XXI.
Wild ways now Gawayne rides.
Wylde waye3 in þe worlde Wowen now ryde3,
On Gryngolet, þat þe grace hade geten of his lyue;
Ofte he herbered in house, & ofte al þeroute,
& mony a-venture in vale, & venquyst ofte,
Þat I ne ty3t, at þis tyme, in tale to remene.
Þe hurt wat3 hole, þat he hade hent in his nek,
& þe blykkande belt he bere þeraboute,
A belef as a bauderyk, bounden bi his syde,
Loken vnder his lyfte arme, þe lace, with a knot,
In tokenyng he wat3 tane in tech of a faute;
& þus he commes to þe court, kny3t al in sounde.
Þer wakned wele in þat wone, when wyst þe grete,
Þat gode G: wat3 commen, gayn hit hym þo3t;
Þe kyng kysse3 þe kny3t, & þe whene alce,
& syþen mony syker kny3t, þat so3t hym to haylce,
Of his fare þat hym frayned, & ferlyly he telles;
Biknowo3 alle þe costes of care þat he hade,—
Þe chaunce of þe chapel, þe chere of þe kny3t,
Þe luf of þe ladi, þe lace at þe last.
Þe nirt in þe nek he naked hem schewed,
Þat he la3t for his vnleute at þe leudes hondes,
for blame;
He tened quen he schulde telle,
He groned for gref & grame;
Þe blod in his face con melle,
When he hit schulde schewe, for schame.