Classic Poem

Listen, lords great & small,
what aduentures did befall
in England, where hath beene
of knights that held the round table
w hi ch were doughty & p ro fittable,
of kempys cruell & keene.

All England both East & west,
lords & ladyes of the best,
they busked & made them bowne,
& when the king sate in seate, —
lords serued him att his meate, —
into the hall a burne there cane:

He was not hye, but he was broad,
& like a turke he was made
both legg & thye,
& said, " is there any will, as a brother,
to giue a buffett & take another,
giff any soe hardy bee? "

Then spake s i r Kay, that crabbed k nigh t,
& said " man, thou seemest not soe wight,
if thou be not adread,
for there beene k nigh ts w i thin this hall
w i th a buffett will garr thee fall,
& grope thee to the ground.

" Giue thou be neuer soe stalworth of hand
I shall bring thee to the ground,
tha t dare I safely sweare. "
then spake s i r Gawaine, that worthy knight,
saith, " cozen Kay, thou speakest not right,
lewd is thy answere;

" What & that man want of his witt,
then litle worshipp were to thee pitt
if thou shold him forefore. "
then spake the turke w i th word[e]s thraw,
saith, " come the better of yo u r tow
though ye be breme as bore "

" this buffett thou hast . . . .
well quitt that it shall be,
And yett I shall make thee 3 iso as feard
as euer was man on middlearth,
this court againe ere thou see. "

Then said Gawaine, " my truth I plight,
I dare goe w i th thee full right,
& neuer from thee flye;
I will neuer flee from noe aduenture,
Iusting nor noe other turnament,
whilest I may liue on lee "

The turke tooke leaue of King w i th crowne,
S i r Gawaine made him ready bowne,
his armor & his steed.
they rode northwards 2 dayes and more;
by then S i r Gawaine hungred sore,
of meate & drinke he had great need

The turke wist Gawaine had need of meate,
& spake to him w i th word[e]s great,
hawtinge vppon hee;
says " Gawaine, where is all thy plenty?
yesterday thou wast serued w i th dainty,
& noe p ar t thou wold giue me,

" but w i th buffett thou did me sore;
therefore thou shalt haue mickle care,
& aduentures shalt thou see.
I wold I had k ing Arthur heere,
& many of thy fellowes in fere
that behaues to try mastery "

He led S i r Gawaine to a hill soe plaine;
the earth opened & closed againe,
then Gawaine was adread;
the Merke was comen & the light is gone;
thundering, lightning, snow & raine,
therof enough they had.

Then spake S i r Gawaine & sighed sore,
" such wether saw I neuer afore
in noe stead where I haue beene stood "

" ... made them noe answere
but only vnto mee. "

To the Castle they then yode:
S i r Gawaine light beside his steed,
for horsse the turke had none;
there they found chamber, bower, & hall,
richly rayled about w i th pale,
seemly to look vppon;

A Bord was spred w i thin that place,
all manner of meates & drinkes there was
for groomes that might it againe:
S i r Gawaine wold haue fallen to tha t fare,
the turke bad him leaue for care;
then waxt he vnfaine;

Gawaine said, " man, I maruell haue
tha t thou may none of these v[i]ttells spare,
& here is soe great plentye;
yett haue I more mervaile, by my fay,
that I see neither man nor maid,
woman nor child soe free;

" I had leuer now att mine owne will
of this fayre meate to eate my fill
then all the gold in christenty "
the turke went forth, & tarryed nought;
Meate & drinke he forth brought,
was seemly for to see;

He said, " eate, Gawaine, & make thee yare,
infaith or thou gett victalls more
thou shalt both swinke & sweat;
eate, Gawaine, & spare thee nought! "
S i r Gawaine eate as him good thought,
& well he liked his meate;

He dranke ale, & after, wine,
he saith, " I will be att thy bidding baine
without bost or threat;
but one thing I wold thee pray,
giue me my buffett & let me goe my way,
I wold not longer be hereatt.

There stood a bote and
S i r Gawaine left behind his steed,
he might noe other doe
The turke said to S i r Gawaine,
" he shalbe here when thou comes againe, —
I plight my troth to thee, —
within an hower, as men tell me. "
they were sailed over the sea;
the turke said, " Gawaine, hee!

" Heere are we withouten scath;
but now beginneth the great othe
when he shall aduentures doe. "
he lett him see a castle faire,
such a one he neuer saw yare,
noe wher in noe country
The turke said to S i r Gawaine
" yonder dwells the K ing of Man,
a heathen soldan is hee,

" With him he hath a hideous rout
of giants strong & stout
& vglie to looke vppon;
who-so-euer had sought farr & neere
as wide as the world were,
such a companye he cold find none

" Many auentures thou shalt see there,
such as thou neuer saw yare
in all the world about:
thou shalt see a tenisse ball
that neuer k nigh t in Arthurs hall
is able to giue it a lout;
& other aduentures there are moe:
wee shall be assayled e r e we goe,
therof haue thou noe doute;

" But & yee will take to me good heed,
I shall helpe you in time of need;
for ought I can see
there shall be none soe strong in stower
but I shall bring thee againe to hi ...

. . . . " S i r Gawaine stiffe & stowre,
how fareth thy vnckle K ing Arthur,
& all his company,
& that Bishopp S i r Bodwine
that will not let my goods alone,
but spiteth them euery day?

" He preached much of a crowne of thorne;
he shall ban the time tha t he was borne
& euer I catch him may;
I anger more att the spiritually
in England nor att the temporaltie,
they goe soe in theire array;

And I purpose in full great ire
to brenn their clergy in a fire
& punish them to my pay:
sitt downe, S i r Gawaine, at the bord. "
S i r Gawaine answered at that word,
saith, " nay, that may not be,

" I trow not a venturous k nigh t shall
sitt downe in a kings hall
aduentures or you see "
the K ing said, " Gawaine, faire mot then fall!
goe feitch me forth my tennisse ball;
for play will I and see. "

They brought it out w i th-out doubt;
w i th it came a hideous rout
of Gyants great & plenty;
all the giants were there then
heire by the halfe then S i r Gawaine,
I tell you withouten nay.

There were 17 giants bold of blood,
& all thought Gawaine but litle good.
when they thought w i th him to play,
all the giants thoughten then
to haue strucke out S i r Gawaines braine
help him god that best may!

The ball of brasse was made for the giants hand,
There was noe man in all england
were able to carry it ...

and sticked a giant in the hall
that grysly can hee grone
The K ing sayd, " bray away this axeltree,
for such a boy I neuer see;
yett he shalbe assayd better ere he goe;

" I told you, soe Mote I tho,
w i th the 3 aduenture, & then no more
befor me at this tide. "
Then there stood amongst them all
a chimney in they K ing s hall
w i th barres mickle of pride;
there was laid on in that stond
coales & wood that cost a pound,
that vpon it did abide

A giant bad gawaine assay,
& said, " Gawaine, begin the play!
thou knowest best how it shold be;
& afterwards when thou hast done,
I trow you shalbe answered soone
either w i th boy or me.
A great giant, I vnderstand,
lift vp the chimney w i th his hand
& sett it downe againe fairly. "

S i r Gawaine was neuer soe adread
sith he was man on midle earth,
& cryd on god in his thought.
Gawaine vnto his boy can say
" lift this chimney — if you may —
tha t is soe worthily wrought. "

Gawaines boy to it did leape,
& gatt itt by the bowles great,
& about his head he it flang;
3 is about his head he it swang
tha t the coals & the red brands

. . . . . . saw of mickle might
& strong were in battell.
" I haue slaine them thorrow my mastery,
& now, Gawaine, I will slay thee,
& then I haue slaine all the flower;
there went neuer none againe no tale to tell,
nor more shalt thou, thoe thou be fell,
nor none that longeth to K ing Arthur. "

The turke was clad inuissible gay,
no man cold see him withouten nay,
he was cladd in such a weede;
he heard their talking lesse & more,
& yet he thought they shold find him there
when they shold do that deed

Then he led him into steddie
werhas was a boyling leade,
& welling vppon hie:
& before it a giant did stand
w i th an Iron forke in his hand
tha t hideous was to see.

The giant tha t looked soe keene
tha t before S i r Gawaine had neuer seene
noe where in noe country:
the K ing saide to the giant thoe,
" here is none but wee tow;
let see how best may bee. "

when the giant saw Gawaines boy there was,
he leapt & threw, & cryed " alas
tha t he came in that stead! "
S i r Gawaines boy to him lept,
& w i th strenght vp him gett,
& cast him in the lead;
w i th an Iron forke made of steele
he held him downe wondorous weele
till he was scalded to the dead.
then S i r Gawaine vnto the K ing can say,
" w i th-out thou wilt agree vnto our law,
eatein is all thy bread. "

The K ing spitt on Gawaine the k nigh t:
w i th tha t the turke hent him vpright
& into the fyer him flang,
& saide to S i r Gawaine at the last,
" Noe force, M aster , all the p er ill is past!
thinke not we tarrie too longe, "

he tooke forth a bason of gold
as an Emperour washe shold,
as fell for his degree:

He tooke a sword of Mettle free,
saies " if euer I did any thing for thee,
doe for me in this stead;
take here this sword of steele
that in battell will bite weele,
therwith strike of my head "

" tha t I forefend! " said S i r Gawaine,
" for I wold not haue thee slaine
for all the gold soe red "
" haue done, S i r Gawaine, I haue no dread,
but in this bason let me bleed
tha t standeth here in this steed,

" And thou shalt see a new play,
w i th helpe of Mary tha t mild mayd
tha t saued vs from all dread. "
he drew forth the brand of steele
that in battell bite wold weele,
& there stroke of his head.

And when the blood in the bason light,
he stood vp a stalwortht K nigh t
tha t day, I vndertake,
& song " Te deum laudam[ u ]s,
worshipp be to our lord Iesus
that saued vs from all wracke!

" A! S i r Gawaine! blesed thou be!
for all the service I haue don thee,
thou hast well quitt it me. "
then he tooke him by the hand,
& many a worthy man they fand
tha t before they neue[r] see

He said, " Sir Gawaine, w i thouten threat
sitt downe boldly at thy meate,
& I will eate w i th thee;
Ladyes all, be of good cheere,
eche ane shall wend to his owne deer
in all hast that may be;

" first we will to K ing Arthurs hall,
& soone after yo u r husbands send we shall
in country where they beene;
There they wold . . . . abide

" Thus we haue brought 17 ladys cleere
tha t there were left in great danger,
& we haue brought them out "
then sent they for theire husbands swithe,
& euery one tooke his oune wife,
& lowlye can they lowte,
And thanked the 2 k nigh ts & the K ing ,
& said the wold be at theire bidding
in all england about

S i r Gromer kneeld vpon his knee,
saith " S i r K ing , and your wilbe,
crowne Gawaine K ing of man. "
S i r Gawaine kneeled downe by,
& said " lord, nay, not I;
giue it him, for he it wan,

" for I neuer purposed to be noe K ing ,
neuer in all my liuinge,
whilest I am a liuing man. "
he said, " S i r Gromer, take it thee,
for Gawaine will neuer K ing bee
for no craft that I can. "

Thus endeth the tale that I of meane,
of Arthur & his knight[e]s keene
tha t hardy were & free.
god give them good life far & neere
that such talking loues to heere!
Amen for Charity!