The Turke

The Turke and Sir Gawain

• attestation: A short, broad figure resembling a Turk entered Arthur's hall while the King was being served at his meal. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > Opening Challenge)

  "And when the King sate in seate - Lords served him att his meate - Into the hall a burne there came.

He was not hye, but he was broad, And like a Turke he was made Both legg and thye;"

• attestation: The Turke issued a challenge to trade buffets — to give a blow and receive one in return — asking if any knight was hardy enough. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > Opening Challenge)

  ""Is there any will, as a brother, To give a buffett and take another? And iff any soe hardy bee?""

• attestation: The Turke promised that Gawain's buffet would be repaid and that he would make Gawain three times as afraid as any man on earth before Gawain saw Arthur's court again. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Bargain Renewed)

  ""This buffett thou hast . . . Well quitt that it shall be. And yett I shall make thee thrise as feard As ever was man on middlearth, This Court againe ere thou see.""

• attestation: The Turke took his leave of the King; Gawain armed himself with armour and steed, and they rode northwards for two days or more. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Bargain Renewed)

  "The Turke tooke leave of King with crowne; Sir Gawaine made him ready bowne, His armor and his steed. They rode northwards two dayes and more."

• attestation: The Turke reproached Gawain for his hunger, reminding him that at court Gawain had been served dainties but shared nothing with the Turke, and instead struck him with a buffet. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Bargain Renewed)

  "Says "Gawaine, where is all thy plenty? Yesterday thou wast served with dainty, And noe part thou wold give me, "But with buffett thou did me sore; Therefore thou shalt have mickle care, And adventures shalt thou see."

• attestation: The Turke expressed a wish to have King Arthur and many of Gawain's Round Table fellows present to test their mastery. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Bargain Renewed)

  "I wold I had King Arthur heere, And many of thy fellowes in fere That behaves to try mastery.""

• attestation: The Turke led Gawain to a flat hill where the earth opened and closed again, terrifying Gawain; darkness fell with thunder, lightning, snow, and rain. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Bargain Renewed)

  "He led Sir Gawaine to a hill soe plaine. The earth opened and closed againe - Then Gawaine was adread. The merke was comen, and the light is gone: Thundering, lightning, snow, and raine, Therof enough they had."

• attestation: The Turke separately brought food and drink for Gawain, warning him that before he got more victuals he would have to labour and sweat. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Strange Castle)

  "The Turke went forth, and tarryed nought; Meate and drinke he forth brought, Was seemly for to see. He said, "Eate, Gawaine, and make thee yare. In faith, or thou gett victalls more Thou shalt both swinke and sweate."

• attestation: The Turke refused to conclude the bargain by delivering his return blow; instead he asked Gawain to accompany him to the Isle of Man. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Strange Castle)

  "[Another half page is missing at this point. The Turk refuses to allow Gawain to conclude the bargain by receiving his return blow. Instead he asks that Gawain accompany him to the Isle of Man.]"

• attestation: The Turke showed Gawain a fair castle on the Isle of Man and identified its ruler as the King of Man, a heathen sultan. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Isle of Man)

  "He lett him see a castle faire; Such a one he never saw yare, Noewher in noe country. The Turke said to Sir Gawaine "Yonder dwells the King of Man, A heathen soldan is hee."

• attestation: The Turke warned Gawain about a tennis ball that no knight in Arthur's hall could strike, and other adventures and assaults they would face. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Isle of Man)

  "Thou shalt see a tenisse ball That never knight in Arthurs hall Is able to give it a lout. "And other adventures there are moe. Wee shall be assayled ere we goe, Therof have thou noe doute."

• attestation: The Turke pledged to help Gawain in time of need, promising to bring him back safely despite any opposition. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Isle of Man)

  ""But and yee will take to me good heed, I shall helpe you in time of need. For ought I can see There shall be none soe strong in stower But I shall bring thee againe to hi . . ."

• attestation: Upon arriving safely at the Isle of Man, the Turke declared the beginning of the 'great oath' — a solemn trial of adventures. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Isle of Man)

  ""Heere are we withouten scath. But now beginneth the great othe, When we shall adventures see.""

• attestation: The Turke (called Gawain's 'boy') helped defeat the giants at tennis and stabbed a giant in the hall, making it groan gruesomely. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Tennis Match and the Hearth)

  ". . . and sticked a giant in the hall That grysly can hee grone. The King sayd, "Bray away this axeltree, For such a boy I never see."

• attestation: The Turke (Gawain's boy) leapt to the chimney, seized it by the great bowls, and swung it three times around his head, scattering coals and burning brands. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Tennis Match and the Hearth)

  "Gawaines boy to it did leape, And gatt itt by the bowles great, And about his head he it flang. Thris about his head he it swang That the coals and the red brands . . ."

• attestation: After the chimney contest, the Turke clothed himself in a garment of invisibility to accompany Gawain to the final challenge. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Tennis Match and the Hearth)

  "[In a missing half page the Turk completes his victory in the second contest, twirling the hot fireplace above his head. He then clothes himself in a garment of invisibility to accompany Gawain as the King of Man leads him to the final challenge."

• attestation: The Turke was invisibly clothed in a special garment; though no one could see him, he heard all the giant's threats and planned to intervene. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Lead and the Beheading)

  "The Turke was clad invissible gay: No man cold see him withouten nay, He was cladd in such a weede. He heard their talking lesse and more: And yet he thought they shold find him there When they shold do that deed."

• attestation: The Turke reassured Gawain that all danger was past, calling him 'Master'. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Lead and the Beheading)

  "And saide to Sir Gawaine at the last, "Noe force, Master, all the perill is past! Thinke not we tarrie too longe . . ."

• attestation: The Turke produced a golden basin fit for an emperor, then took a sword of fine metal and asked Gawain to behead him as repayment for his service. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Lead and the Beheading)

  "He tooke forth a bason of gold As an Emperour washe shold, As fell for his degree.

He tooke a sword of mettle free, Saies "If ever I did any thing for thee, Doe for me in this stead: Take here this sword of steele That in battell will bite weele, Therwith strike of my head.""

• attestation: The Turke urged Gawain to proceed without fear, asking him to let the blood fall into the golden basin, and promising a wondrous new sight with help from the Virgin Mary. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Lead and the Beheading)

  ""Have done, Sir Gawaine! I have no dread. But in this bason let me bleed, That standeth here in this steed,

"And thou shalt see a new play, With helpe of Mary that mild mayd That saved us from all dread.""

• attestation: After the Turke's transformation, he took Gawain by the hand and they found many worthy men who had been imprisoned and never seen before. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > The Lead and the Beheading)

  "Then he tooke him by the hand, And many a worthy man they fand That before they never see."

• attestation: The transformed knight invited Gawain to sit and eat with him, and told the captive ladies to be of good cheer, promising each would return to her own dear one. (The Turke and Sir Gawain > Return to Arthur's Court)

  "He said, "Sir Gawaine, withouten threat Sitt downe boldly at thy meate, And I will eate with thee. Ladyes all, be of good cheere: Eche ane shall wend to his owne deer In all hast that may be."