VI.

Then they show him his shield with the "pentangle" of pure gold. Then þay schewed hym þe schelde, þat was of schyr goule3, 620 Wyth þe pentangel de-paynt of pure golde hwe3; He brayde3 hit by þe baude-ryk, aboute þe hals kestes, Þat bisemed þe segge semlyly fayre. The "pentangle" was devised by Solomon as a token of truth. & quy þe pentangel apende3 to þat prynce noble, 624 I am in tent yow to telle, þof tary hyt me schulde; Hit is a syngne þat Salamon set sum-quyle, In bytoknyng of trawþe, bi tytle þat hit habbe3, [Fol. 99b] For hit is a figure þat halde3 fyue poynte3, 628 & vche lyne vmbe-lappe3 & louke3 in oþer, It is called the endless knot & ay quere hit is endele3,¹ & Englych hit callen Ouer-al, as I here, þe endeles knot. For-þy hit acorde3 to þis kny3t, & to his cler arme3, 632 For ay faythful in fyue & sere fyue syþe3, It well becomes the good Sir Gawayne, Gawan wat3 for gode knawen, & as golde pured, Voyded of vche vylany, wyth vertue3² ennourned in mote; 636 For-þy þe pen-tangel nwe He ber in schelde & cote, a knight the truest of speech and the fairest of form. As tulk of tale most trwe, & gentylest kny3t of lote. ¹ MS emdele3. ² MS verertue3