XV.

[A] The haþel heldet hym fro, & on his ax rested, 2332 Sette þe schaft vpon schore, & to be scharp lened, [B] & loked to þe leude, þat on þe launde 3ede, How þat do3ty dredles deruely þer stonde3, Armed ful a3le3; in hert hit hym lyke3. 2336 þenn he mele3 muryly, wyth a much steuen, [C] & wyth a r[a]ykande rurde he to þe renk sayde, "Bolde burne, on þis bent be not so gryndel; No mon here vn-manerly þe mys-boden habbe, 2340 Ne kyd, bot as couenaunde, at kynge3 kort schaped; [D] I hy3t þe a strok, & þou hit hat3, halde þe wel payed, I relece þe of þe remnaunt, of ry3tes alle oþer; 3if[1] I deliuer had bene, a boffet, paraunter, 2344 [E] I couþe wroþeloker haf waret, [&] to þe haf wro3t anger.[2] Fyrst I mansed þe muryly, with a mynt one, [F] & roue þe wyth no rof, sore with ry3t I þe profered, For þe forwarde that we fest in þe fyrst ny3t, [Fol. 122b.] 2348 & þou trystyly þe trawþe & trwly me halde3, Al þe gayne þow me gef, as god mon shulde; [G] Þat oþer munt for þe morne, mon, I þe profered, Þou kyssedes my clere wyf, þe cosse3 me ra3te3, 2352 For boþe two here I þe bede bot two bare myntes, boute scaþe; [H] Trwe mon trwe restore, Þenne þar mon drede no waþe; 2356 [I] At þe þrid þou fayled þore, & þer-for þat tappe ta þe.

[Sidenote A: The Green Knight rested on his axe,] [Sidenote B: looked on Sir Gawayne, who appeared bold and fearless,] [Sidenote C: and addressed him as follows: "Bold knight, be not so wroth,] [Sidenote D: I promised thee a stroke and thou hast it, be satisfied.] [Sidenote E: I could have dealt worse with thee.] [Sidenote F: I menaced thee with one blow for the covenant between us on the first night.] [Sidenote G: Another I aimed at thee because thou kissedst my wife.] [Sidenote H: A true man should restore truly, and then he need fear no harm.] [Sidenote I: Thou failedst at the third time, and therefore take thee that tap. (See l. 1861.)] [Footnote 1: uf, in MS.] [Footnote 2: This word is doubtful.]