[Fol. 104b.]
1000 Derf men vpon dece drest of þe best.
[D] Þe olde auncian wyf he3est ho sytte3;
Þe lorde lufly her by lent, as I trowe;
[E] Gawan & þe gay burde to-geder þay seten,
1004 Euen in-mydde3, as þe messe metely come;
& syþen þur3 al þe sale, as hem best semed,
[F] Bi vche grome at his degre grayþely wat3 serued. 
Þer wat3 mete, þer wat3 myrþe, þer wat3 much ioye,
1008 Þat for to telle þerof hit me tene were,
& to poynte hit 3et I pyned me parauenture;
[G] Bot 3et I wot þat Wawen & þe wale burde
Such comfort of her compaynye ca3ten to-geder,
1012 Þur3 her dere dalyaunce of her derne worde3,
Wyth clene cortays carp, closed fro fylþe;
& hor play wat3 passande vche prynce gomen,
in vayres;
1016 [H] Trumpe3 & nakerys,
Much pypyng þer repayres,
Vche mon tented hys,
& þay two tented þayres.

[Sidenote A:  On Christmas morn,] [Sidenote B:  joy reigns in every dwelling in the world.] [Sidenote C:  So did it in the castle where our knight abode.] [Sidenote D:  The lord and “the old ancient wife” sit together.] [Sidenote E:  Gawayne sits by the wife of his host.] [Sidenote F:  It were too tedious to tell of the meat, the mirth, and the
  joy that abounded everywhere.]
[Sidenote G:  Gawayne and his beautiful companion derive much comfort from
  each other’s conversation.]
[Sidenote H:  Trumpets and nakers give forth their sounds.]

XXI.

1020 [A] Much dut wat3 þer dryuen þat day & þat oþer,
         & þe þryd as þro þronge in þerafter;
     [B] Þe ioye of sayn Ione3 day wat3 gentyle to here,
         & wat3 þe last of þe layk, leude3 þer þo3ten.
1024 Þer wer gestes to go vpon þe gray morne,
         For-þy wonderly þay woke, & þe wyn dronken,
         Daunsed ful dre3ly wyth dere carole3;
     [C] At þe last, when hit wat3 late, þay lachen her leue,
1028 Vchon to wende on his way, þat wat3 wy3e stronge. 
         Gawan gef hym god-day, þe god mon hym lachche3,
         Ledes hym to his awen chambre, þ[e] chymne bysyde,
     [D] & þere he dra3e3 hym on-dry3e, & derely hym þonkke3,
1032 Of þe wynne worschip &[1] he hym wayned hade,
         As to honour his hous on þat hy3e tyde,
         & enbelyse his bur3 with his bele chere. 
         “I-wysse sir, quyl I leue, me worþe3 þe better,
1036 Þat Gawayn hat3 ben my gest, at Godde3 awen fest.” [Fol. 105.]
         “Grant merci[2] sir,” quod Gawayn, “in god fayth hit is yowre3,
         Al þe honour is your awen, þe he3e kyng yow 3elde;
         & I am wy3e at your wylle, to worch youre hest,
1040 As I am halden þer-to, in hy3e & in lo3e,
                 bi ri3t.”
     [E] Þe lorde fast can hym payne,
             To holde lenger þe kny3t,
1044 To hym answre3 Gawayn,
             Bi non way þat he my3t.