University of Virginia Library

Aeldred

Þat luþer folc of denemarch robbede & slowe uaste
Chirchen & abbeys barnde & adoun caste
Men leye vnbured to drawe þat reuþe it was ynou
Þat feble folc to wildernesse & to wodes faste drou
Aildred king of Engelond ysei al þis wou
Hou me destruede is lond & is folc so slou
To midewinter he wende anon þo he ne sey oþer red
To normandie & huld him þer uorte þe duc suan was ded
Suan deide in þe ȝer of grace a þousend & fourteþe
His folc made euere uaste worre ȝut after is deþe
& made is sone king after him knout was is name
Þat dude as wel as is fader engelond gret ssame
& false kniȝtes of engelond hulde mid him vaste
Ac hii þat trewe & gode were aȝen hom hor herte caste
& sende after king aildred in to normandie stille
& he com sone to engelond & wende abbe is wille
Ac þo king knout it vnder ȝet he was vol of rage
He wende anon to sandwich & men þere in ostage
Þat were bitake is fader vor heye men of þe londe
He nom & let hom smite of boþe vet & honde
Nou adde heyemen of þe lond itake þer bi uore
His fader ostage god ynou & deop oþ ysuore
Wiþ him to holde treweliche & breke þo hor oþ
Þer uore þe king knout wiþ hom was þo so wod wroþ
& for wraþþe let bilimie hor ostages þat were
Suþþe he wende in to westsex & robbede þere
& in dorsete dude & wiltessire & somersete gret wo
King aildred lay sik in þe toun of cosham þo
In þe west ende of wiltessire vor he was feble & old
& wiþ care & sorwe ouercome as me aþ itold
& fram cosham to londone he ofscapede vnneþe
Vor to witie him fram is fon þat hii ne broȝte him to deþe
Þere he huld him in þe toun mid muche sorwe & sore
Þat of al is lond of engelond he nadde an vot more
Þe ȝates he made vaste & wuste him wiþinne
His fon asailed þene toun wiþ oute mid al hor ginne
Atte laste þis king aildred as in al þis strif
In a seint gregories day wende out of þis lif
As in þe ȝer of grace a þousend & sixteþe
Febleliche he liuede al is lif & deyde in feble deþe