This prologue appears in all manuscripts of the long version but in none of the manuscripts or prints of the short version, including Caxton’s. The following translation is based on Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, MS fr. 1480.gloss note

prose-textblock1Alanus, who was most wise,gloss note has written in the book of his doctrines an axiom which says in Latin, “Hoc crede quod tibi verum esse videtur,”gloss note and would furthermore say that this maxim, is translated out of Latin into French: “Tu croyras les chouses qui te resembleront estre veritables.” I undertake this theme in the present case because I have all my life taken pleasure in the reading romances and chronicles of the ancient histories, as of the life of Lancelot, of Tristan, of Florimond, of Guy of Warwick, who performed many brave acts in their life according to what I have found written. And many things I have found there which are very impossible to believe. And many other books I have seen, but among them I have chosen a book, written in the Provençal language, which was drawn from another book written in the Catalan language. This book contains the life of a baron who was called Godfrey d’Alencon, who was dauphin of Vienne, who had a daughter who was called Vienne, who was a paragon of beauty. And how a knight who was called Paris, son of a baron who was named messire Jacques, was enamored of the said Vienne so that for love of her he did in his life many great deeds, as you will hear later. And because the matter is reasonable and credible enough, and also because the story is quite pleasing — for it is a good thing to hear recounted the great deeds of the ancients in times past — I undertake to translate the history for you from Provençal into French. I would request and beg all those who read the said book, that if they find written there anything which is not well done, that they will pardon my defects and amend them according to their good judgment, for my ability is not sufficient to that which is needed to well treat it [the material], and also for I am not French by birth but was born and raised in the city of Marseilles. And if it pleases you to know that from Saint Pierre I take my name, of the Cypède for surname, and commenced to write this book in the year of our lord 1432, the third day of the month of September.