<County: Derbyshire>
<Code: L0320>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Douce 324>
<Text: Romance of Gawain and Galeron>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 1v>And Arthur with his erles ernestly rides
To teche hem to her tristres . þe trouthe for to telle
To here tristres he hem tau3t ho þe trouth trowes
Eche lorde with outenn lette
To ann oke he hem sette
With bowe and with barselette
Vnder þe bowes
¶ Vnder þe bowes þei bode þes burnes so bolde
To byker at þes baraynes in bonkes so bare
There might haþeles in hi3 herdes be holde
Herken huntyng in hast in holtes so hare
Þei kest of here couples in cliffes so colde
Conforte her~ kenettes to kele hem of care
Þei fel of þe femayles ful þik folde
With fressh houndes and fele þei folowenn her~ fare
With gret+questes and quelles
Both in frethes and felles
All the dure in þe delles
þei durkenn and dare
¶ Þen durken þe dere in þe dymme skuwes
Þat for drede of þe deth droupes þe do
Þai werray þe wilde swyne and worchenn hem wo
The huntes þei halowe in hurstes and huwes
And bluwe rechas ryally þei rann to þe ro
They gaf to no gamonn þat onn grounde gruwes
Þe grete grendes in þe grenes so gladly þei go
So gladly þei gonn in greues so grene
The king blowe rechas
And folowed fast onn þe tras
With many Sergeant of mas
þt solas to sene
¶ With solas þei semble þe pruddest in palle
And suwenn to þe souerayne wtin schaghes schene
<fol. 2r>Al but sir Gawaynn gayest of all
Beleues with Dame Gaynour in greues so grene
Vnder a lorer ho was li3t þat lady so small
Of box and of berber bigged ful bene
Fast byfore vndre . þis ferly conn fall
And þis mekel mervaile þat J shal of mene
Now wol J of þis mervaile meve if i might mote
The day wex als dirke
As hit were mydni3t myrke
There-of þe king was irke
And li3t onn his fote
¶ Thus to fote ar þei farenn þes frekes vnfaynn
And fleenn fro þe Forest to þe fewe felles
For þe snererand snawe . snartly hem snelles
There come a lede of þe lawe in londe is not to layne
And glides to sir Gawaynn þe gates to gayne
3auland and 3omerand with many loude 3elles
Hit 3aules hit 3ameres wt waymynges wete
And seid with siking sare
J ban þe body me bare
Alas now kindeles my care
J gloppe and J grete
¶ Then gloppenet and grete Gaynour þe gay
And seid to sir Gawenn what is þi good rede
Hit ar þe clippes of þe sonn J herd a clerk say
And þus he confortes þe quene for his kni3thede
sir Cadour sir Cleges sir Costardyne . sir Cay
þes kny3tes arnn vncurtays by crodde and by crede
Þat þus oonly haue me laft onn my deþe day
with þe grisselist goost þat euer herd . J grede
Of þe goost quod þe grome greue you no mare
For J shal speke with þe sprete
<fol. 2v>And of þe wayes J shall wete
What may þe bales bete
Of þe bodi bare
¶ Bare was þe body and blak to þe bone
Al bi-clagged in clay vncomly cladde
Hit waried hit wayment as a womann
But on hide ne on huwe no heling hit hadde
Hit stemered hit stonayde . hit mused for madde
Agaynn þe grisly goost sir Gawaynn is gone
He rayked oute at a res for was neuer drad
Drad was he neuer . ho so right redes
On þe chef of þe clolle
A pade pikes onn þe polle
With eighen holked ful holle
That gloed as þe gledes
¶ Al glowed as a glede þe goste þere ho glides
Vmbe clipped him wt a cloude of cleyng vnclere
Skeled with serpentes all aboute þe sides
To tell þe todes þer-onn my tonge wer full tere
Þe burne braides oute þe bronde . and þe body bides
Therefor þe cheualrous kni3t changed no chere
Þe houndes hi3enn to þe wode and her~ hede hides
For þe grisly goost made a grymm bere
Þe birdes in þe bowes
Þat onn þe goost glowes
Þei skryke in þe skowes
þt haþeles may here
¶ Haþelese mi3t here so fer into halle
How chatered þe cholle þe chalus onn þe chynne
Þenn coniured þe kni3t . onn crist con he calle
As þu was crucifiged onn croys to clanse vs of synn
<fol. 3r>That þu sei me þe sothe wheþer þu shalle
And whi þou walkest þes wayes þe wodes wtin
J was of figure and face fairest of alle
Cristened and knowenn wt kinges in my kynne
J haue kinges in my kynn knowenn for kene
God has me gevenn of his grace
To dre my paynes in þis place
J amm comenn in þis cace
To speke wt your quene
Quene was J somm wile brighter of browes
Thenn berell or Brangwaynn þes burdes so bolde
Of al gamenn or gle þat onn grounde growes
Gretter þenn dame Gaynour of Garsonn and golde
Of palaies of parkes of pondes of plowes
Of townes of toures of tresour vntolde
Of Castelles of contreyes of cragges of clowes
Now amm J cau3t oute of kide to cares so colde
Jnto care am J caught and couched in clay
Lo sir curtays kny3t
How delfulle deth has me di3t
Lete me onys haue a sight
Of Gaynour þe gay
¶ After Gaynour þe gay sir Gawynn is gonn
And to þe body he her~ brou3t and to þe burde bright
Welcomm waynour J-wis worthi in wonn
Lo how delful deth has þi dame di3t
J was radder of rode þenn rose in þe ronn
My ler~ as þe lele louched onn hight
Now am J a graceles gost and grisly J gronn
With lucyfer in a lake lo3 am J light
Take truly tent ti3t nowe by me
For al þi fressh foroure
<fol. 3v>Muse onn my mirrour .
For king and Emperour
Thus shul ye be
¶ Þus di3t wil 3ou di3t thare þou not do<ill><end of the word></ill>
Þere-onn hertly take hede while þou art here
Whann þou art richest araied & ridest in þi route
Haue pite onn þe poer þu art of power
Burnes and burdes . þat benn þe aboute
Whenn þi body is bamed and brou3t onn a ber~
Þenn lite wynn þe light þat now wil þe loute
For þenn he helpes no þing but holy praier
Þe praier of poer may purchas þe pes
Of that þou yeues at þe þete
Whan þou art set in þi sete
With al merthes at mete
And dayntes on+des
¶ With riche dayntes on des þi diotes art di3t
And J in danger and doel in dongonn J dwelle
Naxte<?> and nedefull . naked onn night
Þer folo me a ferde of fendes of helle
Þey hurle me vnhendely . þei harme me in hi3t
Jn bras and in brymston . J brenn as a belle
Was neuer wrought in þis world a wofuller wight
Hit were ful tore any tonge . my turment to telle
Nowe wil y of my turment tel or J go
Thenk hertly onn þis
Fonde to mende thi mys
Thou art warned y-wys
Be war~ be my wo
¶ Wo is me for þi wo quod waynour ywys
But one þing wold J wite if þi wil ware
Jf auþer matens or mas mi3t mende þi mys
Or eny meble onn molde . my merthe were þe mare
<fol. 4r>If bedis of bisshopps might bring þe to blisse
Or couentes in cloistre mi3t kere þe of care
If þu be my moder . grete wonder hit is
That al þi burly body is brou3t to be so bare
I bare þe of my body what bote is ht J layn
J brak a solempne a-vowe
And no mann wist ht but þowe
By þt tokenn þu trowe
Þat soþely J saynn
¶ Say sothely what may þe sauen y-wys
And J shal make sere menn to singe for þi sake
But þe baleful bestes þt onn þi body is
Al bledis my ble . þi bones arnn so blake
Þat is luf paramour listes and delites
Þat has me li3t and laft lo3 in a lake
Al þe welth of þe world þat awey witis
With þe wilde wormes þt worche me wrake
Wrake þei me worchenn waynour Jwys
Were thritty trentales donn
By-twene vnder and non
Mi soule socoured with sonn
And brought to þe blys
¶ To blisse bring þe þe barne þt brought the onn rode
Þat was crucifiged onn croys and crowned with þorne
As þou was cristened and crisomed wt candel and code
Folowed in fontestone onn frely byforne
Mary the mi3ti myldest of mode
Of whomm þe blisful barne in bedlem was borne
Lene me grace þt J may grete þe wt gode
And mynge the with matens and masses onn morne
To mende vs wt masses . grete myster hit were
For him þat rest onn þe rode
<fol. 4v>Gyf fast of þi goode
To folke þat failenn þe fode
While þu art here
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 8r><line 20> The king commaunded krudeli þe erlis son@ of kent
Curtaysly in þis case . take kepe to þe kni3t
with riche dayntees or day he dyned in his tente
After buskes him in a brene . þat burneshed was bri3t~
Siþenn to waynour wisly he went
He laft in here warde his worthly wight
After aither in high hour<?> horses þei hent
And at þe listes onn þe lande lordely donn li3t~
Bothe þes two burnes baldest of blode
Þe kinges chaier is set
Quene on a chacelet
Many galiard gret <this line on fol. 8v>
For gawaynn þe gode
<fol. 8v><line 2> ¶ Gawaynn and Galeronn gurdenn her~ stedes
Al in gleterand golde . gay was here gere
Þe lordes by-lyue hom to list ledes
With many seriant of mace as was þe maner~e
The burnes broched þe blonkes . þat þe side bledis
Ayþer freke oponn folde has fastned his spere
Shaftes in shide wode . þei shindre in shedes
So iolile þes gentil Justed onn were
Shaftes þei shindr~ in sheldes so shene
And siþenn with brondes bright
Riche mayles þei ri3t
There encontres þe kni3t
wt gawynn onn grene
¶ Gawynn was gaily graþed in grene
With his Griffons of golde engreled full gay
Trifeled with tranes and true-loves bitwene
On a stargand stede þat strikes onn stray
Þat oþer in his turnaying he talkes in tene
Whi drawes þu þe on dregh & makes siche deray
He swapped him ynn at þe swyre with a swerde kene
That greued sir Gawaynn to his deþ day
The dyntes of þat doughty were doutwis bydene
Fifte mayles and mo
The swerde swapt in two
The canel bone also
And clef his shelde shene
¶ He clef þorgh þe cantell þt couered þe kni3t
Thorgh þe shiand shelde a shaftmonn and mare
And þenn þe lady loude lowe vppon hight
And Gawaynn greches þerwt and gremed ful sare
J shal rewarde þe þi route if J conn rede right
<fol. 9r>He folowed in onn þe Freke . with a fressh fare
Þorgh blasonn and brene . þt burneshed wer~ bri3t~
With a burlich bronde thorgh him he bare
The bronde was blody þat burneshed was bri3t~
Then gloppened þat gay
Hit was no ferly in fay
Þe sturne strikes onn stray
Jn stiropes stri3t~
¶ Streyte in his steroppes . stoutely he strikes
And wayues at sir wawaynn als he were wode
Þenn his lemmann on lowde skirles and skirkes
Whenn þat burly burne blenket onn blode
Lordes and ladies of þat laike likes
And þonked god fele sithe for Gawaynn þe gode
With a swap of a swerde . þat swaþel him swykes
He stroke of þe stede hede . streite þere he stode
The faire fole fondred . and fel to þe grounde
Gawaynn gloppened in hert
Of he were hasty and smert
Oute of sterops he stert
Fro grisselt þe goode
¶ Grisselt quod Gawaynn . gonn is . god wote
He was þe burlokest blonke . þat eu~ bote brede
By him þat in bedeleem was borne euer to ben~ our bote
J shall venge þe to-day . if J conn right rede.
Go fecche me my fresonn fairest on fote
He may stonde þe in stoure in as mekle stede
No more for þe faire fole . þenn for a rissh rote
But for doel of þe dombe best . þt þus shuld be dede
J mourne for no montur~ . for J may gete mare
Als he stode by his stede
Þat was so goode at nede
Ner Gawaynn wax wede<this line on fol. 9v>
So siked he sare
<fol. 9v><line 2> ¶ Thus wepus for wo wowaynn þe wight
And wenys him to quyte þat wonded is sare
Þat oþer dro3 him on dre3t for drede of þe kni3t
And boldely broched his blonk onn þe bent bare
Þus may þu dryve forthe þe day to þe derk night
The sonn was passed by þat . mydday and mare
With-in þe listes þe lede lordly donn light
Touard þe burne with his bronde . he busked him þare
To bataile þey bowe with brondes so bright
Shene sheldes wer~ shred
Bright brenes by bled
Many dou3ti were a-dred
So fersely þei fight
¶ Thus þei feght onn fote onn þat fair~ felde
As fressh as a lyonn . þat fautes þe fille
Wilele þes wight menn . þair~ wepenes þey welde
He brouched him yn with his bronde vnder þe brode shelde
Þorgh þe waast of þe body . and wonded him ille
Þe swerd stent for no stuf . hit was so wel steled
Þat oþer startis onn bak and stondis stonn stille
Though he were stonayed þat stonde . he strikes ful sare
He gurdes to sir Gawaynn
Thorgh ventaile and pesaynn
He wanted noght to be slaynn
Þe brede of ann hare
¶ Hardely þenn þes haþelese . onn helmes þey hewe
Þei betenn downe beriles and bourdures bright
Shildes on shildres . þt shene were to shewe
Fretted were in fyne golde þei failenn in fight
Stones of Jral þey strenkel and strewe
Stiþe stapeles of stele þey strike donn sti3t
<fol. 10r>Burnes bannenn þe tyme . þe bargann was brewe
The doughti with dyntes . so delfully were dight
Thenn gretes Gaynour wt bothe her~ gray ene
For þo dou3ti þat fi3t
Were manly mached of might
With-oute resonn or right
As al menn sene
¶ Thus gretis Gaynour with boþe her~ gray yene
For gref of sir Gawaynn . grisly was wounded
The knight of corage was cruel and kene
And with a stele bronde þat sturne oft stonded
Al þe cost of kny3t . he carf downe clene
Þorgh þe riche mailes . þat ronke were and rounde
With a teneful touche he ta3t him in tene
He gurdes sir Galeronn groueling on gronde
Grisly onn gronde he groned onn grene
Als wounded as he was
Sone vnredely he ras
And folowed fast onn his tras
Wt a swerde kene
¶ Kenely þt cruel keuered onn hi3t
And with a sca<?> of care in cantil he strikes
And wayues at sir Wawynn þt worþely wight
But him lymped þe worse . and þat me wel likes
He atteled with a slenk haf slaynn him in sight sli3t
Þe swerd swapped onn his swange . & onn þe mayle slikes
And Gawaynn bi þe coler keppes þe kni3t
Þenn his lemann onn loft skrilles and skrikes
Ho gretes onn Gaynour wt gronyng grylle
Lady makeles of might
Haf mercy onn yondre kni3t
That is so delfull di3t
Jf hit be thi wille
<fol. 10v>¶ Wisly dame waynour to þe king went
Ho cau3t of her coronall and kneled him tille
As þou art ioy roial richest of rent
And J þi wife wedded at þi owne wille
Þes burnes in þe bataile so blede on þe bent
They arnn wery J-wis and wonded full ille
Þorgh her~ shene sheldes . her~ shuldres ar~ shent
The grones of sir Gawaynn dos my hert grille
The grones of sir Gawaynn . greuenn me sare
Woldest þou leve lorde
Make þes knightes accorde
Hit were a grete conforde
For all þt þer~ ware
¶ Thenn spak sir Galeronn to Gawayn@ þe good
J wende neuer wee in þis world had benn half so wi3t
Her~ J make þe releyse renke by þe rode
And by rial reyson@ . relese þe my right
And siþenn make the monradenn wt a mylde mode
As mann of medlert . makeles of might
He talkes touard þe king onn hie þer he stode
And bede þat burly his bronde þt burneshed was bri3t~
Of rentes and richesse J make þe releyse
Downe kneled þe kni3t
And carped wordes onn hi3t~
The king stode vp-right~
And commaunded pes
¶ The king commaunded pes and cried on@ hi3t~
And Gawaynn was goodly and last for his sake
Þenn lordes to listes þey lopen ful li3t
Sir Gwaynn fi3 Griann and Arrak fi3 lake
Sir Drurelat and Moylard þat most wer~ of mi3t
Boþe þes trauayled menn þey truly vp take
<fol. 11r>Vnneth mi3t~ þo sturne stonde vp-ri3t~
What for buffetes and blode . her blees wex blake
Her~ blees were brosed . for beting of brondes
With-outenn more lettyng
Di3t was here sa3tlyng
Bifore þe comly king
Þei held vp her~ hondes
¶ Here J gif sir Gawaynn wt gersonn and golde
Al þe Glamergann londe wt greues so grene
Þe worship of wales at wil and at wolde
With Criffones Castelles curnelled ful clene
Eke vlstur halle to hafe and to holde
Wayford and waterforde in wales J wene
Two baronrees in Bretayne wt burghes so bolde
Þat arnn batailed abou3t And bigged ful bene
J shal di3t þe a duke and dubbe þe with honde
With þi þou sa3til wiþ þe kni3t
Þat is so hardi and wi3t
And relese him his ri3t
And graunte him his londe
¶ Here J gif sir Galeronn quod G . wt-outen any gile
Al þe londes and þe lithes fro lauer to layre
Connok and carlele Conyngham and kile
Þet if he haf [of] cheualry <exp>and</exp> chalange hit [ham]<?> for air~
Þe loþ~ þe lemok þe loynak þe lile
With frethis and forestes and fosses so faire
Vnder your lordeship to lenge þe [here a] while
And to þe rounde table [to make] a repaire
J shal refeff him in felde in forestes so fare [fair]
Boþe þe king and þe quene
And al þe dou3ti by dene
Þorgh þe greues so grene
to his lyves ende Carlele þei cair~
<fol. 11v>¶ The king to Carlele is comenn wt kni3tes so kene
And al þe rounde table onn rial aray
Þe wees þat werenn wounded so woþely J wene
Surgenes sone saned soþely to say
Bothe confortes þe knightes . þe king and þe quene
Thei were dubbed dukes both onn a day
There he wedded his wife slonkest J wene
With giftes and garsons sir Galeron~ þe gay
Þus þat haþel in hi3 wt-holdes þat hende
Whann he was saned sonde
Þei made sir Galeron~ þat stonde
A kni3t of þe table ronde
To his lyves ende
¶ Waynour gared wisely write in þe west
To al þe religious to rede and to singe
Prestes with processionn to pray were prest
Wt a mylionn of masses to make þe mynnynge
Boke-lered menn . bisshops þe best
Þorgh al Bretayne besely þe burde gared rynge
Þis ferely bifelle in englond forest
Vnder a holte so hore at a huntyng
Suche a huntyng in haast is no3t to be hide
Thus to forest þey fore
Þes sterne knightes in store
Jn þe tyme of arthore
This ant~ betide.