Incipit fabula [on leaf 257, back]
Whan phebus dwelde heer in þis erþe adoun
As olde booke maken mencioun
Line 106
he was þe moste lusty bachiler
Of/ alle þe world and eek þe best archeer
he slough Phyton þe serpent/ as he lay
Slepyng agayn þe sonne vpon a day
And many anoþer noble worþy dede /
He wiþ his bowe brought as men nowe rede
Line 112
Pleyen he couþe of euery menstralcye
And syngen þat it was a melodye
To heeren of his cleere voys þe soun
Certes þe king of Thebes amphyoun
Line 116
That wiþ his syngyng walled þat Cite
Cowde neuer syngen half so wel as he
Therto he was þe semlyeste man
þat is or was siþen þe world bygan
Line 120
What needeþ it his fetures to discryue
ffor in þis world was non so fair on lyue
he was þer-wiþ fulfild of gentilnesse
Of honour and of parfyte worþinesse
Line 124
This Phebus þat was flour of Bachelrye
As wel in freedam as in Chiualrie
ffor disporte in signe eek of victorie
Of Phyton so as telleþ vs þe storye
Line 128
Was worþy to beren in his hond a bowe /
Now hadde þis Phebus in his hous a crowe
Which in a cage he fostred many a day
And taught it speke as þat men teche a Iay
Line 132
