[A] Þe burne bode on bonk, þat on blonk houed,
Of þe depe double dich þat drof to þe place,
Þe walle wod in þe water wonderly depe,
788 [B] Ande eft a ful huge he3t hit haled vpon lofte,
Of harde hewen ston vp to þe table3,
[C] Enbaned vnder þe abataylment, in þe best lawe;
& syþen garyte3 ful gaye gered bi-twene,
792 Wyth mony luflych loupe, þat louked ful clene;
A better barbican þat burne blusched vpon neuer;
& innermore he be-helde þat halle ful hy3e,
[D] Towre telded bytwene trochet ful þik,
796 Fayre fylyole3 þat fy3ed, & ferlyly long,
[E] With coruon coprounes, craftyly sle3e;
Chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he in-no3e,
Vpon bastel roue3, þat blenked ful quyte;
800 So mony pynakle payntet wat3 poudred ay quere,
Among þe castel carnele3, clambred so þik,
Þat pared out of papure purely hit semed.
[F] Þe fre freke on þe fole hit fayr in-n[o]ghe þo3t,
804 If he my3t keuer to com þe cloyster wyth-inne,
To herber in þat hostel, whyl halyday lested
auinant;
[G] He calde, & sone þer com
808 A porter pure plesaunt,
On þe wal his ernd he nome,
& haylsed þe kny3t erraunt.
[Sidenote A: The knight abides on the bank,]
[Sidenote B: and observes the "huge height,"]
[Sidenote C: with its battlements and watch towers.]
[Sidenote D: Bright and long were its round towers,]
[Sidenote E: with their well-made capitals.]
[Sidenote F: He thinks it fair enough if he might only come within the
cloister.]
[Sidenote G: He calls, and soon there comes a porter to know the knight's
errand.]