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But now more to minge of þe messagers of grece.
as tyt as þei had told trewli to here lord,
how realy þei were resceyued in rome þe riche,
& þe gracious graunt þei gaten of here herande,
þemperour of grece gretly was gladed in herte.
swiþe sent he sondes to somoun þat time
alle þe grete of grece and oþer gaie pepul,
þat no mon vpon mold miȝt ayme þe noumber;
al þat real aray reken schold men neuer,
ne purueaunce þat prest was to pepul a-greiþed.
but soþ atte þe day set wiþ solempne merþe,
þis gaye genge of grece to rome gunne ride,
& riden in real aray to-ward rome euene.
forto reken al þe arai in rome þat time,
alle þe men vpon mold ne miȝt hit deuice,
so wel in alle wise was hit arayed,
& plente of alle purueaunce purueyed to riȝttes.
whan þemperour of grece neiyed neiȝh rome,
wiþ alle his bolde burnes a-boute þre mile,
þemperour of rome redeli romed him a-ȝens,
wiþ þe clennest cumpanye þat euer king ladde.
& whan þe clene cumpanyes comen to-gadere,
þe siȝt was ful semly and louely for to se,
whan eiþer of þemperoures er þei wold stint,
eiþer oþer keste kindeliche þat time,
& seþþe þe same wiþ þe sone also he wrouȝt;
þe murþe of þat metyng no man may telle.
Into rome al þat route riden forþ in-fere,
& eche a strete was striked & strawed wiþ floures,
& realy railled wiþ wel riche cloþes,
& alle maner menstracie maked him a-ȝens;
and also daunces disgisi redi diȝt were,
& selcouþ songes to solas here hertes;
so þat soþli to say þeiȝh i sete euer,
I schuld nouȝt telle þe merþe þat maked was þere;
forþi to minge of þat matere no more i ne þenk.
but alle þe genge of grece was gayli resseyued,
& herbarwed hastely ich hete þe for soþe,
In a place, þer were piȝt pauilounns & tentes,
bi o side of þe cite for swiþe moche pepul;
for þei þat seie it forsoþe saiden þe truþe,
þe place of þe pauilons & of þe price tentes
semede as moche to siȝt as þe cite of rome.
þemperour & eueri man were esed to riȝttes,
& haden wiȝtly at wille what þei wolde ȝerne.
but now a while wol i stinte of þis wlonke murþe,
& munge now of meliors þat blisful burde,
& of þe worþi william þat was here lemman dere,
& telle þe tale lelly what hem bitidde after.