[Sidenote A: He asks
permission
to leave the table; he says,]
[Sidenote B: it is not meet that Arthur should be active in the matter,]
[Sidenote C: while so many bold ones sit upon bench.
Gawaine and the Green Knight
a33e 3our-self be talenttyf to take hit to your-seluen,
[C] Whil mony so bolde yow aboute vpon bench sytten,
352 ?at vnder heuen, I hope, non ha3er er of wylle,
Ne better bodyes on bent, ?er baret is rered;
[D] I am ?e wakkest, I wot, and of wyt feblest,
& lest lur of my lyf, quo laytes ?e so?e,
356 Bot for as much as 3e ar myn em, I am only to prayse,
No bounte bot your blod I in my bode knowe;
& sy?en ?is note is so nys, ?at no3t hit yow falles,
& I haue frayned hit at yow fyrst, folde3 hit to me,
360 & if I carp not comlyly, let alle ?is cort rych,
bout blame."
[E] Ryche to-geder con roun,
& sy?en ?ay redden alle same,
364 To ryd ?e kyng wyth croun,
& gif Gawan ?e game.
[Sidenote A: He asks
permission
to leave the table; he says,]
[Sidenote B: it is not meet that Arthur should be active in the matter,]
[Sidenote C: while so many bold ones sit upon bench.
]
[Sidenote D: Although the weakest, he is quite ready to meet the Green
Knight.]
[Sidenote E: The nobles entreat Arthur to "give Gawayne the game."]
XVII.
?en comaunded ?e kyng ?e kny3t for to ryse; [Fol. 96.]
& he ful radly vp ros, & ruchched hym fayre,
368 [A] Kneled doun bifore ?e kyng, & cache3 ?at weppen;
& he luflyly hit hym laft, & lyfte vp his honde,
& gef hym godde3 blessyng, & gladly hym biddes
[B] ?at his hert & his honde schulde hardi be bo?e.
372 "Kepe ?e cosyn," quod ?
