Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight: An Alliterative Romance-poem (ab.1320-30 A.D.)

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Richard Morris
Early English text society, 1864 - 124 pages

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Page xvii - ... not be excused. But I will go to the chapel for chance that may fall, and speak with that knight, come weal or woe, as fate may have it. Though he is a stern man, God is well able to save his servants." " Mary ! " says the other, " if thou wilt lose thy life, I will not let nor keep thee. Have here thy helmet on thy head, thy spear in thy hand, and ride me down this path by yon rocky side, until thou be brought to the bottom of the rugged valley. Look then to the clearing at thy left, and thou...
Page xix - Gawain' was written. The poet was, I think, speaking for himself when he made his knight exclaim : ' It is no marvel for a man to come to sorrow through woman's wiles ; so was Adam beguiled, and Solomon and Samson and David, and many more. It were indeed great bliss for a man to love them well and believe them not — if one but could.
Page 41 - So god as Gawayn gaynly is halden, & cortaysye is closed so clene in hym-seluen. Couth not lyjtly haf lenged so long wyth a lady, Bot he had craued a cosse bi his courtaysye, Bi sum towch of summe tryfle at sum talej ende.
Page xvii - ... yon rock-side till thou be brought to the bottom of the rugged valley; then look a little up the grassy slope on thy left hand, and thou shalt see in that ravine the chapel itself, and the burly man on the field who keeps it. Now farewell in God's name, Gawain the noble, for all the gold in the world I would not go with thee nor bear thee fellowship through this wood a foot further.
Page x - ... so that the sharp edge severed the giant's bones, and shrank • through the clear flesh - and sheared it in twain, till the edge of the brown steel bit into the ground. The fair head fell from the neck to the earth, and many pushed it with their feet where it rolled forth. The blood burst from the body and glistened a on the green.
Page xix - Bold knight, be not so wroth, no man here has wronged thee (p. 74) ; I promised thee a stroke, and thou hast it, so hold thee well pleased. I could have dealt much worse with thee, and caused thee much sorrow. Two blows I aimed at thee, for twice thou kissedst my fair wife ; but I struck thee not, because thou restoredst them to me according to agreement. At the third time thou failedst, and therefore I have given thee that tap.

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