University of Virginia Library

Arthure

Of egypt of babiloyne & of frygie
Of mesepoc of bytynie & of boecye
Alle þes kinges & alle oþere þat were bi este rome
& alle þat to rome ssolde seruise to him come
So þat fourty þousend hors & sixty hondred al so
Þat were þo hii ȝare were þis chiualerye to do
King arthure bitok modred is soster sone ich wene
Þis lond to loke þo he wende & gwenwayr þe quene
Vor he truste to hom mest as me þincþ he wel aȝte
Ac as ȝe ssolle her after yhure hii broȝte him suþþe to naȝte
Mid al is ost of þis lond to souþhamtone he wende
& dude him in to þe se mid wind þat god him sende
Þo he com ver in þe se & he aslepe was
At tyme of midniȝt of þe niȝt him mette a greuous cas
Him þoȝte he sey a grislich bere fle in þe eir an hey
Þat alle þe hauenes quakede of is fliȝt him þoȝte ek he sey
& a dreduol dragon fram þe west com mid him to fiȝte
Þat þe leom of is eyen al þe contreye liȝte
Ac þe dragon velde þulke bere & to grounde him caste
An oþer dragon com fram þen est & mid þulke dragon faȝt uaste
Þo þe king awok he tolde his meyne of þis cas
& some þoȝte & tolde wat þe bitokne was
Þat þe dragon of biweste bitokneþ þe king arþure
& þe bere som foul geant þat me ssolde of yhure
Þat he ssolde ouercome þe geant & þe dragon bi este
Bi toknede þe emperour of rome & þe bataile of þe beste
Ouercome bitoknede & þe romeins ssolde al so
Ac þe king ne Iugede noȝt þat it ssolde be so ydo
Þer after hii come to barbesflet & piȝte þer bi syde
Hor tentes & hor pauilons hor compaynie to abide
Vnder þat þer com word to þe king arþure
Þat þe meste geaunt þat mon ssolde of yhure
Out of þe lond of spayne come & adde ynome eleyne
Þat was so vair þe kinges nece howel of brutayne
& vpe þe mount of sein michel hire ladde atte laste
& þe kniȝtes of þe lond sywede after vaste
Ac hii ne miȝte noȝt aȝen hym do no weþer so hii wende
Bi water oþer bi londe anon riȝt he hom ssende