Chapter I

[A] Siþen þe sege & þe assaut wat3 sesed at Troye, [Fol. 91a.]
Þe bor3 brittened & brent to bronde3 & aske3,
Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t,
4 Wat3 tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erthe;
Hit wat3 Ennias þe athel, & his highe kynde,
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.]