Then with his Collen brand that he had in his hand, The bunge of that rub-chandler he burst in three; With that start out a lodly feend, With seven heads, and one body. XLIV The fyer towards the element[186] flew, Out of his mouth, where was great plentie; The knight stoode in the middle and fought, That it was great joy to see. XLV Till his Collaine brand brake in his hand, And his Millaine knife burst on his knee, And then the Danish axe burst in his hand first, That a sure weapon he thought sho’ld be. XLVI But now is the knight left without any weapons, And alacke! it was the more pittye; But a surer weapon then he had one, Had neuer lord in Christentye; And all was but one litle booke, He found it by the side of the sea. XLVII He found it at the sea-side, Wruckèd upp in a floode; Our Lord had written it with his hands, And sealed it with his bloode. With this book of Evangiles Sir Bredbittle, otherwise the Green Knight, overcomes the sprite, and having conjured him into a wall of stone, returns with report to King Arthur. XLVIII [Saies] ‘That thou doe not [stir a foot] But ly still in that wall of stone, Till I have beene with noble King Arthur, And told him what I have done.’ XLIX And when he came to the king’s chamber, He co’ld of his curtesie: Says, ‘Sleepe you, wake you, noble King Arthur? And ever Jesus waken yee!’ L ‘Nay, I am not sleeping, I am waking,’ These were the words said hee; ‘Ffor thee I have car’d; how hast thou fared? O gentle knight, let me see.’ LI The knight wrought the king his booke, Bad him behold, reede and see; And ever he found it on the back of the leafe As noble Arthur wo’ld wish it to be. LII And then bespake him King Arthur, ‘Alas! thow gentle knight, how may this be, That I might see him in the same licknesse That he stood unto thee?’ LIII And then bespake him the Greene Knight, These were the words said hee: ‘If you’le stand stifly in the battell stronge, For I have won all the victory.’ LIV Then bespake him the king againe, And these were the words said hee: ‘If wee stand not stifly in this battell strong, Wee are worthy to be hang’d on a tree.’ LV Then bespake him the Greene Knight, These were the words said he: Saies, ‘I doe conjure thee, thou fowle feend, In the same licknesse thou stood unto me.’ LVI With that start out a lodly feend, With seven heads, and one bodỳ; The fier towards the element flew Out of his mouth, where was great plentie. But now with the aid of the book Sir Bredbittle has the fiend wholly at command. He is sent first to fetch the steed. LIX