| | The bareyn yle stondyng in the se | |
| | The dreynt liandir for his erro | |
| 70 | The teris of Eleyne and eke the woo | |
| | Of Briseyde and of Ladomea | |
| | The cruelte of the quene Medea | |
| | The lityl childryn hangyng be the hals | |
| | For why Iason that was of loue so fals | |
| 75 | Epymystra Penelope and alceste | |
| | Her wyfhode comendynge with the beste | |
| | But certeynly no word ne writith he | |
| | Of that wicked ensaumpyl of Canace | |
| | That loued her owen brothir synfully | |
| 80 | Of whiche cursid storyes I say fy | |
| | Or ellis of Tirns appolonius | |
| | How that the cursid kyng antiochus | |
| | Beraft his doughter of hir maydenhede | |
| | That is so horrible a tale forto rede | |
| 85 | Whan he here threw vp on the pament | |
| | And therfore he ful of auisement | |
| | Wolde neuer write in none of his sermons | |
| | Of suche vnkind abhomynacions | |
| | Ne I wol none reherce yf that I may | |
| 90 | But of my tale what sholde I do this day | |
| | Me were loth be likned doutles | |
| | To myses that men clepe piarydes | |
| | Methamorphoseos woot what I mene | |
| | But nether theles I recke not a bene | |
| 95 | They I come aftir hym the whiche hath no lak | |
| | I speke in prose let hym rymes make | |
