The verses of Geofrey Chaucer in the knights Prologue, who liuing in the yeere 1402.⁷⁷ (as hee writeth himselfe in his Epistle of Cupide) shewed that the English Knights after the losse of Acon, were wont in his time to trauaile into Prussia and Lettowe, and other heathen lands, to aduance the Christian faith against Infidels and miscreants, and to seeke honour by feats of armes.

The English Knights Prologue.

[Long trauaile.]

A Knight there was, and that a worthie man,
that from the time that he first began
to riden out, he loued Cheualrie,
trouth, honour, freedome, and Curtesie.
full worthy was he in his lords warre:
and thereto had hee ridden no man farre,
As well in Christendome as in Heathennesse,
and euer had honour for his worthinesse.

[Alexandria.]

At Alisandre hee was, when it was wonne:
full oft time hee had the bourd begon
abouen all nations in Pruce,
In Lettowe had hee riden, and in Ruce,
no Christen man so oft of his degree:
In Granade at the siege had he bee
At Algezer⁷⁸: and ridden in Belmarye:
At Leyes⁷⁹ was hee, and also at Satalye,⁸⁰
when they were wonne: and in the great see
at many a Noble armie had hee bee.
At mortall battailes had he bin fifteene,
And foughten for our faith at Tramissen,⁸¹
in listes thries, and aye slayne his foe:

This ilke worthie Knight had bin also,
sometime with the lord of Palathye⁸²
ayenst another Heathen in Turkie.

Written in the lustie moneth of May
in our Palace, where many a million
of louers true haue habitation,
The yeere of grace ioyfull and iocond,
a thousand, foure hundred and second.