The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | ||
Arthure
Swete wolleþ þe wounden be to me & noþing stronge
Suete wole ek my deþ be ȝif ich im auonge
Vor to awreke vre faderes & to holde vp vre fraunchise
& vorto anhansy vre king as we ssolle on alle wyse
Seche we out þulke haluemen ne abyde we noȝt to longe
Þat we after hor wrecche deþ hor londes auonge
& icholle vre ost eche & vre bachelerye
Wiþoute archers & votmen wiþ tuo þousend hors ywrye
Of þe men here of þis lond þe king adde her wiþoute
Sixti þousend hors ywrye & þat was a uair route
Þe kinges of six yles ek as norþwey & yrlonde
Godlond & orcadas denemarch & yslonde
Seue kinges ek aboute france as brutayne & normandye
Gascoyne & aungeo & al so of pycardye
Of peyto & of oþer to & þe dosse pers of france
Among hom alle hii were siker al wiþ oute balance
Of an hondred þousend hors & four score þousend þer to
& þre þousend wel yrwye & tuo hondred al so
Wiþ oute votmen þat were so vale þat þer nas of non ende
Þis was a uair compaynye þoru al þe world to wende
Þo þis was syker & bi speke þe king hom het echon
Þat hii wende ech in is syde to hor contreye anon
& þat hii a lanmasse day mid hor poer come
Euerichone to barbesflet & þes veiage nome
Þe king sede to þe messagers þat hii þe senatour sede
Þat he wolde to rome come ac no truage him to lede
Ac vorto conquery of hom þulke sulue seruage
Þat hii askieþ of him villiche & mid outrage
& þat he wolde to rome come þe day þat he sette
Þe riȝte abbe weþer so miȝte wanne hii to gadere hom mette
Þus departede þo þe cour & ech in is syde
Suete wole ek my deþ be ȝif ich im auonge
Vor to awreke vre faderes & to holde vp vre fraunchise
& vorto anhansy vre king as we ssolle on alle wyse
Seche we out þulke haluemen ne abyde we noȝt to longe
Þat we after hor wrecche deþ hor londes auonge
288
Wiþoute archers & votmen wiþ tuo þousend hors ywrye
Of þe men here of þis lond þe king adde her wiþoute
Sixti þousend hors ywrye & þat was a uair route
Þe kinges of six yles ek as norþwey & yrlonde
Godlond & orcadas denemarch & yslonde
Seue kinges ek aboute france as brutayne & normandye
Gascoyne & aungeo & al so of pycardye
Of peyto & of oþer to & þe dosse pers of france
Among hom alle hii were siker al wiþ oute balance
Of an hondred þousend hors & four score þousend þer to
& þre þousend wel yrwye & tuo hondred al so
Wiþ oute votmen þat were so vale þat þer nas of non ende
Þis was a uair compaynye þoru al þe world to wende
Þo þis was syker & bi speke þe king hom het echon
Þat hii wende ech in is syde to hor contreye anon
289
Euerichone to barbesflet & þes veiage nome
Þe king sede to þe messagers þat hii þe senatour sede
Þat he wolde to rome come ac no truage him to lede
Ac vorto conquery of hom þulke sulue seruage
Þat hii askieþ of him villiche & mid outrage
& þat he wolde to rome come þe day þat he sette
Þe riȝte abbe weþer so miȝte wanne hii to gadere hom mette
Þus departede þo þe cour & ech in is syde
Ȝarked him aȝen þe day vor hii ne miȝte leng abyde
Lucye þe senatour þo he wuste þis mandement
Son he adde wide aboute is messagers ysent
Vor to gadery to is help al þat poer of rome
So þat aȝen lanmasse alle þes kinges to him come
Of affric & of grece of spayne & of scyrye
Of medes & of parkes of ytours of libye
Son he adde wide aboute is messagers ysent
Vor to gadery to is help al þat poer of rome
So þat aȝen lanmasse alle þes kinges to him come
Of affric & of grece of spayne & of scyrye
Of medes & of parkes of ytours of libye
The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | ||