| | That on a day com ridynge from the Ryuere | |
| | And happid that allone as he was born | |
| 860 | He saw a mayde walkynge hym beforn | |
| | Of whiche mayde anon magre her hed | |
| | Be verry force byrefte her her maydenhed | |
| | For whiche oppression was suche clamour | |
| | And suche pursute vnto kyng Artour | |
| 865 | That dampned was this knyght to be ded | |
| | Be cours of lawe he sholde haue lost his hed | |
| | Parauenture suche was the statut tho | |
| | But that the quene and other ladyes mo | |
| | So longe praiden the kyng of grace | |
| 870 | Til he his liff grauntid in that place | |
| | And yaf hym to the quene al at her wille | |
| | To chese whethir she wolde hym saue or spylle | |
| | The quene thankid the kyng with al her might | |
| | And aftir thus spak she to the knyght | |
| | When she sawe her tyme vp on a day | |
| 875 | Thou stondist yet in suche aray | |
| | That of thy lyf yet hast thou no suerte | |
| | I graunte thy lyf yf thou canst telle me | |
| | What thing it is that women most desiren | |
| | Bewaar and keep thy necke from iren | |
| 880 | And yf thou canst not telle it anon | |
| | I shal the yeue yet leue forto goon | |
| | A twelfmonthe and a day to seche and to lere | |
| | An answere sufficiaunt in this matere | |
| | And suerte wol I haue or that thou passe | |
| 885 | Thy body forto yeldyn in this place | |
