VI.

Then they show him his shield with the "pentangle" of pure gold. Then þay schewed hym þe schelde, þat was of schyr gouleȝ, 620 Wyth þe pentangel de-paynt of pure golde hweȝ; He braydeȝ 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 apendeȝ 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 habbeȝ, [Fol. 99b] For hit is a figure þat haldeȝ fyue poynteȝ, 628 & vche lyne vmbe-lappeȝ & loukeȝ in oþer, It is called the endless knot & ay quere hit is endeleȝ,¹ & Englych hit callen Ouer-al, as I here, þe endeles knot. For-þy hit acordeȝ to þis knyȝt, & to his cler armeȝ, 632 For ay faythful in fyue & sere fyue syþeȝ, It well becomes the good Sir Gawayne, Gawan watȝ for gode knawen, & as golde pured, Voyded of vche vylany, wyth vertueȝ² 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 knyȝt of lote. ¹ MS emdeleȝ. ² MS verertueȝ