XVI.

[A] "In goud fayþe," quod Gawayn, "God yow for3elde, 1536 Gret is þe gode gle, & gomen to me huge, Þat so worþy 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 þe toruayle[1] to my-self, to trwluf expoun, & towche þe teme3 of tyxt, & tale3 of arme3, To yow þat, I wot wel, welde3 more sly3t Of þat art, bi þe half, or a hundreth of seche 1544 As I am, oþer euer schal, in erde þer I leue, Hit were a fole fele-folde, my fre, by my trawþe. [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!" Þus hym frayned þat fre, & fondet hym ofte, Forto haf wonnen hym to wo3e, what-so scho þo3t elle3, [E] Bot he de fended hym so fayr, þat no faut semed, 1552 Ne non euel on nawþer halue, nawþer þay wysten, bot blysse; Þay la3ed & layked longe, At þe 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 (?).]