University of Virginia Library

Aeldred

& gret raunson of hom wiþinne esste to be out of wo
Ac þe erchebissop of þe toun seint alfe þat was þo
Was vaste þer aȝen to ȝiue eni raunsoun
Þe deneis vor wraþþe þo asailede uaste þen toun
& wonne him & vaste slowe & þo hii wiþinne come
Heye men þat inne were & seint alfey hii nome
& monekes & þen toun barnde & adoun caste
Þe erchebissop seint alfe hii hulde & bounde uaste
& ladde him biside londone to þe toun of greneswich
& helde him þere in prisoun þat he nas no mon ilich
Half ȝer & somdel more & suþþe in þe ȝer of grace
A þousend & tuelf ȝer hii ladde him in an place
Wiþoute þe toun of greneswich & henede him wiþ stones
As me henede seinte steuene & tobrusede is smale bones
Atte laste mid an deueniss ax me smot him to gronde
In þe heued þat he lay & deyde in an stounde
Þe saterday þe ester wouke þis holy man hii slowe
Ac vewe þer were atte dede þat þe beuerege bilowe
Vor some bicome cancrefrete & some blinde oþer wode
& som deyde verlich vpriȝt as hii stode
So þat vor drede of þis wreche þe deneis were agaste
& wiþ drowe hom of hor luþerhede þe wule it wolde ylaste
& þer was þe betere pays a ȝer & vnneþe
Vor in þe ȝer of grace a þousend & þretteþe
Suan þe duc of denemarch bigan to turne is hond
& after þat he adde destrued þe souþhalf of þis lond
He wende & robbede of þis lond al þe norþ side
Norhumber & lindeseye & destruede wyde
Euere fram watelinge stret & so bi oxenford
Hii come & nome winchestre & so walinford
Fram walingford hii wende & þen toun of baþe nome
So þat suan was king yholde ware so he euere come
Ac þe king of engelond in such sor & morninge
Carede of is ȝonge sones mest of alle þinge
Leste hii were defouled oȝt vor hii ne couþe of fiȝtinge
Þeruore in to normandie he let hom sone bringe
Boþe alfred & seint edward & þe quene hor moder also
Wiþ þe duc richard þe quene broþer vorte such wo were ydo
Ac is eldoste sone Edmond yrene syde
Vor he was hardi & god kniȝt at hom he let abide