Arthur and Gawain

by: John Conlee (Editor)

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[Arthur and Gawain]   [Summary. King Bors and his men, on their way to Bredigan to join Arthur and Ban, are threatened by King Amaunt, who tells Bors he must surrender Castle Charryoe, which Amaunt claims is his. Bors replies that Uterpendragon gave the castle to him, but he will relinguish it if Amaunt agrees to do homage to Arthur. Amaunt refuses, proposing instead that they settle the matter by single combat. They fight and Bors kills Amaunt. Amaunt's knights then do homage to Arthur, and both groups ride to Bredigan. Fols. 128v (line 12)-131r (line 10).]   Thus thei sojourned at Bredigan thre dayes full. And than sente the kynge to enquere for workemen and labourers with mattokkes and shoveles till he hadde well five hundred. Than thei wente to the tresour, as Merlin hem taught, in the foreste, and lete digge in the erthe and fonde the tresour that never er was seyn, and toke it oute of the erthe and charged cartes and chariettes in tonnes that thei hadde brought thider grete plenté. And whan thei hadde all the tresour charged, thei made it to be condited to Logres, whereas Arthurs nevewes dide abide. And Merlin made hem digge depe undir an oke till thei fonde a vessell of lether, and therin twelve the beste swerdes and the feirest that eny man nede to seche. These ledde the Kynge Arthur to Logres with his tresour, till that thei were come to court that thei sholde on be emploide. And as soone as the children herde speke that the Kynge Arthur hir oncle was comynge, thei lepte on theire horse and rode agein hym alle togeder, that noon ne lefte but wente alle gladde and myrie that never peple myght make more joye. And whan thei com nygh, Merlin toke the Kynge Arthur apart and the two kynges and made hem alight under a feire tre for to abide the children that com; and [he] comaunded her hoste to ride all wey forth till that thei come to Logres, and take theire logginges and ese hem all by leiser. And whan thei herde the comaundement of the kynge, thei passed forth withoute more abidinge and mette with the cheldren that com with grete chyvachie. And whan thei mette the routes, thei asked where was the Kynge Arthur; and thei hem shewde the tre ther he was alight. And the childeren hem dressed that wey that moche hem dide haste. And Gawein wente before, that thei helde for maister and lorde, and thei hadde right, for he was the beste taught and the moste curteise that ever was, and in whom was lefte vilonye, and the wisiste that myght be whan he com to chivalrie. Whan thei com to the tree ther the kynge was alight, and these other two kynges with hym, and the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table. And as soone as the children hem saugh, thei alight afoote from theire horse and wente afoote theras these knyghtes were sette upon the fresshe herbes in the shadowe of the foreste. And hem aventeed and keeled, for it hadde be hoote all the day, and thei hadde riden all the day armed for doute of the Saisnes that were in the londe; and it was aboute the ende of Maye. Whan the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table saugh the children approche nygh, that eche hadde take other hande in hande godely and alle were thei well clothed and richely araied and full of grete bewté, and semed well that thei were alle come of gode issue; and it becom hem well that thei com so entreprised, and thei helde it a grete debonerté that thei helde togeder so feire. And whan the knyghtes hem saugh come, thei roos ageins hem. And whan thei com nygh Gawein hem salued, that was of the chief and the eldeste; and than he seide, "Feire lordinges, we seche the Kynge Arthur, wherefore we praye yow that ye will us shewen where he is, that we may hym knowen." At this worde ansuerde Nascien and salued hym agein debonerly and seide, "My feire sones, lo, hym yonde, ther tho noble men ben sette, and he is also the yongeste of alle," and shewde hym with his fynger. And whan Gawein hym saugh, he paste forth and seide, "Sir, gramercy," and com that wey ther the kynge was and his felowes. And thei stode upon foote as soone as thei saugh the children come. Whan Gawein saugh his oncle and his felowes, he and alle the children kneled down and salued the kynge and his companye, for hym and his felowes that were with hym icomen. "Sir," quod Gawein, "I am come to yow, I and my brethern and my cosins, as to my liege lorde; and these other be come also for the goode that thei here speken of yow, and for to seche oure armes of yow, and that it plese yow for to make us knyghtes; and [we] shull gladly yow serve, as we owe to do, yef oure servise may yow plese. And I sey not but that thei have yow served, for somme ther ben here that while ye have been oute of contrey have diffended youre londe as wele as it hadde ben theire owne agein alle youre enmyes, and have be in helpinge to alle hem that ye lefte it to kepe. And seth thei come have thei suffred many a grete travaile, and I will well that ye it wite, for to a goode man ther sholde be reported honour and bounté whan he hath don; and of a shrewe oweth oon consele, for he hath no herte it to guerdone, ner the iyen power a gode man to beholde, ne to knowe the halvendell of the bounté that in hym is." Whan the kynge undirstode the childe that so wisely spake, he toke hym by the hand and anoon comaunded hem alle to arise. And thei did his comaundement. And than the kynge aresond hem and asked of Gawein what thei were. "Sir," seide Gawein, "er ye knowe more by us wolde we wite youre volunté; and after that, demaunde us that yow plesith, and we shull telle yow gladly that we knowen." Whan the two kynges herde the wordes of the childe, thei helde hym right wise, and seide to the Kynge Arthur that he seide right. And than spake theKynge Arthur and seide, "Feire frendes, I will withholde yow with right gladde chere and will make yow knyghtes, bothe yow and youre companye, of myn owne, and ye be right welcome. And I will that fro hensforth that ye be my frendes and my felowes and of my privé counseile and lordes of my court." And whan the childeren herde how the kynge spake, thei kneled and hym thonked; and the kynge toke hem by the hondes and seide to Gawein, "Feire frende, now telle me what ye be, and of youre felowes telle me the verité, for longe me thinketh it to wite." "Sir," quod the childe, "men clepe me by my right name Gawein, the sone of Kynge Loot of Leoneys and of Orcanye. And these thre that I holde by the hondes beth my brethern; and the name of that oon is Agravayn, and the tother is Gaheret, and the thridde Gaheryes. And oure moder hath do us to undirstonde that she is youre suster on hir moder side. And thise gentilmen ben oure cosins germain, as oure auntes sones. And the name of the lesse that is short and fatte is Galashin, and [he] is sone to Kynge Ventre. And this other that is longe and yonge is sone to Kynge Urien, and his name is Ewein; and this gentilman is his brother on his fader side and is cleped also Ewein. And these tweyne other that ye se holde togeder, thei be gentilmen of high lynage, for this feire broun is sone to the Kynge Belinans of South Walis and is nygh cosin to Galashin; and these other tweyne be nevewes to the Kynge of Strangore and ben nygh sibbe to Galashin. And these other tweyne ben nevewes also to the Kynge of Strangore, and the name of that oon is Kay Destranx and the tother Kehedin. "And these other tweyne that ther stonde togeder aperteyne to the Kynge Loot, my fader, and be erles sones; and oon is cleped Ewein White Hande, and the tother Ewein Esclins, and the tother Ewein Cyvell, and the tother Ewein de Lyonell. And this other gentilman that is of so grete bewté, that is so moche and semly and well shapen of body and of alle membres, is nevew to the emperour of Costantynnoble, and his name is Seigramor; and [he] is come with us be his debonerté and his fraunchise to take armes, and that ye hym make knyght. Andhe will yow gladly serve with gode will, and will that he and I be felowes in armes while hym liketh to abide in this contrey. And these other gentilmen that ye seen aboute us whereof be so grete plenté ben alle frendes and kynnesmen, and have lefte her londes and hir honours for to come serve yow for the grete love that thei have to yow." Whan the Kynge Arthur hadde herde Gawein thus speke, he leide his arme aboute his nekke and seide, "He is right wellcome [ . . . ]," and made of hem grete joye; and than [to] his brethern and his cosins and to Segramor he made merveilouse joye. And whan he hadde welcomed hem alle, than he seide to Gawein, "Gawein, feire nevewe, com hider, and that I yow enffeffe ye will take the constabilrie of myn housolde and of all the lordship of my londe after me, and fro hensforth to be lorde and comaunder of alle hem that ben in my londe, for I will it so be." And Gawein kneled and seide, "Sir, gramercy." And the kynge hym feffed with his right glove, and than he reised hym upon his feet. And than [thei] lept to theire horse and rode forth to Logres. And whan the kynge entred into the citee, his suster com agein hym, the wif of Kynge Loot of Orcanye, and with hir com Morgne le Fee hir suster that was so grete a clergesse. And whan the kynge hem knewe, he made of hem grete joye, for longe tyme hadde he not hem sein; and thei kissed as brother and suster. And thus thei come to the maister paleys that was hanged with clothes of silke and strowed with fressh herbes softe and swote smellinge. And [thei] maden grete joye thourgh the town all day on ende and all nyght, so that no man may reherse the joye and the gladnesse of all the peple. The same nyght the kynge comaunded the children to go wake in the cheiff mynster till on the morowe before messe, that no lenger he wolde abide. And the storie seith this was the quynsyme after Pentecoste; and ther was the Kynge Ban and the Kynge Bohors and the sixty-one Knyghtes of the Rounde Table with these children all day, that hem in no wise wolde leven. Whan it com before the tyme of high messe, Arthur toke Calibourne, his gode swerde that he drough oute of the ston, and by the counseile of Merlin therwithhe girde Gawein his nevewe; and than he sette on the spore on the right hele and the Kynge Ban upon the lifte hele; and after that the Kynge Arthur yaf hym the acolee and bad God make hym a gode knyght. And after he adubbed his thre brethern also, and yaf eche of hem a suerde of tho that were founde in the tresour that Merlin taught; and than the tweye sones of Kynge Urien; and than Galashin, and Dodinell, and Kay, and Kehedin; and to everiche of these he yaf a swerde of the tresour. And than the kynge adubbe Seigramor with soche garmentes as he hadde brought from Costantynnoble, for he was come well araide of alle thinges that behoveth to a newe knyght. And the kynge girde hym with a gode swerde that he hadde brought out of Costantynnoble that his graunsire the Kynge Adrian hadde hym yoven. And than he sette on his right spore and the Kynge Bohors his lifte spore; and than the Kynge Arthur yaf hym the acolee. And than he dubbed the four cosins -- Ewein White Honde and Ewein Esclyn and Ewein Cyvell and Ewein de Lyonell -- and Alain and Acon; and to ech of these six he yaf a swerde of tho that were of the tresour. But the storie seith that Dodynell hadde noon, but he hadde the swerde that was the Kynges Amaunt; and the Kynge Bohors hym it yaf, for he was somdell of hys kyn. Whan these children were thus adubbed, than eche of hem adubbed soche companye as thei wolde lede of soche as thei hadde brought with hem. And whan thei were alle redy, thei wente to high messe that the archebisshop sange; and whan messe was don, thei com agein to the paleise to mete. And ther helde Arthur grete court and grete feste, and it nedith not to speke of the meesse ne the servise that thei hadde that day, for it were but losse of tyme. And after mete wolde these yonge bachelers have reised a quyntayn in the medowes, but the kynge hem diffended by the counseile of Merlin, for that the contrey was so trouble and full of werre, and the Cristin sore turmented with Saisnes that were entred in the londe. Thus lefte the envysenx of these yonge bachillers and newe knyghtes at this tyme; and [thei] sojourned in the town three dayes. And the kynge departed grete richesse to yonge bachelers that he withheilde, that of alle parties were come grete plentee; for ther com so many of oon and other that thei were sixty thousande, what on horsebak and on foote, withoute hem that he hadde brought out of the reame of Tamelide. And in the menewhile that thei sojourned in the town, Morgne le Fee aqueynted hir with Merlin and was with hym so privé; and so moche she was with hym that she knewe what he was. And many merveilles he hir taught of astronomye and of egramauncye; and she helde it right wele. And on the thridde day spake Merlin to the kynge and badde hym appareile for to move, for Pounces and Antony and Frolle ben entred now into the reame of Benoyk; and also the peple of the Kynge of Gaule, and also Claudas the Kynge de la Desert. And Arthur seide he was redy to go whan hym liked, for he abode but his comaundement. Than seide Merlin, "Comaunde alle youre hoste to be redy armed for to move at mydnyght, and take with yow of this londe twenty thousande, and twenty thousande of the reame of Tamelide; and twenty thousande ye shull leve in this town, for this reame may not be lefte withoute peple; and lete Doo of Cardoell of hem have the governaunce." And thus ended her counseile. And than the kynge comaunded Gawein as Merlin hadde seide, and anoon Gawein dide his comaundement and made hem redy appareilled. And hem de- parted and dissevered asonder, and hem he logged in the medowes of Logres, alle that sholde with hem go. And whan he hadde do thus, he com to the kynge and to Merlin that he saugh in counseile togeder and seide how all was redy. And whan Merlin hym saugh, he bad the kynge aske hym what was the knyght that ledde hym to socour his moder in the medow of Glocedon. And he hym turned and seide, "Sir, how knowe ye this, and who hath this to yow itolde?" "Certes," quod the kynge, "he that tolde me knoweth alle these thinges well inough." "So helpe me God, sir," seide Gawein, "I knowe not what he was, for I saugh hym never before ne after." "Now," quod Merlin, "aske hym yef he knewe hym that brought hym the letter from his cosin Ewein, the sone of KyngeUrien." And whan Gawein saugh and behelde hym that satte by the kynge, he asked whi he made the kynge hym so demaunde. And than he bethought hym agein wisely and remembred the wordes that Doo of Cardoell hadde to hym seide. And the kynge asked yef he hym kenned. And he seide, "Nay; but oon dide me for to undirstonde that it was Merlin; but trewly, I knowe hym not. And many other bountees and servyses hath he me don; for Seigramor, the emperoures nevew, he made me delyver from pereile of deth; and my moder and my cosin Ewein and also oureself at the Castell of Arondell; and he is the man of the worlde that I wolde faynest knowe this day." "Ye shull knowe hym inough," quod Merlin, "whan hym liketh." Than began the kynge to laugh right lowde and seide, "Gawein, feire nevew, sitte down here by me, and I shall telle yow that I knowe." And he sette hym down be the kynge, and ther were no mo but thei thre. Than seide the kynge to Gawein, "Feire nevew, lo, here the gode man by whom ye wente to the Castell of Arondell, where that ye fought with the Saisnes that day that Dodynell the Savage and Kay Destranx and his neveu com oute of her contrey; and therfore, now thonke hym of the servises that he hath yow don, and well ye owe so to do, and to love hym for his gode herte that he hath to yow." "Sir," seide Gawein, "I can not inowgh hym quyte as he is of worthynesse; but thus moche I sey, that I am all his and at his comaundement; and he is so wise that knowe I well that he knoweth all my corage that I have to hym." And he seide ye, that he knewe well his herte, and that he wolde with hym ben aqueynted and be oon of his privees; but he bad hym that he sholde not telle no creature of nothinge that he seide to hym, were he never so pryvé ne frendly. "And ye shull se me," quod he, "in so many gises that I will not be knowe of no man, for moche is the envye for covetyse in this worlde." And Gawein seide that never wolde he speke therof to no creature of the erthe. Thus was Merlin and Sir Gawein aqueynted before his oncle. And whan thei hadde longe spoke togeder, than seide Merlin, "Feire frende, go take youre leve of youre moder, and than goith to the hoste and make youre peple go to horsebak anoon after mydnyght; and than goith forth youre wey towarde Dover to the portes. And do appareille vesselles and assemble shippes at the ryvage, so that youre uncle whan he cometh, and the two kynges in his companye that beth worthy men, may enter withoute lenger lettinge. And for Godes sake, loke ye do hem worship and honour, for though thei be the Kynge Arthurs men, yet ben thei comen of higher lynage than is he. And loke ye lete no man knowe what wey that ye shull go." And Gawein seide it sholde be don as he hadde devised. Than departed Gawein and toke leve of his moder, that was right wise and moche hym loved, and comaunded hym to God to diffende hym from evyll. And he departed and com to the hoste, he and his brethern, and Sir Ewein his cosin that moche hym loved, and Galashin, and Dodinell, and Seigramor, and Ewein Avoutres, and the foure cosins that alle were cleped Ewein, and Kay Destranx, and Kehedin his nevew; these ne departed gladly asonder; these hadde the hoste in governaunce, as Sir Gawein hem assigned, so that alle were at the comaundement of my lorde Sir Gawein. And anoon after mydnyght, Gawein made trusse sommers and other cariage, and made goode wacche aboute the hoste that ther ne ascaped noon aspie; and thei hit kepten that the booke hath rehersed; and than thei rode forth a softe paas till thei com to the port of Dover. And the Kynge Arthur abode at Logres, and Merlin, and the Kynge Ban, and the Kynge Bohors, and the forty-one knyghtes that thei ledde into Tamelide, and the Knyghtes of the Rounde Table. And Sir Gawein made serche all the ryvages and take shippes and assembled a grete navie. And whan Merlin knewe that all was redy, he sente to the kynge and made hym move be nyght, and seide er thei moved that thei sholde aryve at the Rochell, and badde hem do make her men rowe hem up thider. "And whan ye bith arived, loke that ye move not till that ye se me agein." Quod the kynge, "Shull ye not than come with us?" "No," quod Merlin, "but ye shull ly ther but oon nyght whan ye shull se me with yow." With that departed that oon from that other. And Merlin wente into Northumbirlonde to Blase, his maister, that of hym was right gladde, for hertely he hym loved, and asked hym how he hadde don seth he departed. And he hym tolde alle the thinges as thei were befallen, and Blase hem wrote in his booke. And whan Merlin com to that he behoved to telle, of the damsell that he loved par- amours. And Blase was therof right hevy, for he douted she wolde hym disseyve and that she sholde lese his grete witte, and he gan hym to chastise. And he hym tolde soche prophesies as were for to come and of other that sholde falle in other londes, as ye shull here herafter. And alle Blase wrote in his boke; but now returne we to speke of the Kynge Arthur.

Go To The Begetting of Lancelot; and Merlin and Nimiane

Footnotes

ARTHUR AND GAWAIN: FOOTNOTES

2 enquere for, enlist.

5 charged, filled; charietts, wagons; tonnes, barrels.

6 charged, loaded.

7 condited, taken; whereas, where.

8 oke, oak; fonde, found.

10 ledde, took; till that, so that when.

11 be emploide, be put to good use.

12 children, squires.

13-14 noon ne lefte, no one stayed behind.

20 chyvachie, horsemanship.

21 routes, companies of men.

22 dressed, proceeded.

23 before, ahead.

24 right, good reason.

25 lefte, absent.

26 chivalrie, knighthood.

27 Whan, Then; ther, where.

29 saugh, saw; theras, where.

31 hem aventeed, opened their helmet vents; keeled, cooled.

32 doute, fear.

37 issue, parentage; entreprised, well organized.

38 debonerté, virtue.

39 ageins, before; salued, greeted.

43 debonerly, politely.

46 gramercy, great thanks; com, went; ther, where.

50 salued, greeted.

53 here speken, hear spoken; and², if.

54 owe, ought.

55 yef, if.

55-56 yow served, you [already] served.

57 as it, as if it; agein, against.

58 be in helpinge to, assisted; seth, since.

59 travaile, hardship; will well, much desire; wite, know.

61 shrewe, wicked man; oweth oon consele, ought to keep silent; it to guerdone, [a worthy] person to reward; ner, nor; iyen, eyes.

62 halvendell, extent; bounté, virtue.

65 anoon, then; hem, them.

66 aresond hem, spoke with them; what, who.

67 wolde we wite, we would know; volunté, wishes.

68 demaunde, ask; that¹, whatever; that², what.

71 withholde, support.

73 will, wish.

76 what ye be, who you are.

77 verité, truth; for . . . wite, for I have long desired to know.

78 clepe, call.

82 cosins germain, first cousins.

83 lesse, smaller one.

84 longe, tall.

86 cleped, called; holde, stand.

89 ben nygh sibbe, are close kin.

92 aperteyne, belong.

95 moche, large; semly, handsome.

97 be, by.

98 debonerté, courtesy; and², if.

99 will³, desires.

100 hym liketh, he chooses; abide, stay.

108 enffeffe, request that; constabilrie, management.

110 will, desire.

111 feffed, i.e., struck lightly.

114 agein, to.

116 clergesse, scholar.

118 strowed, bestrewn.

122 wake, keep vigil; mynster, cathedral.

123 quynsyme, the fifteenth day.

129 acolee, accolade.

130 adubbed, knighted.

131 yaf eche, gave each; of tho, from those.

132 taught, had told them about.

133 everiche, everyone.

136 behoveth, pertains.

139 yoven, given.

140 acolee, accolade.

142 yaf, gave.

145 somdell of hys kyn, related to him.

149 mete, dine.

151 mete, dinner.

152 quyntayn, tilting board.

152-53 hem diffended, dissuaded them.

155 lefte, ended; envysenx, sporting.

157 withheilde, upheld.

159 withoute hem, excluding those.

162 so privé, very privately.

164 egramauncye, necromancy; helde, learned.

165 appareile, prepare.

176 dissevered asonder, separated; logged, stationed.

179 bad, bade; what, who.

183 what, who.

184 yef, if.

187 demaunde, question.

189 yef, if; kenned, knew; oon dide, one caused.

194 faynest, most happily.

197 that, what; be, by.

198 mo, more.

201 her, their.

202 owe, ought.

204 quyte, repay.

206 corage, love; ye, yes.

208 privees, confidants.

209 pryvé, trustworthy.

217 appareille, ready; ryvage, seacoast.

219 lettinge, delay.

224 comaunded, commended.

228 ne departed gladly asonder, were happy not to be parted.

231 made trusse sommers, readied the packhorses.

232 made goode wacche, posted guards; ascaped noon aspie, escaped any spy.

233 kepten, guarded; softe paas, easy pace.

237 serche, searched; ryvages, coastal areas; take, took.

239 be, by; er, before.

240-41 bith arived, have arrived.

242 ly, wait.

246 seth, since.

248 whan, then; that, what; behoved, was compelled.

248-49 paramours, romantically.

249 hevy, sad; douted, feared; disseyve, deceive.

250 lese, cause him to lose; he², i.e., Merlin.

251 falle, occur.

ARTHUR AND GAWAIN: NOTES

Arthur and Gawain

[Fols. 128v (line 12)-134r (line 18)]

In this section of the PM Arthur and Gawain finally meet. Arthur is so impressed by his nephew that he formally invests him as the king's constable, a position of great honor as well as of great authority. In addition, what the Young Squires have so fervently desired -- to be knighted by Arthur -- finally occurs. In formal knighting ceremonies each of them receives a new sword and his spurs (the symbol of knighthood), which are ceremoniously attached to his feet by the attending kings. Gawain has the supreme honor of being given Arthur's sword Calibourne.
Once again there is little here that has a direct counterpart in Malory's Morte D'Arthur. In Malory, Gawain requests that Arthur make him a knight on the same day that Arthur weds the queen (Vinaver, p. 60); but when the king knights Sir Pellinor's son Torre ahead of Gawain, Gawain feels slighted and insulted. No others are knighted at this time in Malory; indeed, Gawain's younger brothers are yet to figure in the story at all.

Summary Based on EETS 21, pp. 363-70.

3 the tresour. This refers to the buried treasure that Merlin had revealed to Arthur and Ban and Bors earlier.

59-63 for to a goode man . . . in hym is. Gawain seems to be saying that it is right to report honorable and virtuous deeds to a good man (one such as Arthur); but it is better not to do so to a wicked leader, for he will be unappreciative and will fail to reward such deeds appropriately.

83 the name of the lesse that is short and fatte. In the description of the Young Squires, the author (in Gawain's words) makes some attempt to individualize the young men on the basis of their physical appearance. Thus one is said to be short, another tall, another darker complexioned, and so on. Sagremor is singled out particularly for his "great beauty" and well-shaped body.

105 right wellcome [ . . . ]. About three words at the end of Arthur's speech are indecipherable in the MS.

107-08 "Gawein, feire nevewe . . . I yow enffeffe." Here, in formal feudalistic terms ("I yow enffeffe"), Arthur bestows upon Gawain the constableship of his household and the lordship of his lands. Gawain is thus established as one of Arthur's most important liegemen.

121 The same nyght. An important part of the spiritual preparation for knighthood is the vigil that young knights-to-be must observe on the night prior to their knighting. The knighting ceremony itself occurs the next morning and is followed by a high Mass.

126 Arthur toke Calibourne. During the knighting ceremony a young knight is given his sword and his spurs. Here Arthur bestows a very special honor on Gawain by giving him his own sword Calibourne. Arthur then attaches Gawain's right spur, and King Ban attaches the left one. Finally, Arthur gives Gawain the "acolee," an embrace signifying his entry into the chivalric brotherhood of knights. The other knights are given swords from the treasure that Merlin had directed them to, with the exception of Sagremor, who has brought a special family heirloom from Constantinople for this purpose.