XV.

Gawayne looks on his host; Gawayn glyȝt on þe gome þat godly hym gret, a big bold one he seemed. & þuȝt hit a bolde burne þat þe burȝ aȝte, 844 A hoge haþel for þe noneȝ, & of hyghe elde;¹ Beaver-hued was his broad beard, Brode bryȝt watȝ his berde, & al beuer hwed, Sturne stif on þe stryþþe on stal-worth schonkeȝ, 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 þuȝt, To lede a lortschyp in lee of leudeȝ 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 cumaundeȝ² To delyuer hym a leude, hym loȝly to serue; 852 & þere were boun at his bode burneȝ in-noȝe, In this bright bower was noble bedding; Þat broȝt hym to a bryȝt boure, þer beddyng watȝ noble, Of cortynes of clene sylk, wyth cler golde hemmeȝ, the curtains were of pure silk with golden hems; & couertoreȝ ful curious, with comlych paneȝ, 856 Of bryȝt blaunnier a-boue enbrawded bisydeȝ, Rudeleȝ rennande on ropeȝ, red golde ryngeȝ, Tarsic tapestries covered the walls and the floor. Tapyteȝ tyȝt to þe woȝe, of tuly & tars, & vnder fete, on þe flet, of folȝande sute. Here the knight doffed his armour, 860 Þer he watȝ dispoyled, wyth specheȝ of myerþe, Þe burn of his bruny, & of his bryȝt wedeȝ; and put on rich robes, Ryche robes ful rad renkkeȝ hem³ broȝten, 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 skyrteȝ, which well became him. Þe ver by his uisage verayly hit semed Wel neȝ to vche haþel alle on hwes, 868 Lowande & lufly, alle his lymmeȝ vnder, A more comely knight Christ never made. Þat a comloker knyȝt neuer Kryst made, hem þoȝt; Wheþen in worlde he were, 872 Hit semed as he myȝt Be prynce with-outen pere, In felde þer felle men fyȝt. ¹ eldee, MS. ² clesly, MS. ³ hym (?). ⁴ MS. hyn.