Chapter VIII

2160 [A] Thenne gyrde3 he to Gryngolet, & gedere3 þe rake, [Fol. 120.]
Schowue3 in bi a schore, at a scha3e syde,
[B] Ride3 þur3 þe ro3e bonk, ry3t to þe dale;
& þenne he wayted hym aboute, & wylde hit hym þo3t,
2164 [C] & se3e no syngne of resette, bisyde3 nowhere,
Bot hy3e bonkke3 & brent, vpon boþe halue,
& ru3e knokled knarre3, with knorned stone3;
Þe skwe3 of þe scowtes skayued[1] hym þo3t.
2168 Þenne he houed, & wyth-hylde his hors at þat tyde,
& ofte chaunged his cher, þe chapel to seche;
[D] He se3 non suche in no syde, & selly hym þo3t,
Sone a lyttel on a launde, a lawe as hit we[re];
2172 [E] A bal3 ber3, bi a bonke, þe brymme by-syde,
Bi a for3 of a flode, þat ferked þare;
Þe borne blubred þer-inne, as hit boyled hade.
[F] Þe kny3t kache3 his caple, & com to þe lawe,
2176 [G] Li3te3 doun luflyly, & at a lynde tache3
Þe rayne, & his riche, with a ro3e braunche;
[H] Þen[n]e he bo3e3 to þe ber3e, aboute hit he walke,
D[e]batande with hym-self, quat hit be my3t.
2180 Hit hade a hole on þe ende, & on ayþer syde,
& ouer-growen with gresse in glodes ay where,
& al wat3 hol3 in-with, nobot an olde caue,
[I] Or a creuisse of an olde cragge, he couþe hit no3t deme
2184 with spelle,
"We,[2] lorde," quod þe gentyle kny3t,
"Wheþer þis be þe grene chapelle;
[J] He my3t aboute myd-ny3t,
2188 [Þ]e dele his matynnes telle!"

[Sidenote A: Then he pursues his journey,] [Sidenote B: rides through the dale, and looks about.] [Sidenote C: He sees no sign of a resting-place, but only high and steep banks.] [Sidenote D: No chapel could he discern.] [Sidenote E: At last he sees a hill by the side of a stream;] [Sidenote F: thither he goes,] [Sidenote G: alights and fastens his horse to a branch of a tree.] [Sidenote H: He walks around the hill, debating with himself what it might be,] [Sidenote I: and at last finds an old cave in the crag.] [Sidenote J: He prays that about midnight he may tell his matins.] [Footnote 1: skayned (?).] [Footnote 2: wel (?).]