Hou Jnglond first bigan.

Men mow it finde jn Englische

As þe Brout it telleþ, ywis.

Herkeneþ hiderward lordinges, 

Ȝe þat wil here of kinges,

Ichil ȝou tellen as y can

Hou Jnglond first bigan.

Sitteþ stille grete & smale

& ȝe schal here a wel fair tale.

Al ous graunt gode ending

& seynt Marie þat swete þing

So be at our bigining

& help ous at our nede, 

& leue ous wele to spede 

Þat we habbeþ euer to don,

& scheld ous fram our fon.

Childer þat ben to boke ysett

In age hem is miche þe bett 

For þai mo witen & se

Miche of Godes priuete

Hem to kepe & to ware

Fram sinne & fram warldes care,

& wele ysen ȝif þai willen 

Þat hem no þarf neuer spillen -

Auauntages þai hauen þare

Freynsch & Latin eueraywhare.

Of Freynsch no Latin nil y tel more

Ac on J[n]glisch ichil tel þerfore 

Riȝt is þat J[n]glische vnderstond

Þat was born in Jnglond.

Freynsche vse þis gentil man

Ac euerich Jnglische Jnglische can;

Mani noble ich haue yseiȝe 

Þat no Freynsche couþe seye,

Biginne ichil for her loue

Bi Ihesus leue þat sitt aboue

On Inglische tel mi tale -

God ous sende soule hale. 

Now ich ȝou telle þis romaunce.

Swiche auentour & swiche victorie

Þou sentest king Richard,

Miri it is to heren his stori

& of him to han in memorie 

Þat neuer no was couward.

Bokes men makeþ of Latyn,

Clerkes witen what is þerin,

Boþe Almaundes & Pikard;

Romaunce make folk of Fraunce 

Of kniȝtes þat were in destaunce

Þat dyed þurth dint of sward:

Of Rouland & of Oliuer

& of þe oþer dusseper,

Of Alisander & Charlmeyn 

& Ector þe gret werrer

& of Danys le fiz Oger,

Of Arthour & of Gaweyn.

As þis romaunce of Freyns wrouȝt,

Þat mani lewed no knowe nouȝt, 

In gest as-so we seyn;

Þis lewed no can Freyns non;

Among an hundred vnneþe on,

In lede is nouȝt to leyn.

Noþeles, wiþ gode chere 
Fele of hem wald yhere

Noble gestes, ich vnderstond,

Of douȝti kniȝtes of Inglond.

Þerfore now ichil ȝou rede

Of a king douhti of dede, 

King Richard, þe werrour best

Þat men findeþ in ani gest.

Nou al þat listen þis ginning,

Ihesu hem graunt gode ending.

Þat willeȝ Godes merci abiden,

Lewede men þat ne beȝ no clerkes,

Þo þat leuen on Godes werkes,

Lesteȝ, and ȝe sschollen here, iwis, 

What ȝoure Pater noster is. 

¶ Ech man hereof take hede.

Godiliche while Ihesu ȝede

In erthe wiȝ his apostles twelue,

Ihesu Crist made hit him selue, 

And als hit telleȝ in þe bok,

Hise apostles he hit bitok,

For þai sscholden habben hit in minde

And techen hit to al mankynde.

¶ Of alle þe clerkes vnder sonne, 

Þer nis non of hem þat conne

A beter oreisoun, iwis,

Þanne þe Pater noster is.

Þus seggeȝ þise clerkes wise

Þat mochel connen of clergise. 

¶ Seuen oreisouns þer beȝ inne

Þat helpeȝ men out of dedli sinne

And ȝif ȝe willeȝ a while dwelle,

Al on Englissch ich wille ȝou telle

Þe skile of hem alle seuene, 

Wiȝ help of Godes miȝt of heuene.

Þat is to segge þis:

‘Oure fader in heuene-riche,

Þi name be blessed euere iliche.’ 

Þis is þe ferste oreisoun of seuene.