← Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight / An Alliterative Romance-Poem (c. 1360 A.D.)
XXV
In dre3 droupyng of dreme draueled þat noble,
As mon þat wat3 in mornyng of mony þro þo3tes,
How þat destiné schulde þat day [dy3t] his wyrde,
At þe grene chapel, when he þe gome metes,
& bi-houes his buffet abide, with-oute debate more;
Bot quen þat comly he keuered his wyttes,
Swenges out of þe sweuenes, & sware3 with hast.
Þe lady luflych com la3ande swete,
Felle ouer his fayre face, & fetly him kyssed;
He welcume3 hir worþily, with a wale chere;
He se3 hir so glorious, & gayly atyred,
So fautles of hir fetures, & of so fyne hewes,
Wi3t wallande Ioye warmed his hert;
With smoþe smylyng & smolt þay smeten in-to merþe,
Þat al wat3 blis & bonchef, þat breke hem bi-twene,
& wynne,
Þay lanced wordes gode,
Much wele þen wat3 þer-inne,
Gret perile bi-twene hem stod,
Nif mare of hir kny3t mynne.