Of a grete lady hondred yeres ago

In the hande of stele this swerde was closed so

||

 No maner persone / mayes touche this swerde

s touch

But one persone / chosen by god in dede

go

Of this ladyes kynred / not to be aferde

ot

To touche this hande / his mater for to spede

And to vndo it / and take it for his mede

But yf that he / be not of the lygnage

The hand wyll sle hym / after olde vsage

 This ryall swerde / that called is preprudence

Who can it gette / it hath these vertues thre

Fyrst to wynne ryght / without longe resystence

Secondly encreaseth / all trouth and amyte

Thyrdly of the berer through duplycyte

Be pryuely fals / to the ordre of chyualry

The swerdes crosse wyll crase / and shewe it openly

 Prev. P 28/55 next