 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Arthure
Þat beþ godes owe lumes þoru ȝoure cristendomÞencheþ on god þat vor us deide & on þis kinedom
Viȝteþ uor ȝoure kunde & defendeþ ȝoure riȝte
Þencheþ of þe nede of þe lond & of vre louerdes miȝte
& ȝif eny of ȝou is aslawe in þis ulke fiȝte
To saui þat lond folc & uor þe londes riȝte
He syweþ purliche god þat ȝef is owe lif her
To savy us sinuol men fram þe deueles poer
& wo so her is aslawe is deþ him sal be
In lesnesse of al is sinne & is soule ssal fle
254
He asoylede al þat folc þat he adde þus ytold
Þat folc þoru is prechinge so god wille nom þere
Þat hom þoȝte ech wule viue ar hii in bataile were
Þe king was aboue yarmed wiþ auberc noble & riche
Wiþ helm of gold on is heued was non him yliche
Þe fourme of a dragon þer on was ycast
His sseld þat het þridwen was þonne yhonge vaste
Aboute is ssoldren & þeron ypeint was & ybroȝt
Þe ymage of vre leuedy on wam was al is þoȝt
Mid is suerd he was igurd þat so strong was & kene
Calibourne it was icluped nas nour no such ich wene
In is riȝt hond is launce he nom þat was ycluped Ron
Long & gret & strong ynou him ne miȝte at sitte non
255
Vpe þe doune aboue baþe hii mette mid hor fon
Hii smite bataile strong ynou þat al longe day ilaste
Þe saxons in hor syde stode euere aȝen vaste
Moche folc þer was ynou aslawe in eyþer side
Þo þe niȝt vpe hom com þat hii ne miȝte no leng abide
Vpe þe torret of an herre hul þe saxons wende þere
Þat þe heye hul to hom was a castel as þey it were
A morwe þo it day was adoun eft hii aliȝte
& in batayle strong ynou bigonne eft sone to fiȝte
& sloue uaste in eyþer alf þat reuþe it was ynou
Þo þe king arþure ysey þat me is men so uaste slou
His herte he gan vp arere þat he nadde þe maistrie
& dude is wille al to god & on is moder marie
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |