thay; Bot quhen thai ?aw cu{m}myne our the plan Thar lord, thai tuk ?ich hardeme{n}t a?an, 3348 [Sidenote: They shout their war-cries.]
That thar e??en?eis lowd thai gon to cry.
He chargit tham to go, that ware hyme by, Straucht to the feld, w{i}t{h} al thar holl for; And thai, the wich that ?parit not the hor, 3352 All redy war to fillyng his {com}mand, And fre?chly went, w{i}t{h}owten more demand: Throw qwich thar folk recou{er}yt haith thar place, [Sidenote: All think a new host is coming.]
For al the feld p{re}?wmyt that thar was 3356 O new o?t, one ?uch o wy thai ?oght; [Sidenote: Arthur"s folk determine rather to die than fly.]
Whar arthuris folk had pa??ith al to no{ch}t, Ne war that thai the bett{er} war ilkone, And at thai can them vtraly di?pone 3360 Rathar to dee than flee, in thar entent, [Fol. 41b.]
And of the blak kny{ch}t haith ?ich hardyment; For at al p{er}ell, al harmys, and my?chef, In tyme of ned he can tham al ralef. 3364
[Footnote T75: The sense, but not the metre, requires "in."]
[T]har was the batell danger{us} & ?trong, Gret was the pres, bat{h} perell{us} & throng; [Sidenote: The black knight is borne to the ground.]
The blak kny{ch}t is born on to the ground, His hor hyme falyth, that fellith dethis wound. 3368 [Sidenote: The six comrades go to the earth.]
The vi falowis, that falowit hyme al day, Sich was the pre, that to the erth go thay; And thar in myd among his ennemys He was about enclo?it one ?ich wy 3372 [Sidenote: None know where he is.]
That quhare he was non of [his] falowis knew, Nor my{ch}t no{ch}t c.u.m to help hyme, nore re?kew.
And thus among his ennemys allon [Sidenote: He defends himself with his sword.]
His nakid ?uerd out of his hond haith ton; 3376 And thar he p{re}wit his wertew & h{is} ?trenth; For thar was none w{i}t{h}in the ?uerdis lenth That came, bot he goith to confu?ioune.
[Sidenote: No helm nor habergeon may resist his sword.]
Thar was no helme, thar was no habirioune, 3380 That may re?i?t his ?uerd, he ?myt.i.th so; One euery ?yd he helpith to and fro, That al about the compas thai my{ch}t ken; The ded hor lyith vir?lyng w{i}t{h} the men. 3384 Thai hyme a??al?eing bot{h} w{i}t{h} ?cheld & ?pere, [Sidenote: He fares like a bear at the stake, that snubs the hardy hounds.]
And he a?ane; as at the ?tok the bere Snybbith the hardy hound{is} that ar ken, So farith he; for neu{er} my{ch}t be ?en 3388 His ?uerd to re?t, that in the gret rout He rowmyth all the compas hyme about.
[Headnote: GALIOT WONDERS AT LANCELOT"S PROWESS.]
[A]nd galiot, beholding his manhed, [Sidenote: Galiot wonders at his deeds;]
W{i}t{h}in his-?elf wond{er}ith of his ded, 3392 How that the body only of o kny{ch}t Haith ?ich o ?trenth, haith ?ich affere & my{ch}t; Than ?aid he thus, "I wald not that throw me, [Sidenote: and says that such a knight shall not die on his account.]
Or for my cau, that ?uch o kny{ch}t ?uld dee, 3396 To conquer all this world that is ?o larg."
His hor than can he w{i}t{h} his ?puris charg, A gret trun?ioune In to his hond hath ton, And in the thike?t of the pre is gon, 3400 [Sidenote: He charges all his folk to cease;]
And al his folk chargit he to ?e.
At his {com}mand thai levyng al the pre; And quhen he had depart.i.t all the rout, [Fol. 42a.]
He ?aid, "?{ir} kny{ch}t, havith now no dout." 3404 Wich an?werit, "I have no cau to dred."
[Sidenote: and a.s.sures the black knight that he will himself warrant him from all harm.]
"?is," q{uod} he, "?a eu{er} G.o.d me ?ped, Bot apone fut quhill ?e ar fechtand here, And yhow defendith apone ?ich manere, 3408 So hardely, and ek ?o lyk o kny{ch}t, I ?al my-?elf w{i}t{h} al my holl my{ch}t Be yhour defens, and varand fra al harmys; Bot had yhe left of wor?chip In til armys, 3412 What I have don I wold apone no wy; Bot ?en yhe ar of kny{ch}thed ?o to prys, ?he ?al[T76] no man{er} cau have for to dred: