VIII.

[Fol. 120.] Then he pursues his journey, 2160 Thenne gyrdeȝ he to Gryngolet, & gedereȝ þe rake, Schowueȝ in bi a schore, at a schaȝe syde, rides through the dale, and looks about. Rideȝ þurȝ þe roȝe bonk, ryȝt to þe dale; & þenne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym þoȝt, He sees no sign of a resting-place, but only high and steep banks. 2164 & seȝe no syngne of resette, bisydeȝ nowhere, Bot hyȝe bonkkeȝ & brent, vpon boþe halue, & ruȝe knokled knarreȝ, with knorned stoneȝ; Þe skweȝ of þe scowtes skayued¹ hym þoȝt. 2168 Þenne he houed, & wyth-hylde his hors at þat tyde, & ofte chaunged his cher, þe chapel to seche; No chapel could he discern. He seȝ non suche in no syde, & selly hym þoȝt, Sone a lyttel on a launde, a lawe as hit we[re]; At last he sees a hill by the side of a stream; 2172 A balȝ berȝ, bi a bonke, þe brymme by-syde, Bi a forȝ of a flode, þat ferked þare; Þe borne blubred þer-inne, as hit boyled hade. thither he goes, Þe knyȝt kacheȝ his caple, & com to þe lawe, alights and fastens his horse to a branch of a tree. 2176 Liȝteȝ doun luflyly, & at a lynde tacheȝ Þe rayne, & his riche, with a roȝe braunche; He walks around the hill, debating with himself what it might be, Þen[n]e he boȝeȝ to þe berȝe, aboute hit he walke, D[e]batande with hym-self, quat hit be myȝt. 2180 Hit hade a hole on þe ende, & on ayþer syde, & ouer-growen with gresse in glodes ay where, & al watȝ holȝ in-with, nobot an olde caue, and at last finds an old cave in the crag. Or a creuisse of an olde cragge, he couþe hit noȝt deme 2184 with spelle, "We,² lorde," quod þe gentyle knyȝt, "Wheþer þis be þe grene chapelle; He prays that about midnight he may tell his matins. He myȝt aboute myd-nyȝt, 2188 [Þ]e dele his matynnes telle!" ¹ skayned (?). ² wel (?).