Then forth is gone noble King Arthur, As fast as he co’ld hye, And strucken he hath off King Cornewall’s head, And came againe by and by. So King Arthur fulfils his vow; and, if the rest of the Ballad had been preserved, no doubt it would have told us how his companions fulfilled theirs. FOOTNOTES: [177] rived = arrived, travelled. [178] tranckled = travelled. [179] ghesting = guesting, lodging. [180] gleed = live coal. [181] lodly = loathly. [182] rub-chadler = rubbish-tub. [183] pay = satisfaction. [184] Collen brand = sword of Cologne steel. [185] Millaine = Milanese. [186] element = sky. [187] gleede = live coal. _19. The Marriage of Sir Gawain_ [_A Fragment_] I Kinge Arthur lives in merry Carleile, And seemely is to see, And there he hath with him Queene Genever, That bride soe bright of blee[188]. II And there he hath with him Queene Genever, That bride soe bright in bower, And all his barons about him stoode, That were both stiffe and stowre[189]. III The king kept a royall Christmasse, Of mirth and great honor. Soon after Christmas the King chanced to ride by Tarn Wadling[190], in the forest of Inglewood, when he was met by a fierce baron armed with a club, who offered him choice between fighting and ransom. For ransom, the King must return on New Year’s Day-- IV ‘And bring me word what thing it is That a woman will most desire; This shalbe thy ransome, Arthur,’ he sayes, ‘For I’le have noe other hier.’ V King Arthur then held up his hand, According thene as was the law; He tooke his leave of the baron there, And homward can he draw. VI And when he came to merry Carleile, To his chamber he is gone, And ther came to him his cozen Sir Gawaine, As he did make his mone. VII And there came to him his cozen Sir Gawaine, That was a curteous knight; ‘Why sigh you soe sore, unckle Arthur,’ he said, ‘Or who hath done thee unright?’-- VIII ‘O peace, O peace, thou gentle Gawaine, That faire may thee beffall! For if thou knew my sighing soe deepe, Thou wo’ld not mervaile att all. IX ‘Ffor when I came to Tearne Wadling, A bold barron there I fand, With a great club upon his backe, Standing stiffe and strong. X ‘And he asked me wether I wo’ld fight Or from him I shold begone, Or else I must him a ransome pay, And soe depart him from. XI ‘To fight with him I saw noe cause; Methought it was not meet; For he was stiffe and strong with-all, His strokes were nothing sweete. XII ‘Therefor this is my ransome, Gawaine, I ought to him to pay; I must come againe, as I am sworne, Upon the New Yeer’s day; XIII ‘And I must bring him word what thing it is [That a woman will most desire].