"Good morrow", says the lady, "ye are a careless sleeper to let one enter thus. 1208

"God moroun, sir Gawayn," sayde þat fayr lady,

"3e ar a sleper vn-sly3e, þat mon may slyde hider;

Now ar 3e tan astyt, bot true vus may schape,

I shall bind you in your bed, of that be ye sure."

I schal bynde yow in your bedde, þat be 3e trayst:"

1212

Al la3ande þe lady lanced þo bourde3.

"Good morrow," says the knight, "I am well pleased to be at your service;

"Goud moroun g[aye],"¹ quod Gawayn þe blyþe,

"Me schal worþe at your wille, & þat me wel lyke3,

For I 3elde me 3ederly, & 3e3e after grace,

1216

& þat is þe best, be my dome, for me by-houe3 nede;"

& þus he bourded a-3ayn with mony a blyþe la3ter.

but permit me to rise and dress myself."

"Bot wolde 3e, lady louely, þen leue me grante,

& de-prece your prysoun, & pray hym to ryse,

1220

I wolde bo3e of þis bed, & busk me better,

I schulde keuer þe more comfort to karp yow wyth."

[Fol. 107b]
"Nay, beau sir," said that sweet one,

"Nay, for soþe, beau sir," sayd þat swete,

"3e schal not rise of your bedde, I rych yow better,

"I shall hold talk with you here. 1224

I schal happe yow here þat oþer half als,

& syþen karp wyth my kny3t þat I ka3t haue;

I know well that you are Gawayne that all the woild worships.

For I wene wel, Iwysse, sir Wawen 3e are,

Þat alle þe worlde worchipe3, quere-so 3e ride;

1228

Your honour, your hendelayk is hendely praysed

We are by ourselves;

With lorde3, wyth ladyes, with alle þat lyf bere.

& now 3e ar here, iwysse, & we bot oure one;

My lord and his men are far off.

"My lorde & his lede3 ar on lenþe faren,

Other men are in their beds, so are my maidens. 1232

Oþer burne3 in her bedde, & my burde3 als,

The door is safely closed.

Þe dor drawen, & dit with a derf haspe;

Since I have him in house that every one likes, I shall use my time well while it lasts.

& syþen I haue in þis hous hym þat al lyke3,

I schal ware my whyle wel, quyl hit laste3,

1236

with tale;

Ye are welcome to my body.

3e ar welcum to my cors,

Yowre awen won to wale,

Me be-houe3 of fyne force,

I shall be your servant." 1240

Your seruaunt be & schale."

"In god fayth," quod Gawayn, "gayn hit me þynkke3,

"I am unworthy," says Sir Gawayne, "to reach to such reverence as ye rehearse.

Þa3 I be not now he þat 3e of speken;

To reche to such reuerence as 3e reherce here

1244

I am wy3e vn-worþy, I wot wel my-seluen;

Bi God, I were glad, & yow god þo3t,

I shall be glad, however, to please you by word, or service."

At sa3e oþer at seruyce þat I sette my3t

To þe plesaunce of your prys, hit were a pure ioye."

1248

"In god fayth, sir Gawayn," quod þe gay lady,

"Þe prys & þe prowes þat plese3 al oþer,

If I hit lakked, oþer set at ly3t, hit were littel daynté;

"There are ladies," says his visitor, "who would prefer thy company

Bot hit ar ladyes in-no3e, þat leuer wer nowþe

1252

Haf þe hende in hor holde, as I þe habbe here,

To daly witt derely your daynté worde3,

Keuer hem comfort, & colen her care3,

to much of the gold that they possess."

Þen much of þe garysourn oþer golde þat¹ þay hauen;

1256

Bot I louue² þat ilk lorde þat þe lyfte halde3,

I haf hit holly in my honde þat al desyres,

þur3e grace."

Scho made hym so gret chere,

[Fol. 108.] 1260

Þat wat3 so fayr of face,

The knight answers the lady's questions.

Þe kny3t with speches skere,

A[n]swared to vche a cace.

Gawayne tells her that he prefers her conversation before that of all others.

"Madame," quod þe myry mon, "Mary yow 3elde,

1264

For I haf founden, in god fayth, yowre fraunchis nobele,

& oþer ful much of oþer folk fongen hor dede3;

Bot þe daynté þat þay delen for my disert nysen,

Hit is þe worchyp of your-self, þat no3t hot wel conne3."

The lady declares by Mary, 1268

"Bi Mary," quod þe menskful, "me þynk hit anoþer;

For were I worth al þe wone of wymmen alyue,

& al þe wele of þe worlde were in my honde,

that were she about to choose her a lord,

& I schulde chepen & chose, to cheue me a lorde,

1272

For þe costes þat I haf knowen vpun þe kny3t here,

Of bewté, & debonerté, & blyþe semblaunt,

she would select Gawayne before any man on earth.

& þat I haf er herkkened, & halde hit here trwee,

Þer schulde no freke vpon folde bifore yow be chosen."

1276

"I-wysse, worþy," quod þe wy3e, "3e haf waled wel better,

Gawayne tells her that he will become her own knight and faithful servant.

Bot I am proude of þe prys þat 3e put on me,

& soberly your seruaunt my souerayn I holde yow,

& yowre kny3t I be-com, & Kryst yow for-3elde."

1280

Þus þay meled of much-quat, til myd-morn paste,

& ay þe lady let lyk, a¹ hym loued mych;

The remembrance of his adventure prevents him from thinking of love.

Þe freke ferde with defence, & feted ful fayre.

Þa3 I were burde bry3test, þe burde in mynde hade,

1284

Þe lasse luf in his lode, for lur þat he so3t,

boute hone;

Þe dunte þat schulde² hym deue,

& nede3 hit most be done;

The lady takes leave of Sir Gawayne. 1288

Þe lady þenn spek of leue.

He granted hir ful sone.

With a laughing glance, she says,

Þenne ho gef hym god-day, & wyth a glent la3ed.

& as ho stod, ho stonyed hym wyth ful stor worde3:

"I am doubtful whether ye be Gawayne. 1292

"Now he þat spede3 vche spech, þis disport 3elde yow!

Bot þat 3e be Gawan, hit got3 in mynde."

"Quer-fore?" quod þe freke, & freschly he aske3,

Ferde lest he hade fayled in fourme of his castes;

1296

Bot þe burde hym blessed, & bi þis skyl sayde,

[Fol. 108b.]

"So god as Gawayn gaynly is halden,

& cortaysye is closed so clene in hym-seluen,

Were it he, surely, ere this, he would have craved a kiss."

Couth not ly3tly haf lenged so long wyth a lady,

1300

Bot he had craued a cosse, bi his courtaysye,

Bi sum towch of summe tryfle, at sum tale3 ende."

"I shall kiss," says the knight, "at your commandment."

Þen quod Wowen, "I-wysse, worþe as yow lyke3,

I schal kysse at your comaundement, as a kny3t falle3,

1304

& fire¹ lest he displese yow, so² plede hit no more."

With that the lady catches him in her arms and kisses him.

Ho comes nerre with þat, & cache3 hym in arme3,

Loute3 luflych adoun, & þe leude kysse3;

Þay comly bykennen to Kryst ayþer oþer;

1308

Ho dos hir forth at þe dore, with-outen dyn more.

& he ryches hym to ryse, & rapes hym sone,

Gawayne then rises and goes to mass.

Clepes to his chamberlayn, choses his wede,

Bo3e3 forth, quen he wat3 boun, blyþely to masse,

1312

& þenne he meued to his mete, þat menskly hym keped,

He makes mirth all day till the moon rises,

& made myry al day til þe mone rysed,

with game;

With³ neuer freke fayrer fonge,

between the "two dames," the older and the younger. 1316

Bitwene two so dyngne dame,

Þe alder & þe 3onge,

Much solace set þay same.

Meanwhile the lord of the land and his men hunt in woods and heaths.

And ay þe lorde of þe londe is lent on his gamne3,

1320

To hunt in holte3 & heþe, at hynde3 barayne,

Such a sowme he þer slowe bi þat þe sunne heldet,

Of dos & of oþer dere, to deme were wonder.

Þenne fersly þay flokked in folk at þe laste,

Quickly of the killed a "quarry" they make. 1324

& quykly of þe quelled dere a querré þay maked;

Þe best bo3ed þerto, with burne3 in-noghe,

Then they set about breaking the deer.

Gedered þe grattest of gres þat þer were,

& didden hem derely vndo, as þe dede aske3;

They take away the assay or fat, 1328

Serched hem at þe asay, summe þat þer were,

Two fyngeres þay fonde of þe fowlest of alle;

then they slit the slot and remove the erber.

Syþen þay slyt þe slot, sesed þe erber,

They afterwards rip the four limbs and rend off the hide.

Schaued wyth a scharp knyf, & þe schyre knitten;

1332

Syþen rytte þay þe foure lymmes, & rent of þe hyde,

They next open the belly

Þen brek þay þe bale, þe bale3 out token,

[Fol. 109.]
and take out the bowels.

Lystily forlancyng, & bere of þe knot;

Þay gryped to þe gargulun, & grayþely departed

They then separate the weasand from the windhole and throw out the guts. 1336

Þe wesaunt fro þe wynt-hole, & walt out þe gutte3;

Þen scher þay out þe schuldere3 with her scharp knyue3,

The shoulders are cut out, and the breast divided into halves.

Haled hem by a lyttel hole, to haue hole sydes;

Siþen britned þay þe brest, & brayden hit in twynne,

1340

& eft at þe gargulun bigyne3 on þenne,

The numbles are next removed.

Ryue3 hit vp radly, ry3t to þe by3t,

Voyde3 out þe a-vanters, & verayly þerafter

Alle þe ryme3 by þe rybbe3 radly þay lance;

1344

So ryde þay of by resoun bi þe rygge bone3,

Euenden to þe haunche, þat henged alle samen,

& heuen hit vp al hole, & hwen hit of þere,

& þat þayneme for þe noumbles, bi nome as I trowe,

1348

bi kynde;

By the fork of the thighs,

Bi þe by3t al of þe þy3es,

Þe lappe3 þay lance bi-hynde,

the flaps are hewn in two by the backbone.

To hewe hit in two þay hy3es,

1352

Bi þe bak-bon to vnbynde.

After this the head and neck are cut off, and the sides severed from the chine.

Boþe þe hede & þe hals þay hwen of þenne,

& syþen sunder þay þe syde3 swyft fro þe chyne,

& þe corbeles fee þay kest in a greue;¹

1356

Þenn þurled þay ayþer þik side þur3, bi þe rybbe,

& henged þenne a[y]þer bi ho3es of þe fourche3,

Vche freke for his fee, as falle3 forto haue.

Vpon a felle of þe fayre best, fede þay þayr houndes,

With the liver, lights and paunches, they feed the hounds. 1360

Wyth þe lyuer & þe ly3te3, þe leþer of þe paunche3,

& bred baþed in blod, blende þer amonge3;

Baldely þay blw prys, bayed þayr rachche3,

Then they make for home.

Syþen fonge þay her flesche folden to home,

1364

Strakande ful stoutly mony stif mote3.

Bi þat þe dayly3t wat3 done, þe douthe wat3 al wonen

In-to þe comly castel, þer þe kny3t bide3

ful stille;

1368

Wyth blys & bry3t fyr bette,

Þe lord is comen þer-tylle,

Gawayne goes out to meet his host.

When Gawayn wyth hym mette,

Þer wat3 bot wele at wylle.

[Fol. 109b.]
The lord commands all his household to assemble, 1372

Thenne comaunded þe lorde in þat sale to samen alle þe meny,

Boþe þe ladyes on loghe to ly3t with her burdes,

and the venison to be brought before him.

Bi-fore alle þe folk on þe flette, freke3 he bedde3

Verayly his venysoun to fech hym byforne;

He calls Gawayne, 1376

& al godly in gomen Gaway[n] he called,

Teche3 hym to þe tayles of ful tayt bestes,

Schewe3 hym þe schyree grece schorne vpon rybbes.

and asks him whether he does not deserve much praise for his success in the chase.

"How paye3 yow þis play? haf I prys wonnen?

1380

Haue I þryuandely þonk þur3 my craft serued?"

"3e I-wysse," quod þat oþer wy3e, "here is wayth fayrest

On the knight expressing himself satisfied, he is told to take the whole according to a former agreement between them.

Þat I se3 þis seuen 3ere in sesoun of wynter."

"& al I gif yow, Gawayn," quod þe gome þenne,

1384

"For by a-corde of couenaunt 3e craue hit as your awen."

"Þis is soth," quod þe segge, "I say yow þatilke,

&¹ I haf worthyly þis wone3 wyth-inne,

Gawayne gives the knight a comely kiss in return.

I-wysse with as god wylle hit worþe3 to 3oure3."

1388

He hasppe3 his fayre hals his arme3 wyth-inne,

& kysses hym as comlyly as he² couþe awyse:

"Tas yow þere my cheuicaunce, I cheued no more,

I wowche hit saf fynly, þa3 feler hit were."

1392

"Hit is god," quod þe god mon, "grant mercy þerfore,

His host desires to know where he has gotten such weal.

Hit may be such, hit is þe better, &¹ 3e me breue wolde

Where 3e wan þis ilk wele, biwytte of hor³ seluen?"

As this does not enter into the covenant, he gets no answer to his question.

"Þat wat3 not forward," quod he, "frayst me no more,

1396

For 3e haftan þat yow tyde3, trawe3e non oþer

3e mowe."

Þay la3ed, & made hem blyþe,

They then proceed to supper, where were dainties new and enough.

Wyth lote3 þat were to lowe,

1400

To soper þay 3ede asswyþe,

Wyth dayntes nwe in-nowe.

By the hearth they sit.

And syþen by þe chymné in chamber þay seten.

Wine is carried round.

Wy3e3 þe walle wyn we3ed to hem oft,

1404

& efte in her bourdyng þay bayþen in þe morn,

To fylle þe same forwarde3 þat þay by-fore maden,

Again Sir Gawayne and his host renew their agreement.

Þat chaunce so bytyde3 hor cheuysaunce to chaunge,

What nwe3 so þay nome, at na3t quen þay metten

1408

Þay acorded of þe couenaunte3 byfore þe court alle;

[Fol. 110.]

Þe beuerage wat3 bro3t forth in bourde at þat tyme;

Then they take leave of each other and hasten to bed.

Þenne þay louelych le3ten leue at þe last,

Vche burne to his bedde busked bylyue.

Scarce had the cock cackled thrice when the lord was up. 1412

Bi þat þe coke hade crowe3¹ & cakled bot þryse,

Þe lorde wat3 lopen of his bedde, [&] þe leude3 vch one,

So þat þe mete & þe masse wat3 metely delyuered;

Þe douthe dressed to þe wod, er any day sprenged,

1416

to chace;

With his hunters and horns they pursue the chase.

He3 with hunte & horne3,

Þur3 playne3 þay passe in space,

Vn-coupled among þo þorne3,

1420

Rache3 þat ran on race.

The hunters cheer on the hounds,

Sone þay calle of a quest in aker syde,

Þe hunt re-hayted þe hounde3, þat hit fyrst mynged,

which fall to the scent forty at once.

Wylde worde3 hym warp wyth a wrast noyce;

1424

Þe hownde3 þat hit herde, hastid þider swyþe,

& fellen as fast to þe fuyt, fourty at ones;

Þenne such a glauerande glam of gedered rachche3

Ros, þat þe rochere3 rungen aboute;

1428

Huntere3 hem hardened with horne & wyth muthe.

All come together by the side of a cliff.

Þen al in a semblé sweyed to-geder,

Bitwene a flosche in þat fryth, & a foo cragge;

In a knot, bi a clyffe, at þe kerre syde,

1432

Þer as þe rogh rocher vn-rydely wat3 fallen,

[Þay] ferden to þe fyndyng, & freke3 hem after;

They look about on all sides,

Þay vmbe-kesten þe knarre & þe knot boþe.

Wy3e3, whyl þay wysten wel wyt inne hem hit were,

1436

Þe best þat þer breued wat3 wyth þe blod hounde3.

and beat on the bushes.

Þenne þay beten on þe buske3, & bede hym vp ryse,

& he vnsoundyly out so3t segge3 ouer-þwert,

Out there rushes a fierce wild boar,

On þe sellokest swyn swenged out þere,

1440

Long sythen for¹ þe sounder þat wi3t for-olde,

For he wat3 b[este &] bor alþer grattest,

[And eue]re quen he gronyed, þenne greued mony,

At the first thrust he fells three to the ground.

For [þre a]t þe fyrst þrast he þry3t to þe erþe,

1444

& [sped hym] forth good sped, boute spyt more,

[Ande þay] halowed hyghe ful hy3e & hay! hay! cryed

[Fol. 110b.]

Haden horne3 to mouþe heterly rechated;

Full quickly the hunters pursue him.

Mony wat3 þe myry mouthe of men & of hounde3,

1448

Þat buskke3 after þis bor, with bost & wyth noyse,

To quelle;

Ful oft he byde3 þe baye,

& mayme3 þe mute Inn-melle,

However, he attacks the hounds, causing them to yowl and yell. 1452

He hurte3 of þe hounde3, & þay

Ful 3omerly 3aule & 3elle.

The bowmen send their arrows after this wild swine,

Schalke3 to schote at hym schowen to þenne,

Haled to hym of her arewe3, hitten hym oft;

1456

Bot þe poynte3 payred at þe pyth þat py3t in his schelde3,

& þe barbe3 of his browe bite non wolde,

but they glide off shivered in pieces.

Þa3 þe schauen schaft schyndered in pece3,

Þe hede hypped a3ayn, were-so-euer hit hitte;

Enraged with the blows, 1460

Bot quon þe dynte3 hym dered of her dry3e stroke3,

Þen, brayn-wod for bate, on burne3 he rase3,

he attacks the hunters.

Hurte3 hem ful heterly þer he forth hy3e3,

& mony ar3ed þerat, & on-lyte dro3en.

1464

Bot þe lorde on a ly3t horce launces hym after,

The lord of the land blows his bugle,

As burne bolde vpon bent his bugle he blowe3,

He rechated, & r[ode]¹ þur3 rone3 ful þyk,

Suande þis wy[ld]e swyn til þe sunne schafted.

and pursues the boar. 1468

Þis day wyth þis ilk dede þay dryuen on þis wyse,

Whyle oure luflych lede lys in his bedde,

All this time Gawayne lies a-bed.

Gawayn grayþely at home, in gere3 ful ryche

of hewe;

1472

Þe lady no3t for3ate,

Com to hym to salue,

Ful erly ho wat3 hym ate,

His mode forto remwe.

The lady of the castle again visits Sir Gawayne. 1476

Ho commes to þe cortyn, & at þe kny3t totes,

Sir Wawen her welcumed worþy on fyrst,

& ho hym 3elde3 a3ayn, ful 3erne of hir worde3,

Softly she sits by his side,

Sette3 hir sof[t]ly by his syde, & swyþely ho la3e3,

1480

& wyth a luflych loke ho layde¹ hym þyse worde3:

"Sir, 3if 3e be Wawen, wonder me þynkke3,

Wy3e þat is so wel wrast alway to god,

& conne3 not of compaynye þe coste3 vnder-take,

[Fol. 111] 1484

& if mon kennes yow hom to knowe, 3e kest hom of your mynde;

and tells the knight that he has forgotten what she taught him the day before.

Þou hat3 for-3eten 3ederly þat 3isterday I ta3tte

alder-truest token of talk þat I cowþe."

"What is þat?" quod þe wyghe, "I-wysse I wot neuer,

1488

If hit be sothe þat 3e breue, þe blame is myn awen."

"I taught you of kissing," she says, "that becomes every knight."

"3et I kende yow of kyssyng," quod þe clere þenne,

"Quere-so countenaunce is couþe, quikly to clayme,

Þat bicumes vche a kny3t, þat cortaysy vses."

1492

"Do way," quod þat derf mon, "my dere, þat speche,

Gawayne says that he must not take that which is forbidden.

For þat durst I not do, lest I denayed were,

If I were werned, I were wrang I-wysse, 3if I profered."

"Ma fay," quod þe mere wyf, "3e may not be werned,

He is told that he is strong enough to enforce it. 1496

3e ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, 3if yow lyke3,

3if any were so vilanous þat yow denaye² wolde."

"3e, be God," quod Gawayn, "good is your speche,

Bot þrete is vn-þryuande in þede þer I lende,

The knight replies that every gift is worthless that is not given willingly. 1500

& vche gift þat is geuen not with goud wylle;

I am at your comaundement, to kysse quen yow lyke3,

3e may lach quen yow lyst, & leue quen yow þynkke3,

in space."

The lady stoops down and kisses him. 1504

Þe lady loute3 a-doun,

& comlyly kysses his face,

Much speche þay þer expoun,

Of druryes greme & grace.

"I would learn," she says, "why you, who are so young and active, 1508

"I woled¹ wyt at yow, wy3e," þat worþy þer sayde,

"& yow wrathed not þer-wyth, what were þe skylle,

Þat so 3ong & so 3epe, as 3e [ar] at þis tyme,

So cortayse, so kny3tyly, as 3e ar knowen oute,

so skilled in the true sport of love, 1512

& of alle cheualry to chose, þe chef þyng a-losed,

Is² þe lel layk of luf, þe lettrure of armes;

F[or] to telle of þis tenelyng of þis trwe kny3te3,

Hit is þe tytelet, token, & tyxt of her werkke3,

1516

How le[des] for her lele luf hor lyue3 han auntered,

Endured for her drury dulful stounde3,

& after wenged with her walour & voyded her care,

and so renowned a knight,

& bro3t blysse in-to boure, with bountees hor awen.

1520

& 3e ar kny3t com-lokest kyd of your elde,

[Fol. 111b.]

Your worde & your worchip walke3 ay quere,

& I haf seten by your-self here sere twyes,

have never talked to me of love.

3et herde I neuer of your hed helde no worde3

1524

Þat euer longed to luf, lasse ne more;

You ought to show a young thing like me some token of 'true-love's crafts.'

& 3e, þat ar so cortays & coynt of your hetes,

Oghe to a 3onke þynk 3ern to schewe,

& teche sum tokene3 of trweluf craftes.

1528

Why ar 3e lewed, þat alle þe los welde3,

Oþer elles 3e demen me to dille, your dalyaunce to herken?

for schame!

I com hider sengel, & sitte,

1532

To lerne at yow sum game,

So teach me of your 'wit' while my lord is from home."

Dos, teche3 me of your wytte,

Whil my lorde is fro hame."

"It is a great pleasure to me," says Sir Gawayne, "to hear you talk,

"In goud fayþe," quod Gawayn, "God yow for3elde,

1536

Gret is þe gode gle, & gomen to me huge,

Þat so worþy as 3e wolde wynne hidere,

& pyne yow with so pouer a mon, as play wyth your kny3t,

With any skynne3 countenaunce, hit keuere3 me ese;

but I cannot undertake the task to expound true-love and tales of arms. 1540

Bot to take þe toruayle¹ to my-self, to trwluf expoun,

& towche þe teme3 of tyxt, & tale3 of arme3,

To yow þat, I wot wel, welde3 more sly3t

Of þat art, bi þe half, or a hundreth of seche

1544

As I am, oþer euer schal, in erde þer I leue,

Hit were a fole fele-folde, my fre, by my trawþe.

I will, however, act according to your will,

I wolde yowre wylnyng worche at my my3t,

As I am hy3ly bihalden, & euer-more wylle

and ever be your servant." 1548

Be seruaunt to your-seluen, so saue me dry3tyn!"

Þus hym frayned þat fre, & fondet hym ofte,

Forto haf wonnen hym to wo3e, what-so scho þo3t elle3,

Thus Gawayne defends himself.

Bot he de fended hym so fayr, þat no faut semed,

1552

Ne non euel on nawþer halue, nawþer þay wysten,

bot blysse;

Þay la3ed & layked longe,

At þe last scho con hym kysse,

The lady having kissed the knight, takes leave of him. 1556

Hir leue fayre con scho fonge,

& went hir waye Iwysse.

Gawayne rises, hears mass, and then dines.

Then ruþes hym þe renk, & ryses to þe masse,

[Fol. 112.]

& siþen hor diner wat3 dy3t & derely serued.

Meanwhile the lord pursues the wild boar, 1560

Þe lede with þe ladye3 layked alle day,

Bot þe lorde ouer þe londe3 launced ful ofte,

Swe3 his vncely swyn, þat swynge3 bi þe bonkke3,

that bit the backs of his hounds asunder,

& bote þe best of his brache3 þe bakke3 in sunder;

1564

Þer he bode in his bay, tel¹ bawe-men hit breken,

& made² hym, maw-gref his bed, forto mwe vtter;

and caused the stiffest of the hunters to start.

So felle flone3 per flete, when þe folk gedered;

Bot 3et þe styffest to start bi stounde3 he made,

1568

Til at þe last he wat3 so mat, he my3t no more renne,

The boar runs into a hole in a rock by the side of a brook.

Bot in þe hast þat he my3t, he to a hole wynne3,

Of a rasse, bi a rokk, þer renne3 þe boerne,

He gete þe bonk at his bak, bigyne3 to scrape,

The froth foams at his mouth. 1572

Þe froþe femed³ at his mouth vnfayre bi þe wyke3,

Whette3 his whyte tusche3; with hym þen irked

Alle þe burne3 so bolde, þat hym by stoden,

None durst approach him,

To nye hym on-ferum, bot ne3e hym non durst

1576

for woþe;

He hade hurt so mony byforne,

Þat al þu3t⁴ þenne ful loþe,

so many had he torn with his tusks.

Be more wyth his tusche3 torne,

1580

Þat breme wat3 [&] brayn-wod bothe.