[Sidenote: [leaf 88]] Ant sette him a knelyng, ant grette þene gode kyng. 836 [Sidenote: Berild asks that he be taken into the king’s service.] Þa{n}ne sede Berild sone, “Sire king, of him þu hast to done. Bitak him þi lond to werie; Ne schat hit noman derie, 840 For he is þe faireste man Þ{a}t eureȝut on þi londe cam.” Þo seyde byrild wel sone, “Whit hym haue{n} to done. Tak hym þi lond to werye; Ne schal hym noma{n} derye. 840 He hys þe fayreste man Þat eu{er}e in þis londe cam.” þo saide beryld wel sone, “kyng, wiþ him þou ast done. þi lond tac hi{m} to werie; ne shal þe nomon derye, 840 for he is þe feyreste man þat euer in þis londe cam.” [Headnote: _Horn enters the service of the king._] [Sidenote: The king welcomes Cutberd.] ¶ Þa{n}ne sede þe ki{n}g so dere, “Welcome beo þu here. 844 Go nu, Berild, swiþe, {And} make him ful bliþe. And whan þu farst to woȝe, Tak him þine gloue. 848 Ime{n}t þu hauest to wyue, Awai he schal þe dryue; For Cutberdes fairhede Ne schal þe neure wel spede.” 852 Þo seyde þe king so dere, “Wel come be he here. 844 Go nov, byryld, swyþe, An mak him glad and blyþe. Wan þou farest awowen, Tak hym þine glouen. 848 Þer þou hauest Mynt to wyue, Awey he schal þe dryue.” [_No gap in MS._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] ¶ þo seide þe kyng wel dere, “welcome þe þou here. 844 go, beryld, wel swyþe, {ant} make hy{m} wel blyþe, ant when þou farest to wowen, tac him þine glouen. 848 þer þou hast munt to wyue, a wey he shal þe dryue; for godmodes feyrhede shalt þou no wer spede.” 852 [Sidenote: At the Christmas feast a giant appears.] ++HIt was at Cristesmasse, Neiþer more ne lasse, [_No gap in MS._ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] Hyt was at C{r}istesmesse, Naþer more ne lesse. Þe king hym makede a feste, Wyt hyse knyctes beste. 856 hit wes at c{ri}stesmasse, nouþer more ne lasse. þe kyng made feste, of his knyhtes beste. 856 [Headnote: _The giant’s challenge._] [Sidenote: The giant proclaims a challenge.] Þ{er} cam in at none, A Geau{n}t suþe sone, Iarmed fram paynyme, And seide þes ryme:-- 860 “Site stille, sire kyng, {And} herkne þis tyþyng. Her buþ pae{n}s ariued, Wel mo þane fiue. 864 Her beoþ on þe so{n}de, Ki{n}g, vpon þi londe.