[A] "For I haf wonnen yow hider, wy3e, at þis tyme,
2092 & now nar 3e not fer fro þat note place,
[B] Þat 3e han spied & spuryed so specially after;
Bot I schal say yow for soþe, syþen I yow knowe,
& 3e ar a lede vpon lyue, þat I wel louy,
2096 Wolde 3e worch bi my wytte, 3e worþed þe better.
[C] Þe place þat 3e prece to, ful perelous is halden;
[D] Þer wone3 a wy3e in þat waste, þe worst vpon erþe;
For he is stiffe, & sturne, & to strike louies,
2100 & more he is þen any mon vpon myddelerde,
[E] & his body bigger þen þe best fowre.
Þat ar in Arþure3 hous, Hestor[1] oþer oþer.
He cheue3 þat chaunce at þe chapel grene;
2104 [F] Þer passes non bi þat place, so proude in his armes,
Þat he ne dynne3 hym to deþe, with dynt of his honde;
For he is a mon methles, & mercy non vses,
[G] For be hit chorle, oþer chaplayn, þat bi þe chapel rydes,
2108 Monk, oþer masse-prest, oþer any mon elles,
Hym þynk as queme hym to quelle, as quyk go hym seluen.
For-þy I say þe as soþe as 3e in sadel sitte,
Com 3e þere, 3e be kylled, [I] may þe kny3t rede,
2112 Trawe 3e me þat trwely, þa3 3e had twenty lyues
to spende;
[H] He hat3 wonyd here ful 3ore,
On bent much baret bende,
2116 [I] A3ayn his dynte3 sore,
3e may not yow defende."
[Sidenote A: "I have brought you hither,]
[Sidenote B: ye are not now far from the noted place.]
[Sidenote C: Full perilous is it esteemed.]
[Sidenote D: The lord of that 'waste' is stiff and stern.]
[Sidenote E: His body is bigger 'than the best four in Arthur's house.']
[Sidenote F: None passes by the Green Chapel, 'that he does not ding to
death with dint of his hand.']
[Sidenote G: For be it churl or chaplain, monk, mass-priest, 'or any man
else,' he kills them all.]
[Sidenote H: He has lived there full long.]
[Sidenote I: Against his dints sore ye may not defend you.]
[Footnote 1: Hector (?).]