 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Aldred Alfred
Eiȝte hundred ȝer it was & seuene & fifty al so
After þat god an erþe com ar þis dede were ydo
Boþe hii wuste bi here time wel hor kinedom
Ac þe vifte ȝer adelbold god of liue nom
Ac at ssirebourne he was ybured & is broþer adelbriȝt
Þis kinedom adde after him as lawe was & riȝt
Bi is daye þe worre com of þe heþene men wel prout
In hampte ssire & destruede wincestre al out
& þat folc of hamtessire hore red þo nome
& of barcssire & foȝte & þe ssrewen ouercome
Adelbriȝt was king ȝeres folle tene
& of westsex bote viue þo he deyde ich wene
After þat god an erþe com ar þis dede were ydo
384
Ac þe vifte ȝer adelbold god of liue nom
Ac at ssirebourne he was ybured & is broþer adelbriȝt
Þis kinedom adde after him as lawe was & riȝt
Bi is daye þe worre com of þe heþene men wel prout
In hampte ssire & destruede wincestre al out
& þat folc of hamtessire hore red þo nome
& of barcssire & foȝte & þe ssrewen ouercome
Adelbriȝt was king ȝeres folle tene
& of westsex bote viue þo he deyde ich wene
Edelred was after him king ymaked in þe place
Eiȝte hundred ȝer & seuene & sixty as in þe ȝer of grace
Þe verste ȝer of is kinedom þe deneys þikke come
& robbede & destruede & cites faste nome
Maistres hii adde of hor ost as it were dukes tueie
Hinguar & hubba þat ssrewen were beye
In estangle hii bileuede to reste hom as it were
Mid hor ost alle winter of þe verste ȝere
Þe oþer ȝer hii dude hom vorþ & ouer homber come
& slowe to grounde & barnde & euerwik nome
Þer was bataile strong ynou vor islawe was þere
Osric king of humberlond & monio þat wiþ him were
Þo humberlond was þus yssent hii wende & tounes nome
So þat atte laste to estangle aȝen hii come
Þere hii barnde & robbede & þat folc to grounde slowe
& as wolves among ssep reuliche hom to drowe
Seint edmund was þo hor king & þo he sey þat deoluol cas
Þat me morþrede so þat folc & non amendment nas
He ches leuere to deye him sulf þan such sorwe yse
He dude him vorþ among is fon nolde he noþing fle
Hii nome him an scourgede him & suþþe naked him bounde
To an tre & to him ssote & made him mony a wounde
Þat þe arwen were on him so þikke þat no stede nas on him bileued
Atte laste hii martred him & smite of is heued
Þe sixteþe ȝer of þe cournement of aldred þe king
A nywe ost com in to þis lond gret þoru alle þing
Eiȝte hundred ȝer & seuene & sixty as in þe ȝer of grace
Þe verste ȝer of is kinedom þe deneys þikke come
& robbede & destruede & cites faste nome
385
Hinguar & hubba þat ssrewen were beye
In estangle hii bileuede to reste hom as it were
Mid hor ost alle winter of þe verste ȝere
Þe oþer ȝer hii dude hom vorþ & ouer homber come
& slowe to grounde & barnde & euerwik nome
Þer was bataile strong ynou vor islawe was þere
Osric king of humberlond & monio þat wiþ him were
Þo humberlond was þus yssent hii wende & tounes nome
So þat atte laste to estangle aȝen hii come
Þere hii barnde & robbede & þat folc to grounde slowe
& as wolves among ssep reuliche hom to drowe
Seint edmund was þo hor king & þo he sey þat deoluol cas
Þat me morþrede so þat folc & non amendment nas
386
He dude him vorþ among is fon nolde he noþing fle
Hii nome him an scourgede him & suþþe naked him bounde
To an tre & to him ssote & made him mony a wounde
Þat þe arwen were on him so þikke þat no stede nas on him bileued
Atte laste hii martred him & smite of is heued
Þe sixteþe ȝer of þe cournement of aldred þe king
A nywe ost com in to þis lond gret þoru alle þing
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |