XV.

[A] Gawayn gly3t on þe gome þat godly hym gret, [B] & þu3t hit a bolde burne þat þe bur3 a3te, 844 A hoge haþel for þe none3, & of hyghe elde;[1] [C] Brode bry3t wat3 his berde, & al beuer hwed, Sturne stif on þe stryþþe on stal-worth schonke3, [D] Felle face as þe fyre, & fre of hys speche; 848 & wel hym semed for soþe, as þe segge þu3t, To lede a lortschyp in lee of leude3 ful gode. [E] Þe lorde hym charred to a chambre, & chefly cumaunde3[2] [Fol.] To delyuer hym a leude, hym lo3ly to serue; [102b.] 852 & þere were boun at his bode burne3 in-no3e, [F] Þat bro3t hym to a bry3t boure, þer beddyng wat3 noble, Of cortynes of clene sylk, wyth cler golde hemme3, [G] & couertore3 ful curious, with comlych pane3, 856 Of bry3t blaunnier a-boue enbrawded bisyde3, Rudele3 rennande on rope3, red golde rynge3, [H] Tapyte3 ty3t to þe wo3e, of tuly & tars, & vnder fete, on þe flet, of fol3ande sute. 860 [I] Þer he wat3 dispoyled, wyth speche3 of myerþe, Þe burn of his bruny, & of his bry3t wede3; [J] Ryche robes ful rad renkke3 hem[3] bro3ten, For to charge, & to chaunge, & chose of þe best. 864 Sone as he on hent, & happed þer-inne, Þat sete on hym[4] semly, wyth saylande skyrte3, [K] Þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed Wel ne3 to vche haþel alle on hwes, 868 Lowande & lufly, alle his lymme3 vnder, [L] Þat a comloker kny3t neuer Kryst made, hem þo3t; Wheþen in worlde he were, 872 Hit semed as he my3t Be prynce with-outen pere, In felde þer felle men fy3t.

[Sidenote A: Gawayne looks on his host;] [Sidenote B: a big bold one he seemed.] [Sidenote C: Beaver-hued was his broad beard,] [Sidenote D: and his face as "fell as the fire."] [Sidenote E: The lord leads Gawayne to a chamber, and assigns him a page to wait upon him.] [Sidenote F: In this bright bower was noble bedding;] [Sidenote G: the curtains were of pure silk with golden hems;] [Sidenote H: Tarsic tapestries covered the walls and the floor.] [Sidenote I: Here the knight doffed his armour,] [Sidenote J: and put on rich robes,] [Sidenote K: which well became him.] [Sidenote L: A more comely knight Christ never made.] [Footnote 1: eldee, MS.] [Footnote 2: clesly, MS.] [Footnote 3: hym (?).] [Footnote 4: MS. hyn.]