The alliterative Morte Arthure

Lines 2851 through 2915

Than gud Gawayne, gracious and noble, Line 2851 All with glorious gle he gladdis his knyghtes: Line 2852 "Gloppyns noghte, gud men, for gleterand scheldes, Line 2853 Þofe ȝone gadlyngez be gaye on ȝone gret horses; Line 2854 Banerettez of Bretayne, buskes vp ȝour hertes! Line 2855 Bees noghte baiste of ȝone boyes, ne of þaire bryghte wedis. Line 2856 We sall blenke theire boste for all theire bolde profire, Line 2857 Als bouxom as birde es in bede to hir lorde. Line 2858 Ȝeffe we feghte todaye, þe felde schall be owrs, Line 2859

Line 2859 The fekill faye sall faile and falssede be distroyede! Line 2860 Ȝone folk is one frountere, vnfraistede theym semes; Line 2861 Thay make faythe and faye to þe Fend seluen! Line 2862 We sall in this viage victoures be holden, Line 2863 And avauntede with voycez of valyant biernez, Line 2864 Praysede with pryncez in presence of lordes, Line 2865 And luffede with ladyes in dyuerse londes; Line 2866 Aughte neuer siche honoure none of oure elders— Line 2867 Vnwyn ne Absolon ne non of thies oþer. Line 2868 When we are moste in destresse Marie we mene, Line 2869 That es oure maisters seyne, þat he myche traistez, Line 2870 Melys of þat mylde Qwene that menskes vs all— Line 2871 Who-so meles of þat Mayde myskaries he neuer." Line 2872

Be þese wordes ware saide, they ware noghte ferre behynd Line 2873 Bot the lenghe of a launde, and "Lorayne!" askryes. Line 2874 Was neuer siche a justyng at journé in erthe, Line 2875 In the Vale of Iosephate, as gestes vs telles, Line 2876 When Iulyus and Ioatall ware juggede to dy, Line 2877 As was when þe ryche men of þe Rownde Table Line 2878 Ruschede into þe rowte one ryall stedes; Line 2879 For so raythely þay rusche with roselde speris, Line 2880 That the raskaille was rade, and rane to þe grefes, Line 2881 And karede to þat courte as cowardes for euer. Line 2882

"Peter!" sais Sir Gawayne; "This gladdez myn herte, Line 2883 That ȝone gedlynges are gon that made gret nowmbre; Line 2884 I hope that thees harlottez sall harme vs bot littill, Line 2885 Fore they will hyde them in haste within ȝone holte euis. Line 2886 [folio 84r] Thay are fewere one felde þan þay were fyrste nombird, Line 2887 Be fourtty thousande, in faythe, for all theyre faire hostes!" Line 2888 Bot one Iolyan of Iene, a geante full howge, Line 2889 Has jonede on Sir Ierant, a justis of Walis; Line 2890 Thorowe a jerownde schelde he jogges hym thorowe, Line 2891 And a fyn gesserawnte of gentill mayles— Line 2892 Ioynter and gemows he jogges in sondyre. Line 2893 One a jambé stede þis jurnée he makes; Line 2894 Thus es þe geante forjuste, that errawnte Iewe, Line 2895 And Gerard es jocunde, and joyes hym þe more. Line 2896

Than the genatours of Genne enjoynes att ones, Line 2897

Line 2897 And frykis on þe frowntere well a fyve hundreth; Line 2898 A freke highte Sir Federike, with full fele oþer, Line 2899 Ferkes on a frusche and fresclyche askryes, Line 2900 To fyghte with oure forreours, þat on felde houis. Line 2901 And thane the ryalle renkkes of þe Rownde Table Line 2902 Rade furth full ernestly and rydis them agaynes, Line 2903 Mellis with the medillwarde, bot they ware ill machede, Line 2904 Of siche a grett multytude was meruayle to here. Line 2905 Seyne at þe assemblé the Sarazenes discoueres Line 2906 The soueraygne of Sessoyne, that saluede was neuer; Line 2907 Gyawntis forjustede with gentill knyghtes, Line 2908 Thorowe gesserawntes of Iene jaggede to þe herte. Line 2909 They hewe thorowe helmes hawtayne biernez, Line 2910 Þat þe hiltede swerdes to þaire hertes rynnys. Line 2911 Than þe renkes renownd of þe Rownd Table Line 2912 Ryffes and ruyssches down renayede wreches; Line 2913 And thus they dreuen to þe dede dukes and erles, Line 2914 All þe dreghe of þe daye, with dredfull werkes. Line 2915