'It is þe make of miming,
Line 400
Of al swerdes it is king,
& weland it wrouȝt;
¶ Bitter-ser þe swerd hiȝt,
Better swerd bar neuer kniȝt,
Line 404
Horn, to þe ich it þouȝt;
Is nouȝt a kniȝt in Inglond,
Schal sitten adint of þine hond,
Forsake þou it nouȝt.'
Line 408
Hendelich þan þanked he
Þe maiden of hir ȝift fre,
& seyd, 'so god me spede,
Rimnild, for þe loue of þe
Line 412
Y schal iuste, þat þou schalt se,
Opon þis ich stede.'
¶ Horn in þat ich stounde
Ȝaf þe maiden loue wounde,
Line 416
So neiȝe hir hert it ȝede;
& sche wel trewely haþ him hiȝt,
Ȝif þat he be dubbed kniȝt,
Hir maidenhod to mede.
Line 420
Wiþ in þat ich fourtenniȝt,
Horn was dubbed to kniȝt, [Horn] orn over erasure MS.]
& haþerof, as y wene,
& oþer mani þat were liȝt,
Line 424
Has houlak king hadde hem hiȝt;
So were þai ful fiftene.
A turnament þe king lete crie,
Þider com wel on heye
Line 428
Kniȝtes þat were kene:
Maiden rimneld biheld þat play, [þat] þ MS.]
Hou Horn wan þe priis þat day,
Line 431
To wite & nouȝt to wene. [folio 320a:1] [The guard has to wite & nouȝt.]
Houlac king ȝaf horn leue,
In his bour forto chese [After forto, e erased MS.]
Þe maidens þat were fre,
Riche of kin & hondes sleye;
Line 436
Þai hadde frendes fer & neiȝe,
He miȝt avaunced be;
& maiden rimnild him bede,
Þat he schuld take non oþer rede:
Line 440
No noþer þan chese he;
For sche wel trewely haþ him hiȝt,
Ȝif þat sche liue miȝt,
His leman wald sche be.
Line 444
Tebaud went biȝond se
& Winwald þat was so sre,
To leren hem to ride;
Wiþ þe king of Fraunce duelled he,
Line 448
Mani time þai gat þe gre,
In turnament þat tide.
¶ Þe king seiȝe, þat þai wer wiȝt,
Boþe he dubbed hem to kniȝt
Line 452
Wiþ wel riche pride;
Wiif þai toke & duelled þare,
In Inglond com þai nomore,
Her werdes forto bide.
Line 456
Gariis in to bretein went,
& Aþelston wiþ him was lent,
To anerl so fre.
At iustes & at turnament,
Line 460
Whider ward so þai went,
Euer þai gat þe gre,
& þerl hem boþe kniȝtes made,
& ȝaf hem londes wide & brade,
Line 464
Wiþ him for to be;
Þus þai duelled þer in pes,
While þat cristes wil wes,
In boke so rede we.
Line 468
Houlac king ȝaf gold & fe
To hem, þat þai miȝt þe better be, [þai above line MS.]
& bad þai schuld wiue;
Haþerof, a kniȝt fre,
Line 472
& horn he seyd, 'y loue þe,
Man most oliue.'
& Wiard treuly he haþ hiȝt,
Þat he schal dubbed be to kniȝt [folio 320a:2] [After be erasure of two letters MS.]
At anoþer siþe.
Line 477
Wigard & wikel hem biþouȝt, [wikel] l over erasure MS.]
Hou þai horn bitray mouȝt:
God lete hem neuer þriue!
Line 480
On aday, as houlak king
Schuld wende on his playing,
To late his haukes fleye,
