[Headnote: SIX KNIGHTS FOLLOW HIM.] [Sidenote: Sir Kay, Sir Sygramors, Sir Gresown, Sir Ywan, Sir Brandellis, and Gahers, all six in a race spur across the field with stretched spears,] S{ir} kay, the wich haith this encontyr ſen, His horß he ſtrekith our the larg gren, And ſ{ir} ſygramors ek the deſyrand, W{i}t{h} ſ{ir} greſown cu{m}myth at y{ar} honde, 3084 Son of the duk, and alſua ſ{ir} ywan The baſtart, and ſ{ir} brandellis onan, And gaherß, wich that broyir was To gawan; thir ſex in a Raß 3088 Deliu{er}ly com prekand our the feld{is} W{i}t{h} ſperis ſtraucht, and cou{er}it w{i}t{h} thar ſcheldis; Sum for love, ſum honor to purcheß, [Sidenote: and 100 knights after them.] And aftir them one hund{er}eth kny{ch}t{is} was, 3092 In ſamyne will, thar manhed to aſſay. On his v falowis clepit than ſ{ir} kay, [Sidenote: Sir Kay exhorts them] And ſaith them, “ſ{ir}is, thar has ȝhond{er} ben A courß that neu{er}-more farar was ſen 3096 Maid be o kny{ch}t, and we ar cu{m}myn ilkon Only ws one [his] worſchip to diſpone; And neu{er} we in al our dais my{ch}t Have bet axampil than iffith ws ȝone kny{ch}t 3100 [Sidenote: to keep near the black knight, and follow his guidance all day.] Of well doing; and her I hecht for me Ner hyme al day, if that I may, to bee, And folow hyme at al [my] my{ch}t I ſall, Bot deth or vthir adwentur me fall. 3104 W{i}t{h} that thir ſex, al in one aſſent, W{i}t{h} freſch curag In to the feld Is went. The blak kny{ch}t{is} ſpere in pec{is} goñe, [Fol. 38b.] [Sidenote: With a second spear, the black knight seeks the field, closely followed by the six.] Frome o ſqwyar oñe vthir haith he toñe, 3108 And to the feld onone he goith ful ry{ch}t; Thir ſex w{i}t{h} hyme ay holdith at y{ar} my{ch}t. And than bygan his wond{er}is in the feld; Thar was no helme, no hawbryk, nore no ſcheld, 3112 [Sidenote: No knight nor armour can withstand him.] Nor yhit no kny{ch}t ſo hardy, ferß, nore ſtout, No ȝhit no man{er} armour my{ch}t hald owt His ſtrenth, nore was of powar to w{i}t{h}ſtond; So mych of armys dyde he w{i}t{h} his honde, 3116 [Sidenote: Every wight wonders at his deeds.] That euery wight ferleit of h{is} deid, And al his fois ſtondith ful of dreid. So beſely he can his tyme diſpend, That of the ſperis wich ſ{ir} gawan ſend, 3120 [Sidenote: He uses up all Gawane’s spears.] Holl of them all thar was not lewit oñe; Throw wich but m{er}cy to the deyth is gon Ful many o kny{ch}t, and many o weriour, That cout{h} ſuſten ful hardely o ſtour. 3124 [Sidenote: Two horses of his are killed, and he fights on foot.]