University of Virginia Library

Aþelston

Him þoȝte it was more nobleye þo he adde an honde al þis
Vor to maky kinges þan to be king ywis
Aȝen he made kinges þat kinges er were
Bote þat hii were vnder him & truage him bere
Þo hii adde hor lond aȝen þe king of scotlond
Constantin & analf king of homberlond
Vpe þis king aþelston gaderede men ynowe
& here bisouþe humber mid hor ost drowe
Analf was god kniȝt & stalwarde & quoynte
Menestral he was god ynou & harpare in eche poynte
To aþelstones pauylon mid is harpe he wende
& so wel wiþoute harpede þat me after him sende
Þere he harpede so wel þat he payde al þe route
Ac euere were is eyen in eche hurne aboute
After mete þo hii nolde nammore of is pley
Hii ȝeue him siluer uor is gle & lete him go is wey
Of þe siluer he adde hoker vor he ne com þuder vor non
Ac is wille he adde þo he sey þe stat of is fon
On þat adde ybe mid him þe king tolde þer
Þe king him blamede þo þat he nadde ytold him er
Sire he sede ich was ysuore to him ar to þe
& ȝif ichadde him bisuike þe wors þou wost leue me
Ac remwe in to anoþer stude þi pauilon bi mi rede
Oþer þou miȝt ȝut to niȝt of som treson drede
Þe pauilon was remewed þo & þe king & alle his
Ac a bissop & is men þer uorþ come ywis
& piȝte þere hor pauylon & bileuede al niȝt þere
& þis luþer men come aniȝt & wende þe king it were
& slowe bissop & al is men þat gult nadde non
& suþþe hii wende vorþore mo & soȝte aþelston
Of hom nas he noȝt ywar ar þo atte laste
Ac sone he & is men armede hom wel vaste
& edmund is broþer mid him & þo hii preste were echon
Hii wende vorþ to þis batayle & mette mid hor fon
Þe king to is suerde drou & þo ne vond he non
Ac was mid treson him binome hard cas was þat on
On god al miȝti & seint aldelm þe king cryde vaste þo
& hii sende him bi uair miracle bote of is wo