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241

Vter

Vor him hii sede it were ssame þat we yharmed were
Nis he more þan half ded ylad in an bere
Þe king sette up is herte hey & ordeined is folc uaste
Þe saxons he asaylede & to grounde hom caste
So þat sone dawes hom of þoȝte hor prute
Þat hii of þe noble mon þe king tolde so lute
Vor þer was octe aslawe & is cosin eose al so
& so it adde ybe betere þat me adde er ydo
Þe saxons þat miȝte fle bigonne to fle uaste
Þus þe samdede king couþe hom agaste
Lo he sede hii clupede me samdede king some
& ȝut ichabbe leuere samded hom ouercome
Þan hol & sound be ouercome & leuere al so me is
Vor to deye myd honour þan libbe in ssame ywys

242

Þe saxons were þo ouercome ac hii ne bileuede ȝut noȝt
Hor ssrewhede ac to wroþerhele were hii to deþe ybroȝt
Vor hor ost euere wax þer come euere mo & mo
Boþe by este & by norþe hii dude wel muche wo
Þe king wolde aȝen hom wende ac he ne moste uor is conseil
Vor þe feblore he was vor þe eror trauail
Þe saxons hom adde ymad in þis lond ywis
Kinges in þre stede þat al to on ycome ys
Hengist was verst king in kent & elle in souþsex
& suþþe last was certik king of west sex
Vor he & kenryk is sone com vp at ȝarnemouþe
& suþþe a gret duc þat het port com vp at portesmouþe
Hit was as In þe ȝer of grace þat god was ybore ich wene
Þat certyk com verst four hondred ȝer & four score & tene

243

King he was of westsex & is of spring al so
& atte laste þulke kunde alle þe oþere wan þer to
Vor port þulke grete duc com vp her bi souþe
Me clupeþ it þer he uerst com up after him portesmouþe
Þus were in worre & in wo ymeng þe saxons
Some tyme aboue & some bineþe her myd þe brutons
Ac al aboue neuere hii nere ar after þe king arþure
Ac suþþe hii wonne al clene out as ȝe ssulle after yhure
Vter þe gode king of wan we speke biuore
Was feble after þat he was in þe hors bere ybore