XV.

Gawayne looks on his host; Gawayn gly3t on þe gome þat godly hym gret, a big bold one he seemed. & þu3t hit a bolde burne þat þe bur3 a3te, 844 A hoge haþel for þe none3, & of hyghe elde;¹ Beaver-hued was his broad beard, Brode bry3t wat3 his berde, & al beuer hwed, Sturne stif on þe stryþþe on stal-worth schonke3, and his face as "fell as the fire." Felle face as þe fyre, & fre of hys speche; 848 & wel hym semed for soþe, as þe segge þu3t, To lede a lortschyp in lee of leude3 ful gode. [Fol. 102b.] The lord leads Gawayne to a chamber, and assigns him a page to wait upon him. Þe lorde hym charred to a chambre, & chefly cumaunde3² To delyuer hym a leude, hym lo3ly to serue; 852 & þere were boun at his bode burne3 in-no3e, In this bright bower was noble bedding; Þat bro3t hym to a bry3t boure, þer beddyng wat3 noble, Of cortynes of clene sylk, wyth cler golde hemme3, the curtains were of pure silk with golden hems; & couertore3 ful curious, with comlych pane3, 856 Of bry3t blaunnier a-boue enbrawded bisyde3, Rudele3 rennande on rope3, red golde rynge3, Tarsic tapestries covered the walls and the floor. Tapyte3 ty3t to þe wo3e, of tuly & tars, & vnder fete, on þe flet, of fol3ande sute. Here the knight doffed his armour, 860 Þer he wat3 dispoyled, wyth speche3 of myerþe, Þe burn of his bruny, & of his bry3t wede3; and put on rich robes, Ryche robes ful rad renkke3 hem³ bro3ten, For to charge, & to chaunge, & chose of þe best. 864 Sone as he on hent, & happed þer-inne, Þat sete on hym⁴ semly, wyth saylande skyrte3, which well became him. Þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed Wel ne3 to vche haþel alle on hwes, 868 Lowande & lufly, alle his lymme3 vnder, A more comely knight Christ never made. Þat a comloker kny3t neuer Kryst made, hem þo3t; Wheþen in worlde he were, 872 Hit semed as he my3t Be prynce with-outen pere, In felde þer felle men fy3t. ¹ eldee, MS. ² clesly, MS. ³ hym (?). ⁴ MS. hyn.