[A] Thenne lo3e þat oþer leude, & luflyly sayde, "I halde hit hardily[1] hole, þe harme þat I hade; [B] Þou art confessed so clene, be-knowen of þy mysses, 2392 & hat3 þe penaunce apert, of þe poynt of myn egge, [C] I halde þe polysed of þat ply3t, & pured as clene, As þou hade3 neuer forfeted, syþen þou wat3 fyrst borne. [D] & I gif þe, sir, þe gurdel þat is golde hemmed; 2396 For hit is grene as my goune, sir G:, 3e maye Þenk vpon þis ilke þrepe, þer þou forth þrynge3 Among prynces of prys, & þis a pure token [E] Of þe chaunce of þe grene chapel, at cheualrous kny3te3; 2400 [F] & 3e schal in þis nwe 3er a3ayn to my wone3, & we schyn reuel þe remnaunt of þis ryche fest, ful bene." Þer laþed hym fast þe lorde, 2404 & sayde, "with my wyf, I wene, We schal yow wel acorde, Þat wat3 your enmy kene." [Sidenote A: Then the other, laughing, thus spoke:] [Sidenote B: "Thou art confessed so clean,] [Sidenote C: that I hold thee as pure as if thou hadst never been guilty.] [Sidenote D: I give thee, sir, the gold-hemmed girdle,] [Sidenote E: as a token of thy adventure at the Green Chapel.] [Sidenote F: Come again to my abode, and abide there for the remainder of the festival."] [Footnote 1: hardilyly, in MS.] XVIII. [A] "Nay, for soþe," quod þe segge, & sesed hys helme, 2408 & hat3 hit of hendely, & þe haþel þonkke3, [B] "I haf soiorned sadly, sele yow bytyde, & he 3elde hit yow 3are, þat 3arkke3 al menskes! [C] & comaunde3 me to þat cortays, your comlych fere, 2412 Boþe þat on & þat oþer, myn honoured ladye3. Þat þus hor kny3t wyth hor kest han koyntly bigyled. [D] Bot hit is no ferly, þa3 a fole madde, & þur3 wyles of wymmen be wonen to sor3e; 2416 [E] For so wat3 Adam in erde with one bygyled, & Salamon with fele sere, & Samson eft sone3, Dalyda dalt hym hys wyrde, & Dauyth þer-after Wat3 blended with Barsabe, þat much bale þoled. 2420 Now þese were wrathed wyth her wyles, hit were a wynne huge, [F] To luf hom wel, & leue hem not, a leude þat couþe, For þes wer forne[1] þe freest þat fol3ed alle þe sele, [Fol.] Ex-ellently of alle þyse oþer, vnder heuen-ryche, [123b.] 2424 þat mused; & alle þay were bi-wyled, With[2] wymmen þat þay vsed, [G] Þa3 I be now bigyled, 2428 Me þink me burde be excused."