University of Virginia Library

Cadwallad

Þe king him let ek in sorwe & in siknesse lede
Toward þis lasse brutaine & þis deoluol pleinte sede
Awey awey we sunuol men Alas vre wrecchede
Þat we abbeþ þus god agult mid moni a sunuol dede
We & vre elderne ek þe wreche ich vnder stonde
Þat þus wrecchedliche vs drifþ out of vre kunde londe
Þat þe romeins ne miȝte mid bataile neuere do
Ne scottes ne picars ne þe saxons þer to
Nou we beþ þoru wreche of god vor vre sunuol dede
Y Driue out al clene wiþoute hope wiþ sorwe & wrechedhede
Vor naȝt we abbeþ so ofte vpe hom ywonne þat lond
Wanne god nel noȝt þat it be lengore in vre hond
Vor þe soþuast god þo he ysey þat we nolde uor no þing
Fram vre sunnes vs wiþdrawe ne þat no prince ne king
Ne miȝte us bringe out of þe lond he þat miȝtfol is
Deþ after vre decerte & pult us out ywis
Comeþ nou aȝen ȝe romeins & ȝe scottes also
Pycars & saxons & englisse þer to
Þat so moche abbeþ desired þat lond ȝe mowe hit finde nouþe
Al bar wiþoute defence binorþe & eke bisouþe
& al þat þoru wreche of god & þoru our poer noȝt ydo
Vor poer þat ȝe alle adde ne miȝte it bringe þer to
Ac þoru þe miȝte of ihesu crist we beþ ybroȝt to grounde
Þat we wraþþede euermo & nou we it abbeþ yfounde
Alas þat by myne daye suche wreche ssolde come
Þat y nadde be dedbore bote god adde þe soule ynome
Þe deol ne may no tonge telle þat þe king to him nom
So þat to þe lasse brutayne mid þis sorwe he com
To þe kinges neueu salomon Aleyn þat was king þo
& vaire of him was vnderuonge in is mochele wo
Þo þe brutons þer after were al as out of munde
After volc þe saxons sende of hor kunde
To come & wonye in þis lond þat no mon aȝen hom nas
& þut lond to hor wille al bar aȝen hom was
Þo þis strange men hurde þis ynou of folc hii nome
Of men & of wimmen ek & to þis londe come
& anon fram cornwayle to norþhumberlond
Bote it were of pouerayl al bar hii founde þat lond