er he stod, he stroked his berde,
& wyth a
countenaunce
dry3e he dro3 doun his cote,
336 No more mate ne dismayd for hys mayn dinte3,
?
Gawaine and the Green Knight
"
328 Ly3tly lepe3 he hym to, & la3t at his honde; [Fol. 95b.]
?en feersly ?at o?er freke vpon fote ly3tis.
[B] Now hat3 Arthure his axe, & ?e halme grype3,
& sturnely sture3 hit aboute, ?at stryke wyth hit ?o3t.
332 ?e stif mon hym bifore stod vpon hy3t,
Herre ?en ani in ?e hous by ?e hede & more;
[C] Wyth sturne schere[1] ?
er he stod, he stroked his berde,
& wyth a
countenaunce
dry3e he dro3 doun his cote,
336 No more mate ne dismayd for hys mayn dinte3,
?
en any burne vpon bench hade bro3t hym to drynk
of wyne,
[D] Gawan, ?at sate bi ?e quene,
340 To ?e kyng he can enclyne,
"I be-seche now with sa3e3 sene,
?is melly mot be myne."
[Sidenote A: He assures the knight that no one is afraid of his great
words.]
[Sidenote B: Arthur seizes his axe.]
[Sidenote C: The knight, stroking his beard, awaits the blow, and with a
"dry countenance" draws down his coat.]
[Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne beseeches the king to let him undertake the blow.]
[Footnote 1: chere (?).]
XVI.
"Wolde 3e, wor?ilych lorde," quod Gawan to ?e kyng,
344 [A] "Bid me bo3e fro ?
