 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Edmundus
& smite vorþ þis bataile grettore ne miȝte non be& foȝte uorte it was niȝt þat hii ne miȝte no leng ise
452
Ac hii departede as hii nede moste as uor defaute of siȝte
Hii greiþede hom þer after an oþer bataile to do
& ef sone come to gadere up assedoune al so
& bataile smite strong ynou ac knoutes poer uaste
Wexinge was þat he wan þe maistrie atte laste
Sori was edmond þo to gloucestere he wende
To porueye him more help ȝif god him grace sende
King knout sywede after mid an longe tayle
So þat aboute gloucestre þe eiȝteþe batayle
Vpe seuerne hii smite in a stude & so vaste me slou
Þe gode bodies in eiþer half þat it was deol ynou
Mid blod þe erþe was iheled þat pite it was to wite
& noþer partye ne miȝte þe maistrie al bi ȝite
453
Hii departede mid sor ynou amorwe aȝen to wende
& king edmond of seuerne was in þe west side
& king knout bigan mid is ost in þe est alf abide
& seuerne was bituene hom & knoutes poer
Of folc of bi ȝonde se wax euere ver & ner
As edmond sat mid is ost aniȝt in such solas
As folc miȝte þat vorwounded & sor & wery was
& speke of þis batayle hou it miȝte be god
An old kniȝt þer ros vp & biuore þis folc stod
Ich am he sede mest fol þeruore as foles wolle
Mi fole red ȝif ȝe wolle ihure uerst ssewi icholle
Muche þing we abbeþ yseye & vr elderne vs ek sede
Anguisse & sorwe we abbeþ ynou of wel more we mowe drede
We fiȝteþ & beþ ouercome & no maistrie we ne seþ
Hou miȝte we be bote ouercome þat þus defouled beþ
454
Vre felawes & vre owe lif we dredeþ ek atte laste
Wanne ssal vre reste come & þe endinge of vre wo
& among vs sikernesse & pais ich drede neuere mo
Edmond ne mai be ouercome uor is strengþe ywis
Ne þe king knout vre fo uor he so quoynte ys
Wat may þanne vre ende be bote wanne þis kniȝtes echone
In eyþer side beþ aslawe & vr maystres bileued one
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |