[A] Mony klyf he ouer-clambe in contraye3 straunge,
Fer floten fro his frende3 fremedly he ryde3;
[B] At vche warþe oþer water þer þe wy3e passed,
716 He fonde a foo hym byfore, bot ferly hit were,
& þat so foule & so felle, þat fe3t hym by-hode;
[C] So mony meruayl hi mount þer þe mon fynde3,
Hit were to tore for to telle of þe tenþe dole.
720 [D] Sumwhyle wyth worme3 he werre3, & with wolues als,
Sumwhyle wyth wodwos, þat woned in þe knarre3,
[E] Boþe wyth bulle3 & bere3, & bore3 oþer-quyle,
& etayne3, þat hym a-nelede, of þe he3e felle;
724 [F] Nade he ben du3ty & dry3e, & dry3tyn had serued,
Douteles he hade ben ded, & dreped ful ofte.
[G] For werre wrathed hym not so much, þat wynter was wors,
When þe colde cler water fro þe cloude3 schadden,
728 & fres er hit falle my3t to þe fale erþe;
Ner slayn wyth þe slete he sleped in his yrnes,
Mo ny3te3 þen in-noghe in naked rokke3,
Þer as claterande fro þe crest þe colde borne renne3,
732 & henged he3e ouer his hede in hard ÿsse-ikkles.
[H] Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde,
Bi contray carye3 þis kny3t, tyl kryst-masse euen,
al one;
736 Þe kny3t wel þat tyde,
[I] To Mary made his mone.
Þat ho hym red to ryde,
& wysse hym to sum wone. [Fol. 101.]
[Sidenote A: Many a cliff he climbed over;]
[Sidenote B: many a ford and stream he crossed, and everywhere he found a
foe.]
[Sidenote C: It were too tedious to tell the tenth part of his adventures]
[Sidenote D: with serpents, wolves, and wild men;]
[Sidenote E: with bulls, bears, and boars.]
[Sidenote F: Had he not been both brave and good, doubtless he had been
dead.]
[Sidenote G: The sharp winter was far worse than any war that ever troubled
him.]
[Sidenote H: Thus in peril he travels till Christmas-eve.]
[Sidenote I: To the Virgin Mary he prays to guide him to some abode.]