740 [A] Bi a mounte on þe morne meryly he rydes,
Into a forest ful dep, þat ferly wat3 wylde,
Hi3e hille3 on vche a halue, & holt wode3 vnder,
[B] Of hore oke3 fill hoge a hundreth to-geder;
744 Þe hasel & þe ha3-þorne were harled al samen,
With ro3e raged mosse rayled ay-where,
[C] With mony brydde3 vnblyþe vpon bare twyges,
Þat pitosly þer piped for pyne of þe colde.
748 Þe gome vpon Gryngolet glyde3 hem vnder,
[D] Þur3 mony misy & myre, mon al hym one,
Carande for his costes, lest he ne keuer schulde,
To se þe seruy[1] of þat syre, þat on þat self ny3t
752 Of a burde wat3 borne, oure baret to quelle;
[E] & þerfore sykyng he sayde, "I be-seche þe, lorde,
& Mary, þat is myldest moder so dere.
Of sum herber, þer he3ly I my3t here masse.
756 Ande þy matyne3 to-morne, mekely I ask,
& þer-to prestly I pray my pater & aue,
& crede."
He rode in his prayere,
760 & cryed for his mysdede,
[F] He sayned hym in syþes sere,
& sayde "cros Kryst me spede!"
[Sidenote A: On the morn Sir Gawayne finds himself in a deep forest,]
[Sidenote B: where were old oaks many a hundred.]
[Sidenote C: Many sad birds upon bare twigs piped piteously for the cold.]
[Sidenote D: Through many a mire he goes, that he may celebrate the birth
of Christ.]
[Sidenote E: He beseeches the Virgin Mary to direct him to some lodging
where he may hear mass.]
[Sidenote F: Blessing himself, he says, "Cross of Christ, speed me!"]
[Footnote 1: seruyce (?).]