University of Virginia Library

Arthure

Bissopriches & chirches clerkes he ȝef some
& castles & tounes kniȝtes þat were ycome
Sein dauit was þe kinges vncle him he ȝef aday
Þe erchebissopriche of karleon as he him wel by say
Vor he was suiþe holyman & an munstre he let rere
Þat me clupeþ in walis sein dauid & ȝut he liþ þere
Þe bissopriche of wincestre a god mon he ȝef þo
Of chichestre an oþer & ȝut oþer mo
Þe wule þe king & is men aboute þis nobleye were
Þer come in tuelf olde men wiþ euene pas þere
Men of wel vair semblant & branches hii bere
Of oliue as in signe þat hii aȝen pays nere
A lettre hii toke þe kinge þat þo he hit let rede
Fram þe senatour of rome hii come & þus sede
Lucye senatour of rome to arþure þe kinge
Send þat he of serued aþ wiþoute gretinge
Moche me wondred & ouermoche of þine reuerye
Of þin cruel luþerhede & of þin robberye
& nameliche of þin vnriȝt ichabbe gret dedeyn
Þat þou to þe noble stude of rome dest mid al þi mayn
& þat þou nelt him iknowe ne do þin seruage
Ne vnderstonde hou luþer it is to do eny outrage
Oþer winny out þe noble stude þat al þe world abueþ to
Vor þine auncetres hit dude al þat we þe hoteþ do
& þou as in gret despit of so noble seignorie
Ne at halst noȝt one þi truage ac mid þi reuerye
Rauissest france & oþer londes þat bi weste beþ echon
Þat bere truage to rome & þoru þe ne deþ nou non
Vor þanne of þe gret despit þe noble court of rome
Riȝt wol abbe of þe ywis þat þou hom misdest ylome
Amidde haruest we þe setteþ day of þis nexte ȝere
At rome uor to ansuerye & þat þou be þi sulf þere
We þe hoteþ uor to auonge þat þe court þe wole deme
& bote þou do of one þinge nym wel god ȝeme
Þat icholle þe mi sulf seche out & þoru suerd restore
Al þat þi reuerye vs aþ binome & more
Þis was a prout mandement & an heiuol dede
Þe king adde þer of gret despit þo he hurde it rede