University of Virginia Library

In the monethe of Maye when mirthes bene fele,
And the sesone of somere when softe bene the wedres,
Als I went to the wodde my werdes to dreghe,
In-to þe schawes my-selfe a schotte me to gete
At ane hert or ane hynde, happen as it myghte;
And as Dryghtyn the day droue frome þe heuen,
Als I habade one a banke be a bryme syde,
There the gryse was grene, growen with floures—
The primrose, the pervynke, and piliole þe riche—
The dewe appon dayses donkede full faire,
Burgons & blossoms & braunches full swete,
And the mery mystes full myldely gane falle;
The cukkowe, the cowschote, kene were þay bothen,
And the throstills full throly threpen in the bankes,
And iche foule in that frythe faynere þan oþer
That the derke was done & the daye lightenede.
Hertys and hyndes one hillys þay gouen,
The foxe and the filmarte þay flede to þe erthe;
The hare hurkles by hawes & harde thedir dryves,
And ferkes faste to hir fourme & fatills hir to sitt.
Als I stode in that stede one stalkynge I thoghte:
Bothe my body and my bowe I buskede with leues,
And turnede to-wardes a tree & tariede there a while;
And als I lokede to a launde a littill me be-syde,
I seghe ane hert with ane hede, ane heghe for the nones:
Alle vnburneschede was þe beme, full borely þe mydle,
With iche feetur as thi fote, for-frayed in the greues,
With auntlers one aythere syde egheliche longe.
The ryalls full richely raughten frome the myddes,
With surryals full semely appon sydes twayne;
And he assommet and sett of vi and of fyve,
And þer-to borely and brode and of body grete,
And a coloppe for a kynge, cache hym who myghte.
Bot there sewet hym a sowre þat seruet hym full ȝerne,
That woke & warned hym when the wynde faylede,
That none so sleghe in his slepe with sleghte scholde hym dere,
And went the wayes hym by-fore when any wothe tyde.
My lyame than full lightly lete I doun falle,
And to the bole of a birche my berselett I cowchide;
I waitted wiesly the wynde by waggynge of leues,
Stalkede full stilly no stikkes to breke,
And crepite to a crabtre and couerede me ther-vndere;
Then I bende vp my bowe and bownede me to schote,
Tighte vp my tylere and taysede at the hert.
Bot the sowre þat hym sewet sett vp the nese,
And wayttede wittyly abowte & wyndide full ȝerne.
Then I moste stonde als I stode and stirre no fote ferrere,
For had I my[n]tid or mouede or made any synys,
Alle my layke hade bene loste þat I hade longe wayttede.
Bot gnattes gretely me greuede and gnewen myn eghne;
And he stotayde and stelkett and starede full brode,
Bot at the laste he loutted doun & laughte till his mete;
And I hallede to the hokes and the hert smote,
And happenyd that I hitt hym by-hynde þe lefte scholdire,
Þat þe blode braste owte appon bothe the sydes;
And he balkede and brayed and bruschede thurgh þe greues,
As alle had hurlede one ane hepe þat in the holte longede;
And sone the sowre þat hym sewet resorte to his feris,
And þay, forfrayede of his fare, to þe fellys þay hyen;
And I hyede to my hounde and hent hym vp sone,
And louset my lyame and lete hym vmbycaste.
The breris and the brakans were blody by-ronnen;
And he assentis to þat sewte and seches hym aftire,
There he was crepyde in-to a krage and crouschede to þe erthe.
Dede als a dore-nayle doun was he fallen;
And I hym hent by þe hede and heryett hym vttire,
Turned his troches & tachede thaym in-to the erthe,
Kest vp that keuduart and kutt of his tonge,
Brayde [owte] his bewells my bereselet to fede;
And I s[lit]te hym at þe assaye to see how me semyde,
And he was floreschede full faire of two fyngere brede.
I chese to the chawylls chefe to be-gynn,
And ritte doun at a rase reghte to the tayle,
And þan þe herbere anone aftir I makede;
I raughte the righte legge by-fore, ritt it þer-aftir,
And so fro legge to legge I lepe thaym aboute;
And þe felle fro þe fete fayre I departede,
And flewe it doun with my fiste faste to the rigge.
I tighte owte my trenchore and toke of the scholdirs,
Cuttede corbyns bone and keste it a-waye.
I slitte hym full sleghely and slyppede in my fyngere,
Lesse the poynte scholde perche the pawnche or the guttys;
I soughte owte my sewet and semblete it to-gedire,
And pullede oute the paw[n]che and putt it in an hole.
I grippede owte the guttes and graythede thaym be-syde,
And than the nombles anone name I there-aftire;
Rent vp fro the rygge reghte to the myddis,
And then the fourches full fayre I fonge fro þe sydes,
And chynede hym chefely and choppede of the nekke,
And þe hede and the haulse homelyde in sondree.
Þe fete of the fourche I feste thurgh the sydis,
And heuede alle in-to ane hole and hidde it with ferne,
With hethe and with horemosse hilde it about,
Þat no fostere of the fee scholde fynde it ther-aftir;
Hid the hornes and the hede in ane hologhe oke,
Þat no hunte scholde it hent ne haue it in sighte.
I foundede faste there-fro for ferde to be wryghede,
And sett me oute one a syde to see how it cheuede,
To wayte it frome wylde swyne that wyse bene of nesse.
And als I satte in my sette the sone was so warme,
And I for slepeles was slome, and slomerde a while;
And there me dremed, in that dowte, a full dreghe sweuynn,
And whate I seghe in my saule the sothe I schall telle.

I seghe thre thro men threpden full ȝerne,
And mote[d] of myche-whate and maden thaym full tale.
And ȝe will, ledys, me listen ane hande-while,
I schall reken thaire araye redely for-sothe,
And to ȝowe neuen thaire names naytly there-aftire.
The firste was a ferse freke, fayrere than thies othire,
A bolde beryn one a blonke bownne for to ryde,
A hathelle on ane heghe horse with hauke appon hande.
He was balghe in the breste and brode in the scholdirs,
His axles and his armes were i-liche longe,
And in the medill als a mayden menskfully schapen;
Longe legges and large, and lele for to schewe.
He streghte hym in his sterapis and stode vp-rightes;
He ne hade no hode ne no hatte bot his here one—
A chaplet one his chefe-lere, chosen for the nones,
Raylede alle with rede rose, richeste of floures,
With trayfoyles and trewloues of full triede perles,
With a chefe charebocle chosen in the myddes.
He was gerede alle in grene, alle with golde by-weuede,
Embroddirde alle with besanttes and beralles full riche;
His colere with calsydoynnes clustrede full thikke,
With many dyamandes full dere dighte one his sleues.
Þe semys with saphirs sett were full many,
With emeraudes and amatistes appon iche syde,
With full riche rubyes raylede by the hemmes;
Þe price of that perry were worthe powndes full many.
His sadill was of sykamoure that he satt inn,
His bridell alle of brente golde with silke brayden raynes,
His cropoure was of tartaryne, þat traylede to þe erthe;
And he throly was threuen of thritty ȝere of elde,
And ther-to ȝonge and ȝape, and Ȝouthe was his name;
And the semely[este] segge that I seghe euer.

The seconde segge in his sete satte at his ese,
A renke alle in rosette þat rowmly was schapyn,
In a golyone of graye girde in the myddes,
And iche bagge in his bosome bettir than othere.
One his golde and his gude gretly he mousede,
His renttes and his reches rekened he full ofte—
Of mukkyng, of marlelyng, and mendynge of howses,
Of benes of his bondemen, of benefetis many,
Of presanttes of polayle, of pufilis als;
Of purches of ploughe-londes, of parkes full faire,
Of profettis of his pasturs, that his purse mendis;
Of stiewarde[s], of storrours, stirkes to bye,
Of clerkes, of countours, his courtes to holde;
And alle his witt in this werlde was one his wele one.
Hym semyde for to see to of sexty ȝere elde,
And þer-fore men in his marche Medill Elde hym callede.

The thirde was a laythe lede lenyde one his syde,
A beryne bownn alle in blake, with bedis in his hande;
Croked and courbede, encrampeschett for elde;
Alle disfygured was his face, and fadit his hewe,
His berde and browes were blanchede full whitte,
And the hare one his hede hewede of the same.
He was ballede and blynde, and alle babirlippede,
Totheles and tenefull, I tell ȝowe for sothe;
And euer he momelide and ment and mercy he askede,
And cried kenely one Criste and his crede sayde,
With sawtries full sere tymes, to sayntes in heuen;
Envyous and angrye, and Elde was his name.
I helde hym be my hopynge a hundrethe ȝeris of age,
And bot his cruche and his couche he carede for no more.
Now hafe [I] rekkende ȝow theire araye, redely the sothe,
And also namede ȝow thaire names naytly there-aftire,
And now thaire carpynge I sall kythe, knowe it if ȝowe liste.

Now this gome alle in grene so gayly attyrede,
This hathelle one this heghe horse with hauke one his fiste,
He was ȝonge and ȝape and ȝernynge to armes,
And pleynede hym one paramours and peteuosely syghede.
He sett hym vp in his sadill and seyde theis wordes:
‘My lady, my leman, þat I hafe luffede euer,
My wele and my wirchip, in werlde where þou duellys,
My playstere of paramours, my lady with pappis full swete,
Alle my hope and my hele, myn herte es thyn ownn!
I by-hete the a heste and heghely I a-vowe,
There schall no hode ne no hatt one my hede sitt,
Till þat I ioyntly with a gesserante iustede hafe [with] onere,
And done dedis for thi loue, doghety in armes.’

Bot then this gome alle in graye greued with this wordes,
And sayde, ‘Felowe, be my faythe þou fonnes full ȝerne,
For alle [es] fantome and foly that thou with faris.
Where es þe londe and the lythe þat þou arte lorde ouer?
For alle thy ryalle araye renttis hase þou none,
Ne for thi pompe and thi pride, penyes bot fewe;
For alle thi golde and thi gude gloes one thi clothes,
And þou hafe caughte thi kaple þou cares for no fothire.
Bye the stirkes with thi stede and stalles thaym make:
Thi brydell of brent golde wolde bullokes the gete;
The pryce of thi perrye wolde purches the londes;
And wonne, wy, in thi witt, for wele-neghe þou spilles.’

Than the gome alle in grene greued full sore,
And sayd, ‘Sir, be my soule, thi consell es feble.
Bot thi golde and thi gude thou hase no god ells;
For, be þe lorde and the laye þat I leue inne,
And by the Gode that me gaffe goste and soule,
Me were leuere one this launde lengen a while,
Stoken in my stele-wede one my stede bakke,
Harde haspede in my helme and in my here-wedys,
With a grym grownden glayfe graythely in myn honde,
And see a kene knyghte come and cowpe with my-seluen,
Þat I myghte halde þat I hafe highte and heghely avowede,
And parfourme my profers and prouen my strengthes:
Than alle the golde and the gude that thoue gatt euer,
Than alle the londe and the lythe that thoue arte lorde ouer;
And ryde to a reuere redily there-aftir,
With haukes full hawtayne that heghe willen flye;
And when þe fewlis bene founden, fawkoneres hyenn
To lache oute thaire lessches and lowsen thaym sone,
And keppyn of thaire caprons, and casten fro honde;
And than the hawteste in haste hyghes to the towre,
With theire bellys so brighte blethely thay ryngen,
And there they houen appon heghte as it were heuen angelles.
Then the fawkoners full fersely to floodes þay hyen,
To the reuere with thaire roddes to rere vp the fewles:
Sowssches thaym full serely, to seruen thaire hawkes.
Than tercelettes full tayttely telys doun stryken;
Laners and lanerettis lightten to thes endes,
Metyn with the maulerdes and many doun striken;
Fawkons þay founden freely to lighte,
With hoo and howghe to the heron þay hitten hym full ofte,
Buffetyn hym, betyn hym, and brynges hym to sege,
And saylen hym full serely, and sesyn hym there-aftire.

Then fawkoners full fersely founden þam aftire,
To helpen thaire hawkes thay hyen thaym full ȝerne,
For the bitt of his bill bitterly he strikes.
They knelyn doun one theire knees and krepyn full lowe,
Wynnen to his wynges and wrythen thaym to-gedire,
Brosten the bones and brekyn thaym in sondire,
Puttis owte with a penn þe maryo one his gloue,
And quo[p]es thaym to the querrye that quelled hym to þe dethe.
He quyrres thaym and quotes thaym, quyppeys full lowde,
Cheres [tha]ym full chefely ecchekkes to leue,
Than henttis thaym one honde and hodes thaym ther-aftire,
Cowples vp theire cowers thaire caprons to holde,
Lowppes in thaire lesses thorowe vertwells of siluere.
Þan he laches to his luyre, and lokes to his horse,
And lepis vpe one the lefte syde als þe laghe askes.
Portours full pristly putten vpe the fowlis,
And taryen for theire tercelettis þat tenyn thaym full ofte,
For some chosen to þe echecheke, þoghe some chefe bettire.
Spanyells full spedily þay spryngen abowte,
Be-dagged for dowkynge when digges bene enewede;
And than kayre to the courte that I come fro,
With ladys full louely to lappyn in myn armes,
And clyp thaym and kysse thaym and comforthe myn hert;
And than with damesels dere to daunsen in thaire chambirs;
Riche Romance to rede and rekken the sothe
Of kempes and of conquerours, of kynges full noblee,
How tha[y] wirchipe and welthe wanne in thaire lyues;
With renkes in ryotte to reuelle in haulle,
With coundythes and carolles and compaynyes sere,
And chese me to the chesse that chefe es of gamnes;
And this es life for to lede while I schalle lyfe here;
And thou with wandrynge and woo schalte wake for thi gudes—
And be thou doluen and dede thi dole schall be schorte—
And he that thou leste luffes schall layke hym there-with,
And spend that thou haste longe sparede, the deuyll spede hym ells!’
Than this renke alle in rosett rothelede thies wordes:
He sayde, ‘Thryfte and thou haue threpid this thirtene wynter;
I seghe wele samples bene sothe that sayde bene [full] ȝore:
Fole es that with foles delys; flyte we no lengare!’

Than this beryn alle in blake bownnes hym to speke,
And sayde, ‘Sirres, by my soule, sottes bene ȝe bothe.
Bot will ȝe hendely me herken ane hande-while,
And I schalle stynte ȝour stryffe and stillen ȝour threpe.
I sett ensample bi my-selfe and sekis it no forthire:
While I was ȝonge in my ȝouthe and ȝape of my dedys,
I was als euerrous in armes as ouþer of ȝoure-seluen,
And as styffe in a stourre one my stede bake,
And as gaye in my gere als any gome ells,
And as lelly by-luffede with ladyse and maydens.
My likame was louely es lothe nowe to schewe,
And as myche wirchip I wane, i-wis, as ȝe bothen.
And aftir irkede me with this, and ese was me leuere,
Als man in his medill elde his makande wolde haue.
Than I mukkede and marlede and made vp my howses,
And purcheste me ploughe-londes and pastures full noble,
Gatte gude and golde full gaynly to honde,
Reches and renttes were ryfe to my-seluen.
Bot Elde vndire-ȝode me are I laste wiste,
And alle disfegurede my face and fadide my hewe,
Bothe my browes and my berde blawnchede full whitte—
And when he sotted my syghte, than sowed myn hert—
Croked me, cowrbed me, encrampeschet myn hondes,
Þat I ne may hefe þam to my hede ne noghte helpe my-seluen,
Ne stale stonden one my fete bot I my staffe haue.
Makes ȝoure mirrours bi me, men bi ȝoure trouthe—
This schadowe in my schewere schunte ȝe no while.
And now es dethe at my dore that I drede moste;
I ne wot wiche daye ne when ne whate tyme he comes,
Ne whedir-wardes, ne whare, ne whatte to do aftire;
Bot many modyere than I, men one this molde,
Hafe passed the pase þat I schall passe sone;
And I schall neuen ȝow the names of nyne of the beste
Þat euer wy in this werlde wiste appon erthe,
Þat were conquerours full kene and kiddeste of oþer.

The firste was Sir Ector, and aldeste of tyme,
When Troygens of Troye were tried to fighte
With Menylawse þe mody kynge and men out of Grece,
Þat þaire cite assegede and sayled it full ȝerne,
For Elayne his ownn quene that there-inn was halden,
Þat Paresche the proude knyghte paramours louede.
Sir Ectore was euerous als the storye telles,
And als clerkes in the cronycle cownten þe sothe:
Nowmbron thaym to [nynety] and ix mo by tale
Of kynges with crounes he killede with his handes,
And full fele oþer folke, als ferly were ellis.
Then Achilles his adversarye vndide with his werkes,
With wyles and no wirchipe woundede hym to dethe,
Als he tentid to a tulke þat he tuke of were.
And he was slayne for that slaughte sleghely þer-aftir,
With the wyles of a woman as he had wroghte by-fore.
Than Menylawse þe mody kynge hade myrthe at his hert,
Þat Ectore hys enymy siche auntoure hade fallen;
And with the Gregeis of Grece he girde ouer the walles,
Þe prowde paleys dide he pulle doun to þe erthe,
Þat was rialeste of araye and rycheste vndir the heuen.
And þen þe Trogens of Troye teneden full sore,
And semblen þaym full serely, and sadly þay foughten;
Bot the lure at the laste lighte appon Troye,
For there Sir Priamus the prynce put was to dethe,
And Pantasilia þe quene paste hym by-fore.
Sir Troylus, a trewe knyghte þat tristyly hade foghten,
Neptolemus, a noble knyghte at nede þat wolde noghte fayle,
Palamedes, a prise knyghte, and preued in armes,
Vlixes and Ercules þat full euerrous were bothe,
And oþer fele of þat ferde fared of the same,
As Dittes and Dares demed[e]n to-gedir.

Aftir this Sir Alysaunder alle þe worlde wanne,
Bothe the see and the sonde and the sadde erthe,
Þe iles of the Oryent to Ercules boundes—
Ther Ely and Ennoke euer hafe bene sythen,
And to the come of Antecriste vnclosede be þay neuer;
And conquered Calcas knyghtly ther-aftire,
Ther ientille Iazon þe [Gr]ewe wane þe flese of golde.
Then grathede he hym to Gadres the gates full righte,
And there Sir G[adyfer]e þe gude the G[a]derayns assemblet,
And rode oute full ryally to rescowe the praye;
And þan Emenyduse hym mete, and made hym full tame,
And girdes Gadyfere to the grounde, gronande full sore;
And there that doughty was dede, and mekill dole makede.
Then Alixander the Emperour, þat athell kyng hym-seluen,
Arayed hym for to ryde with the renkes þat he hade:
Ther was the mody Meneduse, a mane of Artage—
He was Duke of þat douth and a dussypere;
Sir Filot and Sir Florydase, full ferse men of armes,
Sir Clyton and Sir Caulus, knyghtis full noble,
And Sir Garsyene the gaye, a gude man of armes;
And Sir Lyncamoure thaym ledys with a lighte will.
And than Sir Cassamus thaym kepide, and the kyng prayede
To fare in-to Fesome his frendis to helpe:
For one Carrus the kynge was comen owte of Inde,
And hade Fozome affrayede and Fozayne asegede
For Dame Fozonase the faire that he of lufe by-soughte.
The kynge agreed hym to goo and graythed hym sone,
In mendys of Amenyduse þat he hade mys-done.
Then ferde he to-warde Facron and by the flode abydes,
And there he tighte vp his tentis and taried there a while.
There knyghtis full kenely caughten theire leue
To fare in-to Fozayne Dame Fozonase to see,
And Idores and Edease, alle by-dene;
And there Sir Porus and his prynces to the poo avowede.
Was neuer speche by-fore spoken sped bettir aftir,
For als þay demden to doo thay deden full euen.
For there Sir Porus the prynce in-to the prese thrynges,
And bare the batelle one bake and abaschede thaym swythe;
And than the bolde Bawderayne bowes to the kyng,
And brayde owte the brighte brande owt of the kynges hande,
And Florydase full freschely foundes hym aftir,
And hent the helme of his hede and the halse crakede.
Than Sir Gadefere the gude gripis his axe,
And in-to the Indyans ofte auntirs hym sone,
And thaire stiffe standerte to stikkes he hewes.
And than Sir Cassamus the kene, Carrus releues:
When he was fallen appon fote he fet hym his stede.
And aftyr that Sir Cassamus Sir Carus he drepitt,
And for þat poynte Sir Porus perset hym to dethe.
And than the Indyans ofte vttire þam droghen,
And fledden faste of the felde and Alexandere suede.
When þay were skaterede and skayled and skyftede in sondere,
Alyxandere, oure athell kyng, ames hym to lenge,
And fares in-to Fozayne, festes to make,
And weddis wy vn-to wy that wilnede to-gedire.
Sir Porus the pryce knyghte, moste praysed of othere,
Fonge Fozonase to fere, and fayne were thay bothe;
The bolde Bawderayne of Bade-rose, Sir Cassayle hym-seluen,
Bele Edyas the faire birde, bade he no noþer;
And Sir Betys, the beryne the beste of his tyme,
Idores his awnn lufe aughte he hym-seluen;
Then iche lede hade the loue that he hade longe ȝernede.
Sir Alixander oure Emperour ames hym to ryde,
And bewes to-wardes Babyloyne with the beryns þat were leuede,
By-cause of Dame Cand[ac]e that comforthed hym moste;
And that cite he by-segede, and assayllede it aftire,
While hym the ȝatis were ȝete, and ȝolden the keyes;
And there that pereles prynce was puysonede to dede;
Þare he was dede of a drynke, as dole es to here,
That the curssede Cassander in a cowpe hym broghte.
He conquered with conqueste kyngdomes twelue,
And dalte thaym to his dussypers when he the dethe tholede;
And thus the worthieste of this werlde went to his ende.

Thane Sir Sezere hym-seluen, that Iulyus was hatten,
Alle Inglande he aughte at his awnn will,
When the Bruyte in his booke Bretayne it callede.
The trewe toure of Londone in his tyme he makede,
And craftely the condithe he compaste there-aftire,
And then he droghe hym to Dovire, and duellyde there a while,
And closede ther a castelle with cornells full heghe;
Warnestorede it full wiesely, als witnesses the sothe,
For there es hony in that holde holden sythen his tyme.
Than rode he in-to Romayne, and rawnsede it sone,
And Cassabalount þe kynge conquerede there-aftire;
Then graythed he hym in-to Grece and gete [it] be-lyue;
The semely cite Alexaunder seside he ther-aftire,
Affrike and Arraby and Egipt the noble;
Surry and Sessoyne sessede he to-gedir,
With alle the iles of the see appon iche a syde.
Thies thre were paynymes full priste, and passed alle othire.

Of thre Iewes full gentill iugge we aftir,
In the Olde Testament as the storye tellis,
In a booke of the Bible that breues of kynges,
And renkes þat rede kane Regum it callen.
The firste was gentill Iosue þat was a Iewe noble,
Was heryet for his holynes in-to heuen-riche.
When Pharaoo had flayede the folkes of Israelle,
Thay ranne in-to the Rede See for radde of hym-seluen;
And than Iosue the Iewe, Ihesu he prayed
That the peple myghte passe vnpereschede that tyme;
And than the see sett vp appon sydes twayne,
In manere of a mode walle that made were with hondes;
And thay soughten ouer the see, sownnde alle to-gedir,
And Pharaoo full fersely folowede thaym aftire;
And efte Iosue þe Iewe Ihesus he prayede,
And the see sattillede agayne and sanke thaym there-inn—
A soppe for the Sathanas, vnsele haue theire bones!
And aftire Iosue þe Iewe full gentilly hym bere,
And conquerede kynges and kyngdomes twelue,
And was a conqueroure full kene and moste kyd in his tyme.

Than Dauid the doughty, thurghe Drightyn[es] sonde,
Was caughte from kepyng of schepe & a kyng made.
The grete grym Golyas he to grounde broghte,
And sloughe hym with his slynge & with no sleghte ells.
The stone thurghe his stele helme stong in-to his brayne,
And he was dede of that dynt: the deuyll hafe that reche!
And than was Dauid full dere to Drightyn hym-seluen,
And was a prophete of pryse, and praysed full ofte;
Bot ȝit greued he his God gretely ther-aftire,
For Vrye his awnn knyghte in aventure he wysede;
There he was dede at that dede, as dole es to here;
For Bersabee his awnn birde was alle þat bale rerede.

The gentill Iudas Machabee was a Iewe kene,
And there-to worthy in were, and wyse of his dedis:
Antiochus and Appolyne aythere he drepide,
And Nychanore, anoþer kynge, full naytly there-aftire;
And was a conquerour kydde, and knawen with the beste.
Thies thre were Iewes full ioly and iusters full noble,
That full loughe haue bene layde sythen gane full longe tyme:
Of siche doughety doers looke what es worthen.

Of the thre Cristen to carpe couthely there-aftir,
Þat were conquerours full kene and kyngdomes wonnen:
Areste was Sir Arthure, and eldeste of tyme,
For alle Inglande he aughte at his awnn will,
And was kynge of this kythe and the crowne hade.
His courte was at Carlele comonly holden,
With renkes full ryalle of his rownnde table,
Þat Merlyn with his maystries made in his tyme,
And sett the sege perilous so semely one highte;
There no segge scholde sitt bot hym scholde schame tyde,
Owthir dethe with-inn the thirde daye demed to hym-seluen,
Bot Sir Galade the gude that the gree wanne.
There was Sir Launcelot de Lake full lusty in armes,
And Sir Gawayne the gude, that neuer gome harmede,
Sir Askanore, Sir Ewayne, Sir Errake fytz Lake,
And Sir Kay the kene and kyd of his dedis,
Sir Perceualle de Galeys þat preued had bene ofte,
Mordrede and Bedwere, men of mekyll myghte,
And othere fele of that ferde, folke of the beste.
Then [R]oystone þe riche kyng, full rakill of his werkes,
He made a blyot to his bride of the berdes of kynges,
And aughtilde Sir Arthures berde one scholde be;
Bot Arthure oure athell kynge anoþer he thynkes,
And faughte with hym in the felde till he was fey worthen.
And þan Sir Arthure oure kyng ames hym to ryde;
Vppon Sayn Michaells Mounte meruaylles he wroghte,
There a dragone he dreped, þat drede was full sore.
And than he sayled ouer the see in-to sere londes,
Whils alle the beryns of Bretayne bewede hym to fote.
Gascoyne and Gyane gatt he there-aftir,
And conquered kyngdomes and contrees full fele.
Than ames he in-to Inglonde in-to his awnn kythe:
The gates to-wardes Glassthenbery full graythely he rydes;
And ther Sir Mordrede hym mett by a more syde,
And faughte with hym in the felde to alle were fey worthen,
Bot Arthur oure athell kyng, and Wawayne his knyghte.
And when the felde was flowen & fey bot thaym-seluen,
Than Arthure Sir Wawayne athes by his trouthe
That he swiftely his swerde scholde swynge in the mere,
And whatt selcouthes he see the sothe scholde he telle.
And Sir Wawayne [start] swith to the swerde and swange it in the mere,
And ane hande by the hiltys hastely it grippes,
And brawndeschet that brighte swerde and bere it a-waye;
And Wawayne wondres of this werke, and wendes by-lyue
To his lorde, there he hym lefte, and lokes abowte,
And he ne wiste in alle this werlde where he was by-comen.
And then he hyghes hym in haste, and hedis to the mere,
And seghe a bote from the banke and beryns there-inn.
There-inn was Sir Arthure and othire of his ferys,
And also Morgn la Faye that myche couthe of sleghte.
And there ayther segge seghe othir laste, for sawe he hym no more.

Sir Godfraye de Bolenn siche grace of God hade,
Þat alle Romanye he rode and rawnnsunte it sone;
Þe Amorelle of Antyoche aftire he drepit,
Þat was called Corborant, kiluarde of dedis;
And aftir he was callede kynge, and the crownn hade
Of Ier[u]salem and of the Iewes gentill to-gedir;
And with the wirchipe of this werlde he went to his ende.

Than was Sir Cherlemayne chosen chefe kynge of Fraunce,
With his doghty doussypers, to do als hym lykede;
Sir Rowlande the riche and Duke Raynere of Iene,
Olyuer and Aubrye and Ogere Deauneys,
And Sir Naymes at the nede that neuer wolde fayle,
Turpyn and Terry, two full tryed lordes,
And Sir Sampsone hym-selfe of the Mounte Ryalle,
Sir Berarde de Moundres, a bolde beryn in armes,
And gud Sir Gy de Burgoyne, full gracyous of dedis;
The katur fitz Emowntez were kydde k[nyght]es alle,
And oþer moo than I may myne or any man elles.
And then Sir Cherlles þe chefe ches for to ryde,
And paste to-wardes Polborne to prouen his strenghte:
Salamadyne the Sowdane he sloghe with his handis,
And þat [cite] he by-segede and saylede it full ofte,
While hym his ȝernynge was ȝett and the ȝates opynede;
And Witthyne thaire waryed kynge wolde nott abyde,
Bot soghte in-to Sessoyne socoure hym to gete;
And Cherlemayne, oure chefe kynge, cheses in-to the burgh,
And Dame Nioles anone he name to hym-seluen,
And maried hir to Maundevyle þat scho hade myche louede;
And spedd hym in-to hethyn Spayne spedely there-aftire,
And fittilled hym by Flagott faire for to loge.
There Olyuer the euerous aunterde hym-seluen,
And faughte with Sir Ferambrace & fonge hym one were;
And than they fologhed hym in a fonte, and Florence hym callede.
And than moued he hym to Mawltryple Sir Balame to seche,
And that Emperour at Egremorte aftir he takes,
And wolde hafe made Sir Balame a man of oure faythe;
And garte feche forthe a founte by-fore-with his eghne,
And he dispysede it and spitte and spournede it to the erthe,
And one swyftely with a swerde swapped of his hede;
And Dame Floripe þe faire was cristened there-aftire,
And kende thaym to the Corownne þat Criste had one hede,
And the nayles, anone, nayttly there-aftire,
When he with passyoun and pyne was naylede one the rode.
And than those Relikes so riche redely he takes,
And at Sayne Denys he thaym dide, and duellyd there for euer.
And than bodworde vn-to Merchill full boldly he sendys,
And bade hym Cristyne by-come and one Criste leue,
Or he scholde bette doun his borowes and brenn hym there-inn;
And garte Genyone goo that erande that greuede thaym alle.
Thane rode he to Rowncyuale, þat rewed hym aftire,
There Sir Rowlande the ryche Duke refte was his lyfe;
And Olyuer, his awnn fere that ay had bene trewe,
And Sir Turpyn the trewe, that full triste was at nede,
And full fele othir folke, als ferly were elles.
Then suede he the Sarazenes seuen ȝere and more,
And the Sowdane at Saragose full sothely he fyndis;
And there he bett downn þe burghe and Sir Merchill he tuke,
And that daye he dide [hym] to the dethe als he had wele seruede.
Bot by than his wyes were wery, and woundede full many,
And he fared in-to France to fongen thaire riste,
And neghede to-warde Nerbone that noyede thaym full sore;
And þat cite he asseggede appone sere halfues,
While hym the ȝates were ȝette & ȝolden the keyes,
And Emorye made Emperour, euen at that tyme,
To [haue] and to holde it to hym and to his ayers.
And then thay ferden in-to Fraunce to fongen thaire ese,
And at Sayn Denys he dyede at his dayes tyme.
Now hafe I neuened ȝow the names of nyne of þe beste
Þat euer were in this werlde wiste appon erthe,
And the doghtyeste of dedis in thaire dayes tyme;
Bot doghetynes when dede comes ne dare noghte habyde.

Of wyghes þat were wyseste will ȝe now here,
And I schall schortly ȝow schewe and schutt me ful sone.
Arestotle he was arste in Alexander tyme,
And was a fyne philozophire and a fynour noble,
The grete Alexander to graythe and gete golde when hym liste;
And multiplye metalles with mercurye watirs,
And with his ewe ardaunt and arsneke pouders,
With salpetir and sal-ieme and siche many othire,
And menge his metalles and make fyne siluere,
And was a [b]launchere of the beste thurgh blaste of his fyre.
Then Virgill thurgh his vertus ver[r]ayle he maket
Bodyes of brighte brasse full boldely to speke,
To telle whate be-tydde had and whate be-tyde scholde,
When Dioclesyane was dighte to be dere Emperour;
Of Rome and of Romanye the rygalte he hade.

Than Sir Salomon hym-selfe sett hym by hym one;
His Bookes in the Bible bothe bene to-gedirs:
That one of wisdome and of witt wondirfully teches,
His sampills and his sawes bene sett in the toþer;
And he was the wyseste in witt that euer wonnede in erthe,
And his techynges will bene trowede whills þe werlde standes,
Bothe with kynges and knyghtis and kaysers ther-inn.

Merlyn was a meruayllous man and made many thynges,
And naymely nygromancye nayttede he ofte,
And graythe[d] Galyan a boure to [gete] hyr þer-in,
That no wy scholde hir wielde ne wynne from hym-seluen.
Theis were the wyseste in the worlde of witt þat euer ȝitt were,
Bot dethe wondes for no witt to wende were hym lykes.

Now of the prowdeste in presse þat paramoures loueden
I schalle titly ȝow telle, and tary ȝow no lengere.
Amadase and Edoyne, in erthe are thay bothe,
That in golde and in grene were gaye in thaire tyme;
And Sir Sampsone hym-selfe, full sauage of his dedys,
And Dalyda his derelynge, now dethe has þam bo[th]e.
Sir Ypomadonn de Poele, full priste in hi[s] armes,
Þe faire Fere de Calabre, now faren are they bothe.
Generides þe gentill, full ioly in his tyme,
And Clarionas þat was so clere, are bothe nowe bot erthe.
Sir Eglamour of Artas, full euerous in armes,
And Cristabelle the clere maye es crept in hir graue;
And Sir Tristrem the trewe, full triste of hym-seluen,
And Ysoute his awnn lufe, in erthe are þay bothe.
Whare es now Dame Dido was qwene of Cartage?
Dame Cand[ac]e the comly was called quene of Babyloyne?
Penelopie that was price and pas[sed] alle othere,
And Dame Gaynore the gaye, nowe grauen are thay bothen;
And othere moo than I may mene, or any man elles.