| | In whiche ther was an hert as men hym tolde | |
| | Duke Theseus the streight wey hath holde | |
| | And to the launde he ridith ful right | |
| | For thider was the hert wont to haue his flight | |
| 835 | And ouer abrook and so forth on his way | |
| | The duke wolde haue acours of hym or twey | |
| | With houndis suche as he list to comaunde | |
| | And whan this duke was come to the launde | |
| | Vnder the sonne he lokyd and that anon | |
| 840 | He was waar of arcite and Palamon | |
| | That foughten breme as it were bolis two | |
| | The bright suerdis wente to and fro | |
| | So hidonsly that with the leste strook | |
| | He semyd that it wolde haue fellyd on ook | |
| 845 | But what they were no thing he ne woot | |
| | This duke with his sporis his courser smote | |
| | And at a sterte he was betwix hem two | |
| | And pullyd out his swerde and sayde ho | |
| | Nomore on peyne of lesing of your hed | |
| 850 | Be myghty marce anon ye shul be ded | |
| | That smytith ony strook that I may se | |
| | But tellith me what myster men ye be | |
| | That ben so hardy to fighte here | |
| | Withoute Iuge or other officere | |
| 855 | As though it were in listis rially | |
| | This Palamon answerde hastely | |
| | And sayde syre what nedith wordis moo | |
| | We haue the deth deserued bothe twoo | |
| | Two woful wrecchis be we and knyghtis | |
