He then goes on to tell the story, clearly after William of Malmesbury, but everywhere with touches of his own. They have the interest of being in any case the earliest detailed account, true or false, of the story in our own tongue. Thus the account of the King’s not going to hunt before dinner takes this shape;
“So þat þe kẏng was adrad and bẏleuede vor such cas
To wende er non an honteþ, þe wule he vastyng was.
Ac after mete, þo he adde ẏete and ẏdronke wel,
He nom on of hẏs priues, þat het Water Tẏrel,
And a uewe oþere of hẏs men, and nolde non lenger abẏde,
Þat he nolde to hẏs game, tẏde wat so bẏtẏde.”
The actual account of his death stands thus;
“He prẏkede after vaste ẏnou toward þe West rẏgt.
Hẏs honden he huld byuore hẏs eẏn vor þe sonne lẏgt.