University of Virginia Library

A ful breme bataile bi-gan þat ilk time,
whan eiþer sides a-sembled of þo segges sturne.
Mani a spere spacli on peces were to-broke,
& many a schene scheld scheuered al to peces,
Many helmes to-hewe þurth here huge strokes.
& redili for to rekene al þe riȝt soþe,
william & his wiȝes so wonderli fouȝten,
þat þei felden here fon ful fast to grounde.
non miȝt here strok wiþ-stond in þat stounde þan,
so wel for williams werkes were þei þan herted.
þe stiward had a newe but of ȝong age,
on þe manlokest man þat men schold of heren,
& douȝtiest of dedes þat men schuld do in armes.
as swiftli as he wist þat his em was slawe,
he þouȝt duelfulli þa deth þat day to a-wreke.
armed at alle poyntes anon he þider went,
& presed in a-mang þe pepul þer it was þikkest,
& sone to hem of þe cite a-sembled he þanne,
& fauȝt þan so ferscheli for his emes sake,
he dude to dethe deliuerli fiue gode kniȝtes,
þat bold were in bataile to a-bide at nede.
whan william wist of þat werk wittow forsoþe,
þer nas man vpon molde þat him miȝt lette,
þat he ne perced þe pres prestili þat time,
til he met wiþ þat man þat miȝti was hold.
whan þe stiwardes newe saw william come,
bi þe werwolf in his scheld wel he him knewe,
þat þe same seg hade slawe his em þer-to-fore.
& wiȝtli as a wod man to william he priked,
wiþ spere festened in feuter him for to spille.
at þe a-coupyng þe kniȝtes [speres] eiþer brak on oþer,
swiftli wiþ here swerdes swinge þei to-geder,
& delten duelful dentes deliuerli þat stounde.
& william was þe wiȝtere & wel sarre smot,
& set so hard a strok sone after on þat oþer,
þurth helm & hed hastili to þe brest it grint.
þe swerd swiftili swenged þurth þe bode euen,
þat tit ouer his hors-tail he tumbled ded to grounde.
þat ilk stoute kniȝtes stede & þe stiwardes alse
william sent sone to his semli lemman,
wher-of sche was geinli glad & oft god þonked,
þa he so wel hade wrouȝt in werre þat day.