{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch031.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch031.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch031.htm","text":"31.1 KINGE ARTHUR liues in merry Carleile,\nAnd seemely is to see,\nAnd there he hath with him Queene Genever,\nThat bride soe bright of blee.\n31.2 And there he hath with [him] Queene Genever,\nThat bride soe bright in bower,\nAnd all his barons about him stoode,\nThat were both stiffe and stowre.\n31.3 The king kept a royall Christmasse,\nOf mirth and great honor,\nAnd when . . . . . . .\n. . . . .\n* * * * *\n31.4 \u2018And bring me word what thing it is\nThat a woman [will] most desire;\nThis shalbe thy ransome, Arthur,\u2019 he sayes,\n\u2018For Ile haue noe other hier.\u2019\n31.5 King Arthur then held vp his hand,\nAccording thene as was the law;\nHe tooke his leaue of the baron there,\nAnd homward can he draw.\n31.6 And when he came to merry Carlile,\nTo his chamber he is gone,\nAnd ther came to him his cozen Sir Gawaine,\nAs he did make his mone.\n31.7 And there came to him his cozen Sir Gawaine,\nThat was a curteous knight;\n\u2018Why sigh you soe sore, vnckle Arthur,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018Or who hath done thee vnright?\u2019\n31.8 \u2018O peace, O peace, thou gentle Gawaine,\nThat faire may thee beffall!\nFor if thou knew my sighing soe deepe,\nThou wold not meruaile att all.\n31.9 \u2018Ffor when I came to Tearne Wadling,\nA bold barron there I fand,\nWith a great club vpon his backe,\nStanding stiffe and strong.\n31.10 \u2018And he asked me wether I wold fight\nOr from him I shold begone,\nO[r] else I must him a ransome pay,\nAnd soe depart him from.\n31.11 \u2018To fight with him I saw noe cause;\nMethought it was not meet;\nFor he was stiffe and strong with-all,\nHis strokes were nothing sweete.\n31.12 \u2018Therefor this is my ransome, Gawaine,\nI ought to him to pay;\nI must come againe, as I am sworne,\nVpon the New Yeers day;\n31.13 \u2018And I must bring him word what thing it is\n. . . . .\n. . . . .\n. . . . .\n* * * * *\n31.14 Then king Arthur drest him for to ryde,\nIn one soe rich array,\nToward the fore-said Tearne Wadling,\nThat he might keepe his day.\n31.15 And as he rode over a more,\nHee see a lady where shee sate\nBetwixt an oke and a greene hollen;\nShe was cladd in red scarlett.\n31.16 Then there as shold haue stood her mouth,\nThen there was sett her eye;\nThe other was in her forhead fast,\nThe way that she might see.\n31.17 Her nose was crooked and turnd outward,\nHer mouth stood foule a-wry;\nA worse formed lady than shee was,\nNeuer man saw with his eye.\n31.18 To halch vpon him, King Arthur,\nThis lady was full faine,\nBut King Arthur had forgott his lesson,\nWhat he shold say againe.\n31.19 \u2018What knight art thou,\u2019 the lady sayd,\n\u2018That will not speak to me?\nOf me be thou nothing dismayd,\nTho I be vgly to see.\n31.20 \u2018For I haue halched you curteouslye,\nAnd you will not me againe;\nYett I may happen Sir Knight,\u2019 shee said,\n\u2018To ease thee of thy paine.\u2019\n31.21 \u2018Giue thou ease me, lady,\u2019 he said,\n\u2018Or helpe me any thing,\nThou shalt have gentle Gawaine, my cozen,\nAnd marry him with a ring.\u2019\n31.22 \u2018Why, if I help thee not, thou noble King Arthur,\nOf thy owne hearts desiringe,\nOf gentle Gawaine . . . . .\n. . . . .\n* * * * *\n31.23 And when he came to the Tearne Wadling,\nThe baron there cold he finde,\nWith a great weapon on his backe,\nStanding stiffe and stronge.\n31.24 And then he tooke King Arthurs letters in his hands,\nAnd away he cold them fling,\nAnd then he puld out a good browne sword,\nAnd cryd himselfe a king.\n31.25 And he sayd, I have thee and thy land, Arthur,\nTo doe as it pleaseth me,\nFor this is not thy ransome sure,\nTherfore yeeld thee to me.\n31.26 And then bespoke him noble Arthur,\nAnd bad him hold his hand:\n\u2018And giue me leaue to speake my mind\nIn defence of all my land.\u2019\n31.27 He said, As I came over a more,\nI see a lady where shee sate\nBetweene an oke and a green hollen;\nShee was clad in red scarlett.\n31.28 And she says a woman will haue her will,\nAnd this is all her cheef desire:\nDoe me right, as thou art a baron of sckill,\nThis is thy ransome and all thy hyer.\n31.29 He sayes, An early vengeance light on her!\nShe walkes on yonder more;\nIt was my sister that told thee this,\nAnd she is a misshappen hore.\n31.30 But heer Ile make mine avow to God\nTo doe her an euill turne,\nFor an euer I may thate fowle theefe get,\nIn a fyer I will her burne.\n* * * * *\n31.31 Sir Lancelott and Sir Steven bold,\nThey rode with them that day,\nAnd the formost of the company\nThere rode the steward Kay.\n31.32 Soe did Sir Banier and Sir Bore,\nSir Garrett with them soe gay,\nSoe did Sir Tristeram that gentle knight,\nTo the forrest fresh and gay.\n31.33 And when he came to the greene forrest,\nVnderneath a greene holly tree,\nTheir sate that lady in red scarlet\nThat vnseemly was to see.\n31.34 Sir Kay beheld this ladys face,\nAnd looked vppon her swire;\n\u2018Whosoeuer kisses this lady,\u2019 he sayes,\n\u2018Of his kisse he stands in feare.\u2019\n31.35 Sir Kay beheld the lady againe,\nAnd looked vpon her snout;\n\u2018Whosoeuer kisses this lady,\u2019 he saies,\n\u2018Of his kisse he stands in doubt.\u2019\n31.36 \u2018Peace, cozen Kay,\u2019 then said Sir Gawaine,\n\u2018Amend thee of thy life;\nFor there is a knight amongst vs all\nThat must marry her to his wife.\u2019\n31.37 \u2018What! wedd her to wiffe!\u2019 then said Sir Kay,\n\u2018In the diuells name anon!\nGett me a wiffe where-ere I may,\nFor I had rather be slaine!\u2019\n31.38 Then some tooke vp their hawkes in hast,\nAnd some tooke vp their hounds,\nAnd some sware thy wold not marry her\nFor citty nor for towne.\n31.39 And then be-spake him noble King Arthur,\nAnd sware there by this day,\n\u2018For a litle foule sight and misliking\n. . . . .\n* * * * *\n31.40 Then shee said, Choose thee, gentle Gawaine,\nTruth as I doe say,\nWether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse\nIn the night or else in the day.\n31.41 And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,\nWas one soe mild of moode,\nSayes, Well I know what I wold say,\nGod grant it may be good!\n31.42 To haue thee fowle in the night\nWhen I with thee shold play-+-\nYet I had rather, if I might,\nHaue thee fowle in the day.\n31.43 \u2018What! when lords goe with ther feires,\u2019 shee said,\n\u2018Both to the ale and wine,\nAlas! then I must hyde my selfe,\nI must not goe withinne.\u2019\n31.44 And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,\nSaid, Lady, that\u2019s but skill;\nAnd because thou art my owne lady,\nThou shalt haue all thy will.\n31.45 Then she said, Blesed be thou, gentle Gawain,\nThis day that I thee see,\nFor as thou seest me att this time,\nFrom hencforth I wilbe.\n31.46 My father was an old knight,\nAnd yett it chanced soe\nThat he marryed a younge lady\nThat brought me to this woe.\n31.47 Shee witched me, being a faire young lady,\nTo the greene forrest to dwell,\nAnd there I must walke in womans liknesse,\nMost like a feend of hell.\n31.48 She witched my brother to a carlish b. . .\n. . . . .\n. . . . . .\n. . . . .\n* * * * *\n31.49 . . . . . .\n. . . . . .\n\u2018That looked soe foule, and that was wont\nOn the wild more to goe.\u2019\n31.50 \u2018Come kisse her, brother Kay,\u2019 then said Sir Gawaine,\n\u2018And amend th of thy liffe;\nI sweare this is the same lady\nThat I marryed to my wiffe.\u2019\n31.51 Sir Kay kissed that lady bright,\nStanding vpon his feete;\nHe swore as he was trew knight,\nThe spice was neuer soe sweete.\n31.52 \u2018Well, cozen Gawaine,\u2019 sayes Sir Kay,\n\u2018Thy chance is fallen arright,\nFor thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids\nI euer saw with my sight.\u2019\n31.53 \u2018It is my fortune,\u2019 said Sir Gawaine;\n\u2018For my vnckle Arthurs sake\nI am glad as grasse wold be of raine,\nGreat ioy that I may take.\u2019\n31.54 Sir Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme,\nSir Kay tooke her by the tother,\nThey led her straight to King Arthur,\nAs they were brother and brother.\n31.55 King Arthur welcomed them there all,\nAnd soe did Lady Geneuer his queene,\nWith all the knights of the Round Table,\nMost seemly to be seene.\n31.56 King Arthur beheld that lady faire\nThat was soe faire and bright,\nHe thanked Christ in Trinity\nFor Sir Gawaine that gentle knight.\n31.57 Soe did the knights, both more and lesse,\nReioyced all that day\nFor the good chance that hapened was\nTo Sir Gawaine and his lady gay.","title":"The Child Ballads: 31. The Marriage of Sir Gawain","type":"page"}