V.
Arthur would not eat,
Bot Arthure wolde not ete til al were serued,
He watȝ so Ioly of his Ioyfnes, & sum-quat child gered,
His lif liked hym lyȝt, he louied þe lasse
Auþer to lenge lye, or to longe sitte,
So bi-sied him his ȝonge blod & his brayn wylde;
& also anoþer maner meued him eke,
Þat he þurȝ nobelay had nomen, ho wolde neuer ete
Vpon such a dere day, er hym deuised were
Of sum auenturus þyng an vncouþe tale,
Of sum mayn meruayle, þat he myȝt trawe,
Of1 alderes, of armes, of oþer auenturus,
Oþer sum segg hym bi-soȝt of sum siker knyȝt,
To Ioyne wyth hym in iustyng in Iopardé to lay,
Lede lif for lyf, leue vchon oþer,
As fortune wolde fulsun hom þe fayrer to haue.
Þis watȝ [þe] kynges countenaunce where he in court were,
At vch farand fest among his fre meny,
in halle;
Þer-fore of face so fere.
He stiȝtleȝ stif in stalle,
Ful ȝep in þat nw ȝere,
Much mirthe he mas with alle.
1 Of of, in MS.