 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Constantinus.
Constantin him vnder stod of is kunde londe& god it were to abbe boþe þis & þat an honde
Moche þat poer of þis lond mid him uorþ he nom
& suþþ ef sone of france as he þer uorþe com
& wende toward rome to winnie þe aumperie
& to bringe þen ssreue adoun þat dude such robberie
As he wende he bi huld toward heuene an hey
& þo vp in þe firmament an aungel he sey
Þat huld an croiz & þer on ywrite was lo þis
Constantin þoru þes signe þou ssalt be Maister iwis
Constantin þis vnderstod heþene þei he were
An croiz in stede of is baner is men at vore him bere
136
He let at rome an stronge dich make al aboute
& Deop aȝen constantin & aȝen is route
Vor to holde hom þer þoru wanne hii come wiþoute
As he was aboute þis dich he ne gan noȝt muche winne
Vor he velle an alle midde & adreinte þer Inne
Þere þoru vertu of þe croiz he was sone ouercome
& constantin adde also sone þen toun inome
Constantin ne com nour in bataile non
Þat he nadde þoru þe croiz þe maistrie of is fon
So þat he him vnderstod of þe beste won
& of seint siluester þe pope he let him baptisi anon
& he was as it is iwrite pur mesel þo
& he bicom in is baptizinge hol of al is wo
Sein seluester was pope þo & þe verste þat þer com
Of alle popes þat deyde wiþoute martirdom
137
Of þe luþer emperours vor ech heþene was
An churche of seint Ion þe baptist constantin let rere
& cluped is constantiniane vor he ybaptized was þere
Of seinte peter & seinte poul anoþer he rerde also
& in strong mastling he aþ þerinne boþe hor bones ido
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |