XX.
Reading edition
On Christmas morn, On þe morne, as vch mon myneȝ þat tyme, joy reigns in every dwelling in the world. 996 [Þ]at dryȝtyn for oure destyné to deȝe watȝ borne, Wele waxeȝ in vche a won in worlde, for his sake; So did it in the castle where our knight abode. So did hit þere on þat day, þurȝ dayntes mony; [Fol. 104b.] Boþe at mes & at mele, messes ful quaynt 1000 Derf men vpon dece drest of þe best. The lord and "the old ancient wife" sit together. Þe olde auncian wyf heȝest ho sytteȝ; Þe lorde lufly her by lent, as I trowe; Gawayne sits by the wife of his host. Gawan & þe gay burde to-geder þay seten, 1004 Euen in-myddeȝ, as þe messe metely come; & syþen þurȝ al þe sale, as hem best semed, It were too tedious to tell of the meat, the mirth, and the joy that abounded everywhere. Bi vche grome at his degre grayþely watȝ serued. Þer watȝ mete, þer watȝ myrþe, þer watȝ much ioye, 1008 Þat for to telle þerof hit me tene were, & to poynte hit ȝet I pyned me parauenture; Gawayne and his beautiful companion derive much comfort from each other's conversation. Bot ȝet I wot þat Wawen & þe wale burde Such comfort of her compaynye caȝten to-geder, 1012 Þurȝ her dere dalyaunce of her derne wordeȝ, Wyth clene cortays carp, closed fro fylþe; & hor play watȝ passande vche prynce gomen, in vayres; Trumpets and nakers give forth their sounds. 1016 Trumpeȝ & nakerys, Much pypyng þer repayres, Vche mon tented hys, & þay two tented þayres.