708[Qualiter Appolinus ludum gimnasii vincens in aulam Regis ad cenam honorifice receptus est.]

709 Appolinus, which war and wys

710Of every game couthe an ende,

711He thoghte assaie, hou so it wende,

712And fell among hem into game:

713And there he wan him such a name,

714So as the king himself acompteth

715That he alle othre men surmonteth,

716And bar the pris above hem alle,

717The king bad that into his halle

718At Souper time he schal be broght;

719And he cam thanne and lefte it noght,

720Withoute compaignie al one:

721Was non so semlich of persone,

722Of visage and of limes bothe,

723If that he hadde what to clothe.

724At Soupertime natheles

725The king amiddes al the pres

726Let clepe him up among hem alle,

727And bad his Mareschall of halle

728To setten him in such degre

729That he upon him myhte se.

730The king was sone set and served,

731And he, which hath his pris deserved

732After the kinges oghne word,

733Was mad beginne a Middel bord,

734That bothe king and queene him sihe.

735He sat and caste aboute his yhe

736And sih the lordes in astat,

737And with himself wax in debat

738Thenkende what he hadde lore,

739And such a sorwe he tok therfore,

740That he sat evere stille and thoghte,

741As he which of no mete roghte.