Heere begynnyth Chaucers tale of sere Thopas
[No breaks in the MS between the stanzas: third lines set on the right.]
[Fyt I.]
lTl [[The illuminator has put T, instead of L as directed.]] Estyth lordyngis in good entent
And I wele telle verrayment
Of myrthe & solas
Line 1904
And of a knyght was fayr & gent
In batayle & in turnement
His name was sere Thopas
Line 1907
I-born he was in fer cuntre
In flaunderis al be-ȝounde þe see
At poperyng in the place
Line 1910
His fadir was a man ful fre
And lord he was of that cuntre
As it was godis grace
Line 1913
Syre Thopas wex a doghty sweyn
Whit was hise face as payn demayn
Hise lippis rede as rose
Line 1916
His rode is lyk skarlet engrayn
As I ȝow telle in good certayn
He hade a semely nose
Line 1919
His heer his berd was lik saferon [folio 323b]
That to his gerdil raughte a-doun
Hise schon of cordewayne
Line 1922
Of brugis were hire hosyn broun
His robe was of siklatoun
That coste manye a Iayne
Line 1925
