And com this Candelmesse feste.
And scho wald haf als wif honeste
Hir messe, and for scho moht get nan,
Scho was a ful sorful womman.
In hir chapele scho mad prayer,
And fel on slep bifor the auter,
And als scho lay on slep, hir thoht
That scho in til a kyrc was broht,
And saw com gret compaynye
Of fair maidenes wit a lefedye,
And al thai sette on raw ful rathe,
And ald men and yong bathe.[1]
LANCASHIRE.
(About A.D. 1340.)
sir gawayne.
‘Where schulde I wale þe,’ quoth Gauan, ‘where is þy place?
I wot never where þou wonyes, by hym þat me wroʓt,
Ne I know not þe, knyʓt, þy cort, ne þi name.
Bot teche me truly þerto, & telle me howe þou hattes,
& I schal ware all my wyt to wynne me þeder,
& þat I swere þe for soþe, & by my seker traweþ.’
‘Þat is innogh in nwe-ʓer, hit nedes no more,’
Quoth þe gome in þe grene to Gawan þe hende,
‘Gif I þe telle triwly, quen I þe tape have,
& þou me smoþely hatʓ smyten, smartly I þe teche
Of my hous, & my home, & myn owen nome,
Þen may þou frayst my fare, and forwardeʓ holde,
& if I spende no speche, þenne spedeʓ þou þe better,
For þou may leng in þy londe, & layt no fyrre,
bot slokes;
Ta now þy grymme tole to þe,
& let se how þou cnokeʓ.’
‘Gladly, syr, for soþe,’
Quoth Gawan; his ax he strokes.[2]
