¶ Heere bigynneth the knyghtes tale
Iamque domos patrias Sithice post aspera gentis presia laurigero &c.
WHilom / as olde stories / tellen vs [[Painting of the Knight in the margin.]]
Ther was a duc þat highte Theseus
Of Atthenes / he was lord and gouernour
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And in his tyme swich a Conquerour,
That gretter / was ther noon vnder the Sonne
fful many a riche contree hadde he wonne
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That with his wysdom / and his chiualrie
He conquered / al the regne of ffemenye
That whilom / was ycleped Scithia
And wedded[e] the queene ypolita
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And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree
With muchel glorie / and greet solempnytee
And eek hir faire suster Emelye
And thus / with victorie and with melodye
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Lete I this noble duc / to Atthenes ryde
An al his hoost in Armes hym bisyde
¶ And certes / if it nere / to long to heere
I wolde yow haue toold / fully the manere
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How wonnen was the regne of ffemenye
By Theseus / and by his chiualrye
And of the grete bataille for the nones
Bitwixen Atthenes and Amazones
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And how asseged was ypolita
The faire hardy queene of Scithia
And of the feste / þat was at hir weddynge
And of the tempest / at hir hoom comynge
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But al that thyng I moot as now forbere
I haue god woot / a large feeld to ere
And wayke been / the Oxen in my Plough
The remenant of the tale / is long ynough
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I wol nat letten eek noon of this route
