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.
[Sidenote A: After dinner the company go to the chapel,]
[Sidenote B: to hear the evensong of the great season.]
[Sidenote C: The lord of the castle and Sir Gawayne sit together during
service.]
[Sidenote D: His wife, accompanied by her maids, leaves her seat.]
[Sidenote E: She appeared even fairer than Guenever.]
[Sidenote F: An older lady (an ancient one she seemed) led her by the
hand.]
[Sidenote G: Very unlike were these two.]
[Sidenote H: if the young one was fair the other was yellow,]
[Sidenote I: and had rough and wrinkled cheeks.]
[Sidenote J: The younger had breast and throat "bare displayed."]
[Sidenote K: The ancient one exposed only her "black brows," her two eyes,]
[Sidenote L: nose, and naked lips, all sour and bleared.]
[Sidenote M: Her body was short and thick;]
[Sidenote N: her buttocks broad and round.]
[Footnote 1: MS. [claplayne3.]]
[Footnote 2: schedes (?).]