V.
[Fol. 99a.]
Thus arrayed the knight hears mass,
When he watȝ hasped in armes, his harnays watȝ ryche,
Þe lest lachet ou[þ]er loupe lemed of golde;
So harnayst as he watȝ he herkneȝ his masse,
Offred & honoured at þe heȝe auter;
Syþen he comeȝ to þe kyng & to his cort fereȝ,
Lacheȝ lufly his leue at lordeȝ & ladyeȝ;
& þay hym kyst & conueyed, bikende hym to kryst.
Bi þat watȝ Gryngolet grayth, & gurde with a sadel,
Þat glemed ful gayly with mony golde frenges,
Ay quere naylet ful nwe for þat note ryched;
Þe brydel barred aboute, with bryȝt golde bounden;
Þe apparayl of þe payttrure, & of þe proude skyrteȝ,
Þe cropore, & þe couertor, acorded wyth þe arsouneȝ;
& al watȝ rayled on red ryche golde nayleȝ,
Þat al glytered & glent as glem of þe sunne.
Þenne hentes he þe holme, & hastily hit kysses,
Þat watȝ stapled stifly, & stoffed wyth-inne:
Hit watȝ hyȝe on his hede, hasped bihynde,
Wyth a lyȝtli vrysoun ouer þe auentayle,
Enbrawden & bounden wyth þe best gemmeȝ,
On brode sylkyn borde, & bryddeȝ on semeȝ,
As papiayeȝ paynted pernyng bitwene,
Tortors & trulofeȝ entayled so þyk,
As mony burde þer aboute had ben seuen wynter
in toune;
Þe cercle watȝ more o prys,
Þat vmbe-clypped hys croun,
Of diamaunteȝ a deuys,
Þat boþe were bryȝt & broun.