II.

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."]