Prologue ：「中英語」とも呼称されます。古英語よりかは、難解な文法が簡素化されましたが・・・文語（書き言葉）が安定していなかったので語形に揺れ幅があります。
Ryosaku is blithe.
Now is he ywrapped in an endelees felynge of blis.
No matere what any man seith...
This is a loven tale of o man.
He, Ryosaku Takada, was i-born and i-nourisshed in Y Citee within the north part of Kanto, and yit dwelleth ther as now.
Outwardliche, he is a ful comun man with no special markes.
Howbeit, as a boy, he was ful “unlik” in comparison to othere children.
Y Cite, where Ryosaku wexe up, is a contré ful of kynde, envirouned by mountaynes and ryveres.
Ther been no selcouth wares, but ther been ryce croftes and feldes yscatered her and ther; dwellyng places and vylages liggen bitwene hem, and the water and the eyr been good.
A castel toun stood whan the tyme of the Sengoku, and ther is eek the solemne K Shrine, which hath ybe syn the dayes of the Kamakura.
It is swich an olde and storied citee.
