Version 1

Notes de lecture
79
Le texte de base est celui de ldition de Janet Cowen, Penguin Classics (2 vol.).

BOOK IV

CHAPTER 18. How Sir Marhaus jousted with Sir Gawain and Sir Uwain,
and overthrew them both
1 And then Sir Marhaus rode unto his shield, and saw how it was defouled, and said, Of this despite I am a part avenged, but for her love that gave me this white shield I shall wear thee, and hang mine
where thou was; and so he hanged it about his neck. Then he rode straight unto Sir Gawain and to
Sir Uwain, and asked them what they did there. They answered him that they came from King Arthurs court to see adventures.
Well, said Sir Marhaus, here am I ready, an adventurous knight that will full any adventure that ye
will desire; and so departed from them, to fetch his range.
Let him go, said Sir Uwain unto Sir Gawain, for he is a passing good knight as any is living; I would
not by my will that any of us were matched with him.
Nay, said Sir Gawain, not so, it were shame to us were he not assayed, were he never so good a
knight.
Well, said Sir Uwain, I will assay him afore you, for I am more weaker than ye, and if he smite me
down then may ye revenge me.
So these two knights came together with great raundon, that Sir Uwain smote Sir Marhaus
that his spear brast in pieces on the shield, and Sir Marhaus smote him so sore that horse and
man he bare to the earth, and hurt Sir Uwain on the left side. Then Sir Marhaus turned his horse
and rode toward Gawain with his spear, and when Sir Gawain saw that, he dressed his shield, and
they aventred their spears, and they came together with all the might of their horses, that either
knight smote other so hard in midst of their shields, but Sir Gawains spear brake, but Sir Marhaus spear held; and therewith Sir Gawain and his horse rushed down to the earth.
And lightly Sir Gawain rose on his feet, and pulled out his sword, and dressed him toward Sir
Marhaus on foot, and Sir Marhaus saw that, and pulled out his sword and began to come to Sir
Gawain on horseback.
Sir knight, said Sir Gawain, alight on foot, or else I will slay thy horse.

Gramercy, said Sir Marhaus, of your gentleness, ye teach me courtesy, for it is not for one knight to
be on foot, and the other on horseback.
And therewith Sir Marhaus set his spear against a tree and alit and tied his horse to a tree,
and dressed his shield, and either came unto other eagerly, and smote together with their swords
that their shields ew in cantels, and they bruised their helms and their hauberks, and wounded
either other.
But Sir Gawain from it passed nine of the clock waxed ever stronger and stronger, for then it
came to the hour of noon, and thrice his might was increased. All this espied Sir Marhaus and had
great wonder how his might increased, and so they wounded other passing sore. And then when
it was past noon, and when it drew toward evensong, Sir Gawains strength feebled, and waxed
passing faint that unnethes he might dure any longer, and Sir Marhaus was then bigger and bigger.
Sir knight, said Sir Marhaus, I have well felt that ye are a passing good knight and a marvellous man
of might as ever I felt any, while it lasteth, and our quarrels are not great, and therefore it were pity to do
you hurt, for I feel ye are passing feeble.
Ah, said Sir Gawain, gentle knight, ye say the word that I should say.
And therewith they took o their helms, and either kissed other, and there they swore together either to love other as brethren. And Sir Marhaus prayed Sir Gawain to lodge with him
that night. And so they took their horses, and rode toward Sir Marhaus house.
And as they rode by the way, Sir knight, said Sir Gawain, I have marvel that so valiant a man as
ye be love no ladies ne damosels.
Sir, said Sir Marhaus, they name me wrongfully those that give me that name, but well I wot it be
the damosels of the turret that so name me, and other such as they be. Now shall I tell you for what cause I
hate them: for they be sorceresses and enchanters many of them, and be a knight never so good of his body
and full of prowess as man may be, they will make him a stark coward to have the better of him, and this is
the principal cause that I hate them. And to all good ladies and gentlewomen I owe my service as a knight
ought to do.
2 As the book rehearseth in French, there were many knights that overmatched Sir Gawain, for
all the thrice might that he had: Sir Launcelot de Lake, Sir Tristram, Sir Bors de Ganis, Sir Percival,
Sir Pelleas, and Sir Marhaus, these six knights had the better of Sir Gawain.
Then within a little while they came to Sir Marhaus place, which was in a little priory, and
there they alit, and ladies and damosels unarmed them, and hastily looked to their hurts, for they
were all three hurt. And so they had good lodging with Sir Marhaus1, and good cheer, for when he
wist that they were King Arthurs sisters sons he made them all the cheer that lay in his power,
and so they sojourned there a seven-night, and were well eased of their wounds, and at the last
departed.
Now, said Sir Marhaus, we will not depart so lightly, for I will bring you through the forest; and
rode day by day well a seven days or they found any adventure.
At the last they came into a great forest, that was named the country and forest of Arroy, and
the country of strange adventures.
In this country, said Sir Marhaus, came never knight since it was christened but he found strange
adventures.
And so they rode, and came into a deep valley full of stones, and thereby they saw a fair
stream of water; above thereby was the head of the stream a fair fountain, and three damosels sitting thereby. And then they rode to them, and either saluted other, and the eldest had a garland
of gold about her head, and she was three score winter of age or more, and her hair was white
under the garland. The second damosel was of thirty winter of age, with a circlet of gold about
her head. The third damosel was but fteen year of age, and a garland of owers about her head.
When these knights had so beheld them, they asked them the cause why they sat at that fountain.

Le texte de J. Cowen porte : they had all three good lodging with Sir Marhaus, aberration (rsultant dune dittographie) qui
compte lhte parmi les invits et remonte ldition de Caxton; reproduite en 1817 par Robert Southey (I, 115 voir le
clich p. 12), elle prolifre depuis mais, comme de juste, est absente de Vinaver et de P.J.C. Field.
1

We be here, said the damosels, for this cause: if we may see any errant knights, to teach them unto
strange adventures; and ye be three knights that seeken adventures, and we be three damosels, and therefore each one of you must choose one of us; and when ye have done so we will lead you unto three highways,
and there each of you shall choose a way and his damosel with him. And this day twelvemonth ye must meet
here again, and God send you your lives, and thereto ye must plight your troth.
This is well said, said Sir Marhaus.

Sire Morhaut joute avec sire Gauvain et puis avec sire Yvain,
quil dsaronne tous deux
1 Sire Morhaut sapprocha alors avec sa monture de son bouclier, constata quel point il tait
souill et scria : De cet outrage je suis pour ma part veng, mais pour lamour de celle de qui jai reu en prsent ce bouclier blanc, cest toi que je porterai, et suspendrai le mien o tu te trouvais et il suspendit alors [le
bouclier blanc] son cou. Puis il dirigea son cheval vers lendroit o se tenaient sire Gauvain et sire
Yvain et leur demanda ce qui les amenait l ; ils lui rpondirent quils venaient de la cour du roi Arthur, en qute daventures.
Parfait, observa sire Morhaut, me voici n prt, chevalier ouvert laventure, capable de prendre tous
les risques quil vous plaira de faire peser sur lui et, sur ces mots, sloigna deux pour prendre son lan.
Restons-en l, suggra sir Yvain sire Gauvain, car il compte parmi les plus valeureux chevaliers vivants : je ne voudrais pas, sil ne tient qu moi, quaucun dentre nous ne se mesure lui.
Non, dcida sire Gauvain, cest hors de question : la honte rejaillirait sur nous si nous nous drobions
lpreuve face lui, quand bien mme il ne serait pas aussi preux quon le dit.
Soit, rpondit sire Yvain, je tenterai ma chance avant vous, tant le plus faible de nous deux, et sil me
dsaronne, il vous restera la possibilit de me venger.
Les deux chevaliers se rurent donc lun contre lautre et, lors du choc, sire Yvain brisa sa lance
en heurtant le bouclier de sire Morhaut, tandis que le coup port par son adversaire tait si violent
que monture et cavalier ne purent viter la chute et que sire Yvain fut bless sur le ct gauche.
Sire Morhaut t alors faire demi-tour son cheval et se dirigea vers Gauvain, la lance en main, ce
que voyant, Gauvain ajusta son bouclier, les deux chevaliers mirent leur lance en arrt, se rurent lun
contre lautre de toute la puissance de leurs chevaux et frapprent le quartier mdian du bouclier adverse ; sous le choc, la lance de sire Gauvain se rompit, tandis que celle de sire Morhaut tenait bon :
sire Gauvain et sa monture mordirent donc la poussire.
Sire Gauvain se remit sur pieds avec agilit et dgaina, se dirigeant pied vers sire Morhaut qui,
voyant cela, dgaina son tour et se mit avancer, toujours cheval, vers sire Gauvain.
Messire chevalier, lui dit sire Gauvain, descends et marche sur tes jambes, sinon je vais tuer ton cheval.
Grand merci, lui rpondit sire Morhaut, pour la noblesse dont vous faites preuve : vous me donnez l
une leon de courtoisie, car quun chevalier soit pied alors que lautre est mont, cela ne se fait pas.
L-dessus, sire Morhaut appuya sa lance contre un arbre, descendit, attacha son cheval un arbre
et ajusta son bouclier ; puis ils coururent sus lun lautre avec ardeur et frapprent des coups dpe
qui rent voler en clats les boucliers, froissrent casques et hauberts et sinigrent mutuellement
de graves blessures.
Mais sire Gauvain, une fois passe la 9e heure, ne cessait de prendre des forces, au point qu la 12e
heure, ses forces avaient tripl. Sire Morhaut observa cet accroissement de la vigueur, se demandant
avec stupfaction quoi elle tait due, et ils sinigrent ainsi mutuellement de graves blessures. Puis,
une fois passe la 12e heure et lapproche de vpres, la force de sire Gauvain diminua et il fut pris
peu peu dune telle faiblesse quil arrivait tout juste encore se dfendre, tandis que sire Morhaut
voyait ses propres forces saccrotre.
Messire chevalier, lui dit alors sire Morhaut, jai bien pu me rendre compte que vous tes un chevalier
dune bravoure exceptionnelle et un homme de la force la plus prodigieuse (au moins pendant un temps) quil
mait t donn daronter, et comme ce sont des vtilles qui nous opposent, il serait dommage de vous estropier,
car je vous sens extrmement faible.
Ah ! noble chevalier, scria sire Gauvain, vous me prenez les mots de la bouche.
Et sur ces mots ils quittrent leur casque, changrent le baiser de paix et sur-le-champ rent
serment dtre frres darmes. Puis sire Morhaut pria sire Gauvain daccepter son hospitalit pour

cette nuit. Ils montrent donc cheval et se dirigrent vers la demeure de sire Morhaut.
Chemin faisant, sire Gauvain sadressa sire Morhaut : Messire chevalier, je mtonne quun homme
de votre vaillance naime ni les dames ni les demoiselles.
Messire, rpondit sire Morhaut, en disant cela de moi on me calomnie, mais je sais bien que ce sont les
demoiselles de la tourelle et leurs pareilles qui rpandent de tels propos. Il faut maintenant que je vous dise la raison de ma haine envers elles : nombreuses sont parmi elles les sorcires et les enchanteresses, et pour valeureux et
preux quun homme puisse tre, elles ne manqueront pas de le rabaisser comme le dernier des couards pour
mieux le dominer ; telle est la raison principale pour laquelle je les hais. Je nen dois pas moins mon service aux
bonnes dames et aux bonnes suivantes, comme il incombe un chevalier.
2 Au rapport du livre crit en franais, il y eut de nombreux chevaliers qui lemportrent sur sire
Gauvain, malgr sa force trois fois suprieure : sire Lancelot du Lac, sire Tristan, sire Bohort de Ganis,
sire Perceval, sire Pellas et sire Morhaut ces six chevaliers furent vainqueurs de sire Gauvain.
Ils parvinrent en peu de temps la demeure de sire Morhaut (dans un petit prieur), ils mirent
pied terre, des dames et demoiselles les aidrent retirer leur armure et examinrent en toute hte
leurs blessures, car tous trois en avaient reu. Les deux cousins eurent donc droit un accueil chaleureux de la part de sire Morhaut et rent bonne chre, car quand il sut quils taient neveux du roi Arthur par ses surs, il leur t servir le meilleur de ce qui tait disponible. Leur sjour dura une semaine, leurs blessures les rent bien moins sourir et vint le jour du dpart.
Voyons, expliqua sire Morhaut, nous nallons pas nous quitter aussi facilement, car je vais vous faire traverser la fort et ils chevauchrent jour aprs jour pendant une bonne semaine avant de rencontrer la
moindre aventure.
Ils nirent par pntrer dans une grande fort, quon appelait le pays et la fort dAroie, et le pays
aux tranges aventures.
Dans ce pays, expliqua sire Morhaut, jamais un chevalier nest venu depuis la christianisation sans y
trouver dtranges aventures.
Poursuivant leur chevauche, ils entrrent dans une valle encaisse et pierreuse et aperurent
peu de distance un beau cours deau et, tout prs, en surplomb, se trouvait le point de jaillissement du
cours deau, une belle source, et trois demoiselles assises -ct. Les cavaliers savancrent alors jusqu elles et il y eut change de saluts. Lane, qui avait la tte ceinte dune guirlande dor, tait ge
de soixante ans ou davantage ; sous la guirlande, ses cheveux taient blancs. La deuxime demoiselle,
ge de trente ans, avait un troit bandeau dor autour de la tte. La troisime demoiselle navait que
quinze ans et une guirlande de eurs la couronnait. Quand les trois chevaliers les eurent contemples,
ils leur demandrent pour quelle raison elles taient installes cette source.
Nous nous trouvons ici, rpondirent les demoiselles, pour la raison suivante : quand des chevaliers errants passent nous voir, nous leur faisons dcouvrir dtranges aventures. Comme vous tes trois chevaliers en
qute daventures et nous trois demoiselles, chacun dentre vous doit choisir lune dentre nous ; quand vous aurez
fait votre choix, nous vous mnerons un croisement de trois routes et, sur place, chacun dentre vous devra choisir une route en compagnie de sa demoiselle. Dans un an jour pour jour, vous devez vous retrouver ici (que Dieu
vous prte vie !) et donner votre parole dhonneur.
Il ny a rien ajouter, conclut sire Morhaut.

1 saw how it was defouled Caxton : defowled; Winchester folio 59v : defoyled
mais volet 14 7 deled et 11 ; Caxton : defoyled; Winchester folio 12r : defoyled
2 where thou was

variante dgrade de wast ou extension de lemploi de was

3 he hanged it about his neck

Winchester : And o he honged hit a boute his necke

Mais (volet 77) there hung a white shield on that tree : Winchester er hynge a whyt helde
on that tre. Pour le verbe to hang, le manuscrit de Winchester connat des formes
voyelle radicale -a- (14), -y- (24) et -o- (9); chez Caxton, la 2e srie est reprsente par -e- et
la 3e par -a-, tandis que la 1re se maintient, sauf dans deux cas o on a heng (hung y est inconnu). Voir Annexe p.13.

 4 But Sir Gawain from it passed nine of the clock waxed ever stronger and stronger
Malory mle heures dhorloge (nyne of the clok, the howre of noone) et heures canoniales1
(evynsonge); pour ce qui est de ces dernires, il emploie aussi matyns, (at the houre of) pryme.
Voici, titre dillustration, un extrait dune des traductions en moyen-anglais de la rgle
de saint Benot :
Als te prophete sais: Sepcies in die laudem dixi tibiSeuin sie o-po day saie I louing to e. Whilke haly
seuin sye er a at sal be ful-ld wid vs o is maner, yef we folih e vris of god: Of Matins, Of prime, of Vndrin,
Of Midday, Of noon, Of euensang, Of cumplin.
Source : Ernst A. Kock, Three Middle-English Versions of the Rule of St. Benet, 1902, p. 17-18

On remarquera que midday correspond sexte (12h) et noon none (15h) .

En XX, 21, volet 490 (Winchester folio 472v-473r), le narrateur nous en dit un peu
plus sur les variations que connat la force de Gauvain :

Than had ir Gawayne uche a grace and gyte

that an holy man had gyvyn hym that euery day in the
yere from vndern tyll hye noone hys myght encreed
o iij owres as much as thrye hys trength And that
caued ir Gawayne to wy e grete honoure And for hys
ake kynge Arthur made an ordynaunce that all maner o
batayles for ony quarels that hulde be done a fore kynge
Arthur hulde begynne at vndern And all was done
for ir Gawaynes love that by lyklyhode if ir Gawayne were
on the tone parte he hulde haue the bettir in batayle whyle
hys trengthe endured iij owrys But er were at tyme but feaw
knyghtes lyvynge that knewe thys advauntayge at ir Gaw//
ayne had but kynge Arthure all only /
Voir Dorival Gilles. Les heures de la prire ( propos du psaume 118, 164) . In: Annales de Bretagne et des pays de lOuest.
Tome 83, numro 2, 1976. pp. 281-301. On considre que le point de dpart est le passage
, septies in die laudaui te super iudiciis iustiti tu ; Seven times a day I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments (KJV).
1

 Or sire Gauvain bnciait dune grce et dun don

quun saint homme lui avait confr : tous les jours de
lanne, de 9 heures jusquen plein midi, sa force allait croissant
pendant ces trois heures, au point de tripler. Ce qui permit sire Gauvain
de remporter [des victoires et den tirer] grand honneur. Et par aection pour lui,
le roi Arthur prit une ordonnance selon laquelle les combats de toutes sortes
lis un litige quelconque devant se drouler en prsence du roi Arthur
commenceraient 9 heures. Mesure arrte par amour pour sire Gauvain,
an que, selon toute vraisemblance, au cas o sire Gauvain serait partie
prenante, il pt remporter le duel [judiciaire] au cours des trois
heures pendant lesquelles sa force augmentait. Mais en ce temps-l,
rares taient les chevaliers vivants informs de lavantage que possdait
sire Gauvain, hormis le roi Arthur, et lui seul.

En VII, 15, volet 134, la demoiselle Lynet, sadressant Beaumains, voque un phnomne
comparable propos du Chevalier des Terres Rouges :
But, sir, I pray you, said the damosel Lynet, blow ye not the horn till it be high noon, for now it is about
prime, and now increaseth his might, that as men say he hath seven mens strength.
Mais, messire, je vous en prie, prcisa la demoiselle Lynet, ne sonnez pas du cor avant que nous ne
soyons en plein midi, car en ce moment nous ne devons en tre qu lheure de prime [6 h du matin environ] et cest maintenant que sa force va croissant : on dit quelle vaut celle de sept hommes runis.

Cette particularit est dailleurs conrme Beaumains par lintress en personne (en
VII, 17, volet 136, in ne), qui vient de se rendre merci :
And, sir, now I will thee tell that every day my strength increaseth till noon, and all this time have I seven
mens strength.
Et, messire, je vais maintenant te coner que, chaque jour, ma force va croissant jusqu midi et, durant tout
ce temps, je possde la force de sept hommes runis.

Pour ce qui est du privilge de Gauvain, lexplication la plus dtaille se trouve dans La
Mort Artu, loccasion du duel judiciaire entre Gauvain et Lancelot : le roi Lot, er davoir
un hritier, le cone un ermite du nom de Gauvain, connu pour les miracles qui se produisent grce son intercession ; lanachorte, aprs avoir baptis lenfant trs prcisment midi en lui donnant son propre nom, obtient la grce que le futur chevalier, tous
les jours de sa vie, recouvre la pleine possession de sa force et ne puisse pas tre tu par les
armes lheure correspondant celle de son baptme.
On trouvera ci-aprs deux clichs du texte rapportant cet pisode ; la source est ldition de H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, The Vulgate Version of The Arthurian Romances, VI (1913).
Le texte va du haut de la page 340 (Et por ce que aucunes gens) la page 341, ligne 8 (se ne
fust apres heure de miedi).
Lexistence dune ordonnance prise par Arthur pour avantager son neveu ntant
corrobore par aucun autre texte du cycle, il doit sagir l dune invention de Malory.

La Suite du roman de Merlin dit sans plus que Gavains, qui estoit de tel manire que en toutes
saisons li doubloit sa force entour heure de miedi et croissoit et amendoit plus qua nul autre homme,
si tost comme miedis fu venus, et il se senti legier et viste autant ou plus quil navoit est au commenchement. ( 427)
En complment, les remarques de Gaston Paris [1839-1903], tires de Les romans en
vers du cycle de la Table ronde (1887), provenant du tome XXX de lHistoire littraire de la
France.

 5 either kissed other cest le baiser de paix ( [cf. Irne], pax ; ;

; osculum pacis il sagit de traditions direntes)
6 they swore together either to love other as brethren voir III, 13, volet 59 6
7 love no ladies ne damosels cf. volet 0, 31. 1er lment de neither, never, no,

none, not/nought.
ne. I. adv. (a) Not; non, ne : Ic ne dyde non feci, lfc. Gr. 38; Som. 40, 13. Nis hit sw hit nys non, non,
40, 23. Warna t t ne d caue ne hoc facias, 40, 9. Hw forbed God ew, t g ne ton of lcum trewe? Gen. 3, 1. H nylla geswcan t h re men ne regen, Past. 45, tit; Swt. 335, 4. Ne
gst anone non exies inde, Lk. Skt. 12, 59. Ne sleh , Ne synga . Ne stel , Ex. 20, 13-15. (b) no,
nay : Ne secge ic ew I tell you, Nay, Lk. Skt. 12, 51 : 13, 5. Ne secge ic n, 13, 3. II. conj. Nor, neither; ne,
neque, nec : Ne tunge ne handa oe egan syngion ne lingua nec manus oculiue peccent, lfc. Gr. 44;
Som. 45. 47. Ne ic ne herige ne ic ne tle nec laudo, nec uitupero, 45, 49. Ne ic ne dyde ne ic ne
d neque feci, neque faciam, 38; Som. 40, 9. Ne fare g ne ne fylia, Lk. Skt. 17, 23. Ne hig ne
cwea neque dicent, 17, 21. Ne him ec nfre geng ne inc r h hbbe eall t hine lyst, Bt. 33,
2; Fox 124, 6. Suelcum ingeonce gerst t h for lcuman tiedernesse ne for woroldbismere num
wi a scre ne winne, ne h ne se gitsiende erra monna hta, Past. 10; Swt. 61, 9-11. a e
nhwer ne erra monna ne wilnia, ne hiora gen nylla sellan, Past. 45, tit.; Swt. 335, 1. The
word often occurs with other negatives. v. n, n-wiht, n-hwer; it also coalesces with many words beginning with a vowel, with w or with h. v. nabban, ngan, ns, neom, nic, nyllan, nytan; nn, n-, nt-,
nfre, nnig. [Goth. ni : O. Sax. ne, ni : O. Frs. ne : O. H. Ger. ni.]
(Bosworth-Toller)

8 Sir Pelleas premire mention

9 the country and forest of Arroy
Aroie [Arroy]
A Scottish forest through which Perceval, in Fergus, pursued a white stag in a long hunt that finally ended in the
forest of Ingegal. In the Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin, it is the location of the Forest of Adventures. This was where
Gawain, Yvain, and Morholt met with three maidens who led them on separate quests. Scholars have suggested
Ayrshire as a possible location. [Guillaume*, PostMer**, Malory]
* Adventures of Fergus, adapted from Guillaume le Clercs Fergus
** Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin

Christopher W. Bruce, The Arthurian Name Dictionary (1999).

A lendemain, a eure de tierche, lor avint que il vinrent en une forest grant et parfonde que on apieloit Aroie.
La Suite du roman de Merlin, 435.

dition de Le Morte par le pote Robert Southey [1774-1843].

On notera la graphie -z- pour -- dans knyzt/knyt, ouzte/oute, knyztes/knytes et lyztely/lytely.

lady with hym on thys maner the hede of her was

In to the hippe all iij & founde hit rychely be
he // Now fecche me eyde Sir Pryamus my vyall at
wolt do none oer take myne harneys with the and
to be ware by yondir knyghtes that ou awyte
pavylyon vppon the londe of Camelot And er he lette
to hym elff A fye for hame ir Palomydes why
to ette my honde er to for hit longith nat to
werde I brought none with me but here by my yde
hys armys and mownted vppon hys horebacke and
to be borne // For the body of hym which I out to
ij pavilions and grete pery tood oute and ij hildes
a goodly armed knyt And we uppoe he rydyth vnto
at lykened ir Launcelot to ryde in a Charyote to

hanged
hanged
hangys
hange
hange
hange
hange
hange
hangith
hanged
hange
hangynge
hangynge
hangynge

a boute hys necke and the hole body of hir be for

with cloth of ylke So by that tyme hit was du
by the gurdyll of my haynxman for hit is full of
my werde er vppon a bowe that I may gete hit
on yondir treis // Fy for hame eyde Bewmaynes
his hylde vppon the pavylyon And at ame day c
ye youre hede o lowe And there with he bare vp
be my yde Alo who that aayth to take hit and
the cawberte and a none he leyde hys honde on
the whyght hylde aboute hys necke and commaunde
by he hall nat be hamed in no place whyle he
on treys by the pavilions I may nat tarry eyd Sir Torre
// Where eyde the quene Than he apyed by hys
for othe hit was fowle mowthed eyde the quene

Caxton : hanged
Caxton : hanged
Caxton :
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Caxton : hanget thou
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Caxton :
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Caxton : hangyng
Caxton : hangynge

hore well adeled and bry// dyled and on a tre

by a tre And than was ir Gawayne ware how er
thynke ye ar to blame for hit is to uppoe he at
mowthe brate oute on bloode & there with his hede
o he brout hym vnto e fourde and e tre where
of dyvere hew And with oute e pavyly// ons
how that I pede // So Sir Gawtere armed hym and
e // And whan he wolde haue tane hir flyght he
by e leggis fate And Sir Launcelot ye how he
a blak launde & er was a blak hauthorne & eron
horne & eron hynge a baner & on the oer yde er
knyght rode vnto an horne at was grene and hit
a boute & double dyked & ouer e towre gate er
Bewmaynes apyed on grete trees as he rode how er
is and gylte porys vppon er helys // And o er
alo er was fate by a Sygamoure tre and er on
& er horis walkynge & om tyed & er hyldis
Than he pulled vp his hyl// de that be fore
where he founde a pavelon And er by vppon a tre
vppon a tre hynge a whyt hylde and ij werdys
ledde hym be hynde an awter where the hylde
hore tylle a tre and there he dud of hys hylde &
be holde all a boute hit and a bovyn the bed er
he toke with her the bow whych the appyll

hynge
hynge
hyng
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge
hynge

a tre held of dyuers coloures and a grete pere

a whyt helde on that tre and euer as e damee
at helde at he woll nat be longe er fro And
low & with at his hore ran a way with hym and
e bayn // So Sir Launcelot lette his hore dry
iij whyt hyldys on trouncheouns of perys &
his hylde vppon his f. 107v. (VI.12) holdir
by e leggis fate And Sir Launcelot ye how he
& be helde e fayre faucon Perygot And he was or
a baner & on the oer yde er hynge a blak
a blak hylde & by hit toode a blak peare gret
vppon a thorne And er he blew iij dedly motis
a fyffty hyldis of dyuers coloures And undir
full godly armed knyghtes by e necke and er
nye a fourty knyghtes hamfully with full ryche
an hor/ ne the grettyt that euer they ye of an
in dyuere placis a boute them // lo eyde ir D
full lowe And than he dreed hym vnto ir Elyas
a whyt hylde and ij werdys hynge er by and
er by and ij pearys lened er by to a tre An
as whyght as ony nowe but in the myddys was a r
hyt vppon a tre and than he wente to the chapell
ij werdys Alo there were pyndelys whych were
on Than pereyved he that the braunche was freys

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were the and hange myne where at was And o he

ouer at fourde er growys a fayre tre and er on
om tyme good knyghtes and at e body of e tre
for I have ene many of er hyldys at I know
bone and this knyght of e rede launde hath
cutoms And now ou wenyte that e yght of tho
hym on his knyghtes that he had made to be
olde anwere no wordys but yghed wondirly ore &
Syrres eyde to monke thys hylde oute nat to be

honged
hongyth
hongys
hongys
honged
honged
honged
hongynge
honged

hit a boute his necke // Than he rode treyte vn

many fayre hyldys at welded om tyme good knyg
a bayn of Couper and latyne And tryke vppon a
on yondir tre There is Sir kayes hylde And Si
hit up er to this entente that yf er com my ar
knytes hulde feare me Nay truly nat o at ha
hamfully And than he eyde I may nat with my wor
downe his hede takynge no hyde to his wordys Thu
a boute e nek of no knyght but he be the worthy

Caxton : hanged
Caxton : hangen
Caxton : hangeth
Caxton :
Caxton : hanged
Caxton : hanged
Caxton : hanged
Caxton : hangynge
Caxton : hanged