X.

Many a cliff he climbed over; Mony klyf he ouer-clambe in contraye3 straunge, Fer floten fro his frende3 fremedly he ryde3; many a ford and stream he crossed, and everywhere he found a foe. At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wy3e passed, 716 He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were, & þat so foule & so felle, þat fe3t hym by-hode; It were too tedious to tell the tenth part of his adventures So mony meruayl hi mount þer þe mon fynde3, Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole. with serpents, wolves, and wild men; 720 Sumwhyle wyth worme3 he werre3, & with wolues als, Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarre3, with bulls, bears, and boars. Boþe wyth bulle3 & bere3, & bore3 oþer-quyle, & etayne3, þat hym a-nelede, of þe he3e felle; Had he not been both brave and good, doubtless he had been dead. 724 Nade he ben du3ty & dry3e, & dry3tyn had serued, Douteles he hade ben ded, & dreped ful ofte. The sharp winter was far worse than any war that ever troubled him. For werre wrathed hym not so much, þat wynter was wors, When þe colde cler water fro þe cloude3 schadden, 728 & fres er hit falle my3t to þe fale erþe; Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes, Mo ny3te3 þen in-noghe in naked rokke3, Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne renne3, 732 & henged he3e ouer his hede in hard ÿsse-ikkles. Thus in peril he travels till Christmas-eve. Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde, Bi contray carye3 þis kny3t, tyl kryst-masse euen, al one; 736 Þe kny3t wel þat tyde, To the Virgin Mary he prays to guide him to some abode. To Mary made his mone. Þat ho hym red to ryde, [Fol. 101.] & wysse hym to sum wone.