Octovian (Cambridge, University Library, MS Ff.2.38)
Lines 1401 through 1500
as thogh y them neuyr knewe
1401
and syth ye wolde me wedde to wyfe
1402
i wolde leue yn crysten lyfe
1403
my yoye were euyr newe
1404
lady he seyde wythowt fayle
1405
how were beste yowre counsayle
1406
that y yow wynne myght
1407
certys ye neuyr wynne me may
1408
but hyt were on that ylke day
1409
that ye haue take to fyght
1410
that ye wolde sende be the flode
1411
wyth men þat crafty were and gode
1412
a schyppe þat well were dyght
1413
whyll þat men are at þat dere dede
1414
that whyle myȝt men me awey lede
1415
my fadur hath a noble stede
1417
in the worlde ys noon so gode at nede
1418
in turnament ne yn fyght
1419
yn hys hedd he hath an horne
1420
schapon as an vnycorne
1421
that selkowth ys be syght
1422
syr yf þat ye hym myght wynne
1423
there were no man yn hethyn kynne
1424
that hym wythstonde myght
1425
florent kyste that feyre maye
1426
and seyde lady haue gode day
1427
holde that ye haue hyght
1428
florent ynto the sadull nome
1429
and ouyr the reuer soon he come
1430
to parys he toke the way
1431
he ne stynt ne he ne blanne
1432
to clementys hows tyll þat he came
1433
hys auenturs to say
1434
he tolde hym of the noble stede
1435
that gode was at euery nede
1436
and of that feyre maye
1437
sone seyde clement be doghty of dede
1438
and certys þou schalt haue þat stede
1439
tomorne yf that y may
1440
on the morne when hyt was daylyȝt
1441
clement can hymselfe dyght
1442
as an onfrely feere
1443
he dud hym ynto þe hethen ooste
1444
there þe prees was althermoost
1445
a sarsyn as thogh he were
1446
to the pauylown he can hym wynne
1447
there þe sowdon hymselfe lay ynne
1448
and breuely can he bere
1449
full well he cowde þer speche speke
1450
and askyd þem some of ther mete
1451
grete dole þe sowdon of hym þoght
1453
and soon he was before hym broght
1454
and wyth hym can he speke
1455
he seyde he was a sarsyn stronge
1456
that yn hys oost had be longe
1457
and had defawte of mete
1458
lorde þer ys noon hethyn lede
1459
that so well cowde kepe a ryche stede
1460
or othur horsys full grete
1461
the sowdon seyde þat ylke tyde
1462
yf þou can a stede well ryde
1463
wyth me thou schalt be lete
1464
they horsyd clement on a stede
1465
he sprang owt as sperkull on glede
1466
into a feyre fylde
1467
all that stodyn on ylke syde
1468
had yoye to see hym ryde
1469
before the sowdon they tolde
1470
when he had redyn coursys iii
1471
that all had yoye þat can hym see
1472
the sowdon hym behelde
1473
downe he lyght full soon
1474
and on a bettur was he done
1475
full feyre he can hym welde
1476
grete yoye þe sowdon of hym þoȝt
1477
and bad hys feyre stede forþe be broȝt
1478
and clement shall hym ryde
1479
when clement was on þat stede
1480
he rode away a full gode spede
1481
no lenger wolde he byde
1482
when he was redy forþe to founde
1483
beleue þere he seyde ye heþen hounde
1484
for ye haue lorne yowre pryde
1485
clement toke the ryght way
1486
into parys as hyt lay
1487
florent sone where art thou
1489
that y þe hyght y haue hyt now
1490
i haue broght thy stede
1491
florent blythe was that day
1492
and seyde fadur yf y leue may
1493
i wyll the quyte thy mede
1494
but to the emperour of rome
1495
therwyth y wyll hym present sone
1496
to þe pales ye schall hym lede
1497
for euyr me thynkyth yn my mode
1498
that y am of hys own blode
1499
yf hyt so pouerly myght sprede
1500
