[A] On þe morne, as vch mon myne3 þat tyme,
996 [B] [Þ]at dry3tyn for oure destyné to de3e wat3 borne,
Wele waxe3 in vche a won in worlde, for his sake;
[C] So did hit þere on þat day, þur3 dayntes mony;
Boþe at mes & at mele, messes ful quaynt [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.]