The incipit bears an illustration of a knight standing in full armor holding a lance. Perhaps this is an indication of a wealthy patronage and the making of this collection in a London bookshop. See Laura Hibbard Loomis, “The Auchinleck Manuscript and a Possible London Bookshop of 1330–1340,” PMLA 57 (1942), 595–609.

An elde a wif he tok an honde. A: An elde wif. Kö’s emendation recognizes the youth of the bride. It is the bridegroom who is overly mature.

fight. MS hard to read here.

ferste dai. A: ferþe. Kö’s emendation is in agreement with E, S, N, and C readings as well as medieval celebrations of May Day, a day dedicated to love.

And thou schelt after her wedde to spouse. A: þow schelt after wedde to spouse. Kö emends by adding her as object of the completed quest. Though the lady’s desire is known, the emphasis on marriage as a reward is significant.

Gladder icham. A: Glad. E and N: I am gladder. The emendation is Kö’s based on E and N readings.

levedi was right wel apaid. A: levidi riȝt wel apaid. Kö adds the intransitive verb, based on its presence in C.

thee faire ble. The scribe regularly spells the pronoun the. On the assumption that the pronoun was pronounced with a long ē, we have transcribed the pronoun the as thee. Although the poet generally uses thee in objective (dative and accusative) situations, possessive and nominative usages are likewise commonplace. For other possessive placements, see, for example, lines 310, 374, 482, 540, 557, 564, 605, 896, 918, 922, 925, 1097, 1107, 1109, 1132, 1196, 1317, 1474, 1736, 2188, 2202, 3164, 3169, 3211, 3628, 3633, 3656, 3738, 3837, 4087, 4428; for nominative use, see lines 531, 1043, 1082, 1103, 1233, 1422, 1843, 2121, 2124, 2188, 2203, 3657, 3658, 4227; and for dative of agency, which we translate with an “it is” syntax, see lines 1007, 2210; or as a reflexive pronoun, see lines 1006, 1733, 3015, 4374, 4426, and 4427. He also uses me in all three functions. E.g., see lines 671 and 1043.

And be of elde. A: ben of elde. E and N: be of. C: come to. Kö clarifies the line.

The child fel doun and that was scathe. A: Þe child fel doun and þat scaþe. Kö adds an intransitive verb.

The knight was trewe and of kinde. Kö adds the possessive pronoun his before kinde to confer a “nature” upon the knight. The emendation is unnecessary.

a smot him with. A: a smot him him wiþ. This duplication of words is a typical scribal redundancy in A.

mor and lesse. A: mor & lesse. Kö: mor or lesse. We have retained the MS reading as a commonplace idiom implying “all.”

be him mild. A: be us mild. E: him. Kö capitalizes Him, as if to ask Christ’s mercy for Bevis rather than for “us,” as in A.

I not never, what. A: I no never. C: never not.

Thai were aferde, hii wer nigh wode. A: Þai were hii wer niȝ wode. Aferde is omitted in A. Kölbing emends on the basis of other MSS’ readings.

So tho is a lite stounde. Kö: And tho, on the basis of E.

Thus that maide made. A: Þus that maide maide her mon. Kö transforms a noun to a verb for the sake of clarity.

And tolde hem how Brademond him asailed hadde. A: And Brademond him asailed hadde. Because A omits the first clause in the line, Kö emends following E and N: And tolde hem how.

to the teth. A: to the deþ. To be “armed to the teeth” is a familiar aphorism. See also lines 3644 and 4485. To be “armed to the death” makes little sense.

sonne set in the west. A: sonne set riȝt. E and N: sonne in the west. Kö’s emendation which completes the rhyme and mends the breech in material.

“Merci!” queth Bradmond, “ich me yelde. A: Merci! queþ, ich me yelde. Kö confers the speech upon Brademond, which clarifies the textual confusion.

Al that ich do, it is his dede. A: Al þat ich do, it is dede. Kö: it is his dede. The emendation is based on E and N.

Thow schelt werre. E, N, and C add a negative adjective, i.e., never to warre, which is consistent with the oath Bevis demands from Brademond.

Mani dai a maked him feste. E and N: a wykked fest. Kö retains A. The implication is that had Bevis known what Brademond would do to him he would/should have killed him rather than show mercy.

“For Gode,” queth Beves, “that ich do nelle! A: For gode, queth, þat ich do nelle! Here Kö confers speech upon Bevis. Also see line 1110.

Than al the gold. EN: good.

“For Gode,” queth Beves. A: For gode, queþ he. Kö’s emendation confers Bevis with direct address as in line 1098.

Aboute hire nede. This is a very short line, lengthened in C: Of þat y went about your nede.

So te misain. A: So te misin. Kö: So te misain a. Kö silently emends A here. But his reading improves the line.

Hit were gode, sire. A: Hit gode, sire, þat he were slain. Kö: It were gode, sire. Kö emends on the strength of N and C.

Al in solas and in delit. A: Al in solas in delit. Kö: Al in solas and in delit on the basis of C.

That Sire Beves gan of-see. A: Beves gan of. Kö’s emendation.

He ne wolde love me non other. A: He ne wolde me non oþer. Kö adds “love” to the line.

What dai awai whanne a wolde wende. A: What dai whanne. Kö adds awai.

Of that feste. A: If þat feste. Kö: Of þat feste. In the MS, the “I” is one of the large decorated initials.

Men graithede cartes and somers. A: Men graicede cartes and somers. Kö: graiþede.

With a strok me doth adoun falle. A: Wiþ a strok me adoun falle. Kö’s emendation is based on E and N.

ther-of may ben awreke. A: þer of ben me awreke. Kö’s emendation is based on C.

by the rop. A: be rop. Kö’s emendation based on N.

ase wel alse man. Kö adds the wel.

quene to eche palmare. A: quene to palmare. Kö adds eche to maintain the meter as well as to indicate direct, individual contact since the noun is singular.

made miche pride. A: made made miche pride. Kö deletes the redundant verb.

do be rede. Kö emends to do be me rede on the authority of E and N. In so doing he clarifies Bonefas’ directive, i.e., to take his advice on an escape strategy, though emendation may not be necessary.

that we wer thore. A: þat were þore. Kö’s emendation; the first-person plural pronoun clarifies the line.

Cité of Diablent. From here to line 2464 the narrative is missing in A. We follow Kö’s usage and use E for the intervening lines. The E scribe has a propensity for capitalization which has been emended here according to modern usage.

And be the right leg she him grep. A: he him grep. Kö restores gender to the lion grabbing Bevis by the right leg.

come withouten ensoine / To the haven of Coloine. Compare Richard the Lion Hearted, ed. Brunner (1913): Fforþ þey wenten wiþuten ensoyne / To þe cyte off Coloyne, as cited by MED ensoine (n.). That MS dates from c. 1475. Not many words rhyme with ensoine (or Coloine), which may be a factor. See also lines 2657–58 and 2891–92, where the words are rhymed.

Toke here flight. A: To here fliȝt. Kö restores the appropriate verb.

me never non. A: me never mo. Kö’s emendation which improves the sense and rhyme.

Beves answerde. A: Beves answede. Kö clarifies the action.

anan. A: anan. More usually anon, this may be scribal error. Kö retains the variance, nonetheless, and so have we.

dai other night. A: dai the niȝt.

And asked that. A: And asked at. Kö replaces the thorn.

mesage for to don anon. A: message for don anon. Kö adds to don anon on the basis of M.

Here soper was ther redi dight. A: Here soper wer redi diȝt. Kö restores the meter on the evidence of E and N.

That al wide opun it wonde. A: upon. Kö: opun on the basis of N.

In hire smok. A: In hire hire smok. Kö eliminates the redundant pronoun.

Ich wende he hadde ben anhonge. A: Ich wende hadde ben anhonge. Kö adds he for the sake of clarity.

Hit scholde some of hem rewe sore. A: some of rewe sore. Kö adds hem to restore the meter.

that other ladde. A: þat oþe ladde.

Ful of pich and of bremston. A: Ful of bich. Kö emends the pitch based on the other MSS.

swerdes a logge pighte. A: swerdes logge piȝte. Kö’s emendation based on other MSS.

God forbede. A: For for bed. Kö restores the deity based on E, N, C, and M: God for-bede.

ase he yede aboute. A: ase yhe yede aboute. Kö’s emendation clarifies gender.

mautalent. A: mauntalent, with the n by abbreviation. MED ignores the n but cites the passage as an “erroneous” spelling of the term.

Er than he Saber eft ise. A: Er than he Beves eft ise. Kö restores Saber to his role.

And broughte hit to Mombraunt be southe. A: And brouȝt it Mombraunt. Kö’s preposition restores clarity and meter.

That Beves scholde abegge sore. A: abegged sore. Kö maintains a sensible verb tense: abegge sore.

Josian stod in a toret. A: Josian stond.

Jesu Crist him yilde is mede. A: him yilde him his mede.

he is in point to spille. A: he is point to spille. Kö’s emendation.

“For God,” queth Saber, “that is nought feir.” A: For god, queþ, that is nought feir. Other MSS assign the quotation to Saber.

Tidinge com to Potenhithe. A: Tidynge to potenhiþe. Kö’s emendation.