XV.

Gawayne looks on his host;

Gawayn glyȝt on þe gome þat godly hym gret,

& þuȝt hit a bolde burne þat þe burȝ aȝte,

A hoge haþel for þe noneȝ, & of hyghe elde;¹

Brode bryȝt watȝ his berde, & al beuer hwed,

Sturne stif on þe stryþþe on stal-worth schonkeȝ,

Felle face as þe fyre, & fre of hys speche;

& wel hym semed for soþe, as þe segge þuȝt,

To lede a lortschyp in lee of leudeȝ ful gode.

Þe lorde hym charred to a chambre, & chefly cumaundeȝ²

To delyuer hym a leude, hym loȝly to serue;

& þere were boun at his bode burneȝ in-noȝe,

Þat broȝt hym to a bryȝt boure, þer beddyng watȝ noble,

Of cortynes of clene sylk, wyth cler golde hemmeȝ,

& couertoreȝ ful curious, with comlych paneȝ,

Of bryȝt blaunnier a-boue enbrawded bisydeȝ,

Rudeleȝ rennande on ropeȝ, red golde ryngeȝ,

Tapyteȝ tyȝt to þe woȝe, of tuly & tars,

& vnder fete, on þe flet, of folȝande sute.

Þer he watȝ dispoyled, wyth specheȝ of myerþe,

Þe burn of his bruny, & of his bryȝt wedeȝ;

Ryche robes ful rad renkkeȝ hem³ broȝten,

For to charge, & to chaunge, & chose of þe best.

Sone as he on hent, & happed þer-inne,

Þat sete on hym⁴ semly, wyth saylande skyrteȝ,

Þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed

Wel neȝ to vche haþel alle on hwes,

Lowande & lufly, alle his lymmeȝ vnder,

Þat a comloker knyȝt neuer Kryst made,

hem þoȝt;

Wheþen in worlde he were,

Hit semed as he myȝt

Be prynce with-outen pere,

In felde þer felle men fyȝt.

¹ eldee, MS. ² clesly, MS. ³ hym (?). ⁴ MS. hyn.