 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Iohannes
Þe couent was wel ipaid ac þe king nouȝtVor he suor in engelond he ne ssolde ariui nout
Ne erchebissop be bi is daye þei he ssolde þeruore deye
Þo þe pope þis ihurde he nom it wel heye
He sende to alle þe bissopes of þis lond is sonde
Þat entredit in is name hii dude in al þis londe
Þe king was þo he hurde þis wroþore þan he was er
Þe monekes of canterbury alle þat he vond þer
Þat miȝte go he drof out of is kinedom
& al þe erchebissopriche in is hond he nom
Henri is eldoste sone ibore was in þis wo
As in tuelf hundred ȝer & eiȝte & nammo
At winchestre at alle halwetid þat suþþe was vr king
Þe king vorbed ek in þis lond al þe popes playdinge
Of bullen & of oþer þing þat he nadde poer non
Þe bissops wende ek ofte to þis king Ion
& lettres þat þe pope hom sende him ssewede monion
& felle adoun to is fet wepinde echon
& criinde pitosliche þat he ssolde hom vnderstonde
& abbe reuþe of cristendom & of engelonde
Ac al ne miȝte it helpe noȝt so þat atten ende
Þis bissopes to londone echone gonne wende
A lute biuore candelmasse & abbodes al so
& conceil made general þis entredit to do
Ac þoru bisokne of þe king delayed it was ȝute
Vorte wiþinne leinte ac it was wurþ lute
Vor þe king was euere þe leng þe wors & þo it ne miȝte oþer be
Þe bissopes as hi nede moste bi gonne hom bi se
702
Þat avilede so holichirche þat mid riȝte was so fre
Þe morwe as þe monenday an seinte Marie eue
Þe holi time þat þo was hii nolde leng bileue
Þis bissopes wende to churche as to nime þer hor leue
& ef sone pitosliche þis mansinge ȝeue
& entreditede al þis lond & walis al so
Þat noþing of cristendom þer inne nere ido
Vort of is luþer dede þe king him wiþdrowe
Out of churche men hii driue wepinde ynowe
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |