XXX.

[A] Thenne lachche3 ho hir leue, & leue3 hym þere, For more myrþe of þat mon mo3t ho not gete; 1872 [B] When ho[1] wat3 gon, sir G. gere3 hym sone, Rises, & riches hym in araye noble, [C] Lays vp þe luf-lace, þe lady hym ra3t, Hid hit ful holdely, þer he hit eft fonde; 1876 Syþen cheuely to þe chapel choses he þe waye, [D] Preuely aproched to a prest, & prayed hym þere Þat he wolde lyfte[2] his lyf, & lern hym better, How his sawle schulde be saued, when he schuld seye heþen. 1880 [E] Þere he schrof hym schyrly, & schewed his mysdede3, Of þe more & þe mynne, & merci beseche3, [F] & of absolucioun he on þe segge calles; & he asoyled hym surely, & sette hym so clene, 1884 [G] As dome3-day schulde haf ben di3t on þe morn. & syþen he mace hym as mery among þe fre ladyes, [H] With comlych caroles, & alle kynnes ioye, As neuer he did bot þat daye, to þe derk ny3t, 1888 with blys; Vche mon hade daynte þare, [I] Of hym, & sayde Iwysse, [J] Þus myry he wat3 neuer are, 1892 Syn he com hider, er þis.

[Sidenote A: Then she takes her leave.] [Sidenote B: Gawayne then dresses himself,] [Sidenote C: and conceals the love-lace about his person.] [Sidenote D: He then hies to mass,] [Sidenote E: and shrives him of his misdeeds.] [Sidenote F: and prays for absolution.] [Sidenote G: He returns to the hall, and makes himself so merry among the ladies,] [Sidenote H: with comely carols,] [Sidenote I: that they said,] [Sidenote J: "Thus merry was he never before since hither he came."] [Footnote 1: he, in MS.] [Footnote 2: lyste (?).]