XV.

Gawayne looks on his host;

Gawayn gly3t on þe gome þat godly hym gret,

& þu3t hit a bolde burne þat þe bur3 a3te,

A hoge haþel for þe none3, & of hyghe elde;¹

Brode bry3t wat3 his berde, & al beuer hwed,

Sturne stif on þe stryþþe on stal-worth schonke3,

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

& wel hym semed for soþe, as þe segge þu3t,

To lede a lortschyp in lee of leude3 ful gode.

Þe lorde hym charred to a chambre, & chefly cumaunde3²

To delyuer hym a leude, hym lo3ly to serue;

& þere were boun at his bode burne3 in-no3e,

Þat bro3t hym to a bry3t boure, þer beddyng wat3 noble,

Of cortynes of clene sylk, wyth cler golde hemme3,

& couertore3 ful curious, with comlych pane3,

Of bry3t blaunnier a-boue enbrawded bisyde3,

Rudele3 rennande on rope3, red golde rynge3,

Tapyte3 ty3t to þe wo3e, of tuly & tars,

& vnder fete, on þe flet, of fol3ande sute.

Þer he wat3 dispoyled, wyth speche3 of myerþe,

Þe burn of his bruny, & of his bry3t wede3;

Ryche robes ful rad renkke3 hem³ bro3ten,

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

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

Þat sete on hym⁴ semly, wyth saylande skyrte3,

Þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed

Wel ne3 to vche haþel alle on hwes,

Lowande & lufly, alle his lymme3 vnder,

Þat a comloker kny3t neuer Kryst made,

hem þo3t;

Wheþen in worlde he were,

Hit semed as he my3t

Be prynce with-outen pere,

In felde þer felle men fy3t.

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