I.

New Year's Day approaches. Now neȝeȝ þe nwȝere, & þe nyȝt passeȝ, Þe day dryueȝ to þe derk, as dryȝtyn biddeȝ; The weather is stormy. 2000 Bot wylde wedereȝ of þe worlde wakned þeroute, Clowdes kesten kenly þe colde to þe erþe, Wyth nyȝe¹ in-noghe of þe norþe, þe naked to tene; Snow falls. Þe snawe snitered ful snart, þat snayped þe wylde; 2004 Þe werbelande wynde wapped fro þe hyȝe, The dales are full of drift. & drof vche dale ful of dryftes ful grete. Þe leude lystened ful wel, þat leȝ in his bedde, Gawayne in his bed hears each cock that crows. Þaȝ he lowkeȝ his liddeȝ, ful lyttel he slepes; 2008 Bi vch kok þat crue, he knwe wel þe steuen. [Fol. 118.] De-liuerly he dressed vp, er þe day sprenged, For þere watȝ lyȝt of a lau[m]pe, þat lemed in his chambre; He calls for his chamberlain, and bids him bring him his armour. He called to his chamberlayn, þat cofly hym swared, 2012 & bede hym bryng hym his bruny, & his blonk sadel; Þat oþer ferkeȝ hym vp, & fecheȝ hym his wedeȝ, & grayþeȝ me sir Gawayn vpon a grett wyse. Fyrst he clad hym in his cloþeȝ, þe colde for to were; 2016 & syþen his oþer harnays, þat holdely watȝ keped, Boþe his paunce, & his plateȝ, piked ful clene, Men knock off the rust from his rich habergeon. Þe ryngeȝ² rokked of þe roust, of his riche bruny; & al watȝ fresch as vpon fyrst, & he watȝ fayn þenne 2020 to þonk; He hade vpon vche pece, Wypped ful wel & wlonk; The knight then calls for his steed. Þe gayest in to Grece, 2024 Þe burne bede bryng his blonk. ¹ nywe (?). ² rynkeȝ (?).