University of Virginia Library

Þat was þe verste martir þat to engelond com
Dere aþ louerd monymon aboȝt cristendom
Vnder þis luþer emperours þer was a luþer man
& of hor luþer lawe þat moche vnder hom wan
Constance was is name he conquerde of spaine
Þe truage & of france & suþþe here of brutaine

Cole was a noble mon & gret poer adde an honde
Erl he was of colchestre here in þisse londe
& Colchestre after is name icluped is ich under stonde
Vre louerd among oþer þinges him sende a uair sonde
Þat he adde an holi doȝter at colchestre in þis lond
Þat Seint eleyne is icluped þat þe holi rode vond
Bituene ure king asclepiod & þis erl wiþoute faile
Þer wex a gret worre & þat hii smite bataile
& þe erl cole slou þen king & þo he adde þun ouer hond
King he let him crouni here of þis lond
Þat folc was þo of þis lond ypaid wel ynou
Þat he adde ywonne þe kinedom & he þe oþer slou
Þe tydinge to rome com þat þe king aslawe was
Þat hom adde ido so moche ssame hii were glad of þat cas
Þe noble prince hii sende hider þe gode kniȝt costance
Þat wan hom alle poer of spaine & ek of france
Þat he ssolde ek þis lond winne aȝen to rome
So þat þis noble prince and is men hider come
Þo þe king cole it vnderȝet he dradde in is mod
Vor he was so noble kniȝt þat nomon him ne wiþstod
To him he sende of acord ȝif it were is wille
Þat he wolde to rome abuye & lete al contek be stille
& þuder bere is truage as oþer dude biuore
Vor wat he hulde þe kinedom wanne þe truage were ybore
Constaunce it grauntede & nom is truage
& nom al so to be siker of him god ostage
& granted him þat kinedom & þat pes of rome
& bileuede in þis lond to gadere boþe isome