The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester :: :: University of Virginia Library

Vor þe maistrie nis noȝt a kinges ne be no so god
Ac kniȝtes þat vnder him viȝteþ & ssedeþ hor blod
Naþeles icholle fondi to bringe him of is sore
Vor ichabbe of him wreche inou wanne he bisecþ min ore
Þe erl wende to þe emperour & sat adoun a kne
Sire he sede al þi wille þou ast þou miȝt ise
Of þe king þat is min vncle he is al at þin wille
Haue merci of him ich þe bidde & ne let him noȝt aspille
Wat wostou more of him bote þat he truage þe bere
Þe emperour was stille þo & ne ȝaf him non ansuere
Sire emperour quaþ þe erl þo ne be ȝe no so bolde
Vnder þat voreward ichabbe þe al iholde
To bringe þe king bineþe & þat þou wonne al is londe
Wat ssolde ich þe more do nastou al þis an honde

Nolde god þat ich soffrede mi louerd þat is & was
Þat bit me vorȝifnesse & to amendi is trespas
Þat he in þine bendes come god it ssilde me
Vor þou ne ssalt so liȝtliche him nime i segge þe
Þe wle ich libbe vor ich wolle in ech manere fonde
To helpe mi louerd & min vncle bote þou me vnderstonde
Þo þe emperour hurde þis he bigan him biþenche
& is wraþþe toward þe king [for drede of þe erl quenche
Þe emperour & þe king] in þis fourme acorded were
Þat þe king of þis lond to þe emperour bere
Þre þousend pound of seluer fram ȝere to ȝere
As þe truage to rome þat non vorbore nere
In þis manere was engelond Ibroȝt verst in seruage
& þoru treson of þe sulue lond verst ȝef truage
Þeruore a king ne mai noȝt among is kniȝtes be
To sturne of is iugement ac somdel him bise