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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=346117" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Marriage of Sir Gawaine</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">Part the First<br>King Arthur lives in merry Carleile,<br>And seemely is to see;<br>And there with him Queene Guenever,<br>That bride soe bright of blee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And there with him Queene Guenever, <br>That bride soe bright in bowre;<br>And all his barons about him stoode,<br>That were both stiffe and stowre.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">This king a royale Christmasse kept,<br>With mirth and princelye cheare;<br>To him repaired many a knighte,<br>That came both farre and neare.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And when they were to dinner sette<br>And cups went freely round:<br>Before them came a faire damselle,<br>And knelt upon the ground.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'A boone, a boone, O Kinge Arthure,<br>I beg a boone of thee;<br>Avenge me of a carlish knighte,<br>Who hath shent my love and mee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'At Tearne-Wadling his castle stands,<br>Near to that lake so fair,<br>And proudlye rise the battlements,<br>And streamers deck the air.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Noe gentle knighte, nor ladye gay,<br>May pass that castle-wall,<br>But from that foule discourteous knighte,<br>Mishappe will them befalle.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Hee's twice the size of common men,<br>Wi' thewes and sinewes stronge,<br>And on his backe he bears a clubbe,<br>That is both thicke and longe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'This grimme barone 'twas our harde happe<br>But yester morne to see;<br>When to his bowre he bare my love,<br>And sore misused mee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'And when I told him King Arthure<br>As lyttle shold him spare;<br>Goe tell, sayd hee, that cuckold kinge<br>To meete mee if he dare.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Upp then sterted King Arthure,<br>And sware by hille and dale,<br>He ne'er wolde quitt that grimme barone,<br>Till he had made him quail. </div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Goe fetch my sword Excalibar,<br>Goe saddle me my steede;<br>Nowe, by my faye, that grimme barone<br>Shall rue this ruthfulle deede.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And when he came to Tearne-Wadlinge<br>Benethe the castle walle:<br>'Come forth, come forth, thou proude barone,<br>Or yield thyself my thralle.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">On magicke grounde that castle stoode,<br>And fenc'd with many a spell:<br>Noe valiant knighte could tread thereon,<br>But straite his courage felle.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Forth then rush'd that carlish knight,<br>King Arthur felte the charme:<br>His sturdy sinewes lost their strengthe,<br>Downe sunke his feeble arme.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nowe yield thee, yield thee, Kinge Arthure,<br>Now yield thee unto mee;<br>Or fighte with mee, or lose thy lande,<br>Noe better termes maye bee:</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Unlesse thou sweare upon the rood,<br>And promise on thy faye,<br>Here to returne to Tearne-Wadling,<br>Upon the new-yeare's day,</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'And bringe me worde what thing it is <br>All women moste desyre:<br>This is thy ransome, Arthur,' he sayes,<br>'Ile have noe other hyre.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">King Arthur then helde up his hande,<br>And sware upon his faye,<br>Then tooke his leave of the grimme barone,<br>And faste hee rode awaye.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And he rode east, and he rode west,<br>And did of all inquyre,<br>What thing it is all women crave,<br>And what they most desyre.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Some told him riches, pompe, or state;<br>Some rayment fine and brighte;<br>Some told him mirthe; some flatterye;<br>And some a jollye knighte.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">In letters all King Arthur wrote,<br>And seal'd them with his ringe:<br>But still his minde was helde in doubte,<br>Each tolde a different thinge.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">As ruthfulle he rode over a more,<br>He saw a ladye, sette<br>Betweene an oke and a greene holleye,<br>All clad in red scarlette.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Her nose was crookt and turned outwarde,<br>Her chin stoode all awrye;<br>And where as sholde have been her mouthe,<br>Lo! there was set her eye:</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Her haires, like serpents, clung aboute<br>Her cheekes of deadlye hewe:<br>A worse-form'd ladye than she was,<br>No man mote ever viewe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">To hall the king in seemelye sorte<br>This ladye was fulle faine:<br>But King Arthure, all sore amaz'd,<br>No aunswere made againe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'What wight art thou,' the ladye sayd,<br>'That wilt not speake to mee;<br>Sir, I may chance to ease thy paine,<br>Though I bee foule to see.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'If thou wilt ease my paine,' he sayd,<br>'And helpe me in my neede,<br>Ask what thou wilt, thou grimme ladye,<br>And it shall bee thy meede.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'O sweare mee this upon the roode,<br>And promise on thy faye;<br>And here the secrette I will telle,<br>That shall thy ransome paye.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">King Arthur promis'd on his faye,<br>And sare upon the roode;<br>The secrette then the ladye told,<br>As lightlye well shee cou'de.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Now this shall be my paye, Sir King,<br>And this my guerdon bee,<br>That some yong, fair and courtlye knight<br>Thou bringe to marrye mee.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Fast then pricked King Arthure<br>Ore hille, and dale, and downe:<br>And soone he founde the barone's bowre,<br>And soone the grimme baroune.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He kare his clubbe upon his backe,<br>Hee stoode both stiffe and stronge;<br>And, when he had the letters reade,<br>Awaye the lettres flunge.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nowe yielde thee, Arthur, and thy lands,<br>All forfeit unto mee;<br>For this is not thy paye, Sir King,<br>Nor may thy ransome bee.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Yet hold thy hand, thou proud barone,<br>I pray thee hold thy hand;<br>And give mee leave to speake once more<br>In reskewe of my land.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'This morne, as I came over a more,<br>I saw a ladye, sette<br>Betwene an oke and a greene holleye,<br>All clad in red scarlette.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Shee sayes, all women will have their wille,<br>This is their chief desyre;<br>Now yield, as thou art a barone true,<br>That I have payd mine hyre.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'An earlye vengeaunce light on her!'<br>The carlish baron swore:<br>'Shee was my sister tolde thee this,<br>And shee's a mishapen whore.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'But here I will make mine avowe,<br>To do her as ill a turne:<br>For an ever I may that foule theefe gette,<br>In a fyre I will her burne.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Part the Second</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Homewarde pricked King Arthure,<br>And a wearye man was hee;<br>And soone he mette Queene Guenever,<br>That bride so bright of blee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'What newes! what newes! thou noble king,<br>Howe, Arthur, hast thou sped?<br>Where has thou hung the carlish knighte?<br>And where bestow'd his head?'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'The carlish knight is safe for mee,<br>And free fro mortal harme:<br>On magicke grounde his castle stands,<br>And fenc'd with many a charme.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'To bow to him I was fulle faine,<br>And yielde mee to his hand:<br>And but for a lothly ladye, there<br>I sholde have lost my land.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'And nowe this fills my hearte with woe,<br>And sorrowe of my life;<br>I swore a yonge and courtlye knight<br>Shold marry her to his wife.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Then bespake him Sir Gawaine,<br>That was ever a gentle knighte:<br>'That lothly ladye I will wed;<br>Therefore be merrye and lighte.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Now naye, nowe naye, good Sir Gawaine,<br>My sister's sonne yee bee;<br>This lothlye ladye's all too grimme,<br>And all too foule for yee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Her nose is crookt and turn'd outwarde,<br>Her chin stands all awrye;<br>A worse form'd ladye than shee is <br>Was never seen with eye.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'What though her chin stand all awrye,<br>And shee be foule to see;<br>I'll marry her, unkle, for thy sake,<br>And I'll thy ransome bee.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nowe thankes, nowe thankes, good Sir Gawaine,<br>And a blessing thee betyde!<br>To-morrow we'll have knights and squires,<br>And wee'll goe fetch thy bride.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'And wee'll have hawkes and wee'll have houndes<br>To cover our intent;<br>And wee'll away to the greene forest,<br>As wee a hunting went.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sir Lancelot, Sir Stephen bolde,<br>They rode with them that daye;<br>And foremoste of the companye<br>There rode the stewarde Kaye:</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Soe did Sir Banier and Sir Bore,<br>And eke Sir Garratte keene;<br>Sir Tristram too, that gentle knight,<br>To the forest freshe and greene.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And when they came to the greene forrest,<br>Beneathe a faire holley tree,<br>There sate that ladye in red scarlette,<br>That unseemlye was to see.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sir Kay beheld that lady's face,<br>And looked upon her sweere;<br>'Whoever kisses that ladye,' he sayes,<br>'Of his kisse he stands in feare.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sir Kay beheld that ladye againe,<br>And looked upon her snout;<br>'Whoever kisses that ladye,' he sayes,<br>'Of his kisse he stands in doubt.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Peace, brother Kay,' sayde Sir Gawaine,<br>'And amend thee of thy life:<br>For there is a knight amongst us all<br>Must marry her to his wife.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'What, marry this foule queene?' quoth Kay,<br>'I' the devil's name anone;<br>Gette mee a wife wherever I maye,<br>In sooth shee shall be none.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Then some tooke up their hawkes in haste,<br>And some took up their houndes,<br>And sayd they wolde not marry her<br>For cities, nor for townes.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Then bespake him King Arthure,<br>And sware there 'by this daye,<br>For a little foule sighte and mislikinge,<br>Yes shall not say her naye.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Peace, lordings, peace,' Sir Gawaine sayd,<br>'Nor make debate and strife;<br>This lothlye ladye I will take,<br>And marry her to my wife.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nowe thankes, nowe thankes, good Sir Gawaine,<br>And a blessinge be thy meede!<br>For as I am thine owne ladye,<br>Thou never shalt rue this deede.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Then up they took that lothly dame,<br>And home anone they bringe:<br>And there Sir Gawaine he her wed,<br>And married her with a ringe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">And when they were in wed-bed laid, <br>And all were done awaye:<br>'Come turne to mee, mine owne wedlord,<br>Come turne to mee, I praye.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sir Gawaine scant could lift his head,<br>For sorrowe and for eare;<br>When lo! instead of that lothelye dame,<br>Hee sawe a young ladye faire.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sweet blushes stayn'd her rud-red cheeke,<br>Her eyen were blacke as sloe:<br>The ripening cherrye swellde her lippe,<br>And all her necke was snowe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sir Gawaine kiss'd that lady faire,<br>Lying upon the sheete,<br>And swore, as he was a true knighte,<br>The spice was never so sweete.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sir Gawaine kiss'd that ladye brighte,<br>Lying there by his side:<br>'The fairest flower is not soe faire:<br>Thou never canst bee my bride.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'I am thy bride, mine owne deare lorde;<br>The same whiche thou didst knowe,<br>That was soe lothlye, and was wont<br>Upon the wild more to goe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nowe, gentle Gawaine, chuse,' quoth shee,<br>'And make thy choice with care;<br>Whether by night, or else by daye,<br>Shall I be foule or faire?'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'To have thee foule still in the night,<br>When I with thee should playe!<br>I had rather farre, my lady deare,<br>To have thee foule by daye.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'What! when gaye ladyes goe with their lordes<br>To drinke the ale and wine;<br>Alas! then I must hide myself,<br>I must not goe with mine!'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'My faire ladye,' Sir Gawaine sayd,<br>'I yield me to thy skille;<br>Because thou art mine owne ladye,<br>Thou shalt have all thy wille.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nowe blessed be thou, sweete Gawaine,<br>And the daye that I thee see;<br>For as thou seest mee at this time,<br>Soe shall I ever bee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'My father was an aged knighte,<br>And yet it chanced soe,<br>He tooke to wife a false ladye,<br>Whiche broughte me to this owe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Shee witch'd mee, being a faire yonge maide,<br>In the greene forest to dwelle,<br>And there to abide in lothlye shape,<br>Most like a fiend of helle;</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Midst mores and mosses, woods and wilds,<br>To lead a lonesome life,<br>Till some yong, faire and courtlye knighte<br>Wolde marrye me to his wife:</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Nor fully to gaine mine owne trewe shape,<br>Such was her devilish skille,<br>Until he wolde yielde to be rul'd by mee,<br>And let mee have all my wille.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'She witchd my brother to a carlish boore,<br>And made him stiffe and stronge;<br>And built him a bowre on magicke grounde,<br>To live by rapine and wronge.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'But now the spelle is broken throughe,<br>And wronge is turnde to righte;<br>Henceforth I shall bee a faire ladye,<br>And hee be a gentle knighte.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Anonymous+Olde+English">Anonymous Olde English</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=346117" data-title="The Marriage of Sir Gawaine de Anonymous Olde English" data-description="Part the First
King Arthur lives in merry Carleile,
And seemely is to see;
And there with him Queene Guenever,
That bride soe bright of blee.

And there with him Queene Guenever, 
That bride soe bright in bowre;
And all his barons about him stoode..."></div>
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