"Wolde 3e, worþilych lorde," quod Gawan to þe kyng, 344 [A] "Bid me bo3e fro þis benche, & stonde by yow þere, Þat I wyth-oute vylanye my3t voyde þis table, & þat my legge lady lyked not ille, I wolde com to your counseyl, bifore your cort ryche. 348 [B] For me þink hit not semly, as hit is soþ knawen, Þer such an askyng is heuened so hy3e in your sale, Þa33e 3our-self be talenttyf to take hit to your-seluen, [C] Whil mony so bolde yow aboute vpon bench sytten, 352 Þat vnder heuen, I hope, non ha3er er of wylle, Ne better bodyes on bent, þer baret is rered; [D] I am þe wakkest, I wot, and of wyt feblest, & lest lur of my lyf, quo laytes þe soþe, 356 Bot for as much as 3e ar myn em, I am only to prayse, No bounté bot your blod I in my bodé knowe; & syþen þis note is so nys, þat no3t hit yow falles, & I haue frayned hit at yow fyrst, folde3 hit to me, 360 & if I carp not comlyly, let alle þis cort rych, bout blame." [E] Ryche to-geder con roun, & syþen þay redden alle same, 364 To ryd þe kyng wyth croun, & gif Gawan þe game. [Sidenote A: He asks permission to leave the table; he says,] [Sidenote B: it is not meet that Arthur should be active in the matter,] [Sidenote C: while so many bold ones sit upon bench.] [Sidenote D: Although the weakest, he is quite ready to meet the Green Knight.] [Sidenote E: The nobles entreat Arthur to "give Gawayne the game."] XVII. Þen comaunded þe kyng þe kny3t for to ryse; [Fol. 96.] & he ful radly vp ros, & ruchched hym fayre, 368 [A] Kneled doun bifore þe kyng, & cache3 þat weppen; & he luflyly hit hym laft, & lyfte vp his honde, & gef hym godde3 blessyng, & gladly hym biddes [B] Þat his hert & his honde schulde hardi be boþe. 372 "Kepe þe cosyn," quod þe kyng, "þat þou on kyrf sette, & if þou rede3 hym ry3t, redly I trowe, Þat þou schal byden þe bur þat he schal bede after. Gawan got3 to þe gome, with giserne in honde, 376 & he baldly hym byde3, he bayst neuer þe helder [C] Þen carppe3 to sir Gawan þe kny3t in þe grene, "Refourme we oure for-wardes, er we fyrre passe. Fyrst I eþe þe, haþel, how þat þou hattes, 380 Þat þou me telle truly, as I tryst may?" [D] "In god fayth," quod þe goode kny3t, "Gawan I hatte, Þat bede þe þis buffet, quat-so bi-falle3 after, & at þis tyme twelmonyth take at þe anoþer, 384 Wyth what weppen so[1] þou wylt, & wyth no wy3 elle3, on lyue." Þat oþer on-sware3 agayn, "Sir Gawan, so mot I þryue, 388 [E] As I am ferly fayn. Þis dint þat þou schal dryue."