University of Virginia Library

Henricus

An stede he gan aprikie wel vor þe maistrie
& wiþ him adde of kniȝtes a vair compainie
& suþþe he nom an oþer & weri hom made anon
& suþþe he nom þe þridde best of echon
As it was er bispeke to wuch he ssolde truste
He prikede it verst softe as him lute luste
Þo he was a lute fram þut folk wiþ spore he smot to grounde
Þe sides orne ablode in a lute stounde
Þere as of stedes a god & quic me fond
Vorþ wende þis gode kniȝt þo he was out of hond
Louerdinges he sede habbeþ nou god dai
& greteþ wel mi fader þe king & icholle ȝuf ich mai
Ise him wel bitime & out of warde him do
Wat halt it long tale he ofscapede so
& to þe castel of wigemor þun wei sone he nom
Þere was ioye & bl[i]sse inou þo he þuder com
Mid þe leuedi of þe castel dam maud de mortimer
Sone þut word was isend to ir louerd sir Roger
To þe erl ek of gloucetre þe lettres sone come
So þat priue parlement bituene hom hii nome
Hou þat hii best miȝte sir simond to grounde bringe
To þe barons deserites me sende ek tiþinge
So þat ech in is half gadere ost vaste
& to sir edward come in þe march attelaste
So þat sir edward & þe erl of gloucetre
& oþer poer inou come to wurcetre
& fram þanene hii wende & hor worre bigonne
At gloucetre & þun toun vpe sir simond wonne
An þre wouke biuore missomer þuder hii gonne wende
& asailede þun toun al in þe norþ ende
At seint oswaldes ȝat & hii wiþinne vaste
Defendede hom wel inou þe wule hor poer ilaste
[A]c bituene seint oswaldes ȝat & þe norþ ȝat iwis
Is a long wal inou as þe abbodes orchard is
& wiþinne þe orchard nas no folk þun toun to defende
Þeruore in þe asaut some wiþoute wende
& breke a pece of þe wal ar me were wiþinne iwar
Sir Ion giffard þe verste was þat in wende þar
Þo smite hii alle in & broȝte manion to deþe
Þe wardeins of þe castel of scapede in vnneþe
As grimbaud pauncefot & is felawes echon
Þe tu brugge hii drowe vp & þe ȝates made anon
Sir edward & is poer wiþoute sette vaste
Stronge ginnes & þer wiþ to þe castel caste
& þe oþer hom defendede & lutel were agaste
Þat aboute an þre wouke þe asaut bituene hom ilaste
& euere hii wiþinne abide of sir simon socour
Vor elles hii moste nede þe castel ȝelde & tour
& þo þat hom non ne com þe castel vp hii ȝolde
To sir edward in a fourme þat hii bere ne ssolde
Vourti dawes aȝen him armes in no place
& sir edward hom ȝef lif & lime & ȝut more grace
Hor armes & al hor oþer þing & hor hors echon
Þo turnde grimbaud pauncefot to sir edward anon
& was imad kniȝt & armes aȝe sir simond ber
Ac þer nas neuereft of him so god word as was er
Þo sir edward & þe erl gileberd hor wille hade also
Hii wende in toward þe march more harm to do
Bruggen hii breke oueral hii ne bileuede ssip non
Bi weye ne bi seuerne þat hii ne remuede echon
Þer boute vor sir simond ne ssolde passe þere
Ne nameliche toward bristowe vor þer of was hor fere
Vor bristowe was al in is hond castel & þe toun
Sir simond þouȝte anoþer red & dradde of tresoun
To þe prince of walis lewelin þat was
He wende after more help in is harde cas
& he tok him of fot men gret poer iwis
Ac þerof come wel vewe aȝen to walis
Sir simondes sone de montfort þat sir simond het al so
Bisegede þo an castel as he longe adde ido
Þe castel of peuneseye & is fader him word sende
Þat he bileuede þulke sege & toward him wende
Sir simond þe ȝonge þis heste vnderstod
He gaderede him of god folc vair ost & god
& þen wey fram peuneseie toward is fader he nom
A sein kenelmes eue to winchestre he com