20 Ande quen þis Bretayn wat3 bigged bi þis burn rych,
[A] Bolde bredden þer-inne, baret þat lofden,
In mony turned tyme tene þat wro3ten;
Mo ferlyes on þis folde han fallen here oft
24 [B] Þen in any oþer þat I wot, syn þat ilk tyme.
[C] Bot of alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kynges
Ay wat3 Arthur þe hendest; as I haf herde telle;
For-þi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, [Fol. 91b.]
28 Þat a selly in si3t summe men hit holden,
& an outtrage awenture of Arthure3 wondere3;
[D] If 3e 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 hat3 ben longe.
[Sidenote A: Bold men increased in the Land,]
[Sidenote B: and many marvels happened.]
[Sidenote C: Of all Britain's kings Arthur was the noblest.]
[Sidenote D: Listen a while and ye shall hear the story of an "outrageous
adventure."]