XVII.

Gawayne rises, hears mass, and then dines.

Then ruþes hym þe renk, & ryses to þe masse,

& siþen hor diner wat3 dy3t & derely serued.

Þe lede with þe ladye3 layked alle day,

Bot þe lorde ouer þe londe3 launced ful ofte,

Swe3 his vncely swyn, þat swynge3 bi þe bonkke3,

& bote þe best of his brache3 þe bakke3 in sunder;

Þer he bode in his bay, tel¹ bawe-men hit breken,

& made² hym, maw-gref his bed, forto mwe vtter;

So felle flone3 per flete, when þe folk gedered;

Bot 3et þe styffest to start bi stounde3 he made,

Til at þe last he wat3 so mat, he my3t no more renne,

Bot in þe hast þat he my3t, he to a hole wynne3,

Of a rasse, bi a rokk, þer renne3 þe boerne,

He gete þe bonk at his bak, bigyne3 to scrape,

Þe froþe femed³ at his mouth vnfayre bi þe wyke3,

Whette3 his whyte tusche3; with hym þen irked

Alle þe burne3 so bolde, þat hym by stoden,

To nye hym on-ferum, bot ne3e hym non durst

for woþe;

He hade hurt so mony byforne,

Þat al þu3t⁴ þenne ful loþe,

Be more wyth his tusche3 torne,

Þat breme wat3 [&] brayn-wod bothe.

¹ til (?). ² madee, in MS. ³ fomed (?). ⁴ þo3t (?).