The story of England

¶ De diuersis Ludis ibidem.

When þey had eten, & schulde [suld.] rise, Ilk man dight hym on þat wyse Þat he best couþe inne playe. [þat he couth in play.] In to þe feld þey tok her [vnto þe felde he toke his.] waye, Line 11,360 & parted hem in stedes sers To pleye ilkon on þer maners: Somme iusted, þat couþe & myght, ffor to schewe þer stedes wyght; [lyght.] Line 11,364 Somme skipte, & keste þe ston, & somme skirmed [wrestrld.] [Petyt folio 67a:2] ful god won, Dartes schoten, launces cast, . & þo þat couþe, wrastled [skirmed. (alèrent escremir, [faire des armes, se battre], Wace, l. 10,807.] fast. Line 11,368 Ilkon pleide þe gamen þey couþe, Þat mest had vsed in his ȝouþe; Þat best dide in his pleynge, He was brought by-fore þe kynge, Line 11,372 & þe kyng gaf hym mede, Þat he was paied er þat he ȝede. ¶ Þe ladies vpon þe walles stey ffor to biholde al þer pley; Line 11,376 Who so hadde lemman þan [þore.] in place, Toward hym turned boþe eye & face; On boþe sides ilk oþer byhelde,

. Þo on þe walles, þey in þe felde. [The next 20 lines are abridged from the Wace MSS., du Roi, 73, Cangé; du Roi, 7515^3.3. Colb.; de l'Ars. 171, B.-L.] Line 11,380 Iogelours were þere ynowe, [Lambeth folio 49b:1] Þat þer queyntise forþ [forþe.] drowe; ³Many mynestrales þorow out þe toun, Som blewe trompe & clarioun,³ [^3-3

Mynstrals many with dyuers glew.souns of bemes þat men blew.

] Line 11,384 Harpes, pypes, & tabours, ffyþeles, sitoles, sautreours, Belles, chymbes, & symfan, [Chymes & synfan. (Monacordes, cymbes, chorons, Wace, ii. 112, l. 10,832.)] & oþere y-nowe, þat nemne y ne can; [Oþer Inouh neuen .I. ne kan.] Line 11,388 Gestours, singers, þat merye sang, [Sangsters þat myry song.] So gret murþe was, þat ouer al rang; [sounde of glew ouer all rong.] Dysours y-nowe tolde þem fables, & somme pleide wyþ des & [deez at.] tables, Line 11,392 & somme pleide at hasard fast, & lore & wonne wiþ [lost & wan bi.] chaunce of cast; Somme þat wolde nought of þe tabler, Drowe forthe meyne for [of.] þe cheker Line 11,396 Wyþ draughtes queinte of knight & rok, & oþer sleyghtes ilk oþer byswok; [with grete sleiht ilk oþer suoke.] At ilka mattyng [matyng.] þei seide 'chek;' Þat most þer loste, sat y þe blek. [most les sat in his nek.] Line 11,400