IX.
Reading edition
Now rides the knight through the realms of England. Now rideȝ þis renk þurȝ þe ryalme of Logres, 692 Sir Gauan on Godeȝ halue, þaȝ hym no gomen þoȝt; Oft, leudleȝ alone, he lengeȝ on nyȝteȝ, Þer he fonde noȝt hym byfore þe fare þat he lyked; He has no companion but his horse. Hade he no fere bot his fole, bi frytheȝ & douneȝ, 696 Ne no gome bot God, bi gate wyth to karp, No men does he see till he approaches North Wales. Til þat he neȝed ful noghe1 in to þe Norþe Waleȝ; Alle þe iles of Anglesay on lyft half he haldeȝ, & fareȝ ouer þe fordeȝ by þe for-londeȝ, 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 frekeȝ þat he met, He enquires after the Green Knight of the Green Chapel, 704 If þay hade herde any karp of a knyȝt 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 seȝe neuer no segge þat watȝ of suche hweȝ 708 of grene. Þe knyȝt 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 myȝt sene. 1 nyghe (?). 2 MS. clapel.