University of Virginia Library

Bonefas to sire Beues sede:
‘Sire, þe is beter do be me rede!
Þe king comeþ sone fro honting
And wiþ him mani a riche king,
Fiftene told al in tale,
Dukes and erles mani and fale.
Whan hii fonde vs alle agon,
Þai wolde after vs euerichon
Wiþ wonder-gret cheualrie,
And do vs schame and vileinie;
Ac formeste, sire, wiþ outen fable,
Led Arondel in to þe stable,
And ate þe gate þow him abide,
Til þe king comeþ bi þe ride;
A wile þe asken at þe frome,
Whider þow schelt & whannes þow come;
Sai, þat þow hauest wide i-went,
And þow come be Dabilent,
Þat is hennes four iurne;
Sai, men wile þer þe king sle,
Boute him come help of sum oþer;
And king Yuor is his broþer,
& whan he hereþ þat tiding,
Þeder a wile an hiȝing
Wiþ al is power and is ost:
Þanne mai we wiþ lite bost
Forþ in oure wei go!’
Beues seide: ‘It schel be so!’
And Arondel to stable lad,
Ase Bonefas him bad;
And to þe gate Beues ȝode
Wiþ oþer beggers, þat þer stode,
& pyk and skrippe be is side,
In a sklauin row & wide;
His berd was ȝelw, to is brest wax,
And to his gerdel heng is fax.
Al þai seide, þat hii ne siȝe
So faire palmer neuer wiþ eiȝe,
Ne com þer non in þat contre:
Þus wondred on him þat him gan se;
And so stod Beues in þat þring,
Til noun belle be-gan to ring.