XXVIII.

[A] Ho ra3t hym a riche rynk[1] of red golde werke3, Wyth a starande ston, stondande alofte, Þat bere blusschande beme3 as þe bry3t sunne; 1820 Wyt 3e wel, hit wat3 worth wele ful hoge. [B] Bot þe renk hit renayed, & redyly he sayde, "I wil no gifte3 for gode, my gay, at þis tyme; [Fol. 115b.] [C] I haf none yow to norne, ne no3t wyl I take." 1824 Ho bede hit hym ful bysily, & he hir bode wernes, & swere swyftel[y] his sothe, þat he hit sese nolde; [D] & ho sore þat he forsoke, & sayde þer-after, "If 3e renay my rynk, to ryche for hit seme3, 1828 3e wolde not so hy3ly halden be to me, I schal gif yow my girdel, þat gaynes yow lasse." Ho la3t a lace ly3tly, þat[2] leke vmbe hir syde3, [E] Knit vpon hir kyrtel, vnder þe clere mantyle, 1832 Gered hit wat3 with grene sylke, & with golde schaped, No3t bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngre3; & þat ho bede to þe burne, & blyþely bi-so3t [F] Þa3 hit vn-worþi were, þat he hit take wolde. 1836 & he nay þat he nolde neghe in no wyse, [G] Nauþer golde ne garysoun, er God hym grace sende, To acheue to þe chaunce þat he hade chosen þere. "& þerfore, I pray yow, displese yow no3t, 1840 & lette3 be your bisinesse, for I bayþe hit yow neuer to graunte; I am derely to yow biholde, Bi-cause of your sembelaunt, 1844 [H] & euer in hot & colde To be your trwe seruaunt.

[Sidenote A: She offers him a gold ring,] [Sidenote B: but he refuses to accept it,] [Sidenote C: as he has none to give in return.] [Sidenote D: Very sorrowful was that fair one on account of his refusal.] [Sidenote E: She takes off her "girdle,"] [Sidenote F: and beseeches him to take it.] [Sidenote G: Gawayne again refuses to accept anything,] [Sidenote H: but promises, "ever in hot and in cold, to be her true servant."] [Footnote 1: ryng (?).] [Footnote 2: þat þat, in MS.]