is laye bot on littel quile,
I schal telle hit, as-tit, as I in toun herde,
32 with tonge;
As hit is stad & stoken,
In stori stif & stronge,
With lel
letteres
loken,
36 In londe so hat3 ben longe.
Gawaine and the Green Knight
er-inne, baret ?at lofden,
In mony turned tyme tene ?at wro3ten;
Mo ferlyes on ?is folde han fallen here oft
24 [B] ?en in any o?er ?at I wot, syn ?at ilk tyme.
[C] Bot of alle ?at here bult of Bretaygne kynges
Ay wat3 Arthur ?e hendest; as I haf herde telle;
For-?i an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, [Fol. 91b.]
28 ?at a selly in si3t summe men hit holden,
& an outtrage awenture of Arthure3 wondere3;
[D] If 3e wyl lysten ?
is laye bot on littel quile,
I schal telle hit, as-tit, as I in toun herde,
32 with tonge;
As hit is stad & stoken,
In stori stif & stronge,
With lel
letteres
loken,
36 In londe so hat3 ben longe.
[Sidenote A: Bold men increased in the Land,]
[Sidenote B: and many marvels happened.]
[Sidenote C: Of all Britain's kings Arthur was the noblest.]
[Sidenote D: Listen a while and ye shall hear the story of an "outrageous
adventure."]
III.
[A] ?is kyng lay at Camylot vpon kryst-masse,
With mony luflych lorde, lede3 of ?e best,
[B] Rekenly of ?e rounde table alle ?o rich bre?er,
40 With rych reuel ory3t, & rechles mer?es;
?er tournayed tulkes bi-tyme3 ful mony,
Iusted ful Iolile ?ise gentyle kni3tes,
Sy?en kayred to ?e court, caroles to make.
