University of Virginia Library

Cassibel rex.

Siker was þo þe emperour he ne leuede noȝt bihinde
Ac com here to engelond mid þe nexte winde
Þe king þe wule londone bisegede uaste
& destruede þe erles lond & is courtes adoun caste
Ac þo he hurde þat þe romeins icome were to þis londe
To hom he wende hasteliche & let londone stonde
Þo he com nei kaunterburi In a valeie biside
He sei þe emperours ost sprad aboute wide
Þe emperour verst in is half & he in is also
Ordeinede verst hor ost þe bataile to do
Ac mid vif hondred hors iwrie as it was bispeke
Þe erl of kent was in a wode him vor to awreke
Þer of nas noȝt þe king iwar ac wiþoute faile
Mid gode herte he wende vorþ to smite þis bataile
Bituene þe se & kaunterburi þis bataile was
Neuere ich wene more slaȝt in so lute wude nas
Þat folc vel doun vorwounded & aslawe in eiþer side
As þicke as leues doþ of tren aȝen winteres tide
Ac þo þe folc of þis lond nei adde þe maistrie
Com þe erl of kent mid is ost þoru is tricherie
Al verss bi hinde þe brutouns alas þulke stounde
So þat þis lond was ibroȝt þoru treson verst to grounde
Ac þe king & some of is defended hom so vaste
Þat hii vor hom alle aliue ofscapede atte laste
& nolde hom ȝelde for no þing ac among al or fon þere
Ofscapede vp an hei hul þer moni roches were
& þer hii kudde hor prowesse vor hii wuste hom þere anhei
Mid stones þat no mon ne dorste come hom nei
Ou louerd þe noble folc þat is of þis londe
Wanne hii þe emperour of rome þat no lond ne miȝte at stonde