XIII.

[A] Þe burne bode on bonk, þat on blonk houed, Of þe depe double dich þat drof to þe place, Þe walle wod in þe water wonderly depe, 788 [B] Ande eft a ful huge he3t hit haled vpon lofte, Of harde hewen ston vp to þe table3, [C] Enbaned vnder þe abataylment, in þe best lawe; & syþen garyte3 ful gaye gered bi-twene, 792 Wyth mony luflych loupe, þat louked ful clene; A better barbican þat burne blusched vpon neuer; & innermore he be-helde þat halle ful hy3e, [D] Towre telded bytwene trochet ful þik, 796 Fayre fylyole3 þat fy3ed, & ferlyly long, [E] With coruon coprounes, craftyly sle3e; Chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he in-no3e, Vpon bastel roue3, þat blenked ful quyte; 800 So mony pynakle payntet wat3 poudred ay quere, Among þe castel carnele3, clambred so þik, Þat pared out of papure purely hit semed. [F] Þe fre freke on þe fole hit fayr in-n[o]ghe þo3t, 804 If he my3t keuer to com þe cloyster wyth-inne, To herber in þat hostel, whyl halyday lested auinant; [G] He calde, & sone þer com 808 A porter pure plesaunt, On þe wal his ernd he nome, & haylsed þe kny3t erraunt.

[Sidenote A: The knight abides on the bank,] [Sidenote B: and observes the "huge height,"] [Sidenote C: with its battlements and watch towers.] [Sidenote D: Bright and long were its round towers,] [Sidenote E: with their well-made capitals.] [Sidenote F: He thinks it fair enough if he might only come within the cloister.] [Sidenote G: He calls, and soon there comes a porter to know the knight's errand.]