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 greue3 ar bare,
& an ax in his oþer, a hoge & vn-mete,
A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle quo-so my3t;
Þe hede of an eln3erde þe large lenkþe hade,
Þe grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen,
Þe bit burnyst bry3t, with a brod egge,
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores;
Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi-grypte,
Þat wat3 wounden wyth yrn to þe wande3 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 tassele3 þerto tacched in-noghe,
On botoun3 of þe bry3t grene brayden ful ryche.
Þis haþel helde3 hym in, & þe halle entres,
Driuande to þe he3e dece, dut he no woþe,
Haylsed he neuer one, bot he3e 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 sy3t, & with hym self speke
raysoun."
To kny3te3 he kest his y3e,
& reled hym vp & doun,
He stemmed & con studie,
Quo walt þer most renoun.
1 looks like gracons in MS.