II.
Reading edition
20 Ande quen þis Bretayn watȝ bigged bi þis burn rych, Bold men increased in the Land, Bolde bredden þer-inne, baret þat lofden, In mony turned tyme tene þat wroȝten; Mo ferlyes on þis folde han fallen here oft and many marvels happened. 24 Þen in any oþer þat I wot, syn þat ilk tyme. Of all Britain's kings Arthur was the noblest. Bot of alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kynges Ay watȝ Arthur þe hendest; as I haf herde telle; [Fol. 91b.] For-þi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, 28 Þat a selly in siȝt summe men hit holden, & an outtrage awenture of Arthureȝ wondereȝ; Listen a while and ye shall hear the story of an "outrageous adventure." If ȝe wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile, I schal telle hit, as-tit, as I in toun herde, 32 with tonge; As hit is stad & stoken, In stori stif & stronge, With lel letteres loken, 36 In londe so hatȝ ben longe.