That Theseus the noble conquerour
Doth to þe ladyes whan þey from him wente
But schortly for to telle is myn entente
Line 1000
whan þat þis worthy Duk þis Theseus
hath Creon slayn and Thebes wonne þus
Stille in þe feelde he took al night his reste
And dide with al þe contre as him leste
Line 1004
TO Ransake in þe cas of bodyes dede
hem for to streepe of herneys and of wede /
The pilours diden businesse and cure
After þe bataile and discomfiture
Line 1008
And so byfil þat in þe cas þei founde
Thurgh girt with many a greuous blody wounde
Two ȝonge knighte liggyng by and by
Boþe in oon armes clad ful richely
Line 1012
Of whiche two Arcite hight þat oon
And þat oþur knight hight Palamon
Nat fully quyk ne fully deed þey were
But by here coote armure and by here gere
Line 1016
Heraudes knewe hem wel in special
As þey þat weren of the blood real
Of Thebes and of Sistren tuo I-born
Out of þe chaas þe pilours han hem torn
Line 1020
And han hem caried softe vnto þe tente /
Of Theseus and ful sone he hem sente
Tathenes for to dwellen in prisoun
Perpetuelly he wolde no Raunceoun
Line 1024
And þis Duk whan he hadde þus I-doon [folio 14b]
he took his host and hom he ryt anoon
with laurer crowned as a conquerour
And þere he lyueþ in Ioye and in honour
Line 1028
Terme of his lyf what wolle ȝe wordes moo
And in a tour in angwische and in woo ·
This Palamon and his felawe arcite
For euermo þer may no gold hem quyte
Line 1032
This passeþ ȝeer by ȝeer and day by day
