University of Virginia Library

Adelwolf

Hii come & smite an batayle & þere þoru godes grace
Þe deneys were al bineþe & þat lond folc adde þe place
& more prowesse dude þo þan þe king miȝte biuore
Þeruore gode bonde men ne beþ noȝt al vor lore
Þe king was þe boldore þo & þe more aȝen hom drou
& is foure gode sones woxe uaste ynou
Adelbold & adelbriȝt adelred & alfred
Þis was a stalwarde tem & of gret wisdom & red
& kinges were alle foure & defended wel þis lond
& þe deneys dude ssame ynou & þat me vol wel fond
In þe sixteþe ȝere of þe kinges kinedom
Is eldoste sone adelbold gret ost to him nom
& is fader also god & oþer heyemen al so
& wende aȝen þis deneys þat moche wo adde ydo
Vor mid tuo hondred ssipes & an half at temese mouþe hii come
& londone & kaunterbury & oþer tounes nome
& so vorþ in to soþereye & slowe & barnde vaste
Þere þe king & is sone hom mette atte laste
Þer was batayle strong ynou ysmite in an þrowe
Þe gode kniȝtes leye adoun as gras þat me doþ mowe
Heueden þat were of ysmite & oþer lymes al so
Flote in blode al fram þe grounde ar þe batayle were ydo
Wanne þe blod stod al abroc nas þere wo ynou
Nis it reuþe vorto hure þat so me folc slou
Ac vre suete louerd atte laste ssewede is suete grace
& sende þe cristine englisse men þe maystrie in þe place
& þe heþene men of denemarch bineþe were echon
Nou nas þer ȝut in denemarch cristendom non
Þe king þer after to holy chirche is herte þe more drou
& teþegede wel al is lond as hii aȝte wel ynou
Seint swithin at winchestre bissop þo was
& alcston at ssirebourne þat amendede moche þis cas
Þe king was wel þe betere man þoru hor beyre red
Tventi winter he was king ar he were ded
At winchestre he was ybured as he liþ ȝut þere
His tueye sones he ȝef is lond þat eldoste were
Adelbold þe eldore þe kinedom of estsex
& souþsex adelbriȝt & kent & westsex