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Whylom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duk that highte Theseus; Of Athenes he was lord and governour, And in his tyme swich a conquerour, That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne; What with his wisdom and his chivalrye, He conquered al the regne of Femenye, That whylom was y-cleped Scithia; And weddede the quene Ipolita, And broghte hir hoom with him in his contree With muchel glorie and greet solempnitee, And eek hir yonge suster Emelye. And thus with victorie and with melodye Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde, And al his hoost, in armes, him bisyde. Whylom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duk that highte Theseus; Of Athenes he was lord and governour, And in his tyme swich a conquerour, That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne; What with his wisdom and his chivalrye, He conquered al the regne of Femenye, That whylom was y-cleped Scithia; And weddede the quene Ipolita, And broghte hir hoom with him in his contree With muchel glorie and greet solempnitee, And eek hir yonge suster Emelye. And thus with victorie and with melodye Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde, And al his hoost, in armes, him bisyde.
And certes, if it nere to long to here, I wolde han told yow fully the manere, How wonnen was the regne of Femenye By Theseus, and by his chivalrye; And of the grete bataille for the nones Bitwixen Athenës and Amazones; And how asseged was Ipolita, The faire hardy quene of Scithia; And of the feste that was at hir weddinge, And of the tempest at hir hoom-cominge; But al that thing I moot as now forbere. I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere, And wayke been the oxen in my plough. The remenant of the tale is long y-nough. I wol nat letten eek noon of this route; Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, And lat see now who shal the soper winne; And ther I lefte, I wol ageyn biginne. And certes, if it nere to long to here, I wolde han told yow fully the manere, How wonnen was the regne of Femenye By Theseus, and by his chivalrye; And of the grete bataille for the nones Bitwixen Athenës and Amazones; And how asseged was Ipolita, The faire hardy quene of Scithia; And of the feste that was at hir weddinge, And of the tempest at hir hoom-cominge; But al that thing I moot as now forbere. I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere, And wayke been the oxen in my plough. The remenant of the tale is long y-nough. I wol nat letten eek noon of this route; Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, And lat see now who shal the soper winne; And ther I lefte, I wol ageyn biginne.

Original Text

Modern Text
Whylom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duk that highte Theseus; Of Athenes he was lord and governour, And in his tyme swich a conquerour, That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne; What with his wisdom and his chivalrye, He conquered al the regne of Femenye, That whylom was y-cleped Scithia; And weddede the quene Ipolita, And broghte hir hoom with him in his contree With muchel glorie and greet solempnitee, And eek hir yonge suster Emelye. And thus with victorie and with melodye Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde, And al his hoost, in armes, him bisyde. Whylom, as olde stories tellen us, Ther was a duk that highte Theseus; Of Athenes he was lord and governour, And in his tyme swich a conquerour, That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne; What with his wisdom and his chivalrye, He conquered al the regne of Femenye, That whylom was y-cleped Scithia; And weddede the quene Ipolita, And broghte hir hoom with him in his contree With muchel glorie and greet solempnitee, And eek hir yonge suster Emelye. And thus with victorie and with melodye Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde, And al his hoost, in armes, him bisyde.
And certes, if it nere to long to here, I wolde han told yow fully the manere, How wonnen was the regne of Femenye By Theseus, and by his chivalrye; And of the grete bataille for the nones Bitwixen Athenës and Amazones; And how asseged was Ipolita, The faire hardy quene of Scithia; And of the feste that was at hir weddinge, And of the tempest at hir hoom-cominge; But al that thing I moot as now forbere. I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere, And wayke been the oxen in my plough. The remenant of the tale is long y-nough. I wol nat letten eek noon of this route; Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, And lat see now who shal the soper winne; And ther I lefte, I wol ageyn biginne. And certes, if it nere to long to here, I wolde han told yow fully the manere, How wonnen was the regne of Femenye By Theseus, and by his chivalrye; And of the grete bataille for the nones Bitwixen Athenës and Amazones; And how asseged was Ipolita, The faire hardy quene of Scithia; And of the feste that was at hir weddinge, And of the tempest at hir hoom-cominge; But al that thing I moot as now forbere. I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere, And wayke been the oxen in my plough. The remenant of the tale is long y-nough. I wol nat letten eek noon of this route; Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, And lat see now who shal the soper winne; And ther I lefte, I wol ageyn biginne.
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