Happy New Year!

"But my dear sir, you are interrupting our New Year's dinner!" Sir Gawain tries to chivvy away the Green Knight. via

Continuing on from Christmas at Camelot according to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, here is the poem's description of New Year. It is on New Year's Day that the Green Knight appears with his axe, his holly bough, and his peculiar challenge. According to custom, Arthur refuses to eat the festive meal until some new quest, or adventure, appears. With the entrance of the Green Knight, he, and Sir Gawain, get rather more than they bargained for!

Wyle Nw Yer was so yep that hit was nwe cummen,
That day doubble on the dece was the douth served,
Fro the kyng was cummen with knyghtes into the halle,
The chauntré of the chapel cheved to an ende.
Loude crye was ther kest of clerkes and other,
Nowel nayted onewe, nevened ful ofte;
And sythen riche forth runnen to reche hondeselle,
Yeyed yeres yiftes on high, yelde him bi hond,
Debated busyly aboute tho giftes.
Ladies laghed ful loude, thogh thay lost hadden,
And he that wan was not wrothe, that may ye wel trawe.
Alle this mirthe thay maden to the mete tyme.
When thay had waschen worthyly thay wenten to sete,
The best burne ay abof, as hit best semed;
When Guenore, ful gay, graythed in the myddes,
Dressed on the dere des, dubbed al aboute - 
Smal sendal bisides, a selure hir over
Of tryed Tolouse, of Tars tapites innoghe,
That were enbrawded and beten with the best gemmes
That myght be preved of prys with penyes to bye
                   in daye.
       The comlokest to discrye
       Ther glent with yyen gray;
       A semloker that ever he syye,
       Soth moght no mon say. 
Pearl, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, edited by A.C. Cawley (London: Everyman, 1970), l.60-84.

Translation according to moi, with some help from my trusty Everyman edition:


While New Year was so young that was newly come,
That day double portions of food were served on the dias,
After the King came with his knights into the halle,
Once the singing of Mass in the chapel had come to an end.
Loud cried then the clerics and others,
'Noel' celebrated anew, named full oft;
And then noble knights ran forward to give presents,
Announced their gifts, offered them by hand,
And debated busily about their presents.
Ladies laughed full loudly, even if they lost,
And he who won was not angry, you may be sure.
All this mirth they made until the meal time.
When they had washed they went to their seats,
The best mam in a higher seat, as it seemed;
Queen Guinevere, full gay, seated in the midst,
Seated on the highest dais, bedecked all around -
Fine silk curtains beside her, a canopy over her
Of costly Toulouse silk, and many hangings from Turkestan,
That were embroidered and set with the best gems,
That money could buy
                    in any day.
     The fairest to behold
     She glanced with eyes grey;
     One more fair that ever he saw
     Truly could no man say.
  

The Green Knight interrupts New Year festivities at Camelot. via