"Now, good sir abbot, be my friend,
For thy curteys-e,
And hold my land-es in thy hand
Till I have made thee gree;
And I will be thy true serv-ant,
And truly serv-e thee,
Till ye have fo-ur hundred pound
Of money good and free."
The abbot sware a full great oath,
"By him that died on a tree,
Get the land where thou may,
For thou gettest none of me."
"By dere-worthy God," then said the knight,
"That all this world wrought,
But I have my land again,
Full dear it shall be bought;
God, that was of a maiden borne,
Lene us well to speed!
For it is good to assay a friend
Ere that a man have need."
The abb-ot loathl-y on him gan look,
And villainousl-y gan call;
"Out," he said, "thou fals-e knight!
Speed thee out of my hall!"
"Thou liest," then said the gentle knight,
"Abbot in thy hall;
Fals-e knight was I nev-er,
By him that made us all."
Up then stood that gentle knight,
To the abb-ot said he,
"To suffer a knight to kneel so long,
Thou canst no courtes-y.
In joust-es and in tournem-ent
Full far then have I be,
And put myself as far in press
As any that e'er I see.
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