La3t to his lufly hed, & lyft hit vp sone;
& syþen bo3e3 to his blonk, þe brydel he cachche3,
[I] Steppe3 in to stel bawe & stryde3 alofte,
436 [J] & his hede by þe here in his honde halde3;
& as sadly þe segge hym in his sadel sette,
As non vnhap had hym ayled, þa3 hedle3 he[1] we[re],
in stedde;
440 [K] He brayde his bluk[2] aboute,
Þat vgly bodi þat bledde, [Fol. 97.]
Moni on of hym had doute,
Bi þat his resoun3 were redde.

[Sidenote A: The Green Knight]
[Sidenote B: puts his long lovely locks aside and lays bare his neck.]
[Sidenote C: Sir Gawayne lets fall his axe]
[Sidenote D: and severs the head from the body.]
[Sidenote E: The head falls to the earth.]
[Sidenote F: Many kick it aside with their feet.]
[Sidenote G: The knight never falters;]
[Sidenote H: he rushes forth, seizes his head,]
[Sidenote I: steps into the saddle,]
[Sidenote J: holding the while the head in his hand by the hair,]
[Sidenote K: and turns his horse about.]
[Footnote 1: MS. ho.]
[Footnote 2: blunk (?).]

XX.

444 For þe hede in his honde he halde3 vp euen,
[A] To-ward þe derrest on þe dece he dresse3 þe face,