740 [A] Bi a mounte on þe morne meryly he rydes, Into a forest ful dep, þat ferly wat3 wylde, Hi3e hille3 on vche a halue, & holt wode3 vnder, [B] Of hore oke3 fill hoge a hundreth to-geder; 744 Þe hasel & þe ha3-þorne were harled al samen, With ro3e raged mosse rayled ay-where, [C] With mony brydde3 vnblyþe vpon bare twyges, Þat pitosly þer piped for pyne of þe colde. 748 Þe gome vpon Gryngolet glyde3 hem vnder, [D] Þur3 mony misy & myre, mon al hym one, Carande for his costes, lest he ne keuer schulde, To se þe seruy[1] of þat syre, þat on þat self ny3t 752 Of a burde wat3 borne, oure baret to quelle; [E] & þerfore sykyng he sayde, "I be-seche þe, lorde, & Mary, þat is myldest moder so dere. Of sum herber, þer he3ly I my3t here masse. 756 Ande þy matyne3 to-morne, mekely I ask, & þer-to prestly I pray my pater & aue, & crede." He rode in his prayere, 760 & cryed for his mysdede, [F] He sayned hym in syþes sere, & sayde "cros Kryst me spede!"
[Sidenote A: On the morn Sir Gawayne finds himself in a deep forest,] [Sidenote B: where were old oaks many a hundred.] [Sidenote C: Many sad birds upon bare twigs piped piteously for the cold.] [Sidenote D: Through many a mire he goes, that he may celebrate the birth of Christ.] [Sidenote E: He beseeches the Virgin Mary to direct him to some lodging where he may hear mass.] [Sidenote F: Blessing himself, he says, "Cross of Christ, speed me!"] [Footnote 1: seruyce (?).]
[A] Nade he sayned hym-self, segge, bot þrye, 764 Er he wat3 war in þe wod of a won in a mote. [B] Abof a launde, on a lawe, loken vnder bo3e3, Of mony borelych bole, aboute bi þe diches; [C] A castel þe comlokest þat euer kny3t a3te, 768 Pyched on a prayere, a park al aboute, With a pyked palays, pyned ful þik, Þat vmbe-te3e mony tre mo þen two myle. Þat holde on þat on syde þe haþel auysed, 772 [D] As hit schemered & schon þur3 þe schyre oke3; Þenne hat3 he hendly of his helme, & he3ly he þonke3 Iesus & say[nt] Gilyan, þat gentyle ar boþe, Þat cortaysly hade hym kydde, & his cry herkened. [Fol. 101b.] 776 "Now bone hostel," coþe þe burne, "I be-seche yow 3ette!" Þenne gedere3 he to Gryngolet with þe gilt hele3, [E] & he ful chauncely hat3 chosen to þe chef gate, Þat bro3t bremly þe burne to þe bryge ende, 780 in haste; [F] Þe bryge wat3 breme vp-brayde, Þe 3ate3 wer stoken faste, Þe walle3 were wel arayed, 784 Hit dut no wynde3 blaste.