IX.

Gaily was the knight attired.

Wel gay wat3 þis gome gered in grene,

& þe here of his hed of his hors swete;

Fayre fannand fax vmbe-foldes his schulderes;

A much berd as¹ a busk ouer his brest henges,

Þat wyth his hi3lich here, þat of his hed reches,

Wat3 euesed al vmbe-torne, a-bof his elbowes,

Þat half his armes þer vnder were halched in þe wyse

Of a kynge3 capados, þat closes his swyre.

Þe mane of þat mayn hors much to hit lyke,

Wel cresped & cemmed wyth knottes ful mony,

Folden in wyth fildore aboute þe fayre grene,

Ay a herle of þe here, an oþer of golde;

Þe tayl & his toppyng twynnen of a sute,

& bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bry3t grene,

Dubbed wyth ful dere stone3, as þe dok lasted,

Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte,

Þer mony belle3 ful bry3t of brende golde rungen.

Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke þat hym rydes,

Wat3 neuer sene in þat sale wyth sy3t er þat tyme,

with y3e;

He loked as layt so ly3t,

So sayd al þat hym sy3e,

Hit semed as no mon my3t,

Vnder his dyntte3 dry3e.

¹ as as, in MS.