V.
"I have brought you hither,
"For I haf wonnen yow hider, wy3e, at þis tyme,
& now nar 3e not fer fro þat note place,
Þat 3e han spied & spuryed so specially after;
Bot I schal say yow for soþe, syþen I yow knowe,
& 3e ar a lede vpon lyue, þat I wel louy,
Wolde 3e worch bi my wytte, 3e worþed þe better.
Þe place þat 3e prece to, ful perelous is halden;
Þer wone3 a wy3e in þat waste, þe worst vpon erþe;
For he is stiffe, & sturne, & to strike louies,
& more he is þen any mon vpon myddelerde,
& his body bigger þen þe best fowre.
Þat ar in Arþure3 hous, Hestor1 oþer oþer.
He cheue3 þat chaunce at þe chapel grene;
Þer passes non bi þat place, so proude in his armes,
Þat he ne dynne3 hym to deþe, with dynt of his honde;
For he is a mon methles, & mercy non vses,
For be hit chorle, oþer chaplayn, þat bi þe chapel rydes,
Monk, oþer masse-prest, oþer any mon elles,
Hym þynk as queme hym to quelle, as quyk go hym seluen.
For-þy I say þe as soþe as 3e in sadel sitte,
Com 3e þere, 3e be kylled, [I] may þe kny3t rede,
Trawe 3e me þat trwely, þa3 3e had twenty lyues
to spende;
He hat3 wonyd here ful 3ore,
On bent much baret bende,
A3ayn his dynte3 sore,
3e may not yow defende."
1 Hector (?).