[Sidenote: These knights arm themselves,] [A]nd furth thei go, and al anarmyt thei Come to the king, w{i}t{h}outen more delay, 2220 [Sidenote: and bring the relics, whereon to swear to shew the truth.] The relyk{is} bro{ch}t, as was the man{er} tho, When any knyght{is} frome the court ſuld go. Or when the paſſit, or quhen thei com, thei ſwor The trouth to ſchaw of euery aduentur. 2224 S{ir} gawan knelyng to his falowis ſais, “Yhe lord{is}, wich that in this ſeking gais, So many noble and worthi kny{ch}t{is} ar ȝhe, Me think in wayne yhour t{ra}uel ſhuld no{ch}t be, 2228 For aduentur is non so gret to pref, [Fol. 28a.] As I ſuppone, nor ȝhe ſal It eſſchef, And if ȝhe lyk as I that ſhal dewyß, Yhour oth to ſwer In to the ſamyne wyß 2232 Myne oith to kep;”--and that thei vnd{er}tak, How eu{er} ſo that he his oith mak It to conſerf, and that thei have all ſworñ. Than gawan, wich that was the king beforn, 2236 [Sidenote: Gawane swears not to return till he has found Lancelot, or evidence of him.] On kneis ſwore, “I ſal the ſuth duclar Of euery thing when I agan Repar, Nor neu{er} more aȝhane ſal I returñ, Nore in o place long for to ſuiorñ 2240 Whill that the kny{ch}t or verray evydens I have, that ſhal be toknis of credens.” His falouſchip abaſit of that thing, And als therof anoyt was the king, 2244 [Sidenote: Arthur reproves him for forgetting the coming day of battle.] Sayng, “Nece, yow haith al foly vroght And wilfulneß, that haith no{ch}t in thi thoght The day of batell of galot and me.” [Sidenote: Gawane says it must be so.] Q{uod} gawan, “Now non other ways ma be.” 2248 [Sidenote: Gawane and his fellow lace their helms, and take their leave.] Thar-w{i}t{h} he and his falowſchip alſo Thar halmys laſit, on to ther horß thei go, Syne tuk ther lef, and frome the court the fare, Thar names ware to long for to declar. 2252 Now ſal we leif hyme and h{is} cumpany, That in thar ſeking paſſith biſſely; [Sidenote: The story returns to the lady of Melyhalt.] And of the lady of melyhalt we tell, W{i}t{h} whome the kny{ch}t mot ned alway duell. 2256 [T52] [O] day ſhe mayd hyme on to h{ir} p{re}ſens fet, And on o ſege be-ſid hir haith hyme ſet, “S{ir}, in keping I have yow halding long,” And thus ſche ſaid, “for gret treſpas & wrong, 2260 Magre my ſtewart, in worſchip, and for-thi Ȝhe ſuld me thonk;”--“madem,” q{uod} he, “and I Thonk yhow ſo that eu{er}, at my mycht, Whar-ſo I paß that I ſal be yhour kny{ch}t.” 2264