 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Arþure
Þe ssrewe ȝarkede is ost & aȝen him com& wiþoute winchestre anoþer batayle nom
321
Ac þe traytour was bineþe & fley atte laste
To cornwaile mid gret eyr he ne dorste no ner abyde
Þere he gaderede him nywe ost aboute in eche side
So þat he adde vnder al wiþ þat him bileuede er
Sixti þousend hors ywrye al to moche was þer
His ost he diȝte suiþe wel al hou it ssolde be
& suor he wolde raþer deye þan euere eft fle
King arþure was anguisous in is compaynye
Þat þe luþer traytour adde ofscaped so tuye
He sywede mid is folc to cornwayle uaste
Bisyde þe water of tamer hii mette hom atte laste
Þere hii smite an batayle deoluol ynou
Þat deol it was so muche volc in eyþer syde me slou
Vor þer ne bileuede in noþer syde non heymon vnneþe
322
Ac modred þe traytour adde more folc of ynou
Þo þe king arþur ysey þat me is folc so slou
& þe king of denemarch was aslawe & þe king al so
Of norweye & of is oþer men mony a þousend þer to
& he sey þat is fon stode euere aȝen vaste
To þe lutel folc þat he adde he spac atte laste
Sulle we he sede vre lif dere ar we be ded
& icholle sulle min dere ynou wanne þer nis oþer red
Habbe ich aslawe þe false suike þe luþer traytour
Hit worþ me þanne vor to deye gret ioye & honour
He drou calibourne is suerd & in eyþer side slou
& vorte he to þe traytour com made him wey god ynou
323
Anne stroc he ȝef him mid wel stourdy mod
& þoru hauberc & þoru is coler þat nere noþing souple
He smot of is heued as liȝtliche as it were a scouple
Þat was is laste chiualerye þat vaire endede ynou
Vor þat folc so þikke com þe wule he hor louerd slou
Aboute him in eche half þat among so mony fon
He aueng deþes wounde & wonder nas it non
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |