University of Virginia Library

Aeldredus

& here sprong lo þe uerste more as of hom of normandye
Ware þoru hii come in to þis lond & abbeþ þe maystrye
Vor þe kynge adde bi þis emme tueie sones ywis
Alfred & seint edward þat at westmunstre yssrined is
& þoru þulke blode suþþe willam bastard com
As ȝe ssolle her after ihure & wan þis kinedom
Þat poer muche of denemarch in pes wiþoute strif
Was hom ywent to denemarch ar þe king weddede wif
Þe king uor is grete poer as of is wiuinge
Alle þe deneis þat were bileued he let to deþe bringe
In a seinte bryce day & in one day echon
Þat non nere of oþer ywar ne þat þer ofscapede non
Suan þe duc of denemarch þo he hurde of þis cas
Made him wroþ & wod ynou & ech þat wiþ him was
Hii greiþede hom mid gret poer & to engelond come
As in þe vif & tuentiþe ȝere of þe kinges kinedome
& in þe ȝer of grace a þousend & þre
Hii slowe & sorwe dude ynou non more ne miȝte be
Þo þikce hii come þat þet lond oueral hii gonne fulle
As þikke as ameten crepeþ in an amete hulle
Bi norþe & bi souþe in þe est & in þe west
So þicke hii come þat me nuste in wuche alf kepe best
Hii ne sparede prest ne clerc þat hii ne slowe to grounde
Ne men of religion ware so hii eni founde
Ne wommon ne soukinde child ne doȝter ne sone
Hii vorbarnde norþwich & þe toun of wiltone
Þat a reulich lond was engelond & vol of sorwe ynou
Hii miȝte acorci þe fole quene þat seint Edward slou
Vor suan þe luþer duc adde euere is yuere
Þre velawes þat next him were ech in þat manere
Brenningge & robberye & quellinge atte laste
Þis were is þre felawes þat he huld euere vaste
Wanne at an gode monnes house is men were at inne
Verst hii wolde ete & drinke þat hii founde þer inne
& suþþe þe louerd of þe hous quelle & alle his
& suþþe brenne al is hous al uor hor scot ywis
Suche were lo þe gistes þat hider come þo
Moche aþ þis lond ar þis idrive in sorwe & wo
Mest wo hii dude in barcssire & vpe assesdoune
& so aboute quichelmeslewe & so in mani a toune