University of Virginia Library

Henricus

& hii suore hii nolde ȝelde þe castel man aliue
Bote þe contesse of leicestere sir simondes wiue
So wel hii were astored of eche gode store
& of stalwardemen bold hii were þe more
Þe king anon to missomer mid strengþe & mid ginne
To keningwurþe wende þen castel to winne
He suor he nolde þanne ar he were wiþinne
So longe hom spedde baddeliche þat hii miȝte as wel blinne
Hor ȝates hii wiþinne none closi nolde
Vppe hii stode niȝt & day come in wo so wolde
Out hii smite wel ofte wan me to nei come
& slowe vaste in eiþer half & prisuns nome
& bouȝte hom suþþe wiþ raunson suich lif longe ilaste
Mid mangenels & ginnes hor eiþer to oþer caste
Þe legat & þe erchebissop wiþ hom al so nome
Tueie oþere bissops & to keningwurþe come
To makie acord wiþ þe king & þe deserites al so
& hom of þe castel ȝuf it miȝte be ido
Ac þe deserites nolde noȝt do al after þe kinge
Ne hii of þe castel naþemo ne stonde to hor lokinge
Þe legat mid is rede cope amansede þo
Hom þat in þe castel were & ȝut þer to wel mo
Alle þat hom holpe oþer were at hor rede
Oþer to hom ensentede in wille oþer in dede
Hii of þe castel tolde her of gret despit
Cope & oþer cloþes hii lete make of wit
& maister philip porpeis þat was a quointe man
Clerc and hardi of is dedes & hor cirurgian
Hii made a wit legat in þis cope of wit
Aȝe þe oþer rede as him in despit
& he stod as a legat vpe þe castel walle
& amansede king & legat & hor men alle
Suich game ilaste longe among hom in suich striue
Ac wel god nas it noȝt to soule ne to liue
Sir Ion deiuile & oþere þat deserited were
Nome þe yle of eli & hulde hom vaste þere
& in grauntebrugge ssire of oþer mannes inov
Vette & astorede hom þei it were mid wou