X.

[A] Wheþer hade he no helme ne hawb[e]rgh nauþer, 204 Ne no pysan, ne no plate þat pented to armes, Ne no schafte, ne no schelde, to schwne ne to smyte, [B] Bot in his on honde he hade a holyn bobbe, Þat is grattest in grene, when greue3 ar bare, 208 [C] & an ax in his oþer, a hoge & vn-mete, A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle quo-so my3t; Þe hede of an eln3erde þe large lenkþe hade, Þe grayn al of grene stele & of golde hewen, 212 [D] Þe bit burnyst bry3t, with a brod egge, As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores; Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi-grypte, Þat wat3 wounden wyth yrn to þe wande3 ende, [Fol. 94.] 216 [E] & al bigrauen with grene, in gracios[1] werkes; A lace lapped aboute, þat louked at þe hede, & so after þe halme halched ful ofte, Wyth tryed tassele3 þerto tacched in-noghe, 220 [F] On botoun3 of þe bry3t grene brayden ful ryche. Þis haþel helde3 hym in, & þe halle entres, Driuande to þe he3e dece, dut he no woþe, [G] Haylsed he neuer one, bot he3e he ouer loked. 224 Þe fyrst word þat he warp, "wher is," he sayd, [H] "Þe gouernour of þis gyng? gladly I wolde Se þat segg in sy3t, & with hym self speke raysoun." 228 To kny3te3 he kest his y3e, & reled hym vp & doun, [I] He stemmed & con studie, Quo walt þer most renoun.

[Sidenote A: The knight carried neither spear nor shield,] [Sidenote B: In one hand was a holly bough,] [Sidenote C: in the other an axe,] [Sidenote D: the edge of which was as keen as a sharp razor,] [Sidenote E: and the handle was encased in iron, curiously "graven with green, in gracious works."] [Sidenote F: Thus arrayed the Green Knight enters the hall,] [Sidenote G: without saluting any one.] [Sidenote H: He asks for the "governor" of the company,] [Sidenote I: and looks for the most renowned.] [Footnote 1: looks like gracons in MS.]