III.

All this time Gawayne lies a-bed.

Þus laykeȝ þis lorde by lynde wodeȝ eueȝ,

& G. þe god mon, in gay bed lygeȝ,

Lurkkeȝ quyl þe day-lyȝt lemed on þe wowes,

Vnder couertour ful clere, cortyned aboute;

& as in slomeryng he slode, sleȝly he herde

A littel dyn at his dor, & derfly vpon;

& he heueȝ vp his hed out of þe cloþes,

A corner of þe cortyn he caȝt vp a lyttel,

& wayteȝ warly þider-warde, quat hit be myȝt.

Hit watȝ þe ladi, loflyest to be-holde,

Þat droȝ þe dor after hir ful dernly¹ & stylle,

& boȝed to-warde þe bed; & þe burne schamed.

& layde hym doun lystyly, & let as he slepte.

& ho stepped stilly. & stel to his bedde,

Kest vp þe cortyn, & creped with-inne,

& set hir ful softly on þe bed-syde,

& lenged þere selly longe, to loke quen he wakened.

Þe lede lay lurked a ful longe quyle,

Compast in his concience to quat þat cace myȝt

Mene oþer amount, to meruayle hym þoȝt;

Bot ȝet he sayde in hym-self, "more semly hit were

To aspye wyth my spelle [in] space quat ho wolde."

þen he wakenede, & wroth, & to hir warde torned,

& vn-louked his yȝe-lyddeȝ, & let as hym wondered,

& sayned hym, as bi his saȝe þe sauer to worthe,

with hande;

Wyth chynne & cheke ful swete,

Boþe quit & red in-blande,

Ful lufly con ho lete,

Wyth lyppeȝ smal laȝande.

¹ deruly (?).