V.

[Fol. 99a.] Thus arrayed the knight hears mass, When he watȝ hasped in armes, his harnays watȝ ryche, Þe lest lachet ou[þ]er loupe lemed of golde; 592 So harnayst as he watȝ he herkneȝ his masse, Offred & honoured at þe heȝe auter; and afterwards takes leave of Arthur and his court. Syþen he comeȝ to þe kyng & to his cort fereȝ, Lacheȝ lufly his leue at lordeȝ & ladyeȝ; 596 & þay hym kyst & conueyed, bikende hym to kryst. By that time his horse Gringolet was ready, Bi þat watȝ Gryngolet grayth, & gurde with a sadel, Þat glemed ful gayly with mony golde frenges, Ay quere naylet ful nwe for þat note ryched; 600 Þe brydel barred aboute, with bryȝt golde bounden; the harness of which glittered like the "gleam of the sun." Þe apparayl of þe payttrure, & of þe proude skyrteȝ, Þe cropore, & þe couertor, acorded wyth þe arsouneȝ; & al watȝ rayled on red ryche golde nayleȝ, 604 Þat al glytered & glent as glem of þe sunne. Then Sir Gawayne sets his helmet upon his head, Þenne hentes he þe holme, & hastily hit kysses, Þat watȝ stapled stifly, & stoffed wyth-inne: Hit watȝ hyȝe on his hede, hasped bihynde, fastened behind with a "urisoun," 608 Wyth a lyȝtli vrysoun ouer þe auentayle, richly embroidered with gems. Enbrawden & bounden wyth þe best gemmeȝ, On brode sylkyn borde, & bryddeȝ on semeȝ, As papiayeȝ paynted pernyng bitwene, 612 Tortors & trulofeȝ entayled so þyk, As mony burde þer aboute had ben seuen wynter in toune; The circle around the helmet was decked with diamonds. Þe cercle watȝ more o prys, 616 Þat vmbe-clypped hys croun, Of diamaunteȝ a deuys, Þat boþe were bryȝt & broun.