X.
Many a cliff he climbed over;
Mony klyf he ouer-clambe in contraye3 straunge,
Fer floten fro his frende3 fremedly he ryde3;
At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wy3e passed,
He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were,
& þat so foule & so felle, þat fe3t hym by-hode;
So mony meruayl hi mount þer þe mon fynde3,
Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole.
Sumwhyle wyth worme3 he werre3, & with wolues als,
Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarre3,
Boþe wyth bulle3 & bere3, & bore3 oþer-quyle,
& etayne3, þat hym a-nelede, of þe he3e felle;
Nade he ben du3ty & dry3e, & dry3tyn 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 cloude3 schadden,
& fres er hit falle my3t to þe fale erþe;
Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes,
Mo ny3te3 þen in-noghe in naked rokke3,
Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne renne3,
& henged he3e ouer his hede in hard ÿsse-ikkles.
Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde,
Bi contray carye3 þis kny3t, tyl kryst-masse euen,
al one;
Þe kny3t wel þat tyde,
To Mary made his mone.
Þat ho hym red to ryde,
& wysse hym to sum wone.