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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Fyrst he wat3 funden fautle3 in his fyue wytte3,
And efte fayled neuer že freke in his fyue fyngres;
And alle his afyaunce vpon folde wat3 in že fyue wounde3
žat Cryst ka3t on že croys, as že crede telle3;
And quere-so-euer žys mon in melly wat3 stad,
His žro žo3t wat3 in žat, žur3 alle ožer žynge3,
žat alle his fersnes he feng at že fyue joye3
žat že hende heuen quene had of hir chylde. [...]
že fyft fyue žat I finde žat že frek vsed
Wat3 fraunchyse and fela3schyp forbe al žyng,
His clannes and his cortaysye croked were neuer,
And pité, žat passe3 alle poynte3 - žyse pure fyue
Were harder happed on žat hažel žen on any ožer.
Now alle žese fyue syžes, for sože, were fetled on žis kny3t,
And vchone halched in ožer, žat non ende hade,
And fyched vpon fyve poynte3, žat fayld neuer,
Ne sammned neuer in no syde, ne sundred noužer,
Withouten ende at any noke aiquere, I fynde,
Whereeuer že gomen bygan or glod to an ende.
žerfore on his schene schelde schapen wat3 že knot
Ryally wyth red golde vpon rede gowle3,
žat is že pure pentaungel wyth že peple called
with lore. (Vv. 640-65)
Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales,
General Prologue (A, 43-46; 67-72)
A Knyght ther was, and that a worthy man,
That fro the tyme that he first began
To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
[...]
And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys;
And though that he were worthy, he was wys,
And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.
He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde
In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
The Pentagram on Gawain's shield as a symbol of chivalric perfection
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