Octovian (Cambridge, University Library, MS Ff.2.38)

Lines 1401 through 1500

as thogh y them neuyr knewe Line 1401 and syth ye wolde me wedde to wyfe Line 1402 i wolde leue yn crysten lyfe Line 1403 my yoye were euyr newe Line 1404 lady he seyde wythowt fayle Line 1405 how were beste yowre counsayle Line 1406 that y yow wynne myght Line 1407 certys ye neuyr wynne me may Line 1408 but hyt were on that ylke day Line 1409 that ye haue take to fyght Line 1410 that ye wolde sende be the flode Line 1411 wyth men þat crafty were and gode Line 1412 a schyppe þat well were dyght Line 1413 whyll þat men are at þat dere dede Line 1414 that whyle myȝt men me awey lede Line 1415 to yowre cyte ryght Line 1416

Line 1416 my fadur hath a noble stede Line 1417 in the worlde ys noon so gode at nede Line 1418 in turnament ne yn fyght Line 1419 yn hys hedd he hath an horne Line 1420 schapon as an vnycorne Line 1421 that selkowth ys be syght Line 1422 syr yf þat ye hym myght wynne Line 1423 there were no man yn hethyn kynne Line 1424 that hym wythstonde myght Line 1425 florent kyste that feyre maye Line 1426 and seyde lady haue gode day Line 1427 holde that ye haue hyght Line 1428 florent ynto the sadull nome Line 1429 and ouyr the reuer soon he come Line 1430 to parys he toke the way Line 1431 he ne stynt ne he ne blanne Line 1432 to clementys hows tyll þat he came Line 1433 hys auenturs to say Line 1434 he tolde hym of the noble stede Line 1435 that gode was at euery nede Line 1436 and of that feyre maye Line 1437 sone seyde clement be doghty of dede Line 1438 and certys þou schalt haue þat stede Line 1439 tomorne yf that y may Line 1440 on the morne when hyt was daylyȝt Line 1441 clement can hymselfe dyght Line 1442 as an onfrely feere Line 1443 he dud hym ynto þe hethen ooste Line 1444 there þe prees was althermoost Line 1445 a sarsyn as thogh he were Line 1446 to the pauylown he can hym wynne Line 1447 there þe sowdon hymselfe lay ynne Line 1448 and breuely can he bere Line 1449 full well he cowde þer speche speke Line 1450 and askyd þem some of ther mete Line 1451 the sowdon can hym here Line 1452

Line 1452 grete dole þe sowdon of hym þoght Line 1453 and soon he was before hym broght Line 1454 and wyth hym can he speke Line 1455 he seyde he was a sarsyn stronge Line 1456 that yn hys oost had be longe Line 1457 and had defawte of mete Line 1458 lorde þer ys noon hethyn lede Line 1459 that so well cowde kepe a ryche stede Line 1460 or othur horsys full grete Line 1461 the sowdon seyde þat ylke tyde Line 1462 yf þou can a stede well ryde Line 1463 wyth me thou schalt be lete Line 1464 they horsyd clement on a stede Line 1465 he sprang owt as sperkull on glede Line 1466 into a feyre fylde Line 1467 all that stodyn on ylke syde Line 1468 had yoye to see hym ryde Line 1469 before the sowdon they tolde Line 1470 when he had redyn coursys iii Line 1471 that all had yoye þat can hym see Line 1472 the sowdon hym behelde Line 1473 downe he lyght full soon Line 1474 and on a bettur was he done Line 1475 full feyre he can hym welde Line 1476 grete yoye þe sowdon of hym þoȝt Line 1477 and bad hys feyre stede forþe be broȝt Line 1478 and clement shall hym ryde Line 1479 when clement was on þat stede Line 1480 he rode away a full gode spede Line 1481 no lenger wolde he byde Line 1482 when he was redy forþe to founde Line 1483 beleue þere he seyde ye heþen hounde Line 1484 for ye haue lorne yowre pryde Line 1485 clement toke the ryght way Line 1486 into parys as hyt lay Line 1487 full blyþe was he that tyde Line 1488

Line 1488 florent sone where art thou Line 1489 that y þe hyght y haue hyt now Line 1490 i haue broght thy stede Line 1491 florent blythe was that day Line 1492 and seyde fadur yf y leue may Line 1493 i wyll the quyte thy mede Line 1494 but to the emperour of rome Line 1495 therwyth y wyll hym present sone Line 1496 to þe pales ye schall hym lede Line 1497 for euyr me thynkyth yn my mode Line 1498 that y am of hys own blode Line 1499 yf hyt so pouerly myght sprede Line 1500