[Sidenote A:  The knight carried neither spear nor shield,] [Sidenote B:  In one hand was a holly bough,] [Sidenote C:  in the other an axe,] [Sidenote D:  the edge of which was as keen as a sharp razor,] [Sidenote E:  and the handle was encased in iron, curiously “graven with
  green, in gracious works.”]
[Sidenote F:  Thus arrayed the Green Knight enters the hall,] [Sidenote G:  without saluting any one.] [Sidenote H:  He asks for the “governor” of the company,] [Sidenote I:  and looks for the most renowned.] [Footnote 1:  looks like gracons in Ms.]

XI.

232 [A] Ther wat3 lokyng on lenþe, þe lude to be-holde,
For vch mon had meruayle quat hit mene my3t,
Þat a haþel & a horse my3t such a hwe lach,
[B] As growe grene as þe gres & grener hit semed,
236 Þen grene aumayl on golde lowande bry3ter;
Al studied þat þer stod, & stalked hym nerre,
[C] Wyth al þe wonder of þe worlde, what he worch schulde. 
For fele sellye3 had þay sen, bot such neuer are,
240 For-þi for fantoum & fayry3e þe folk þere hit demed;
[D] Þer-fore to answare wat3 ar3e mony aþel freke,
& al stouned at his steuen, & stonstil seten,
[E] In a swoghe sylence þur3 þe sale riche
244 As al were slypped vpon slepe so slaked hor lote3
in hy3e;
I deme hit not al for doute,
[F] Bot sum for cortaysye,
248 Bot let hym þat al schulde loute,
Cast vnto þat wy3e.

[Sidenote A:  Much they marvel to see a man and a horse] [Sidenote B:  as green as grass.] [Sidenote C:  Never before had they seen such a sight as this.] [Sidenote D:  They were afraid to answer,] [Sidenote E:  and were as silent as if sleep had taken possession of them;] [Sidenote F:  some from fear and others from courtesy.]

XII.

[A] Þenn Arþour bifore þe hi3 dece þat auenture byholde3,
& rekenly hym reuerenced, for rad was he neuer,
252 & sayde, “wy3e, welcum iwys to þis place,
[B] Þe hede of þis ostel Arthour I hat, [Fol. 94b.]
Li3t luflych adoun, & lenge, I þe praye,
& quat so þy wylle is, we schal wyt after.”
256 [C] “Nay, as help me,” quod þe haþel, “he þat on hy3e syttes,
To wone any quyle in þis won, hit wat3 not myn ernde;
Bot for þe los of þe lede is lyft vp so hy3e,
& þy bur3 & þy burnes best ar holden,
260 Stifest vnder stel-gere on stedes to ryde,
[D] Þe wy3test & þe worþyest of þe worldes kynde,
Preue for to play wyth in oþer pure layke3;
& here is kydde cortaysye, as I haf herd carp,
264 & þat hat3 wayned me hider, I-wyis, at þis tyme.
3e may be seker bi þis braunch þat I bere here,
[E] Þat I passe as in pes, & no ply3t seche;
For had I founded in fere, in fe3tyng wyse,
268 [F] I haue a hauberghe at home & a helme boþe,
A schelde, & a scharp spere, schinande bry3t,
Ande oþer weppenes to welde, I wene wel als,
Bot for I wolde no were, my wede3 ar softer.
272 Bot if þou be so bold as alle burne3 tellen,
Þou wyl grant me godly þe gomen þat I ask,
bi ry3t.”
[G] Arthour con onsware,
276 & sayd, “sir cortays kny3t,
If þou craue batayl bare,
Here fayle3 þou not to fy3t.”