Þat siþen depreced prouinces, & patrounes bicome
Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles,
8 [B] Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swyþe,
With gret bobbaunce þat bur3e he biges vpon fyrst,
& neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now hat;
Ticius to Tuskan [turnes,] & teldes bigynnes;
12 Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes;
[C] & fer ouer þe French flod Felix Brutus
On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he sette3,
wyth wynne;
16 [D] Where werre, & wrake, & wonder,
Bi syþe3 hat3 wont þer-inne,
[E] & oft boþe blysse & blunder
Ful skete hat3 skyfted synne.

[Sidenote A: After the siege of Troy]
[Sidenote B: Romulus built Rome,]
[Sidenote C: and Felix Brutus founded Britain,]
[Sidenote D: a land of war and wonder,]
[Sidenote E: and oft of bliss and blunder.]

II.

20 Ande quen þis Bretayn wat3 bigged bi þis burn rych,
[A] Bolde bredden þer-inne, baret þat lofden,
In mony turned tyme tene þat wro3ten;
Mo ferlyes on þis folde han fallen here oft
24 [B] Þen in any oþer þat I wot, syn þat ilk tyme.
[C] Bot of alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kynges
Ay wat3 Arthur þe hendest; as I haf herde telle;