University of Virginia Library

William & his wiȝes were armed wel sone,
as semli to siȝt as any segges þurte,
& softli Iced out of þe cite whan þei seie time.
william went al bi-fore as wis man & nobul,
& ordeyned anon his ost in þre grete parties,
& sett of bolde burnes in eche bataile seuene hundred,
of clene kniȝtes armed & oþer kete burnes,
& spak spakli þese wordes þe spaynols whan he seie:—
“Lo, lordinges,” sede william “wich a loueli siȝt
here bi-fore vs of our fon of ferche men & bold!
þer is holli al here ost now beth of hertes gode,
& we schul wel þis day þis werre bring to ende
onliche ȝourh godes grace & ȝour gode dede.
þouȝh þer be mani mo þan ȝe dismaie ȝe nouȝt þerfore,
God wol vs ay rescue & with þe riȝt stonde;
Go we to hem on godes name with a god wille.
& i mow come bi þe king bi crist, as ich hope,
he schal sone þer-after to his sone wende,
to soiorne in þe cite þat he haþ seged ȝore.
þer-for, frendes & felawes for him þat ȝou bouȝt,
doþ ȝour dede to-day as douȝti men schulle,
& gret worchipe schul ȝe winne whil þis world lasteþ.”
In þis wise william his wiȝes þan cumforted,
þat þei hent swiche herte as hardi men schuld.
þan aswiþe þei sembled [eiþer ost] to-gader,
& alle maner menstracie maked was sone
of tabours & trumpes non miȝt þe number telle.
& eiþer ost as swiþe fast ascried oþer,
& a-sembleden swiþe sternli eiþer ost to-gader,
Gretand oþer grimli with scharpe grounde speres.
Mani a bold burn was sone brouȝt of dawe,
& many a stef stede stiked þere to dethe,
no man vpon mold miȝt ayme þe number
of wiȝes þat in a while were slayn on boþe side.
but william as a wod man was euer here & þere,
& leide on swiche liuere leue me forsoþe,
þat his daies were don þat of him hent a dent.
þe king of spaine & his kniȝtes so kenli hem bere,
& so fresli gon fiȝte þat at þe first a-saute,
þat fele of williams frekes gon to fle ȝerne.
whan william was war wiȝtli he hem a-schriȝed,
& cumfort hem craftli with his kinde speche,
þat þei tit aȝen turned to telle þe soþe,
& bere hem wel beter þen þei bi-fore hade.