X.
Many a cliff he climbed over;
Mony klyf he ouer-clambe in contrayeȝ straunge,
Fer floten fro his frendeȝ fremedly he rydeȝ;
At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wyȝe passed,
He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were,
& þat so foule & so felle, þat feȝt hym by-hode;
So mony meruayl hi mount þer þe mon fyndeȝ,
Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole.
Sumwhyle wyth wormeȝ he werreȝ, & with wolues als,
Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarreȝ,
Boþe wyth bulleȝ & bereȝ, & boreȝ oþer-quyle,
& etayneȝ, þat hym a-nelede, of þe heȝe felle;
Nade he ben duȝty & dryȝe, & dryȝtyn had serued,
Douteles he hade ben ded, & dreped ful ofte.
For werre wrathed hym not so much, þat wynter was wors,
When þe colde cler water fro þe cloudeȝ schadden,
& fres er hit falle myȝt to þe fale erþe;
Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes,
Mo nyȝteȝ þen in-noghe in naked rokkeȝ,
Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne renneȝ,
& henged heȝe ouer his hede in hard ÿsse-ikkles.
Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde,
Bi contray caryeȝ þis knyȝt, tyl kryst-masse euen,
al one;
Þe knyȝt wel þat tyde,
To Mary made his mone.
Þat ho hym red to ryde,
& wysse hym to sum wone.