XVIII.

928 [A] Bi þat þe diner wat3 done, & þe dere vp, Hit wat3 ne3 at þe niy3t ne3ed þe tyme; Chaplayne3[1] to þe chapeles chosen þe gate, Rungen ful rychely, ry3t as þay schulden, 932 [B] To þe hersum euensong of þe hy3e tyde. Þe lorde loutes þerto, & þe lady als, In-to a comly closet coyntly ho entre3; Gawan glyde3 ful gay, & gos þeder sone; 936 Þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe, & lede3 hym to sytte, & couþly hym knowe3, & calle3 hym his nome, & sayde he wat3 þe welcomest wy3e of þe worlde; [C] & he hym þonkked þroly, & ayþer halched oþer. 940 & seten soberly samen þe seruise-quyle; Þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe kny3t. [D] Þenne com ho of hir closet, with mony cler burde3, Ho wat3 þe fayrest in felle, of flesche & of lyre, 944 & of compas, & colour, & costes of alle oþer, [E] & wener þen Wenore, as þe wy3e þo3t. He ches þur3 þe chaunsel, to cheryche þat hende; [F] An oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde, 948 Þat wat3 alder þen ho, an auncian hit semed, & he3ly honowred with haþele3 aboute. [G] Bot yn-lyke on to loke þo ladyes were, [H] For if þe 3onge wat3 3ep, 3ol3e wat3 þat oþer; 952 Riche red on þat on rayled ay quere, [I] Rugh ronkled cheke3 þat oþer on rolled; Kerchofes of þat on wyth mony cler perle3 [J] Hir brest & hir bry3t þrote bare displayed, 956 Schon schyrer þen snawe, þat scheder[2] on hille3; Þat oþer wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer þe swyre, Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk-quyte vayles, [K] Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ay quere, 960 Toret & treieted with tryfle3 aboute, [L] Þat no3t wat3 bare of þat burde bot þe blake bro3es. [Fol. 104.] Þe tweyne y3en, & þe nase, þe naked lyppe3, & þose were soure to se, & sellyly blered; 964 A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle, for gode; [M] Hir body wat3 schort & þik. [N] Hir buttoke3 bay & brode, 968 More lykker-wys on to lyk, Wat3 þat scho hade on lode.

[Sidenote A: After dinner the company go to the chapel,] [Sidenote B: to hear the evensong of the great season.] [Sidenote C: The lord of the castle and Sir Gawayne sit together during service.] [Sidenote D: His wife, accompanied by her maids, leaves her seat.] [Sidenote E: She appeared even fairer than Guenever.] [Sidenote F: An older lady (an ancient one she seemed) led her by the hand.] [Sidenote G: Very unlike were these two.] [Sidenote H: if the young one was fair the other was yellow,] [Sidenote I: and had rough and wrinkled cheeks.] [Sidenote J: The younger had breast and throat "bare displayed."] [Sidenote K: The ancient one exposed only her "black brows," her two eyes,] [Sidenote L: nose, and naked lips, all sour and bleared.] [Sidenote M: Her body was short and thick;] [Sidenote N: her buttocks broad and round.] [Footnote 1: MS. [claplayne3.]] [Footnote 2: schedes (?).]