[A] In dre3 droupyng of dreme draueled þat noble, As mon þat wat3 in mornyng of mony þro þo3tes, 1752 How þat destiné schulde þat day [dy3t] his wyrde, At þe grene chapel, when he þe gome metes, & bi-houes his buffet abide, with-oute debate more; [B] Bot quen þat comly he keuered his wyttes, 1756 Swenges out of þe sweuenes, & sware3 with hast. Þe lady luflych com la3ande swete, [C] Felle ouer his fayre face, & fetly him kyssed; He welcume3 hir worþily, with a wale chere; 1760 He se3 hir so glorious, & gayly atyred, So fautles of hir fetures, & of so fyne hewes, [D] Wi3t wallande Ioye warmed his hert; With smoþe smylyng & smolt þay smeten in-to merþe, 1764 Þat al wat3 blis & bonchef, þat breke hem bi-twene, & wynne, Þay lanced wordes gode, Much wele þen wat3 þer-inne, 1768 [E] Gret perile bi-twene hem stod, Nif mare of hir kny3t mynne. [Sidenote A: The knight was then dreaming of his forthcoming adventure at the Green Chapel.] [Sidenote B: He awakes and speaks to his fair visitor,] [Sidenote C: who sweetly kisses him.] [Sidenote D: Great joy warms the heart of Sir Gawayne,] [Sidenote E: and "great peril between them stood."] XXVI. [A] For þat prynce of pris de-presed hym so þikke. Nurned hym so ne3e þe þred, þat nede hym bi-houed, 1772 Oþer lach þer hir luf, oþer lodly re-fuse; He cared for his cortaysye, lest craþayn he were, [B] & more for his meschef, 3if he schulde make synne, & be traytor to þat tolke, þat þat telde a3t. 1776 "God schylde," quod þe schalk, "þat schal not be-falle!" With luf-la3yng a lyt, he layd hym by-syde Alle þe speche3 of specialté þat sprange of her mouthe. Quod þat burde to þe burne, "blame 3e disserue, 1780 3if 3e luf not þat lyf þat 3e lye nexte, Bifore alle þe wy3e3 in þe worlde, wounded in hert, [C] Bot if 3e haf a lemman, a leuer, þat yow lyke3 better, & folden fayth to þat fre, festned so harde, 1784 Þat yow lausen ne lyst, & þat I leue nouþe; [Fol. 115.] And þat 3e telle me þat, now trwly I pray yow, For alle þe lufe3 vpon lyue, layne not þe soþe, for gile." 1788 [D] Þe kny3t sayde, "be sayn Ion," & smeþely con he smyle, "In fayth I welde ri3t non, Ne non wil welde þe quile." [Sidenote A: The knight is sorely pressed.] [Sidenote B: He fears lest he should become a traitor to his host.] [Sidenote C: The lady inquire whether he has a mistress that he loves better than her.] [Sidenote D: Sir Gawayne swears by St. John that he neither has nor desires one.] XXVII.