[T]his[T20] was nere by of melyhalt, the hyll, Whar lanſcelot ȝit was w{i}t{h} the lady ſtill. 896 The kny{ch}t{is} of the court [can] paſing hom̅e; This ladiis kny{ch}t{is} to hir palice com, And told to hir, how that the feld was vent, [Sidenote: The lady of Melyhalt hears of Gawane’s deeds;] And of gawan, and of his hardyme{n}t, 900 That merwell was his manhed to behold; [Sidenote: and Lancelot also,] And ſone thir tithing{is} to the kny{ch}t vas told, That was with wo and hewyneſs oppreſt; So noyith hyme his ſuiorne and his reſt, 904 [Sidenote: who sends for a knight to take a message to the lady;] And but dulay one for o kny{ch}t he send, That was moſt ſpeciall with the lady kend. He comyne, and the kny{ch}t vn to hyme ſaid, “Diſpleß yow not, ſ{ir}, be ȝhe not ill paid, 908 So homly thus I yow exort to go, To gare my lady ſpek o word or two With me, that am a carful p{re}ſonere.”[T21] “S{ir}, your co{m}mande y ſhall, w{i}t{h}outen were, 912 Fulfill;” and to his lady paſſit hee In lawly wyß beſiching hir, that ſhe Wald grant hyme to pas at his requeſt, Vnto hir kny{ch}t, ſtood wnd{er} hir areſt; 916 And ſhe, that knew al gentilleß aright, [Sidenote: who comes to his chamber.] Furth to his chamber paſſit wight[T22] the licht. [Footnote T20: See note to this line.] [Footnote T21: MS. “preson{er}ere.”] [Footnote T22: Read “with” (?).] ++And he aroß and ſaluſt Curtaſly [Fol. 12b.] [Sidenote: Lancelot beseeches her to appoint his ransom,] The lady, and ſaid, “madem, her I, 920 Your preſoner, beſekith yow that ȝhe Wold merſy and compaſſione have of me, And mak the ranſone wich that I may yeif; I waiſt my tyme in presou{n}e thus to leife. 924 For why I her on be report be told, That arthur, with the flour of his houſholde, Is cu{m}myne here, and in this cuntre lyis, And ſtant In danger of his ennemyis, 928 And haith aſſemblit; and eft this ſhalt bee Within ſhort tyme one new aſſemblee. Thar-for, my lady, y youe g{ra}ce beſech, That I mycht pas, my Ranſon for to fech; 932 [Sidenote: presuming that some of Arthur’s knights will pay it.] Fore I p{re}ſume thar longith to that ſort That louid me, and ſhal my nede ſupport.” [Headnote: THE LADY AT FIRST REFUSES;]