Þat such a gest as Gawan graunte3 vus to haue,
When burne3 blyþe of his burþe schal sitte
& synge.
924 In menyng of manere3 mere,
Þis burne now schal vus bryng, [Fol. 103b.]
[H] I hope þat may hym here,
Schal lerne of luf-talkyng.”

[Sidenote A:  Sir Gawayne, in answer to questions put to him,] [Sidenote B:  tells the prince that he is of Arthur’s court.] [Sidenote C:  When this was made known,] [Sidenote D:  great was the joy in the hall.] [Sidenote E:  Each one said softly to his mate,] [Sidenote F:  “Now we shall see courteous manners and hear noble speech,] [Sidenote G:  for we have amongst us the ‘father of nurture.’] [Sidenote H:  He that may him hear shall learn of love-talking.”]

XVIII.

928 [A] Bi þat þe diner wat3 done, & þe dere vp,
Hit wat3 ne3 at þe niy3t ne3ed þe tyme;
Chaplayne3[1] to þe chapeles chosen þe gate,
Rungen ful rychely, ry3t as þay schulden,
932 [B] To þe hersum euensong of þe hy3e tyde. 
Þe lorde loutes þerto, & þe lady als,
In-to a comly closet coyntly ho entre3;
Gawan glyde3 ful gay, & gos þeder sone;
936 Þe lorde laches hym by þe lappe, & lede3 hym to sytte,
& couþly hym knowe3, & calle3 hym his nome,
& sayde he wat3 þe welcomest wy3e of þe worlde;
[C] & he hym þonkked þroly, & ayþer halched oþer.
940 & seten soberly samen þe seruise-quyle;
Þenne lyst þe lady to loke on þe kny3t.
[D] Þenne com ho of hir closet, with mony cler burde3,
Ho wat3 þe fayrest in felle, of flesche & of lyre,
944 & of compas, & colour, & costes of alle oþer,
[E] & wener þen Wenore, as þe wy3e þo3t. 
He ches þur3 þe chaunsel, to cheryche þat hende;
[F] An oþer lady hir lad bi þe lyft honde,
948 Þat wat3 alder þen ho, an auncian hit semed,
& he3ly honowred with haþele3 aboute.
[G] Bot yn-lyke on to loke þo ladyes were,
[H] For if þe 3onge wat3 3ep, 3ol3e wat3 þat oþer;
952 Riche red on þat on rayled ay quere,
[I] Rugh ronkled cheke3 þat oþer on rolled;
Kerchofes of þat on wyth mony cler perle3
[J] Hir brest & hir bry3t þrote bare displayed,
956 Schon schyrer þen snawe, þat scheder[2] on hille3;
Þat oþer wyth a gorger wat3 gered ouer þe swyre,
Chymbled ouer hir blake chyn with mylk-quyte vayles,
[K] Hir frount folden in sylk, enfoubled ay quere,
960 Toret & treieted with tryfle3 aboute,
[L] Þat no3t wat3 bare of þat burde bot þe blake bro3es. [Fol. 104.]
Þe tweyne y3en, & þe nase, þe naked lyppe3,
& þose were soure to se, & sellyly blered;
964 A mensk lady on molde mon may hir calle,
for gode;
[M] Hir body wat3 schort & þik.
[N] Hir buttoke3 bay & brode,
968 More lykker-wys on to lyk,
Wat3 þat scho hade on lode.