 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
774
Henricus
& some þre þat lest was & wan al were idoÞat ech man hadde is londes þat riȝt adde þer to
Þis lokinge was riȝt fol in such destresse iwis
Ac euere þe sege of keningwurþe ilaste vor al þis
In siknesse hii wiþinne velle atte laste
Of menison & oþer vuel þat hii feblede vaste
& þat hom ne com no socour hii seie al so wel
So þat as hii nede moste hii ȝolde vp þen castel
Saue euerich lif & lime & chateus al so
Ne þat non nere deserited ne in prison ido
In þis fourme aboute midewinter þe castel iȝolde was
Meseise men hii come out as no wonder nas
Þo wende þe king al in pes to holde is kinedom
Ac ȝut sone þer after a nywe cas him com
Vor þe erl gileberd of gloucetere somdel mid suikedom
Gret poer & inou priueliche him nom
& þe teþe day of lud in to londone he drou
& made þo he was wiþinne þe ȝates vaste inou
& huld aȝe þe kinge þun toun & alle his
Sore was þe king anuid þo he hurde þis
Þe legat was þo in þe tour him he bilay
& bisegede him þer boþe niȝt & day
Þe legat was sore adrad vor to be inome
Noþer mete ne drinke ne moste in to him come
Manie deserites to þe erle drowe
Þat he adde mid him auȝte men inowe
Þe king wende to londone to helpe þe legat
Ac he ne moste come wiþinne neuer a ȝat
Þe deserites wolde bataile him ȝiue anon
Ac þe erl nolde nout ac destourbede echon
Þe king wende to stratford to abide more miȝte
& aboute londone is pauilons piȝte
775
Hii broȝte to stratford wiþoute londone to mile
Þe king aboute londone was mid is route
A monþe vorto abbe is toun & euere he was wiþoute
& eiȝte wouke wiþinne þe erl him huld [þere]
Þoru þe king of alimaine acorded suþþe [hii were]
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |