thereagainst] in return
Steven] assignation
of his counsel] in his confidence
halsed] embraced
raging] passion
green] fresh
bow draught] bowshot
But if] Unless
askance] hypocritically
appealed] accused
simply purveyed] ill-equipped
halsed] embraced
that and ye should have ado] even if you had to fight
forjousted] overthrew
loath word] i.e. of yielding
razing, foining, and dashing many sad strokes] slashing, thrusting, and striking many grievous strokes
treatable] co-operative
that is me lievest] that is what I would most like
flacket] flask
by that drink] by the time that that drink
message] business
most cause why] in particular because
unadvised] without thinking
devoured] destroyed
Grantmercy°] gramercy, thank you
deserve] reward
recked not of] did not care about
stilly] silently
devour] destroy
unless that he were manhandled] without being given rough treatment
mean] ordinary
can thee no thank] owe you no thanks
forjousted] overthrown
cause why] good reason
unwrast] wrenched free
naked] unarmed
towels] i.e. a rope made of cloths tied together
lazar-cote] house for lepers
Isode les Blanches Mains] Isode of the White Hands
clipping] embracing
do you to wit] inform you
I cast to prove or that I depart] I intend to undertake before I leave
hoving] passing
Glatissant] baying
no maker can make it] no poet can describe it
to spere what tidings] to find out what was going on
shrewd] troublesome
at his large] wherever he pleased
blew and straked] blew the call for the end of the hunt
leres] cheeks
warison] reward
answer] take on
let] held off
shrewd harbour] a wretched place to stay
pursuivants] heralds
abode] i.e. stayed in the lists
made a countenance to amend his horse] pretended to check his horse’s harness
do his utterance] i.e. kill him
would reprove Sir Tristram of old hate betwixt them] would say how he blamed Sir Tristram for the long-standing hatred between them
skift] settle
maugre] ill will
and I dread … should be skift] if I did not fear him more than you, it would soon be settled
might not do withal] could not avoid it
puissance] might
degree] recognition of victory
done] gift
it shall be hard and ever he escape our hands] he shall escape us only with difficulty
appeal] accuse
impeach] accuse
return again] bring back
fine] pure
withheld] kept with him
degree] prize
stiffly] boldly
avoid] part company with
slyly and marvellously] so as to attract remarkably little notice
let see devise] consider
amazed] beside himself
do withal] act otherwise
after he was] according as he was
houselled] given the Eucharist
privy postern] secluded gate
service] homage in love
forecast] malice aforethought
let] prevent
bourder] joker
wrote goodly letters again] wrote letters back
advised] prepared
entermete with] look to
could it] knew it by heart
be thy warrant] guarantee your safety
curious] skilled
go quit] get away with it
range] lists
let make a cry] had it proclaimed
shift] dealing
mickle] much
simple] trivial
duras] affliction
shake] pace
shrew] menace
coast] border
ordinance] martial preparations
cleanest-mighted man and the best-winded] strongest and fittest
Iwis] indeed degree] prize
endlong and thorough] riding its whole length
weeds] clothing
namely] especially
forceth] strains
hoveth] waits
I held him reasonably hot] I was giving him a hard enough time
deliver] deal with
my voice and my name] my vote and support
recover] way out
false leeches] medical malpractice
No force] no matter
beset] suited
largesse] generosity
passed] passed judgement
maker] poet
deemed] sentenced
a rout which seemed knights] a company that appeared to be knights
borrow] ransom
play] pass the time
had a grant] received the consent
defaded] pale
hart of grease] fat deer
guerdonless] without reward
rejoice] enjoy
keep] care
ride or go] ride or walk
bruit] fame
but if he be] without his being
stew] heated bathhouse
loving] praise
lewd] uneducated
pucel] i.e. boy (see note)
as were about Queen Guenivere secret] i.e. her confidential servants
let] delay
undern°] about 9 a.m.
wite] blame
hold you still] stay calm
kindly] natural, loving
clatter] chatter
hemming] clearing the throat
wood] mad
if ye were not] if you did not exist
araged] frenzied
hete] rebuke
and but by miracle] even if only by miracle
make it good] prove it in combat
dawed] revived
spere] enquire
knowing] experienced
witting] knowledge
showers] troubles
wild wood] mad as a wild man
minever] fur trimming
Castle Blank] i.e. the White Castle
fair faren] well treated
brade] great puli
wrothe] twisted
happy] blessed
overget] overtake
might not find him his sustenance] could not provide him with enough food
unhilled] uncovered
mazed] deranged
counsel] secret
beclosed environ] enclosed around
rude] strong
cantles] pieces
defended] forbidden
cast me] intend
that I sought] what I asked for
bruit] fame
senship] disgrace
suffragan] bishop
sendal] silk
sueth] follow
haut] high
for there sat … he were mischieved] no one but he ever sat there without coming to harm
worship] bring honour to
hoved] floated
that is the change of your name, and leaving] i.e. that shows you have lost the title of best knight of the world
jesseraunt] coat of mail
avised] looked in the face
estates] people of rank
to-drive] shatter
of the strain of all parts of kings] of a royal line by all his ancestors
all betimes] soon enough
and it might be] if it could be bro
ught about
escape hard] hardly escape
paynim] pagan
deadly bed] deathbed
took] gave
conversant] conducting their lives
defend] forbid
covin] conspiracy
bate] quarrel
servage and truage] servitude and exactions
devoured] destroyed
suppose well] can well believe it
toward and forward] one way and another
sue] follow
flemed] put to flight
betaught] commended
new disguised] i.e. carrying an unfamiliar shield
rove to the coif of steel] cut through to the inner steel cap
spere] ask
I have endured thus long for little trespass] I have suffered long on account of only a small sin
rise against] stand up in honour of
discover] reveal
wite] blame for
made nesh neither by water nor by fire] softened by water or fire, i.e. baptism or grace
given thee to work so largely] so generously endowed you with capacity for action
assoiled] absolved
help you or tomorrow at even of a horse] provide you with a horse before tomorrow evening
It sore forthinketh me] I regret it bitterly
sacring] consecration (of the Eucharist)
perclose] enclosure
dressed] sat
unhilled] uncovered
used it] i.e. taken the sacrament
erst] before that
inly] entirely
doubted] feared
made him all the cheer that a beast might make a man] showed him all the goodwill that an animal could show to a man
chafed] heated
trussed] bundled
thou shalt not be quit for losing of any of thy members] you shall not get away with losing any of your limbs
without keeping] unguarded
travailed of] troubled by
doubtful] fearsome
baptism] i.e. Christian faith
benome] taken away from
chafed] heated
pousté] power
long on] due to
hair] hair shirt
he weened never to have borne arms] he thought he would never be able to wield a weapon again
bobaunce] boastfulness
in waste of all the remnant] wasted time for all the rest of us
sieges] seats
rack] a number sufficient for a feeding-rack
trowed] believed
it shall not then forthink me] I shall not mind
my Creator] i.e. the last rites
No force] No matter
curtilage] enclosed yard
worts to his meat] green plants for his food
quick] living
rind] bark
betook] entrusted
without] unless
doubted] feared
more availeth my blackness] my blackness is of greater use
the one would have benome the others] [the tree] would have taken away from [the flowers]
might not avail] is good for nothing
rejoice] enjoy
raundom] violence
held the stour] maintained the onslaught
Le Morte Darthur: The Winchester Manuscript (Oxford World's Classics) Page 79
