These olde bokes who so rede,
Of thing which hath befalle er this:
Now hier of what ensample it is.
[Tale of Iphis and Araxarathen.]
Whilom be olde daies fer
Of Mese was the king Theucer,
Which hadde a kniht to Sone, Iphis:
Hic narrat qualiter Iphis, Regis Theucri filius, ob amorem cuiusdam puelle nomine Araxarathen, quam neque donis aut precibus vincere potuit, desperans ante patris ipsius puelle ianuas noctanter se suspendit. Vnde dii commoti dictam puellam in lapidem durissimum transmutarunt, quam Rex Theucer vna cum filio suo apud Ciuitatem[1427] Salamynam in templo Veneris pro perpetua memoria sepeliri et locari fecit.
Of love and he so maistred is,
That he hath set al his corage,