[A] Þus layke3 þis lorde by lynde wode3 eue3,
& G. þe god mon, in gay bed lyge3,
1180 [B] Lurkke3 quyl þe day-ly3t lemed on þe wowes,
Vnder couertour ful clere, cortyned aboute;
& as in slomeryng he slode, sle3ly he herde
[C] A littel dyn at his dor, & derfly vpon;
1184 & he heue3 vp his hed out of þe cloþes,
A corner of þe cortyn he ca3t vp a lyttel, [Fol. 107.]
& wayte3 warly þider-warde, quat hit be my3t.
[D] Hit wat3 þe ladi, loflyest to be-holde,
1188 Þat dro3 þe dor after hir ful dernly[1] & stylle,
[E] & bo3ed to-warde þe bed; & þe burne schamed.
& layde hym doun lystyly, & let as he slepte.
[F] & ho stepped stilly. & stel to his bedde,
1192 [G] Kest vp þe cortyn, & creped with-inne,
& set hir ful softly on þe bed-syde,
& lenged þere selly longe, to loke quen he wakened.
Þe lede lay lurked a ful longe quyle,
1196 [H] Compast in his concience to quat þat cace my3t
Mene oþer amount, to meruayle hym þo3t;
Bot 3et he sayde in hym-self, "more semly hit were
To aspye wyth my spelle [in] space quat ho wolde."
1200 [I] þen he wakenede, & wroth, & to hir warde torned,
[J] & vn-louked his y3e-lydde3, & let as hym wondered,
& sayned hym, as bi his sa3e þe sauer to worthe,
with hande;
1204 Wyth chynne & cheke ful swete,
Boþe quit & red in-blande,
Ful lufly con ho lete,
Wyth lyppe3 smal la3ande.
[Sidenote A: All this time Gawayne lies a-bed.]
[Sidenote B: under "coverture full clear".]
[Sidenote C: He hears a noise at his door.]
[Sidenote D: A lady, the loveliest to behold, enters softly.]
[Sidenote E: She approaches the bed.]
[Sidenote F: Gawayne pretends to be asleep.]
[Sidenote G: The lady casts up the curtain and sits on the bedside.]
[Sidenote H: Gawayne has much wonder thereat.]
[Sidenote I: He rouses himself up,]
[Sidenote J: unlocks his eyes, and looks as if he were astonished.]
[Footnote 1: deruly (?).]