Kinge Arthur lives in merry Carleile,                           Carlisle
	  And seemely is to see,
	And there he hath with him Queene Genever,
	  That bride soe bright of blee.                      woman; countenance

5	And there he hath with Queene Genever,                          has been
	  That bride soe bright in bower,                                chamber
	And all his barons about him stoode
	  That were both stiffe and stowre.                                brave

	The King kept a royall Christmasse
10	  Of mirth and great honor,
	And when . . .

[In a missing half page, Arthur arranges a hunt; he is accosted by a Baron - an 
armed warrior - who demands the King fulfill a quest.]

	"And bring me word what thing it is
	  That a woman most desire.
	This shal be thy ransome, Arthur," he sayes,
15	  "For Ile have noe other hier."                      I will; recompense

	King Arthur then held up his hand           gave his hand (in agreement)
	  According thene as was the law;                                 custom
	He tooke his leave of the Baron there,
	  And homward can he draw.                                           did

20	And when he came to merry Carlile,
	  To his chamber he is gone;
	And ther came to him his cozen Sir Gawaine                       kinsman
	  As he did make his mone.                                        lament

	And there came to him his cozen Sir Gawaine,
25	  That was a curteous knight:                                        Who
	"Why sigh you soe sore, uncle Arthur," he said,
	  "Or who hath done thee unright?"                                 wrong

	"O peace, O peace, thou gentle Gawaine,
	  That faire may thee beffall,                                (see note)
30	For if thou knew my sighing soe deepe,               knew [the cause of]
	  Thou wold not mervaile att all.

	"For when I came to Tearne Wadling,           Tarn Wathelene; (see note)
	  A bold Barron there I fand                                 encountered
	With a great club upon his backe,
35	  Standing stiffe and strong.

	"And he asked me wether I wold fight,
	  Or from him I shold begone -
	Or else I must him a ransome pay                         (In which case)
	  And soe depart him from.

40	"To fight with him I saw noe cause,
	  Methought it was not meet,                                    suitable
	For he was stiffe and strong withall,                             indeed
	  His strokes were nothing sweete.

	"Therefor this is my ransome, Gawaine,
45	  I ought to him to pay:                                             owe
	I must come againe, as I am sworne,
	  Upon the New Yeers Day.

	"And I must bring him word what thing it is . . .

[Here a half page is missing. Arthur and Gawain spend their time searching 
for an answer to the Baron's question, and collect a sheaf of answers, none 
satisfactory. Finally, Arthur sets out for his New Year's meeting.]

	Then King Arthur drest him for to ryde                  prepared himself
50	  In one soe rich array
	Toward the foresaid Tearne Wadling,
	  That he might keepe his day.

	And as he rode over a more,                                         moor
	  Hee see a lady where shee sate                                     sat
55	Betwixt an oke and a greene hollen:                                holly
	  She was cladd in red scarlett.

	Then there as shold have stood her mouth,                          where
	  Then there was sett her eye;
	The other was in her forhead fast,
60	  The way that she might see.

	Her nose was crooked and turnd outward,
	  Her mouth stood foule awry;
	A worse formed lady than shee was,
	  Never man saw with his eye.

65	To halch upon him, King Arthur,                                greet him
	  This lady was full faine,                                        eager
	But King Arthur had forgott his lesson,          was at a loss for words
	  What he shold say againe.                       again (i.e., in reply)

	"What knight art thou," the lady sayd,
70	  "That will not speak to me?
	Of me be thou nothing dismayd
	  Tho I be ugly to see.

	"For I have halched you curteouslye,                             greeted
	  And you will not me againe;                     not [greet] me in turn
75	Yett I may happen, Sir Knight," shee said,                      turn out
	  "To ease thee of thy paine."

	"Give thou ease me, lady," he said,                                   If
	  Or helpe me any thing,                                      in any way
	Thou shalt have gentle Gawaine, my cozen,
80	  And marry him with a ring."

	"Why, if I help thee not, thou noble King Arthur,
	  Of thy owne hearts desiringe,
	Of gentle Gawaine . . .

[The lady agrees to the marriage bargain, and tells Arthur what women most
 desire. The King proceeds to his appointed meeting.]

	And when he came to the Tearne Wadling
85	  The Baron there cold he finde,                                   could
	With a great weapon on his backe,
	  Standing stiffe and stronge.                                (see note)

	And then he tooke King Arthurs letters in his hands      written answers
	  And away he cold them fling,                                       did
90	And then he puld out a good browne sword,                         bright
	  And cryd himselfe a king.                                     declared

	And he sayd, "I have thee and thy land, Arthur,
	  To doe as it pleaseth me,
	For this is not thy ransome sure:                             recompense
95	  Therfore yeeld thee to me."

	And then bespoke him noble Arthur,
	  And bad him hold his hand,                                        bade
	"And give me leave to speake my mind
	  In defence of all my land."

100	He said, "As I came over a more,
	  I see a lady where shee sate
	Betweene an oke and a green hollen;
	  Shee was clad in red scarlett.

	"And she says, `A woman will have her will,
105	  And this is all her cheef desire.'
	Doe me right, as thou art a baron of sckill:               by me; proper
	  This is thy ransome and all thy hyer."

	He sayes, "An early vengeance light on her!                  (The Baron)
	  She walkes on yonder more -
110	It was my sister that told thee this,
	  And she is a misshappen hore!                                    whore

	"But heer Ile make mine avow to God                    here I will; oath
	  To doe her an evill turne,
	For an ever I may thate fowle theefe gett,                            if
115	  In a fyer I will her burne."                                      fire
 
[Having satisfactorily answered the Baron's question, Arthur returns to 
court. He gathers his knights and returns to the lady in the forest,
 though he appears to have informed Gawain alone of his marriage pact.]

	  The Second Part

	Sir Lancelott and Sir Steven bold                             (see note)
	  They rode with them that day,
	And the formost of the company                                   [among]
	  There rode the steward Kay.

120	Soe did Sir Banier and Sir Bore,                              (see note)
	  Sir Garrett with them soe gay,                              (see note)
	Soe did Sir Tristeram that gentle knight,                     (see note)
	  To the forrest fresh and gay.

	And when he came to the greene forrest,
125	  Underneath a greene holly tree
	Their sate that lady in red scarlet
	  That unseemly was to see.

	Sir Kay beheld this ladys face,
	  And looked uppon her swire:                                       neck
130	"Whosoever kisses this lady," he sayes,
	  "Of his kisse he stands in feare."                      kiss's outcome

	Sir Kay beheld the lady againe,
	  And looked upon her snout:
	"Whosoever kisses this lady," he saies,
135	  "Of his kisse he stands in doubt."                                fear

	"Peace cozen Kay," then said Sir Gawaine,
	  "Amend thee of thy life.
	For there is a knight amongst us all
	  That must marry her to his wife."

140	"What! Wedd her to wiffe!" then said Sir Kay.
	  "In the divells name anon,
	Gett me a wiffe where ere I may,                                wherever
	  For I had rather be slaine!"                     destroyed; (see note)

	Then some tooke up their hawkes in hast,
145	  And some tooke up their hounds,
	And some sware they wold not marry her                             swore
	  For citty nor for towne.

	And then bespake him noble King Arthur,                        spoke out
	  And sware there by this day:
150	"For a litle foule sight and misliking . . .

[After Arthur's speech, Gawain announces his intention to marry the lady.
 All return to the court, the marriage is celebrated, and the lady and 
Gawain retire to their marriage bed. Faced with Gawain's sexual 
reticence, the lady metamorphoses into a beautiful young woman, and
 then offers Gawain a choice.]

	Then she said, "Choose thee, gentle Gawaine,
	  Truth as I doe say,
	Wether thou wilt have me in this liknesse                     appearance
	  In the night or else in the day."

155	And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,
	  With one soe mild of moode,                    With a demeanor ever so
	Sayes, "Well I know what I wold say -
	  God grant it may be good!

	"To have thee fowle in the night                              [I choose]
160	  When I with thee shold play;                                 make love
	Yet I had rather, if I might,
	  Have thee fowle in the day."

	"What! When lords goe with ther feires," shee said, 1         (see note)
	  "Both to the ale and wine?
165	Alas! Then I must hyde my selfe,
	  I must not goe withinne."                 into the hall (public space)

	And then bespake him gentle Gawaine,                           spoke out
	  Said, "Lady, thats but a skill:           trick (i.e., trial response)
	And because thou art my owne lady,
170	  Thou shalt have all thy will."

	Then she said, "Blesed be thou gentle Gawain,
	  This day that I thee see,
	For as thou see me att this time,
	  From hencforth I wil be.                            remain; (see note)

175	"My father was an old knight.                                 (see note)
	  And yett it chanced soe
	That he marryed a younge lady
	  That brought me to this woe.

	"Shee witched me, being a faire young lady,                   bewitched
180	  To the greene forrest to dwell,
	And there I must walke in womans liknesse,
	  Most like a feeind of hell.        like a monstrous woman; (see note)

	"She witched my brother to a carlish B. . . .         churlish B[aron?]

[The lady continues her explanation, and then she and Gawain consummate the
 marriage. In the morning Kay comes to check on Gawain's welfare, and 
Gawain explains his wife's history.]

	"That looked soe foule, and that was wont                    accustomed
185	  On the wild more to goe.                                         moor

	"Come kisse her, brother Kay," then said Sir Gawaine,
	  "And amend thé of thy liffe:                                     thee
	I sweare this is the same lady
	  That I marryed to my wiffe."

190	Sir Kay kissed that lady bright,
	  Standing upon his feete;
	He swore, as he was trew knight,                             (see note)
	  The spice was never soe sweete.

	"Well, cozen Gawaine," sayes Sir Kay,
195	  "Thy chance is fallen arright,                                   luck
	For thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids
	  I ever saw with my sight."

	"It is my fortune," said Sir Gawaine.
	  "For my uncle Arthurs sake,
200	I am glad as grasse wold be of raine,
	  Great joy that I may take."

	Sir Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme,
	  Sir Kay tooke her by the tother;                            the other
	They led her straight to King Arthur
205	  As they were brother and brother.

	King Arthur welcomed them there all,
	  And soe did Lady Genever his Queene,
	With all the knights of the Round Table
	  Most seemly to be seene.

210	King Arthur beheld that lady faire
	  That was soe faire and bright.
	He thanked Christ in Trinity
	  For Sir Gawaine that gentle knight.

	Soe did the knights, both more and lesse,
215	  Rejoyced all that day,
	For the good chance that hapened was
	  To Sir Gawaine and his lady gay.                             handsome

Fins.                                                                   The End

The Marriage of Sir Gawain
Edited by Thomas Hahn
Originally Published in Sir Gawain: Eleven Romances and Tales
Kalamazoo, Michigan: Western Michigan University for TEAMS, 1995
Marriage follows Cornwall and Turke in the Percy Folio manuscript. It has suffered the same fate as those two poems: half of each page of the text had been torn out for use in starting fires sometime before Bishop Percy acquired the volume. In plot, Marriage closely resembles Ragnelle and the versions of the same story told in Gower's Confessio Amantis and Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale, so that despite the losses the main points of the narrative remain clear. In fact, Marriage presents a retelling bolder and balder than any of the others. The characters play exaggerated parts: Arthur's antagonist is not knightly, but a threatening thug "With a great club upon his backe"; the lady "in red scarlett" is simply monstrous; Kay at first is totally disgusted, and at the end filled with brotherly congratulation; Gawain is impeccably courteous. In the same way, motives and reactions are unhesitatingly named by the narrative: Arthur says he was afraid to fight, he offers Gawain in marriage before the lady even expresses an interest, and the crux of the story - what women most desire - turns out to be a tautology, for "a woman will have her will": she wants what she wants.

As a proper ballad, Marriage maintains the fundamental simplicity of the plot. There are none of the literary touches that Gower adds, or the learned allusions to Ovid, Dante, and Boethius of Chaucer's version. Likewise, Marriage forgoes the narrative replications and the thematic and verbal repetitions that mark Ragnelle as a popular romance and complicate its possible meanings. The interlocking sets of masculine social relations held in place through Ragnelle's plot do not surface in Marriage; indeed, the nameless antagonist calls his nameless sister "a misshappen hore" and promises to burn her "in a fyer" if he catches her. The lady's plight, whereby like a witch she "looked soe foule and . . . was wont / On the wild more to goe" (lines 184-85), comes about through a bad marriage: her father, an "old knight . . . marryed a younge lady" who in fairy-tale fashion proceeded to turn her competition (or her children's competition for inheritance) into a creature "most like a feend of hell" (line 182). The wicked stepmother appears also in Ragnelle and in Gower's version.

Like the majority of Gawain romances, Marriage places Arthur's court at Carlisle (line 1), and sets its action in Inglewood Forest, and specifically at the Tarn Wathelene (lines 32, 51). Arthur is presumably hunting when he encounters the "bold barron," as are the main characters in Ragnelle, Carlisle, Awntyrs, and several others in this group of romances. These linkages of plot and detail do not, however, demonstrate that Marriage is a popular refashioning of an earlier written or literary narrative. The Percy Folio poem may well be the record of one more retelling of a story that had been popular at least from the time of King Edward I, and that, in addition to giving rise to a group of literary renditions, must have circulated widely in oral performances throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. As such, it bears witness to Gawain's huge celebrity with an astonishing variety of audiences, and across centuries of enormous cultural change. The social milieu and the precise nature of the performance represented by Marriage are vividly defined in the fictional portrayal that Howard Pyle inserts into his Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883); in this children's narrative, Robin's first adventure is a meeting in a tavern with a Tinker-minstrel, who sings "an ancient ballad of the time of good King Arthur, called the Marriage of Sir Gawaine, which you may some time read, yourself, in stout English of early times" (New York: Dover, 1968, p. 19). Pyle's portrayal of this impromptu performance before a tavern audience at the edge of Sherwood Forest likely corresponds to the sort of setting in which the compiler of the Percy Folio Manuscript heard the version of Marriage that he wrote down.

Like Cornwall, Marriage is composed in ballad meter, namely four-line stanzas rhyming xaxa. The lines tend not to fall into regular metrical feet; instead they alternate, with four-stress unrhymed lines followed by three-stress lines containing the rhyming final word. As the oral sources of the meter would suggest, the poetry is most effective when read aloud; lines that "sound" clumsy when not vocalized take on life in spoken form.

Text

The Marriage of Sir Gawain survives, though mutilated, in the Percy Folio Manuscript, pp. 46-52 (described in the introductory material to The Greene Knight). In transcribing the cramped and fading hand, I have been aided by the editions of Madden, Furnivall and Hales, and Child, and I have sometimes followed their readings and reconstructions for letters and words that now appear indistinct or indecipherable. I have regularized orthography, so that "u"/"v" and "i"/"j" appear according to modern usage; abbreviations have been silently expanded, numerals spelled out, and modern punctuation and capitalization added.