IX.
Reading edition
Now rides the knight through the realms of England. Now ride3 þis renk þur3 þe ryalme of Logres, 692 Sir Gauan on Gode3 halue, þa3 hym no gomen þo3t; Oft, leudle3 alone, he lenge3 on ny3te3, Þer he fonde no3t hym byfore þe fare þat he lyked; He has no companion but his horse. Hade he no fere bot his fole, bi frythe3 & doune3, 696 Ne no gome bot God, bi gate wyth to karp, No men does he see till he approaches North Wales. Til þat he ne3ed ful noghe1 in to þe Norþe Wale3; Alle þe iles of Anglesay on lyft half he halde3, & fare3 ouer þe forde3 by þe for-londe3, From Holyhead he passes into Wirral. 700 Ouer at þe Holy-Hede, til he hade eft bonk In þe wyldrenesse of Wyrale; wonde þer bot lyte [Fol. 100b] There he finds but few that loved God or man. Þat auþer God oþer gome wyth goud hert louied. & ay he frayned, as he ferde, at freke3 þat he met, He enquires after the Green Knight of the Green Chapel, 704 If þay hade herde any karp of a kny3t grene, In any grounde þer-aboute, of þe grene chapel;2 & al nykked hym wyth nay, þat neuer in her lyue but can gain no tidings of him. Þay se3e neuer no segge þat wat3 of suche hwe3 708 of grene. Þe kny3t tok gates straunge, In mony a bonk vnbene, His cheer oft changed before he found the Chapel. His cher ful oft con chaunge, 712 Þat chapel er he my3t sene. 1 nyghe (?). 2 MS. clapel.