No More Learning

). ]

XVI.

[A] "In goud fay? e," quod Gawayn, "God yow for3elde,
1536 Gret is ? e gode gle, & gomen to me huge,
? at so wor? y as 3e wolde wynne hidere,
& pyne yow with so pouer a mon, as play wyth your kny3t,
With any skynne3 countenaunce, hit keuere3 me ese;
1540 [B] Bot to take ? e toruayle[1] to my-self, to trwluf expoun,
& towche ? e teme3 of tyxt, & tale3 of arme3,
To yow ? at, I wot wel, welde3 more sly3t
Of ? at art, bi ? e half, or a hundreth of seche
1544 As I am, o? er euer schal, in erde ? er I leue,
Hit were a fole fele-folde, my fre, by my traw? e.
[C] I wolde yowre wylnyng worche at my my3t,
As I am hy3ly bihalden, & euer-more wylle
1548 [D] Be seruaunt to your-seluen, so saue me dry3tyn! "
? us hym frayned ? at fre, & fondet hym ofte,
Forto haf wonnen hym to wo3e, what-so scho ? o3t elle3,
[E] Bot he de fended hym so fayr, ? at no faut semed,
1552 Ne non euel on naw? er halue, naw? er ? ay wysten,
bot blysse;
? ay la3ed & layked longe,
At ? e last scho con hym kysse,
1556 [F] Hir leue fayre con scho fonge,
& went hir waye Iwysse.

[Sidenote A: "It is a great pleasure to me," says Sir Gawayne, "to hear you
talk,]
[Sidenote B: but I cannot undertake the task to expound true-love and tales
of arms. ]
[Sidenote C: I will, however, act according to your will,]
[Sidenote D: and ever be your servant. "]
[Sidenote E: Thus Gawayne defends himself. ]
[Sidenote F: The lady having kissed the knight, takes leave of him. ]
[Footnote 1: tornayle (?