XVIII.

After dinner the company go to the chapel, 928 Bi þat þe diner wat3 done, & þe dere vp, Hit wat3 ne3 at þe niy3t ne3ed þe tyme; Chaplayne3¹ to þe chapeles chosen þe gate, Rungen ful rychely, ry3t as þay schulden, to hear the evensong of the great season. 932 To þe hersum euensong of þe hy3e tyde. Þe lorde loutes þerto, & þe lady als, In-to a comly closet coyntly ho entre3; Gawan glyde3 ful gay, & gos þeder sone; 936 Þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe, & lede3 hym to sytte, & couþly hym knowe3, & calle3 hym his nome, & sayde he wat3 þe welcomest wy3e of þe worlde; The lord of the castle and Sir Gawayne sit together during service. & he hym þonkked þroly, & ayþer halched oþer. 940 & seten soberly samen þe seruise-quyle; Þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe kny3t. His wife, accompanied by her maids, leaves her seat. Þenne com ho of hir closet, with mony cler burde3, Ho wat3 þe fayrest in felle, of flesche & of lyre, 944 & of compas, & colour, & costes of alle oþer, She appeared even fairer than Guenever. & wener þen Wenore, as þe wy3e þo3t. He ches þur3 þe chaunsel, to cheryche þat hende; An older lady (an ancient one she seemed) led her by the hand. An oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde, 948 Þat wat3 alder þen ho, an auncian hit semed, & he3ly honowred with haþele3 aboute. Very unlike were these two. Bot yn-lyke on to loke þo ladyes were, if the young one was fair the other was yellow, For if þe 3onge wat3 3ep, 3ol3e wat3 þat oþer; 952 Riche red on þat on rayled ay quere, and had rough and wrinkled cheeks. Rugh ronkled cheke3 þat oþer on rolled; Kerchofes of þat on wyth mony cler perle3 The younger had breast and throat "bare displayed." Hir brest & hir bry3t þrote bare displayed, 956 Schon schyrer þen snawe, þat scheder² on hille3; Þat oþer wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer þe swyre, Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk-quyte vayles, The ancient one exposed only her "black brows," her two eyes, Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ay quere, 960 Toret & treieted with tryfle3 aboute, [Fol. 104.] nose, and naked lips, all sour and bleared. Þat no3t wat3 bare of þat burde bot þe blake bro3es. Þe tweyne y3en, & þe nase, þe naked lyppe3, & þose were soure to se, & sellyly blered; 964 A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle, for gode; Her body was short and thick; Hir body wat3 schort & þik. her buttocks broad and round. Hir buttoke3 bay & brode, 968 More lykker-wys on to lyk, Wat3 þat scho hade on lode. ¹ MS. [claplayne3.] ² schedes (?).