By forward and by composicioun
As ye han herd what nedeth wordes mo
And whan this goode man saugh that it was so
As he that wys was and obedient
To kepe his forward by his free assent
He seyde syn I shal bigynne the game
What welcome be the cut in goddes name
Now lat vs ryde and herkneth what I seye
And with that word we ryden forth oure weye
And he bigan with right a murye cheere
His tale anoon and seyde as ye may heere
Here endith the prolog of this boke
From Cn Explicit prologus
Here endith the prolog of this boke
and Folowyng þe knyght be gynnithe to telle his tale
Here bigynneth / the knyghtes tale
Explicit prologus
Hic incipit fabula Militis ;
Iamque domos patria Scithice post aspera gentis laurigero etc
dummy
Whilom / as olde stories tellen vs
Ther was a Duc that highte Theseus
Of Atthenes / he was lord and gouernour
And in his tyme / swich a conquerour
That gretter was ther noon vnder the sonne
Ful many a riche contree / hadde he wonne
What with his wysdom / and his chiualrye
He conquered / al the regne of femenye
That whilom / was ycleped Scithia
And wedded / the queene ypolita
And broghte hire hom with hym / in his contree
With muchel glorie / and greet solempnitee
And eek / hir yonge suster Emelye