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[6-text p 500]
[THE PROEM.]
¶ The p[ro]loge of þe ffrankeleyn
Thise olde gentile britouns in here dayes [on leaf 159]
Of diuerse auentures maden layes
Rymeden in here firste britoun tonge
Whiche layes with here instrumentz þey songe
Line 712
Oþer elles radden hem for here plesaunce
And on of hem haue I in remembraunce
Which I schal seye wiþ as good wille as I can
But sires by cause þat I am a burel man
Line 716
At my begynnyng first I ȝou beseche
haueþ me excused of my rude speche
I lerned neuer rethorik certayn
þing þat I speke it mot be bare and playn
Line 720
I slepte neuer on þe mount of pernaso
Ne neuer lered Marcus Thullius ne Cithero
Colours of Rethorik ne knowe I non wiþouten drede
But suche coloures as growen in þe mede
Line 724
Oþir elles suche as men dye or peynte
Colours of Rethorik ben me to queynte
Myn spyrit feleþ nought of such matere
But if ȝe luste my tale schul ȝe not here
Line 728
[THE TALE.]
Ther was a knight þat loued and did his peyne
Line 730
In amoryke þat cleped is Briteyne
Line 729
To seruen a lady in his beste wise
And many a labour and many a gret emprise
Line 732