The treaty 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●●●ges by the days of Arthur 〈…〉 ●●●●ayne in great honour 〈…〉 great while 〈…〉 ●ery carlyle 〈…〉 ●●m many an heir 〈…〉 ●yde where 〈…〉 ●●ble the knights all 〈…〉 ●●●●he in bower and in hall 〈…〉 the world so wide 〈…〉 on every side 〈…〉 and squires eke 〈…〉 came him to seek 〈…〉 nobleness 〈…〉 court always 〈…〉 and treasure 〈…〉 of honour 〈…〉 was a bachelor 〈…〉 any a year 〈…〉 of moche might 〈…〉 forsooth he height 〈…〉 gave gifts mightily 〈…〉 but gave full largely 〈…〉 he it spent 〈…〉 ●●an he had rent 〈…〉 he it set 〈…〉 fer in debt 〈…〉 ●●we well that all was gone 〈…〉 to make his moan 〈…〉 ●o is that man 〈…〉 hath ne no good can 〈…〉 strange land 〈…〉 ●athe I understand Men will me hold for a v● 〈…〉 Where I become certeys I 〈…〉 He leapt upon a fair course 〈…〉 Without child or yet squy● 〈…〉 And road so forth in great 〈…〉 For to drive away sore lo● 〈…〉 His way he taketh toward 〈…〉 between a water and a for● 〈…〉 The son was at the evil 〈…〉 He lighted there down an● 〈…〉 For he was hot in the we● 〈…〉 He took his mantel and so● 〈…〉 And laid him down tha● 〈…〉 Under the shadow of a tr● 〈…〉 Alas he said no good I ha● 〈…〉 I wot not whether to go 〈…〉 And all the knights that 〈…〉 Of the round table that b● 〈…〉 Echeone to have me was 〈…〉 Now will they be on me● 〈…〉 Weleawaye than is my s● 〈…〉 With sore weeping his h● 〈…〉 With sorrow and care th● 〈…〉 Till on sleeping that he 〈…〉 All for sobbed and for we 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 had of reed velvet 〈…〉 ●●lde full well set 〈…〉 above over all 〈…〉 a jolly curuall 〈…〉 as snow or down 〈…〉 ●●loure and eyen brown 〈…〉 ●e never before see 〈…〉 angels of heaven high 〈…〉 ●olde basyne 〈…〉 ●●well of alysene 〈…〉 him both twain 〈…〉 ●nd went them again 〈…〉 damosels so free 〈…〉 answered well be ye 〈…〉 ●ryght as the flower 〈…〉 ●amwell as paramour 〈…〉 to come and speak with her 〈…〉 ●yll now sir 〈…〉 both there 〈…〉 ●ith you to far 〈…〉 her two 〈…〉 I never go 〈…〉 and hands also 〈…〉 ●●●dens than died he go 〈…〉 king Alyxander the conqueror Ne Solomon in his most honour Ne yet Charlemagne the rich king Had they never such a thing He found in that pavilion The kings daughter of Mylyon That is an isle in fairy In oxyan full near thereby There lay a bed of moche price Covered over in goodly wise thereon sat a maiden bright Almost naked up right All her clothes beside her lay Full single she sat I say In a mantel of white armyne Covered over with gold full fine The mantel down for heat she died Right under the girdle stead There was she as white as lily in may Or snow that falleth in winter day Blossom on brere ne flower Was nothing to her colour The reed rose that was so new To her redness was it no hew Lamwell she said my heart sweet For thy love my heart I let There is no king ne emperor That and I loved him paramour As much as I do now the But they wo'de be right glad of me Lamwell beheld that lady bright Her love him ravished anon right He sat him down the lady beside Damosel he said tied what betide Evermore both loud and still Command me right at your will Sir knight she said courteous and hende I know thy state both first and end wilt thou trystly to me take And all other for me forsake I shall maintain thine honour With gold and silver and rich treasure On every man spend greatly And rich gifts largely The more thou spend the merrier thou sit I shall the find enough of it His love brent like the fire For than she had all his desire Of her pro●●r he was full bl●●●● 〈…〉 Also they washed and down set And at soupere together they eat Meet and drink they had plenty Of every thing that was daynte After soupere when day was gone To bed they went both anon All that night they lay in fere And did that their wills were For play they sleeped little that night Till it began to be day light Lamwell she said rise and go now Gold and silver take enough with you Largely to spend on every man For ye shall have enough then And when ye will gentle knight To speak with me by day or night Unto some secret place ye go And think on me so and so And I shall anon with you be No man save you shall see me Of one thing sir I the defendant Of me sir to make thine avaunt For if thou do beware before For ever thou hast my love forlorn The maidens brought him his horse anon He taketh his leave and forth is gone Of treasure he hath great plenty And so road he through the city When that he came there he should been A merrier man had they not seen Himself he road full richly And his squires full stoutly Lamwell maketh the noble feasts Lamwell find minstrels that gests Lamwell buyeth the great steeds Lamwell giveth the rich weeds Lamwell giveth plenty of meet and drink Lamwell help there as he need could think Lamwell reward religious Lamwell helped every poor house For were he knight squire or swain With his goods he helped them Of his largeness every man wot But no man knew how he it goat And when him liked privily and still His lady was ready at his will Well happy were now that man That in these days had such one But on a time sir Gawayne That courteous knight and sir Ewayne Sir Lamwell with them also And other knights twenty and more Went to play them on the green Under the tower there as was the queen These knights on their game played tho And sith to dancing 'gan they go Sir Lamwell was before set For his large expense they loved him bet The queen in her tower beheld this all She said yonder is large Lamwell Of all the knights that been there Is none so fair a bachelor And hath neither leman ne wise I would he loved me as his life Betide me well betide me ill I shall she said go weet his will She took with her a company Of damosels that were right pretty And goeth her down anon rights For to dance with the knights The queen went to the first end between Gawen and Lamwell the hende And all her maidens so forth rights One and one between two knyhhtes When all the dancing died as lake The queen Lamwell to counsel 'gan take Shortly she said thou gentle knight I have loved and doth with all my might And as moche desire I the As Arthoure the king so free Good hap is now to the ta'en To love me and none other woman Madam he said nay certays I will not be traitor never my days I own the king feat and homage Shall I never do him that damage Fie on the thou false coward Dastard harlot that thou art That thou livest it is pity That lovest no woman nor woman the Me think harlot thou shouldest be fain And answer me with ye again Sith I the love iwis Before all that in the court is But as thou art so thou dost No woman on the will make boast The knight was sore aggrieved tho And answered he and said right so Madam he said thou sayest thy will I can love both loud and still And am loved with my leman That fairer hath no gentleman Nor none so fair this say I Neither maiden nor yet lady That the simplest maid with her I ween Over the madame might be a queen Then was she a shamed and full wroth She cleped her maidens and forth goeth To chamber she went all heavy For tene and anger she would die king Arthure came from hunting Glad and merry for all thing To the queens chamber gone is he And she fell down upon her knee soon lord 'gan she cry Help me lord or I die And without ye judge right I shall die this enders' night I spoke with Lam well on my game And he besought me of shame As a full villain traitor He would have done me dishonour And of a leman praysement he made That the simplest maid she had Might be a queen over me And all lord in despite of the The king therwih waxed wroth And for anger he swore his oath That Lamwell should abideth law To be hanged and draw He commanded four knights To fetch the traitor forth rights The four knights seeketh him anon But to his chamber was he gone Alas he said my life is lost Hereof she warned me before Of all things that I died use Of her should I never make rouse He cleped and called and her besought But all that availed him nought He wept and sorrowed and he died cry And on his knees he prayed her of marry He beat his body and his heed eke And cursed his mouth of her died speak O my lady o gentle creature How shall my wretched body endure My worlds bliss I have forlorn And falsely unto my lady forsworn For sorrow and care he made that stound He fell on sown upon the ground So long he lay that the knights came And in his chamber they took him than And as a th● 〈…〉 〈…〉 Lamwell answered with mild mode And told him the sooth every word That it was none otherwise than so That would he make good though What all the court would to him look Twelve knights were put to a book The sooth to say in that case All together as it was These twelve knights as I ween knew the rule of the queen All though the king was bold and stout She was wicked out and out And she had such a comfort To have lemans under her lord Whereby they could all tell It was long of her and not of Lamwell Here of they quite a true man And sith they spoke forth on That if he might his leman bring Of whom he made his avaunting And if he might prove in place That her maidens fairer was And also brighter and sheen And of more beauty than the queen 〈…〉 Alas he said I shall die 〈…〉 My lief I shall see never 〈…〉 Eat nor drink would he● 〈…〉 But weeping and in w● 〈…〉 So is he with sorrow 〈…〉 He would his endynge● 〈…〉 That he might from his 〈…〉 Each man for him wa● 〈…〉 For a larger spender th● 〈…〉 Came never in that c● 〈…〉 Thereto was he fierce 〈…〉 None better in 〈◊〉 ky● 〈…〉 The d●●as 〈…〉 They brought the● 〈…〉 His borrows that hi● 〈…〉 To apere before the k● 〈…〉 The king let it be re● 〈…〉 Both the plaint and 〈…〉 He bade him bring hi● 〈…〉 And he answered tha● 〈…〉 The words that I sa● 〈…〉 Weet ye well I lied o● 〈…〉 If I so might be take 〈…〉 In that quarrel would 〈…〉 For this I say to yo● 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●in her bower 〈…〉 pleasoure 〈…〉 ●re of right 〈…〉 ●e a sight 〈…〉 more would I care 〈…〉 ●e death would I far 〈…〉 ●kerly 〈…〉 or that I die 〈…〉 ●lynge 〈…〉 ●orthy thing 〈…〉 ●nge says 〈…〉 the praise ●line 〈…〉 ●ought 〈…〉 him thore 〈…〉 ●yp is the more 〈…〉 ●e here by 〈…〉 ●e on high 〈…〉 ●maundement 〈…〉 ●e judgement 〈…〉 or newayle 〈…〉 ●nsayle 〈…〉 ●ge our lord 〈…〉 record 〈…〉 Therefore sirs by our rede 〈…〉 We will the king such ●● 〈…〉 That he shall command 〈…〉 And void his court for 〈…〉 While they stood thus spe● 〈…〉 They saw two ladies co● 〈…〉 That was bright as bl●ss● 〈…〉 On white palfrays with 〈…〉 Fairer creatures with they 〈…〉 Ne better attired they neu● 〈…〉 All them judged on them 〈…〉 Over the queen as Lamw● 〈…〉 Than said Gawyne that 〈…〉 Lam well dread the for no● 〈…〉 Here cometh thy leman 〈…〉 Truly the fairest creature 〈…〉 That ever man saw befor● 〈…〉 Lo where she rideth vpo● 〈…〉 More fairer they be certain 〈…〉 Than ever the praysement 〈…〉 Lamwell beheld them be 〈…〉 And said of them two no● 〈…〉 They are nothing so fair 〈…〉 Of their servants may i● 〈…〉 But weet ye well and we● 〈…〉 Mine own leman is it 〈…〉 To her I trespassed so great 〈…〉 I wot I shall her never se● 〈…〉 The maidens that came so 〈…〉 Went to the castle to the 〈…〉 When they came sir Lam● 〈…〉 Obeisance to him they m● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●em that they made 〈…〉 the they rade 〈…〉 ●ne and saluted him there 〈…〉 of a chamber fair 〈…〉 is here coming 〈…〉 ●e fairest thing 〈…〉 be hang it eke 〈…〉 ●tes under her feet 〈…〉 ●hat will she done 〈…〉 shall weet soon 〈…〉 ended for her sake 〈…〉 ●e to them take 〈…〉 bower on high 〈…〉 ●s barony 〈…〉 ●e your judgement 〈…〉 answered verament 〈…〉 these maidens so bright 〈…〉 by this light 〈…〉 ●e gone 〈…〉 ●e soon anon 〈…〉 began though 〈…〉 ●nd some said not so 〈…〉 ●ey would him dame 〈…〉 ●ynge and queen 〈…〉 ●e make him cheer 〈…〉 pleading in fere 〈…〉 ●ens came riding though 〈…〉 ●n the other two 〈…〉 ●ly mules of spain 〈…〉 ●o bridals were campaign 〈…〉 in rich attire 〈…〉 had great desire 〈…〉 〈…〉 aught 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●●rth brought 〈…〉 〈…〉 king than 〈…〉 〈…〉 man 〈…〉 meet and dryn● 〈…〉 〈…〉 after think 〈…〉 might 〈…〉 〈…〉 light 〈…〉 〈…〉 he 〈…〉 〈…〉 aht 〈…〉 ●n leave 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●ow● 〈…〉 〈…〉 that he hy● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●as ●●one 〈…〉 〈…〉 ge● was he 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●entes he gave 〈…〉 〈…〉 as sparkle 〈…〉 〈…〉 might no ma● 〈…〉 〈…〉 his caple was sl●● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●an that he thus lo● 〈…〉 〈…〉 earl out of the vat● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●pon an high moun● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●his earl there chau●● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●●d set him on a full▪ 〈…〉 〈…〉 That her maidens fairer was And also brighter sheen And of more beauty than the queen, And also of countenance and of hew They would quite him as true if he might not stand there till, He should abide the kings will, This verdict was given before the king The day was set her in to bring Sureties her found to come again Sir Gawayne, and sir ●wayne, Aals' (he said (I shall die, My lyese I shall never see with exe Eat nor drink would he never, But in weeping and woe was ever, So is he with sorrow nome He would his ending 〈…〉 come Each 〈…〉 For a large 〈…〉 Came never in that country Thereto was he fires and bold Never a better in the kings household, The day was come of his appearing, They brought the knight before the king, His borrows that his sureties was, To appear before the kings face The king let it be rehearsed there Both the plenty and his answer, He had him bring his Lemon in sight, And he answeret, that he ne might. The words that I said each one Weet ye well I lied of none If I so might be taken thereby, In that quarrel would I die For this I say to you alone A Fairer than she was never none But of beauties and of shape I am to simple to touch her lap There was never man yet I wait Emperor king, or high estate Where ever they dwell far or near For her fairness might be her peer Nor yet come within her bower, But if it were for her pleasure I would desire no more of right But once of her to have a sight Truly my lord for no more would I care Forthwith then to death would I far Not to displease her sickerly Yet would I ye saw her or I die, But it is not all my willing It is as she will that worthy thing, Bring her forth the king says, That thou now so fast dost praise, To prove the sooth that thou sayest of, Forsooth my lord that can I not, The king said unto him thore, Forsooth thy disworship his the more. What may we know all hereby But that thou liest loud and high. The barons all had commandment.