[A] Now wyl I of hor seruise say
yow no more,
For veh wy3e may wel wit no wont þat þer
were;
132 [B] An oþer noyse ful newe ne3ed biliue,
Þat þe lude my3t haf leue lif-lode to cach.
For vneþe wat3 þe noyce not a whyle sesed,
& þe fyrst cource in þe court kyndely serued,
136 [C] Þer hales in at þe halle dor an aghlich mayster,
On þe most on þe molde on mesure hyghe;
Fro þe swyre to þe swange so sware & so þik,
[D] & his lyndes & his lymes so longe & so grete,
140 Half etayn in erde I hope þat he were.
[Fol. 93.]
[E] Bot mon most I algate mynn hym to bene,
& þat þe myriest in his muckel þat my3t ride;
[F] For of bak & of brest al were his bodi sturne,
144 [G] Bot his wombe & his wast were worthily smale,
& alle his fetures fol3ande, in forme þat
he hade,
ful clene;
For wonder of his hwe men hade,
148 Set in his semblaunt sene;
He ferde as freke were fade,
& ouer-al enker grene.
[Sidenote A: There was no want of anything.] [Sidenote B: Scarcely had the first course commenced,] [Sidenote C: when there rushes in at the hall-door a knight;] [Sidenote D: the tallest on earth] [Sidenote E: he must have been.] [Sidenote F: His back and breast were great,] [Sidenote G: but his belly and waist were small.]
VIII.
[A] Ande al grayþed in grene þis
gome & his wedes,
152 A strayt cote ful stre3t, þat stek on his
sides,
A mere mantile abof, mensked with-inne,
With pelure pured apert þe pane ful clene,
With blyþe blaunner ful bry3t, & his hod
boþe,
156 Þat wat3 la3t fro his lokke3, & layde on
his schulderes
Heme wel haled, hose of þat same grene,
[B] Þat spenet on his sparlyr, & clene spures
vnder,
Of bry3t golde, vpon silk bordes, barred
ful ryche
160 & scholes vnder schankes, þere þe schalk
rides;
& alle his vesture uerayly wat3 clene verdure,
Boþe þe barres of his belt & oþer blyþe stones,
Þat were richely rayled in his aray clene,
164 [C] Aboutte hym-self & his sadel, vpon silk werke3,
Þat were to tor for to telle of tryfles þe
halue,
Þat were enbrauded abof, wyth bryddes & fly3es,
With gay gaudi of grene, þe golde ay in myddes;
168 Þe pendauntes of his payttrure, þe proude
cropure
His molaynes, & alle þe metail anamayld was
þenne
Þe steropes þat he stod on, stayned of þe
same,
& his arsoun3 al after, & his aþel sturtes,
172 Þat euer glemered[1] & glent al of grene
stones.
[D] Þe fole þat he ferkkes on, fyn of þat ilke,
sertayn;
A grene hors gret & þikke,
176 [E] A stede ful stif to strayne,
In brawden brydel quik,
To þe gome he wat3 ful gayn.
[Fol. 93b.]
[Sidenote A: He was clothed entirely in green.] [Sidenote B: His spurs were of bright gold.] [Sidenote C: His saddle was embroidered with birds and flies.] [Sidenote D: The foal that he rode upon was green;] [Sidenote E: it was a steed full stiff to guide.] [Footnote 1: glemed (?).]