 | The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester |  |
Arthure
Ech is in a roche him sulf vor hii ne mowe noȝt ney be
Vor hom by houeþ moche mete & hii ne mowe noȝt wel fle
Vor feblesse of hor brode ac wanne hor briddes rype beþ
Þer hii findeþ more mete in londes aboute hii fleþ
Þe king bilay þes scottes þere mid alle wo
Þat þer deide of hom vor honger a þousend & mo
& ȝut nolde þe ssrewen to none pays go
Gillam þe king of yrlonde to hom wende þo
Wiþ gret poer in þe water to helpe hom of þis cas
Þo þe king arthure it wuste prest aȝen him he was
& slou of hom to grounde so þat hii gonne wiþ drawe
& hii þat miȝte come aȝen aliue were wel vawe
Ac þe king hom adde afayted so þat hii ne kepte nanmore him mete
Vor hom by houeþ moche mete & hii ne mowe noȝt wel fle
Vor feblesse of hor brode ac wanne hor briddes rype beþ
Þer hii findeþ more mete in londes aboute hii fleþ
259
Þat þer deide of hom vor honger a þousend & mo
& ȝut nolde þe ssrewen to none pays go
Gillam þe king of yrlonde to hom wende þo
Wiþ gret poer in þe water to helpe hom of þis cas
Þo þe king arthure it wuste prest aȝen him he was
& slou of hom to grounde so þat hii gonne wiþ drawe
& hii þat miȝte come aȝen aliue were wel vawe
Ac þe king hom adde afayted so þat hii ne kepte nanmore him mete
Ȝut he þoȝte afayty þe scottes ar he hom lete
He bi sette hom vaste ynou so þat attelaste þere
Þe bissops & oþer prelats þat of þe londe were
Com wiþ gret procession wiþ gret anguisse & fere
Wepinde biuore þe kinge & hor relikes wiþ hom bere
& oþer holy chirche þinges bareuot echon
Hii velle alle adoun akne biuore þe kinge anon
& bede him uor is suete loue þat deide on þe rode
Þat he adde reuþe of hom & is soule vnder stode
Wanne he adde þer biuore of hom aslawe ynowe
Þat he soffrede þulke libbe þat he folliche alle ne slowe
& þat he som hurne of þe lond grantede hom þere
Warinne hii leuede & eueremo seruage him bere
Þe king vor pite her of bigan to wepe sore
& nom of hom sykernesse þat hii ne ssolde mis do nanmore
& grantede hom an end lond to libbe inne in seruage
To bere þer of him & is euere mo truage
Nou wer þer wiþ him þre men þat of þe riȝte kunde come
Of kinges of þulke lond vor te saxons hom bi nome
Auncel & vrian & lot þe þridde was
Þat spoused þe kinges soster ȝe abbeþ yhurd þat cas
& adde bi hire tueie sones sire waweyn þe hende
Þe oþer het modred þat þe king bytrayde attenende
Þe keng arthure þes þre men kinges made þere
Ech of is riȝt eritage as hor elderne were
He bi sette hom vaste ynou so þat attelaste þere
Þe bissops & oþer prelats þat of þe londe were
Com wiþ gret procession wiþ gret anguisse & fere
Wepinde biuore þe kinge & hor relikes wiþ hom bere
260
Hii velle alle adoun akne biuore þe kinge anon
& bede him uor is suete loue þat deide on þe rode
Þat he adde reuþe of hom & is soule vnder stode
Wanne he adde þer biuore of hom aslawe ynowe
Þat he soffrede þulke libbe þat he folliche alle ne slowe
& þat he som hurne of þe lond grantede hom þere
Warinne hii leuede & eueremo seruage him bere
Þe king vor pite her of bigan to wepe sore
& nom of hom sykernesse þat hii ne ssolde mis do nanmore
& grantede hom an end lond to libbe inne in seruage
To bere þer of him & is euere mo truage
Nou wer þer wiþ him þre men þat of þe riȝte kunde come
Of kinges of þulke lond vor te saxons hom bi nome
261
Þat spoused þe kinges soster ȝe abbeþ yhurd þat cas
& adde bi hire tueie sones sire waweyn þe hende
Þe oþer het modred þat þe king bytrayde attenende
Þe keng arthure þes þre men kinges made þere
Ech of is riȝt eritage as hor elderne were
| The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester | |