3-3 Ne þe curteisie ne þe honour of cristiente þer was þe flour. Wace (ii. 109, l. 10,772-82) puts it better for England:—
De biax homes et de noblèce,Et de plenté et de ricèce,De cortoisie et d'onor,Portoit Engletere la flor.De tos les resnes environ,Et sor tos cels que nous savon.Plus erent cortois et vaillant,Néis li povre païsantQue chevalier en autres regnes;Et autre si erent les fenes.] Line 11,336 Was þer no knyght of so hey blod, Ne so mykel hadde of wordles [werldes.] god, Þat þer fore scholde be holde in [suld be holden of.] pris, But [Bod. (The treble proof is from the MS. du Roi, 75153.3. Colb. of Wace. See De Lincy's edition, ii. 110, note (a).] he in dede were proued þrys; Line 11,340 Þries y-proued atte þe leste; Þen was he alosed at þe feste, Þen schulde [suld.] his armes þat men knew, & his cloþyng [be] al on hew; Line 11,344 þe same queintise his armes had, In þat same schuld [suld.] he be clad; & his wyf clad y þe same colour, . ffor hure lord was man of honur. Line 11,348 Ȝyf on [if ane.] were doughti, & sengle man, Þen schuld [suld.] he chese hym a lemman; Elles schold [suld.] he nought be byloued
