XII.

[A] Nade he sayned hym-self, segge, bot þrye, 764 Er he wat3 war in þe wod of a won in a mote. [B] Abof a launde, on a lawe, loken vnder bo3e3, Of mony borelych bole, aboute bi þe diches; [C] A castel þe comlokest þat euer kny3t a3te, 768 Pyched on a prayere, a park al aboute, With a pyked palays, pyned ful þik, Þat vmbe-te3e mony tre mo þen two myle. Þat holde on þat on syde þe haþel auysed, 772 [D] As hit schemered & schon þur3 þe schyre oke3; Þenne hat3 he hendly of his helme, & he3ly he þonke3 Iesus & say[nt] Gilyan, þat gentyle ar boþe, Þat cortaysly hade hym kydde, & his cry herkened. [Fol. 101b.] 776 "Now bone hostel," coþe þe burne, "I be-seche yow 3ette!" Þenne gedere3 he to Gryngolet with þe gilt hele3, [E] & he ful chauncely hat3 chosen to þe chef gate, Þat bro3t bremly þe burne to þe bryge ende, 780 in haste; [F] Þe bryge wat3 breme vp-brayde, Þe 3ate3 wer stoken faste, Þe walle3 were wel arayed, 784 Hit dut no wynde3 blaste.

[Sidenote A: Scarcely had he blessed himself thrice] [Sidenote B: when he saw a dwelling in the wood, set on a hill,] [Sidenote C: the comeliest castle that knight ever owned.] [Sidenote D: It shone as the sun through the bright oaks.] [Sidenote E: Sir Gawayne goes to the chief gate,] [Sidenote F: and finds the draw-bridge raised, and the gates shut fast.]