University of Virginia Library

Alfred

Vre louerd mid is eyen of milce on þe lokeþ þeruore
& þi poer þe wole ȝiue aȝen þat þou ast ney vorlore
& þat þou þerof soþ yse þou ssalt abbe tokninge
Vor þine men þat beþ ygo to day avissinge
In lepes & in coufles so moche viss hii ssolleþ hom bringe
Þat ech mon ssal wondry of so gret cacchinge
& more vor þe harde vorst þat þut water yurore is
Þat þe more aȝen þe kunde of fissinge it is
Of serue it wel aȝen god & lef me is messager
& þou ssalt þi wille abide as ich þe abbe ytold her
As þis king her of awok & of þis sixte þoȝte
His vissares come to him & so gret won of fisse him broȝte
Þat wonder it was & nameliche vor þat weder was so cold
Þo leuede þe godemon wel þat seint cuthbert adde ytold
In deuenissire þer after þer ariuede of deneys
Þre & tuenti ssipuol men al aȝen þe peys
Þe kinges broþer of þe march duc of þe ost was
Oure kinges men of engelond mette hom bi cas
& smite þer an batayle & hor grete duc slowe
& eiȝte hundred & fourty men & hor caroines to drowe
Þo king alfred hurde þis is herte gladede þo
Þat londfolc to him com so þikke so it miȝte go
Of somersete of wiltessire of hamtessire þer to
Euere as he wende & of is owe folc al so
So þat he adde poer ynou & atte laste hii come
& an batayle at edendone aȝen þe deneys nome
& slowe to grounde & wonne þe maystrie of þe velde
Þe king & is grete dukes bigonne hom þo ȝelde
To king alfred to is wille & ostage him toke
Vor to wende out of is lond ȝif he it wolde loke
& ȝute þerto uor is loue vor to auonge cristendom
King gurmund hor hexte king verst þer to com
King alfred is godfader was & baptized ek þer were
Þritty of hor hexte dukes & moche of þat folc þere
King alfred hom huld wiþ him tuelf dawes as þe hende
& suþþe he ȝef hom large ȝiftes & let hom hom wende
Hii þat nolde cristine be of londe flowe þo
& biȝonde se in france dude wel moche wo