X.
The knight carried neither spear nor shield,
Wheþer hade he no helme ne hawb[e]rgh nauþer,
Ne no pysan, ne no plate þat pented to armes,
Ne no schafte, ne no schelde, to schwne ne to smyte,
Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe,
Þat is grattest in grene, when greueȝ ar bare,
& an ax in his oþer, a hoge & vn-mete,
A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle quo-so myȝt;
Þe hede of an elnȝerde þe large lenkþe hade,
Þe grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen,
Þe bit burnyst bryȝt, with a brod egge,
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores;
Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi-grypte,
Þat watȝ wounden wyth yrn to þe wandeȝ ende,
& al bigrauen with grene, in gracios1 werkes;
A lace lapped aboute, þat louked at þe hede,
& so after þe halme halched ful ofte,
Wyth tryed tasseleȝ þerto tacched in-noghe,
On botounȝ of þe bryȝt grene brayden ful ryche.
Þis haþel heldeȝ hym in, & þe halle entres,
Driuande to þe heȝe dece, dut he no woþe,
Haylsed he neuer one, bot heȝe he ouer loked.
Þe fyrst word þat he warp, "wher is," he sayd,
"Þe gouernour of þis gyng? gladly I wolde
Se þat segg in syȝt, & with hym self speke
raysoun."
To knyȝteȝ he kest his yȝe,
& reled hym vp & doun,
He stemmed & con studie,
Quo walt þer most renoun.
1 looks like gracons in MS.