 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Vter Arthure
Þat he moste vor feblesse nede holde him stille
Þer uore þe luþer saxons so moche adde hor wille
& ȝute þo hii ne miȝte him sle hii þoȝte wiþ trayson
In some manere him bringe of liue oþer wiþ poyson
Hii sende hor felle messagers in pouere manne wede
Þat at doles in þe court mete wiþ oþere bede
Hii aspyede in þe court oueral of þinges alle
So þat hii vnder ȝete a welle ney þe halle
Of wan þe king ofte dronk uor he ne dronc in such cas
Lute þing bote þer of vor þat water so cold was
Wanne he dronc ek eni wyn þer among it was ydo
& me made metes in þe court mid þulke water al so
Þo þe traytors it vnderȝete hii enuenimed wiþinne
Þe welle aboute in eche stude mid hor luþer gynne
Þat þet water þat þer of com poyson was wel strong
Þe king was sone apoisoned þo he þer of drong
& mo þan an hondred of is men ar me wuste wer of it com
Moche ssame were hii worþe þat doþ such suikedom
Soþ him sede merlyn er þat he ssolde þoru poyson deye
Þe heye men of þe lond þo hii þis deþ iseye
Del & sorwe hii made ynou & þo þer nas non oþer red
Hii lete him burye by is broþer as he him sulf bed
Atte munstre of ambresbury at stonheng ywis
Wel aȝte þat be a wurþe stude wanne þer such sepulture ys
Þer uore þe luþer saxons so moche adde hor wille
& ȝute þo hii ne miȝte him sle hii þoȝte wiþ trayson
In some manere him bringe of liue oþer wiþ poyson
244
Þat at doles in þe court mete wiþ oþere bede
Hii aspyede in þe court oueral of þinges alle
So þat hii vnder ȝete a welle ney þe halle
Of wan þe king ofte dronk uor he ne dronc in such cas
Lute þing bote þer of vor þat water so cold was
Wanne he dronc ek eni wyn þer among it was ydo
& me made metes in þe court mid þulke water al so
Þo þe traytors it vnderȝete hii enuenimed wiþinne
Þe welle aboute in eche stude mid hor luþer gynne
Þat þet water þat þer of com poyson was wel strong
Þe king was sone apoisoned þo he þer of drong
& mo þan an hondred of is men ar me wuste wer of it com
Moche ssame were hii worþe þat doþ such suikedom
245
Þe heye men of þe lond þo hii þis deþ iseye
Del & sorwe hii made ynou & þo þer nas non oþer red
Hii lete him burye by is broþer as he him sulf bed
Atte munstre of ambresbury at stonheng ywis
Wel aȝte þat be a wurþe stude wanne þer such sepulture ys
Arthure vteres sone of wam we tolde biuore
Ȝe abbeþ yhurd hou he was biȝite & ybore
Þo þis king was þus ded þe heye men alle come
Of þe londe to cilicestre & conseil þer of nome
Vor to make hom a king uor nede hom drof þer to
Vor þe saxons wuste þat þe king was ded so
Hii sende uorþ to alymayne after more poer bliue
& þoȝte þis brutons al clene out of londe driue
So þat hii adde ywonne al clene þe norþ lond
Fram homber to totenays & adde al in hor hond
Arþure was þo ȝong mon of viftene ȝer vnneþe
& ȝut al þe lond made him king after is fader deþe
& he bigan anon & eke er such mon vor to be
Þat me ne solde in no lond is per nour yse
Þo þis king was þus ded þe heye men alle come
Of þe londe to cilicestre & conseil þer of nome
Vor to make hom a king uor nede hom drof þer to
Vor þe saxons wuste þat þe king was ded so
Hii sende uorþ to alymayne after more poer bliue
& þoȝte þis brutons al clene out of londe driue
So þat hii adde ywonne al clene þe norþ lond
Fram homber to totenays & adde al in hor hond
246
& ȝut al þe lond made him king after is fader deþe
& he bigan anon & eke er such mon vor to be
Þat me ne solde in no lond is per nour yse
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |