XIII.

The knight abides on the bank, 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, and observes the "huge height," 788 Ande eft a ful huge heȝt hit haled vpon lofte, Of harde hewen ston vp to þe tableȝ, with its battlements and watch towers. Enbaned vnder þe abataylment, in þe best lawe; & syþen garyteȝ 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 hyȝe, Bright and long were its round towers, Towre telded bytwene trochet ful þik, 796 Fayre fylyoleȝ þat fyȝed, & ferlyly long, with their well-made capitals. With coruon coprounes, craftyly sleȝe; Chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he in-noȝe, Vpon bastel roueȝ, þat blenked ful quyte; 800 So mony pynakle payntet watȝ poudred ay quere, Among þe castel carneleȝ, clambred so þik, Þat pared out of papure purely hit semed. He thinks it fair enough if he might only come within the cloister. Þe fre freke on þe fole hit fayr in-n[o]ghe þoȝt, 804 If he myȝt keuer to com þe cloyster wyth-inne, To herber in þat hostel, whyl halyday lested auinant; He calls, and soon there comes a porter to know the knight's errand. He calde, & sone þer com 808 A porter pure plesaunt, On þe wal his ernd he nome, & haylsed þe knyȝt erraunt.