& þe Grene Knyȝt
7
190Ay a herle of þe here, an oþer of golde;
Þe tayl and his toppyng twynnen of a sute,
And bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bryȝt grene,
Dubbed wyth fule dere stoneȝ, as þe dok lasted,
Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte,
195Þer mony belleȝ ful bryȝt of brende golde runged.
Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke þat hym rydes,
Watȝ neuer sene in þat sale wyth syȝt er þat tyme,
with yȝe
He loked as lay so lyȝt,
200 So sayd al þat hym syȝe;
Hit semed as no mon myȝt
Vnder his dyntteȝ dryȝe.
Þe tayl and his toppyng twynnen of a sute,
And bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bryȝt grene,
Dubbed wyth fule dere stoneȝ, as þe dok lasted,
Syþen þrawen wyth a þwong a þwarle knot alofte,
195Þer mony belleȝ ful bryȝt of brende golde runged.
Such a fole vpon folde, ne freke þat hym rydes,
Watȝ neuer sene in þat sale wyth syȝt er þat tyme,
with yȝe
He loked as lay so lyȝt,
200 So sayd al þat hym syȝe;
Hit semed as no mon myȝt
Vnder his dyntteȝ dryȝe.
Wheþer hade he no helme ne hawbergh[1] nauþer,
Ne no pysan ne no plate þat pented to armes,
Ne no schafte ne no shcelde to schwue ne to smyte,
206Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe,
Þat is grattest in grene when greueȝ ar bare,
And an ax in his oþer, a hoge and vnmete,
A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle, quoso myȝt.
210Þe hede of an elnȝerde þe large lenkþe hade,
Þe grayn al of grene stele and of golde hewen,
Þe bit burnyst bryȝt, wyth a brode egge
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores.
Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi grypte,
f. 94aÞat watȝ wounden wyth yrn to þe wandeȝ ende,
216And al bigrauden with grene in gracios[2] werkes;
A lace lapped aboute, þat louked at þe hede,
And so after þe halme halched ful ofte,
Wyth tryed tasseleȝ þertom tacched innoghe
220On botounȝ of þe bryȝt grene brayden ful ryche.
Þis haþel heldeȝ hym in and þe halle entres,
Driuande to þe heȝe dece, dut he no woþe,
Haylsed he neuer one, bot heȝe he ouer loked.
Ne no pysan ne no plate þat pented to armes,
Ne no schafte ne no shcelde to schwue ne to smyte,
206Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe,
Þat is grattest in grene when greueȝ ar bare,
And an ax in his oþer, a hoge and vnmete,
A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle, quoso myȝt.
210Þe hede of an elnȝerde þe large lenkþe hade,
Þe grayn al of grene stele and of golde hewen,
Þe bit burnyst bryȝt, wyth a brode egge
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores.
Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi grypte,
f. 94aÞat watȝ wounden wyth yrn to þe wandeȝ ende,
216And al bigrauden with grene in gracios[2] werkes;
A lace lapped aboute, þat louked at þe hede,
And so after þe halme halched ful ofte,
Wyth tryed tasseleȝ þertom tacched innoghe
220On botounȝ of þe bryȝt grene brayden ful ryche.
Þis haþel heldeȝ hym in and þe halle entres,
Driuande to þe heȝe dece, dut he no woþe,
Haylsed he neuer one, bot heȝe he ouer loked.
