 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
128
Asclepiod rex.
Þe king him nom to prison to londone he was ybroȝt
Þe king him wolde ȝiue lif ac is men nolde noȝt
Ne þolie þat þer were aliue eny of hor fon
Ac ladde him to londone & is men echon
To an vrninde water þat ȝut is þer ich wene
& smite of alle hor heued to bringe hom out of tene
And þe broc þere hii were aslawe Me clupede galbroc
After galle þulke prince þat þer is deþ tok
Þo was bruteine þis lond of romeins al mest lere
Ac albusy were it ten ȝer ar hii here aȝen were
Asclipiod him let þo crouny to kinge anon
& wuste aboute ten ȝer þis lond wel mid fon
Ac þoru romeins þat here come þat heþene were echon
þoru oþere cristendom was neiȝ wat al agon
Þe king him wolde ȝiue lif ac is men nolde noȝt
Ne þolie þat þer were aliue eny of hor fon
Ac ladde him to londone & is men echon
To an vrninde water þat ȝut is þer ich wene
& smite of alle hor heued to bringe hom out of tene
And þe broc þere hii were aslawe Me clupede galbroc
After galle þulke prince þat þer is deþ tok
Þo was bruteine þis lond of romeins al mest lere
Ac albusy were it ten ȝer ar hii here aȝen were
Asclipiod him let þo crouny to kinge anon
& wuste aboute ten ȝer þis lond wel mid fon
Ac þoru romeins þat here come þat heþene were echon
þoru oþere cristendom was neiȝ wat al agon
129
Tueie emperours of rome Dioclician
& anoþer is felawe þat het maximian
Were boþe at one time þe on in þe est ende
& þe oþer in þe west of þe world cristendom to ssende
Vor þe luþer maximian westward hider soȝte
& cristen men þat he vond to stronge deþ he broȝte
Chirchen he velde al adoun þer ne moste non stonde
& alle þe bokes þat he miȝte finde in eni londe
He wolde lete berne echon amidde þe heie strete
& þe cristenmen alle sle & non aliue lete
Suþþe god was ibore þer nas uor cristendom
In so lute stounde ido so gret martirdom
Vor þer were wiþinne one monþe seuentene þousend & mo
Ymartred uor vre louerdes loue nas noȝt here gret wo
Wiþoute grete halwen þat hii helde longe in torment
As seinte cristene & seinte fei & al so seint vincent
As seint sebastian & mony oþere as me may in chirche rede
& Monion turnde aȝen to heþenesse uor drede
& among alle þes in þis lond þer were monion
Ymartred as þulke time Seint albon was on
& anoþer is felawe þat het maximian
Were boþe at one time þe on in þe est ende
& þe oþer in þe west of þe world cristendom to ssende
Vor þe luþer maximian westward hider soȝte
& cristen men þat he vond to stronge deþ he broȝte
Chirchen he velde al adoun þer ne moste non stonde
& alle þe bokes þat he miȝte finde in eni londe
He wolde lete berne echon amidde þe heie strete
& þe cristenmen alle sle & non aliue lete
Suþþe god was ibore þer nas uor cristendom
In so lute stounde ido so gret martirdom
Vor þer were wiþinne one monþe seuentene þousend & mo
Ymartred uor vre louerdes loue nas noȝt here gret wo
130
As seinte cristene & seinte fei & al so seint vincent
As seint sebastian & mony oþere as me may in chirche rede
& Monion turnde aȝen to heþenesse uor drede
& among alle þes in þis lond þer were monion
Ymartred as þulke time Seint albon was on
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |