XIV.
Reading edition
Fear kept all silent. If he hem stowned vpon fyrst, stiller were þanne Alle þe hered-men in halle, þe hyȝ & þe loȝe; The knight rolled his red eyes about, Þe renk on his rounce hym ruched in his sadel, 304 & runisch-ly his rede yȝen he reled aboute, and bent his bristly green brows. Bende his bresed broȝeȝ, bly-cande grene, Waving his beard awhile, he exclaimed: Wayued his berde for to wayte quo-so wolde ryse. When non wolde kepe hym with carp he coȝed ful hyȝe, 308 Ande rimed hym ful richley, & ryȝt hym to speke: "What! is this Arthur's court? "What, is þis Arþures hous," quod þe haþel þenne, "Þat al þe rous rennes of, þurȝ ryalmes so mony? Where is now your sourquydrye & your conquestes, 312 Your gry[n]del-layk, & your greme, & your grete wordes? Forsooth the renown of the Round Table is overturned 'with a word of one man's speech.'" Now is þe reuel & þe renoun of þe rounde table Ouer-walt wyth a worde of on wyȝes speche; For al dares for drede, with-oute dynt schewed!" 316 Wyth þis he laȝes so loude, þat þe lorde greued; Arthur blushes for shame. Þe blod schot for scham in-to his schyre face & lere; He waxes as wroth as the wind. He wex as wroth as wynde, 320 So did alle þat þer were Þe kyng as kene bi kynde, Þen stod þat stif mon nere.