'%W 
 
 Southern Branch 
 of the 
 
 3IIB *f University of California [. 
 
 Los Angeles 
 
 Form L 1 
 
 IDA 
 
 Z2.0 
 
 H35 
 
 V. I
 
 PR^fs? 
 '-ki*^i!^S'- , 
 
 i ^t?'**m$^&
 
 
 <* 
 
 
 '' |uf /l- 
 
 2- 
 
 .^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 230 Hearne's (T.) Metrical Chronicles of 
 Peter Langtoft and Robert of Glou 
 cester, with copious (il< usuries and (Con- 
 tinuation, Large 1'aper Copy, 4 vols, royal 
 Svo, original t>oards, uncut, 155 
 
 Bagster, 1810 
 
 Contains the best Anglo-Saxon Glossaries that have 
 ever been published.
 
 THE 
 
 WORKS 
 
 OF 
 
 PRINTED FOR SAMUEL BAGSTER, IN THE STRAND. 1810. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 CONTAINING THE FIRST VOLUME OF 
 
 ROBERT OF GLOUCESTER'S CHRONICLE.
 
 ROBERT 
 
 OF 
 
 GLOUCESTER'S 
 CHRONICLE. 
 
 Transcrib'd, and now first publish'd, 
 
 from a MS. in the 
 HARLEYAN LIBRARY 
 By THOMAS HEARNE, M. A. 
 
 To which is added, 
 
 Besides a Glossary and other Improve- 
 ments, a Continuation (by the Autho 
 himself) of this Chronicle from a MS. 
 in the COTTONIAN Library. 
 
 In two Volumes. 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 Printed at the THEATER, 
 
 M.DCC.XXiV.
 
 Marcus Zuerius Boxhornius ad 
 initium Orationis Dominica, 
 antiquissima Alemanorum lingua 
 a se (una cum aliis id genus) edi- 
 tee, Lugduni Batavorum A. D. 
 CIOIDCL. 12. 
 
 Ex dialecto vide rerum humana- 
 rum inconstantiam, & collige 
 antiquitatem, eamque vene- 
 rare.
 
 H 
 
 N 
 
 
 35 
 \ 
 
 THE CONTENTS. 
 
 L THE Publisher's Preface. pSLg. v. 
 
 II. Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, from a MS. in 
 the HARLEYAN Library; with a Continuation of 
 the same (by the Author himself) transcrib'd from 
 a MS. in the COTTONIAN Library, by the Care and 
 at the Expenses of the learned Dr. RICHARD MEAD. 
 
 1,465 
 
 III. De mirabililus Britannice, out of an old folio 
 MS. in Vellam, given me by Richard Graves, of 
 Mickleton in Gloucestershire, Esq. 572 
 
 IV. Cbe jfotm&ation of tfje flbbep of d5tocegter, 
 anti tlje change of tlje game before tlje >up* 
 pre&rton tljereof in tlje 1SUC0n of Emff ^enrp 
 
 tlje Cfr'sljt. By William Malverne, Abbat of tfiat 
 
 Monastery* . 584 
 
 V. SL ^etegreu, fro d&illiam Conquerour, of t^e 
 Crotone of Cngelontie, lj?nnjallp Uegceno^ng:, 
 tm to Tkin$ ^enrp tlje fcu Out of the MS. of 
 
 Robert of Gloucester, that belongs to the Heralds 
 Office. 585 
 
 A 2 VI.
 
 IT THE CONTENTS. 
 
 VI. A Letter to Mr. Bagford, containing some Re- 
 marks upon Geffry Chaucer and his Writings. 596 
 
 VII. The Preface of Mr. John Stowe to one Edition 
 of his Summary (that comes to the Year 1573.) by 
 which my Conjecture about Mr. Murray's Frag- 
 ments (that I have printed at the End of Heming's 
 Chartulary) is confirm'd. 607 
 
 VIII. Some Remarks, in a late, but unknown, hand, 
 at the Beginning of the Cottonian MS. of Robert of 
 Gloucester, relating to the age of the Author, and 
 containing two Passages from a MS. Copy of this 
 Historian, that was formerly in the hands of the 
 learned Mr. Thomas Allen. 609 
 
 IX. Glossary. 612 
 
 X. Index. 744 
 
 THE
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 _/ HE Disservice to any branch of Learning, 
 when Persons of skill depretiate the most pro- 
 per Books for obtaining a Knowledge in it. The 
 Bodleian MS. does not contain the genuine Robert 
 of Gloucester. . i. The Curiosity of Mr. Keck. 
 TJie great use of Robert of Gloucester in the Study of 
 the old Saxon Tongue. His value upon other ac- 
 counts. XOtStftll the same with the Saxon Bujig- 
 j-tall. *Btftl an ancient Burgh, and is nothing else 
 
 fa* 'Burgfo tyfll or OBur06 ontijetyffl. . n. 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's following Geffry ofMon- 
 mouth in the frst Part of his Work, no good Ob~ 
 jection against his History. The nature of the an- 
 cient /gaxTwgiw to be gathered from an old Roll 
 in the Hands of Mr. Graves. The old use of 
 Horns instead of Cups. Several remarkable 
 Particulars relating to some of our old English 
 Bibles. The Curiosity of tJie Nuremberg Chro- 
 nicle. . iii. Ferdinando Pulton f the great Law- 
 A 3 yer,
 
 ?l THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 yer, a Cambridge, and not an Oxford, Writer. iv. 
 Something peculiar in the Copy of the Nuremberg 
 Chronicle in Trinity College Library at Cambridge, 
 that I have not yet met with in any other. The first, 
 and not the second, Edition of Hollingshede 1 s Chro- 
 nicle, the true genuine Work of the Author. . v. 
 Many things in Robert of Gloucester, that properly 
 belong to the Business of an Antiquary. In the Saxon 
 Times the Princes, and other great Personages, did 
 not use to be buried at their Palaces but, at Religi- 
 ous Houses. Cosham in Wiltshire very famous for- 
 merly. The Coffin lately found there belonged to 
 some fine Gentleman since the Conquest. The Knife 
 with which Edward the Martyr was kill' d,preserv'd 
 at Caversham in the time of Robert of Gloucester. 
 Three kmds of Churches formerly . . VI. Rpbertof 
 Gloucester's Account of the Conflict between the 
 Scholars and Townsmen of Oxford, in the time of 
 Henry III. very remarkable in all it's Circum- 
 stances. . vn. Which tho' it be published by Mr. 
 Wood, yet he seems to have had it from second 
 hand. The J])iJtCtD0H, mentione d in that Account, 
 is, probably, the same with COaltOtt Wtll S8M- 
 tOtt W,t\l the oldest Well of note about Oxford. 
 St. Edward's Well by St. Clement's, older than the 
 old Well from which St. Crosse's Parish, in the 
 Suburbs of Oxford, was called Holywell. The 
 respect formerly paid to Wells, which occasioned 
 Injunctions against the Worship of them. . vm. 
 Our Author's Poetry agreeable to the Genius 
 of his Age, and his regard to truth in his 
 
 Rhythms
 
 PREFACE. TII 
 
 Rhythms, answers the Custom of the Pythagoreans 
 and old Britains. . ix. He hath continued too 
 long hid from the World. The value of the Harley- 
 an MS. which is followed in the Edition t that we 
 now set forth. The Language, as well as the Work t 
 altered in the MS. of the Heralds Office, and that fy 
 one who lived in the time of Hen. VI. . x: Who, 
 however, is pleased to conceal his Name, as he does 
 also that of Robert of Gloucester. A Rhythmical Ac- 
 count of the Kings of England at the end of his MS. 
 which is here likewise printed. . xi. But these 
 Rhythms are much shorter than those of Robert of 
 Gloucester, as are likewise those in this MS. that 
 relate to K.Richard I. .xn. The Author of which 
 Rhythms about Richard I. seems to have been Robert 
 ofBrunne. . xin. This Robert of Brunne the same 
 with Stowe's Robert Brune. Stowewas certainly 
 the Author of the Fragments, that I have printed 
 in Heming. Stowe's Honesty, and the value of his 
 Chronicle. A very remarkable Passage out of Ro- 
 bert of Brunne' s Chronicle, together with the same as 
 it occurrs inStowe. . xiv. Instead of the anony- 
 mous fabulous Rhythms upon Richard J. / have zw 
 serted the genuine ones of Robert of Gloucester, in a 
 Continuation of the Harleyan MS. from the Cot Io- 
 nian Library. . xv. The Harleyan MS. perfect, 
 tho' it comes nothing near so low as that of the Cot- 
 Ionian Library. One Leaf, at least, is wanting in 
 the Cottonian MS. . x vi. Our Author seems to have 
 dyed in the Beginning ofEdw. the First's Reign. 
 A 4 Him*
 
 viii THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 Himself gives an express Testimony of the Time in 
 which he flourished. . xvn. Which, however, is 
 pass'd over by one, who endeavour' d to settle his Age 
 from Proofs extracted from his Chronicle. . xvin- 
 Our Author rightly observes the vast disproportion 
 that there was between the pious Acts ofK. Edward 
 the Confessor, and the first K. Edward after the 
 Conquest. Interpolations are to be look'd upon as 
 Redundancies, not as Perfections, in old MSS. 
 . xix. Mr. Thomas Britton, the famous Small" 
 Coal Man, seems to have had a MS. of Robert of 
 Gloucester. The learned Mr. Thomas Alien had 
 two MSS. of him, one of which came to the Bod- 
 leian Library, the other to some unknown Hands. 
 . xx. Mr. Selden and Mr. Wood had a right 
 notion of the Age of our Author, who ought to be 
 reckon' d among the Oxford Writers. . xxi. Our 
 Author seems to have resided in Oxford in an old 
 House on the West side of Sto'ckwell Street. .xxn. 
 Tlie strange mistake of Mr. Weever, with regard 
 to the Age of Robert of Gloucester. . xxm. Ro- 
 bert of Brunne\s true Sirname was Manning. But 
 the true Sirname of Robert of Gloucester does not 
 occur. . xxiv. The Name of Robert Moille in- 
 serted at random, as it seems, in the MS. of the 
 Heralds Office. That MS. concludes with some 
 Verses that are not in Caxton. . xxv. Tliis 
 Work is a great Curiosity. The Reproach in neg- 
 lecting the black Letter. . xxvi.
 
 PREFACE. ix 
 
 |T cannot but be of The Disservice to 
 great Disservice to &nin g * nC \vhen 
 any branch of Learn- Person* of skill 
 
 .' , __ depredate the most 
 
 ing, when such Per- prope r Books for 
 sons, as are fam'd for obtaining a Know, 
 
 . ... . . ledge m it. The 
 
 their skill m it, take all opportunities Bodleian MS. does 
 
 of depretiating those Books, that are not . con * * 
 
 genuine Robert of 
 the most proper Helps for obtaining a Gloucester. 
 
 Knowledge in it. Among such I may, there- 
 fore, deservedly reckon those, that decry, and 
 speak against, Robert of Gloucester's Chro- 
 nicle, as if the Fragments, that have been 
 occasionally published of him by some of our 
 greatest Antiquaries, were sufficient satisfac- 
 tion to any one, that is curious. We may pro- 
 bably (saith " the Compiler of the English 
 Historical Library) bring in also Robert of 
 Gloucester, for another of his [Mat. Paris's] 
 Contemporaries, since Archbishop * Usher and 
 3 Mr. Camden are both positive, that he liv'd 
 some Time in tlie Reign of King Henry the 
 Tliird. His Rhyming Chronicle is in * English ; 
 and the Reader may have a Taste of it, (as 
 much, it may be, as ever he'll desire) either from 
 5 Mr. Selden, or 6 Mr. Wood. But I know seve- 
 ral curious Persons, that are so far from be- 
 
 1 Ed. fol. p. 62. 'Hist. 
 Eccles. Brit. p. 29. Re- 
 mains, p. m. 8, + Bibl. 
 
 Cott. Caligula A. 11. * Ti- 
 tles qf Hon. p. 535. 6 Hist. 
 & Antiq. Oxon. Par.I.p.l 12- 
 
 i JT
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 ing satiated with the published Fragments, that 
 the more they have read them, the more earnestly 
 they have desired and wish'd to see the whole 
 Work. And tho' I ought not to be reckon'd 
 among such curious Persons, yet I can testify 
 thus much for my self, that, when I first saw a 
 MS. of this Author (which was when I was 
 even a young Undergraduate) in the Bodleian 
 Library, being one of the first MSS. I ever per- 
 us'd there, I was wonderfully delighted with 
 it, and could not but often signify, that I was not 
 at all pleas'd with those, that insinuated, that 
 there was enough of him already published to 
 gratify any curious Reader. Nor can I at all 
 think, that my late ingenious and learned Friend 
 Robert Keck, Esq, (who was formerly Gentle- 
 man-Commoner of University College, and died 1 
 in the Year 1719.) repented the Charges he 
 had been at, in having the said Bodleian 
 MS. transcrib'd, for any other reason, than 
 because he found, that it was a very im^ 
 perfect MS. and did not contain the genuine 
 Robert of Gloucester, which he might have 
 met with in the Cottonian Library, as he was, 
 without doubt, afterwards fully apprized of 
 by his Friends. 
 
 1 Coll. nostr. MSS. Vol. 84. p. 7, 8. 
 
 . II,
 
 PREFACE. xi 
 
 .II. Indeed Mr. Keck was a young The Curiosity of 
 
 Gentleman extremely inquisitive after gJat usTof Robert 
 
 Books in old English, and the nearer f Gloucester in 
 
 ,, . , the Study of the 
 
 they were to the Conquest, so much old Saxon Tongue. 
 
 the better pleased he was with them. Hi3 value upon 
 
 _ , . , . , ,, , other accounts. 
 Jbor which reason tis no wonder, that ^owtall the same 
 
 he should several times express a great th the , Saxoa 
 TV * r * , , , Buji 5 - r tall. Brill 
 
 Dissatisfaction, when he understood, an ancient Burgh, 
 
 that, after all his Charges, he had not nd is nothing else 
 
 ... but IBureft $i(I 
 
 got either an intire, or an authentick or Burgj> on $? 
 
 Robert of Gloucester. He had a design ^ Ilt 
 leither of publishing this old Historian himself, 
 or, at least, of assisting some body else in the 
 publication of him; which could not but, there- 
 fore, make him the more concern'd, that his 
 Copy was not of better Authority. He knew 
 perfectly well, that such old English Books are 
 of wonderful use in acquiring a knowledge in 
 the Saxon Tongue, which continued to be spoke 
 (tho' with great Alterations) in Robert of 
 Gloucester's time *, and many Years after, and 
 it began to be most of all disus'd, when 
 Geffry Chaucer undertook to refine (as they 
 termed it ) the Language. But now of all Books 
 of this kind, I know none hardly so valuable 
 as this Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester, and 
 upon that account, were there no other rea- 
 son, it is very proper to be read over and con- 
 sidered by all such as are willing to beacquaint- 
 
 1 See page 364. of this Chron,
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 ed with the old Saxon Tongue, a Language 
 which even the vulgar are very fond of talking 
 of, though they are perfectly ignorant of it; 
 in so much that I have known some of the 
 Country Common People shew an unusual Plea- 
 sure, when they have seen so much as the old 
 Saxon Letters. And 'tis with great Attention 
 that they will listen to the Derivation of Places 
 from the Saxon Tongue. The People of OBOt- 
 ffall in Buckinghamshire are mightily pleas'd, 
 when any one tells them, that QISOtffaH is the 
 same with the Saxon Bujig-prall, which signifies 
 a Seat on the side of an Hill, which exactly an- 
 swerstothis Place." Bupj-pral." (saith Mr.Som- 
 
 ner 1 ) " ciivus. a little Ijf II foljeteott anp tiring ig 
 fcuflfott: afeaton tljefttieorpitcf)OfanirilM0 
 
 " tfmt at Whitstable fa Kent Calletl Borstall." 
 and this account of Bujij-prall, pleaseth them 
 the better, when they hear, that these Words 
 in the 83 d . verse of the vm th . Chapter of St. 
 Luke, TJien went the devils out of the man, and 
 entred into the swine: and the herd ran violently 
 down a steep place into the lake, and were choak'd t 
 are thus read in that which is called Wickliffs 
 
 Translation *, $ fo j* tmielig foenten out fro ft 
 man, $ entrine f n to ]>t ffopn, $ W a fcfrre fe 
 flott tnente fieeuipno; in to >e pool$ tuais nrenclj^ 
 
 ltl The Expression frjitj) n ftfttC here is the 
 
 'Saxon Diet. voc. BUJIJ. I penes me. VideinfraiuGlo*- 
 ftal. * Mb. opt. membran. | sario, p. 728. 
 
 same
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 same with the Vulgar Latin impctu, and the Saxon 
 paefe, (whence our common Word Race) and 
 answers very well to any Place situated at the 
 side of an Hill. Upon hearing this Derivation 
 of Borstall, the Inhabitants look upon the 
 story of it's being called so from a wild Boar 
 kill'd by Nigellus in the Forest of Bernwood 
 (on the Edge of which Borstall is placed) to 
 be as weak, as the ascribing the Song of the 
 Boar's Head by some to a wild Boar, that 
 was kill'd, I know not when, by a Tabarder in 
 Shottover Wood, whereas, on the contrary, the 
 Song was so far formerly from being sung only in 
 one Place, that it was a Christmass Carol all over 
 England, the Boar's Head being an ancient Dish, 
 and much in vogue at that Season, being much 
 admired by even the greatest Princes, in so 
 much that it was brought up by K. Henry I. 
 1 with Trumpets beforehis Son, when his said Son 
 was crown'd. But tho' the Inhabitants of 
 Borstall are much pleased to hear, that Borstall 
 is the same with the Saxon Bujij-^t:all,yet their 
 Neighbours, the Inhabitants of 'Btfll are as 
 much displeas'd with those, that detract from 
 the Antiquity of 05tfl! 5 and will not allow it to 
 be an ancient Burgh, and to be the same as 
 OJ3Urfi;f) W or 'BUtS!) On tje tyfll which ne- 
 vertheless is plain enough to any one that con- 
 siders either the Situation of the Place, or the 
 
 1 Vid Ed. nostr. Guil. Neubrigensis, p. 744. 
 
 Coyns
 
 *it THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 Coyns that have been found there and there- 
 abouts, some of which I have seen ray self. Mr, 
 Cam den had well weigh 'd this matter, and 
 therefore he very clearly established this No- 
 tion of it's being an old Burgh. Ha;c tota [ val- 
 lis] ( saith he ' ) fere campestris est, solo item argil- 
 laceo, tenaci, 8g facundo, pabulosis pratis innumeros 
 oviumgregespascit, quarum mollia, $ tenuissima 
 vellera ab Asiaticis usque gentibus expetuntur. Sect 
 sylvis nuda nisi ad Occiduum latus, ubi prater alias 
 Bernewood, circa quam anno d Christo nato D c c c c- 
 x 1 1 1 1 . Danorumfuror impotentihs stevit, tumque 
 forte concidit Burgus ille antiquus, utRomani num- 
 mi inventi testantur, qui poste<*> regia erat villa Ed- 
 wardi Confessoris. Nunc autempagus est rusticus t 
 $ pro B u r i-iiill, Brill contractiils appellant, Th us 
 this great Man, whose words are of better Au- 
 thority with the Inhabitants and others, than 
 those of any more illiterate and injudicious 
 Writers, especially such as derive the Name 
 from Bryers and Thorns, ( from which they also 
 derive 'BtttCtlt Abbey, when, on the centrary, 
 it was so denominated from the Bruern, Bourn, 
 Bujin or Byjma, there) an Etymology that is 
 more weak, than that of the very learned Dr. 
 Skinner, whothinks* it was so called from Burrs 
 growing at the Place. *BtfH, inCom. Bucks (so 
 he writes ) contr. a 'BUtt'-fjfll, sc - Lap-pis, qu<e 
 ibifrequentes crescunt. It's having been a Royal 
 ~~ * Brit. p. 279. Ed. fol. * Etymol. Diet. 
 
 Vill
 
 PREFACE. xt 
 
 Vill of Edward the Confessor had been suffi- 
 cient to have stil'd it a Burgh, were there no- 
 thing else to rely on. Such Vills in those times 
 werecommonly call'd *BUtg8&. Whence 'tis, that 
 *UIMU in St. Luke l is translated buphga in the 
 Saxon, castdla in the vulgar Latin, and CflffCl 
 in that which is termed WicklifPs Version. As 
 there was, doubtless, a Castle or Fortification 
 at Brill, so the Place had a greater right than 
 otherwise to the Title of a Burgh. And as here 
 was also a Market, so, withall, it might have 
 been call'd pcpaere, such as are mentioned in St. 
 Luke, where * for greetings in the Markets the 
 Saxon hath gpetmja on prpaerum , and Wickliff 
 faltttaCfotmjS in Cjjepynff. Mr. Somner, in his 
 Saxon Dictionary, hath noted, that ptjixte si- 
 gnifieth sometimes ft tttfltftCt l pIfiC 5 having an 
 eye, I suppose, partly upon what occurrs in the 
 Saxon Version of the New Testament, and 
 partly upon what he had met with in other old 
 Saxon Monuments. I do not know but^ttCHt- 
 ICJ) in Berks was so call'd, not only because the 
 Ikenild J street or way pass'd by or through 
 that Place, but as it was formerly a Market 
 Town. Now since the Chronicle, I have here 
 published, is so very usefull for understanding 
 Saxon, what but Prejudice, or some other bad 
 Quality, could induce any one of skill in this 
 Tongue to speak against, and endeavour to 
 
 1 IX. 6. * IX. 43. Vide Ed. nostr. GuU. Neubr. p. 737. 
 
 sup-
 
 xtt THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 suppress Robert of Gloucester, an Author of 
 great Worth, even upon other Accounts, that is, 
 for his own Probity and Honesty, and for the 
 History he hath given us, extracted from the 
 best Memoirs he could come at ? 
 Robert of Glou. . JQ j am aw are, that it will beob- 
 
 cester's following . , '' i T i 
 
 Geffry of Mon. jected, that the beginning of this Book 
 
 mouth in the first j s f or t }, e most part ta k en f rom 
 
 Part of his Work, ' - i 
 
 no good Objection fry of Monmouth, But this Objection 
 
 against his History. makeg rather for the Reputation, than 
 
 The nature of the 
 
 ancient ffeamtfcu to the Disgrace, of this Historian, and it 
 
 mff*Z m V be we " alledg'dagainstour Other 
 Hands of Mr. Historians, that have written since Gef- 
 T 7' H Jrt t fr/stime. Geffry was an author so much 
 stead of Cups. Se. in vogue, for the most early Affairs of 
 veral remarkable T * *.-n AT- A. u 
 
 Particulars relat- our British Princes, that he was constant- 
 
 ing to some of our ly transcribed, and put into most Libra- 
 
 old English Bibles. . , . , . ,, , ,, 
 
 The Curiosity of nes ' which is the reason why there are 
 
 the Nuremberg so many MSS. of him extant. By corn- 
 
 Chronicle. T t /> S~<* 'XL 1 ' 
 
 paring Robert of Gloucester with him, 
 the Reader will soon perceive, what a faithful! 
 Historian Robert was, when he took care to be 
 very exact in what he extracted from him. I 
 have subjoyn'd some Passages here and there at 
 the Bottom of the Page from Geffry, by way of 
 Illustration, but I took them not from a printed 
 Latin Copy (having none by me) but from a 
 good, tho' ( at the End ) imperfect MS. that was 
 given me by my Friend, that curious Anti- 
 quary, Richard Graves, of Mickleton in 
 
 Glou-
 
 PREFACE. XYII 
 
 Gloucestershire, Esq. from whom, much about 
 the same time, I had borrowed the old French 
 Roll, from which I have printed two Passages 
 iq the following Work ; which Roll is so much 
 the greater Curiosity, as it represents the Fi- 
 gures of our Kings and Princes from the time 
 of Athelstan, where it begins, to the time of 
 Edward the I. with whom it ends. For tho' 
 the Pictures are but rude, yet there are many 
 things in them, that will be of use to curious 
 Men, as even our Saxon Coyns are, notwith- 
 standing the Barbarousness of them. The very 
 first Picture exhibits to us the form of the an- 
 cient /3axT*jgt'ai, or /3affiXixs "PaJo, which, how- 
 
 ever, we do not find, that I know of, even in 
 Athelstan's Coyns. We ought not, therefore, 
 to reject old Pictures of this Kind upon account 
 of their Rudeness. I never look'd upon the 
 Bodleian Picture as the less, but rather the 
 greater, Curiosity, that makes Cain slay his 
 brother Abel with a Sithe, tho' in the strange 
 odd MS. Almanack or Conjuring Book, given 
 me by the late Bishop of Ely, Dr. William 
 Flcetwood, (written, as it seems, in the time of 
 Edward III.) he is delineated as killing him 
 with the Jaw Bone of an Ass. 'Tis with plea- 
 sure likewise that I have often look'd over the 
 English Bible, that was printed anno 1541. (in 
 the 33d. Year of K. Hen. VIII.) being about 
 five Years after the death of William Tyudale, 
 Vol. I. b in
 
 xvnr THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 in which there: are several odd wooden Cutts, 
 that represent the Habits in use in Hen. the 
 Eighth's time. The Picture of the Pit, into 
 which they cast Joseph, is made to be a sort 
 of Stone Fountain. In the Picture of Ahasue- 
 rus's Feast is a Horn for a Cup, agreeable to 
 the old way of drinking at great Feasts. Bac- 
 chus V used to quaff and carowse in an Horn. 
 
 Hence NomiUS, Kat xlpas a'yxvXov l^e 6., Setae;. 
 
 He had an Horn crooked, for a Cup ; which was, 
 saith the Scholiast of Nicander, an ancient Cu- 
 stom. Oi g5aibi xepzciv sy^puvro EV TTJ woffEJ, avri wo- 
 
 rnpiuv' 33ev xai TO xspxaxi "tignrou. The ancients in 
 their Carowsings used Horns, instead of Cups : and 
 thence, to pour out, or to mingle Wine, is called cc- 
 rasai, o/*ceras an horn. 
 
 "ls a-pa, Quvriffatcx. $ea Tra^s&oixe Tgz9rezv, 
 'Afj,poal'ns irkrtsx.'jct.* xiptzaae 5e vixrxgs puQpov, 
 
 saith Homer 2 . Upon which the Scholiast ob- 
 serves thuS! Ke'^affOc 5s VXT.J Nl/V EVc'j^EEV WO TQV 
 
 dpXjxizs auvnQeixs* alf xipxs yap sy^lovrss Twov. 'Tis 
 
 no wonder, therefore, that upon the Jollities on 
 the first of May formerly the Custom of blow- 
 ing with, and drinking in, Horns so much pre- 
 vail'd, which tho' it be now generally disus'd, 
 yet the Custom of blowing them prevails, at 
 that season, even to this day, at Oxford, to 
 remind people of the pleasantness of that part 
 
 1 See Mountague's Diatribe I Tythes, p. 559. *0dyss. E. 
 against Selden's History of ' 92, 93. 
 
 Of
 
 PREFACE. xix 
 
 of the Year, which ought to create Mirth and 
 Gayety, such as is sketch'dout in some old Books 
 of Offices, such as the Pettier flf 0a!febUt, 
 printed at Rouen 1551. 8 V0 . of which I have 
 a Copy by me (and 'tis a most rare thing) given 
 me by Mr. Graves, fairer and more perfect than 
 that of another (viz. a later) Edition in Balliol 
 College Library. But tho' I have taken so 
 much pleasure in perusing the English Bible of 
 the Year 1541. yet 'tis nothing equal to what 
 I should take in turning over that of the Year 
 1539. (an Edition that Selden made great use 
 of, as he did also of other old Editions of the 
 Bible in English., incompilinghisWork intit'led, 
 De Synedriis veterum Ebraorum ) which they have 
 in St. John's College Library in Cambridge, in 
 reference to which my learned Friend, the Reve- 
 rend Mr. Thomas Baker of that College writes 
 to me thus ' : " We have such a Bible as you 
 " describe (a very noble Book) printed on Vel- 
 " lum, and imbellished with Cuts that are II- 
 " luminated, the Leaves gilt, and .the Cover im- 
 " host with Brass : but it is printed in the Year 
 " 1539. as appears from the Conclusion, thus, 
 
 The ende of the New Testament and of the whole 
 Byble,fynished in Apryll, Anno .MCCCCC.XXXIX. 
 A Dnd factu est istud. 
 
 Cf The Frontispiece is the same with that of 
 1 In his Letter of Febr. 9. 1721. 
 
 b 2 An.
 
 xx THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 " An. 1540. described by Mr. Strype [Memorials 
 " of Arcbbp. Cranmer Lib. 3. cap. 33.] only 
 " Cromwell's Arms are left there a Blank, which 
 " in our Copy has his bearing (as the rest) in 
 " colors, left out, I presume, upon his fall. It 
 " might probably (as you observe) be the same 
 <e Book, that was presented to Cromwell, there 
 " being only one other (that we can hear of) 
 " that is the King's. But how it came to us, 
 " does not appear, unless from the late Earl 
 " of Southampton, who gave us most of those 
 " MSS. we now enjoy, and it has always had a 
 " place amongst the MSS. as it well deserves." 
 Mr. Baker writ this Passage upon account of a 
 Letter I writ to him, in which I had menti- 
 oned the Bible printed in English with Cutts 
 on Vellum, as I had found it spoke of in the 
 following remarkable Particulars that I meet 
 with ' in a Quarto MS. of Collections relating 
 to Bibles and Testaments from 1526. to 1700. 
 made (and written with his own hand) by the 
 late ingenious Mr. John Bagford, who was 
 pleased to give it me himself: 
 
 " 1540. In the Year 1540. the 32 of 
 
 " King Hen. the 8. a Convocation was called, 
 " and in the third Session (being Friday) several 
 " Bishops were assigned to peruse the several 
 " Translations of the New Testament, in order 
 " as followeth : 
 
 1 Fol. 4. a. 
 
 " 1. Cran-
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 e{ 1. Cranmer Archbp. of Canterbury 
 " 2. Longland of Lincolne 
 " 3. Stephen Gardiner of Winch. 
 " 4. Tho. Goodrick of Ely 
 
 " 5. Nicholas Heath of Rochester 
 
 fe 6. Richard Sampson of Chichester 
 " 7. John Capon of Sartim 
 
 " 8. Will. Barlow of St. David's 
 
 " 9. John Bell of Worcester 
 
 " 10- Robert Parfew of St. Asapli 
 
 "11. Robert Holgate of Landaff 
 " 12. John Skip of Hereford 
 
 XXI 
 
 1. Matthew 
 
 2. Mark. 
 
 3. Luke. 
 
 4. John. 
 
 ^5.TheActsof 
 (the Apostles. 
 
 6. Romans 
 7.; Corinthians 
 
 ^ Galatians. 
 o 1 Ephesians. 
 ' jPhilippians 
 V Colossians. 
 
 9.;Thessalonians 
 
 (Timothy. 
 lO.jTitus. 
 
 CPhilemon. 
 
 11-1 Peter. 
 
 12. Hebrews. 
 
 r James. 
 
 13. Thomas Thyrlbyof Westminster 13 J John. 
 
 (Jade. 
 
 14. John Wakemanof Gloster Cl4-TheReve- 
 
 15. John Chambers of Peterborow 1 15- lation. 
 cc Gardiner desired, that certain Latin words 
 
 in the Text might be preserved intire (as much 
 as might be) in the Translation of the New 
 Testament, and in Fuller's Church History 
 you have a Catalogue of the words: 
 " And, if I mistake not, I have seen a Testa- 
 ment in English in 4. put forth by the above- 
 b 3 " said
 
 xxn THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 " said Bishops with the King's Privilege. 1540 
 
 " A Bible in folio Recognized by Rich. Ta- 
 " verner. 1540 
 
 " Id. a Testament in 4. by the same hand. 1540 
 
 " A Bible of the larger Volume, the Frontis- 
 " piece described by Mr. Strype, and supposed 
 " to be printed at Paris. 1540 
 
 " There is one of them in the Queen's Li- 
 " brary at St. J iines's, printed on Vellum,and the 
 " Cutts curiously illuminated. This is supposed 
 "to be the presentation Book to King Henry 
 "the 8. 1540 
 
 " I have seen one in the Library of St. John's 
 " College in Cambridge., found of late years 
 " among some old Books in a private place 
 " nigh the Library, printed on Vellum, and the 
 " Cutts illuminated as the former, and this, 
 cc perhaps, might be the presentation Book to 
 " Tho. Cromwell. 
 
 " Another very fair of the same Impression 
 ef in the Collection of Sir Andrew Fountaine 
 "on paper. 1540 
 
 " Id. another printed in folio by Will. Pettet 
 " for Thomas Berthlet. The Title in red and 
 "black Letters, with the Picture of King H. the 
 " 8. with the Bishops with their Mitreson. 1540 
 
 " The New Testament translated from the 
 " Greek by Delayne (who was Librarian at St. 
 " James's, and is dedicated by him to K. Henry 
 " the 8.) and printed in 4. in the white Letter 
 " by Jo. Mayler. 1540." And
 
 PREFACE. xxiii 
 
 And here, upon this occasion of mentioning 
 wooden Cutts, I must observe,, that the vast 
 Variety of wooden Cutts in the Nuremberg 
 Chronicle., compiled by Hartman Schedel, are 
 not to be at all despis'd for their Odness, but to 
 be the more admir'd. For my part, the oftener 
 I consult it, the more I wonder at the Things 
 in it, and I cannot but esteem the Book as ex- 
 tremely pleasant, usefull and curious, by reason 
 of these very odd Cutts, tho' those Copies are 
 always to be look'd upon as the most valuable, 
 which have the Figure of Pope Joan untouch'd, 
 a Thing I here mention, because in many Co- 
 pies this Figure is either eras'd, or, at least, de- 
 fac'd, and the History of her obliterated. And 
 now I mention this Nuremberg Chronicle, I 
 cannot but take notice of a Copy of it, that 
 was given to Christ's College in Cambridge by 
 the great common Lawyer Ferdinando Pulton. 
 Before which Copy is an Inscription, that is 
 very remarkable, and had it fallen into the 
 Hands of the industrious Author of Athene Oxo- 
 nienses, he would not, surely, have rang'd this 
 eminent Lawyer among the Oxford Writers. 
 I shall give the Inscription, with some other 
 Particulars, just as they were all sent me by mv 
 foresaid Friend, the Reverend Mr. Thomas Ba- 
 ker, the great Antiquary of Cambridge. 
 
 b4 . IV.
 
 xxiv THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 FerdinandoPul. . IV. " In turning my Papers" (saith 
 y"' a Cambridge", Mr. Baker) "I likewise find, we have 
 and not an Oxford, < another Copy of Hartman Schedel $c. 
 " at Christ's Coll. given the Coll. by 
 * c Ferd. Pulton, with this Inscription before the 
 Book. jrerdinanoo pulton, (Efquier, admitted 
 *' fe>c|)0 : ar in ty$ goatij into Cijrift'0 Colledge in 
 " Cambridge, tl)e laft peere cf tljel&aigne of King: 
 44 (Eotoard tlje fijct, continued tljere untill tfce laft 
 " peers of tI;?IEUtg;ne of iBueene Q^acte, ana maOe 
 <l jfcilotoc ot" ttjc Tame CollcDge one pecre before fyt 
 <" Depacteti tljcnce* Became aftertoarog a parnfull 
 * 4 fetutient anU ^rofefCoc of t!je Common ano fe>ta* 
 *' tute 3lafc>cs of tljt'0 B,ealme (a?s mape appeare b? 
 <c feterall }3oofce or SjQlorbe0 bp ^im compofefc anD 
 4t pulUiftjcD in print, tenoingto t^eknotaleoge anl) tu 
 " tulffing: of tlje fame 3latoe0) eten untill I)i0 age 
 44 offourfcorepee^eg and uptoarD: jfoc tljelofce anD 
 44 affection tjljict) fje did beare to tl)e faiD Colledge 
 44 Iji0 |5ucrc and ^cljoolmittrifa, and in token of 
 u good toill to ttie fame ^oufe, did, upon tlje djt daie 
 
 <( Of September, Anno Domini 1617. & anno Regni 
 
 Regis Jacobi is. beftotoe tljijs Soofee uppon tfce 
 4C Scatter and jfellotoess of tlje forefaid Colledge $ 
 " t^eic >ucceffor0, too meane a ffuifte for fo 
 44 tljie and toe : l dcferting a place, intended 
 4C tijeleg to Ijate been muc^ Beater, ^ad it not beta 
 44 extenuated b^ tlje cljarjye0 $ cjpenfetf of Iji0 tratell 
 " and labors in t^e toorke0 aforefaid, toillinfflie 
 44 beftotoed uppon tlje profcfforg of tlje fame S>tudie, 
 44 for tlje benefitt of Ijt0 Countric and Common* 
 tc toelt^ thereof. 
 
 " B? me 
 
 4C f e^dinando pulton, of Norton in tlje Countie 
 4 '* and pariu)e of TBucfcingljam. 
 
 -The
 
 PREFACE. xxv 
 
 fc The Subscription is in a different band., 
 " and, I presume, his own. 
 
 " Nov. 23. 1552. Ferdi. Pulton coll. Chr. admis- 
 << sus in Album sive Matriculam Acad. Cant. 
 
 (( An. 1555,6. conceditur Ferdinando Pulton, ut 
 fc 12. Termini, in quibus Lectiones ordinarias audi- 
 " vit, licet non omnino secundum formam Statuti, 
 f< eumOppositionibus^ Respons: requisitis sufficiant 
 " eipi^o completis gradu & forma Bac. in Artibus: 
 "sic quod examinetur fy approbetur, convivetur, S$ 
 " cetera per a gat juxta formam Statuti, quoniam 
 " Determinationemjinalem sine maxima suo dispen- 
 " dio expectare non potest. Reg-. Acad. 
 
 " Pulton actu Bac. ante determinationem Regr. 
 " Acad. This great dispatch was, I presume, in 
 " order to his being elected Fellow, for in a Ca- 
 " talogue of their Fellows, I find, Ferd. Pulton 
 " dectus Socius an. 1555. that is, I suppose, in 
 " Jan. Febr. or March 1555,6." The words in 
 Aihcncs Ox on. are 1 ; tc Ferdinando Pulton alias 
 " Poulton (Son of Giles Pulton, Esq. who died 
 " 1560.) was born at Deusborough in Northam. 
 " ptomhire, became* commoner of BrasnoseCoU. 
 " in the beginning of Q. Mary's Reign, laid 
 n there a foundation of Academical literature, 
 " which he found useful to him afterwards when 
 " he grew eminent in the common Law. But 
 " leaving that House before he took a degree, 
 " he went to Lincoln's Inn, studied the said Lav, 
 
 J Vol. 1. col. 362. a Reg. 1 . coll. ^Enean. fol. 92. a. 
 
 " took
 
 xxvi THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 " took the usual degrees, and became eminent 
 " for the knowledge in, and practice of, it, not 
 " only in London, but the usual place of his re- 
 " sidence in the Country, viz. at Borton in the 
 
 " Parish and County of Buckingham. He 
 
 " departed this Life, on the 20. January in six- 
 " teen hundred and seventeen, aged 82. and 
 " was buried in the Chancel of the Church of 
 " Deusborough, before-mentioned, $c" Mr.Wood 
 here quotes a Register in Brazen-nose Coll. 
 and his Quotation is faithfull enough, as I find 
 by this Memorandum, that, upon this occasion, 
 a worthy Friend writ out of it for me : " Nomina 
 " Admusorum in Coll. 1556. Junii 28. Ferdinan- 
 " dus Pulton Northampt. 
 
 " Reg. A Coll. ^En. Nas. fol. 92." 
 But then Mr. Wood builds too much upon it, 
 it being very clear, from the Inscription and 
 Notes above, that Pulton was one of the Cam- 
 bridge Writers, and not an Oxford one, where 
 he only resided a little while, and entered him- 
 self of Brazen-nose Coll- tho', at the same time, 
 he was actually a Member of the University of 
 Cambridge, 
 
 Something peculiar V. Mr. Baker had before given me 
 in the Copy of the . , ,. , 
 
 Nuremberg Chro- an account of three other Copies (which 
 
 nicle in Trinity they have at Cambridge) of the Nurem- 
 
 CoUege Library at J .' '. . . 
 
 Cambridge, that I " eT Chronicle, one of which is at In- 
 
 have not, yet met n it y College Library, and hath in it 
 with in any other. J ,. . . . 
 
 The first, and not something peculiar, that is not in either 
 
 of
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 of the others, or indeed either in my the second, Edition 
 own Copy (which, by the by, wants jfcS 
 the Note about the time when the genuine Work of 
 
 T i j. j\ ,11.1x1 th e Author. 
 
 -Book was printed) or in any that I have 
 
 yet seen. What this is, will be better gathered 
 
 from Mr. Baker's own words, than from any 
 
 thing I can say, which are these 1 : "Your 
 
 " last Letter put me upon turning Hartman 
 " Schedel, which is a very entertaining, and (as 
 " you say) a very strange Book. We have three 
 " Copies, one amongst the Bp. of Ely's, which 
 " I had from Dr. Middleton, who presents you 
 " with his service. The second in our College 
 " Library. The last (the most beautifull) at 
 " Trinity College (from Mr. Hadderton) having 
 te all the Faces, Maps, and other Figures fairly 
 " depicted in Colors. 
 
 tf At Fol. CCLXI. the Picture of Antichrist 
 ' with seven Heads, (different from the ordi- 
 " nary Prints ) and almost as many Colors, makes 
 " a frightfull appearance, and upon the Pede- 
 " stall in a fair hand, which I should have taken 
 " for Print, had it not been wanting in the two 
 " other Copies, this Inscription, 
 " Hec depinxit Jacobus Jaqueri 
 " de Civitate Taurini in pede Montium 
 " An". Domini millesimo quater ceniedmo 
 
 " primo. 
 " And on the opposite Page thus, This Picture 
 
 1 Out of his Letter to me, dated Dec. 2. 1722. 
 
 (t was
 
 xxvin THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 cc was set in tlie Temple of the Jacobines in Jeneu a 
 " in an 9 . 1401, a show of Antechriste, and from 
 tc them abrode into tlie worlde, that the abhonrina- 
 tc tion of the wicked maye be percevid. B. S. M. 
 " with 5. or 6. ryming Monkish latin verses. 
 
 " At Fol. CLXXXIII. CLXXXIIII. The Pictures 
 " of the Emperor, 7: Electors, Princes, and Counts 
 " of the Empire, with their Aims fairly de- 
 " picted, with this note, HCEC Scuta recte pin- 
 " guntur in suis coloribusjuxtajuditium Heraldi. 
 
 " I doubt, you can hardly safely show the 
 " former Inscription to your worthy Friend the 
 " Author of the Antiquities of Glast. He will 
 " be apt to observe, that Antichrist was so early 
 " in the Church of Geneva, for, I think, Ge- 
 <{ noua cannot be meant. 
 
 " In all the Copies Pope Joan stands with 
 <e the face of a Female, a triple Crown, a Child 
 " in her arme instead of a Cross, which is born 
 " by the rest of the Popes. Neither face nor 
 " story are obliterated in any of our Copies, 
 " only in that of Trin. Coll. Septimus, is dasht, 
 " and the Figure, 8. plac't in its roome. For 
 " she is styl' A Joannes Septimus in all our Copies, 
 " tho' another Jo. Septimus had been mention'd 
 " before. The story is short, I can send it you, 
 <e if you have not the Book by you. Martinus is 
 " quoted, which shows, she stood in the Copies 
 " of Martinus Polonus 1 of that age. 
 
 1 Against the story in a Copy of Suffridus Petrus's Edit, at 
 
 Ant.
 
 PREFACE. xxix 
 
 " Fol. CCLVI 1 1 . Cartas aliquas sine scripturapro 
 <( sexta ctate deinceps relinquere convenit,judicio po- 
 " steriorum qui emendare, adder e &c. possunt &c. 
 " Then follow some blank leaves in all the Co- 
 " pies, only the Title and Numbers printed at 
 " the top of the pages. 
 
 " Fol.ccLxvi. Complete in f amosissimaNurem- 
 <l bergensi urbeOperi de Hystoriis datum Mundi, ac 
 " descriptione UrUum, fclix imponitur finis. Col- 
 " lectum brevi tempore auxilio Doctoris Hartmanni 
 " Sclmld, qua fieri potuit diligentia. Anno Christi 
 " millesimo quadringentesimo nonagesimo tercio. die 
 " quarto mensis Junii. 
 
 " Fol. CCLXVII. follows a further account of 
 " the European Nations, most or all from ^Eneas 
 " Sylvius : In the Title, over his Picture, 
 
 Sum plus JEncas fama super Ether a notus. 
 " Fol. ccc. Adest nunc studiose lector finis libri 
 " Cromcarum per viam Epithomatis ST Breviarii 
 " compilati. Opus quidem preclarum & d doctissimo 
 " quoque comparandum. Continet enim gesta que- 
 " cunque digniora sunt notatu ab initio Mwuli ad 
 " hanc usque temporis nostri calamitatem. Castiga- 
 " tumque a viris doctissimis ut magis elaboration in 
 " lucem prodiret. Ad intuitum autem 8T precespro- 
 
 Antwerp (ex Off". Christophori 
 Plantini 1574.8vo.)that I pur- 
 chased out of the Study of the 
 
 tarn Jounnam vixisse. 
 late Dr. Arthur Charlett, some . 
 
 Folonut vixit anno 
 learned hand hath written this 
 
 Note : Antiquissimus auctor 
 h'ljns fabulx est isle Ala. (inus 
 
 Polonus, qui tamcn scripkit 
 479. annos post illudtempus, 
 quo aitasseri, id est, Jingi, is- 
 
 Chris-i 1334 
 
 Joanna fm^iiur vtxissc 855 
 
 47
 
 xxx THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 " vidorum civium Sebaldi Schreyer $* Sebastiani 
 " Kamermaister hunc librum Dominus Antlionius 
 " Koberger Nuremberge impressit. Adhibitis tamen 
 " viris Mathematicis pingendique arte peritissimis, 
 f< Miclmde Wolgemut Sf Wilhelmo Pleydenwurff. quo- 
 " rum solerti acuratissimaque animadversione turn 
 " Cwitatum turn illustrium Virorum figure insertc 
 " sunt. Consummatum autem duodecimo, Mensis Ju- 
 " lit. Anno Scdutisnostre 1493. 
 
 " There is no Name or Title at the begin- 
 " ning of. any of the Copies. Towards the end, 
 " there are five leaves, De Regno Polonie &c. not 
 " numhred, which seem to haveheen inserted. 
 
 " Fol. CCLII. Matheolus perusinus medicus &c. 
 " Preceptor mem eruditissimus. Quern ego Hart- 
 <c mannus SchedelNurembergensis Doctor Patavinus 
 fc tribus annis ordinarie legentem auscultavi. a quo 
 " demum prehabita per eum oratione elegantissima 
 
 " insignia Doctor atusPadue accept. Follows a 
 
 " large Character of his Master, no more of 
 " himself. 
 
 " Fol. CCLII. Arsimprimendilibros hiistempo- 
 f{ ribus primum in germania enata est. Quantum 
 " igitur literarumstudiosi germanis debeant nullo sa- 
 " tis dicendi genere exprimi potest. Hanc apud ma- 
 te guntiam rheni urbem solerti ingenio librarum im- 
 <e primendorum ratio : 1 440. inventam fuisse aiunt> 
 <( Hoc tempore in omnes fere orbis partes propaga- 
 
 fe tur. Ideo in ejus laudem quidam hos cecinit 
 
 " versus. 
 
 (1)
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 te ( 1 ) Ofdix nostris memoranda impressioseclis. 
 " (3) Desierat quasi totum quod fundis in Orbem. 
 <{ ( 5 ) Omnes te summisigitur nunc laudibus ornent. 
 
 " (2) Inventore nitent utraque lingua tuo. 
 
 " ( 4 ) Nunc parvo doctus quilibet esse potest. 
 
 " (6 ) 7<? duce quando ars hecmira repertafuit. 
 
 " These verses stand like Prose (without di- 
 <c stinction) in the print, I presume the Printer 
 " had jumbled them out of Order. 
 
 " This seems to be a good and antient au- 
 "' thority for printing at Mentz, being within 
 " memory of Man." 
 
 There is no doubt, but there was a great 
 Number of Copies printed of this Book, that 
 so the Charges of the Impression might be the 
 better countervail'd by the sale. They were 
 greedily bought up, and in a little time the 
 Book grew scarce, which caus'd a new ' Edition, 
 
 XXXI 
 
 1 Concerning which my 
 Friend Mr.Graves writes thus 
 to me in a Letter, dated from 
 MickletoninGloucestershire, 
 Saturday, 14th. ofDec. 1723. 
 " Schedel's Chronicle, that is 
 " nowintheHands ofMr.Fan- 
 '* courtBooksellerinStratford 
 *' upon Avon, is but a small 
 *' siz'dFolio,tho'pretty thick; 
 " containing 338 Leaves, be- 
 " sidesalargeAlphabeticalln, 
 <c dex at theEndlhereof, notat 
 (t the Beginning, as tho other; 
 " printed in ablackLetff r.but 
 44 much less Character, than 
 " that i and the Cuts are but 
 
 a very small, and few, in 
 " comparison with the other, 
 "Sfc. 
 
 "Infol.294.a.isthisNote, 
 (i viz.Completo infamosisst- 
 16 ma Nur ember gensi Urbe 
 f( operi de hystoriis etatum 
 " mundi,fc. Collection^ fyc. 
 " auxilio Doctoris Hart- 
 " manni Schedel, Sfc. Anno 
 " Christ 7, 1493. die 4to. 
 " Mensis Juniij Sfc. as in the 
 " other. 
 
 " Aiulin fol. 338. a. at the 
 
 very End of the Book is this 
 
 *Noto,z. FinithicliberCro. 
 
 ei nicorum.
 
 xxn THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 but in a less Folio, with worse Types, (not- 
 withstanding both Editions are of the black 
 kind) and without most of the Cuts, which o- 
 mission of the Cuts made this Edition, there- 
 fore, much less valued by curious and critical 
 Men than the first. The same Defect likewise 
 makes the second Edition of Hollingshede's 
 Chronicle of less esteem with many curious 
 Men, than the first, which came out in Fol. at 
 London 1577. and is full of wooden Cuts, (as 
 the authentick Edition of Robert Fabyan's 
 Chronicle 1 , and the Chronicle of John Ra- 
 
 "n/corw/H, Sfc. Impressum 
 
 a Catalogue of Books relating 
 
 *' acfinitum^ Sfc, in imperiali 
 
 to the English and Irish Histo- 
 
 " Urbe Augusta a Johanne 
 
 ries and Antiquities writtenby 
 
 li Schensperger, Anno ab In- 
 
 Mr.WilliamCooper,whodealt 
 
 " carnatione Domini^ 1497. 
 
 in old Books, and made this 
 
 " After I had seen your's at 
 
 Catalogue for his own use [SU 
 
 " Oxford, and view'd my own 
 
 in Coll. nostr.MSS.Vol. 92.p. 
 
 " and that at Stratford again; 
 
 244.]ThisMS. belong'd, after 
 
 61 1 thought there was as much 
 
 the Collector's Death, [Coll. 
 
 " Difference between mine, 
 
 nostr. MSS. Vol. 63. p.14.] to 
 
 " and your's, as between 
 
 the ingenious Mr. John Bag- 
 
 " your's, and that : For th ' 
 
 ford, wholent ittotheCompiler 
 
 " our's are both the same Edi- 
 
 oftheEnglishHistoricalLibra- 
 
 " tion; yet mine is extraordi- 
 
 ry, and at length (after a great 
 
 <c nary largePaper, with a very 
 
 while) recovering it,heparted 
 
 " broad Margin, and extreme 
 
 with it to the learnedSirHans 
 
 " fair; and thechief initialLet- 
 
 Sloane, Baronet, in whose 
 
 tC tersare painted with blew, 
 
 hands it is now, and he was 
 
 <( and red ; and some of them 
 
 so kind as to lend it me 
 
 " are handsomely illuminated, 
 
 in the Month of January 
 
 "#c. 
 
 1721. 
 
 'Of which Chronicle I find 
 
 "Fabyan's Chronicle of the 
 
 the following Particulars, in a 
 
 4' KingsofEnglandandFrance, 
 
 PaperMS.inFolio)coutaining 
 
 11 fromBruce'stsntringintothis 
 
 "Island
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 stell 1 , of which last there is a well preserved 
 Copy in the Harleyan Library, are also im- 
 
 XXX Hi 
 
 " Island, untill the lastYear 
 "KingRichardthe third, anno 
 " 1485. continued to the be. 
 " gining of Hen. the 8th. Anno 
 "1509. in seaven parts, and 
 "two Volumes, with the Effi. 
 " gies of the Kings,thei r Coats 
 "of Armes, and other figures, 
 " being the first Edition in. 
 " castrate. Instead of a Title 
 " it hath a figure the Armes o1 
 " England and France united, 
 " the supporters a Dragon & 
 " Grayhound, and two Port- 
 "cullices, 2, Angels bearing 
 " the Motto about the Rose 
 " over the Crown, the same fi- 
 " gure at the end of the book, 
 " fol. circa annum 1509 * 
 
 ". "Idem newly printed, 
 " with some what a larger 
 " Chronicle of the Acts and 
 " Deeds don in the time of the 
 " Reign ofKingHenrythe sea. 
 "venth, father to our dread 
 " soveraignK.Hen.8. London 
 " printed by Wm.Rastall 1533 
 " in fol. cum Privilegio differ- 
 " eth from the first, and not 
 *' gelt soe much as Record's 
 "edition. 
 
 *' Idem iterum named 
 
 *' theConcordance of History, 
 <f with Notes upon the Kings 
 * Reigns, and a Continuation 
 e< from the begining of K.Hen. 
 ft 7.totheCoronationofQueen 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 of "Elizabeth Anno 1558. ac- 
 lt cording to Fabian's method, 
 ' c with Alterations, Correc- 
 l( tionsorCastrations,ahdMar. 
 "ginal Notes, by Robert Re- 
 "cord.Lond. 1559.fol." Coll. 
 " nostf. MSS.Vol.93. p. 65. 
 
 1 About which 1 have insert- 
 ed the following Note, out of 
 the foresaid MS. of Sir Hans 
 Sloane, in my Manuscript Col- 
 lections, Vol. 93. p. 83. "The 
 " Pastyme of People, the Cro- 
 " nicies of diversRealmys, and 
 " most specially of the Realme 
 16 of England, brevely compil- 
 " ed and imprinted in Chepe- 
 " sytle at the sygne of the 
 " Meare-Mayd, nexttoPollys 
 " gate, cum Privilegio. The 
 Prologus hath at the top Jo- 
 hannisRastell.Itbeginsinth$ 
 Margin, Eneas, thenfollows 
 Ascanius, Silvius, ^fc.Wil- 
 liamtheConquerour,awoden 
 Pictureof him, in full propor- 
 tion, andsoeofalltheKings, 
 the Picture of Richard the 
 third being the last, the word 
 (t Tyrannus Ends.Thepicture 
 of the Creation. Johannes 
 Rastall cum PrivilegioRe- 
 " gali. in large folio. 
 
 Sic medocuit amicus eru- 
 di tusTimotheusThomas, A.M. 
 ollegii ^Edis Christ! Oxonias 
 Alumnus. 
 
 c bel- 
 
 li Load. 1516,]
 
 xxxiv THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 bellished with wooden Cuts) many of which 
 (considering the time in which they were done) 
 are very good. The Author was then living. 
 The second Edition came out in 1587. in two 
 Tomes also in Folio, with abundance of Addi- 
 tions by other hands, but without the wooden 
 Cuts. This Omission was contrary to the De- 
 sign and Intent of the Author, who was a cu- 
 rious, tho' illiterate, Man (having never re- 
 ceived liberal Education 1 ) and died before the 
 Year 1582. Mr. Wood says* that it was to- 
 wards the latter end of 1580. I have printed 
 his Will, which was proved April 24. 1582. in 
 the first Volume' of my Edition of Camden's 
 Elizabeiha, as it was communicated to me by 
 the learned Thomas Palmer, of Fairfeild in So- 
 mersetshire, Esq. Hence it may appear, that the 
 first (which is very scarce) and not the second 
 Edition, contains the true genuine Work of 
 Hollingshede. 
 Many thingsinRo- . VI. Now to return to Robert of 
 
 bertof Gloucester. .-, , 
 
 that properly be! Gloucester, as he was an Antiquary, as 
 long to the busi- we ii as an Historian, so here are inter- 
 ness of anAntiqua- , 
 ry. In the Saxon spers d divers Remarks, tnat properly 
 
 times the Princes, belong to the business of an Antiquary. 
 
 & other great Per- . n J 
 
 sonages, did not After he hath given an account of some 
 
 use to be buried at of the Wonders of Britain, such as our 
 
 their Palac<s,butat 
 
 Religious Houses. Antiquaries usually take notice of, he 
 
 Cosham in Wilt. 
 
 1 Coll. nostr. MSS. Vol. 62. p. 87. > Athen. Oxon. Vol. I. 
 col. 270. * Praef. p. cxux. 
 
 refers
 
 PREFACE. xxxv 
 
 refers to a Book written particularly sh re very famous 
 
 x*u T%/T i c r> * U' 1 T formerly. The Cof- 
 
 about the Marvels of Britain, which 1 fj n i ate ]y f oun d 
 
 take to have been much more copious, ther e beiong'd to 
 
 some nne (jentle. 
 
 than jeither the Chapter upon that Sub- man since the Con- 
 iect in Polychronicon, or even the little ^^'f^e Knife, 
 
 w ith which hd ward 
 
 anonymous Tract upon the same Sub- the Mariyr was 
 ject, that I found inserted in an old Jg*ETft! 
 Vellum MS. in Folio, that was lately time of Robert of 
 given me by my learned Friend Richard glT7c Jrch 
 Graves, Esq. In this Tract (which I formerly. 
 have publish'd in the Appendix *) the four Great 
 Roman Ways are deservedly reckon'd among 
 the Wonders of Britain, and the account of 
 them, however short, agrees with the Scheme 
 of them, that is given us (from a MS. in the 
 Cottonian Library) in the Discourse about the 
 four Great Roman Ways published in the Sixth 
 Volume* of Leland's Itinerary. Robert of 
 Gloucester's writing J Silchester in Hampshire 
 CyI)C0ftC0 confirms my opinion f, that it was so 
 called from the Flints, being no more than sili- 
 cum castra. His Remarks upon many of our 
 Religious Houses are pretty and usefull, and 
 now and then he shews a particular Modesty 
 on the occasion, in so much, that tho' it be 
 certain, that Sir William de Mohun founded 
 Bruton Abbey in Somersetshire, yet he expresses 
 himself after such a manner, as if he only 
 
 'Num.1. "Pag. 96. 3 Pag. 100,166. ^InNotis ad Alure- 
 dum Beverlacensem, p. 154. 
 
 c 2 thought,
 
 xxxvi THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 thought, and was not certain, that he was 
 Founder. What he says ' about Alfled, or J- 
 thelfleda, the famous Queen, or Lady, of the 
 Mercians being buried in St. Peter's Porch at 
 Gloucester is exactly agreeable to the Saxon 
 
 Annals, under the Year DCCCCXX. heo 
 
 gepojTXii. nihrum aep mitfoan fumejra bmnan 
 TamanpeopSe. J?y eahto^an jeape J?aer- J?e heo 
 COypcna anpalt> mit> jiihr halpojit>-t>ome heal- 
 t>ent)epaep -j hijie lie IrS bmnan Hileapceaprpe. 
 on J?ameaj-t>pojitice fee. Petpej" cijiecearr. 
 What can be a plainer Argument of so great a 
 Lady's Humility, than her chosingto be buried in 
 the Porch,, and to lye in a place, that had been fa- 
 mous for the fine Nunnery, that was there, before 
 it was destroyed by the Danes, as is noted not only 
 by others, but particularly by WilliamMalverne 
 (the last* Lord Abbat of Gloucester) in a Piece 
 never yet printed, which I shall therefore pu- 
 blish at the End of this Work 3 ? Her affection 
 to Religion induced her to fix upon Gloucester 
 for the Place of her Funeral, rather than Tarn- 
 worth, which was otherwise so very famous for 
 a Palace, in which the Mercian Princes us'd to 
 reside, and which she her self had restored to 
 it's pristine Splendour and Magnificence, after 
 it had been destroy'd by the Danes. But, it 
 may be, it will be said, that she pitch'd upon 
 
 Pag. 271. *Lelaud'sCo)l. Vol. VI. p. 214. * Appendix 
 Num. II. 
 
 Glou-
 
 PREFACE. xxxvir 
 
 Gloucester, because the Abbey Church there 
 had been founded by her Husband and her 
 self, rather than for any other reason. With- 
 out question that was a considerable Motive ; 
 but yet I am perswaded, that the celebrated 
 Nunnery, that had been there in former times, 
 was another very great one, as indeed it was 
 customary, in those Times, even for other 
 great Personages to be buried at Religious 
 Houses, where they had inhabited and resided. 
 In so much, that tho' Cosham, near Chippen- 
 ham in Wiltshire, was so much resorted to by 
 some of our Saxon Kings and other great Men* 
 where was a Palace for their Reception and 
 Entertainment, as there was after the Con- 
 quest a retiring House for the Earls of Corn- 
 wall, to whom the Mannour belonged (one of 
 which, viz. Edmund, obtain'd a Charter ? for a 
 Weekly Market to be held here every Friday, 
 as his Father Richard, a younger Son of King 
 John, had granted the Inhabitants several Pri- 
 vileges, which they still enjoy') yet 'twas not 
 a burying Place for these Great Men, not so 
 much as for K. Ethelred, who was more than 
 ordinarily delighted with it, and lay sick here 
 in MXV. but recovering, he went to London, 
 and dying the Year after on St. George's day ', 
 
 1 Cart. 13. E. 1. n. 39. Dug- 
 dale's Baronage, Tome I. p. 
 795. * Notes at the Bottom of 
 
 the Page of Gibson's Engl. Ed. 
 ofCamden'sBrit.p.87. 3 Chron. 
 Sax. Gibs. p. 146, 148. 
 
 c 3 was
 
 xxxvin THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 was buried in St. Paul's Church in the North 
 Isle beside the Quire. 'Tis true, indeed, there 
 was a Stone Coffin *, with humane Bones in it 
 of a larger Size than usual, in the Skull whereof 
 was a compleat Set of fine Teeth, found lately 
 by Cosham, which may perswade some, per- 
 haps, to think this was a Place of Burial for 
 several of our Princes and Nobility; but, as I 
 take it, this was a Coffin of some private fine 
 Gentleman since the Conquest, different from 
 the illustrious Persons I have been speaking of, 
 and yet of a great Character for his Virtues, 
 and the delicate Form of his Body. And here 
 I must caution the Reader, not to take this 
 Cosham to be the J&a&etfl)fltt1, in the Church of 
 which Place Robert of Gloucester tells J us the 
 long Knife, that St. Edward IheMartyr was kill'd 
 with, was preserved in his time. For this was 
 Caversham, commonly call'd Causham, & some- 
 times writ 4 Cowsham, a Village situated in Ox- 
 
 'Milles'sCat. of Honour, p. 
 28. Dugdale's Hist, of St. 
 Paul'sCathedral, p.95.Ed. 2d. 
 a See the Glossary tothis Work, 
 voc. 6ger. *Pag. 289. 4 See p. 
 128. of a Book, called, The 
 Connexion: being choice Col- 
 
 lections of some principal 
 Matters in King James his 
 Reign. Lond. 1681. 8vo. 
 where the following Order 
 OCCUITS, as I have entered it 
 in one of my MSS. [Coll. Vol. 
 79. p. 75.] 
 
 " Anno Dora. 1612. An. Reg. Jac. 19. 
 u An Order of the Privy Council. 
 " Whitehall January 18. 1621. 
 Present, 
 
 " Lord Keeper. 
 " Lord Treasurer. 
 " L. President. 
 
 Lord Dig by. 
 Lord Brook. 
 Mr. Treasurer. 
 
 L.M.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 fordshire, but is not far from Reading in Berk- 
 shire. Not only the Church of this Causham 
 (which is an Abbreviation, as Lei and saith ', 
 for Causeihara) was eminent (for great Men 
 resorted hither) but the fair old Chappel also 
 of Stone, that * stood toward the North End 
 of Causham Bridge, on the right Hand as we 
 come from Reading. To the foresaid Remarks 
 I must take the opportunity of adding, that in 
 the Saxon times abundance of great and illu- 
 strious Lay Persons made it their dying Re- 
 quest, that they might be buried in Religious 
 Houses. A Request, certainly, very reasonable, 
 and by no means to be wondred at, since a great 
 $ Number of those Houses were Lay Founda- 
 tions, and it was, therefore, very proper both 
 
 xxxix 
 
 " L. M. Hamilton. 
 
 Mr. Secret. Culvert. 
 
 " Earle Marshall. 
 
 Mr. Chanc. Excheq. 
 
 " " L. Vise. Falkland. 
 
 Master of the Rolls. 
 
 u WhereashisMajesty isGra- 
 
 " ed, That the Earl of So. 
 
 " ciously pleased, to enlarge & 
 
 " merset and his Lady, do 
 
 " set at liberty the Earl of So- 
 
 " repair either to Grays or 
 
 " merset" [Sir Robert Carr~\ 
 
 " Covsham, the Lord Wat- 
 
 and his Lady," [the Lady 
 
 " lingford's Houses in the 
 
 " Frances Howard,'] " now 
 
 " County of Oxon, and re- 
 
 " Prisoners in the Tower of 
 
 *' maiu confin'd to one or 
 
 " London ; and that,never- 
 
 u either of the said Houses, 
 
 <l theless, it is thought fit, that 
 
 " and within three Miles 
 
 " both the said Earl and his 
 
 (( compass of either of the 
 
 tl Lady be confined to some 
 
 " same, untill further Order 
 
 " convenient Place : It is 
 
 " be given by his Majesty . 
 
 " therefore, according to his 
 
 1 Itin. Vol. II. p. 5. *Le- 
 
 " Majestie's Gracious Plea- 
 
 land ibid. * Coll. nostr. MSS. 
 
 " sure and Command, Order- 
 
 Vol. 102, p. 150. 
 
 c4 for
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 for the Founders themselves, as well as for such 
 as were, both at the time of the Foundation and 
 afterwards, particular or special Benefactors, 
 should be buried, if they desired it, in Places 
 that themselves had rais'd, a thing agreeable 
 to the most early Antiquity, as may appear 
 from even the famous Egyptian Pyramids. 'Tisf 
 incredible to think, what advantage the bury- 
 ing of such great and devout Persons was to 
 the respective Religious Houses, where they 
 were so laid. These Houses (term'd $J)J)|t(l0tJ5 
 in Antiquity) were then esteem'd (and that 
 justly too) to be the principal Mother Churches, 
 and of them we are chiefly to understand these 
 Words' in KingEdgar's Laws, -j man ajype'ylce 
 aelcreojjungeto J?aem ealfcan mynprjieSe peo 
 hyjinefje to hypj? ; i. e. andlet every one givehis 
 Tithes to the old Church, ( Monasterie or Mymtev) 
 t o which the district belongs. Mr. Selden * trans- 
 lates these Words, ealfcan mynprneBefeo hyji- 
 nejT-e ro hynf>,fo the ancientest Church or Moms- 
 terie where he hears God's Service, and yet Brom- 
 pton, in his old Translation, hath 3 , 8f reddatur 
 omnis decimatio ad matrem ecclesiam cut parochia 
 adjacet, as even Selden himself had before * ob- 
 serv'd. But then tho' these Words we primarily 
 to be understood of Religious Houses (among 
 which are to be reckoned what were afterwards 
 
 'SrelmanniConcil. Vol. 1. 1 Apud X. Script, col. 871. 
 p.444. 'Hist.of Tithes, p. 262. | 4 Hist, of Tithes, p. 219. 
 
 called
 
 PREFACE. xn 
 
 called Cathedral Churches ) yet they are secunda- 
 rily to be understood also of other Churches, 
 that were afterwards look'd upon likewise as 
 Mother Churches, as having the right of Se- 
 pulture annex'd to them. Such inferior Mo- 
 ther Churches were founded generally by emi- 
 nent Lay Persons, and the Parishes of such 
 Churches were as extensive as the Founders 
 Possessions, (at least as such Possessions as were 
 styl'dBoclant) or lands possess'd Optimo jure) and 
 'twas in these Churches (when they became 
 frequent) that the Founders then often de- 
 sired to be buried, in allusion to, and in imita- 
 tion of, the Practise of such Founders of, and 
 Benefactors to, Religious Houses as desired to 
 be buried in Monasteries. These inferior Mo- 
 ther Churches are mentioned in Edgar's Laws 
 1 by the Name of Churches thathad Legejiprope, 
 or place of Burial, where is mention also of a 
 third (which is the lowest) kind of Churches, 
 those that had noLegepprope. The second kind 
 of Churches I have spoke of had likewise (as 
 well as the principal Mother Churches) right of 
 Baptism ; but wherever there was a Church 
 that had neither sepulturam nor baptisterium, that 
 was properly to be understood of the third 
 kind, and such Churches of this third Class 
 they styled often pelfccyjucan, or Field Churches, 
 what we call now Chappels of Ease, among 
 
 1 Spelmanni Cone. loc, cit. 
 
 which
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 which are to be reckon'd ' Binsey, Sandford, 
 and Wolvercote near to, and Holy well in the 
 Suburbs of, Oxford, as well as multitudes be- 
 sides, which had not anciently sepulturam Sf ba~ 
 ptisterium, tho' they have that Privilege since. 
 Robert of Glouce- & VII. But I shall leave all farther 
 
 stcr'saccountofthe _^ . 
 
 Conflict between JDescants upon the several Particulars 
 the Scholars and i n t hi s Author immediately relating to 
 
 Townsmen of Ox- . . J 
 
 ford, in the time Antiquities to the intelligent Reader's 
 of Henry III. very own observation, unless it be that 
 
 remarkable m all 
 
 it r s Circumstances. * concerning the great Conflict in the 
 Year 1263. between the Scholars and Towns- 
 men of Oxford. This Passage is very remark- 
 able in all it's Circumstances, and for that rea- 
 son Mr. Wood hath very justly, tho' not with- 
 out divers Mistakes, inserted it J at large in his 
 History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford. 
 It seems Prince Edward, in his Journey towards 
 the Marches of Wales, came by Oxford, but 
 was hindered by the Townsmen (who shut the 
 Gates against him ) from coming into the Place, 
 by reason of the Barons War, whereupon he 
 went to King's Hall (being the fine Royal Pa- 
 lace, called Cl)0 'BftUUTUmtS ) situated in the 
 West Suburbs, where he lay all Night. The 
 next day he went away, and, after he was 
 gone, the Gates were all open'd butg>mftf)8at. 
 This was the Gate, through which the Scho- 
 
 1 Vide Ed. nostr. Guil. Neubr. p. 756. * See p. 540. * Lib, 
 I.pag. 112. 
 
 lars
 
 PREFACE. XLIII 
 
 Jars us'd to go into the pleasant Fields ( parti- 
 cularly the fair open Green, now arable ground, 
 the North Boundary whereof is to this Day 
 call'd $t0Ett-iDftCf)) in which they were wont 
 to exercise themselves at several kinds of Sports 
 after Meals, and upon extraordinary occasions, 
 but finding the Gate shut upon them, they 
 were exceedingly enraged, and the more, be- 
 cause they had been before obstructed from 
 seeing the Prince, a sight they were very de- 
 sirous of, on purpose that they might the 
 better express their Loyalty. They often in- 
 treated the BaylifFs to open the Gate, but find- 
 ing it was in vain, they got it broke down, and 
 afterwards carried it in triumph through the 
 Beaumonts Fields to ^atC foClI or |)atettJCl!, 
 which was such a Grievance to the Townsmen, 
 that they took an occasion to imprison many 
 Scholars, and would have proceeded to the ut- 
 most Violence, had they not been overpowered 
 by the Scholars, as they were in all Encoun- 
 ters, unless the Scholars were far outnumbered 
 by the Townsmen's calling to their Assistance 
 (a thing common with them) a parcel of Ruf- 
 fians and illiterate Fellows out of the Coun- 
 try. John Stowe mentions this difference in 
 the Folio Edition ' of his Chronicle, under the 
 Year 1264. and tho' he doth not refer us to 
 Robert of Gloucester, yet I do not doubt but 
 he took the Story from him, or, at least, from 
 
 some 
 1 P. 193.
 
 XLIT THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 some body that had made use of him. Edward 
 
 me saoifng r ^ e lunff0 Conne > (saith he) after ^ mucne 
 ami Eurseiwea of from $ari0, about Hent, toofte W I'ourneg 
 surfer* $e one totoatH tfje 9arcj), anti patting by <3Djcforti, 
 tlje Burgetteg tyut up tljeir pteg apintt 
 Sim, toljerebp %z toa0 focceU to lit at tlje l&mg:^ 5aU 
 %otxnc till tlje nejt morroto, anti 
 
 tlje "ZlTotone, trafec up rije gate tljat lealitt!) totoarU 
 OBeaumont, fin totic^ tieeti t^e S^aioc Cent fomeof ttjem 
 to priCon: anti not long after, tofjile tlje ^cljoUer? 
 toere attitnner, tlje Sl^aior anti Commons*, toitl) ban= 
 nec0 Difpla^eD, rtjougtit to ^ate Cpo^leti tlje Clarfceg 
 tre t^e^^aU beene atoare, fout being efppeti, t^e fc^olr 
 lerg ranne together, anD toit^ bo\xie0 anD ot^ec toea= 
 
 hrahe up manpljoufesf, fpo^ling tljepoli&antJ fettle 
 
 |)OUfejS Of tlje porttU'ueg (William Spicer anti GefFrey 
 
 ' Henciej) on fire, on tlje >outl) (itie of t^e totone. 
 S^oreouer, becaufe tlje ^aior (Nicholas Kingstone) 
 toa0 a tlintener, tljep brafcefop t^e Elintrie, tranfee tlje 
 , anti fpopleti tljem, for t^e fttjiclj facttfte liinff 
 leai:feegf anl5 &c!)oUer0 to be banifyeti t^e 
 fort ba. tlniueratie. This Victory of the Scolars stuck 
 niffjcD. 
 
 Lege I^encfeg, so call'd 
 
 from one of the Hencseys or Hincksey, dedicatedtoSt.John 
 Hinckseys,viz.eifaeTLimrence [Coll. nostr. MSS.Vol.102. p. 
 
 Hincksey, or North Hincksey, 
 (ot'teutimes call'dFerryHinck- 
 soy, and, from the vast quantity 
 of I rythatwas formerly, before 
 the present Churchor Chappel 
 was built, about the Church, 
 
 Ivy Hincksey) or else South 
 
 121.] both situated in Berk- 
 shire (being Chappels of Ease 
 to Cumnor,theChurch of which 
 is dedicated to St. Michael 
 [Coll. nostr. MSS. Vol. 102. 
 p. 119.]) but are near Oxford. 
 
 SO
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 90 iftudi in the Townsmen's Stomacks, that it 
 Was one main reason of the Barbarity they 
 shew'd the Scholars in the very great Conflict 
 that afterwards fell out in the Reign of Ed- 
 ward the third, which indeed is much the big- 
 gest that ever happened between the two 
 Bodies. 
 . VIII. But tho'Mr.Wood hath pu- Which tho' it be 
 
 iv i j ,i t /. .. , published by Mr. 
 
 bhshed the beforementioned Passage, Wood,yetheseems 
 
 and refers to a MS. for it; yet since he to have had it from 
 
 second hand. The 
 hath not told us where this MS. is $aretoell, mention, 
 
 lodg'd (which, notwithstanding, I have ed in . that ^ c " 
 
 count, is, proba- 
 
 at last found to be that in the Cotto- bly, the same with 
 nian Library) I am of opinion, that he J*^ ,f the 
 had it from secondhand, either from oldest Well of note 
 
 Brian TVyne's, or Dr. Gerard Lang- ' 
 
 baine's Papers, which he had glean'd, St.ciement's,older 
 
 , , , . , . than the old Well 
 
 and out of which, in a very great mea- from which Saint 
 
 sure, he collected his Book. I have Crosse's Parish, in 
 
 ., ., . -m /TOO the Suburbs of Ox- 
 
 seen, among other things, two MSS. f or d, was called 
 
 Catalogues of the Magistrates of the HoiywelLTtere- 
 
 TT . f^ t* j i 11 ^ spectformerlypaid 
 
 University of Oxford, drawn excellently to Wells, which 
 
 well, (with references to the several occasionedjlnjunc. 
 
 tions against the 
 
 Registers and Books made use of) one Worship of them. 
 by Brian Twyne, and the other by Dr. Lang- 
 baine, and 'twas from these Catalogues that 
 Mr. Wood compiled his Catalogue, in which 
 much Reading is shew'd. 'Tis observable, that 
 Mr. Wood does not tell us, what the foresaid 
 
 Jjace tuell or {patetOell (mentioned in this Frag- 
 
 ment)
 
 XLVI THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 ment ) was. For my part, I take it to hate been 
 what we now call flBaltOtt Wtll, (so named 
 from the old Village of CHaltQtt* now de- 
 stroy'd f ) which is on this Side of another old 
 Well call'd atfffOtle'KJ &&t\l, and sometimes 
 OBnimaiTiS OfleU, which name ofBtUtttatt it 
 had from one 05tUmmanor 'BtUmatt It tfCf) or 
 t&e rlCf), who lived in the time of K. Hen. III. 
 (when Robert of Gloucester flourished) or, as 
 others say, about the time of K. Henry I *. As 
 Brumman, or Bruman, was a very wealthy Man, 
 so he had a great Estate hereabouts, was com- 
 monly called 'Brummatt rtje ric& of OLtalton J , 
 
 and was always very civil and obliging to the 
 Scholars. In those times, what we now call 
 
 Odaltott flUell was styi'd Jpatefciell or DOW 
 
 from it's Antiquity, (as ^attDClI, or 
 near Abbington in Berks was like- 
 wise so call'd upon the same account) {jat or 
 IjOEC, as I have lately insinuated 4 , signifying old, 
 which Name it retained, among many, divers 
 Years after. I take it to be the oldest Well of 
 note about Oxford, where, however, there 
 were formerly a great many famous Wells. 
 JpOlptPClI cannot come at all in competition 
 with it for it's Antiquity. For the Church or 
 
 1 Coll. nostr. MSS. Vol. 67. 
 p. 14. Item Praef. nostr. ad 
 Joan. Rossi Hist, regum Ang- 
 liae ?P .vm. 'Coll.nostr.MSS. 
 
 Vol. 57.p.l24. J Coll. nostr. 
 MSSVol. 88. p. 20. * Vide- 
 sis Praef. nostr. ad Hemingi 
 Chartular. Eccl. Wig. .xi. 
 Chap.
 
 PREFACE. XLVII 
 
 Chappell of 5)Ol|>tD0n is properly call'd ^)t 
 (ZtOf!8i'J5 (being dedicated to the Holy Cross, 
 and built too in form of a Cross, tho' the North 
 part be now down) and 'twas first call'd lj)0I]>- 
 tUCll from the Well many Years after the Build- 
 ing of it, when the Water was known and 
 fam'd to have a peculiar virtue for the Eyes, 
 and was thence term'd lioly. But tho' ()0lp- 
 fBClI was so much celebrated, yet the Fame of 
 
 dtWData'& or, as others , t 
 223Eli,without'BrfrjQ;ft 5 or rather 
 
 or XtitlfffljptljC *, commonly, and indeed more 
 anciently, call'd &t Clttlnt'& by Oxford was 
 far greater, in so much that there was a Resort 
 of all sorts of People from all Parts to it, and 
 the Water J of it was believed to be so effectual 
 in curing divers Distempers, and thereupon 
 held to be of so great Sanctity, that here they 
 made Vows, and brought their Alms and Of- 
 ferings. This was the Case also of abundance 
 of other Wells throughout the Kingdom, which 
 gave occasion to several Injunctions prohibiting 
 such respect, as a Thing indecent and super- 
 stitious, and, among others, the Worship of 
 this Well of St. Edward was particularly forbid 
 by Oliver Button, Bishop of Lincoln, in the time 
 of Edward the first. This Well-worship was 
 call'd by our Saxon Ancestors UJilpeojiJpunge or 
 
 1 Coll. nostr. MSS Vol.88. I Plot's Natural Hist.of Oxford- 
 p. 26. Ibid. p. 10. 3 Dr. ' shire, chap. II. . 70. 
 
 ITilpeoji-
 
 xtviit THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 UJilpeojiJjunja, and is strictly forbidden in King 
 Edgar's Canons and K. Cnute's Laws, as 'twas 
 in a Council at London under Archbishop An- 
 selm in the Year 1 102. as is well noted by Mr. 
 Somner ', and some of our best Criticks ob- 
 serve, that what is translated Will-worship in 
 Colossians * should be Well-worship. This Well 
 of St. Edward is now quite stopt up, and hath 
 been so for many Years, but it was in the 
 Field about a Furlong S. S. West of St. Cle- 
 ment's Church, and I have heard some of the 
 Ancients of Oxford talk of it, as many old 
 People will likewise speak with great satis- 
 faction of the old Well [calPd by them com- 
 monly CtOfo'fUelli. e. Cross-well] of Jpolp'-tuell 
 that was also stopt up, as a vast Number of 
 others were, after the Injunctions came to be 
 of force, and were put in Execution ; tho* it 
 must be acknowledged, that CtQtD'tDCU ( which 
 was almost opposite to the Cross that is in the 
 Wall of Magdalen College Grove, notwith- 
 standing Dr. Plot insinuates 3 , that it was the 
 Well behind Holywell Church, in the Court be- 
 fore the Mannour House) was opened again 
 some Years after it had been stop'd, and con- 
 tinued in great fame 'till the Siege of Oxford, 
 particularly for it's good service to bad Eyes, 
 
 1 Saxon Diet. voc. Wilpeopjmn je. * Ch. II. T. 23. s Nat. 
 Hist, of Oxfordsh. ch. X. . 142. 
 
 which
 
 PREFACE. xttx 
 
 Which occasion'd these Verses to be put upon 
 the Cover of it : 
 
 Hetno man tfria caHell Hefpife. 
 
 3[t uoes no !>arm, but J>elp0 $e <&iw. 
 
 Soon after the Siege, the Stones of it were car- 
 ried by Mr. Cowdrey the Shoe-maker to the 
 Well, now call'd, from the Person that lives at 
 it, JftefotOtt'gi ftftjell, that is on the East side of 
 Holy-well Church. But notwithstanding all 
 this, CtdaltOn 2JCll (which, I think, was most 
 of all frequented ' in the time that the 
 King's Palace, called ^fjC 'BCiUIttl0Ut& and the 
 Carmelite Friery at the said Palace flourished) 
 was not concerned in these Prohibitions, be- 
 cause the Water was not esteem'd and look'd 
 upon as holy. Neither was 3riff0tlC'0 2H0U 
 ( which I take to be near as ancient a Well as 
 that of SOaitOlt) included in the Prohibitions, 
 being fam'd only for it's being frequented by 
 Scholars, not for it's Sanctity, but for a House 
 of Entertainment here built, to which they 
 us'd to resort, especially on Ashwednesdays, 
 when the Batchelours of Arts, that defend Ari- 
 stotle in the Publick Disputations, are styl'd 
 Aristotles, and formerly, after the hot Disputa- 
 tions in the Schools, they, as well as other Scho- 
 lars, us'd togo into the Fields by this Well, which 
 was their Place of Refreshment, and exercise 
 themselves in another manner, not so proper 
 1 Coll. nostr. MSS. Vol. 67. p. 16. 
 
 Vol. I. d for
 
 * THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 for them, which some Years agoe was put 
 down. 
 Our Author's Poe. . ix. I am here very sensible, that 
 
 try agreeable to the . 
 
 Genius of his Age, an Objection against Robert of GIou- 
 
 and his regard to ces ter will be started by several upon 
 
 Truth m his J 
 
 Rhythms answers the score of his Poetry, as if that were 
 
 to make him 
 
 oldBritains. neglected and despised. But he (and 
 
 not Chaucer, as Dr. Thomas Fuller ', and some 
 others would have it, ) is the Ennius of the En- 
 glish Nation, and he is, on that account, to be 
 as much respected, as even Ennius himself was 
 among the Romans, and I have good reason 
 to think, that he will be so by Friends to our 
 Antiquities, and our old History. J Tis the Ge- 
 nius of the age that is to be regarded in such 
 Pieces of Poetry. The Poetry of those time s 
 consisted of Rhythms both here and in other 
 Countries, and the Poets thought they had 
 done their Parts well, if their Rhythms, how- 
 ever mean otherwise, related matter of Fact, 
 and were agreeable to Truth. And truly this 
 exactly corresponded with the Rules of the an- 
 cient Pythagoraeans. For even Tully tells us, 
 at the Beginning of the IV th ' Book of his Tus- 
 culan Questions, that the Pythagoreans us'd to 
 put their Precepts and other Things of mo- 
 
 1 Church-History of Bri- 
 tain, 1. VI. p. 268. tho' he had 
 before told us, 1. III. p. 4. that 
 
 he [Rob. of Glouc.] was 
 counted the Virgil of his age, 
 and the Ennius in ours. 
 
 ment
 
 PREFACE. LI 
 
 inent (among which, to be sure, are to be reck- 
 on'd the famous Acts of their Ancestors) into 
 Verse, and that it was usual with the old Ro- 
 mans, according to the Custom of the Pytha- 
 goraeans, when they sat at Banquets, to recite 
 the Virtues and Praises of Great Men in Verse* 
 and to sing and play upon the Pipe upon such 
 occasions, and thence, as I take it, even the 
 old Britains, who followed the Pythagorasan 
 Doctrines, addicted themselves so much to 
 Verse, tho' as well the Pyth agora ans, as Ro- 
 mans and Britains, took care, that no Verse 
 should tend to the Injury of another, one of 
 the Laws of the XII. Tables expressly forbid- 
 ding any such Indecency, and some of our old 
 Rhythms laying down Rules against any unbe- 
 coming Expressions in Poetry, such as may con- 
 duce to Immorality; and in this, as well as his 
 unaffected way of relating matter of Fact in 
 Rhythm, our Author is to be commended, as a 
 true Picture of Antiquity. 
 
 . X. Since, therefore, Robert of ^ e ^ co . nti ed 
 
 too long hid from 
 Gloucester appears, on all accounts, to the World. Theva- 
 
 be so valuable an Author, what reason %*&% 
 can be assign'd, that he hath been so lowed in the Edi. 
 much neglected, and that he was not %&> 
 long since published to the World ? 'Tis guage, as well as 
 
 . , , .-, i , /. ,. T the VVork, altered 
 
 probable the Obsoleteness of the Lan- in the MS> of the 
 guage might be the main reason, or, at Herald's Office, 
 least, 'tis likely, that some Persons of ^ho liyed in "the 
 d 2 time of ** en ' VL 
 
 Di
 
 LII THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 Distinction, not pleased with several of bis ho- 
 nest Relations of Things, might characterize 
 him as au insignificant Writer, and prejudice 
 the Readers so much against him, that they 
 were not at all sollicitous about an Edition. Be 
 this as it will, as I look upon him to be one of 
 the first Rank in our old Historians, so I, many 
 Years agoe, had thoughts of publishing him ac- 
 cording to the Bodleian MS. to which I had 
 then daily access. But finding afterwards, that 
 there are much better Copies in the World, I 
 laid aside my Design of publishing this Author, 
 and did not resume it 'till above a Year agoe, 
 when the Loan of a MS. that formerly belong'd 
 to Sir Simonds D'Ewes, (whose MSS. the Earl 
 of Oxford purchas'd) was procur'd for me out 
 of the Harleyan Library by that most eminent 
 Physician the learned Dr. Richard Mead, who 
 is my very great Friend. It came to me, ac- 
 companied with another MS. of Robert of 
 Gloucester, the Loan of which was obtain'd 
 for me out of the Heralds Office by another 
 great Friend, the learned John Bridges, Esq. 
 who was at the trouble of transmitting both 
 these MSS. to me. As soon as I saw the Har- 
 leyan MS. I presently concluded, that it was a 
 very good one and authentick, and therefore 
 I immediately transcrib'd it, and resolved to 
 make it my Text. But then as to that of the 
 Heralds Office, I found not only the Language of 
 
 Ro-
 
 PREFACE. LIU 
 
 Robert of Gloucester to be altered throughout 
 in it, but the Work quite changed in several 
 respects, by having some Passages transposed, 
 others omitted, and divers inserted that were 
 never written by Robert of Gloucester, who 
 was of different Principles from this Author. A 
 great deal of Prose History in English (partly 
 taken from Geffry of Monmouth, partly from 
 William of Malmsbury, partly from Brute of 
 England, Polyclironicon, 6fc. ) is intermix'd in 
 this MS. with what is in Rhythm, but as the 
 Substance of most of this is already published 
 in Stowe (who had seen this MS.) and other 
 Books, I have left out much the greatest part 
 of it, and confin'd my self to the genuine 
 Work of Robert of Gloucester, which, however* 
 I have carefully compar'd with this MS. of the 
 Heralds Office, and taken notice of what I 
 thought proper, and have inserted my Obser<- 
 vations from it (among which are to be reck- 
 on'd also those of the Prose part) at the bot- 
 tom of the page, always subjoyning Ar. [i. e. 
 the MS. of the College of Arms'] to them. Who 
 the Author was, that took such a liberty with 
 Robert of Gloucester (a thing that hath hap- 
 pened to many other ancient Remains) I will 
 not pretend, at present, to determine; but this 
 is certain, that he both lived and wrote in the 
 time of Hen. VI. as appears from this Memo- 
 randum, (written all [excepting^! CCCC* 
 d 3
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 in red Letters, but in the same Hand with the 
 Book) at the Beginning of the Work : Si pe* 
 
 tegreu, fro ftllffliam Conquerour, of tfje Crofcmr 
 of (Enplontie, tynnpatlp liefcentijmg;, tm to fepmj 
 $enrp tfje fcf. in tlje etrt of tfy& fcofee tymneto 
 fa Jrffurg. <&!)!# bofee, tmtl) fipg anteceUeng 
 ana confcquen& toag ful eiituro tlje tu tag offc 
 jauffuft, tfje sere of oure lorfie a $$** tttt. 
 anti t^e pere of oure fouera^n lorlJC 
 ^arcg tje tf. after t&e conqued t^e ffti. 
 , however, is . XI. Tho' this MS. of the Heralds 
 
 Office (for the use^of which I am in a 
 
 also that of Robert particular manner-obliged to my learn* 
 of Gloucester, A,_., T1 ji- ^i 
 
 Rhythmical Ac- cd Friend John Anstis, Esq. Garter, 
 
 count of the Kings principal King of Arms) be in several 
 of England at the L. ' , . , , ., - ., 
 
 End of his MS. Places imperfect, and hath some of the 
 
 which is here like- Leaves transpos'd (as a few Leaves are 
 also transpos'd in the Harleyan MS.) 
 yet 'tis, as I judge, the very original Book. 
 The Author, undoubtedly, took a great deal 
 of pains in new modelling Robert of Glou- 
 cester, and in adapting every Thing to his own 
 Scheme. He divers times introduceth the 
 Rhythms by the name of OlH Efiptfitttfr but 
 never so much as once mentions the Name of 
 Robert of Gloucester, or pretends to discover 
 what his own Name was. Mr. Weever had di- 
 ligently perus'd this MS. and quotes it some- 
 times as if the whole were Robert of Glouce- 
 ster's, a mistake that some great Men besides 
 
 have 

 
 PREFACE. j.v 
 
 have been guilty of with respect to other 
 Writers, as may plainly appear, as well from 
 other Instances, as from what I observ'd 
 Jately with regard to Fordun's Scotichronicon- 
 %Ll)Z ffitttQttll mentioned in the Note abovesaid 
 is still to be seen at the end of the MS. toge- 
 ther with the Limnings or Pictures (all but 
 that of William Rufus and Henry I. which are 
 cut out) of the Kings of England from William 
 the Conquerour to Hen. VI. inclusively, and 
 this additional Part is also cited by Weever, 
 but in that he happens to distinguish rightly, 
 making it, as it is, quite different from any 
 Piece of Robert of Gloucester's Writings. The 
 Pictures I have omitted, but the rest I have 
 printed in my Appendix ', and, I hope, I have 
 thereby obliged those that have any respect 
 for our Antiquities. 
 
 . XII. The Reader will perceive at But these Rhythms 
 first sight, that these Rhythms are much "an Those of Ro* 
 
 shorter than those of Robert of Glou- bertof Gloucester, 
 
 ..,,..,. __._ as are likewise 
 
 cester. And indeed in this very MS. those in this MS. 
 
 in the Body of the Book, is also a great JJ 1 ** rel f*f to Kin S 
 
 Richard I. 
 
 Number of other Rhythms, that are 
 also shorter than Robert's, I mean such as re- 
 late to Richard the First; (which nevertheless 
 are erroneously ascrib'd by Dr. Fuller * to Ro- 
 bert of Gloucester : ) but then I have quite 
 
 'Num. III. *Ch.Hist.l. 
 III. p. 43. where he gives us 
 the following Rhythms,and in 
 
 the Margin calls them Robert 
 of Gloucester's : 
 d 4
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 omitted all these, partly because they are (in ma- 
 ny respects) strangely Romantick, and partly be- 
 cause they are of the same kind with those that 
 were printed by Wynkyn de Worde in the Year 
 1528. under the Title of Cfje&tarp Of tfje HOlJlC 
 f&P!tP ;&( Cfjartl Ctlte tlC Upon, of which I never 
 yet saw but one Copy, which is that in the 
 Bodleian Library, that I formerly mentioned 
 in a Letter about Geffry Chaucer that I wri* 
 in the Year 1709, to the before mentioned 
 1 ingenious Mr. Bagford, which Letter I shall 
 insert at large in my Appendix *, partly because 
 (provided I may be allow'd to say this) it was 
 much approved of by my late very honest and 
 learned Friend Mr. John Urry, to whom some 
 body had communicated it, and partly because 
 it happened to be, upon several accounts, com- 
 mended by some other Persons of distinction, 
 
 * Jafes, King Eic&arfc tovfy CUtJ entent 
 
 saith ^o rat cite 6f * 3laf toent 
 
 Fuller) n tnom |>e Cent aftur &ii Eobert fta&etoile 
 
 that is it SHiHiatn 329ateruile 
 
 Joppa in * ir ^ubartanti ftir Eo&art of tlurn&am 
 
 Palestine. ^ Bertram 38rantie0 atrti 31o|)n He >t 3to&n 
 
 Which veryRhythms Kind also | MS.oftheHeraldsOffice, where 
 in those about Richard I. inthe | they are thus express'd : 
 
 Eicf)arn totf!) gooti entent 
 tJTo tljat cite of 3tafei8 toent. 
 2Dn mortoe |>e fent aftur Eobert >aleuile, 
 e >ire aiaailleam tl)e caaateruile, 
 ire I&ubert * ffiobert of STurnftam, 
 Sire Bettram ^raunHie $ 3Io|m He 8egnt ^lo^an, 
 
 ? . III. * Num. IV; 
 
 to
 
 PREFACE. LVH 
 
 to whom it was occasionally shew'd. Nor have 
 I heard of but one more printed Copy of this 
 Book about K. Richard (tho', without doubt, 
 they were formerly common enough ) and that 
 is that in the Harleyan Library, which is much 
 more clean and perfect than the Bodleian Copy, 
 as I am assured by my ingenious Friend the 
 Reverend Mr. Timothy Thomas, M. A. and 
 Student of Christ Church, who takes notice 1 , 
 that the Title Page of this Book has a wooden 
 Cut of a Knight on horseback, attended by a 
 Squire, and these words on the top of the Page, 
 Kyng Rycharde cure dulyon : 
 
 that there then follows on the other side of the 
 Leaf, 
 
 The prologue 
 Orde kynge of glory e 
 Suche grace and suche vyctory 
 Thou sendest to kynge Rycharde 
 That neuer was found cowarde 
 It is good to here Jestes 
 Of his prowesse and his conquestes 
 Many romayns men make newe 
 Of good knyghtes and oftrewe 
 &c. 
 
 and that at the End of the Book are these 
 words : 
 
 1 In his Letter to me Oct. 22. 1723. * So in his Letter to 
 me June 20. 1723. 
 
 f Thus
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 f Thus endeth the story of the noble kyge Ry- 
 charde cure de lyon. Imprinted at London by 
 wynkyn de worde. TJie yere of our lorde. 
 M. ccccc and. xxvm. 
 
 u of XIII. Now altho* I will not pre- 
 
 which Rhythms a- , ,. 
 
 bout Richard I. tend to discover the Author of the ad- 
 
 seems to have been ditional Rhythms about our Kings to 
 Robert of Brunne. 
 
 Robert of Gloucester, yet (at present) 
 
 I am of opinion, that those about Richard the 
 first in the Body of the Book, as well as the 
 printed ones, were written by Robert of Brunne, 
 the same, I mean, that translated Robert 
 
 Grosthead's ^attttelc pecclje (or ^anttel ue 
 
 J^eCfje) out of French, of which there is a small 
 Fol. MS. in the Harleyan Library on Parch- 
 ment, wrote very near the Author's time, 
 having two Columns on each page, as those 
 Rhythms about Richard the first, in the MS. 
 of the Heralds Office, are likewise in two Co- 
 lumns, contrary to what Robert of Gloucester's 
 are. This MS. of Robert of Brunne's Transla- 
 tion begins with this Title in Red letters: 
 
 Here bygynnefy the lolce \>at men clepyn in frenslie 
 manuele pecche \>ewhych bokc made yn frenshe 
 Rdberd Gros test BisUop oflyncolne. 
 
 3d?r anti Cone and ijoip pfte 7 
 |>at art o goto of m?5j3 mottej 
 
 Sit ft? tourfcljpp tyul toe
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 o fijeto tg to frame 
 (0oO to toutfcljpp j?efenti to tyame 
 
 Shameful Cpnne P0 goto to iete 
 &l J>at men too bo]>e ftnale $ gcete 
 
 |>e fftete toitfroutgn pryuyte 
 fat ten comune to me $ t&e 
 
 This Author became famous very soon, even 
 in the Year 1303. 31. Edw. I. (above thirty 
 Years before he finished his Chronicle, a most 
 rare Work, and known to very few of our His- 
 torians and Antiquaries, which was in the 
 Year 1338.) as appears from the following 
 Lines, which conclude the second Column of 
 the first Page of the said MS. Translation of 
 ^anUCle peCC&C, and were sent me ', with what 
 I have already said about this MS. by my be- 
 fore mentioned ingenious Friend Mr. Timothy 
 Thomas, and he did it the more readily, not 
 only because they have the Author's (or rather 
 Translators) Name, but because there are in 
 them some other Circumstances, which may 
 contribute to know him more perfectly. 
 
 ^o alle ct^ffpnmen unt>ir funne i 
 to poe men of brunne J 
 
 1 ID a Letter dated Sept. 19. 1723.
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 nti rpecfalt alle be name 7 
 
 \>z felaufyepe of fe^mpcpngljame J 
 
 HobecD of brunne ffjetej? goto 7 
 
 31 n al poeneffe >at map to proto 3 
 
 flDf Brpmtoafee pn feefteuene_ 
 
 y btoelleU pn tlje pryorye 7 
 
 jfpftene jere pn cumpanpe 3 
 
 31nJ>e tpmeof jrooeUane Jone 7 
 >f camelton J?at noto y0 pne J 
 31 n ty$ tpme teas ^ few ten seceg 7 > 
 ilno Rneto anD tjerUe of tipss manereg 3 
 
 fe^pn toitlj Dane 3!ojie of clpntone 7 
 jfpue topntyc topj> Ijp gan ^ toone 3 
 
 2Dane felpp toas mapttec J>at tpme 7 
 fat ^ began }>%& enfflpfl^ rpme 3 
 
 fe zece^ of grace f^l fan to be \ 
 Si f oufyno $ f re tiundreD $ f re j 
 
 This Robert of . XIV. This Robert of Brunne is 
 Brunne the same .. ... n , . , t , . 
 
 with Stowe's Ro- "ie same with Robert Brune, that is 
 
 bertBrune. Stowe quoted in the Margin of the Folio Ed. 
 
 was certainly the ._.. tor* 
 
 Author of the or Stowe s Annals under the Year 1400. 
 Fragments, that I in the Rei2 . n o f Kin ff Henry III. But 
 have printed in J 
 
 Heming. Stowe's what Book twas that Stowe made use 
 Honesty, and the of th he hath not beefl p l ease d to 
 
 value ot nis Cnro- t m ... 
 
 nicle. A very re- acquaint us. Neither, indeed, is either 
 
 r^RobeTof Brune or Brunne mentioned in the va- 
 Brunne's Chroni- luable Fragments of Stowe, that I re- 
 S? si!' t r ittc h Pnted lately at the End of Hennng from 
 eurrs in Stowe. a Copy communicated to me by my inge- 
 nious and curious Friend Mr. John Murray. I 
 call these Fragment's Stowe's, because I find 
 
 the
 
 PREFACE. Lxt 
 
 the Conjecture I made in my Dissertation a- 
 bout them, -viz. not only that John Stowe was 
 the Author of them, but that they belong'd to 
 some short Chronicle, to which was prefix'd 
 some Calendar, to be very just and true. For 
 indeed they belong'd to Stowe's Summary or 
 Abridgment of the Chronicles of England. For 
 tho' I have not yet met with a Copy of this 
 Summary with these Fragments, in which we 
 have an Account of his Authors, yet in a Pre- 
 face that he put to one Edition of his Sum- 
 mary, which ends in the Year 1573. he expressly 
 tells us, that he was the Author of those Frag- 
 ments. I never saw (that I remember) but 
 one Copy of that Edition, and it was given me 
 by my very learned Friend Mr. Baker of Cam- 
 bridge. This Copy, tho' a little imperfect both 
 at the Beginning and End, is a very great Cu- 
 riosity (as indeed all Editions of the Summary 
 are now Curiosities) and I esteem it the more, 
 because I cannot learn, that this Preface is in 
 any other edition. There is a Calendar at the 
 Beginning, which confirms my Notion also as 
 to that Point. For better satisfaction I shall 
 reprint this Preface in my Appendix ', as I 
 should have done in Heming had it then been 
 in my possession. The Reader will perceive by 
 it the disingenuous dealing of Richard Grafton 
 towards John Stowe, a Man tho' of no great 
 Learning, yet of incredible Industry in collect- 
 1 Num. V.
 
 LXII THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 ing old MSS. and in preserving other Anti- 
 quities, and so faithfull an Historian, that he 
 hath been much esteem'd by Camden and 
 our greatest men, in so much that the famous 
 Sir Roger Lestrange, talking some Years be- 
 fore his Death with a very ingenious and learn- 
 ed Gentleman about our Historians, was pleas'd 
 to say, that it ivas always a wonder to him, that 
 the very best that hadpenn'd our History in En- 
 glish should be a poor Taylour, honest John Stowe. 
 Sir Roger said a Taylour, because Stowe, as is 
 reported f , was bred a Capmaker (and so per- 
 haps his Father Thomas Stowe was before 
 him) and was of Merchant Taylours Company. 
 The Trade of Capmaking was then much in 
 fashion, Hats being not at that time much 
 in request. But notwithstanding Stowe hath 
 not declared what Book of Brune's it was to 
 which he owed his Information, yet I find, 
 that it was Robert of Brunne's Chronicle, be_ 
 fore mentioned. For the very remarkable 
 Verses, that Stowe hath printed ( under the se- 
 venth Year of Edward I.) from Brune inpag. 
 201. of the said Pol. Ed. of his Annals, are thus 
 expressed in the old MS. of Robert of Brunne's 
 Chronicle, that I have now before me, and be- 
 longs to the Inner Temple Library, being given 
 with other MSS. to that Society by the last 
 Will of William Petit, Esq. late Keeper of the 
 1 Coll. nostr. MSS. 62. p. 3. 
 
 Re-
 
 PREFACE. LXIII 
 
 Records in the Tower of London, one of whose 
 Trustees being my learned Friend, before men- 
 tioned ', John Anstis, Esq. 'tis by his means 
 that I have had the Loan of it from that learned 
 and honourable Society. 
 
 fmyte rounfce peny, fmlfpeny, fertf>yttBt 
 j-c croice paffcB * paflefc" j>e fcounfce of allejwrg&out J>e rynfi* 
 J>e fiynge'a fi&e falle be )>e $efce $ f)is nime toriten* 
 ]>e croyce fine to&at cite it tow in coynefc f fcnytetu 
 \t pouere man ne }t ptefle fe pen? prayfes no Jwig. 
 219en gyf (Son ]>e lefl, ]?e feffe ^im toi$ a ferfin(j 
 SI ^oufanti 9 tuo |juntiieTj $ fourfcore jeres mo, 
 SDn >is mone men toon&tet) a fiG toijan it can 00. 
 
 The Words are somewhat different in Stowe, 
 and for that reason I shall here annex them, 
 by which means they may the more easily be 
 compared together. CUJettajS (saith he) fc0- 
 fore tljte time [A. D. 1279.] ttje penn? toa0 toont to 
 ^aue a Double croffe, Voit^ a cceff,in Cucl) Cojt, tfjat t^e 
 fame mtffljt eaOIp be broken in tlje mi&Ueft, o^ into 
 foure quarter^, anfc Co to be maUe into Ijalfe pence or 
 fa;rtjing# : to^itl) ortier toagf tafeen in tfje peare ot 
 Cijn'ft 1 106. tlje 7. of H. rtje I. it toa0 noto orUaineD, 
 tljat pence, Ijalfe pence, anfc fartl)ing0 ft)oulo be matie 
 rounD, toljereupon toagf maoe tljeCe tejfeis 
 
 Edward did smite round peny, halfe 4 peny farthing. Robert' 
 
 The crosse passes the bond of all throughout the ring : Brune. 
 
 1 . XI. a Dele. J Sic, pro firft. * 'I here is a comma af- 
 ter pent/ in the 4to. Ed. 1592. 
 
 The
 
 LXIV THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 The Kings side was his head, and his name written, 
 The crosse side, what Citie it was in, coyued ' or smitten, 
 To poore man, ne to Priest, the peny fraises nothing, 
 Men giue God aye the least, they feast him with a farthing : 
 
 A thousand two hundred, fourescore yeares * add mo. 
 
 On this money men wondred, when it first began to goe. 
 
 'flTlje old monep (adds Stowe) toag not forbio&ento gor 
 tofrf) rt)e neto : anfc beffoeg t&eCe monies rtjere toag 
 copneti groateg, containing: four pence rtje peece. 
 t. of f&fje pounO of effecting monep attljig time contain* 
 ing; 12. ounces, to toit, fine filuer (Cucl) a$ men tafee 
 into fople orleauejf, $ 10 commonly calleto atuer of(0u* 
 tljerom lane) 11. ounces*, 2. efterling#,antione fejlinff, 
 anti tije ottje^ 17. b. ob.q* to be alap. jaiCotljepounO 
 oufftjtto toep ofmonep, 200. s.u, bp accompt,fo t^at 
 no pounb ougljt to &e aboue 20^ 0. 4, a* nor leffe tljen 
 20. 0* 2. to, bj account* tE$e ounce to toep 20. u 
 Ulje penp to toep 24. grained, &c. 
 
 The late learned Bishop Fleetwood hath re- 
 printed the whole Passage from Stowe, to which 
 he hath added many curious Particulars of his 
 own, in pag. 44. of his excellent Book called 
 Chronicon Preciosum, to which I shall refer the 
 Reader. 
 
 Instead of the ano. .XV* To what hath been said about 
 R^Zs ..po^Ki! >y omitting the foresaid Rhjthms 
 chard I. I have in- (the Author of which, I believe, was 
 STrf* Rofert'" Robert of Brunne) another reason may 
 Gloucester, in a b e added, and that is this, that in their 
 fte n H"art;an MS! stead I have published the true ge- 
 
 from the Cottonian - 
 
 Library. ' And pro or in dicta Ed. * In qua Ed. and pro 
 
 add habemus. 
 
 nuioe
 
 PREFACE. LXV 
 
 nuinc ones upon that Prince of Robert of 
 Gloucester himself, who left out whatever he 
 thought Romantick, as we may gather from 
 his own Words, and would therefore, without 
 doubt, have pass'd by these, had they been in. 
 being in his time, which are so very fabulous 
 as to be look'd upon only for their Antiquity, 
 and as a Curiosity. I must confess, that these 
 genuine Rhythms of Robert of Gloucester re- 
 lating to Richard I. are wanting in the Har- 
 leyan MS. which ends in that Year of K. Ste- 
 phen's Reign, in which the Empress Maud made 
 her Escape from the Castle of Oxford, wherein 
 she had been so long besieged by K. Stephen. 
 But then they are extant in the MS. of the 
 Cottonian Library, in which MS. the History 
 is brought down to the latter End of K. Henry 
 the Third's Reign, and 'tis from thence I have 
 supply'd the Harleyan MS. the intire Conti- 
 nuation out of it being procured for me by my 
 most generous Friend, before mentioned, the 
 learned Dr. Mead, who, after he had got it 
 transcrib'd wholly at his own Expenses, put it 
 into the hands of another of my very good 
 Friends the learned John Bridges, Esq. who 
 is likewise mentioned above, and so it came 
 safely to iny hands. 
 
 Vol. I. e $. XVI.
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 The Harleyan MS. . XVI. Notwithstanding the Haiv 
 
 perfect, tho' it 
 
 comes nothing leyan MS. breaks off so early, yet since 
 
 near so low as that i t ends about the m iddle of a Page, and 
 
 of the Cottonian 
 
 Library. One with a full Line, 'tis justly look'd upon 
 
 w^inj ia'Thefco^- ^ C " ticks " * P CTfeCt B k - S that > 
 onjanMS. in all likelyhood, the Author carried 
 
 on the Work at first no farther, but after some 
 time resumed it again, and brought it down 
 to his own time. The Harleyan M.S. seems to 
 have been written in the Reign of K. Edward 
 the Third, but the Cottonian one is judg'd to 
 be about 50. Years older than the Harleyan. 
 The Harleyan MS. agrees, (abating some Varia- 
 tions in the Language) -so far as it goes, with 
 the Cottonian one, and yet, without doubt, 
 they were transcrib'd from different Copies, 
 one from the Worfe as it was first finish'd by the 
 Author, the other from a MS. that was com- 
 pleated after the Author set about it again af- 
 ter some Intermission. The Cottonian MS. 
 ends in the Year 1270. and so there wants but 
 two Years to ccmpleat Hen. the Third's Reign, 
 who died Nov. 1C. 1272. The Author undoubt- 
 edly finished that Reign, and 'tis agreed upon 
 by such as have seen and considered it, that the 
 Cottonian MS. which ends at the bottom of a 
 Page, wants one Leaf, if not more, to fill up. 
 that Reign. And this, I think, is likewise con- 
 firm'd from some MSS. of Robert of Gloucester 
 (whereof one is that in the Bodleian Library) 
 
 which
 
 PREFACE. LXTII 
 
 which tho' they want all K. Henry the Third's 
 Reign, ending the History with that of King 
 John, yet they have the following Verses, in 
 which a reason (tho' a very poor one) is given 
 for omitting the Author's Account of the Bat- 
 tle of Lewis and Evesham in those MSS. 
 
 fji0fone come aftit^ 5 ]ns tonne }>an nome, 
 
 3nB fifti geer $ fljce ijeltie ]>is ftgnBonte, 
 
 SinB alfo ttoentE tiair0 > anu uefc bias 31 toio, 
 an* buriefc at ffiUJeGmenllre, J?er in0 bofci jit 10, 
 3Tf>et tberc itt i>\& tgme ttao Bataile0 in lontie, 
 3t Hetoea antJ at dBueflbam, as J untierftontir, 
 tT&at toe ^ajue longe, 9 jit ne 6eti forjete noust, 
 STfcer fote in tljis bo&e ne ben t&ei nougt toroujt. 
 2Dff g?ace ttoelte Ijuntiren, $ ttoo anti feuent^ geet, 
 3)eHe toa0 t^e fegnee l^enrp, a0 31 fette goto eer. 
 
 (tttitoartj i0 fone t^jan toa0, tnan of em pria* 
 
 at 2iaile(Imenarc crotongB, fironQfe Spnge $ totSfl 
 
 Ijjat of 2!!aI0cI)e lontie clenlic?)eal otote 
 
 fte toan t?)e Sisnorie, toere tljei neuer Co ptototc , 
 . XVII. O ur Author, therefore, hav- Our Author seems 
 
 * T - , xi T- j r to have dyed in the 
 
 ing brought his History to the End ot Beginning of Edw. 
 
 the Reign of Henry the III. and being T ^ e Firs ^ Reign. 
 
 J '/ Himself gives an 
 
 about to write that of Edw. I. was (as it express Testimony 
 
 seems to me) prevented from going far- of . . ^ T j me in 
 
 which he floirish- 
 ther by Death, but in what Year it was of ed. 
 
 i E Coll. nost. MSS. Vol. 
 58. p. 75. & Vol. 61. p. 232, 
 234. uti etiam e sctiedula 
 quadam, mihi donata ab ami- 
 cissirao ornatissimoque Ju- 
 vene Jacobo West, A. B. e 
 Collegio Balliolensi, qui 
 
 meam in gratiam eandem per- 
 quam benevole e Codice MS. 
 exscripsit. Hanc autem sche- 
 dulam ad calcemVol.97.Col- 
 lectaneorum nostrorum io- 
 serui. 
 
 d 2 that
 
 LXVIII THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 that King's Reign it doth not appear, tho% T 
 think; it must have been after the sixth, be- 
 cause in pag._224. he mentions K.Arthur's fair 
 Tombe, in the middle of the Quire, before the 
 high Altar at Glastonbury, which Tombe was 
 so rais'd in the Year J278. or the sixth Year of 
 Edw. I. by order of that King. The chief Cha- 
 racteristick, that himself hath given of the time 
 in which he flourished, is that about the Battle 
 of Evesham in the Year 1265. when he tells 
 us, that the day, on which it happened, was 
 very dismal and dark, and that himself, to his 
 great Fear and Astonishment, was an Eye-wit- 
 ness of this dread full dark time. 
 
 ftuicfo toa0 (saith he f ) }>e mor)>re of inefcam (uor tatailc non if 
 
 naa) 
 
 9 >et toi) 3Ic0u Crifl tori tuele [I. unele] ipaieS toa0, 
 30 l)t Hetoetie bito&nince cnSice $ gone, 
 20 it toel of l)im fuluc, ]o I)e tjeitic on }>e totir, 
 >at )?oru al >e mitmelcrti oet& fjetic >e? toa0 inou 
 aifo >f toule >e CODC men at (EEueftam me flou, 
 30 in Je .f3or]? 2!e0t a Iier5 tnccer ]>er arcs, 
 oTjeinIic|)C fuart tnou, J>at mani man acro0, 
 9. ouct cafle it fone al >ut lonn, }?at me mijte tonnefe ife 
 ^riOoiter toctier fan it toa0 ne mijte an erfe be 
 3n tetoe Drope0 of teine >er toelle crete inou. 
 }i0 tofininge bet in >t0 lonti, >o me >i0 men flou, 
 (Hot J?retti mile )>anne. fi0 ifeilRobem, 
 ]>at terfl ]ri0 boc mane, $ toa0 tnel 0ore afertj* 
 
 Pa 5 .560. 
 
 . XVIII.
 
 PREFACE. LXIX 
 
 . XVIII. This being so very clear Which, however, 
 
 . - ._ .. c ,, .. is pass'd over by 
 
 and manifest a Testimony of the time, one r who endea - 
 
 \vhen our Historian lived, what reason vour'd to settle his 
 can be thought of, that it should be extracted from his 
 overlook'd by the unknown Writer of Chronicle. 
 some Remarks (sent me by the learned John 
 Bridges., Esq.) at the bottom of the first Page 
 of the Cottonian MS. touching the Age of Ro- 
 bert of Gloucester, especially since he pre- 
 .tended to draw his Proofs from the Author him- 
 self? One that undertakes such a Task should 
 read every Passage over deliberately, and exa- 
 mine and sift them with the utmost care and 
 nicety. But it seems this Writer rely'd more 
 upon an interpolated MS. in the hands of the 
 famous Mr. Thomas Allen of Gloucester HalL 
 "than he did upon the genuine Work of the 
 Author, and by virtue of that he brings Robert 
 of Gloucester down to the latter End of Ed- 
 ward the Second, whereas he had no such 
 Grounds to go upon in the genuine Book. " I 
 " have got copied" (saith Mr. Bridges ') " half 
 " a sheet * out of the Cottonian MS. viz. The 
 " remarks, at the bottom of the first page, in 
 " an unknown hand, touching the age of the 
 " Author, and his proofs collected from Rob. 
 " of Glocester himself, and also giving an ac- 
 tc count of two Fragments, which are inserted 
 
 1 In his Letter to me Mar. 12. 17?f . * See it printed in 
 the Appendix, Num. VI. 
 
 e 3
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 " in bits of Paper in the 71 st; /yZ. b. and 75. out 
 " of a Copy in the hands of one Tho. Allen of 
 " Oxford, which, as he says, extended no far- 
 ther than to the Reign of K. Stephen, for 
 " which reason we at first imagin'd it to be the 
 " same with my L d> Harley's, but upon looking 
 " for the said inserted passages we find them 
 '" both wanting. The said remarks arein a hand 
 " of about 100. Years standing. Hisfirstproofof 
 " the age of Robert is from a passage in K. Ar- 
 " thur, where he speaks of the finding that 
 " King's bones at Glastonbury, from whence, 
 " he says, 'tis plain, that the Author liv'd after 
 " the time of Edw. I. whereas the Coffin with 
 " the Inscription, and that King's bones were 
 " discover'd, according to Leland, in the time of 
 " Hen. II '. of which you will be a much better 
 " Judge. His second proof is from one of the 
 " inserted passages, where 'tis said, that Seg- 
 " brit, or Sebert, King of the East Saxons, the 
 ef Founder of Westminster Abbey, was buried 
 " there 706. Years ago ; and he dying in the 
 '" Year 617. brings the age of the Author to 
 " 1323. or the latter end of Edw. II. The third 
 " proof from fol. 98. b. is plainly a mistake, by 
 " taking Edw. the Confessor, there mention *d, 
 " for Edw. II. The Title in the Cotton MS. 
 " is in a hand very like Camden's thus, Historia 
 " Regum Anglia ad Hcnricum tertium ti Rob. Glo- 
 
 1 A. D. 1186. 
 
 cestrensij
 
 PREFACE. LXXI 
 
 '.cestrensi, qui eodem tempore floruit, but the La- 
 " tin is not elegant enough for him, in my 
 cf opinion." 
 . XIX. Thus my exccllesitly learned " r Author right. 
 
 n -i / i i j ... ly observes the rast 
 
 Friend, ( who dyed j ust as I w as p uttmg Disproportion that 
 the finishing stroke to this Work, ) from t [ iere was between 
 
 the pious Acts ot 
 
 whom I musthumbly beg leave to dissent K. Edw. the Con- 
 with respect to the last Proof, the Words iTSl^rd^aftS 
 being, as I conceive, to be understood the Conquest. In- 
 
 c T> j ji A.\ r* c -L c terpolations are to 
 
 not of Edward the Confessor, but of be look'd upon as 
 the first King Edward after the Con- Redundancies, not 
 , . , ~ . , f . as Perfections, m 
 
 quest, in whose Reign Robert of Glou- old MSS. 
 
 cester dyed. He justly ackaowledg'd this King 
 Edward to be a good Prince, but then as justly 
 observes, that there was a vast Disproportion 
 between K. Edward the Confessor and him, there 
 being no Comparison to be made of the one 
 with the other, if their Acts of Piety, Charity 
 Munificence and Hospitality be duly consi- 
 dered. But then whereas the Remarkcr ob- 
 serves T , that several Leaves, relating to the 
 History of Mellitus, to the Eucharist, and to 
 Cedwall are wanting after fol. 71. in the Cot- 
 tonian MS. this is certainly a mistake in him, 
 and there is no doubt but the MS. is perfect 
 there, and of much better Authority, than if 
 they had been inserted. Interpolations (such 
 as these are) are always to be look'd upon as 
 Redundancies in any old Authors, and the MSS. 
 'See in the Appendix, pag. 610. 
 
 e 4 there-
 
 LXXII THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 therefore, that are without them, are by no 
 means deficient. Had I thought otherwise, I 
 might have multiplied them from the MS. of 
 the Heralds Office, where so much of this na- 
 ture occurrs, as I could also have strangely in- 
 larg'd Fordun's genuine Chronicle, when I set 
 him out lately, had I judg'd it proper for me 
 to blend and confound the Interpolations and 
 the authentick Work together, as they are done 
 in some MSS. 
 Mr. Thomas Brit- . XX. When I first saw by the ano- 
 
 ton, the famous _ , ,, ., TT , 
 
 Small- Coal Man, nymous Remarks, that the Harleyan 
 
 seems to have had anc i ^ r Allen's MSS, notwithstanding; 
 
 a MS. of Robert of 
 
 Gloucester. The their coming down to the same Period 
 
 lea Ti ! i M ' 7?" of time, were different, I began to be 
 
 mas Allen had two 
 
 MSS. of him, one of opinion, that Mr. Allen's might have 
 
 &*MM?l been the same ' that was sometime in 
 brary, the other the Hands of the late Mr. Thomas Brit- 
 
 UUku Wn ton the famous Musical Small-Coal 
 Man, which is thus mentioned in the first Part 
 of the Auction Catalogue ' of his Books : A 
 Poem of the Kings of Britain from Gurguyn Son 
 of K. Belinus clown to Henry II. Tho* there be no 
 Name to that Poem in the Catalogue, yet I 
 take it to be Robert of Gloucester's; but then 
 that which makes me now think it to be dif- 
 ferent from Mr. Allen's is, it's not beginning 
 so early as his did. So that perhaps this Copy 
 of Mr. Allen came into some private Hands in 
 
 1 Pag. 34. num. 1 4-. of the MSS. in Folio. 
 
 France,
 
 PREFACE. LXXIII 
 
 France, and I fear, that it is now quite lost. 
 That which gives ground to this Suspicion is, 
 the Fate of much the greatest Part of Sir Ke- 
 nelm Digby's admirable Library, which, after 
 Sir Kenelm 's Death, fell into some such private 
 Hands in France, and 'tis certain, that his Li- 
 brary consisted, in a very great measure, of 
 Books, that had belong'd to Mr. Allen. 'Tis 
 true, Sir Kenelm gave a good number of the 
 MSS. Mr. Allen had left him, to the Bodleian 
 Library, not long after Mr. Allen's Death, and 
 there is now among them a MS. of Robert of 
 Gloucester, being the same that I have spoke 
 of at the Beginning ' of this Preface, and was 
 us'd by Mr. Selden when he was writing his 
 History of Tithes': but then this MS. (which 
 comes to the End of K. John) is different from 
 that referr'd to by the Remarker, and there- 
 fore will not at all invalidate what I have said 
 about it's being lost in France. Yet if, after all, 
 it will not be allow'd, that it was among those 
 Books of his that were dispos'd of in France, 
 it is probable it came to some other Person in 
 England than Sir Kenelm. For Mr. Wood ob- 
 serves, that many of Mr. Allen's MSS. did not 
 come to Sir Kenelm, but some to Mr. Richard 
 James, and others to Sir Tho. Aylesbury. 
 
 1 . I. * Videsis Historiam 
 dictam Decimal urn, p. 206. & 
 Auctorum Catalogum sub fi- 
 
 nem ejusd. in quo opere citat 
 etiam Codicem Robert! nostri 
 in Bibliotheca Cott. 
 
 Soon
 
 LXXIV THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 " Soon after" [Mr. Allen's Death, which hap- 
 pen^ on Sept. 30. 1632.] " the chief part of 
 " his" [Mr. Allen's] " Library of incomparable 
 " MSS." (saith Mr. Wood' ) " coming into the 
 " hands of Sir Kenelm Digty, as the owner be- 
 " fore had appointed, they were the next year 
 et given by him to the Bodleian or publick Li- 
 " brary, where they yet remain. Some of them 
 " had before, and about the time of /Men's 
 tc death, been got from him by Rich. James of 
 tf C. C. Coll. for the Cottonian Library, and others 
 fe came into the hands of Sir Tho. Aylesbury, 
 " Master of the Requests, but where those are 
 te now, in truth I cannot tell." 
 
 Ml! Wood en ha a d n a XXI. But .the' the Remarker was 
 rightNotiou of the not so lucky as to adjust the Age of 
 whooughf U to h0 be Robert of Gloucester, yet Mr. Selden, 
 reckon'd among by distinguishing the spurious Chroni- 
 the^ Oxford Wri. de from that which j g genuinej yery 
 
 readily found it out, and accordingly in his 
 Notes on Eadmer *, and in his great work de 
 Synedriis veterum Ebraorum J , places him under 
 Edw. I. about which time he hath placed him 
 also in his Titles of Honour 4 , and in his Preface 
 to Eadmer; (in which Preface he hath given 
 us the Passage [something differing from the 
 same as it is printed in his Jani Anglorum fades 
 alterd] about William the Conqueror's Sur- 
 
 1 Athen. Ozon.Vol. I. col. 
 493. *Pag. 169. ' Lib. I. cap. 
 JO p. 167. Arast. 1679 
 
 4to. Ed. fol. 1631. p. 60G. 
 
 P. ha. 
 
 vey)
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 vey) well knowing, that, notwithstanding a 
 Leaf or two is wanting, in all likelyhood, in the 
 Cotlonian MS. he finished the Reign of Hen. 
 III. in which Reign, from the Passage above 
 transcrib'd, he plainly understood that he flou- 
 rished, and that, carrying the Work no farther, 
 he could not survive long after, at least not 
 long enough to write the Glories of the Reign 
 of Edw. I. Mr. Selden began very early to be 
 acquainted with him, and no body hath done 
 him more honour. He look'd upon him as a 
 very valuable Historian, and, therefore, hath 
 occasionally quoted him in several Places of his 
 other Works, (particularly many times in his 
 Notes and Illustrations on tlie first Part of Dray- 
 ton's Poty-olUori) as well as in his Jani Anglorum 
 fades altera. Mr. Wood also had a right no- 
 tion of his Age, but then he hath one observa- 
 tion, that I have not met with elsewhere, 
 and that is, that he was personally present at 
 Oxford, when the Fray, I have spoke of, hap- 
 pened between the Scholars and the Townsmen 
 in M c c LX 1 1 1 . H&c mihi Inquisitio qutedam ( saith 
 that Author *) super ed re facta succincte exlii- 
 buit, cut nee repugnant Po'ete J , ibi turn prascntis, 
 carmina; qiue quamvis 8$ succo careant <Sf colore, cum 
 ex nomtate tamen delectationem nonnullam qfferre 
 possint, subjungi forte mereantur. What authority 
 
 1 . VII. 'Hist. & Antiq. 
 IJniv. Oxon. 1. I. p. 1 1 1. 
 
 * Rob. Glocestrensis in Hist, 
 raerica MS. fol. 152.b.J53.a. 
 
 Mr.
 
 LXXVI THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 Mr. Wood had for this does not appear, tho', 
 I suppose, he found it either in Brian Tvvyne 
 or Dr. Gerard Langbaine. But whatever that 
 authority was, I do not doubt but he went 
 upon very good and sure grounds, and I shall, 
 for that reason, reckon Robert of Gloucester 
 not only as an Oxford Writer, but as actually 
 present in that University at the very time of 
 that famous Scuffle. 
 
 Our Author seems . XXII. It is said by several (and 
 o^foTd":!^ among others by Dr. Thomas Fuller ) 
 House on the West that he was a Monk of Gloucester. Nor 
 
 Side of Stockwell 
 Street. 
 
 do 
 
 reason to think otherwise. It is very 
 likely, therefore, that as a Monk he was sen* 
 hither by some of the Directors of the grea 
 Abbey of Gloucester, to take care of the Youth 
 here, that they had under their care. In 
 
 1 " ROBERT of GLOUCE-; 
 
 " STER, so called, because a i 
 
 "Monk thereof. He is\ 
 
 " omitted (whereat I ivondcr) 
 
 11 loth by Bale and Pits, ex. 
 
 " cept disguised under ano- 
 
 *' ther Name, and what I can. 
 
 " not conjecture; they speak 
 
 * 'truly, who term him a 
 
 "Rhimer, whitest such speak 
 
 4 courteously, taho call him a 
 
 ' Poet. Indeed such his 
 
 1 Language, that he is dumb 
 
 in effect to the Readers 
 
 so 
 
 preter, and such a one will 
 hardly be procured. An. 
 tiquaries (amongst whom 
 Mr. Selden) more value him 
 for his History than Poe- 
 try, his lines being neither 
 strong nor smooth, but 
 sometimes sharp, as may 
 appear by this Tetrastick, 
 closing with a pinch at the 
 : punch of the Monks, which 
 coming from the Peu of a 
 Monk 19 the more remark- 
 able. 
 
 * Cells or 
 Portions. 
 + Ruler or 
 Governor, 
 
 ' our age without an loter- 
 
 " In the Citie of Bangor a great Hous tho was, 
 
 " And ther vudyr vii * Cellens and ther ol'ther 7 Nas 
 
 " That c.c-c. Moncks hadde othur mo 
 
 "And a!le by hure travay lely vede; lokc$o\v ifthcy do so.
 
 PREFACE. LXXVII 
 
 much, that I am apt to think, that, upon that 
 score, he resided in an old House, where Monks 
 1 used to study, on the West Part of @)t0CfctDell- 
 ttCt> in the same Place where Gloucester Col- 
 lege (afterwards styl'd Gloucester Hall, and at 
 length Worcester College, on the West Side of 
 which the Monks of Gloucester had a Mill *) 
 was since founded in the Year 1283 J . or, as 
 others 4 say, in 1281. by John Giffard Baron 
 of Brimsfield, the same that was so famous for 
 his Military Skill in the time of Hen. III. and 
 
 " He flourished some Four 
 
 the true signification of the 
 
 *' hundred years since under 
 
 wordnas. By comparing these 
 
 *< King Henry the second, 
 
 Rhythms with the genuine 
 
 " and may be presumed to 
 
 Robert of Gloucester, they 
 
 " have continued till the be- 
 
 will immediately appear to be 
 
 " ginning of King .John, 
 " 1200". Fuller's Worthies 
 
 corrupted. /2a0 signifies was 
 not. The meaning of the 
 
 of England, p. 358. in Glou- 
 
 Passage therefore is, and there 
 
 cestershire. Dr. Fuller did 
 
 ivus not one of those Cells, 
 
 well to put in the Margin, sed 
 
 hitt zshat had three hundred 
 
 qucere, his Interpretation of 
 
 or more monks. 
 
 na0 being as wrong, as that of 
 
 Domus monachorum sta~ 
 
 the Author of an Essay about 
 
 dentium in Stoc6tocll*flme 
 
 the old English Poets and Poe- 
 
 Oxon. Coll. nostr. MSS. Vol. 
 
 try, printed in the Muses Mer- 
 
 88. p. 8. * Coll. nostr. MSS. 
 
 cury , which I hare mentioned 
 
 Vol. 62. pag. 116, 117. 
 
 in my Glossary, under the word 
 
 3 Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon. 
 
 non. These Rhythms are ex- 
 
 I. II. p. 338, 380. Reyn. A- 
 
 stant also in p. 61. of the In. 
 
 posfol. Bened.inAngl.Tr. 3. 
 
 troduction to Weever's An- 
 
 p. 53. Monast. Ang. Tom. 1. 
 
 cient Funeral Monument?, 
 
 p. 540. b. Dugdale's Baron. 
 
 where Weever likewise, by his 
 
 Tome I. p. 500. Tanner's No- 
 
 marginal explication (seuen 
 
 titia Monastica, p. 184. 4See 
 
 eels, or seuen portions, which 
 
 Dr. Leonard Hutten's Anti- 
 
 had euery one a seuerall head 
 
 quities of Oxford, p. 324. pub- 
 
 or ruler ouer them) seems to 
 
 lished by me at the Lnd of 
 
 have been equally ignorant of 
 
 Tex >s R-ffew't. 
 
 is
 
 THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 is mentioned, for that reason, towards the End 
 of this History. Nor will it seem strange, that 
 any Monks of Gloucester should be here before 
 the Foundation of any such College, if it be 
 considered, that they were extremely desirous 
 of having their Youth educated in Academical 
 Learning, and that this grave occasion, in good 
 measure, to the said John Giffard to build that 
 College in this Place, which he had observed 
 his Neighbours, the Monks of Gloucester, to 
 take so much delight in, and he was very will- 
 ing to free them from hiring any Tenements, 
 and from being at other Charges for the Edu- 
 cation of their young Men, for the future. 
 
 The strange Mis. . XXIII. Among others, that were 
 take of Mr. Weev- . , , -,, . , _ _ 
 
 cr, with regard to conversant with the Chronicle of Ro- 
 
 the Age of Robert bert of Gloucester, was John Weever, 
 of Gloucester. . , _ _ . 
 
 a person right famous for his very use- 
 full Book of ancient Funeral Monuments, where 
 he hath published many Passages of this Chro- 
 nicle, but with so little skill, that he not only 
 confounds the spurious with the genuine Ro- 
 bert of Gloucester, but even ascribes the Prose 
 part also to him. In pag. 60. of his Introdu- 
 ction, or Prefatory Discourse, he calls him Ro^ 
 bert the Monk of Gloucester, and speaks of 
 him as a Writer about the Year 1231, or the 
 15 th . of Hen. IIL And in the Book pag. 458, 
 459. brings him as low as Edw. I. in which he 
 is right enough, provided he had not attribu- 
 ted
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ted that to Robert of Gloucester which is none 
 ef his. But then he is quite out, when, in pag. 
 .589. he brings him as low as Edw. II. and 
 there transcribes a Passage in Prose, and calls 
 it his, when it was really written by one, that 
 lived in the time of Hen. VI. as the rest of the 
 Prose was. "Tis very strange, that so diligent 
 a Man as Mr. Weever, should not see his Mis- 
 take, especially when he had the use of the very 
 MS. that now belongs to the Heralds Office. 
 
 . XXIV. As I find, that the true Sir- Robert of Brun. 
 name of Robert of Brunne was Man- ^ jSjStajT" 
 ning (for he calls himself in one Place But the true Sir. 
 of his Chronicle KObett $amtfn0 Of 
 15f Uttit?; now Bourne, a Town in Lin- not occur, 
 colnshire where was a Monastery) so I wish also 
 that I could discover the true Sirname of Robert 
 of Gloucester. I have endeavour'd to do 
 this, but as yet in vain. His Name does not at 
 all occur, either in an ancient or modern Hand, 
 in the Harleyan MS. Nor does it so much 
 as once appear (that I know of) in the Text 
 of the Cottonian MS. except in the Passage 
 I have transcribed, where, however, we have no 
 Sirname of any kind. Indeed I have before 
 observed *, that, at the beginning of that 
 MS. the History is ascribed to Robert of 
 Gloucester in a modern Hand, and 'tis by this 
 Name that he is called by Antiquaries and Hi- ' 
 
 ' See in the Glossary to this Work. p. 70S. * See $. XVIII. 
 
 storians,
 
 LXXX THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 storians, who, without all dispute, had good Au- 
 thority for it, tho' it does not appear, that any 
 of them had met with his true Sirname, which, 
 I suppose, came to be disus'd after his Fame 
 was spread for his skill in History, just as that 
 of Robert Manning's dwindled also, when he 
 was once celebrated. Nor did Manning seem 
 so desirous of being called by his true Sir- 
 name as by that of Brunne, that so Robert of 
 Brunne might look as great as Robert of Glou- 
 cester. And that this was very great may ap- 
 pear from hence, that tho' many * Robert of 
 Gloucesters are met with in old Registers, yet 
 
 " ' One Magister Rob. de 
 ' Glocesiria was one of the 
 ' Clerks or Chaplains to Jo/in 
 < de Oxon. and John Grey, 
 ' Bishops of Norwich, and is 
 ' frequently met with as Wit- 
 ' ness to their Charters from 
 ' 1176. to 1204- Bp. Ken- 
 ' net from some Register of 
 ' Bury saith, that he was an 
 ' Archdeacon in the Church 
 ' of Norwich, about A. D. 
 ' 121 9. but this I have not yet 
 ' found my self. Perhaps he 
 ' was the same with the Mr. 
 ' Hob. de Gloucestr. nomj- 
 ' nated to the Archdeaconry 
 ' of Stafford^ during the va- 
 ' cancy of the See of Lichfield 
 ' (Pat.l4.Joannis m. 3. n. 2.) 
 " or with him who was Chan- 
 *' celor and Prebendary of 
 " Chichester, and died?. Hen. 
 " III. (Rot. Clatis. ejusd. 
 ' anni.) By the Institution 
 
 Rolls of Hu ? h Willis j Bp. 
 of Lincoln, it appears, that 
 one Mr. Rob. de Glovernia 
 was Instituted A. D. 1229. 
 to the Church of Tcinton 
 (Archid. Oxon.) 
 " Another Rob. de Gloces- 
 tria was Official to Godfrey 
 Bp. of Worcester A. D. 
 1300. (Angl. Sacr. I. An. 
 nales Wigorn.) perhaps the 
 same who was Chancelor 
 to Rob. Winchelse 1304. 
 Reg. Winch.) and to Walter 
 Reynolds J318. Arch. 
 bishops of Canterbury (Reg. 
 Henr.prioris Cantuar.) 
 There was one of the name 
 Prebendary of St. Decuman 
 and Canon of Wells, who 
 died A.D. 1321. (Registr. 
 Johannis Drokensford.) 
 " Another Rector of S.Ann's 
 
 And
 
 PREFACE. LXXXI 
 
 (as far as I can learn ) they were all eclips'd by 
 the Historian, the Acts of all of them put toge- 
 ther being not equal to what he hath done by 
 compiling this Work. I have already noted, 
 that neither the Name of Robert of Gloucester, 
 nor that of the new Modeller of the History, 
 is any where to be seen in the MS. of the He- 
 ralds Office. But the Work being discovered 
 to be originally this Author's, on the Back side 
 of the Book (which is of a late Binding in rough 
 Leather) is put in golden Capital Letters, 
 ROBERT* 
 
 OF- 
 
 GLOCESTER. 
 
 . XXV. It must be confess'd, that in The name of Ro- 
 one part of this MS. at the very bot- ^ rtMoii 'e insert- 
 
 r J e<l at random, as 
 
 torn, just on the Brink of a Page, are 'tseem?,inthe MS. 
 written these Words, in an old Hand 
 
 (as ancient as, tho' a little different cludes with 
 
 ,, ,, ,, , verses that are not 
 
 from, that of the Book : ) Hie mcipit in Caxto n . 
 Robertus Mottle. When I first saw these Words, 
 I thought Moitte had been the true Sirname of 
 
 " And in Li 1 ). Epist. Acud. \" was our Historian." 
 
 " Oxon. W. Ep.2.3. Letters tes- 
 *' timonial for Robert Glow- 
 fi cester, A. M. but this was 
 " after the year 1400. 
 
 " Many other Secular 
 fi Clerks of both Names have 
 " occurr'd to me since 1320. 
 (f none of whom probably 
 
 HJEC, meam in gratiam e 
 'ollectane is suis a seipso de- 
 scripta, cumamicissimoBakero 
 Cantabrigiensi (qui perquani 
 lubepter transmisit) comnmui- 
 cavit vir cruditissimus Thomas 
 Tannerus, Cancellarius Is'or- 
 vvicensis. 
 
 Vol. I. f
 
 LXXXII THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 Robert of Gloucester, but the Words being 
 written on a Page, where no new matter be- 
 gins, and it being in a Prose part of the Book, 
 and that too in the Story of the Saxon Times, 
 and there being not the least reference to any 
 Thing in the Volume, I take them as put down 
 at random, and* not to belong, in the least, to 
 the Author. And this is all I have to say with 
 respect to this MS. unless it be, that, after the 
 Reign of Henry the Third, the History goes on 
 in Prose (being the same, abating some Alte- 
 rations, as usually happens in MSS. of this 
 kind, with Caxton's Chronicle, which John 
 Stowe * is pleased to style a fabulous book* 
 compiled by a nameless Author, but printed by 
 William Caxton, and therefore called Caxton's 
 Chronicle) to the famous Battle of Halidowne 
 Hill, in the Year 1332. which was the sixth Year 
 of K. Edw. the Third's Reign, in which the 
 English got such an intire Victory of the Scots, 
 and slew such a vast number of them, that, the 
 Father of the Scottish Historians, John For- 
 dun thought it too lamentable 2 a Subject, to 
 enter into the particulars of it. In relation to 
 this Battle there are some Verses in this MS. 
 that are not in Caxton, for which reason I 
 shall here publish them, advertizing at the same 
 time, that, tho', perhaps, formerly there were 
 other Leaves (for there are the Remains of 
 
 ' Annals, p. 307. Ed. fol. a Scptichronicon, p. 1022. 
 
 one
 
 PREFACE. txxxin 
 
 one, that had been cut out, now plainly to be 
 seen in it) in which, probably, the History had 
 been carried somewhat farther, yet, at present, 
 these Verses are the very last part of the Hi- 
 story, and are brought in thus: -- anil J?an 
 
 ture qomppg, and ppperg pppendjw loufce, anti matoe 
 gret fljioutefoppon ]?efe>cotte0, f JjanljatiDej^e Cnglpfs 
 tyebac&elerpg ecfce of fjem ttoo toljpnpgof arcljerg, \>t 
 toljpclje at ]>t attemble orpy&lp Dratopn fjure ftotoe^, 
 anU ro]?ep fmotj* fecottc0, >at K^ fclle to gcountie 
 b? man^ I^oufanti^jf, antj anone j?e fecotte0 tip gonne 
 to fle fro ^e (EnfflpCujemen, fo^to tatet)ucel^uc0. 25ut 
 to^an >e knati^, ^at toere b^^ntie \>t ^cottejj, to 
 feepe ^urc tjocag, Tatoe >e tiifcomfitour, |?ep pn'fepa 
 atoey ^ure mafCtc^0 ijorgf, to feepe tern felf fro perile* 
 anfc )>an Jj Cnglpf firemen tofec many of J>e >cottpffye 
 $or0, anti ^ prikeH after J^e fecottejs, ana doto Ijem 
 tiottne ryffijte, anti fo men mpgljte fe J>e taor>? anD 
 noble fepng OEUtoarU of Cngelonti, anO ty$ folfe, fjoto 
 manfttll? }?ej ctjaftgUe 
 
 men mfgljte fe, 
 a fecott ftoiftlg fle, 
 >e Cnfflpffyemen after 
 
 ljure baner^0 toer^n fountie 
 &l Difplapn lyenff on grountie. 
 anti jw lap CpraD on blooD, 
 foufffieten on J'e ftooH, 
 ^nfflpf(|jemen Urent tyolD be, 
 If or >at f'ep fcopp&e to fe, 
 
 f for
 
 LXXXIV THE PUBLISHER'S 
 
 Jfor fo ftp IjoppDe to fpeDe, 
 
 feeyiijj J^e fllooti ]?attoagf on '(ItoeDe. 
 
 jforj^e CnguTfyemen mpjrljte not fle, 
 
 But pf atirent j^ep ft)olti be. 
 
 % jhan ]?etto lotib J'ey toere, 
 
 jfor |?e^ |?oug:!)te nouirljte in Cuclje fere, 
 
 25ut typ feept tern on lontie, 
 
 jfor {>ep toere fillet) to grounlie, 
 a >ouCanli in }^at ftoun&c. 
 
 rmen purfytnin Ijem fo, 
 flooti toa0 al a p ; 
 
 jcotte0tJifcomf5tpD toere 
 gin Iptil tpme to!']? pet fere. 
 
 This Work is a . XXVI. I have now finished what I 
 The* Re C pfoaThVn lad to say (and, I fear, I have writ 
 neglecting the too m uch ) by way of Preface about 
 Robert of Gloucester. He is certainly a 
 great Curiosity, and I do not doubt, but he will 
 be esteem'd as such. As the Acts of the Apo- 
 stles, that I published from Archbishop Laud's 
 MS. is the first intire Book, that ever was 
 printed in England in Capital Letters, so this 
 Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester is the very 
 first intire Book, that was ever printed in this 
 Kingdom (it may be, in the whole World) in the 
 manner I have done it, that is, in the black Let- 
 ter,
 
 PREFACE. LXXXV 
 
 ter, with a mixture of some Saxon Characters, 
 which is the very Garb that was in vogue in the 
 Author's time. The Saxon Characters, that are 
 intermix'd, are 3 or g, ( which some represent by 
 5,) I? or tf) (the top of which in many MSS. a- 
 mong which are to be reckon 'd those of this 
 Author, is made a little too short, viz, p,just like 
 the Saxon double U) p or tU ( which, however, is 
 but here and there) and y or J). I am very sen- 
 sible, that the Obsoleteness of the Language 
 will deterr many from Reading this very usefull 
 Historian; but to such, as shall be pleased to 
 make themselves acquainted with him (in or- 
 der to which the Glossary, I have drawn up 
 and subjoyn'd, may be of some service) he will 
 appear very pleasant, entertaining and diverting, 
 and they will value him the more, as he comes 
 out in his primitive Dress. As it is a Reproach 
 to us, that the Saxon Language should be so 
 forgot, as to have but few (comparatively speak- 
 ing) that are able to read it; so 'tis a greater 
 Reproach, that the black Letter, which was 
 the Character so much in use in our Grandfa- 
 thers days, should be now (as it were) disus'd and 
 rejected, especially when we know, the best 
 Editions of our English Bible and Common 
 Prayer (to say nothing of other Books) are 
 printed in it. 
 
 Oxford April 14. 
 1724. 
 
 [Iu the present Edition, for the convenience of the Reader, the Ro" 
 man Character has been adopted.] 
 
 f 3 THE
 
 Advertisement. 
 
 AHE first Payment for this Work to Subscribers 
 was one Guinea the large, and half a Guinea the 
 small, Paper. The second Payment is to be the 
 same with the first. 
 
 The Publisher is now printing (from a MS. in 
 the Inner-Temple Library) Jitter LanfftOft'0 
 CfttOttfCit Of CltglanU (as illustrated and im^rcmd 
 by Robert of Brunne] from ilie Death of Cadwalader 
 to the end of K. Edward the first's Reign. To which 
 will be added, besides a Glossary and other curious 
 Papers, ( 1 ) A Roll concerning Glastonbury Abbey, 
 being a Survey of all the Estates belonging to that 
 House at the Dissolution, taken by King Hen. the 
 Eighth's order and for his use. (2 ) An Account of 
 the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen (near Bautre) in 
 Nottinghamshire, by John Slacke, Master of that 
 Hospital. The Price of this Work (which will 
 make two Volumes in 8. and was never before 
 printed) will be two Guineas the large, and one 
 Guinea the small, Paper; whereof half is to be 
 paid at the time of Subscribing, and the rest when, 
 the Copies are delivered. Subscriptions are taken 
 in either by the Publisher at Edmund-Hall, or by 
 John Ranee at the THEATER Printing House, in 
 Oxford.
 
 1 ROBERT of 
 GLOUCESTER'S CHRONICLE." 
 
 ENGELOND'ys a wel god lond, ich wene of eche lond best, 
 
 Y set in )>e ende of be world, as al in }>e West. 
 
 e see goj> hym al a boute, he stont as an yle. 
 
 Here fon heo durre j?e lasse doute, but hit be borw gyle 
 
 Of * fol of be selue lond, as me haj? y seye wyle. 
 
 From Soub to^NorJ? he ys long eigte hondred rayle : 
 
 And* foure hondred myle brod from Est to West to wende, 
 
 A mydde J?o lond as yt be, and nojt as by J)e on ende. 
 
 Plente me may in Engelond of alle gode y se, 
 
 Bute folc yt for gulte oj?er geres j?e worse be. 
 
 For Engelond ys ful ynow of fruyt and of tren, 
 
 Of wodes and of parkes, bat ioye yt ys to sen. 
 
 Of foules and of bestes of wylde and tame al so. 
 
 Of salt fysch and eche fresch, and fayre ryueres ber to. 
 
 Of welles swete and colde ynow, of lesen and of mede. 
 
 Of seluer or and of gold, of fyn and of lede. 
 
 1 Adject. a Fide Camdeni \ pag. 7. Ed. Lond. 1629. ' /. e. 
 RemainescouceruingBrittaiue, | folc. 4 Two Ar. 
 
 f* Of
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Of stel, of yrn and of bras, of god corn gret \vori. 
 
 Of whyte and of wolle god, beterc ne may be non. 
 
 Wateres be baj? eke gode y now, ac ' at" be fore alle o]?er }>re 
 
 Out of the lond in to ]?e see, armes as J?ei be. 
 
 Ware by }>e schippes mowe come fro ]?e se and wende, 
 
 And brynge on lond god y now, a boufe in eche ende. 
 
 Seuerne and Temese, * Homber yt is }?e Jmclde. 
 
 And ]?enne is as wo seij? ]?e pure lond a midde. 
 
 Homber bryngej? by Norj? muche god and wyde, 
 
 Seuerne by West 3 Sou]?," Temese by j?e Est syde, 
 
 So j?at of god y now, Jxit in ojcr londes ys, 
 
 ]?er by comej? to Engelond, j?at no defuute nys. 
 
 Yles }>er be)? mony on a boute Engelonde. 
 
 Ac ]?er bej) to fore alle oj^ere )?re ich vnderstonde : 
 
 The yle of Man }>at me clepnj>, by twene vs and Yrlondc : 
 
 J>e grete yle of * Orkeneye bi jonde Scotlonde. 
 
 J?e jmdde ys, toward Norrnandye, ]?e yle of Wyjt by Soufe. 
 
 ]?re j?e beste yles J)ese be]? and * most cou]?e. 
 
 }?e firste lordes and maystres, ]?at in Engelond were, 
 
 J>ese chef townes heo lette in Engolonde rere. 
 
 London and Euerwik, Lyncolne and Leycestre; 
 
 Colchestre and Canterbury, Bristow and Wircestre. 
 
 Chichestre and Grauntebiigge, and Jeanne Cirencestre ; 
 
 Dorchestre and \Vynccstre, and sc|?J)e Gloucestre. 
 
 And o]?er grele tonnes, ]?at ]>o were in Walis. 
 
 Jis was |?o in Engulond 6 Bi itoncs were y wys. 
 
 1 Deest in Ar. 2 And Hum. 
 
 of name cou]>e Ar. 
 
 6 >at Bra- 
 
 her is the >rydde Ar. 3 Deest 
 
 tones Ar. 
 
 
 Ar. 4 Orcades Ar. s Most 
 
 
 
 
 En
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Engolond ha]? i be y nome and ' i worred y lome . 
 
 First J?oru grete lordes Ipe eraperoures of Rome, 
 
 }?at fojte and wonne Engelond, and jut lond nome. 
 
 SeJ>}?e J?oru * Picardes and Scottes, J>at to Engelond come, 
 
 J>at worrede and destruiode, ac al clene ne wonne it nojt. 
 
 Sc])}>e }>oru Englische and Saxones, ]?at hider were y broujt 
 
 J)oru Brutones forto helpe hem, and sc]?j?e liem ouercome 
 
 J?e Brytones, ^at hem hyder brougte, & }>al lond hem bi nome. 
 
 SeJ^e haj? Eagelond y be 3 y w erred y lome 
 
 Of ])e folc of Denemark, * J>at be]) nojt jet Avel y some, 
 
 J?at ofte vvonne Engelond, and luildeyt by maystrie. 
 
 fe fyfte tyme won Esigelond |?o folc of Normandie, 
 
 J?at a mong vs wonej) jet, and scliullej? euer mo : 
 
 We schul here aftur in J?is boke telle of al this wo. 
 
 Brytones were >e firsle folc j?at to Engelond come. 
 
 Foure kynges heo maden ]>o in J>is kyndome. 
 
 fye kyng of West sex, & of Kent, & of Nor]x>mber J?e |>ridde, 
 
 And }>e kyng of J?e March, |?at was here amidde. 
 
 ]?e Saxones and j?e Englische J?o heo hadden al an honde, 
 
 Fyue and }?ritti schircn heo maden in Engeloiide. 
 
 Souses and So])erei, Kent and Es<sex, 
 
 Barkschire and Hamptschire, and j^enne Myddelsex, 
 
 Dorsete and Wiltschire, and Somersete al so. 
 
 Deneschire and Cornewayle, and Gloncestre ]?er to. 
 
 Sell ropsch ire, and of Wircestre, and of Herford. 
 
 Chestre schire and * Warwil, Derby and Stafford. 
 
 1 Y wonne pro i worred in I red and y nome Ar. 4 j?at were 
 Ar. * Pictes Ar. * Y wer- | nought welcome Ar. s Sic.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Lyncolne ant Hontyndone, and of Bedeford. 
 
 Bockyngham and Nor)>amptoun, and of ' Oxenfoj). 
 
 Norjrfolc and So)>folc, and Grauntebrigge al so. 
 
 Hertfort & Leycestre, and Nothyngam J?er to. 
 
 Euerwik and Cardoel, and Norjxwnburlonde. 
 
 }>ese schires wi]? oute Walls bej> alle in Engolonde. 
 
 Seuentene bischopriches in Engelond be]) also. 
 
 Cardoil, and Duram, and Euerwik jjer to. 
 
 Of Ely and of Cauntarbury, of Nor]?wiclie, of Rouchestre., 
 
 Of London, of Salusbury, of Chichestre, of Wynchestre, 
 
 Of Lyncolne, and of Chestre, and of Wircestre, 
 
 Of Herford, and of BaJ?e, and al so of Excestre. 
 
 }>enne )>er be)? in Walls ]?re wij? oute more, 
 
 Seynt Dauid, and Landap, and sej>}*e Bangore. 
 
 Of Euerwik and Canterbury be]? erchbischopes two. 
 
 Duram bej> and Cardoil vnder Euerwik y do. 
 
 And alle J?e o]?er of Engolond, and al so of Walis, 
 
 Under J?e erchbischop be]) of Canterbury y wis. 
 
 J?e Saxones in heore power J>o heo were so riue, 
 
 Sene kynges heo raaden in Engelonde, and sejten bute fyue. 
 
 J>e kyng of NorJ^omberlond, and of Est Angle al so ; 
 
 Of Kent, and of West Sex, and of >e March >er to. 
 
 ]?e kyng of J?e March Jjilke tyme hadde wel J?e beste, 
 
 Muche del of Engolond, J?e on half al bi Weste. 
 
 Wircestre schire, and Warwik, and also of Gloucestre, 
 
 J)at ys nez al ]?e bischop riche of Wircestre. 
 
 He hadde eke ]?er to Chesturschire, and Derbyschire also, 
 
 And Stafford schire, J>at beth alle in on bischoprichc y do^ 
 
 1 L. Oxenford. 
 
 la
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 5 
 
 In |?e bischop riche of Chestre ; and jet he hadde ber to 
 
 Schropschire som, and half Warwik schire al so. 
 
 bis kyng hadde eke Herfortschire, bat on bischopriche is ; 
 
 Ac Schropschire naj? haluendel to bilke bischopriche i wis. 
 
 And som of Gloucestre schire, and of Warwik schire al so. 
 
 jet hadde be kyng of be March wel more lond ber to, 
 
 Northamptschire, & Bokyngham, and be schire of Oxenfort; 
 
 Leycetre, and Lyncolne, and be schire of Hertfort ; 
 
 bat is al on bischopriche, bat of Lyncolne ys, 
 
 bat wale was at Dorchestre bi syde Oxenfort iwis. 
 
 jet hadde be kyng of be March Notyngham schire ber to, 
 
 In ]K bischop riche of Euerwik, ac bo nas hit nojt so. 
 
 And al Walis jet ber to, bat a gret lond ys : 
 
 Al bis was benne y cleped the March of Walis. 
 
 For bat lond bat bi twene Homber & the water of Temese y wis 
 
 Ich wene in be bischop riche of Lyncolne ys. 
 
 And be bischop riche of Lyncolne, and bi West al bat lond, 
 
 YG kyng som tyme of be March hadde al in hys hond. 
 
 be kyng of West sex hadde j?o al Wilt schire y wys, 
 
 And Dorsete and Barkschire, ]?at o bischopriche is. 
 
 fe bischopriche of Salesbury, & al Soubsex, he hadde also, 
 
 \>e welde & al be bischopriche of Chichestre ber to. 
 
 And Soubampschire & Soberey, bat on bischop riche ys. 
 
 \>e bischopriche of Wynchestre, bat jet ys bere y wys. 
 
 And Somersete, bat to Welles bike tyme drow, 
 
 And now ys ]>e bischop riche of Ba]>e, je wytej? wel y now. 
 
 Sebbe hadde )?e kyng of West sex al Denene schire y wys, 
 
 And Cornewayle, bat in be bischopriche of Exetre ys. 
 
 IP
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 be kyng of Kent was bo kyng of al bo lend of Kent, 
 
 ber were two bischopes, & jet nys it npgt y went. 
 
 be bischopriche of Canterbury, bat of Engelond ys hext, 
 
 And be bischopriche of Roucestre, bat in the West syde is next, 
 
 be kyng of Est Angle kyng was of Northfolc, 
 
 be bischopriche of Northwych, and al so of Sobfolc. 
 
 And of be bischopriche of Ely, bat be yle of Ely ys, 
 
 And of al Cambrugge schire, bat berto falleb y wys. 
 
 be kyng of North uraburlonde kyng was ich vnderstonde 
 
 Of al bo loud bi jonde Ilomber anon in to Scotlonde. 
 
 bese fyue kynges were bo, ac bute on now ber nys. 
 
 For be kyng of We^t sex al be ober wan y wys, 
 
 And was sebbe al one kyng, as oure kyng now ys. 
 
 Here aftunvard in bis bok me schal here al bis. 
 
 In ' be contre of Canterbury mest plente of fysch ys. 
 
 And mest * chase a boute Salesburi of wylde bestes y wys. 
 
 At London schippes mest, & wyn at Wyncestre. 
 
 At Herford schep & orf, & fruyt at Wircestre. 
 
 Sope a boute Couyntrc, yrn at Gloucestre. 
 
 Metel, 3 as led & tyn, in be contre of Excestre. 
 
 Euerwik of frurest wode, Lyncolne of fayrest men, 
 
 Grantebrugge and Hontyndone mest plente of dup fen. 
 
 Ely of fairest 4 place, of fairest sijte Roucestre. 
 
 Euene agoyn Fraunce stonde be contre of Chichestre, 
 
 Norwiche a^eyn Denemarc, Chestre ajeyn Yrlond, 
 
 Duram ageyn Norwei, as ich vnderstonde. 
 
 1 Vide Camden's Remaines, 
 p. 8. 'Chalke at Saresbu. 
 
 ry, and wild bestes y wys Ar^ 
 3 A nd pro as in Ar. 4 Plate Ar. 
 
 bre
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 )?re wondres per be]) in Engolond, none more y not. 
 
 pat water of Bape ys pat on, pat euer ys yliche hot. 
 
 1 And fersch & euere springe, ne be chele no so gret. 
 
 Sucbe bapes per be]? fele in ]>e clos & in pe stret." 
 
 Upon pe pleyn of Salesbury pat opcr wonder ys, 
 
 pat * Slonhyngel ys y clepud, no more wonder nys. 
 
 pe stones stondep per so grete, no more ne mowe be, 
 
 Euene vp ryjt & swype hye, pat wonder it is to se : 
 
 And oper ligcrep hye aboue, pat a mon may be of a ferd, 
 
 pat vche mon wondre may how heo were first a rered. 
 
 For nopergyn,ny monne's strengpe, ytpynkep, nemyjteytdo. 
 
 Telle me schal here afturward of pis wondros bo]?e two, 
 
 And how heo were first y mad. }?e jmdde wonder ys 
 
 Up J?e hul of J?e pek. Nor]? wynd J?ere y wys 
 
 Out of Ipe erbe ofte come]?, of holes as yt were, 
 
 And blowe}? vp of bilke holes, so bat yt wolde a rere 
 
 And bere vp grete clones, jef heo were ber ney, 
 
 And blowe hem here and ]?ere vpon be lofte on hey. 
 
 Fayre 3 weyes monyon ]?er be]? in Engolonde, 
 
 Ac foure mest of alle per be]? icli vnderstonde, 
 
 pat pe olde kynges mad s wer porn me may wende 
 
 From pe on ende of Engelond uorp to pe oper ende. 
 
 From be Soub tillej? in to be Nor]? 4 Eningestret; 
 
 And from be Est in to pe West Ikenildestrete. 
 
 I DesuntinAr. 2 Stonhenge pro Eningestret habemus. Sic 
 
 Ar. 3 Vide Dugdalii Antiqui- 
 ties of Warwickshire, p. 6. Sf 
 DuctoremnostrumHistortcum, 
 Vol. II. p. 77. 4 Erming- 
 street vulgo. At in Ar. lyne 
 
 enim iliic : 
 
 Lyne me clepeth eke thulke 
 
 wey, he goth thorgh Glou- 
 
 ce(er, 
 
 And thorgh Circetre eijene 
 also,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 From Douere in to Chestre tille}? Watlirigestrete, 
 
 From Sou]) Est in to NorJ> West, and ]>at ys somdel grete. 
 
 J>e fer}?e is inest of alle, )?at tillej> from Tottenais, 
 
 From }?e on ende Cornewayle anon to Catenays, 
 
 Fro ]?e Nor]? Est in to Sou]> West in to Engelonde's ende : 
 
 Fosse me clepuj? Jrike wey, }?at by mony god toun doj? wende, 
 
 So clene * lond ys Engolond, and so pur with outen ore, 
 
 J?at J?e fairest men of ]?e world J>er inne be}) y bore. 
 
 * So clene, and fair, & purwy t, among o|?er men heo bej?, 
 
 }>at me knowej? hem in eche lond bi sygte, where me hem se]?, 
 
 So clene al so is ]?at lond, & monne's blod so pur, 
 
 J?at ]>e gret vnel come]? not j)er, ]?at me clepuj? JJQ 3 holy fur, 
 
 ]>at 4 for" frete]? monnes lymes, ryjt as heo were 5 brende. 
 
 Ac men of France in J>ilke vnel* me sy]? sone a mende, 
 
 jef heo ben brougt in to Engelond : war }?orw me may wyte, 
 
 J>at Engelond ys lond best, as yt is y write. 
 
 also, and thorgh Wynchestre. 
 Verum his de viis videsis trac- 
 talum egregium, (ab Amico 
 doctissimo Rogero Galeo sort, 
 ptum, 8f a nobis in VI. Volu- 
 mine Itinerarii Lelandi edi- 
 tum,) cut titulus, " An Essay 
 towards the Recovery of the 
 Courses of the four greatUomaa 
 
 ways," ubi (p. 106.) frag- 
 mentum Roberti nostri de Us- 
 dem, adjidem Codicis Digbei. 
 ant, exstat. 
 
 1 A load Ar. * So clene, so 
 whjte, so fayr of hew, among 
 Ar. 'Wildefuyr^r. * Deest 
 Ar. s For brende Ar. 6 Ofte 
 me syk) amende Ar. 
 
 FRO
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 FRO J?e by gynnyng of }>e world, to J?e tyrae }?at now is, 
 
 Sene ages j?er habbe]? y be, as sene tyrae y wys. 
 
 J>e firste age & tyme was from oure firste fader Adam 
 
 To Noe, & sej>j)e j?o o|?er from Noe to Abraham. 
 
 J>e j?ridde was from Habraham forte Moyses com, 
 
 \>Q ferthe fro Moyses to Dauid kyndom. 
 
 J?e fyfj?e was from Dauid to J?e transmigracion 
 
 Of Babilonye, & J?e six]?e to }>e incarnacion, 
 
 |?at is, forte God was y bore. J?e sene was & ys 
 
 From oure Lorde's bur}>e time to J>e worlde's ende y wys. 
 
 1 ]JO Adam was first y mad, & hys of spryng wex wyde, 
 
 Heo by gonne at J?e on ende of ]?e world, al in }?e Est syde. 
 
 Se)>J>e it wex wyde a boute, fro lond to londe, 
 
 So ]?at in J>e }>ridde age it was er it come to Engelonde. 
 
 For in J>e tyme bi twene Abraham & Moyses it was, 
 
 J?at men come to Engolond, ich wol telie jou ]?at cas. 
 
 jfV. Batayle J?er was while in the contre of Rome, 
 
 J?e meste ]?at euer was, as me ha]? herd y lome : 
 
 j>e bataile of Troie, J?at laste fele jer. 
 
 Mony was ]?e gode body, }?at y slawe was j?er. 
 
 For }?er nas knyjt in monylonde, ny stalewarde man, 
 
 |>at in J?e o syde Jer was ; & al for a * wommon, 
 
 1 After J>at Adam maked 
 was his ofspryng wax wyde, 
 At on eynde of J>e worlde hit 
 
 gan in the Est syde Ar. 
 1 Womman Ar.
 
 10 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J>at Elyne was y clepud, |)is bataile first bi gan. 
 
 An hey mon }>er was by fore, J>at me clepude Dardan. 
 
 Of liym com ]>e gode Bruyt, ]?at was J?e firste man 
 
 J?at lord was in Engelond, as y jou telle can. 
 
 Dardan bi get Troye, J?at god mon was & wys. 
 
 Troie bi get Priamus, & al so Anchis. 
 
 J>ese were in ]?is batail of mest myjt and mayn. 
 
 Anchis bi get Eneas, and Eneas Ascayn. 
 
 Ascayn bi get Silui, of whom ]?e Brut com. 
 
 For Eneas aftur j?e bataile Ascayn ys sone nom, 
 
 And Silui Ascaine's sone, & o]?er J?at f>er were, 
 
 Jn to f>e lond of Lumbardy wende, & wonede for]) )?ere. 
 
 }>o Silui hadde bi gete a child., fayn he wolde y wyte, 
 
 What mon }>at child schulde be, j?at he hadde y gcte. 
 
 A clerk J?oru enchantement hym bi gan to telle, 
 
 1 ]?at j?e schulde first fader and moder quelle : 
 
 And sej>J?e he schulde mony lond ouer passe and wende, 
 
 And mony bataile ouer come, and sej>)?e, at ]?e ende, 
 
 To a noble lond he scholde come, & ]?ere al lord be, 
 
 And kynges come of hys btod, & J>at me schulde se. 
 
 * \>at Eneas bi gan hys of spryng to Lumbavdie first brynge 
 
 ]?re ]?ousant & sixe & tucnti jer fro ]?o worlde's bi gyniiyngc. 
 
 ]>o ]?e clerk hadde y seid hys enchaunterye, 
 
 jjcr fore Silui hym let sle. ac ]?at was lytel maistrie. 
 
 1 >at fat childe sholde furst 
 Ar. 2 ];re fousend yer and 
 foure skor fram the worlde's 
 gynnynge Was, before fat 
 
 fus gan brynge. fo fis clerk 
 hadde y sed al hys enchaun- 
 terye, Siluius let hym sle. 
 litel was fat maistrye. Ar. 
 
 }']neas hys iem to Itaille 
 
 For
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 1 1 
 
 For hit com ner ]>Q later, as he hadde y seyd. 
 
 For * in trauayl of hys beryng hys moder was first ded. 
 
 ]?o Jns child was y bore, me lette hym clepe * Bruyt. 
 
 First lord he was in Engolond, of wham me spekejj jet. 
 
 J>e child wex & wel ]?rof, as ]?e clerk seyde er. 
 
 Sefye |?o yt hadde ]?e elde of fyftene jier, 
 
 As he wolde schete an hert, al a jeyri hys wille 
 
 To de]?e he schet ys owne fader, |?at he lay J>er stille. 
 
 Hit hym for Jjoiijte sore y now, ac noj?eles jet he was 
 
 Out of }>at lond ydriue for J?at deolful cay. 
 
 In to ]?e lond of Grece he wende, * & ]x> wonede he }?ere 
 
 Of ]?e kynde of Priamus mony men, J?at ]?or were, 
 
 }>at wer J>er of hys nexte blode, Jat were J?er in seruage. 
 
 Here elderne J?er by fore were y nome in ostage 
 
 Fram J>e bataile of Troie, in wreche as it were, 
 
 For J?e grete slaujt and wo, J?at here kynde dude J?ere. 
 
 5 }>e Bruyt among hem com, to such prowes he drow, 
 
 J?at * al ]?e kyn, J?at hym say, hadde of him joye ynow. 
 
 So ]?at at J>e laste, J?o he 7 in stat was, 
 
 And ]?em j^oujte, J>at ys pere in J?e world nas, 
 
 \>e folc of Jat ilke blode aboutein hym drowe faste, 
 
 \><\i he scholde ys owne kynde of ]?at seruage caste. 
 
 8 Heo comen alle a bouten hym, so J?at ]?e Brut y sey, 
 
 j?at heo were of gret power, & noble folc & hey, 
 
 1 In trauail as he was bore, 
 his moder was }o deed Ar. e 
 regions vero (in margine) 
 manu recentiori, his mother 
 dyed in childe bede. * Brut 
 Ar. * Yut Ar. 4 And >enne 
 
 fond he J>ere Ar. s j?o Jat 
 Brut Ar. 6 Al his kyn, }>at 
 wisten hit, J?er of had ioye y 
 now Ar. ^ Mamie's stat Ar. 
 8 Hy come al a bouteo hym, 
 & whanne hem alle he sey, 
 
 Vol. I. o Hym
 
 12 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Heo jarkeden hem to gedere, J>at a fair ost yt was. 
 
 To ]>Q kyng of Grece he sende, )>ut hatte Pandras, 
 
 J?at heo scholde so noble folc, J>at of so gret blod come, 
 
 Out of seruage lete, and out of ]?raldome, 
 
 1 Or hym ne schulde not wondry, ]?ay heo dude here myjt 
 
 With here bodies, ]?at ajte be so free, for to wynne here ryjt. 
 
 j?o kynge hadde in hys jjogt gret*bysmar of J>is J>yng. 
 
 Bellom. He 3 jarkede is ost anon, to grounde hem to bryng. 
 Jris Brut a eyn hym with ys ost wel wyssyche drowe. 
 * Heo smyton J?er a batayle hard and strong ynow. 
 ]?e prowes at }>e Brute dude no tonge no telle ne may, 
 Mony was J>e gode body Jmt hyra self slou }?at day. 
 What halt yt longe to telle ? Hys foil he ouercom, 
 
 Capcio And Pandras, ]>e stronge kyng, as $ pry son he nom. 
 fis kyng ])o he was y nome, here wille dude anon, 
 6 And brojte hem out of J^raldom, }>o he say non oj)er won. 
 He by gan to loue Brut so mnche, for ys faire cheiance, 
 J?at he wyllede, mest of alle J^ynge, to hym enlyanee. 
 " Brul," he seyde, " ]?o art now ]>e beste body J?at ys. 
 " For J?e noble kyn, of worn )>ou art, & for Ji prowes y wis y 
 <c Ych obligi me to je, and my kyndom al so. 
 ' A dogter ich haue of gret prjs, & noble & god al so, 
 " Y jeue here )?e to }?i wyf, &, gef |?ou wolt by leue here, 
 " J?e J?ridde del ' my kyndom y jeue ]?e to be my fere. 
 
 Hym }>oughte he hadde power 
 ynow of noble folk & hey. He 
 gaderede hem alle to gedere 
 faste, a fayr oste j>er was Ar. 
 1 Ctyer hym ne sholde nought 
 wondry, J?ough hy, for hure 
 ryht, Wi] hure bodies make 
 
 hem fre dude J>er to hure 
 myght^fr. Skorne^fr. *Or- 
 deyned Ar. 4 Hy Ar. s Pri- 
 soner Ar. 6 j, o he non oj?er 
 bote y sey, he yaflf hem hure 
 fredom Ar. 7 Of my Ar. 
 
 "And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 13 
 
 " And gef f ou nylt not here be, ac wolt jet fonde more, 
 
 " Gold & seluer ich wol fe jeue, & y now of eche store : 
 
 " And take ' fe my dojter : for mon f ou art y wys, 
 
 " To wynne jet a kyndom, wel beter fan myn ys. 
 
 fis kyng & f e Brut were at on, fat to wyf he tok 
 
 Hys dojter Innogen, ac hys lond he for sok. Sponsacio 
 
 *fe kyng tok Brut ys owne body, in ostage as yt were, 
 
 For te hit were to gedere y brojt al fat 3 he wolde a rere. 
 
 He lette sende hys messageres in to al Grece wel wyde, 
 
 And * lette fulle corn, and oyl, & wyn, by * iche syde. 
 
 * Me chargede f re hondret schippes, & foure & twenti f er to, 
 fer wyf , & mid al of er god fat mygt fer inne do. 
 
 f o fis schippes jare were, and ful of 7 ruche gode, 
 
 And fis mayde y spoused was of so * riche blode ; 
 
 j?e kyng de lyuerede fat folk out of seruage, 
 
 And Brut de liuerede Je kyng out of hys ostage, Bruti. 
 
 And nom hys leue fayre of hym, and jxmkede hym all gode, 
 
 And nom with hym al ]?at folk, j?at he fond j?er of hys blod, 
 
 And hys wyf Innogen, and to schip wende, 
 
 * Heo nuste toward wuche lond, but as God hem sende. 
 J?e deol ]?at made Innogen, no tonge ne telle ne may. 
 
 Heo cryede and wep with sorwe y now, & ofte y swone lay. 
 10 ]?o ho wende from al hire kyn, & from al ]?ing fat heo knew, 
 And nuste on erfe whiderward, bute as the wynd hem blew, 
 And wiste fat heo ne schulde neuer a geyn com ny go, 
 Ne se fader, ny ofer kyn, lord ! fat hire was wo ? 
 
 1 To ]?e my doughter, for 
 noble )>ou ert and wys, Ar. 
 }>e kyng to Brut his body 
 toke, Ar. s Hy Ar. 4 Het 
 
 Ar. 5 Euery Ar. 6 He Ar. 
 ^ Eche Ar. Heygh Ar. 
 9 J?ey Ar. l When sheo 
 wende Ar. 
 G 2 Brut
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Brut hire cluppede and cussede, & comfortede hire y now y 
 
 *]?at he ne myjte hire herte change, bat heo to sore ne drow. 
 
 Twey dayes * heo wende in be se fro the lond of Grece, 
 
 3 So bat he comen to an yle, bat me clepu]? Leogece. 
 
 bider 4 heo gonne ryue, and Brut sende vp bere 
 
 J?re bond red men y armed wel, to loke wat lond yt were. 
 
 ]>is men wende a boute wyde, & mon fonde heo non, 
 
 Bute faire contre & wylde bestes mony ou. 
 
 A temple 6 heo fonde faire y now, & a mawmed a midde, 
 
 ' bat ofte tolde wonder gret, & wat J>ing mon bi tidde. 
 
 bis men of bis wylde bestes cagte & schete y nowe, 
 
 And to a store hem of mete faste to schip drowe. 
 
 'Of the mamet heo tolden Brut, bat heo fonden J?ere. 
 
 And he nom with him tuelue men ]?e beste bat with him- were, 
 
 And a clerk J?at koube enchantement, & to bis temple drowe, 
 
 And offrede to bis mamet, and * honourede hym ynowe, 
 
 10 And" n forte wyte in what stude hys wonyng were. 
 
 }?o he hadde hys bone y do, he fel on slepe ry^t bere. 
 
 Hym bougte J>e ymage in hys slep tolde hyra hys cheance. 
 
 <e Brut," he saide, " passe uor]?e al be lond of France 
 
 " West, toward bike stude as be sonne drawe}> ajen cue. 
 
 " ber bou schalt fynden a place J *god in to byleue. 
 
 1 He ne myghte hure sorwe 
 slake nought, to sorwe so heo 
 drow Ar. omisso )>at. * He 
 saileyde Ar. * Fort he come 
 to Ar. 4 ]?ey Ar. s Hy Ar. 
 6 Hy Ar. ' J?at Dyane god. 
 
 what bi tydde Ar. Of Jat 
 godesce hy tolde Brut, )?at hy 
 Ar. 9 Worsheped Ar. * 0. 
 mittit Ar. " Forto Ar. 
 Good and fair intie to byleue 
 Ar. 
 
 sce cleped was, and tolde ofte 
 
 "An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 15 
 
 " An yle god & riche y nowe, ]>e se goth al a boute: 
 
 <l Wule f>at lond was y fulled with ' geandes strong & proude. 
 
 " And now yt ys as a wildernesse, for no mon ber inne nys. 
 
 " To be it wole be god and riche, & to allc byne y wys. 
 
 '* And yt worb an ober Troie to be, and so god, 
 
 " bat ber schul kynges come & springe of bi blod. 
 
 \>o Brut a wok of hys slep, & al bis vnder stod, 
 
 Hys men he tolde al bis cas with wel 2 blij?e mod. 
 
 Heo garkeden hem & wenden uor]?, ]?e wynd was god y nog, 
 
 So }>at toward }>e West here schippes euene drowj. 
 
 So bat J with J>rilty dayes to Affric heo come, 
 
 4 And arst heo wende vp on J?e lond, & fette hem prey y lome, 
 And fojte & slowe muche folk, for no mon hem at stod. 
 From AfFric bei wente uorb with the wynd |?at was god. 
 
 So bat heo fonden in a stude here kynrede bi cas 
 
 5 Of noble mon Hercules, bat wyle of Troie was. 
 Corincus hatte here souereyn, bat so strong was of honde, 
 J>at hym ne myjte no mon ne geant at stonde. 
 
 J?o bis folc to gadere com, and Brut Corineus fond 
 
 ])o strengest mon & )?e meste ]?at hym J?ojte in eny lond, 
 
 * Heo a coyntede hym a non, and bi comen frendes gode, 
 
 BoJ)e for here prowes, and for heo were of on blode. 
 
 }>o bis company was strong, & more J?an hit was er, 
 
 Al in on company heo wenden uorb J>er 
 
 In J>e see with god wynd, so ]?at at j?e laste 
 
 In to ]>e on ende of Gasycone ]?e wynd here schippes caste. 
 
 1 Geauntz ferce & proute 
 Ar. * Joyful Ar. JByJynne 
 Ar. * And ]>er hy wende eft 
 
 a londe, and hure preye nonie 
 Ar. sOf>enoble^r. Hy 
 a queyntede Ar. 
 G 3 Corineus
 
 16 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Corineus ]?is stronge mon to hondred men with hym norn, 
 
 And wende ' on lond to honty }>o he to lond com, 
 
 * Forte porchase hem mete, and j?e kyng Goffare 
 
 (}jat was kyng of ]?e lond) ]?o he was ware, 
 
 j>at such folk was y armed (as me seyde) & ryuen vp hys lond, 
 
 And nuste wat folk it was, to hem he sende hys sonde, 
 
 To wyte, we]?er 3 he wold pes, o]?er 3 heo nolde non. 
 
 J>e messageres 4 }>ei wenden uorj? metten hem ech on. 
 
 Corineus with hys company as heo dude honte ]?ere, 
 
 Heo aschede at Corineus, how heo so hardi were, 
 
 To honte vp }?e kynge's lond, bute he leue hem geue. 
 
 Corineus saide, ]?at he nolde nomon asche leue, 
 
 To 5 honto and to wynne hys mete, & habbe solas & game. 
 
 J?e maister of J>e messageres ( 6 Imberd was ys name) 
 
 7 Bende ys bo we & schette a non to Corineus to gronde. 
 
 Corineus tok hys bowe of hym, & smot hym a wonde 
 
 A bouen on ]?e scolle with ys owne bowe a non, 
 
 J>at J?e scolle to breke in peses mony on. 
 
 Hys felawes |?o heo say Jris bi gonne to fle echon, 
 
 And tblde ]?e kyng fore how the game was al igon. 
 
 J?e kyng " made hym wroj y now, & no wonder yt was, 
 
 J?at strange men in hys owne londe dude hym such trespas, 
 
 J?at a sailede ys lond, and to robbery drowe, 
 
 And robbede ys bestes and ys game, and hys men slowe. 
 
 1 Up to hunty Ar. * Forto 
 Ar. *Hy Ar. 4 As hy 
 wende for)? mette hem Ar. 
 5 L. honte. f> Hymbert Ar. 
 " l.>ndo i is bowe to shete 
 
 hym, & Corneus in ]?at stounde. 
 Bynam Hymbert his bowe 
 anon, & ryght hym one wounde 
 Right euene vpon j?e skulle Ar. 
 8 Hym made wroj? ynow, Ar. 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 17 
 
 He wende with al ys power, and sailede hem a non. Beiium. 
 
 And Brut & Corineus prest were, and here men echon ; 
 
 And smyten a batail so strong, bat no tonge telle may 
 
 fat folk, fat fer was y slawe on eyfer side fat day. 
 
 Corineus ys * swert sone brae, so strong he smot & faste. 
 
 For no swerd mygte with ys dunt none lengur laste. 
 
 Mid hym he hadde a stronge axe, bat mony mon brojte to def e, 
 
 So strong & so gret, bat an ofer hit scholde hebbe vn nef e. 
 
 Corineus fer with harde smot & sturede * hym a boute, 
 
 And made his wey bi eifer syde, and percede fe route. 
 
 Mid f re hondred knyjtes a duk, bat het Siward, 
 
 A sailede Corineus hymself * a forward. 
 
 He smot Corineus harde y noj, bat he hit sore felde, 
 
 And jet he hente f e stroc muche del vp on fe schelde. 
 
 Corineus was f o somdel wrof , ys axe on hey he drow, 
 
 And smot hym vpon be hed mid god ernest y now, 
 
 9 And for clef al fat hed, & the bodi a non to gronde. 
 
 f o mygte Siward segge, bat he hadde ys 6 is" pere y fonde, 
 
 f o Corineus 7 was alles wrob, so grete strokes he jaf, 
 
 bat fe body of eche fat he smot or be hed he to clef,'' 
 
 Ofer he smot of be * arm, or be hond, or be heued : 
 
 No lym bat he smot * mid be bodi bi leued. 
 
 Amty place he made a boute, I0 & folc fleu hym faste. 
 
 A wonder maister " he was on, fat hem so kowbe a gaste. 
 
 1 A redy were, to meten hem 
 echon Ar. 2 Swerd Ar. * Hyra 
 swyfe aboute Ar. 4 Al a 
 voreward Ar. s He for cleu. 
 ede al]?at heued, his body fel 
 to grounde Ar. 6 Redundat. 
 i Was forsoj> so wro]>, fat 
 
 such duntes he yaf, j?at euery 
 ]>at he hitte aright, his dej> 
 forsoj; he haj? Ar. 8 Erca 
 Ar. 9 Was wi> Ar. I0 >e 
 folk fleygh fulfaste Ar. " >ere 
 he was, j?at hem Ar. 
 G 4 So
 
 18 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So faste he slow of Jns men, and to gronde caste, 
 
 J?at jje kyng with a fewe men hymself flew at J?e laste. 
 
 J?o j?e batail was y do, Brut and ]?is Corineus 
 
 A storede hem a bout of richesse and chateus, 
 
 Of corn, of wyn, of alle god, & to schippe faste drowe. 
 
 And brende ]?e contre, and |?e folc faste slowe. 
 
 ]>o heo hadde al bare imad ]>e contre al aboute, 
 
 And * heo wel y stored, of noting }>ei were in doute ; 
 
 Heo wende to schip anon, & euene gonne dryue 
 
 To ]?e contrei of Toures, & |?ere J>ei gonne a riue. 
 
 A fair place heo cheson hem, & J>ere heo gonne a rere 
 
 Walles wyde and strong ynow, casteles as hit were, 
 
 And a storede hit wel y now, & here god j?er inne bere, 
 
 For to a bide }?e kyng, jef he wolde a sayle horn ]?ere. 
 
 j?e kyng GofFar Jnderward gret power and ost nom 
 
 Of France and of oj?er londes, and toward Toures come. 
 
 o * heo seye j^e grete walles, casteles as it were, 
 
 Ou ! he seide, J?e grete despit, |?at y se to me here, 
 
 j?at ' J)is file and komelynges casteles lete}> rere 
 
 Op on my lond baldeliche, as me for to a fere. 
 
 Ne do]? heo me schame ynog. how myjte heo do more ? 
 
 Bute y be ]?er of a wreke, y schal dye for sore. 
 
 For Code's loue, sta!eworj?e men, armej? gou faste, 
 
 To sle fese komlynges, and here casteles a doun caste. 
 
 }ns folc hem armede anon, and baneres gonne rere, 
 
 And deparlede here ost in twolf partyes ]?ere. 
 
 1 Hem self pro heo in Ar. * He Ar. * Jese foule kemelynges 
 Ar. 
 
 Brut
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 19 
 
 Brut ordeynede ys ost, and sette hem wyslyche, 
 
 And with god herte a geyn j?e folc wende baldeliche. 
 
 }?ere heo srayton a batail, harde and strong ynow, 
 
 And ]?is folc of Troie of }>e Frensche faste slow, 
 
 je two ]?ousand and mo in a lytul stonde, 
 
 So j?at J?e Frenche were nej y broujt to gronde. 
 
 And nancies here * ferd wax faste a boute wyde, Beilum. 
 
 For heo hadde suche Jmtti men, as were on |?e * oj>er. 
 
 For here power and here ost wax euere so faste, 
 
 |?at YIS gode folk of Troie ouer come were at ]?e laste, 
 
 And flow into here casteles, J?o heo nadde oj>er won. 
 
 )>e ost withoute of France bi segede hem a non, 
 
 And bi lai hem so faste, at nej to gronde hem brojte. 
 
 So ]?at Brut and Corineus an quoyntyse hem by J^ogte, 
 
 3 J?at ]?is Corineus bi nygt wende out with gret route 
 
 At a posterne stilleliche, J?at heo nuste it not with oute. 
 
 A morwe Brut with inne with ys ost out drowe, 
 
 And smot with |?is Frensche men batayle strong y now, 
 
 ere were mony J?ousand * slawe in a stonde. 
 
 Brut hadde a * neueu, J>at mony brogte to gronde. 
 
 For he slow mid his power, and 6 brogte to schame, 
 
 Six hondrcd, as me sei}>, 7 Tourus was ys name. 
 
 At ]?o last he was hym self y slawe, J?er was deol y nowj. 
 
 ]?o }?e batail was ney y do, Corineus uorj? hym drowg. 
 
 With six ^ousant noble men, out of an wode J>ere, 
 
 And com vp }ns Frenssche raen 3 \>o heo al weri were, 
 
 * Ost Ar. 9 Adde, syde. 
 3 ]>at ]?is Corneus sholde out 
 wende by nyghte wij> Ar. 
 
 4 A slawe in a litel stounde 
 Ar. 5 Cosyn Ar. 6 Broughte 
 eke to Ar. 7 Tours Ar. 
 And
 
 20 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And slow hem to gronde al for nojt, so J>at at ]?e lastt , 
 Heo, J>at mygte of scape, bi gone to fle faste : 
 And heo of Troye siwede with oute eny feyntyse, 
 For wen J?e strangle faile]?, me mot take quoyntyse. 
 1 J?e Brut and Corineus hadde here wylle of f>is j?ing, 
 Heo lette here men, ))at were y slawe, faire on er)?e bryng. 
 And Tours ]?e gode knyjt, j?at so muche folc er slowj, 
 Brut lette brynge on erj>e with honoure y nowj, 
 And lette a fair tabernacle in honour of hym rere, 
 And fair hous al abouten hym, & bi gan J?e cite j)ere, 
 |?at noble cite was and ys, and for Tours J?at }?er lay 
 f>e cite me clepede Tours, as me do]? jet to }ris day. 
 
 .ORUT & Corineus ]?o he hade here wille in al J?e londe, 
 
 He * wende & saide al a boute, for nojnng myjtehem at stonde. 
 
 Heo chargede here schippes faste and wel with alle gode, 
 
 And wende uorj> with god wynd & wel dryuyng flode ; 
 
 And driue euer West ward, so ]?at in god pais 
 
 Heo come here to Engolond to* hauene of Tottenais, 
 
 To J?e on ende of Engolond, as in ]?e West Sou]?e, 
 
 4 A lute bi fore Cornewail, as in an hauene's moujje. 
 
 J)is was J>re fwusant, and foure score, and J?re jer 
 
 From Jat ]?o world was first mad, J>at * }?at" heo ariuede J>er. 
 
 1 j?o Ar. * Wende a boute 
 & preyede faste, ne myght hem 
 nought astonde Ar. J J>e ha- 
 
 Cornewaille, in Deueneshire 
 hit is cou]?. Hit was ]?re J7ou- 
 sand Ar. s Reditndat. 
 
 uene Ar. 4 A lyte by Norf e 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 21 
 
 And er God were y bore euene yt was al so 
 
 1 Ellene hondred jer and ]?ritti jer and two. 
 
 Jms com to Engelond ]?e firste men y wis, 
 
 J?at euere wonede in Engelond, j>at were Brut & hys, 
 
 }>o Brut and his men Jms come first a londe, 
 
 Heo wende a boute wyde J?e * contreis forto fonde. 
 
 Gret plente heo fonde of fissch, as heo wente, by ]>e weye, 
 
 Of wodes and of riuers, as is in }?e contrey. 
 
 Lond heo fonde god y now to tilie, and alle god, 
 
 So f>at 3 to bi leue ]?er here herte fel and stod. 
 
 4 Heo fonden a vewe geandes, for broide men as yt were. Gigantes. 
 
 In to Cornewaile heo driue hem, in to olde diches }>ere. 
 
 Heo howsede and bulde faste, and erede and sewe, 
 
 So J>at in lutel while gode cornes hem grew. 
 
 Corn & fruyt hem wex ynow, & fisch ynow ]?ei fonde, 
 
 And of flesch, so |?at heo were riche y now in astonde. 
 
 Bruyt bad Corineus forto chese of eche centre ywis, 
 
 Wuch hym were leuest to habbe to hym and to hys. Corineus 
 
 elcgit Cor- 
 
 Cornewaile hym likede best, ]?erfore he ches }?ere nubiam. 
 
 To hym and to hys ospryng, * & for |?er geandes were.'' 
 For he willede to fyjte with geandes, & do hem schame. 
 J?at londe he clepude Cornewaile, aftur hys owne name, 
 Cornewaile aftur Corineus, and in Jris maner y wys 
 Corineus bi wan Cornewaile, to hym and to hys. 
 
 1 Eneleuene hundred hit 
 was, & ]>rytty yer ]?er to (o. 
 misfo two) in Ar. * Contrey 
 Ar. * )>er to byleue hure 
 
 hertes wel stood Ar. 4 Ge- 
 auntes a fewe hy fonde her, 
 vnmete men as hit were Ar. 
 * ]>e Geauntes to a fere Ar. 
 
 Brut
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Brut huld to bym Engelond, he ne durste hym not playne, 
 And aftur Brut ys owne * nome he clepede hit Breteyne. 
 Brytones me clepude alle men J>at were of Engelond, 
 As me clepede hem longe sej?]?e * for to now late ich vnder- 
 stonde." 
 
 Gogmagog. CjOGGOMAGOG was a geand swtye grete and strong. 
 A boute four & twenti fet me sei]? he was long. 
 A gret ok he wolde * brcide a doun, as it a smal gerde were, 
 And bere forth in his hond, 5 Jmt folc forte a fere. 
 He com with twenti geandes, and a sailede Brut faste. 
 Brut with ys power slow Jns geandes at ]?e laste, 
 Alle bute Gogmagog, for hym ne slow he nojt ; 
 For he schulde with Corineus wrastele he hadde y J>oujt. 
 * So J?at Corineus and he to gedere were y brojt, 
 
 Luctacio. j?e wrastolyng bi twene hem was som del tojt. 
 }>er was mony a strong breid, so ]?at ribbes J?re 
 J>e geant brek of Corineus, as me myjte ]>er y se. 
 In ]>e rijt syd two, and in |?e lift syde on. 
 Jjo was Corineus somdel worj?, he sterede hym a non, 
 And gripte f>is geant, and to an hey roche hym drow, 
 J>at stod a boue )?e see an hey, & \>er a doun hym 7 slow. 
 So }>at he was al to raced pecemel in a stonde, 
 Eche lym from o]?er, among J>e roches, er he com to gronde. 
 
 1 Hym no j^yng playne Ar. 
 4 Name Ar. Fort Saxo- 
 
 nes gonne hit foiulc Ar. 
 
 * Eraye a doun Ar. s Ipe folk 
 alto a fere Ar. 6 )?o Ar. 
 '' Flough Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 23 
 
 }>at Corineus was al one lord of Cornewaile ]?o. 
 
 Wan ]?e geancles were alle y slawe, J?at ]?er bi leuede no mo, 
 
 Brut wende for]? into Engolond, and aspiede vp and doun 
 
 For to seche an ese place, to make an heued toun. 
 
 He com and fond al vp Temese a place fair y now, ESB2 
 
 In god contre & plenteus, )>at is herte muche to drog, 
 
 J>at l ]>e" schippes migte from eche lond bryng *to" god ywis. 
 
 J>er he rerede hys heued toun, }?at London i clepud is : 
 
 Ac so ne clepude he yt nogt, bute \>Q Newe Troie. 
 
 J?er habbej) kynges and moni o]?er ofte y be in ioie. 
 
 Brut J?is noble prince sones hadde J?re 
 
 By hys wyf Innogen, noble men and fre: 
 
 Locryn, and Kamber, and Albanak al so. 
 
 At ]?e laste dyede Brut, }x> al J>is was y do, Obitot 
 
 Aftur )?at he com to Engelond in J?o four & twenttye ger. 
 
 Y buryed he was at London, J?at he lette first rere. 
 
 J?is lond was deled a }>re among J?re sones y wys, 
 
 Bi West Seuerne Kamber hadde, and so al Walls. 
 
 Albanak bi jonde Homber : ac Locryn hadde best 
 
 Al out that lond bi twene hem, fro }>e Est to ]?e West. 
 
 For ]?at he was eldeste, me lokede hym best by rijt. 
 
 ]?ese were as ]?re kynges, and men of muche myjte. 
 
 J)e kyng of Hungri 3 sej?j?e com, Homber was ys name, 
 
 In to Scotlond to werre, and do Albanak schame, 
 
 And werrede vp hym faste, and at the laste hym sloj. 
 
 o Locryn herde jns, sore he wes y nog. 
 
 After hys broker Camber hasteliche he sende, 
 
 And boj^e with gret ost to ward the kyng wende. BeUam. 
 
 ]DeestAr. * Deest Ar. Su> Ar. 
 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 He smyte a batail strong ynow (ne strengor myjte be) 
 
 So fat Homber kyng of Hungri ' seffe bi gan to fle 
 
 In to a gret water f er, & a dreynt bym self with schame ; 
 
 far fore me clepude fat Water f o Homber, aftur hys name, 
 
 As me def jet, and euer more wole, for fe cas 
 
 fat Homber, kyng of Hungri, fer ynne a dreynt was. 
 
 fo Locryn hadde al his wille, he a storede wel ys lond 
 
 Mid Homber kynge's god, fat * me of hys fond. 
 
 f o fond 3 he f re damyseles, gent and fair ynowj, 
 
 fat Homber with hym brojte, to f e on ys herte drow, 
 
 fat was of hem cheuentcyn, and fe kynge's dojter was 
 
 Of Germanic, as hym foujte, in fe World hire pere nas, 
 
 So whit, ne of such colour, ny in eche maner so gent. 
 
 Kyng Locryne's herte was al clene vp hire y went, 
 
 And tok hire for]) with hym mid gret honour y nowj, 
 
 And f ogte hire to spouse, so ys herte to hire droj. 
 
 Ac Corineus, duk of Cornewaile, * wroj y now was 
 
 Toward kyng Locryn, fo he berde fis cas. 
 
 For he hadde hym a forward hys dojter habbe to wyue, 
 
 Hys gret axe he nom in hys hond, & to hym * hyede bi lyue. 
 
 His axe ]?o he to hym com, so grisliche he schok & faste, 
 
 fat fe kyng quakede & ys men, so sore heo were a gaste. 
 
 <c Sei (he seide) Locryn, wat fenkestow for to do.? 
 
 " ]> enkestow me Corineus to bi traye so ? 
 
 ** Hast Jxm for gete fe gret wo, and fe mony harde wonde, 
 
 " fat ich habbe y f oled for f i fader, & 6 f e"mony 7 luf er stonde, 
 
 1 Sone Ar. * He Ar. I Ar. * yede as blyue Ar. 
 3 Men pro he in Ar. 4 Wroth | * Deest Ar. 1 Wicked Ar. 
 
 "For
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 25 
 
 " For to wynne bym lond & gou, and J>ou hast now forsake 
 
 " My dorter, fat schulde be ]?i wif, & to a kemelyng take? 
 
 " J>ou ne schalt (bi hym j?at made ' me) of scapie so lygte, 
 
 " \>e while f>er ys in my ryjt hond eny strangle & myjte; 
 
 <c And while y may J?er wyt myn hond axe vp drawe, 
 
 " Wher with ich habbe geandes mony on y slawe. 
 
 He bi gan to schake ys axe, for to smyte anon, 
 
 Ac knygtes criede, & jede bi twene hem mony on. 
 
 So |?at J?o kyng Locryn vnder fong wel fayn 
 
 And spousede a hys dojter, that hette Guendoleyn, 
 
 And a dude al his wille, (for he lokede so 4 rowe,) Cori- 
 
 Ok 
 
 More for eye }>an for loue, (mony mon seruej) howe) 
 
 And nojt for ]?an }>at oj>er maide he louede more y now, 
 
 Astrild hire name was, and more to hire he drow. 
 
 He made hire vnder erj?e a wonyng coynteliche, 
 
 And huld hire J>er to his wylle longe priuiliche, 
 
 And drow to hire wan he wolde, J?at no mon yt nuste, 
 
 Bute it were eny priue mon, )>at hys priuite al wyste. 
 
 Whan he wolde to hire go, to hys mayne he seyde, 
 
 }>at he wolde to his Godes his ofryng lede, 
 
 * And J?at he hackle, to honoure hem, a priue stude }?erej 
 
 To sacrifise to his Goddes, J?at moni war nere. 
 
 Segge he wolde eke al so to f>e Queue ys spouse, 
 
 " And nojjeles such sacrifise y ne kepte not at myn howse ?" 
 
 1 Me) a scapy Ar. * Cor- 
 neus pro hys in Ar. * Dude 
 tho al Corneus wille, Ar. 
 4 Rough Ar. s And that he 
 hadde made a TOW, to do a 
 sacrifice Priueliche to his God, 
 
 as he gan hym deuyse. Segge 
 he wolde right al thus to his 
 owene spouse, *' These wiues 
 " suche sacrifice loueth at hure 
 " owene house." So longe 
 Ar. 
 So
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So longe he dude ys sacrifise, and pleide such game, 
 
 Jmt he hadde a dorter, ' Auerne was hire name. 
 
 And ]?e Quene hadde al so in * sposhed bi gete 
 
 A sone, Jat hette Madan, as it is 3 y writon. 
 
 4 Sone so J)e quene fader Corineus was ded, 
 
 \>Q kyng hadde J?er aftur wel sone y nome red. 
 
 He for sok is wyf al out, and Astrild made quene. 
 
 He ne dradde nogt J>o 5 that handaxe, as it was y sene. 
 
 J>o wende J?e quene forj? to Cornewail a non, 
 
 And c gonge stalewor]?e men gederede mony on. 
 
 7 f>at pocr al J?at was hire fader, & also of Engelonde, 
 
 So j?at heo hadde sone gret power on honde, 
 
 And grot ost made and strong, and vp the kyng setle, 
 
 * And J?e kyng al so a jeyn hire, so J?at heo hem mette, 
 
 And a balail vp Stour smite strong y now, 
 
 And ]?ere J?e quene folk ]?e kyng Locryn slow, 
 
 And muche of his folk eke bute hem Jmt flowe. 
 
 So J?at 9 a luther beuerage to here bi hofj>e ]?ei browe. 
 
 J?o kyng my^te segge er J>e while he was aliue, 
 
 ]?at in a luther time he striuede with his wyue. 
 
 jef alle 10 luj)er holers were y serued so, 
 
 Me schulde fynde |?e les such spouse bruche do. 
 
 Ellene hundred jer Jis kyng was Jms bi fore 
 
 And !I eyjte jer y slawe er God were y bore. 
 
 1 Sabrene Ar. 6f in marg. 
 (a manu recenti) Sabrine. 
 
 * Spoushed Ar. 3 Y write Ar. 
 4 So sone so the quene's Ar. 
 
 * The pro fat in Ar. 6 yonge 
 Ar. ^ Al the power that was 
 hure fadere's, and muche of 
 
 Engelonde, Ar. 8 The kyng 
 also a yenst hure, so hy to ge- 
 deres mette. Ar. 9 A foul 
 
 beuereche to hure byhoue 
 they brough Ar. I0 Foule holo- 
 yers Ar. " xviii. Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 27 
 
 \>Q was ]ns sturne wommon Guendolyn \>e quene 
 
 Kyng y mad in pis maner, for heo was sora del kenc. 
 
 Astrilde hire bedsuster (hire lorde's concubine) 
 
 And hire dojter ' Auerne heo let nime atte fine, 
 
 And drenche hope two in pe water of Seuerne. 
 
 And for yt was hire lorde's dorter pat mayde * Auerne, 
 
 And for honour of hire lord, and for heo was of hys kynde, 
 
 Heo wolde pat hire name were euer more in mynde, 
 
 And lette clepe pat water aftur ' Auerne, 
 
 And seppe porg diuerse tonge me clepede hit Seuerne, 
 
 And dep a letre per to, and no more y wys. 
 
 In pis maner pike water Seuerne y clepud is, 
 
 Guendolyn was kyng fiftene jer po. 
 
 And hire lord was kyng bi fore hire ten ger, & no mo. 
 
 4 And Madan here sone fourti jer, pilke tyme j?at Samuel Samuel. 
 J^e prophete wardede pat folk of Israel. 
 
 Meynpris, Madane's sone, kyng was tuenti jer, 
 
 5 ]?e kyng Saul was of Ysrael kyng, and non er. Saul., 
 pis was (as me may in bok rede and se) 
 
 Ar God were bore a pousand jer, and fourscore & ]?re. 
 
 ' Ebran, Meyn prise's sone, sixti jer was kyng. 
 
 He made J>e toun of Euerwik, ]?at strong ys in alle |?yng, 
 
 1 Sabrene Ar. z Sabrene ? 
 Ar. 3 Sabrene, Ar. 4 Ma- 
 dan hure sone kyng was tho 
 fourty yer ech del, In pro- 
 phete's tyme Samuel that 
 wardede Israel Ar. ! Whan 
 that Saul of Israel was kyng, 
 Ar. f> Ebrac, Mempris 
 
 is sone, sixty yer was kyng. 
 He bygan Ebrac wik atte 
 bigynnyng. And suth me 
 clepeth Euerwike this ilke 
 toun y wis. And York 
 also, thorgh light speche, y 
 hote also hit is. After Jris 
 kyngus name his name hit 
 
 Vol. I. H hym
 
 28 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicler. 
 
 And, aftur his name Ebran, Euerwik clepede it wel, 
 
 David j?at tyme Dauid was kyng in Yrael. 
 
 Brut ys sone j?rottene kyng was, and no mo. 
 
 And ' Leir kyng * fyue and twenti jer Brutesone was }>o. 
 
 And he rerde }?o toun of Leycetre, & nempnede yt owne name, 
 
 alomon. ]?o J?at Salamon ]>e wyse (mon of gret fame} 
 
 Kyng was of 3 Irael, J>at kyng Dauid sone was, 
 
 ]?at made J?e temple of Jerusalem, such temple ner nas. 
 
 4 Leile's sone ]?ritti ger kyng was * and fyue'' al so. 
 
 He rerde first Canterburi, and Wynchestre }>er to. 
 
 6 Ba]?ulf his sone aftur hym kyng was tweuti jer. 
 
 He bi gan ]?e toun of Ba]?e, and ' }?o hote ba]?es * J>er 
 
 In j?e veynes of j?e water, as yt do]? vp walle 
 
 He lette close * fuyr in metal quoynteliche withalle, 
 
 j?at as I0 |?o water comej? }>er bi J?er it cache]) hete. 
 
 }?at metal ys now y turned into roches grete, 
 
 |>at be]? euer y liche " hoto, & J?o water ]?er of al so. 
 
 And eke J?oru enchauntement yt was first y do. 
 
 For }?e kyng Ba]?ulf, J?at yt made, gret enchanter was. 
 
 And }?at hym mygte i2 se]?])e rewe, ich wol telie ]?at cas. 
 
 For J?at me schulde ys chauntement y se, 
 
 He lette hym make wyngon, an hey for to fle. 
 
 hym by fel. This was whan 
 Dauid kyng regned in Israel. 
 Brut grenshild, his sone, aftur 
 hym tho Regned her in Eoge- 
 lond xxx. yer and mo Ar. 
 
 1 Leil Ar. a XT. yer Ar. 
 ^ Israel Ar. 4 Lo his sone 
 
 aliit. sOmittitAr. 
 Ar. ^ >e Ar. 8 Potest etiam 
 ita distingui, ut periodus post 
 ]?er, comma vero post walle, 
 ponatur. 9 Fure and metal 
 Ar. '>e^r. "Hote^r. 
 11 Suth Ar. 
 
 Ar. sed Rudhudibras dicitur 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 29 
 
 And j?o he was y flowe an hey, & ne cow]>e not a lijte, 
 
 A doun mid so gret eir to J>e er]?e he fel and pigte, 
 
 J)at al to peses he to rof, J>at beter hym hadde ybe 
 
 Haue bi leued j?er doune, ]?an y lerned for to fle. 
 
 1 Jris ]?ilke tyrae )?at ]?e prophete Elye Tempni 
 
 In * f rael prophete was, and 3 in oure Lord bi gan to crie, 
 
 j?at J?er ne schulde ]?re jer * ny six mone]?es ]?er to 
 
 5 No reyn no come on er}>e, and yt bi fel al so. 
 
 AFTUR kyng 6 Bajmlf, Leir ys sone was kyng, 
 
 And regned 7 sixti ger wel Joru alle ]?yng. 
 
 Up }>e water of * Soure a cite of grct fame 
 
 He * endede, & clepede yt Leicestre, aftur ys owne name. 
 
 j?re dojtren |)is kyng hadde, J>e eldeste 10 Gornorille, 
 
 ]>e mydmost hatte Regan, J>e " gongost Cordeille. 
 
 j?e fader hem louede alle ynoj, ac f>e " jongost mest : 
 
 For heo was best and fairest, & to hantenesse drow lest. 
 
 \>Q j?e kyng to elde com, alle )?re he brojte 
 
 Hys dojtren to fore hym, to wyte of here Jroujte. 
 
 For he Jwjte hys kyndom '* dele among hem Jre, 
 
 13 And lete hem J?er with spousi wel whare he mygle bi se. 
 
 To J?e eldest he seide first, " Dojter ich bidde )>e 
 
 il Sey me at clene ]?in herte, how muche J>ou louest me.'* 
 
 " Myn heye Godes," quo]? ]?is mayde, ' to wytnesse I take echon, 
 
 " }>at y loue more in myn herte )>i leue bodi one, 
 
 'This was in thulke tyme 
 Ar. a Israel Ar. 3 On Ar. 
 * Ne Ar. J Reyn non in 
 erthe come, and aftur hit fel 
 so Ar. 6 Bladuth Ar. 1 xxx. 
 jer Ar. 8 Sore Ar. 9 Rerde, 
 
 and clepede Ar. I0 Gono- 
 rille, Ar. rx Yodgeste Ar. 
 Ia To dele Ar. ' 3 And eke 
 forto wedde hem wel wher he 
 myghte by se Ar. 
 
 ii 2
 
 30 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 " J?an myn soule and ray lyf, ]?at in ray bodi ys. 
 J?o fader was jx> glad y now whan he herde Jris. 
 " My leue dogter," lie seide J^o, " for * J?ou hast in loue y da. 
 " Myn olde lyf by fore ]?is, and bi fore ]?i soule al so. 
 r * c Ych wol ]?e marie wel with J>e Jmdde part of my londe 
 " To j?e noblest bacheler, Jmt |?yn herte wol to stonde. 
 j?o oj>er dogter he aschede ]>Q }>at same askyng. 
 " Sire," quod heo, " 2 bi hye Godes, Lordes of alle ]?yng, 
 e ' Y loue more })i leue lyf J>an al J)at in f>e world ys. 
 " And |)ei al J>e world were myn, & al ]?e richesse ywys, 
 " Al and eke myn owne lyf leuer ich hadde lese, 
 *' J>an J?i lyf, |?at me is so lef, jef y myjte chese. 
 }?e fader was ]?o glad y now, and bad hire vnderstonde, 
 To whom heo wolde y rnaried be with ]>e jmdue del ys londe. 
 J?e 3 jongost he askedo J>o as he hadde ]?o oj?er y do. 
 Heo 4 no kouj?e of no fikelyng, and ne onswerede not so. 
 " Sire," heo seyde, " y leue not |?at my sustren al so]? seide. 
 <c Ac for me my self, ich wol soj) segge o \ |?is dede. 
 " Ych the loue 5 as J?e mon that my fader ys, 
 " And euer habbe y fl loued as my fader, and euer wole y wys. 
 " And gef ]?ou wolt jet J?er vppe more asche & wyte of me, 
 <c Al ]>e ende of loue & ]?e grond ich wol segge J?e. 
 <f As muche as }?ou hast, 7 as muche }?ou art worj? y wys, 
 " And * as muche ich loue ]?e: |?o ende of loue ys }>is. 
 
 r Though hast thi loue y 
 do In myn old lyf to fore 
 thyn, & to fore thi soule also 
 Ar. * By the heyghe God, 
 Lord Ar. * Yongeste Ar. 
 
 * Ne couthe of no flateryng, 
 & aunswered nought so Ar. 
 s As a man Ar. 6 The addit 
 Ar. i So muche Ar. 8 So 
 Ar. 
 
 fr
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 3F 
 
 !be kyng was bo wrob y now, for heo seide al bat so]?. 
 
 For he seide, u bou ne lowest me nojt as bi sostren dob, 
 
 " Ac despisest me in myn olde line, boil ne schalt neuer ywis 
 
 " Part habbe of my kyndom, He of lond bat myn ys. 
 
 * { Ac byn sustren schulle habbe al, for here herte ys kynde, 
 
 " And bou for byn vnkyndenesse be out of al my^mynde. 
 
 " ' Ac y ne segge nojt for ban, jef y maito mariagebebrynge, 
 
 " bat y ne wol with oute lond with som lytel binge." 
 
 c< For boil art my dogter, & ich habbe more ban bi sostren bobe 
 
 " Y loued be one, & bou ^eldest now my loue wrobe. 
 
 ber aftur euene a two he delede hys kyndom, Particio 
 
 And jef hys twei dojfren half, & half hym self nom. 
 
 And be eldest dojter mid hire del he jaf with oute faile 
 
 be kyng of Scotlond, and be ober be * kyng of Cornewale, Maritacio 
 
 To Iiaue half ys lond myd hem at be bi gynnyng, 
 
 And sebbe al ys kyndom aflur ys endyng. 
 
 And be gode Cordeille vn maried was * so. 
 
 For heo* nolde fikele, as hire sustren hadde y do. 
 
 Ac s God bou^te on hire for hire trewnesse. 
 
 For be kyng of France herde telle of hire godriesse, 
 
 And bad hire fader graunt hym be gode Cordeille. 
 
 be kyng send word a geyn, bat it was ys wille: 
 
 1 Ac nought for than^ with 
 oute lond, with some litele 
 thynge Ich wole the to some 
 god man to mariage brynge. 
 Ar. Non dico tamen, cum 
 Jilia mea sis, quin te alicui 
 externo, si ilium fortuna ob- 
 tulerit) utcunque maritem. Il~ 
 lud autem affirmo, quod nun. 
 
 quam eo honore, quo sorores 
 tuas, te maritabo. Quippe 
 cum te plusquam ceteras hue 
 usque dilexerim^ tu vero me 
 minus quam cetera; diligas* 
 Galfredus Mon. Erl Jr. 
 * }o Ar. 4 Couthe flatery 
 nought, as Ar. s Almyghty 
 addit Ar. 
 H 3 Ac
 
 32 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 
 
 Ac he nolde with hire geue tresour, ny lond. 
 For ys two o]?er dojtren hadde it al on bond. 
 Jx> J?e kyng of France herde )?is, he answerede J?er to, 
 )?at he hadde hym self lond y now, and tresour al so. 
 Ne J>at he ne kepte bute hire one, withoute o]?er Jring, 
 J?at heo mygte sora eyres bi twene hem for]) brynge. 
 So )>at at ]>e laste )?is maide y spoused was 
 To J)is kyng of France, as God jaf J?at cas. ... 
 
 \>o J)is kyng Leir eldore was, heo bi gan to lo)?e, 
 For he so longe liuede, hys leue dogtren bo]?e. 
 Here lordes heo entisede, * to gedere to holde faste, 
 And wynne al Jns lond to hem, & here fader out caste. 
 ^o iac > . nome uere Qg^ an( j en dede ]?is dede, 
 
 And bi nome J>is olde mon ys lond, as here wyues bede : 
 Ac )?e kyng of Scotlond, for rew|?e and * kundede, 
 Hyrn nom to hym in to his hows, a jeyn ys wyue's rede, 
 Sixti knygtes with honour to fynde hyrn al ys lyf, 
 As wo sey]?, for ys kyndom, & for honour of ys wyf. 
 With inne two jer )?er aftur it fioujte J?e luj?er quene, 
 j?at 3 hire hadde to muche, & wolde to muche spene. 
 Heo made, J>at of 4 sixti knygles hire lord with droj, 
 And made bym holde to ]?ritti, & J?at was hire j^ojte ynoj. 
 j?is Leir was a schamed ]?o, & in wraJ7J?e at }je ende 
 To bys o|?er dojter, |?e quene of Cornewail, he gan wende, 
 And playnede of ]>e vnkynde dede of his dogter 5 Gornorille, 
 And wende J)ere amendement to habbe aftur ys owne wille. 
 
 1 To holde to gedre faste 
 Ar. 'Manhede, Tok hym 
 horn in to his hous, Ar. 3 
 Hvre fader badde so moche. 
 
 and to moche wolde spene Ar. 
 4 xxx. knyhtus hure lord hym 
 withdrough Ar. s Gonorille, 
 Ar. 
 
 J?ilke
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 33 
 
 Jnlke dojter hym to fonge with honour, as he wende, 
 
 Ac heo WHS al ful of hym er ' be gere's ende. 
 
 For heo entisede hire lord bo, bat ys kny^tes echone 
 
 For cost by nynae hym alle, birte a * fyue men one, 
 
 3 Wuche so it wre to serue hym, & bat was y nowe. 
 
 bo bis seli nion bis herdr, to sorwe ys herte drowe. 
 
 He nuste to weber dogter beter truste bo, 
 
 And nobeles he wende ajeyn to be ober with muche wo, 
 
 And hopede for to fynde of here beter 4 meuske & grace. 
 
 And heo swor bi hire bye Godes anon in be place, 
 
 bat he ne schalde mid hire be, bute it ' one were, 
 
 And on knygt with oute mo, be while he hym wel bere. 
 
 ' And askede, wad sorwe hym were, wan he nadde hym self 
 
 no god, 
 
 To wylne so gret cost, and be of so gret mod ?" 
 bis word dude much sorwe bis seli olde kyng, 
 bat atwytede hym & ys stat, bat he nadde hym self nojring. 
 bat word brak neg ys herte, & longe he yt vnderstod, 
 bat ys child at wiste ys pouerte, bat hadde al is god. 
 7 Neuer kyng ny quene glad, when heo hym seye, 
 Ac to be joiful day hopede, that heo myjte dye. 
 He bi leuede, as he nede moste, forb mid on knygt, 
 And be quene ys dojter alle wo hym dude bobe day & nyjt. 
 
 1 J?re pro ]>e in Ar. * x. Ar. 
 3 That were bileft to seruy 
 hym, and that hure thoughte 
 y nooghe Ar. 4 Mylce Ar. 
 
 5 Onliche were, W}th o 
 knyght, with oute mo, Ar. 
 
 6 And seyde, what sholde an 
 old man be so heghe of mod, 
 
 And an [/. in] ydel, and in 
 wast, spende so muche good ? 
 Ar. i Ther nas ther nother 
 kyng no quene glade, whan 
 hy hym sey, But lokede euer 
 after his deth, whan he sholde 
 dey Ar. 
 H 4 So
 
 34: Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So bat be moste ' for fyn myseise awei at be ende. 
 be ober dojter be hadde a sayed, bat he ne durste to hire wynde. 
 be quene of France be bridde hyra boj mid vn ryjt 
 He misdude hire, bat he ne durste come in hire syjt. 
 Ac at J^e laste bo he sei, bat he moste nede at be ende 
 For pore miseise, (for fare leuer he hadde wende, 
 And bidde ys mete, gef he schulde, in a strange lond, 
 ban J^er he hymself kyng was, & such bing hadde on honde) 
 At be laste in sorwe ynow in to be see he wende, 
 To do ys beste yn meseise were so God hym sende. 
 In bo schip as o]?er prynces in gret pruyde he* bi hulde, 
 And he naddemid hym butetwei men, 3 hymbogteysherte feld; 
 He bojte on ]>e noblei, bat he hadde in y be : 
 Planch;?. He wep, be terus roune doun, bat deol it was to se. 
 4 Mid goxing & mid gret wop bus bi gan ys mone. 
 (t Alas ! alas ! be lubur * wate, bat fylest me bus one, 
 " bat bus clene me bryngust a doun, wyder schal y be brogt? 
 " For more sorwe yt dob me, when it comeb in my bogt 
 tf e J?e noblei bat ich habbe y had, bat ich \vas wond to wyndo 
 *' Mid so mony hondred knygtes a boute in eche 7 ende, 
 " And casteles nyme & tounes, & myn fon brynge to gronde, 
 (< ban do al be miseise, bat ich in i bonde. 
 " Lcue dogter Cordeille, to sobe ]x>u seidest me, 
 *' bat as muche as ych hadde y was worb, bei y ne leuede be. 
 
 1 For mysaise (omisso fyn) 
 in Ar. 2 Bi held Ar. 3 Alas ! 
 his herte was cheld Ar. 4 
 With wepynge & wailynge 
 thus he made his mone : " A^ 
 
 "bo 
 
 las ! though lethur desteny, 
 whi leuest though me thus al 
 one ? Ar. s i. e. fate. 6 Of 
 the Ar. 7 Eynde Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 35 
 
 {< bo wyle ich ojt hackle ich was worb, & now it ys al a gon. 
 
 ' Mi childeren, bat ich jef my god, be]) rayne raeste fon. 
 
 " For my god heo louede me, & now he habbeb euery del, 
 
 " He nul not geue me of myn owne myd god herte a mel, 
 
 " A wey ! dogter Cordeille, wyder schal ich now fle ? 
 
 " So muche ich habbe be ' mys do, bat y ne dar be y se. 
 
 " Mid wuche bodi dar y come in bi sijt ene, 
 
 <c bat bi nom be myn frenschipe for bi sobnesse al clene? 
 
 1 bis men mowe here ensample nime, to late here sones wyue, . 
 
 And geue hem vp here lond al bi here lyue. 
 
 For wel may a symple 'Francoleyn in mysese hym so bringe 
 
 Of lutel lond, wan ber fel such of a kyng. 
 
 bo bis kyng hadde go a boute in such sorwful cas, Mandavit 
 
 filise. 
 
 At be last he com to Caric, bere ys dorter was. 
 
 He bi leuede with oute be toun, & in wel gret fere. 
 
 He sende be quene ys dojter word, muche is 4 antres were, 
 
 And bat pur miseise hym bider drof, & defaut of bi Hue: 
 
 And bed hire, for the loue of God, hire wraj)be hym for geue. 
 
 ])e quene bo heo herde bis, nei yswounyng was. 
 
 " Alas!" heoseyde, * f y s my fader ybrogt in such deolful cas?" 
 
 " Mid how mony knyjtes ys he come ?" be ober ajeyn seyde, 
 
 " Ma dame, bute mid o mon, & jet bilke in s feble wede." 
 
 " Alas !" quoj ]?e quene benne, <e ys it now mid hym so? 
 
 " NymeJ? anon tresour y nowj, bat lie ha]? nede to, 
 
 1 A gilt pro mys do in Ar. 
 2 These sample men moughe 
 y se, to lete hure children 
 
 wyue, Ar. * Man pro Fran. 
 coleyn in Ar. * A mitres Ar. 
 5 Simple wede Ar. 
 
 And
 
 36 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 c . % ' * And clof ef hym myd f e best clof , fat je mowe y se, 
 
 (i And fourti knyjtes raid hym, fat of hys siwte be ; 
 
 '* And do]? hem alle \vel an horse, as a kyng bi come}) to, 
 
 e ' And whan a no defaute nys, fat al f is nys wel y do, 
 
 " Sendef my lord word & me, fat my fader in londe ys. 
 
 Wat halt it to telle longe ? Y do wes al fis. 
 
 fo kyng Leir arayed was, & men hem worde sende, 
 
 fu kyng & fe queue faire y now ajeyn fe ofer kyng wende, 
 
 And with gret honour hym fongon, fo he to hem com, 
 
 3 And token hym to ys owne wille al clene the kyndom. 
 fis was, lo ! fe gode dojter, fat nolde fikele nojt. 
 Ofte ]?ing ]?at is tikeled to worse ende ys brogt. 
 
 R^ditns ]?e kyng of France aftur folc wide aboute sende, 
 
 To a wreke hym of ]?e Infer men, fat ys frend so schende. 
 
 4 fo he hadde power y now, f e kyng Leir he nom 
 Am! fe quene ys dojter, & to f is lond com. 
 
 Moi*y kynde men of fis lond with kyng Leir huld also. 
 For fe vnkynde suikedom fat his dojtren hadde y do. 
 So fat of France & of f is lond poer he hadde y now. 
 Toward hys fon with hem alle with god herte he drow, 
 And ouer com f is false 5 kynges & here wyues also, 
 6 And a jeyn in his kyndom mid gret honour y do. 
 
 1 Bad hym clothe in the 
 beste, that he myghte byse, 
 And XL. knyghtes with hym 
 of his suyt to be ; Ar. * No 
 faute ther nys, and al is wel 
 y do, Ar. * Dedcruntque ei 
 potestatem totius Gallioe^ do- 
 nee eum in pristinam digni- 
 
 tatem restaurassent. Galfridus 
 Mon. 4 Quo facto, duxit se, 
 cum Leyr jftliam suam 9 Sf 
 collecta multitudine ivit in 
 Britanniam. Galfr. Mon. s 
 Lordes Ar. 6 L e i r j n his 
 kynedom a ye with honour 
 was y do Ar. 
 
 Cor-
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 37 
 
 Cordeille ys leue dojter eir of al ys lond 
 
 Aftur ys day he made, * bo bat he so kynde fond. 
 
 By bis tale me may iyse, bat men trewest we seb, 
 
 And best me may to hem truste, bat of lest wordes * bo}?. 
 
 With inne J?re jer }>e kyng of France dyede & be kyng Leyr, Obitut 
 
 3 And Cordeille ]?e kyndom fong as be ryjt eyr, 
 And lette hire fadur burie with gret prude & honour 
 
 At Leicetre, Jrat he made hym self be side be water of Sour. 
 YIS gode qu^ne Cordoille as kyng and quene ]x> 
 
 4 Bi leuede hire in bis lond fyue jer, and no mo, 
 Er hire twei suster sones, stalwor}>e men J>at were, 
 
 5 Hennin and Morgan, werre 6 hire" gonne a rere, 
 And hadden despit, bat wommon kyng schulde T be, 
 8 And nabeles wyj? alle ryjte hij were ner ]?an heo. 
 Heo gederede vp here aunte here ost aboute wyde, 
 And destruyde hire londes ey]?er in his syde. 
 
 So ]>at at ^/e laste to 9 baile beo come. 
 
 J>ere ]?e quene here annte in bataile heo nome, 
 
 And dude in strong prison, and J?e kyndom Capcio 
 
 Delden bi twene hem, and eyj?er ys part nora. 
 
 1 So kynde he hure fonde 
 Jr. * L. be>. Cordille 
 aftur hym auenge Brutayne 
 as ryght heir Ar. 4 Cum er- 
 go Cordeilla regnumper quin- 
 quennium pacifice tractasset, 
 cosperunt earn inquietare duo 
 Jilii sororum suarum Marga- 
 nus Sf Cunedagius, qua Mag. 
 lauro 6f Hennino ducibus con. 
 jugatce fuerant. Ambojuve. 
 ues prceclara probitatis Jor- 
 
 mam habebant, quorum alte- 
 rum, videlicet Marganum, 
 Maglaurus generavit, Cune- 
 dagium vero Henninus. Galfr. 
 Mon. J Hemyn Ar. 6 Deest 
 Ar. ^ Beo Ar. 8 And also by 
 ryght hy were fortherer than 
 heo. Hy gaderede to gedere 
 hure ost aboute by eche side, 
 And destrude her and ther 
 bothe in eche side Ar. * Ba- 
 taille Ar. Morgan 
 
 35661
 
 38f Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Morgan kyng of Scotlond, as heo dele kouj>e, 
 Hadde al }?at lond bi Nor}), and ' J)e o]?er bi Soujje. 
 With inne two ger J?er aftur somme to Morgan come, 
 And, for he of J?e elder soster was, bed hyra nyme gome ; 
 And seide hym it was gret despit, }>at Jjer wer in ]?is lond 
 
 Gtterra. Twei kynges, wan rygt was, f>at he it hadde al on bond. 
 }?is kyng was enticed so, }>at he nom atte laste 
 Ys ost, and vp hys cosyn bi gan to werri faste, 
 And bi gan to brenne & quelle, & atte laste y wys 
 J?e other bi gan to turne a geyn, and drof hym in to Walls. 
 And J?er heo smyte a batail in the Sou}? half of J?e londe, 
 And J?er was Morgan y slawe, J>at louge * was vnderstonde. 
 j)e stude, J?at he was at y slawe, me clepuj? jet Morgan, 
 And euere wole aftur hyrn, for he was so worfn man. 
 Cunedag was ]?o al one kyng, & J?e kyndorn to hym nom, 
 And nobliche 3 J>re and" ]?ritti jer held ]?e kyndom. 
 }?e twey holy prophetes were Osee and Ysaie 
 J?ilke time in 4 Irael, and dude here prophecie. 
 
 Incepcio Romulus and Remus J?e twei bre]?eren y wys 
 Bi gonne ]>o first Rome, |?at noble cilie ys. 
 Four hundred jer it was, and * fourti euenc al so, 
 Aftur }>e batail of Troie, }>at al }>is was ydo. 
 And Rome was fyue hundred get }ws y mad bi fore. 
 And J?re and fyfty jer eke, er God were y bore. 
 Aftur J?is kyng Cunedag hys * sone, that hatte Riual, 
 Kyng was mad aftur hym, a wys mon f^orj out al. 
 
 1 Hemen pro }e oj?er in Ar. \ iunt Ar. * Israel Ar. * Four- 
 4 Is pro was in Ar. J De- \ tyne also, Ar. & Brothur Ar. 
 
 Aftur
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Aftur bym Gurgust ys sone, and seffe anof er Sisiile, 
 And mony on ' seffe afturwar, of warn mote be stille. 
 So fat atte laste Gurguont was kyng, 
 Stalworf e mon and hardy, and wys f orj alle f yng. 
 Muche f ing, fat ys eldore loren f orw feyntyse, 
 f oru strengf e he wann seffe a geyn, & f oru ys koyntise. 
 f e kyng of Denemark " ber eche jer with lawe 
 Truage to Engelond, and bi gan hym to wyf drawe. 
 f e kyng Gurguont hym porueyede of power y now, 
 And f er wyf in gode schippes to Denemark he drow, 
 And f e kyng of Denemark in bataile he slog, 
 And wan a geyn fe truage fat 3 he held with woj. 
 
 jfVS fe kyng Guorguont fro Denemark wende a je 
 
 Hider toward Engolond, he mette in f e see 
 
 fritti scbipful of men. and of wym men also, 
 
 Of children, and of ofer god fat heo hadden with hem y do. 
 
 fe kyng askede, wad heo were ? fei were a drad ful sore. 
 
 f e maister fel a doun on kne, & criede mercy & ore. 
 
 " Lord," he seyde, " we bef men wyde y dri,ue aboute 
 
 " From contrey to contrei, fat we mown nower route 
 
 " Of fe kynde of Egypt oure firste more com. 
 
 " * For f o folc of Irael Moyses with hym nom, 
 
 " And ladde hem out of Egypt bi f e s liuerede see, 
 
 " And f e kyng a drente & alle hys, fat 6 he necom neuer a ge : 
 
 1 Suth afterward, of wham 
 we mate be stille Ar. * That 
 bar ech yer with lawe Tru- 
 age to Brutayne, gau hit tho 
 
 with drawe Ar. * At heold 
 with wrough Ar, 4 For tho 
 that folk of Israel Ar. s Rede 
 Ar. 6 They Ar. 
 
 " Among
 
 40 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Among hem, J>at bi leuede o Hue, stryf me mygte se, 
 " Wuche raest maistres were, & hoo schulde lord be : 
 " So )?at heo, J>at maistres were, hadde wel gret onde 
 " To }?e kyn J?at we come of, & dryue hem out of londe, 
 " For drede J>at heo ne schulde nogt here maistres be. 
 <l }?us heo were y dryue a wei, & nuste wyder to ' tee. 
 " Heo duden hem for]? in to )>e se, & by mony a lond wende. 
 " * Se fat God in to Spayne atten ende 3 horn sende. 
 " ]?er heo bi leuede, & wox, & a] }>at of hem come 
 " Forto now ]?is o]?er day, Jnit we myjte not be y some. 
 " 4 For J?e kunde folk of e lond hadde to ows onde, 
 " And, ]?at we to grete maistres nere, drive ous out of \>e londe. 
 ** O)?er half jer we habbe]? nowe y went with oute reste 
 (< In the grete see of occean, forto seche vr beste, 
 " |?at owre lyf ys YS lo]?, & we nuste war bi leue ; 
 ** J?er fore we wolde bidde )>e, J?at |?ou vs sum place jeue 
 " J?at amty were in Jn lond, ware J>ou woldest by {jenche, 
 " $ |?at wemyjteof swynkeouremete, &libbebyoureswynke. 
 Prima be kyng hem nolde graunte nobing of bis lond, 
 
 gens in 
 
 Ybemia. Ac he sende hem by god condyt in to Yrlond, 
 
 }?at al amty was of men, & no mon ne wonede J>ere 3 
 And }?ese were ]?e firste men |?at in Yrlond were. 
 A Jjousant jer yt was and two, }>at y do was al j?is, 
 Aftur |?at * folc of Irsrael of Egypt wende i wis. 
 Fyf hundred jer and 7 tuenti it was eke bi fore, 
 Er }>an cure Lord Jhesu Cryst on erf>e was y boire. 
 
 'Fie Ar. *So^r. 'Hem 
 Ar. ^Therfore the vnne- 
 kynde folk Ar. J That we 
 moughe oure liflode, as othur 
 
 doth, byswynke Ar. 6 The 
 folk of Israel Ar. ?Nyne 
 pro tnenti in Ar. 
 
 Hit
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 41 
 
 1 Hit bi fel j?er afturward swythe longe ynow Picti. 
 
 Out of ]?e lond of Scitie o\>er folk ]?ider droj. 
 
 For into ]?e grete see of ocean a gret companye 
 
 Of Pycars wende som tyme out of a Scisie. 
 
 From lond to lond wyde 3 he gonne wende, 
 
 So J?at atte laste heo come to Yrlonde's Nor]? ende, 
 
 A geyn }>e lond of Scotlond, & 4 }>o folk ]?at heo fonden J?ere 
 
 Of 5 ]?is eldore kunde, Scottes y clepud were. 
 
 }>e 6 Picardes bede }?e Scottes an ende of here lond 
 
 To jeue hem, forto libbe by with swynk of here hond. 
 
 )?e Scoltes seide, ]?at j?at lond nolde not y now be 
 
 To hem boj^e to lyue 7 bi, as heo mygte y se. 
 
 Ac }?at heo mygte ofte y se, in cler weder, J?ere 
 
 Est ward, as ]?e sonne a ros, a lond as yt were. 
 
 Mury & fair yt J?ojle y now, & J?at heo }?ider wende, 
 
 To wonye & to lyue ]?er, & ]?at heo hem word sende, 
 
 ef any mon hem greuede, & ]?at heo woldc, heo seyde, 
 
 Warde hem from alle men, J?at hem bi tidde no drede. 
 
 8 Jris Picardes ]?enne wende for]? Estward euer faste. 
 
 To ]?e Nor]) ende of Engelond heo comen at ]>e laste. 
 
 ]?at ende heo fonden al bare, heo bi leuede ]?ere, 
 
 And swonke & tilede here lyflode, & al maistres were. 
 
 Heo fonden hem sustynance y now, and I0 lyueden ]?us for]? Missio r ost 
 
 |?e Bry tones in " ]?o Sou]?half, and heo in ]?e Norjj. 
 
 1 H The comynge of Pit- 
 tes, that some clepeth Piker- 
 dys, Ar. in margine. * Si- 
 thie Ar. cum I. Nauerne (ab 
 ead. manu) supra I'm. 3 Hij 
 Ar. 4The^r. sThe el. 
 
 dcre Jr. 6 Pj c tes Ar. 7 By, 
 by aught that hij couthe se 
 Ar. 8 Thes Pictes Ar. Hij 
 wonne hem Ar. '"Lyuede 
 so forth Ar. " The Ar. 
 
 Pycars
 
 42 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 I Pycars fonden ese ynow, and defaut none, 
 
 To libbe in plente y now, bute of wymmen one. 
 For ber ner none among hem. ber fore to Yrlond 
 Heo sende to Scottes bat ber were, bat beo schulde hem vn- 
 
 derstonde 
 
 And lene hem wymmen, bat heo mygte here z ofpryng eche so." 
 For byng bat 3 woneb, & noting wexeb, + sone it ys ydo." 
 Scottes hem sende wymmen in bis forme bere, 
 bat wan a child were y bore, and me in doute were, 
 5 Who were bo fader, bat me schulde name & eritage 
 Bobe habbe in be moder half, for drede of out rage, 
 Laste yt geode out of kyndc borg child mys bi gete. 
 For me may bet sobnesse of be moder ben of be fader wyte. 
 In bis maner 6 Picars with Scottes 7 myngen here blod, 
 So bat yt siwede be wymmen, when me ogt mysvnderstod. 
 And when mon withouten eyr of hym to debe were ybrojt, 
 Hys moder kun was ys eir, & ys fader kun ryjt nogt. 
 And for be moderes Scottes were, * so forb y t ys bi come, 
 bat * Scottes name ys al a boue, & I0 Picars al bi nome. 
 
 II bus Scottes among Pycars come out of Yrlond, 
 And 1Z bat lond me clepub aftur hem sebbe Scotlonde. 
 
 Thes Pictes Ar. * Os- 
 
 rather than in the fadre's me 
 may haue knowyng Ar. 
 6 Thes Pictes Ar. > Med- 
 lede blod Ar. 8 So fer forth 
 hit is y come Ar. [9 The 
 Scottes Ar. '" Pictes Ar. 
 11 The Scottes myd the 
 Pictes Ar. lt The pro that 
 ( in Ar. 
 yityng. Of the moder half 
 
 Yrlond 
 
 pring forth brynge Ar. 3 
 Waneth Ar. 4 Hath sone an 
 endynge Ar. 5 Who the 
 childe's fader were, the name 
 and heritage Of his moder 
 hit sholde bere, for drede of 
 outrage, Lest the name yede 
 oute of kynde thurgh mysby
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 aler yle best with oute Engelonde. 
 j?e see go}? al abouten hyrn eke as ich vnderstonde. 
 More he ys }?an Engolond, & in * ])o Sou]? half he yg 
 3 Bradder & more of ynow }?an in }?e Nor}? ende y wys. 
 Ajeyn }?e lond of Spayne he stond in ]?e * Nor]? syde ryjt* 
 Selde snowe }>er inne 5 li}?, & nameliche }?re nyjt. 
 So euene * hot }?at lond ys, ]?at men durre i selde 
 Here orf in howse awynter brynge out of }?e felde. 
 Lese laste]? }?er al ]?e wynter. Bute hyt ]?o more wonder be, 
 Selde me schal in }?e lond eny foule wormes se. 
 For nedres ny cfyer wormes ne mow }?er be nogt. 
 And gef he be}? }?ider " bi cas 1 ' from o]?er D londes y brojt, 
 Heo dye}? }?orj smel of }?e lond, o]?er J?org towchyng y wys. 
 Eche gras }?at per inne wexe]? a jeyn venym yt ys. 
 For men, ]?i\t ben venymed, }?org grases of Yrlond 
 Y dronke he be}? y clansed sone, pom Gode's sonde. 
 Hony & my Ik per ys muche. mony folk & bolde. 
 }?is ys }?e stat of Yrlond, as iche habbe y tolde, 
 
 kyng Gurguont, kynges mony on 
 }?er were here in Engelond, me may not telle ecbon. 
 A boute a four hundred jer aftur hym per com 
 A kyng, J?at was Lud y clepud, }?at wel hult }?e kyndom. Lud, 
 
 ' Al ther He best, ontake 
 Eagelonde Ar. * The Ar. 
 
 * Bradder a gret del than in 
 the Northside ywys Ar. 
 
 * Northwest ryght Ar. s Lith, 
 
 nameliche but thre nyght Ar. 
 6 A tempre pro hot in Ar. 
 i But seylde Hure bestes an 
 house Ar. 8 By happe Ar. 
 9 Lond Ar. 
 
 Vol. I. i Grete
 
 44 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Crete townes in Engelond he amendede y nowe. 
 
 And London ' aller most, for J?er to hys herte drowe. 
 
 * }>at folk he hett of J?e town so noble bold )?er rere, 
 
 J?at in al Engelond so noble a cite nere. 
 
 Walles he lette make a boute & gates vp & doun, 
 
 And aftur Lud, Jmt was hys name, he clepudeyt Lude's toun. 
 
 J?e hex(e gate of J>e toun, 3 J?a jet stond f>ere and is, 
 
 He lette yt clepe Lude's gate, aftur ys owne name y wis. 
 
 He let hym, )?o he was ded, burye at jnlke gate. 
 
 J?er fore jet aftur hym me clepoj? hit Lodegate. 
 
 J?e town me clepuj? Lude's town, Jrnt ys wyde cow)? : 
 
 And now me clepe]? it London, jat ys lyjter in )>e mouf). 
 
 And Newe Troie hit hette er, * ac J?us yt is a go 
 
 J?at Londone he ys now y cleped, and worj) euermo. 
 
 JCjNGELOND ha}> i be with strangle y wonne y lome, 
 And first, as ich telle can, J>orj? J>e emperoures of Rome. 
 Aftur kyng Lud J>er was kyng ys broker Cassibel, 
 J?at noble Prince was y now, & }?at lond gouernede wel. 
 Jidius. July J?e emperour of Rome by his day com, 
 
 And muche del of J?e world bi Est to hys power nom. 
 
 5 SeJ>]?e he drow hym Westward, & werrede in raony londe, 
 
 And wan lond ' aftur o]?er, hym ne myjte non at stonde. 
 
 }?o he hadde y wonne France, J?e see he wende ney, 
 
 i And bi huld Westward, and som del of Engelond y sey. 
 
 1 Alther Ar. * He het in 
 thulke toune the folk suche 
 3 That 
 
 yut stant Ar. 4 Ac nough hit 
 is so ago, That Londooe is 
 
 hit cleped, Ar. i And tho he 
 Ar.. 6 Aftur lond, ne myghte 
 hym no man astonde Ar . 
 7 And as he lokede West- 
 ward, Engelond he seygh Ar . 
 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 45 
 
 He askede, wat lond y t were, & wat folk ber inne was ? 
 
 Me seide hym bat it was Bretayne, ne betur loud nas, 
 
 And bat be folk was of be kynde of Troie, & of be Brut y come. 
 
 " ' bensie beb heo, quo]? be emperour, of the kynde of Rome. 
 
 " For, aftur be batail of Troie, be noble mon Eneas 
 
 " * To Lumbardye com, and oure firste fader was. 
 
 " And Brut al so com of hym, bat sebbe hys fader slows, 
 
 " And ber fore was benne y dryue, & to bilke lond drowj. 
 
 " banne we be]) of on kynde, J ac, bute ich ber to lye, 
 
 '* A gen kynde be be]? a jeyn vs, as of china! rye. 
 
 tf For ber of ne mowe heo konne nojt, y not how he myjte, 
 
 <c To be by hem self in an hurne as be rof with oute sygte. 
 
 u For nojt we schulleb hem ouercome, ac nabeles as be hende 
 
 " We schul hem warne of oure bojt, er we to hem wende. 
 
 1 Cumque nomen regni di- 
 dicisset 6f populi, dixit, Her- 
 cle ex eadem prosapia nos 
 Romani Sf Brittones orti 
 sumus, quia ex Trojana gente 
 processimus. jtfobis jfEneas 
 post destructionem Trqjee 
 primus pater fuit. Illis au- 
 tern Brutus, quern Silvias As. 
 canii,jilii ^Eneae,filiusproge. 
 nuit. Sed, nisi fallor, valde 
 degenerati sunt a nobis. Nee 
 quid sit militia noverunt, 
 cum infra oceunum extra 
 orbem communeant. Leviter 
 cogendi erunt tributum nobis 
 dare, fy continuum obsequi- 
 um Romance dignitati parare. 
 Prius tamtn mandandiim est 
 
 els, ut inaccessi a Romano 
 populo fy intacti vectigal 
 reddant, ut ceterce etiam 
 gentes subjectionem senatui 
 fuciant, ne nos, ipsorum cog. 
 natorum nostrorum sangui- 
 ncm fundentes, antiquam no- 
 bilitatem Priami pat r is nos, 
 tri offendamus Galfridus 
 Mon. z To Itaille om, that 
 is now Rome, and oure auu- 
 cetre was Ar. 3 And ich can 
 a spie, Hit were a ye kynde 
 to be a yenst vs, as of chiual- 
 rie. For ther on ne mowe 
 hij konne nought, y not how 
 hii myghte, To be in an herne 
 by hem self, ther with oute 
 fighte Ar.
 
 46 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J>e eraperoure's messingeres to Eugelond hire come, 
 J>at fe kyng abowe ys herte * to }>e noble stude of 
 And alle o}>er kynges dude, and ys ryjt seruage 
 Dude to ]?e hyer emperour, and sende hym hys image, 
 And hys lond huld of hym, and dude bym homage, 
 Laste J>e hye emperour for his outrage 
 Come and destruye al hys lond ; & jet }>at worse were, 
 * J>e blod schedde of ys owne kynde, & defoule yt so J>ere, 
 And }?e ol;ie lieyncsse of Priamus werrede so, 
 Of was kynde heo come echon, & J?at were hym lo]? to do. 
 For J?er * schulde in al * ]>o world no lond be for bore. 
 Jns was enene sixti jer er God were y bore. 
 Manda- J>e kyng 5 sende Jns word a jeyn a non for Jns typing : 
 1 reg ' s ' " Cissibel, kyng of Breyteyne, to July sendej? gretyng. 
 " Wonder it ys, Sire emperour, 6 ]?at noble gentrise 
 *' ]?at is so noble & eke y fuld with so fyl couetyse, 
 " ]?at 7 Morde's nobleye hast so muche, of eche mon mest, 
 <c }>at for conctise art y come so fer fro ]?e Est, 
 c ' To wilne oure Intel god, j?at God vs wolde sende 
 * c J?at be]? hire bi oure self, as at J?e worlde's ende : 
 
 1 To the cite of Rome, As 
 alle othur kynges dude, in 
 hys ryght seruage, And his 
 lond holde of hym, & dude 
 hym homage, Lest the heigh 
 Ar. * To shede his owene 
 kynde blod & defouled there; 
 And take hcde of Priame's 
 prude, that werrede so. Of his 
 kynde hij come echon, & that 
 hij were loth do Ar. Ne 
 
 sholde Ar. 4 The Ar. * Hym 
 sende word a ye, tho he hurd 
 this tydynge : Ar. 6 Of thy 
 gret geutrise, That though so 
 foule anetherest hit with thy 
 couetyse, That wordles welth 
 hast so muche, of alle men 
 mest, That for couetyse ert y 
 come so fer fram the Est Ar. 
 i L. worlde's. 
 
 " f And
 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 47 s 
 
 il ' And bou nart one y payed oure tresour to nyme at ene, 
 
 " Bute bou fer aftur vs binyme oure franchise al clene, 
 
 " To brynge vs so fre as we be]? in to * fyl seruage, 
 
 <{ bat we bere be and byne euermore truage. 
 
 " Gret wrong bou woldest don vs, wen of on kynde 
 
 " We be]? y come je & we, as bou hast bi self in mynde, 
 
 " benne ajte yt be y nowg, wen we beb of on blod, 
 
 " Loue & frenschipe aske vs, jef bou be wel vnderstod, 
 
 {< Thaw bou ne askedest a ber vppe ]?ralhed euermo, 
 
 u Sikerliche we ne konne nogt of fralhed ne of wo. 
 
 <c So muche we habbe]? euer y be in * franchise jet her to, 
 
 " bat bei oure owne Godes wolde in bralhede vs do, 
 
 " Fonde \ve wolde a geyn hem s our franchise withstonde. 
 
 " bei bou ber fore. Sire emperour, grete power habbe on lionde, 
 
 <c Wyte 6 to sobe, bat we wolleb for oure franchise fygte, 
 
 " And for our lond, raber ben 7 we lesed with vn ryjt. 
 
 bis was eke four hundred jer, and four score, & brottene, 
 
 Aftur bat be borj of Rome first was mad iche wene. 
 
 bo be eraperour herde bis, to schippes he wende faste, Julius T- 
 
 And al hys power forb with hym, and sailes vp caste. am. 
 
 bei entrede in at Temse moub, and ber heo gonne a riue. 
 
 bo Cassibel herde bis, he jarkede hym bi lyue. 
 
 Now hadde kyng Lud, ys brober, jonge sones twei, 
 
 Androge and Tennant, bat bo jonge were beye, 
 
 1 And )>at though nert nought theygh that the Godes hem self 
 
 onliche apayd Ar. 2 Gret Ar. 
 ' Eke ther to thraldom euere 
 mo. For on thraldom konne 
 we nought, ne of such other wo 
 Ar. 4Fr?nchisehiderto. For 
 
 wolde in to thraldom vs do Ar. 
 5 For oure Ar. 6 For soth Ar. 
 7 We wol leue hit with vnryghte 
 Ar. 8 He greithed hym as 
 blyue Ar. 
 
 3 *
 
 48 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 bo here fader dyede to holde be kyndora. 
 
 1 ber fore ber to Cassibel al bat lond nora. 
 
 Ac bo nolde not Cassibel, bat heo schulde allyng faile. 
 
 Tennarit be gonger he made erl of Cornewale, 
 
 And Androge erle'of Kent, & gaf hym London ber to. 
 
 Bobe heo were noble men bo bis dede was y do. 
 
 be kyng hadde * eke a brober, Nenny was hys name. 
 
 Strong knygt and hardi, and mon of gret fame. 
 
 be kynge's chef conseleres besc bre were of bis bing. 
 
 Alle heo come to Canterburi at be bi gynnyng. 
 
 bere be kyng & ys power such conseil to gedere nome, 
 
 To kepe be emperoure's folc er 3 heo to fer income. 
 
 For gef bei hadde eny bing y wonne of castel or of ton, 
 
 Wei be worse it wolde be to brynge hem ber don. 
 
 4 bo kyng wente toward be se mid fair ost ynowj, 
 
 5 And as be emperour hadde y pigt ys pauelon he drow j. 
 bo * he hadde y ordeyned liere ost in eyber syde, 
 
 7 bo batail heo smyton strong ynowg, bat cowb was ful wyde. 
 Beiium. Myd arwen & m yd qtiareles so muche folk * first" me slow, 
 9 And sebbe with peres smyton a donn, bat deol was ynow. 
 bo heo were borj out y mengd with swerdes & with mace, 
 Myd axe & mid aules, so muche folk in bat place 
 
 1 J?erfore Cassibelan this 
 lond to hym nom, And also he 
 nolde, that eny thyng these 
 children sholde faille Ar. * Eke 
 a nothur brothur Ar. * Hij to 
 bataille come Ar. * The Ar. 
 
 $ And toward themperoure's 
 tente euene he hym drough Ar. 
 6 Hij Ar. 7 An pro tho in Ar. 
 8 Deest Ar. 9 And with swerd 
 and with speres, that deol hit 
 was y nough Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 49 
 
 Me slow, at al J?e erj?e a boute stod ' as in flode 
 
 Er J?e bataile were y do al of red blode. 
 
 Nenny |?e kynge's broker and }?e erl of Kent al so, 
 
 Mid al here power of Kent, & myd J?e Londreis |?er to, 
 
 * Awatede hem to Jnlke ost, ]mt ]?e etnperour inne was. 
 
 So J?at 3 Nennyn f>e eraperour bi cas, 
 
 Anon he willede in herte with so hey raon to fygte. 
 
 He asailede hym & drow ys swerd, & smot with al ys myjt. 
 
 Ac J?e emperour mid his 4 scheld :J?o strok hente ynow, 
 
 And drow hys swerd 5 an hey, & to e gronde faste slow, 
 
 And smot Nennyn J>orj }>e helm * somdel toward J>e brayn. 
 
 And sej?J>e toward ]?ilke stude he smot with more mayne, 
 
 To haue y cloue 7 hym" al ]?at hed, ac 8 Nennyn hys scheld 
 
 nom, 
 
 And dude by twene, ]>at ]?e strok so depe }?er inne' ne" com, 
 J?at }>e emperour ne myjte yt out drawe witli al ys mayn. 
 IO NenByn caste " caste" ys owne swerd anon a wey wel fayn, 
 And '* nom bet swerd to hym, bat so noble was & riche. Lucracio 
 
 gladii. 
 
 For j?er nes in al }>e world swerd hym yliche. 
 
 For J?er nas non ,]?er with y wonded, at euer keuer myjte. 
 
 J?er fore yt was rede de)? y cleped and mid ryjte. 
 
 ])o I3 Nennyn hadde ]?at gode swerd, a boute he smot to gronde. 
 
 Ech mon J?at he J?er with smot, he gef dele's wonde. 
 
 1 Al on a flode Ar. a Or. 
 deyned hem Ar. 3 Neny than 
 Emperour y segh as fel by cas, 
 Ar. 4 Swerd thane strok Ar. 
 ^ Anon, and to grounde slough. 
 Jle smot Neny Ar. 6 Almost IB 
 
 to the brayne Ar. 1 Deest Ar. 
 8 Neny Ar. 9 Deest Ar. 'Ne- 
 ny Ar. " Redundat. "Nam 
 to hym themperoure's swerd, 
 that Ar. Neny Ar. 
 .4
 
 50 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 ]>e Romaynes laie sone a doun, be made emty place. 
 
 Br towm ^ nt * ^ e ^ r y tones a r J se ^ aste > so fa** ] 70rw Code's grace, 
 
 Heo hadde ]?e maistry of )>e feld. * ]?o Roraaynes flowe* bi lyue, 
 Ac raony was J>e moder child J?at arst ^Yas brogt of lyue. 
 J?e emperour and ys power to schip flowe faste, 
 And to France flow ajeyn, somdel J?ei were agaste. 
 Here folc beo loren in ]?e se J>orj tempest monyon, 
 
 3 Wat in batayle wat in se, & heore horses ney ecbon. 
 Cassibel was glad y now j?o he hadde fe maystrie. 
 
 4 Fayre he Jwnkede ys gode folc, and of gret corteysie 
 Of jiftes 5 delde among hem euer as heo were. 
 
 So }?at joye and 6 mur]?e y now among hem was )>ere. 
 Ac ]?er was among hem deol ynow for " Nennyu y brojt, 
 J?at ]?e emperour J?e wonde jef, ]?at he ne mygt hele nojt. 
 He lai for * pyned in J>e wonde, and to de]?e drowj, 
 And dyede \>e 9 fyfj^e day myd sorwe & deol y nowj. 
 Atte Nor]? gate of London heo buryode j?is gode knyjt, 
 And buryede with bym in hys chest ]?at swerd J>at was so 
 
 bryjt, 
 
 ]?at he wan of ]?e emperour with honour y nowg, 
 J>at rede de]? was y clepud, war wyj? he hym slowj. 
 Y buried it was for]? with hym, as in tokenynge 
 Of ys prowes, J?at he yt wan of on so hey a kynge. 
 
 5 He delde a raong hem euere 
 as worthy were Ar. 6 Blisse 
 Ar. 7 Neny Ar. 8 Pynynge 
 Ar. 9 Fiftenethe Ar. 
 
 . *Many 
 in bataille & many in see, and 
 hure hors euerichon Ar. 4 
 Faire gan to thonke his folk, 
 
 and dude hem courtasie Ar. 
 
 Cassibel
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 51 
 
 Cassibel f e gode kyng hyra gan euer vnderstonde, 
 
 fat fe emporour foujte jet werre in hys londe. 
 
 fe fyf townes of fe fyf portes he lette walle aboute, 
 
 And so gode knygtes dude fer, fat be nadde fer no doute. 
 
 1 Stakes of yrn raony on be pyjte in Temese gronde, 
 
 A boue scharpe & kene ynow, bi nef e grete & ronde, 
 
 fat, gef fer eny schippes come er me y war were, 
 
 Heo schulde piche hem f oru out & a drenche hem so fere. 
 
 Here was coyntyse ynow, he lette al so a rere. 
 
 " Vp f e water strong hows, fat heo vn warned nere. 
 
 And of f e gonge folk of f e lond fer inne dude y nowe, 
 
 To be prest to kepe here fon, wen fei * to hem drowe. 
 
 JULIUS * f e emperour with strong power y nowj, Reditu* 
 
 Two ger aftur J>e bataile, to Engelond a jeyn drow, 
 
 And foujte sle al fat folk, & wynne f is kyndom, 
 
 s Ac he caste fer of ambes, as fo he to londe com. 
 
 For as fis schippes with gret eir come toward londe 
 
 In Temse, as f ei al fe world ne schulde hem at stonde, 
 
 f e pykes smyte hem f oru out, or fei wyste wat yt were, 
 
 And daschte and a dreynte fourty schippes fere. 
 
 And a fousant gode knyjtes fer inne were adreynt, 
 
 " And al here atyl and tresour was al so a seynt. 
 
 1 Piles he pighte many on 
 vpon Themese grounde Ar. 
 ^UponThemese toures strouge, 
 that hij vnwarned nere Ar. 
 * To londe droughe Ar. 4 The 
 seconde comynge of Julius Ar, 
 
 in margine. s And forto do 
 this ilke dede, gret people with 
 hym he nom. And as hure 
 shipes Ai\ 6 And hure catel 
 and tresour Ar. 
 
 Anil
 
 52 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And so heo myjte lerne, wuch Bry tones were. 
 Betere hem hadde be at Rome, ]?an y osted J?ere. 
 J?e eraperour with drow hym ]?o, and by an oj>er ende 
 To londe he com * wrog y now, Jus lond forto schende. 
 And kyng Cassibel y sei so muche folk y lore. 
 And adreynt of hys fon, glad he was }?er fore. 
 And na^eles he was sori, and made gret mone 
 Of hem }?at of scapede, ]?at heo nadde be dreynt echone. 
 )>o J?e Romaynes were y come to j?e lond at ]>e laste, 
 Hum. Cassibel with ys power a geyn hem sette faste. 
 
 Heo smyton batail strong y now, J?er was y do gret wo, 
 
 And mony slawe on eyj?er half, ac of }>e Romaynes mo. 
 
 For J>e Brytones wox faste, J>e Romaynes by nej?e were. 
 
 })o f>e emperour say, J)at ys fare nas nogt ]?ere, 
 
 Mid lute folk, Jat him was bi leued, to schip he go]? faste. 
 
 Hyt were men of a god lond J>at * hem so kouj>e agaste. 
 
 }>e kyng Cassibel anon for joye made ys heste, 
 
 J?at alle J>e kny^tes of hys lond come to ys feste, 
 
 To London at a certeyn day, and here wyues al so, 
 
 Here sacrifise to here Godes, as ryjt was, to do. 
 
 Fourti 3 j?ousant of ro}?eren he Ictte quelle |?er to, 
 
 And of fatte we]?eres an hundred }>ousand al so. 
 
 Of wilde bestes he lette ]>ritti ]?ousant quelle. 
 
 \>e wylde foules & J>e tame ne myjte nomon telle. 
 
 ]>o |?is fest jare was, }?at folk first in here wyse 
 
 To heore Godes as heo woldc dude here sacrifise. 
 
 1 Wroth Ar. * Hem so wel a gaste Ar. * Thousend ox he 
 let kulle ther to Ar. 
 
 J*r
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 53 
 
 j?er aftur ]?e sete to heore mete with so gret noblei echon, 
 
 J>at me nuste J?er bi fore so noble ' fest non. 
 
 Aftur mete, as ry^t was, J?e menstrales jeode aboute, 
 
 And knyjtes and * sweynes in carole gret route. Occisio ne- 
 
 potis regis. 
 
 So ]?at J?e kynge's neuew, and J?e erle's neuew of Kent, 
 ]?at twei gonge bacheleres noble were and gent, 
 
 3 In Jus noble companye strif bi gonne arere, 
 So )?at )>e erle's neuew fat ofer slowj rygt fere. 
 j?o was al fe court anyed, as f ei moste nede, 
 fe kyng ferde eke for wraffe as he wolde wede. 
 
 4 Androge he sende word, fat he ys neuew toke 
 
 And brojte hym for]) * forte fonge ]?at ]?e court hym wold loke. 
 
 Androge was a drad 6 for he uuste ]?e kynge's wille, 
 
 And loj? 7 he hadde ys neuew to honge or spille. 
 
 ]?e kyng he sende word a geyn, ]?at he hadde ys franchise 
 
 In ys owne court, forto loke domes and asise, 
 
 And J?at, gef ys neuew hadde mys do, in hys owne court he scholde 
 
 Onswere to eche mon, * f>at to hym siwe wolde. 
 
 ' J)is kyng herde ]?is, J?at he ne myjt bi ryjt lawe 
 
 Juge hyin, ]>at ys neuew brojte of ys lyf dawe, 
 
 He grey]?ede ys ost I0 faste vp J?e erl of Kent, 
 
 To brynge ys neuew with streng]?e If to stonde to juggement. 
 
 1 A feste Ar. * Ladyes pro 
 sweynes in Ar. * As they 
 pleide atte chesse, stryf they 
 gonne arere Ar. 4 To An- 
 droge erl he sende word, Ar. 
 s Forto a vonge Ar. 6 Tho 
 he wuste Ar. ^ Hym was 
 
 that hys cosyn hange scholde or 
 spylle Ar. That hym folwe 
 wolde Ar. 9 The pro J?is in 
 Ar. *Swythe anon vpon 
 the Ar* " To fonge jugge- 
 ment Ar.
 
 54 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Oj?er mid fuyr or mid swerd bryng he wolde al out, 
 
 Hym to nojt and al ys ' }?ing, ner he tier so prout. 
 
 Jris erl bi grete lordes to ])is kyng ofte sende, 
 
 J?at he schulde for Gode's loue ys wylle * som del amende, 
 
 And Jmt he for ys neuew wolde, for to a baty stryf, 
 
 Do hey amendemcnt, sawue lyme and lyf. 
 
 ]?o }>er nas non o})er wey, bute slonde al out to dome, 
 
 J>e erl of an oper \vey bi Jxwjte 3 bi j^oujte" hym ylome. 
 
 And as he and ys conseil stable conseil nome, 
 
 Littera; J'cse letres sende to July J?e emperour of Rome. 
 
 peratori. " To July ]?e emperour of Rome Androge, erl of Kent, 
 " Gretyng and stable loue, aftur wraJ?J?e, 4 send* 
 " Sire, wyte to soj>e, ]?at sore of s Jraiket yt me, 
 " Jat icli habbe for oure kynge's loue y holde ageyn J>e, 
 " j?at 6 my power nadde y be, ]?oii haddest hym ouer come. 
 C Ac for he haj? now ]?e maistry, such pruyd hym haj? y nome, 
 " }^at now me, Joru warn he ha}? of 7 ]?e maistrie, 
 " Dryue he wolde out of ys lond myd gret vilenye. 
 " Ich habbe y holde hym in hys lond, & my mede j>er of ys, 
 u J?at he wol me dryue of ys lond vndeserued ywis. 
 " For oure Codes y take witnesse, ]?at o]?er gult non ]?er nys, 
 " Bote J>at i nelle my neuew, j?at a lytel dude amys, 
 " Bi take hyra to juggement, to honge ojer to drawe, 
 " * Ich wole, saue lym & lyf, brynge hym 9 to" eche lawe. 
 tc J?cr fore ich bidde, }?at ich mowe my stat holde Jrorj e, 
 *' And ]?at J?ou I0 vp hym Bretayne mowe wonne 
 
 1 Men pro fing in Ar. 
 * Som what amende Ar. 3 Dele. 
 4 ent Ar. s Thynketh Ar. 
 
 6 Yf my Ar. ^ The the Ar. 
 8 Ac ich wojde, Ar. 9 Deest 
 Ar. 'o Of hym Ar. 
 
 .And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 55 
 
 And ne ]?enche }?ou, Sire, noting, J>at ich treson ]?enche. 
 
 " For siker ' }ns j?e so]?e wei, withouten eny wrcnche. 
 
 * : * And God wole, J?at men ofte in wraJ?J?e & in sore, 
 
 " }>at after here grete wra]?]?e here loue be ]?e more. 
 
 }>o Je 3 emperou herde }>is, he ne tryste not \vel her to, 
 
 With oute siker ostage, such )?ing to do. 
 
 }>e erl fjritti noble men, J>at were of ys blod, Ostagsj. 
 
 Sende hym and ys owne sone, J?at were ostages god. 
 
 Siker * was ])o ]>e emperour, he ne leuede nogt by hynde, 
 
 Ac com here to Engolond mid }>e nexte wynde. 
 
 J?e kyng * Ipe while London by segede faste, ^T* lltvs 
 
 And destryede ]?e erle's lond, & ys 6 contreis a donn caste. 
 
 Ac ]?o he herde, J?at ]?e Romaynes y come were in hys londe, 
 
 To hem he wende hastyliche, & lette London stonde. 
 
 7 Jo he com ney Canterbury, in a valei }>cre by syde 
 
 He sey J?e empero lire's ost ysprad a boute wyde. 
 
 J?e emperour first * in ys half, & he hym self al so, Paracio 
 
 Ordeynede first here 9 ost, |?e bataile forte do. 
 
 Ac mid fyf j?ousand hors I0 ywrye, as it was bi speke, 
 
 J?e erl of Kent was in *' a wode, hym forte a wreke. 
 
 J)er of nas not J>e kyng war, ac with oute faile 
 
 Myd god herte he wende for]? to smyte ]?is bataile. 
 
 1 This is the Ar. * And 
 ofte hit falleth, that men, that 
 buth in wrathe and in sore, 
 After hure grete wrathe, hure 
 loue wexeth the more Ar. 
 3 L. emperour. 4 The thirde 
 comynge of Julie Emperour 
 Jr. in marg. sThulke while 
 
 Ar. ^Courtes^r. ~>Utigi- 
 
 tur vallempropeDorobernium 
 intravity aspexit in eadem Ro- 
 manorum exercitum castra cV 
 tentoriaponenlemQ&lfr. Mon. 
 8 On his half, and the kyng 
 on his also, Ar. 9Ostcs, the 
 batai.'e for to do Ar. I0 Y 
 heled, as Ar. " A wode, forto 
 be a wreke Ar.
 
 56 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 By twene be see and Canterbury bis bataile was, 
 Neuer ich \vene more ' slajt in so lute wyle nas. 
 bat folk fel doun for wonded & y slawe in eyber syde 
 * Ac jnkke as leues do]? of tren a jeyn wyntre's tyde. 
 Ac bo 3 bat folk of bis lond neyj hadde be maistrye, 
 Com be erl of Kent mid ys ost borj ys tricherie 
 Al fresch bi hynde be Britones, alas ! bikke stond*. 
 
 Fugit Cas- So bat bis lond was y brojt borj bis treson to gronde. 
 Ac be kyng and somme of ys defendede hem so faste, 
 bat heo for hem alle o liue o scapede atte laste, 
 And nolde hem gelde for no bing, ac among here fon bere 
 Of scape vp an hey 4 hul, as mony roches were, 
 And ber heo cudde here prowes, & kepte hem J)ere an hey^ 
 With stones, J>at nomon ne durste come hem ueyg. 
 Ow ! lord be noble folk, 5 bat ys of bis londe, 
 Wan heo be emperour of Rome, bat no lond ne myjte of stonde, 
 In bataile and al ys ost ouer come tuey, 
 And euer wolde, as ich wene, nadde ybe tricherie. 
 ber for ich wene, bat bis lond neuer y wonne nere, 
 Bute yt borj treson of be folk of be selue lond were, 
 bo be empcroure ne myjte be kyng myd strengbe ouer come, 
 bat hul he kepte for to he hadde myd hongur hym y nome. 
 Atte laste * be kyng was y brougt to gronde 
 
 Rex mittit 7 For honger for defaut of mete, alas ! bilke stonde. 
 
 comiti. 
 
 1 Slaught Ar. * L. as. 
 * The folk Ar. * Hulle, ther 
 many roches were, Ar. * 
 
 6 Tho the kyng was al y 
 brought Ar. 1 Thurgh hun- 
 ger Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. -5T 
 
 And he sei wel, j?at he moste nede for honger dye, 
 
 Or gelde hym to ]?e emperour, as al ys men seye, 
 
 And ]?e emperoure's prison he dradde eke ful sore, 
 
 )?er fore }>e erl of Kent he by soujte milce and ore, 
 
 ]?at he hadde rew]?e of hym, ' and for ys genterise 
 
 Made ys pes with J?e emperour with oute feyntyse, 
 
 And }>at j?e kynde blod of J>is lond, of wham * heo boj>e, 
 
 Nere Jxmi hym y brojt to schame, & ]?at he toke ]?er of gome. 
 
 And )>at jef he hadde ojt misde ajeyn hym myd wowj, 
 
 }>at he yt wolde amendy ajeyn hym wel y now. 
 
 J>o Androge herde j?is, som del he was in Jjogt. 
 
 " ]?e prynce," he seide, " oj?er kyng nys to preyse nojt, 
 
 " ]?at in tyme of werre as a lomb ys bo]?e meke & mylde, 
 
 " And in tyme of pes as a lyon bo)?e cruel & wylde. 
 
 " Mi Goddes of heuene and of er}>e, wat segge now ge ? 
 
 * My lord bi sechej? now my grace, ))at myjte er * hoto me. 
 
 " Mid ]?e emperour and mid me pes lie sechej? to drawe : 
 
 rt And we bo|?e of hym bi fore pees wilnede wel fawe. 
 
 " J?er fore he schulde hym habbe y J^ojt, ]?at f^orj me he was 
 
 aboue, 
 
 " And Jwj me he myjt haue come a doun, & y kud 4 me loue. 
 <c For yt ys to * eche prince y wis and kyng vilenye, 
 " To de foule ys knyjtes, J?oru warn he ha}) mayslrie. 
 " For )>e maistry nys not a kynge's, ne be he neuer so god, 
 " Ac kny^tes, )>at vnder hym fy^tej?, & schcdej? here blod. 
 
 1 And of his gentrise Ar. 
 * Deest vox. Nam hii both 
 come in Ar. * Hote Ar. 
 
 4 My loue Ar. * Ech a kyng 
 or prince vilany Ar. 
 
 And 

 
 68 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " And nancies ich wol fondcn, to brynge hym of ys sore. 
 
 " For ich habbeof liyra wrecheynow, wen hebi seche]? myn ore. 
 
 J?e erl wende * to eraperour, & 2 set a doun on kne : 
 
 " Sire," he seide, " al j?i wille ]?ou hast Jxm myjt y se 
 
 " Of J?e kyng, f>at ys myn vncle, he ys at ]n wille. 
 
 " Haue raerci of hym ich bidde, & let hym nogt a spille. 
 
 " What woldestjxm more of hym, bute }>at he }>e truage bere ? 
 
 J>e emperour was stille, & ne jef hym non onswere. 
 
 " Sire emperour," quo]? \>Q erl }?o, e ' * ne be je nogt so bolde. 
 
 " Understood, J>at forward ich habbe al Jwy holde, 
 
 " To brynge ]?e kyng bi ne))e )?e, & J>at }?ou wonne ys londe. 
 
 * Wat schulde ich |?e more do, nast j?ou al J?is in ]?in lionde ? 
 
 " Nolde God, ]?at y suffrede my lord, ]?at is and was, 
 
 ( u 4 |?at bid me for jefnesse, and to amende hys trespas) 
 
 " jjat he in ]?yne bendes come, * God yt schyld me. 
 
 " For J>ou 6 ne schalt i so lyjtliche hym nyme, y segge J?e. 
 
 " Wyle ich libbe for ich wole in eche maner fonde, 
 
 " To helpe my lord & myn vncle, bute jxm me vnderstonde. 
 
 }>o ]>e emperour herde ]?is, he bi gan hym by |>enche, 
 
 And hys wra^e toward ]?e kyng, for drede of J>e erl, quenche. 
 
 * ]?o emperour & |?e kyng in Jns forme a cordede were, 
 
 J)at ]?e kyng of Jns lond to ]?e emperour bere 
 
 1 The einp. Ar. * Sette hym 
 tloim a kne Ar. * Ne bere ye 
 yough nought to bolde Ar. 
 4 And biddeth me foryeue- 
 nesse to amendy his trespas 
 Ar. i God for shulde hit me 
 Ar. 6 IS T e shalt nought so 
 Ughtly9he hym take, ich segge 
 
 the. Al the while that ych 
 lyue, euere ich wole fonde 
 Ar. ' Non leve est interjicere 
 Cassibelliaunum me vivente, 
 cut auxilium meum reddere 
 non erubescam,) nisi consilio 
 meo parueris Galfr. Mon. 
 8 Tho the Emperour Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 59 
 
 }?re J7ousant pownd of seluer from ger to jere, 
 
 As to truage to Rome, J>at non ' ner bore nere. 
 
 And in }?is maner was Engelond broujt first in seruage, 
 
 And jx>rj treson of Jis selue lond first jef truage. 
 
 Jrcr fore a kyng ne may nogt among ys knyjtes be 
 
 * To sturne of hys juggemeut, ac somdel hym by se, 
 
 3 J?at he ha)? to hem neode he not wuche stonde. 
 
 For a such wille, as ge y se}?, brogte J?is lond to groude. 
 
 }>e emperour & J?e kyng to grete loue drowe, 
 
 And ey]?er 4 to" o|?er by twene hem jiftes jeue ynowe, 
 
 And bi leuede al }?e wynter to gedere in J?is lond. 
 
 Ac ageyn somer ]?e emperour, 5 ]?o he hadde al on houd, 
 
 Wende toward Rome, and myd gret loue 
 
 Nom with hym fe erl of Kent, J>orw Avam he was a boue. 
 
 6 And J>oru noblcyo J?at he was man of so gret fame, 
 
 He let a monej? of J?e ger clepye aftur ys owne name, 
 
 Julius, as he het ym self, ]?e mone}? J?at next ys 
 
 Bi fore heruest, as me clepuj? jet so ]?e monej? y wys 
 
 e kyng, as God jef ' J? a t cas, 
 Deide aftur * sene ger ]?at he ouer come was, 
 And y buryed was at Euerwyk, 9 & ]?is kyndom 
 Temiwant, ys broker sone, aftur hym nome, 
 
 Vocacio 
 
 mensia 
 Julii. 
 
 ObitusCa*. 
 sibellani. 
 
 1 Forbore Ar. a To strange 
 of his juggementz Ar.' 3 And 
 that haueth to hem nede he not 
 whuche stounde. For thurgh 
 such a wilfulnesse this lond was 
 brought to grounde. The em- 
 
 Vbl. I. 
 
 perour tho & the Ar. 4 Deest 
 Ar. 5 Whan he hadde Ar. 
 
 6 This Julius the Emperour 
 was of so grete fame, Ar. 
 
 7 The pro >at in Ar. 8 Se. 
 uen Ar. 9 And tho this Ar.
 
 60 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?at was erl of Cornewaile, and |?e erle's broker of Kent 
 Androge, that was to Rome mid J)e emperour y went. 
 
 AUGUSTUS was emperour aftur July of Rome, 
 e truage bo]?e of Jns lond from ger to jer heo nome. 
 J>e kynge's sone Ten want, Kymbel was ys name, 
 He huld with liym at Rome, man of noble fame, 
 He gaf bym armes & made him kny^t ys owne honde, 
 Kymbel ]?is Kymbel aftur hys fader kyng was of )>is londe. 
 
 So muche he louede }>e z emperour, fat ]?ei he myjl out 
 
 Hys truage at holde a jer, for loue he nolde nojt. 
 
 Ifo fis August hadde y be emperour two & fourti get, 
 
 He let make a dcscriuyng, J?at y mad nas neuer er. 
 
 He sende aboute ys messageres (as y t ys y write) 
 
 To eche lond in al }>e world a certeyn 3 forte wyte, 
 
 How mony schireii were in eche loud, & townes in eche schire, 
 
 And how rnony men in eche toun, (he was a gret sire) 
 
 And jmt ech mon paide a peny, & ]?at me hym |?e money bere, 
 
 War )x)ru he wiste, how mony men in al }>c world were. 
 
 And me made j?is descriuing in J>is lond, as wel 
 
 As in any o]?er lond, bi ]?e kynge's day 4 Kinbcl. 
 
 And nancies s y leue yt not, J>at he ne dude al wel ]?anne 
 
 For loue of ]?e panes, as to wytc ]?e noumbre of })c inenne. 
 
 1 With his owen honde 
 Ar. * Emperour, than whan 
 he myghie he nolde, The tru- 
 age that his fader bar, he 
 wolde nought with holde Ar. 
 
 * For to Ar. 4 Kymbel Ar. 
 s Jch leue hit wel, he dude 
 hit somdel thanne, As wel for 
 loue of the pans 5 as to knowe 
 the numbre of manne Ar. 
 
 A boute
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 61 
 
 A boute Jerusalem ]?is noumbryng he bi gan, 
 
 As in \>e myddes of }>e world, to noumbre eche man. 
 
 Jnlke tyme oure lord was in ' Bedleem ybore on 
 
 Of * Marie, to saue men, ]?at arst were for lore ; 
 
 By Kinbele's day, ]>at kyng was of Breteyne here, 
 
 And in J>e emperoure's August two and fourti jere, 
 
 |>at was y clepud Octouian in an of>er name. 
 
 jns emperour August was of so gret fame, 
 
 }?at, for Juli ]?e emperour, (}?at bi fore hym was er) 
 
 Hadde aftur hym y clepud a monej? in the ger, 
 
 J?e nexte 3 mone]? aftur ward, J>at heruest mone)? ys, 
 
 He let clepe aftur 4 hym August y wys. 
 
 J?o August badde y be emperour fyfty jer and fyue, 
 
 And wel y holde ys power, he wende out of j?is lyue. 
 
 JL YBERI, ys stepsone, aftur hym com, 
 )?at noblichc huld ys power, & eke ys kyndom. 
 j?e 5 Gy wes, & Herodes (}?at here ' kyng was) 
 He a dauntede harde y now, and non harm yt nas. 
 Pilatus he sende ]?ider, i here" justise to be ]?ere, Pyiatw 
 
 Forto holde hem harde y now, as heo wel worj)i were. 
 And jet for al ]?an, by ys day, Joru here luj?er mode, 
 Heo brojte oure lord Jhesu Christ 8 to dye on ]>e rode. chS. 
 
 1 Bethlem Ar. * Maide 
 Marie, to saue mankynde, that 
 theigh nere for lore; By 
 kynge's day Kymbelyn of this 
 Brutayrie here, And the Em- 
 peroure's tyme August two 
 
 & fourty yere, Ar. * Moneth 
 in the yer, that harueste Ar. 
 4 His name -pro hym in Ar. 
 i Juwes Ar. 6 Kyng tho was 
 Ar. i Deest Ar. To dethe 
 vpon the Rode Ar.
 
 62 Robert of Gloucester's Cfironicfe. 
 
 J?re and twenti jer emperour he was by fore ys de], 
 
 And aftur hyra was Gayus fyf jer vn nej)e. 
 
 1 Kynbel, cure kyng of }>is lend, sones badde twei, 
 
 Guyder and Aruirag, noblemen beye. 
 
 Guyder aftur ys fader kyng was of ]ns lond, 
 
 And Claudius emperour aftur Gay ich vnderstonde. 
 
 Y mad he was emperour sixti ger, ich wene, 
 
 Aftur }>at God was y bore, and a bouten an eigtetene 
 
 Aftur oure lorde's de}?. a sene hundred ger. 
 
 And euene eijte and nyenti Rome was y mad er. 
 
 Cjf WIDER, our kyng of J?is lond, ys truage at huld soce, 
 a To Rome f>at ys eldore were y wond to done. 
 
 Claudius Claudius J?e emperour J?er of hym gan bi se. 
 
 gUam. "" \>t ferj>e jer }>-dt he hadde emperour y be 
 Mid gret ost he wende here to J?is londe, 
 3 A boute SouJ?harato he a ryuede ich vnderstonde- 
 J>o kyng Guyder vnder get, J>at h^o a riuede ]?ere, 
 Hym ]?ougte Ion j mid ys * ost er he at hem were, 
 s Heo mette hem to gedere 6 mid power ynoj. 
 
 Bellum. Muche folk ' in eyj?e half to gronde me slog. 
 
 Je kyng Guyder more folk 8 slowe ys owne honde, 
 J?an muche del of ys 9 ost, as ich vnderstonde. 
 
 1 Kymbelyn, kyng of Bru- 
 tayne, sones hadde tweye Ar. 
 That his auncetres to Rome 
 were woned to done Ar. 3 In 
 the contreie of Southamtone 
 Ar* + Power pro ost in Ar. 
 
 J.U 
 
 sHii Ar. 6 With gret power 
 ynough Ar. 1 On aither side 
 to grounde me faste slough 
 Ar. 8 Slough with his honde 
 Ar. 9 Folk pro ost in Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 j?is Romaynes were for nogt ouercorae alte laste, 
 1 J?at J>e emperour with ys ost bi gan to fle faste. 
 A cheuenteyn )?er was with hym, 3 Haym was ys name. 
 He sey, )?at * heore partye wrogt was ney to schame. 
 He by jjougte hym of felonye, and let te" hym arme ere 
 Mid armes of Brytones, as he of |?is lond were. 
 He sywede myd }?e Brytones vp f>e Romaynes so faste, 
 ]?at vr Kyng * him louede, & ys herte al vp hym caste. 
 He spek Englisch, for he was at Rome ynorisched bi fore 
 Myd ostage of }>is lond, me louede hym ]?e bet J>er fore. 
 He was euer ur kyng nex, and atte last he drow 
 Hys swerd, * ar he were y war, and oure kyng so slow, 
 }?er was tricheri y now. for nomon ne may bet do 
 Xryle 3 an oj^er, j?an J?ilke j?at he truste}) mest to. 
 To hys felawes he * wende anon, & bad hem hardi be : 
 So }?at j?e Brytones were ' vp ]?e poynt to" fle 
 Aruirag, oure kynge's broker, wende for]? anon J?ere, 
 And dude on \>e kynge's armes^ hym self as yt were; 
 And lepte on ys stede, and siwede and slog fast ys fon, 
 10 And J?e Brutones with hym, for hep wende, fat it were fe 
 kyng echon. 
 
 Hayroia- 
 terfecit re- 
 
 fraudem, 
 
 1 The Romaynes, Ar. 2 So 
 that themperour Ar. * Lellius 
 Haym Ar. 8f Lellius Hamon- 
 dus in marg. 4 His partye 
 was neygh y brought to shame 
 Ar. J Hym louede wel, & his 
 herte to hym caste. He spake 
 Brutone, for he was with osta- 
 ges at Rome byfore Of this 
 jonde a queynted, and hadde 
 
 hit nought y lore. He was 
 euere oure kyng nexte Ar. 
 *> Er me were y war, and oure 
 kyng a slough Ar. 7 To ? 
 notluir, than he that a man 
 
 trusteth most to Ar. 
 anon, Ar. 9 In poynt fort? 
 Ar. I9 The Brutones wende 
 hit were hure kyng, & siwede 
 hym echon Ar.
 
 64: Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Heo were alle bo so * harde, and bat folk slowe so faste, 
 bat be emperour bi gan to fle mid ys folk at the laste 
 a To schippes, & into be see with wrechede bed y now. 
 Ac be lubur Haym with ys folk toward be wode liym drowe. 
 Aruirag hym sywede, and 3 to grounde euer slowj. 
 Atte laste ys tricherie wel lutel he 4 by lowj. 
 Hamptone. He ouer tok hym at an hauene & slog hym rygt bere. 
 Lutel harm thei tricherus 5 so alle y serued were, 
 be hauene ber he was y shwe, aftur 6 Ilaym ys name y wys, 
 Hamptone was y clcpud, as he jet y clepud ys. 
 7 For Soubhamptone he ys y clepud, and worb euermo. 
 In bis maner be Britones bis lond 8 wiste ]>o. 
 Claudius be emperour nolde not jet bi leue. 
 Eft sone he 9 gan with ys ost into bis lond weue. 
 Aruirag at Wynchestre with ys men was echon. 
 With ys power be emperour I0 bisegede hym anon. 
 Aruirag grey]?ede hym and ys folk a boute, 
 And wende]? for]? to jeue hym batail with oute. 
 ]?o he com out ward with ys folk, }?e emperour with stod, 
 And dredde of hys hardynesse, & boujte yt was not god, 
 
 1 Wel y hardied, Ar. To 
 bis shipes in to the see with 
 wrechede ynough. The luther 
 Haym with othur folk to ward 
 awodehemdrough^r. *Euere 
 to grounde slough. And atte 
 laste Ar. * By lough Ar. 
 5 Alle so y serued Ar. 6 Haym 
 ywis ; Haymtone was Ar. 
 
 ' Southamtone hit is eke y clu- 
 ped, Ar. 8 Kepfe tho Ar. 
 9 Com with his ost in to the 
 lond weue Ar. 10 Bysette hem 
 echon [/. anon.] Aruiragus 
 araiede hym, and ordeynede 
 his route, Wende forth to yeue 
 hem bataille that were with 
 oute. He com outward Ar. 
 To
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 65 
 
 To do hys lyf ' an atintre, and ys men al so. 
 
 He bongte te spekc of a cord, jef it mygte be y do. 
 
 To be kyng he senile word, bat he scbulde liym *be se 
 
 And make a forme of a cord, as yt mygte best be. 
 
 For when heo hadde al y fogte, & here lyf 3 an auntre y do, 
 
 And here folk slawe on eyber syde, & perauntre hem self also? 
 
 Al for a lulel couetyse 4 be bi jete war banne lute, 
 
 Beter yt were 5 a cordy, and bi leue heore * prude. 
 
 For he was so god 7 knygt, and also so noble kyng, 
 
 He s beod for to geue hym ys dojter in spousyng, 
 
 be nobleste damesel bat was in eny loride, 
 
 And to spouse be emperoure's ' dojter yt ner hym no schonde, 
 
 10 For wat he bere ys truage, as rygt " were, to Rome 
 
 As I2 alle ober kynges dude, a/id ys eldren y lome. 
 
 be kyng for ys heye herte anon yt with seide : 
 
 Ac no})elcs ys conseil hym gan ]?er to rede^ 
 
 And saide, J?at it was to liyra gret prow and honour, 
 
 To be in such tnariage alied to ]?e emperour, 
 
 |?o l3 hexte prince of |?e world, and J?o maide so noble al so, 
 
 And bat it '* nere byrn no schame, ys truage to do 
 
 1 In auenture, and his men- itnperio Romano sitbditus es- 
 
 nes also Ar> 2 By se Ar. * In 
 auenture Ar. 4 The by yete 
 were thanne lyte Ar. 5 To 
 acordy Ar. 6 Pruyte Ar. 7 A 
 knyght Ar. 8 Praide hym for 
 to Ar. At beod recte se habet. 
 idem nempe est atque offered. 
 ^ Doujhtur nere to hym no 
 shonde, For thy that he bere 
 Ar. * Ea conditions (ait) ut 
 
 set. Sic enim Galfridus Mon. 
 " Mandabat igitur ei \_Arvi- 
 t( rago~\ concordiam, daturum- 
 " que promittebat sese Jiliam 
 si tantummodo reg~ 
 " num Britannia: sub Roma- 
 " napotestaterecognosceret." 
 " Was Ar. "The pro alle in 
 Ar. '3 Heighest Ar. 4 Were 
 Ar. 
 
 M ?<
 
 66 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vocacio 
 (tlouce- 
 
 To J*e noble st-ide of Rome, wan ober kynges echone 
 
 Hit dude borg al be world, * & in so noble forme none. 
 
 be kyng, bei he hawteyn were, ches be best won, 
 
 * And vn( l er st d J s conseil, so bat heo were at on, 
 
 bat he bere ys truage, as ober dude, to Rome, 
 
 And bat he be emperoure's dojtcr in spoushed bus nome. 
 
 bat raaide was to lond y brojt of so noble gentrise, 
 
 Fairor wominan nas bo non, y hote heo was Gewise. 
 
 At a lute toun, bat was bo bi Est Walls, 
 
 bat vp Seuerne stod, y spoused 3 heo were y wys. 
 
 be kyng louede ys wyf a non so ptirliche & so faste, 
 
 bat al + ys herte s outliclie on hire one he caste. 
 
 For honour of be manage, be emperour and he 
 
 'Rerde, as heo y spoused was, a ssvybe fair cite, 
 
 And aftnr be emperoure's name, bat Claudius was, 
 
 Ileo lette be cite clepe Clauccstre for bis cas. 
 
 And be emperour bi jet seb]?e in bilke toun bi cas 
 
 A sone, bat me clepede Glow, bat gret mon sebpe was, 
 
 1 Ac pro & in Ar. * And 
 dude after his consail, Ar. 
 3 Hii Ar. 4 His herte toward 
 hure al outryght he caste Ar. 
 * Ontliche forsitan malint 
 nonnulli, ut only denotet. At 
 outliche lectio verisszma, idem 
 scilicet quod utterly valens. 
 Id quod etiam e Galfr. Mon. 
 liijuet. Sic enim ille : " Erat 
 '' autem nomen puellce Genui- 
 " sa y eratque tuntce pulcritu- 
 11 dinis, ut aspicientes in ad. 
 <; mirationem deduceret. Et 
 
 t( ut marit.ili lege copulata 
 "fuitj tanto fervor e amoris 
 i< succendit regem, ita ut 
 t( ipsam solam cunctis rebus 
 " prccferrct." Et tamen ont- 
 liche/e/rz potest, ea, qua dixi, 
 significatione^ pro more An- 
 glO'Saxonuntj qui vocum ad 
 unam eandemq rem signifi- 
 candam repetilonem amant. 
 6 Thar (omisso rerde, quod 
 tamen prcefigi debel) that he y 
 spoused wasj a noble cite, Ar. 
 
 'An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 61 
 
 'An hey duk of al ]?at stude, he clepede }?at toun y wys 
 
 Aftur ys name Gloucestre, as he pit y clepud ys. 
 
 A boute four & twenti jer, as jns clerkes vnderstode, 
 
 Aftur ]?at oure * lord was y do on J?e rode. 
 
 Gloucestre j?orj f>e emperour first ]>us a rerd was, 
 
 And Southampton ]?er bi fore, ge habbe}? y herd J>at cas. 
 
 Sente Peter )>er bi fore so much * so" it were 
 
 Pope was 4 at Rome first, Cristendom to lere, 
 
 And sende Sent Mark J?e euangelist in to Egypt for to preche 
 
 j?e gospel J?at he hadde y mad, and Cristendom to teche. 
 
 Sent Poul eke J>ilke tyme to Cristendom wende, 
 
 Sent Denys, & mony oj?cr, as vr Lord a boule liem * semde. 
 
 Sent Peter fyue and twenti jer Pope bi leuede so 
 
 * Forto yt was J?e laste jer of J>e emperour Nero. 
 
 ]>o ]>e emperour in Jiis lond hadde is wille i do y nowj, 
 He lette j?e kyng 7 al y worj?e, & to Rome a jeyn drowj. 
 J^c kyng dyjte ]>o J)is lond nobliclie with alle : 
 
 * He lette bulde vp grete townes, J>at were ney a doun falle. 
 \>o Claudius J?e emperour to ys ende was y do, 
 
 Aftur hym was emperour ]?e lufer mon Nero, Nero. 
 
 1 That duk was aftur of the 
 toun, and clepede hit y wis 
 Aftur his name Glowcestre, as 
 hit nough cleped is Ar. * Lord 
 Crist do was on the roode Ar. 
 
 3 Erasit quispiam in Ar. 
 
 4 Of Rome, Cristendom Ar. 
 omisso first. 5 L. sende cum 
 Ar. 6 Fort hit Ar. "> Totam 
 Britannia? potestatem, sua ab- 
 
 sentia, Arvirago concessisse 
 Claudiuni) hie indicat auctor, 
 illis verbis fultus, quce Gal- 
 fridus protulit) viz. " JEdi. 
 "Jicata igitur urbe, acpaci- 
 "Jicata insula^ rediit Claudius 
 " Romam, regnumque pro. 
 " vincialium insularum Arvi- 
 lt rago permisit. 8 And pro 
 
 he in Ar. 
 
 |?rot-
 
 6& Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 . ' brottene jer and an balf, and bat was longe y now, 
 
 And Sujnt Peter & Seynt Poule in hys * lafte jer lie slowg. 
 Passio Pe- He bi com * sone her aftur pur gydi and wod : 
 
 tri & Pau- 
 
 li. * For he was in ys rnoder wembe, as be vnderstod. 
 
 He bojte he wolde wyte, & se how s fair be chaumbre were, 
 
 6 War inne he was & kenede, ar ys moder hym bere. 
 
 Ys moder he let quelle a non, forto se with inne 
 
 How fair be inneward was, bat he kenede inne. 
 
 bo ys moder y slaw was, me blamede hym ber fore, 
 
 And seyde, bat hco bogte hym dere, er he were y bore. 
 
 " 7 ge is hyt," quo]) he, " so strong, myd childe to be stonde? 
 
 u Bi be fey, bat ich owe Mahone, be sobe ich wol fonde. 
 
 Hys ficicianes he ' clepede, and swor ys o]> anon, 
 
 Bute hco mad en hym with childe, he wolde hem sle echon. 
 
 Heo bi speke hem ' bi twene, and, be deb forto fle, 
 
 bci gouen hym a koynte drench, with childe for to be. 
 
 J [ys wombe bi gan to I0 grete, & euer be lenger be more, 
 
 So " longe," bat hym bojte strong, hys wombe ok wel sore. 
 
 He clepede ys fiscicianes, I2 and' swor grcte a non, 
 
 Bute heo made hym bere child, he wolde hem hunge echon. 
 
 1 Trittene Ar. 2 Repone 
 laste ex Ar. Necestcurpu- 
 tesj lafte rede posse relhiert, 
 ut sententia sit^ eo anno, quo 
 fuerit mortuus relictus. SS. 
 Petrum atquc Paulum occi- 
 disse. * Sone afterward puyr 
 Ar. 4 And hough he was in 
 his moder wombe he thoughte 
 & vnderstood Ar. s Mury 
 Ar. 6 What that he was vnne 
 
 y kenned, er Ar. 1 Ye, quath 
 he, is hit strong, with childe 
 to be bystonde ? By the fey 
 ich owe to my Godes, the sothe 
 Ar. 8 Clepede tho, and Ar. 
 
 9 Bitwyne than, deth Ar. 
 
 10 Grety, Ar. " Deest Ar. 
 12 And swor his oth anon, 
 Bute hii delyuerede hym anon, 
 hii sholde deye echon. Hii 
 ycf Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 69 
 
 1 be geue hym an ojjer drenche, to habbe child her, 
 
 So bat atte laste a sory child he ber. Rana. 
 
 * For it alles com forb, yt was a foul frogge. 
 
 For gode me Jnnkej? litel harm, bei yt haddc i be a dogge, 
 
 jet bis jredi wreche louede }>is foule best, 
 
 As 3 wommon de)> hire child 4 alle bing mest, 
 
 And 5 let hym rere a noble court, with gret quoyntyse and gynne, 
 
 At ]?e on ende of Rome, to norische }>e schrewe inne ; 
 
 And clepude ]?e court Laterane, aftur }>e frogge y wys, 
 
 For in be langage of Rome, rane a frogge ys. 
 
 So ys bat stude y clepud now, & euer worb for )>at cas. 
 
 Feble was |?e God fader, aftur warn be name was. 
 
 6 ]>Q firste chirche }?at me lette in j>o lond rere, 
 
 Seyn Jone's ]?e Lateran me rerede se)?J?e ]^ere, 
 
 ]?at stond jet, & heued chirche ]?at of al Cristendom ys, 
 
 Ac a beter chef J?er ys now, J>an ]>Q frogge was y wys. 
 
 Se^e |?e luj?er emperour hadde in his herte joie, 
 
 To J^enche 7 on fuyr, }?at was in ]?e bataile of Troie, 
 
 }>o me barnde grete townes & courtcs day & nyjt, 
 And j?ojte yt was mury joie, to se so fair alyjt. 
 
 ' Hii Ar. * For tho hit al 
 forth com, hit was a wel foul 
 frogge. His fisiciens hadde y 
 holde hym wel in the gogge. 
 Yut this gidy wreche Ar. ' A 
 woman doth Ar. 4 Alther 
 thynge Ar. s Let arere (omis. 
 so hym) in Ar. 6 The ferste 
 cherche me rerede there of al 
 Cristendom. And of Seynt 
 
 Johanes de Laterane thus the 
 name com. Suthe the luthure 
 Emperour Ar. 1 On fair fuer, 
 that brend the toun of Troye, 
 When the grete toures brende 
 & courtes day and nyght, Hym 
 thoughte hit was a mury game 
 to se such a syght. The wood 
 wretche Ar.
 
 70 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?e gydye wretche lette sette j?e toun of Rome on fuyre, 
 
 To habbe game of J>e lyjt, ]?e while yt myjte dure. 
 
 }>o wende for}) )?e toun folk, as heo moste nede, 
 
 And nolde no more suffre ]?e schrewe among hem wede, 
 
 * And slowe j?e schrewe in fyl dej? ynow, 
 
 And }ms hym fel wreche of God for he j?e apostle slowj. 
 
 V ASPASIAN J?e emperour aftur Nero com, 
 J>at beter man was }?an ho, & 3 ne" worrede nogt Cristendom. 
 J?e Giwes he worrede 4 y now, & brojt hem * first to nojt, 
 For as muche as J?e lu]?er men cure Lord to dej? brojt. 
 For he and Tytus ys sone of oure Lord vnderstode, 
 Fourti jer aftur J>at he deide on J?e rode, 
 Occisio Ju- And wende to Jerusalem, and J>at toun felde to grounde, 
 
 riaeorum. 
 
 And slowe ' \>Q ln)?er Gywes al ]?at heo founde, 
 
 8 Bute a schipful J?er of a scapede, }?at were to fele y wys, 
 
 War of com ]?e lu]?er brod, J?at a mong men jet ys. 
 
 Ten 9 jer Vaspasian emperour was J?o, 
 
 And Tytns ys sone aftur hym I0 ten jer, and no mo. 
 
 Domician, Tytus bro]?er, emperour ]?o was, 
 
 Fiftcne jer aftur hym. no more schrewe J>er nas. 
 
 f Cite Ar. * He fleigh for 
 fere out of toun, and hym self 
 slough, And for he Petur & 
 Powel slongh he hadde Ten- 
 gcance y nough Ar. f Deest 
 Ar. 4 Stronge ynough Ar. 
 J Al to Ar. 6 Wonne the toun 
 
 of Jerusalem, and fulde hit 
 doun to grounde, Ar. 1 There 
 the Ar. 8 Som yut of hem a 
 skapede, & that was harm y 
 wis, Ar. 9 Yer afterward Vas- 
 pasian Ar. 10 Two Ar. recte. 
 Adeo ut teu reponerem. 
 
 For
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 Pot he * worrede Cristendom, as }>e InJTcr Nero, 
 And let z martri Seyn Denys, & mony o|?er al so. 
 
 3 A NERUA was ]?o emperour a jer, & somdel more. 
 
 Trajan 4 com aftur hym, mon of gret lore. 
 
 Nyentene ger & an half emperour he was, 
 
 3 J?e noblest J>at mygte, bote }>at he Cristene nas. 
 
 So ryjtful he was, J?at 6 ban he hadde a dede hym self ydo, 
 
 }>at a geyn T ys lawes was, and ys sone al so, 
 
 * For such dede a man schulde, J?at Jns hadde y wrojf, 
 
 Lese ys on eye, & he hym self ne sparede hym self nogt, 
 
 Bute let pulte out ys own eye, & ys sone's al so. 
 
 ' Wei" fewe kynges I0 me syj?, bat yt wolde do. 
 
 ]?er fore Seyn Gregori, ]?o he o londe was, 
 
 More ]?an fyf hundred jer aftur Jns ryjtful cas, 
 
 |?at such a mon schulde in helle be, he carede in hys J>ogt, 
 
 Jje soule " J?orp Code's grace out of helle he brojte, 
 
 And to ys body " ys joyned, & gef hym Crislendom, 
 
 13 War with, as he worjn was, to blisse of Heucne 14 com. 
 
 Trajaaus. 
 
 1 Werrede Ar. 2 Martire 
 Seynt Ar. 3 Litteram hanc 
 majusculam A rectissimeomit- 
 tit Ar. 4 Com tho after hym, 
 a man Ar. * Noble man for 
 sothhewas,buthe^r. 6 Theigh 
 pro J?aa in Ar. 7 The lawe 
 were, or his sone Ar. 8 For 
 
 which dede a man sholde, for 
 that he hadde y wrought, Lese 
 eny of hys lymes, hym self na 
 sparede he nought, Ac let Ar. 
 9 Deest Ar. ' Me nough 
 sikth^fr. "Thurgh^r. "Hym 
 Ar. " Whar thurgh, as Ar. 
 M He com Ar. 
 
 Adrian
 
 72 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 ADRIAN com f o next, and twenti jer and on 
 
 Aftur hym emperour he was, of Giwes ne louede he non. 
 
 f e ' boru of Jerusalem he let somdel a * jeyn" rere, 
 
 fat Vaspasian felde adoun, f o he slow fe Giwes fere. 
 
 Ac he nolde 3 f e Giwes leue jeue for nof ing, fat heo myjtey 
 
 fat fe moste of fe boru enes habbe a syjte. 
 
 He dude hem schame y now, & temprede hem fulwel, 
 
 And mad 4 hem sone milde y now, fo heo were rebel. 
 
 ANTONIN was fo emperour twenti er and two, 
 And afttir hym twei brefereu in fe emperie were y do, 
 Marcus & Aurelius, nyentene ger heo were, 
 Cristcndam bi here day s me by gan faste lere. 
 For 6 Eleuthere a god mon was f o pope of Rome, 
 forvv warn first 7 Christcnemen in to Engolond come, 
 Ycli wol sone telle how, as ich vnderstonde, 
 And telle aftur fis emperoures of kynges of f is londe. 
 
 lieges. A.FTUR kyng Aruirag, of wain \ve habbef y told, 
 Marius, ys sone, was kyng, quoynte mon & bold. 
 And ys sone was aftur hym, * Coil was ys name, 
 Bofe it were quoynte men, & of noble fame, 
 
 1 Burgh Ar. * Deest Ar. 
 
 3 The Jewes loue for no thyng, 
 that hii myghte, That hii moste 
 of the burghe ones haue Ar. 
 
 4 He ra meok and mylde ynough, 
 4bat erst were rebel Ar. * Me 
 
 gan faste to lere Ar. 6 Eleu- 
 therie the good man Ar. ' Cris- 
 tendom Ar. 8 Kyng Coel was 
 his name, A noble man & 
 queynte, and of good fame, 
 Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And here truage dude to Rome, as hem ajte to do. 
 
 For J?er nas ' nower so noble prince, J?at ne dude a so. 
 
 Lucye, Coile's sone, aftur hym kyng was. 
 
 3 For, as me may J?e so]?e segge, by fore hym no beter nas. 
 
 For he herde 4 of telle of miracles, ]?at come 
 
 ]?orw Cristenemen al a boute, as wel as at Rome. 
 
 He willede anon in hys herte to fonge Cristendom. 
 
 f>er fore ys messageres mid gode lettres he nom, 
 
 fat to ]?e pope s Eleuchere hastiliche heo wende, 
 
 * ]?at he quik in to ys lond Cristendom hym sende, 
 
 j?at 7 Iieo myg(e serue God, for he wilnede muche ]?er to, 
 And he ne schulde not be glad, er |?e dede were y do. 
 
 * J 70 pope here of was glad, & tvvei holy men hym sende, 
 Fagan and 9 Dirnian, hys soule for to amende 
 
 10 ]?at rvjt bi leue hym tngte, and jef hym Cristendora. 
 
 j?o folk J?o faste a boute wyde J?er to com. 
 
 f>is was an hundred ger, and sixti jer and two, 
 
 Aftur J?at God was ybore, }?at fis dede was y do. 
 
 " J?us com lo into Jns lond first Cristcndam, 
 
 Bute yt were any holi man, }>at priueliche arst yt nom. 
 
 Prima 
 Christiani- 
 tas Angliae. 
 
 2 Also Jr. To 
 fore hym in Engelonde Cris- 
 tendom none nas Ar. 4 Ofte 
 telle Ar. s Eleutherie Ar. 
 6 And that Ar. ''lie Ar. The 
 Ar. 9 Damian Ar. ' The 
 ryght bileue to teche, & yaf 
 hym Cristendom. That folk 
 faste a boute wide ther to com 
 Ar. " Thus com lo Cristen* 
 
 dom in to Brutayne londe, But 
 ther were erst some preueliche 
 Cristendom hadde fonge. As 
 at the place of Glastyngbuiy 
 Joseph of Arimathie Lyuede 
 ther in Criste's lay, with hys 
 companye. Ther were tho 
 in Brutayne, false lawes to lere, 
 
 Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 E P ;scopa- 
 
 fer were arst in Eugelond, hor false lawes to lere, 
 Eyjte and tuenti chef sttides, bischopriches as it were, 
 And j^re architemples, as it were ' hcxt of echon, 
 London, and * Euerwik, and in Glomorgan on. 
 Jris gode kyng & bis holi men letie felle Item alle ]?ere, 
 And eigte & tuenti bischopriches in here studes lette rere. 
 Archiepi- And J>e erchbischoprichcs as ]?e }>re architemples were, 
 As yt were of alle chef Cristendom to lere. 
 Alle J?o bischopriches vnder Euerwik were ydo 
 J?at ben bi Nor]? Hombcr, as heo dej) Jet al so. 
 London 3 hadde \>o al Jns lond > f>at bi NorJ? Homber ys, 
 From Donere to Scuerne, and al Cornewaile iwis. 
 J?e ]?ridde erchbischopriche was at Carleon in Walis 
 Vp Osk in Glomorgan, ac ]?e see a doune ys, 
 Ac endes of olde walles ]?er stonde}) jet 4 euerne," 
 
 Reditus 
 
 iiicredulii 
 
 tati*. 
 
 Under hym Walis ]?ilke hadde, & al bi West Seuerne. 
 
 5 }ms com lo in to j?is lond first Cristendom, 
 
 Ac )>oru a lu]?er emperour, ]?at J>er aftur com, 
 
 Jat het Dioclician, it was setye i brojt to gronde, 
 
 And 6 hej>enes y brogt ageyn for to Seynt Austyn it vn bonde. 
 
 1 Heyghest Ar. * Ebrack- 
 \vik, and ther to Carlyon. The 
 kyng and othur holy men de- 
 struyde hem alle y fere, And 
 eighte and twenty bisshopes in 
 hure stede dude there, And 
 thre Erchebisshopes ther the 
 r. 3 Had- 
 
 de that othur del, that a this 
 side Humber is, Fram Douere 
 in to Cornewaille to the see 
 ywis Ar. Adeo ut Sou]? pro 
 Nor]> reponi debeat. 4 Deest 
 in Ar. i Thus com in to this 
 lond the lawe of Cristendom, 
 Ar. 6 Hethenesse Ar. 
 
 Lucie
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 75 
 
 Lucie jris gode kyng, ]?at )ms Cristene bi com, 
 Deideaboute four jer aftur ys Cristcndora. 
 At * Gloucestre he deide, ac eir nadde he non, 
 J>at a corede al ]>is load, and ys men echon. 
 
 SOUER was cmperour ]?ilke tyme at Rome, 
 
 So Jmt }?e tyjringes sone to hym come, 
 
 Jjat *J7O kyng of Breteyne with oute eyr was ded. 
 
 Sone he j?oru is court J?er of nom ys red, 
 
 And wende hider hastiliche 3 with power y now, 
 
 And folk, ]>at stode a geyn hym, faste to jronde he slow. 
 
 A duk ]?er was of ])is lond, Fulgence was ys name, 
 
 He stod ajcyn hym mid ys ost, & dude hym grct schame ; 
 
 And, forto be Je sikerore, he wende 4 to Scotlond, 
 
 And made hym ]?ere ' gret ost of folk of }?at lond, 
 
 And wende oft vp hym, and slow and barnde faste. 
 
 Ac euer hadde ]?e emperour )?e raaystre atte laste. 
 
 ]>e emperour in j?is lond weddede j?o a wyf, impcrat 
 
 |?at was Fulgence's t sostre, J>o in al ]?is strif. rom^F 
 
 Bi hire he hadde a god sone, y clepud Basian ; 
 
 An oj>er he hadde, y hote Get, }>at he at 'Rome biwan. 
 
 I?o Fulgence seij>, })at he ne mygte ajeyn hym stonde, 
 
 To ]>e 9 lond of Scicie he wende out of Jns londe, 
 
 1 Gloucetrc he was y buried, 
 ac heir hadde he non, Muchel 
 sorwe to the lond, and to the 
 men echon. Seuer was tho Em. 
 
 perour^r. 'The^r. "With 
 gret power y nough. That 
 folk Ar. 4 In to Ar, s A 
 
 gret ost of landfolk of the 
 londe, And wende out vpon 
 hym Ar. 6 Themperour here 
 in this lond tho weddede a 
 wife, Ar. ^ Suster in this ilke 
 strife Ar. 8 Rome wan Ar. 
 9 Contreie of Sithie Af. 
 
 Vol. I. L ' And 

 
 76 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 And a gret ost of Picars, whas cheuenteyn he was, 
 Of stronge men he gederede, to helpe hym in ])is cas. 
 J)o he y mad hym a fayr ost of )ns bachelerie, 
 He com a jeyn in to J>is lond out of * Scicie. 
 He by lay first Euerwik op ]?e emperour faste. 
 Beiium. So }>at ]?e emperour hym jef batail at }>c laste. 
 3 Ac muche del of ]?is lond to Fulgence toke, 
 For 4 lie more of kynde was, & J?e emperour for soke. 
 Bataile J^ei smj te strong ynow, & mony slowe to gronde, 
 So J>at Fulgence }?ere hackle dej^eiswonde. 
 Ac ]>e emperour * was y slawe, & y buried at Euerwyk. 
 
 6 Ac Fulgence deide sej?]?c, jx> he hadde y ley sik. 
 contencio. J>o f>is men were bjj?e ded, me moste habbe a kyng. 
 
 Bi twene ])o Romaynes & ]?is lond J?er bi gan ]?o stryuyng. 
 
 7 Get, ]*e emperourc's sone, ]?e Romaynes to kyng nome. 
 For he was * of fader and rnoder of J?e kynde of Rome. 
 Ac J^e Brutones of }ns lond nome Basian J?er to. 
 
 For ys moder was of ]?is lond, & ys vncle al so. 
 
 ' })o J?er were twei kynges }?us, ]>ci nas not wel gret loue, 
 
 Ne myjte, )?ei heo bre]?ren were, er J?o on were a hour. 
 
 T And of Pictes gedered an 
 ost, and hure cheuenteyn was, 
 Staleworthe men and hardy, 
 to helpe hym in this cas. Tho 
 this ost y gadered was of yonge 
 bachelrie, Ar. *Sithie. He 
 byseged Euerwyk vpon them- 
 j-erour faste Ar. 3 For pro ac 
 in Ar. 4 He of hure kynde 
 was, Ar. * ^Yas er y slawe, 
 
 Ar. f) And Fulgence deyde 
 afterward, tho he hadde longe 
 be sik. Tho these men Ar. 
 "> Geth, thempero ure's Ar. 
 8 Of the fader blod, & of the 
 kynde of Rome Ar. 9 Theigh 
 they were bretheren beye, ther 
 was nought gret loue, Ne they 
 myghte reste haue, forte on 
 was a boue Ar. 
 
 So
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 77 
 
 So bat eiber ' vp ober werrede * faste, Beiium. 
 
 And a batail strong y now smyten at be laste. 
 
 3 And Basian and ys power slow * Get ys broker, 
 
 5 And Basian bi leuede kyng, for ter nas bo non ober. 
 
 A STALEWORbE 5 ong bacliiler in bis lond was 0, 
 
 * Caraus was yclepud, bat coube of muche wo. 
 
 For ]>o he hadde in werre y be, ' & do gret maistric, 
 
 s And hym self muche yfonded, he boujte do tricherie. 
 
 He wente and bed leue bo of be emperour of Rome, 
 
 9 To wyte be se a boute bis lond frara stronge men bat come. 
 
 And bi het hym, bat, jef ber of wel auaunsed he were, 
 
 To gelde more god to Rome, ban at Breteyne bider bere. 
 
 bo be conseil of Rome y leuede ys faire bi best, 
 
 And bat he was strong mon, & of gret power with be meste, 
 
 be emperour with god cartre, & mid ys owne I0 cel, 
 
 11 Hym jef of be se a boute be warde euer y del. 
 
 bis false mon wende I2 bo mid ys cartre a boute, 
 
 And of I3 willesful men hym jederede a gret route, 
 
 And bi het hem I4 god y now of ptirchas, bat God hem sende, 
 
 And purueide !l hem gode schippes, & in to be se wende, 
 
 1 Upon Ar. * Swithe faste, 
 Ar. a So Bassian Ar. 4 Geth 
 Ar. i And so he was al one 
 kyng, for ther was non other 
 Ar. * Karant duped he was, 
 & couthe on muchel wo Ar. 
 1 Y do Ar. And a sayd 
 muche hym self, he thotighte 
 in trecherie Ar. > To kepe 
 
 the Bruttysshe see fro strange 
 men that come Ar. I0 Sele, 
 Ar. " Hym yaf the power of 
 this lond to hym euery dele Ar. 
 12 Forth tho with his chartre 
 Ar. IJ Euel doynge men ga- 
 derede Ar. '4 Good Ar. 
 Ar. 
 
 L2 And
 
 78 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 And won hem sone muche god mid strengj?e & quoyntise r 
 And sef>J?e mid robbery, bute ]?ei mygte ' in" o]?er wyse. 
 * Of hys pnrcha* so large he was to men J>at he fonde, 
 J?at he hadde a gret ost in a lutel stonde. 
 J?e yles he robbede in J?e see, & }>e hauenes *se}>]?e" a boute* 
 4 So Jiat men of purchas come to hym so gret route, 
 J?at J?er nas * prince vn raepe J>at hym myjte at route. 
 Hys power wex euer so, ]i>at eche fond hym gan doute 
 So jat he spek mid hey men here of Jns loud, 
 And bi het hem fairey now, & du<le hem to vnderstondcr, 
 J>at gef heo abowc to hym r and to here kyng hym nome, 
 }?at he 6 wole al out hem brynge of |)e daunger of Rome, 
 And 7 deliuere {'is lond of Romaynes r & of stronge men echon, 
 pat so fre lond as f>is ne sclmldc nower non. 
 ]>e lond hym made J^o here kyng, for he was so quoynte man, 
 And he bi gan to wcrre anon vp }>e kyng Basian, 
 And ey]?cr ajoyn o^er gederede ys ost faste, 
 Bciium. So ]?at |?ei comen and smyton a batail atte laste. 
 8 Ac * Caraus of felonyc hym gan vndersionde, 
 And j?ojte, ]?at I0 Picars were of " strong londe, 
 
 1 Omiltit Ar. * So large he 
 was (o hys men of thynges 
 that hii founde, Ar. z Dcest 
 in Ar. 4 Sic igitur ipso a, 
 gente conjiuebaut ad ilium 
 quicunque in aliena anhela- 
 bant ; ita ut in brevi t until in 
 habcret exercttum, quanta 
 nullus vicinus princeps rests, 
 tere quivisset Galfr. Mon. 
 5 Prince non that Ar. 6 Wolde 
 hem brynge al out of Ar. 1 De- 
 
 lyuere out of this lond the 
 Romeynes echon : So freo a 
 Jond as this in the worldo 
 sholde be non. That folk hym 
 made tho hure kyng, Ar. 
 8 Quod cum impetrasset) dimi- 
 cavit confeslim cum Bussiano 
 fy interfecit eum y Sf guberna- 
 culum regnt suscepit. Prodi, 
 derant enim Bassianum Picti t 
 quos dux Fidgenttus, ma. 
 tn's
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 79 
 
 )>at s were with Basian J?e kyng, ]?at Fulgence * hider bro^te, 
 
 }>at * heo wolde lijtliche to bym turne 4 he fojte. 
 
 Mid hem he spek so quoyntoliche, & mcde * bi gan bede, 
 
 So })at ]?e kyng Basian heo by traide in hys node. 
 
 For ]>o heo come to batail, heo turnede a jeyn hym echon : 
 
 c Heo nuste wich were 7 here frend, lie wych were "here fon. 
 
 9 Ac Basian and al ys folk code a non to gronde, 
 
 And he hym self and mony oj>er y slawe were in astonde. 
 
 j?o was Jns false I0 Caraus kyng of Jns lond here, 
 
 11 Unel it bi com hym of kynde to ben of such power. 
 
 ]?o typing com j?o to Rome, fat he dude hem such schame, 
 
 '* Heo nome a gret lordyng, AUect was ys name, 
 
 And sende hym in to Jns lond, & men mid hym ynowe, 
 
 So ]>at in batail Jns '* Caraus heo slowe. 
 
 j?o ]n's batail was y do, heo bi gonne arere 
 
 Werre vp men of Jns lond, for I4 heo with Caraus were. 
 
 Iris su&f rater, in Britanniam 
 conduxerat. Nam dum sibi 
 auxiliari debuissent, promt's- 
 sis Sf donariis Carausii cor- 
 rupt i, in ipso pr cello diver te- 
 runt se a Bassiano, Sf in com. 
 militones suos irruerunt. 
 Unde stupefacti ccteri y cum 
 ignorarent quis socius esset, 
 quis hostis, ocius dilabuntur^ 
 $ victoria cessit Carausio. 
 Qui nt triumphum habuit^ 
 dcdit Pictis locum mansionis 
 in Albania, ubi cum Britoni- 
 bus mixti per sitbsequens 
 
 cevum pcrmanserunt. Galfr. 
 MOD. 9 Caraat of his felonye 
 gan hym Ar. I0 The Pictes 
 Ar. " Strange Ar. 
 
 1 Hiiwere^r. * His Uncle 
 broughte, Ar. *UH Ar. *iiure 
 thoughte. To hem he spak 
 Ar. * Bygan hem beode, Ar. 
 6 He ,ir. 7 His Ar. HU 
 Ar. 9 And Ar. Carant 
 Ar. " Unele by cam hym of 
 kynde to haue such po \er Ar. 
 "liii Ar. l3 Carant ha Ar. 
 '4 ii wi h Caraut Av. 
 
 L 3 be
 
 80 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fa Bry tones J?o of Jus lond, to scbilde ' hem fro schame, 
 
 * Cheson hem anew kyng, 3 Asclepiod was ys name, 
 fat was erl of Cornewail. he * gedere ys ost anon 
 To werre, & to stonde a geyn fa * Romaynes ys fon. 
 He * wende hym to Londone, as kyng Allect fa was, 
 To honoure 'here false Godes, as it fel fa bi cas. 
 
 * fa f>is kyng ]?is vnder jet, fat }?is folk jms come, 
 
 9 He bi leuede ys sacrifise, & ys folk with hym nom, 
 And wende out ajeyn hem, & strong bataile heo smyte. 
 
 Beiium. go muche folk far was y slawe. fat deol yt was to wyte. 
 
 10 j?is Britones were so egre, and wox euer so faste, 
 fat ' ]?o Romaynes and here kyng gonne fie atte laste. 
 14 fa Britones siwede aftur, as heo ajt do, 
 
 And slovve mony }>ousant, and Allect fa kyng al so. 
 A I3 lordyng of fa Romaynes, fat y hote was Galle, 
 Com & I+ gold hym to oure kyng, & ys men ney wat alle. 
 fa kyng hym nom to prison, to London he was y brojt. 
 fa kyng hym wolde gene lyf, ac ys men nolde nogt, 
 Ne suffre, fat far were ^ o Hue eny of here fon, 
 Ac ladde hym in to London, & ys men echon, 
 To a rennyng water, fat jet ys far y wene, 
 And smyten of alle here hedes, to bryng hem out of tene. 
 fa water )?er heo were y slawe me clepude Galle brok, 
 Aftur Galle Jrilke prince, J>at far ys de]? tok. 
 
 1 Hem self fram Ar. * Chese 
 Ar. 3 Asclepedot Ar. 4 Ga- 
 derede Ar. 5 Romeynes, that 
 were his fon Ar. 6 Wende 
 thuder sone anon, ther as 
 Allect was, Ar. ' His Ar. 
 
 8 Tho Allect this vnder yat 
 Ar. 9 He by lefte Ar. I0 These 
 Ar. *' The Ar. '* The Ar. 
 Lordlyng Ar. >4 yeld Ar. 
 'J Alyue Ar. 
 
 fa
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 81 
 
 j?o was Breteyn J?is lond of Romaynes almest lere, 
 
 1 Ac albysi were yt ten ger, ar heo here ajeyn were. 
 
 Asclepiod let hym }>o crowne to kyng a non, 
 
 And kept a boute ten jer ]ns lond * wel mid. 
 
 Ac ]?oru Romaynes, bat here come, bat hebene were eclion, 
 
 And boru * ober, Cristendom was nei wat al agon. 
 
 1 WEI 5 emperoures 6 of Rome, Dyoclician, 
 And an ober, ys felaw, bat liet Maximian, 
 
 * Were bobe at on tyme, be on in be Est ende, 
 
 * And be ober in be West, Cristendom to sclrendc. 
 For be luber Maximian Westward hider sojte, 
 
 And Cristenemen, bat he fond, <o strong deb he brog(e. 
 
 Chirches he fel al a doun, |?er ne moste non stonde. 
 
 And al J?e bokes, ]?at he mygte fynde in eny londe, 
 
 He wolde lete hem berne echon amid J?e heye strete, 
 
 And |?o Cristenemen lo alle sle, and none " o liue lete. 
 
 Fefye God was " y bore, J>er nas for Crisiendom 
 
 In so lute stonde y do so gret martirdom. 
 
 For JTer were in a moiiej? seuentene }?ousant and mo 
 
 Y martired for oure Lorde's loue, ( I2 nas not here gret wo ?) 
 
 1 Unnethe was hit ten yer, 
 that hii her a yen nere. As- 
 cleopedot hym let tho crouny 
 kyng a non Ar. * Pro wel mid 
 legend, potius cum Ar- fram 
 his foil. Id quod carminis 
 ratio postulat. 'Hider Ar. 
 
 4 Othur mysbeleuede, Cristen- 
 dom was al gon Ar. s Vide 
 Edttionem nostrum vitce JEl. 
 fredi Magni 
 
 p. 4. 6 At Rome were, on 
 Dioclician, Ar. ~< And were 
 bothe Ar. 8 The othur in the 
 West qf the worlde, al Cristen. 
 dom to shende Ar. vThe Ar. 
 
 10 A sle Ar. - " A lyue Ar. 
 
 11 Y bore, vpon Cristendom 
 Such persecucion as tho was 
 hadde ther be non Ar. " Na3 
 there a gret wo ? Ar. 
 
 i, 4 With
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Constan- 
 cius. 
 
 With oute grete balwe, J>at heo hulde longe in torment, 
 As Seynt Cristyne & Seynt Fey, & al so Seynt Vincent ; 
 
 * As Sebastian, & raony o^er, as me may in Chirche rede, 
 And monyon turnede a jeyn to hej?ene for drede. 
 Among alle J?ese in ]?is lond, J>at were monion 
 
 Y martred as J>ilke tyrae, Seynt Albon was on, 
 
 * J>at was |?e firste raartir, J>at to Engolond come, 
 Dere ha]?, Lord ! mony a mon y bogt Cristendom. 
 Under )?is lu]?er * emperoures j?er was a noble mon, / 
 As of heore ln]?er lawes, ]?at vnder hem muche won. 
 Constance was ys name, he conquerede of Spayne 
 
 JTC truage, and of Fraunce, & sej^e here of Brctayne, 
 
 was a noble mon, & 6 gret power hadde on hondc, 
 Erl he was of Colchcstre here in fus londe, 
 And Colchestre aftur ys name y clepud ys ich vnderstonde. 
 Oure lord, among o]?er j?inges, hym sende a fair sonde, 
 })at 7 he hadde an holy dojter al Colchestre in J?is londe, 
 ]?at Seynt Helene was y clepud, ]?at * )?o holy croys fonde. 
 
 1 Othure grete halwen, Ar. 
 2 Fabian and Sebastian, and 
 othur, as men rede, that helde 
 faste in the fey, and hadde 
 non drede. And, among men 
 of these londe, there were ma. 
 nyon I martred at thulke 
 tyme, Ar. 3 He was the forste 
 
 martir of Brutayhe that com. 
 Muche was the shame me dude 
 tho to Cristendom. Under Ar. 
 ^ Emperour Ar. * Hure luthur 
 lawe, and vnder hym muche 
 wan Ar. *> Muche Ar. ' He 
 gat a fair doughter at Cod. 
 chestre Ar. 8 The Ar. 
 
 Bi
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 83 
 
 Bi twene oure kyng * Asclepiod & }>is erl with oute faile 
 
 * J?er wox gret worre, so )>at heo smyte bataile. Bellum. 
 
 And pis erl Cole slow ]>e kyng, &}>o he hadde 3 )>o ouer hond, 
 
 Kyng he let hym crowne j?o of 4 al ]?is lond. 
 
 J>at folk was J?o of ]?is lond y payed wel ynow, 
 
 J?at he hadde y wonne |?e kyndom, & }>at he )?e oj?er slow. 
 
 \>e typing to Rome com, * ]?at he y slawe was, 
 
 fat hem hadde y do scliame, heo were glad of J?at cas. 
 
 J?e noble prince 6 heo sende hyder J?e gode knyjt Constance, 
 
 ]?at whan hem al ]?e power of Spayne & eke of France, 
 
 7 ]?at he scholde eke Jus lond wynne a jeyn to Rome. 
 So fat f is noble prince, and ys men hyder come. 
 
 8 fe kyng Cole yt wider jet, he dradde in ys mod, 
 
 For he was so noble knygt, fat no mon hym with stod. 
 
 To hym he sende of acord, jef it were is wille, Concord 
 
 J?at he wolde to Rome abowe, & lete alle strif be stille, 
 
 And ]?ider bere ys truage, as oj?er dude bi fore, 
 
 10 For wat he huld j?e kindam, wen J?e truage were ybore. 
 Constance it grantede, and nom ys truage, 
 
 11 And nom also to be sikcr of hym god ostage, 
 And grantede hym ]?e kyndom and ]>Q pes of Rome, 
 And bi leuede in J)is lond " to godere y some. 
 
 1 Astleopedot Ar. * Can 
 ther were a contek, so that hii 
 smyte anc bataille Ar. * The 
 heygher Ar. 4 Al the Bru- 
 tayne lond Ar. s The kyng 
 a slawe was, Ar. 6 Hii Ar. 
 1 And that Ar. 8 Tho Coel 
 Ar. Prince Ar. And 
 to kepe the kynedora, that hit 
 
 nere forlofe. Constancius 
 grauntede this, & Ar. "And 
 to be the sikerour, of hym toke 
 good ostage, Ar. ** To ge- 
 dere botho y come. Sone by 
 fel afterward, That Coel 
 kyng sik lay, And deide sone 
 afterward with ynne a short 
 
 day, Ar. 
 
 A monej*
 
 84: Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 A mone)> it was \>ei aftur, J>at Cole syk lay, 
 And deide, as God wolde, with inne }>e eijte^e day, 
 And o)>er eir nadde he non, bute Seynt Helene ]?e gode, 
 Ys dojter, J?at sej>f>e fond ]?e swete holy rode. 
 lena? Constance, for hire eritage, J?is raaide to wyue nom, 
 And nom with ' hire so j?is lond, and J>is kyndom, 
 And let hym * crowne kyng, & god kyng was and fyn, 
 By hire he liadde a god sone, y clepu Constantyn. 
 ]>o Constance hadde y be ellene jer kyng y wys, 
 He deide at 3 Euerwyk, and yburied was ]?er and ys. 
 
 V^ONSTANTYN, is jonge sone, y crowned was )?o kyng. 
 
 Noble mon he bicom, & 4 wytty ]?orp alle fnng. 
 
 Kyng he was ]?ritti s ger. he ladde }?is kyndom 
 
 Rygt nobliche and swijre wel with quoyntyse and wysdom. 
 
 A LUTHER emperour bi fore, >at het Maxiraian, 
 ]?at was 6 vp Cristenemen (as we scide) so luj^er a man, 
 A sone he hadde ^schrewe y now, Maxencius to name, 
 Hym me made emperour, mony mon to scbame. 
 He wes, as wel as ys fader, gret schrcwe y now. 
 * For in strong martirdom Seynt Kateryn he slow, 
 
 1 Hure al this lond, Ar. 
 2 Crouny to kyng, that good 
 knyght was & fyn, Ar. 3 E. 
 bracwyk, and ther y buried 
 ys. Constantyn Ar. 4 Wys 
 thurgh Ar. s Yer of this 
 kyngdom, And gouernede hit 
 swythe wel with Jqueyntise & 
 
 wysdom. The luthur Ar. 
 6 Upon Cristendom a swithe 
 luthur man, Ar. 1 Sherewed 
 ek, Maxent was his name, 
 Hym he made Ar. 8 For 
 Kateryne, and other mo, in 
 stronge deth he slough. Much 
 folk he dude shame, and the 
 folk
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle^ 85 
 
 And mony ofer martir, and fat folk of Rome al so 
 
 He fondede to deserie, and mony scbames do. 
 
 So fat f e deserites in to f is lond come 
 
 To Constantyn, fe gode]kyng, for de faute from Rome, 
 
 And he hem faire vnder fong, so fat mo and mo' 
 
 f er come for enlegeance to habbe of heore wo. 
 
 So fat * f ese deserites bi gonne al on hym grede. 
 
 " Sire," heo seiden, " for Code's loue bryng vs of fis 
 
 wrechede. 
 
 tl Of ]> e kynde blod of emperie f er nys bi leued non, 
 lt * Nefat bi kynde were emperour, non bute fou on. 
 " How longe wolt fou suffre f e schrewe' s out rage ? 
 " Go and wyn f i kynde lond and fyn eritage. 
 " j?ou schalt habbe fer help y no^ of f i kynde londe. 
 " Wei fou wost, fat 3 lute while f e schrewe fe at stonde. 
 Constanlyn hym vnderstod of ys kynde londe. 
 4 And god it were to habbe f is and fat on honde. 
 Muche power of fis lond mid hym forf he nom, 
 And seffe also of France, as he fer forf com. 
 And wende toward Rome to wynne fe emperie, 
 To brynge fe schrewe adoun, fat dude fat robberye. 
 As he wende, he bi huld toward heuene an hey, Visio 
 
 And f o vp in f e firmament an angel he sey, 
 
 folk of Rome also He fondede 
 to disherite, and brynge hem 
 to wo. The disheritez of 
 Rome to this londe come To 
 Constantyn, and bysoughte 
 hym of hem to take gome. 
 And he hem Ar. 
 
 1 The disherites gonno on 
 hym to grede Ar. * That 
 sholde be kynde emperour, 
 non but though al on Ar. 
 J Lytel while they shulleth 
 the withstonde Ar. * And 
 that hit were good to haue Ar.
 
 86 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 j>at huld a croys, and J?er on y write was lo ! )>is, 
 
 " ' Costantyne Jwj Jns signe ]?ou schalt be maister iwis. lr 
 
 Constantyne )ris vnderstod, hefene fai he were. 
 
 A crois, in stude of ys baner, * ys men bi fore hyra bere. 
 
 Maxencius J?o he wiste him come, he hadde of hym gret 
 
 doute. 
 
 He let at Rome a strong dicli make al a boute 
 And dep agen Constantyne, and a jeyn al ys route 
 Forto holde hem J?er )?oru wan heo come with oute. 
 As he was a boute ]?is dich, he ne gan not muche wynne. 
 For lie fel al amidde, and dreynt hym ]?cr inne. 
 Joru ]>Q vertu of the crois he was sone ouercome, 
 And Costantyn hadde al so sone }>e toun yriome, 
 7 Costantyn ne com nower in batail non, 
 J)at he nadde J?org Je crois Je maistri of fon. 
 So ]>at he hym vnderstod 4 of \>e beste won, 
 Baptiza- And of Seynt Siluestre be pope hym let baptize anon. 
 
 cio Con- 
 
 stantini. And he was (as yt is ywnte) pur mesel po, 
 
 And he bi com in hys baptizing hoi of ys wo. 
 Seynt Siluestre was pope J?o, and fe first J?at J?er com 
 Of alle popes ]mt deide with oute martirdom. 
 For }?er nas non by fore him J?at he martired nas 
 Of ]?e luther emperourcs, for eche hej)ene was. 
 Levacio A chirche of Seynt Jon }>c baptist Constantyn let rere, 
 rum. 65 '* And clepude yt J Costantiniane, for he was ybaptized fere. 
 
 1 Constantyn Ar. Sf sic in. 
 fra. * Tofore hym he let rere 
 Ar. 3 Constantyn ther after. 
 
 ward com in bataille non Ar. 
 4 What best was to don, 
 Ar. 5 Constautiniane, Ar. 
 
 'Of
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 87 
 
 i Of Seynt Petur & of Poule an ofcr he rerede al so, 
 
 And in strong * mastlyng he ha]? fer inne bofe heore bones 
 
 y do. 
 
 Of seynt Laurence he rerde anof er, of seynt Armeis eke on. 
 And of ofer Seyntes fat jet stondef he rerede eke monion. 
 f o sende he Seynt Elene ys moder, 3 fat wys was y kud, 
 To Jerusalem to seche fe croys, fat fere was y hud. 
 So fat it was fer y founde 4 f e by gyng of f e May, 
 As je habbef ofte yherd, fe holy rode day. 
 Costantyn lette also in Jerusalem chirches rere, 
 And s wyde aboute elles wer, Cristendom to lere. 
 So fat f oru Code's grace so noble mon he was, 
 fat fer nas prince in al fe world, fat vnder ys power nas. 
 f re vnclen ys moder hadde, fat on hatte Honyn, 
 And Trahen fo of er hette, and f e f ridde Maryn. 
 Alle f re Costantyn nom with hym to Rome, 
 And grete lordes f oru hym alle f re fer bi conte. 
 
 AN erl fer was in f is lond, Octairi was ys name : 
 Romaynes, fat * he-re bileuede, he dude ofte schame, 
 And slow hem faste her & fer, 7 fat me schulde uewe y se* 
 fe Brutones hym crowncde f o heore kyng for to be. 
 * f is word com to Constantyn, he f oujte was to done : 
 Trahen, ys moder vncle, hyder he sende sone. 
 
 1 To pro of in Ar. * Mast- 
 lyng he let hure bones do Ar. 
 ' That wys womman was 
 kud, Ar. 4 In the gynnynge 
 of May, Ar. * Wende a 
 
 boute Ar. 6 Were byleued, 
 Ar. 7 That few me myghte 
 y se Ar. 8 Whan this word 
 cam to Constantyn, he nuste 
 what best to done : Ar. 
 
 With 
 
 '
 
 88 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 
 
 With gret power ynow, to wynne J?is kyrdom. 
 
 At an hauene bi SouJ>e ]?is x folk o londe com. 
 
 ]?e kyng was of hem ywar, ajeyn * hem he sette* 
 
 Bi side Winch estre in a feld to gedere heo hem raette. 
 Beiium. Batail heo smyten )?er, & to gronde slowe fasie, 
 
 So J?at Octaui oure kyng aboue was f tte laste, 
 
 And Trahen, & muche of hys folk, y wonded ney to dej?e, 
 
 4 Flowe to se to heore schippcs, and of scapede vnnej?e. 
 
 To Scotlond heo wcnde bi water, & J?er J?ei gonne ariue, 
 
 And gederede ]?er 5 al new ost ajeyn f>e kyng bi Hue, 
 
 And robbede faste and barnde al J?e contrei a boute. 
 
 Oure kyng wende ]?idenvard faste mid ys route. 
 Beiium. In Westmerlond }?ei mette hem, and gonne fijte biliue, 
 
 Ac oure kyng Octaui. of scapede vnne]?e 6 o Hue. 
 
 He of scapede 7 in tor Norwei, to wynne hym help faste. 
 
 }x> was Trahen 8 al a lord, }?e wyle yt wolde laste. 
 
 Ac as he out of Londen wente in a tyde, 
 
 A gret erl hym kepte }?er in a wode syde, 
 
 With an hundred knyjtes y armed wcl ynow. 
 
 ]>is prince al vn ywar toward hem drow. 
 
 Heo comcn ajeyn'hym vn war, & slowe "hym al for nojt. 
 
 }>is tyjnnj was ouer se to ]>e kyng sone y brojt. 
 
 He com hyder sone a geyn joyful y now, 
 
 And " ]?o Romaynes, |?at he fond, to gronde faste he slow. 
 
 1 Folk to londe Ar. * Hem 
 sone he sette Ar. * Atte Ar. 
 4 Hii flough faste to hure 
 shipes, and a scapede vnnethe 
 Ar. s A newe ost a yenst 
 
 the kyng as blyue, Ar. 6 ^A 
 lyue Ar. 7 ,. into cuin Ar. 
 8 As lord, Ar. 9 Hem Ar. 
 
 10 Hem for nought Ar. 
 
 11 The Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 89 
 
 ]?o gederede he so gret * tresour, and al so so gret route, 
 
 And so gret power, bat he nadde of no prince in be world doute. 
 
 For ber nas prince non bat hym dorste arere strif. 
 
 So bat he huld bo bis lond in pes al is lyf. 
 
 He * ascode at ys conseileres, bo he to elde com, 
 
 How he mygte best do mid * bis kyndom, 
 
 For he nadde bote a dogter ho mygte ys eir be ? 
 
 Some of ys conselers hyrn gonne bus bi se, 
 
 bat he schulde nyme ys neuew, bat 4 hatte Conan, 
 
 And crowne hym kyng of bis lond, for bat he was ' man, 
 
 And lete ys dorter ' spousi mid richesse y now 
 
 To an ober prince elles ware, as ys T herto to drow. 
 
 * Ober radde, bat he schulde al myd be kyndome 
 
 Late ys dogter spousi to an hey prince of Rome, 
 
 And ^enne, for * be" aliance bat were hem I0 by twene, 
 
 Heo mygt bis lond al in pes holde with oute tene. 
 
 So J?at ]?er was among hem gret strif for ]?is dede. 
 
 Cradok erl of Cornewaile " hy a vys seide, 
 
 )>at a senatour of Rome, y hote Maxtmian, 
 
 Was of ]?e kynde of J?is lond, a swy]?e noble man. 
 
 For he was Leoline's sone, ]?at ia Elene vncle was 
 
 ])e gode Costantyne's moder, ' 3 for non beter nas. 
 
 1 Ost, and so gret Ar. 
 ' Axede Ar. * His Ar. 
 4 Was hote Ar. s A Man, 
 Ar. 6 Be y wedded with 
 rychesse Ar. i Herte drough 
 Ar. A nothur radde, that 
 
 he sholde with the kyngdome 
 Lete his doughtur be y spou- 
 sed Ar. 9 Deest Ar. I0 So 
 by twene, Hii Ar. " His a 
 vys he sede Ar. " He. 
 leyne's Ar. ** That non Ar. 
 
 And
 
 90 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And wan he was a prince of Rome, jef he were eke J?er to 
 
 Kyng ' eke" her of }ris lond^ swij?e wel yt were y do. 
 
 Siker me mygte }?enne be, to habbe here pals god j 
 
 For he was y bore at Rome, & of Jns londe's blod. 
 
 And for he was of Jus kynge's kynde, )?at of Jris lond was, 
 
 ]?e beter pays ]?er scholde be for the rigtful cas. 
 
 Conan, }?e kynge's ncuew, \>o he herde J?is, 
 
 * Was wroj>, and deslourbede al J?e court y wys. 
 
 And na^eles Cradok hym held al cuene and stille, 
 
 And j?e kyng stilleliclie brogte al to hys wille. 
 
 To Rome he sende Morice, fat ys owne sone was, 
 
 Pryueliche to Maximian, to telle hym of jris cas. 
 
 }?er was fo stryf at Itome bi twene ]?is Maximian, 
 
 And |?o emperour, ])at was ]?o, |?at hatte Gracian. 
 
 J)o Morice J?ider com, and faire was vnderfonge, 
 
 And herde }>is contek, ]?at ilaste longe, 
 
 To ]?is senatour he seide, *' Sire Maximian, 
 
 ** ' Whi art J?ou so sore a drad of }?is Gracian, 
 
 <e 4 \y en j, ou m igt of hym god wei alto |?in wille y se ? 
 
 " For com with me to Bretayne, & fou schalt ])ere kyng be, 
 
 " For ]>e kyng * now in elde naj> non eyr y wys 
 
 " Kynde, bote ys dojter one, ]?at hym fol lef ys, 
 
 1 Deest AT. 2 Wex wro>, 
 Ar. 3 Ut quid Gratianum ti- 
 mes, Maximiane^ cum tibi pa- 
 teat za, qua ei imperium eri- 
 pere poteris ? Galfridus Mon. 
 * Thugh inyglit of hyra haue 
 
 al thi wille, & thugh konne 
 the by se. Com with me Ar. 
 JJNough is old, & ne hath 
 non heir y wys, But a dough, 
 tur that is yong, that hym lef 
 is, Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 91 
 
 ft And he ha]? god wille to }?e, r as me dej? hym to vnderstonde, 
 
 " )>at ]?ou hire spousedest. for ou art of ]>Q kynde of the londe. 
 
 " And such mygt, wan yt so ys, Jxm myjt ]?er Jx>ru a fonge, 
 
 <e J?at Jxm raygt perauntre 2 Rome wynne ar come ojt lonje. 
 
 " For )n gode cosyn Costantyn Rome wan al so, 
 
 " And mony o]?er of our kynges in |?is maner come ]?er to. 
 
 ]?o J>is Maximian vriderstod al ]?is, 
 
 He dude hym sone hydenvard mid gret power y wis. 
 
 He ariuede at Sou]) hampton, as 3 ]?o wynd hym had y lad. 
 
 f>o our kyng herde her of, he was somdel a drad, 
 
 Leste he hadde for vnel y come. 4 Ac ]?e he wisle wad he was, 
 
 He vnder feng hym fayr y now, & conseilede of * J?e cas, 
 
 Some seyde, 6 j?at hym wer beter take ys neuew Conan 
 
 ]?e kyndom of jns lond, and some 7 Maximian, 
 
 And some, an hey mon of ]?is lond J?at he ys dojter toke, 
 
 And ys kyndom mid hire, for he yt wolde best loke. 
 
 Ac ys hext conseil na]?eles, that he mest vnder stod, 
 
 Radde hym to Maximian, * for he was of so hey blod, 
 
 Of Je gode queue Elene, & of J?e noble Costantyn, 
 
 (]?at was kyng here of ]?is lond, & emperour atte fyn,) 
 
 ' As he is vnderstonde, 
 To wedde to the, by cause 
 Umgh ert of kynde of this 
 londe. And such power whan 
 hit is so though myght ther 
 thurgh avonge, Ar. * Be 
 lord of Rome cr longe Ar. 
 The Ar. 4 And tho he 
 wiste hough hit was, Ar. 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 * This cas Ar. 6 Betcre 
 hit were ,to take Ar. 7 To 
 Maximian, And some othur 
 lordes of this londe that hys 
 doughtur toke, And the kyng- 
 dom with hure, that hit 
 couthe best loke Ar. That 
 was of hcygh blod, And of 
 the good Ar. 
 
 M 1 And
 
 92 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 And of J>e kynge's blod Cole kyng of J>is lond he com, 
 )>at god yt were to al \<e lond <o take hym ]?e kindotn. 
 }>e kyng and ys meste men hulde al pus wisdom. 
 So ]?at J?e kynge's dogter mid ]?is lond he nom. 
 Ac Conan, J?e kynge's neuew, ne likede not J>is game. 
 * He garkcde power a geyn hym to hym alle schame. 
 Ac ys power 3 lute was. for |?e kyng was euer aboue, 
 So J>at alte laste ]?ei were y brojt 4 in lone 
 Bi Graciane's dai }>c cmperour. )?is was, as ich wene, 
 s A boute }>e jer of grace CCC. & LX. & scuentene. 
 Withinne fyf-gor aftur j^is kyng so prout bi com. 
 For ]?e gretc tresour namcliche |?at he alday nom, 
 Jat he * nas not cue y paid (o habbe is kyndom, 
 Bute he haddc France al so with strengj>e wy}> ou(e dom. 
 He nom with hym of r hys lond gret power y now, 
 And to J?e lond, J^at was yclcpud * Armore, he drow, 
 J>at Breteyn ys now yclepud, as he it * nempdc ]x>. 
 Fyftene J^ousant I0 hors y wrye }?er were ageyn hym, & mo. 
 Beiium. Of ])e lond of France, and of oj?er londes bi syde. 
 J?er heo smytc a bat ail, ]?at cowj) was fulwyde. 
 J?er was j^e " duk of France y slaw, and al is folk ney. 
 ]?o J>e kyng Maxirnian ]?is grete slajt y sei, 
 
 1 And of kynge's blood 
 Coel of this' londe com, Ar. 
 2 He ordeyned with his pow- 
 er to do hem alle shame Ar. 
 3 Litel Ar. * To loue Ar. 
 5 In the yer of oure Lord 
 Crist thre hundred & seuen- 
 
 tene, (sine & LX.) Ar. minus 
 rectc. 6 Was nought onlich 
 a paid to haiie the kyngdom, 
 Ar. 7 This Ar. 8 Armorike, 
 Ar. 9 Clupede Ar. I0 Hors 
 y heled there were Ar. 
 Kyng Ar. 
 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 He" was glad, for lie wiste wel to wynne ]>o al ys wille. 
 Conan, ' ]\j quene cosyn, he clepiule out j?o stille. 
 He bi gan som del to * lihe. " We habbe]? now," he seyde, 
 11 Y won ne an ende of France, of \>e o}>er nys no drede. 
 " )?ei ich be kyng of Breteyne, }?at was J?in 3 vncle lond, 
 " Nc be ou not sori ]?er fore, for ich wol habbe more an hond. 
 " Ych wol make j?e of }Ms loud kyng, J?ou schalt yse, 
 11 4 And J>is lond schal be J>yn, and }?e ofer Breteyn be. 
 " For honour of Breteyne, to warn ]xm haddcst kyndc, 
 " \>e o]?cr Breteyne yt schal Iiote, as to habbe of ]?e rnynde. 
 " Delinere we schul yt of J?is folk, |?at s hire inne ys, 
 " And of folk fulle it fol of ' oure kynde y wys. 
 Conan bowcdc a doun to hym, & Jonkede hym T faste, 
 And bi het to serne hym trewliche, J>e while ys lyf laste. 
 Heo wende a bonte in al j?e lond, & heye towncs nome. 
 And al J?c men, jxit heo fonde, heo slow euer as heo come, 
 And let ]?e wimmen go aliue ; & J?o heo hadde al * an hondc, 
 'And hadde y slawe al clene a boutc )>at folk of j?e londe, 
 
 1 The quene's cosyn, he 
 let tho clepe hym tille, And 
 thus he began to speke to 
 hym. We haueth nough, he 
 sede, Wonne that on ende 
 Ar. 2 Id est, to laugh. Sic 
 em'/rtGalfr. Mon. " Vocaviter- 
 u go Conanum ftdsc extra tur- 
 " mas. $ paulispe.r subridcns 
 " ait: Ecceunnmexpotioribnt 
 u regnis GallUc subjugavimus, 
 " ecce spent ad cetera habcre 
 a possumns, &c. * Uncle's Ar. 
 
 4 And this, in mynde of that 
 othur, the lasse Brutayne shaU 
 be. In honour of the more 
 Brutayne, to what thugh 
 haddest kende, The lasse 
 Brutayne this shal be, to haue 
 the more in myende Ar. 
 sTher Ar. 6 Thyne kynde 
 Ar. Tulfaste, Ar. 8 On 
 Ar. 9 And hadde ddyuered 
 al a boute deue that folk of 
 londe Ar. 
 
 M 2 In
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 In echc stude heo sette bere strong warncsture and god 
 
 Of folk of bis lond ' here, and of here owne blod. 
 
 be kyng an hundred bousant * men in }>is lond fctte, 
 
 3 And brilti bousant kny^tes * here wardeynes he sette. 
 
 And dclde among hem al be lond, & gef echo diuerse bing, 
 
 And made Conan of hem alle, & of al be lond kyng. 
 
 5 And bus was Breteyne y wonne boru oure 6 prince here, 
 
 And aftur bis lond Bretayn ielepnd in bis maner. 
 
 Maximian wemle 7 forb borw ys grete marstrie, 
 
 And wan with strengbe al France, and sebbe Normondie. 
 
 8 For he jef ech mon, bat to hym com, his purchas in eche 
 
 londe. 
 
 So muche power fel hym to, bat nobing mygt Iiym at stonde. 
 And Gracian be emperour at Home sebbe he slowj, 
 bat for hys hardy dedes of hym me dradde ynowj. 
 Ac boru be emperour, bat sebbe com, y hole Theodose, 
 Maximian was sebbe y slaw, I0 magrei ys nose. 
 And so te schrewe robboiues hadde here willc at stonde, 
 And cheui in here robbcri, atte laste it gob to gronde. 
 
 1 Here of hure Ar. * Men 
 of this londe let fette, Ar. 
 aProetercaxxx. milia mililum^ 
 qui ipsos infra patriam^ qua 
 mansuri erant, ab hoslili ir- 
 ruptione tuerentur. Galfr. 
 Mon. 4 Hure Ar. sTliuswas 
 litle Eriilayne Ar. 6 Princes 
 Ar. TThoforth^/-. s.Heyaf 
 ech man that to hym com of 
 purchas of his londe. So 
 muche people drough to hym, 
 
 myghte hym no man \vith- 
 stonde Ar. 9 Suth he dud*' 
 to dethc, And his brothur 
 Valentinian a scapede a lyue 
 vnnethe. Ac thurgh an em. 
 perour Ar. I0 Maugre al 
 his nose. But erst these sher- 
 rewe robboures hadde hure 
 wille a stounde, And suth for 
 hure roborie hii were y 
 brought to grounde. )>e Bru- 
 tones Ar. 
 
 be
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 95 
 
 }?e Britones, J>at Maximum of pis lond brojte jw, 
 
 1 In J?e lasse B;etryn bi leuej? get, and schul euer mo. 
 
 And so fjiliie Brutayne of J?is lond coai 
 
 More J?oru strengf>e ? as 50 yse]?, j?an f>oru rygt dom. 
 
 Of a {?e lassc Bretayn Conan f>at was ]?us kyng, 
 
 Among hem nolde of 3 j?ilke lond liabbe no rnyngyng, 
 
 Ne Children of Jnlke kynde, j?er fore he lette sende 
 
 4 To hye men of j?is lond aboute ia eche ende, 
 
 5 J7at of hyc meune dogtreii may denes me nome 
 
 6 Ellene ]?ousant at j^e leste, & to hym ]?at heo corne ; 
 And of 7 simpler maydenes an sixti ]?onsant gode, 
 
 }mt heo migte 8 make here kynde al clcne of heore blode. 
 ' J^is maidenes \ver y gedered, and ' to London y come. 
 Mony were glade j?er of, and Xl fill sort some 
 ]pi\i heo schuld of lond wende, & neuer eft here frend<?s so, 
 And somme to lese liere maidenhed, wyues for to be. 
 
 1 Byk'uede in Brutayne, | 
 that Conan com thus ther to. 
 That Armor ike erst cluped 
 was, & to riewe name thus 
 com By conqueste, as who 
 yeith, more than thurgh Ar. 
 2 Cumque sibiccssisset victoria, 
 voluit commilitonibus suis con- 
 juges dare^ ut ex eis nasceren. 
 tur heretics, qiti tcrrum ill am 
 perpetuo possiderent ; fy ut 
 nullam commixtionem cum 
 Gallisfacerent, decrevit ut ex 
 Britannia insula mulieres veni- 
 rent, qua: ipsis mtirilarentur. 
 
 Sfc, Galfr. Mon. ? That Jond 
 Ar. 4 To thje heigh ^r. s 
 That heighe mennes doughtren 
 maydens me nome Enleuen 
 thousend atte leste, Ar. 6 xi. M!. 
 maydenes fre. LX. M!. madenes 
 thewe Ar. in rnarg . "Simple 
 menne doughtren sixti Ar. 
 
 8 Fulle that lond al clene Ar. 
 
 9 These Ar. I0 To shipe hii 
 come Ar. " Wei sory some, 
 Some for hii sholde of londe 
 wende here frendes neuere to 
 se, Ar. 
 
 M 3 iho
 
 96 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 }>o J>ei were in J)e schippes y do, & in l J?e fer were, 
 
 *So gret tempest ]?er com, 3 J>at drof hem here & j^ere, 
 
 So )>at fe meste del a dreynt were in }>e se, 
 
 And to o]?er londcs some y driuc, and ne come ner age. 
 
 A kyng )?er was of Hongri, Guayn was ys name, 
 
 And Mclga, kyng of Picardye, |>at cou^e ynow of schanif, 
 
 |?e waleres for to loke a boute ]>c se heo were, 
 
 A com panic of }?is maydenes so J?at heo mctte }?ere. 
 
 To here foly he wolde hem nimc and hor men al so, 
 
 Ac J?e maydenes wolde ra^cr dye, J?an a ccnte ]>er to. 
 
 |?o wende forj> ])e luj^er men, & the maydenes slow cchon, 
 
 So ])i\i to J^c lasse Breteyne ]?er ne com aliue non. 
 
 i_/F )?e wo, J?at j?er ha]? in Engelond y be, 
 J>orii emperoures of Rome, here ^;e mowe y se. 
 In o]?er inanere ]?at Scottes & 4 Picars, as ich seide, 
 Habbej? y worred ]?is lond, ich wol telle ]?e dede. 
 Guain j?e kyng of Hongri, and |?e kyng of Picardie, 
 J?o heo haddc, as ych haue y seit, mid so gret vilenie 
 Y slawe of J?is maydenes ]?at swete companie, 
 Bi ^oujte to do J?is lond more tricherie. 
 Heo vnderstode, J?at }?is lond ymad was al clene 
 3 Of god folk J?oru Maximian and Conan ' as" at ene, 
 And }?at heo myjte J?is lond al for nojt wynne, 
 Heo gederede folk faste, ]?e werre to bi gynne. 
 
 l Lege potius, cum Ar. ^e 
 see fer were. * A gret Ar. 
 
 Ar. 5 Of people thurgh Ar. 
 6 Deest Ar. 
 
 a And blew hem A r. Pictes 
 
 To
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 97 
 
 To be se heo sende mid heore folk, bat heo hadde on hande, 
 
 And come, as hem leuest was, first in to Scollonde. 
 
 Toward bis lond heo bi gonne forto robby faste, 
 
 bat folk to sic, and townes and castles adoun caste. 
 
 be simple men, fat heore were, here red ber of nome, 
 
 And sende aftur more help to be emperour of Rome. 
 
 A duk, bat ' hct Gracian, from Rome me sende, 
 
 bat mid gret power to bis lond hyder wende. 
 
 bo lond folk, bo he hyder com, turnede to hyni faste, 
 
 So bat ber was slawjt gret, be wyle it wolde laste. 
 
 And bis kyng of Picardyo, arid al so hys felawe, 
 
 Werof come atte laste, bat heo nuste wyder to drawe. 
 
 Viliche bei were mid strengbc ydryue iato Yrlonde. 
 
 fo hadde Gracian bis lond al clanlicheon honde, 
 
 3 He let hym bo rro\vne kyng, and bo he alord was, 
 
 No more schrewe, ban he bi com, ych wene non nas. 
 
 3 bat lond folk code forb, and to'gederc drowe, 
 
 Aud, ar he dude to muche wo, bo fonle schrewe slowe. 
 bat bo kyng was y slawe, it was sonc coub 
 In cche half from lond to lond, bobe Norb & Soub, 
 So bat it to be kynges come, bat wende in to Yrlond. 
 
 4 IIoo porneide bat heo haddo folk y now on honde 
 
 Of Norwei, and of Deuemark, and al so of Seotlonde, 
 And banulc and to gronde slosve faste in bis londe. 
 
 1 Height Gracian, Maxi- 
 mian hider seude. With two 
 legiones of men hiderward 
 he wende. The land folk Ar. 
 z And let hym self crouny 
 kyng, & thohe al lord was, Jr. 
 
 * The landfolk so hii sey 
 this, to gedre faste hem 
 drough, Ar. 4 Hii purueyede 
 hem, that hii hadde sone pow- 
 er an honde Ar, 
 
 v 4 So
 
 98 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So J?at f>e folk of J?is lond al clcne was ouercome. 
 1 For ])G kyng had arst of J?is lond be knyjtes so clene y nome. 
 Eft sone heo sende jet to Rome, wepyng ful sore, 
 J>at heo sch aide in here wo jet hem helpe more, 
 And* hem wolde obligi, and sikernesse finde gode, 
 . To bere hem clene here truage, wyie be world stode. 
 Eft sone jet |?o Romaynes power hyder sende, 
 Knyjtes and o]?er werrours, ]?at to j?is lond wende, 
 And in ]?e Sou]? half ariuede of Ipis lond her. 
 Heo gadered folk ynow, }>at heo hadde gret power, 
 And wende faste vp here fon, J>at ne mygt hem nogt at stonde. 
 For some were y slawe sone, and some flow out of londe. 
 J>o 3 }ns lordes of Rome al here wille hadde, 
 IIco nomen here conseil, & ])e folk of ]ns lond radde, 
 ]?at heo bi twene bis lond & Scotland schulde a wal rere, 
 Strong and heyj on eche syde, ]?er no water nere, 
 From ]?at on se to }?at o]?er, ]?at were hem bi twene, 
 To lette hem wen heo come, & to sane hem fro tene. 
 4 For Scotlond ha]? euer y be a luj>er recet y lome, 
 Wan bcr any werrours toward J>is lond come. 
 ]?e Romaynes seide eke, }?at heo nolde in nomaner so wende 
 Out of heore lond hidervvard, ne heore power so sende ; 
 Ne to rokke hem so in ]?e se, ne heore lyf 5 an auntre do, 
 Bote wite heore lond at home, and heore god al so : 
 
 be luther recet y lome, And 
 euere enemys to this lond, & 
 
 1 For Maximian hadde 
 out by fore al clene the 
 knyghtes y nome Ar. *HH 
 hem oblege wolde, and Ar. 
 3 These lordlynges Ar. 4 For 
 Scotlond haueth for TS y 
 
 wolde neuere be some. Ar. 
 i In a venture do, Ac witye 
 hure owene lond at horn, and 
 hure good also. For hii no 
 more
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 99 
 
 Ac je schulde of oure jonge folke teclie for te fygte, 
 
 For heo ne more in bis lorid nolde come, ne myjte. 
 
 bat folk bo of bis load, bo heo nusle non ober reel, 
 
 Bi gonne to rere }>e stronge wal, as bera was y seyd. 
 
 A rerde he was strong ynow, as be stude is jet sene. 
 
 Muche me moste swynke er, and ther aboute spcne. 
 
 j?o be wal wes gare y mad, a conseil heo no me, 
 
 bat al be ' conseil of bis' loud schulde to London come. 
 
 bo heo were alle * ycome wisliche for to rede, 
 
 be bischop of London in bis manor hem seyde : 
 
 " Mi leue frende, to telle 3011, as bis heye men me bcdc, 
 
 " Beter wille ich habbe to wepe, ban to do ober dede. 
 
 *' 3 For pite yt ys of bis lond, & of oure 4 wrecched hedc, 
 
 il Aftur bat Maximian our ' fol gan awci ledc, 
 
 " Al our knyjtes, and swayncs, and al oure gong hede, 
 
 '' And * astored ber with ober lond, alas ! bat deolful dede! 
 
 fl For 30 ben men beter y tajt to schouele and to spade, 
 
 <c To cartestaf and to plowstaf, and a fischyng to wade, 
 
 " To hamer and to nedle, and to marcliandise al so ; 
 
 " ban " with swerd or 8 hauberk eny batail to do. 
 
 more in this lond wolde come 
 ne myghte, And that hii sholde 
 hure yong folk teche forto 
 fyghte. That folk Ar. 
 
 1 Grete pro conseil in Ar. 
 2 Tlmder y come wisliche to 
 rede, Therchebisshop Gwi- 
 thelyn of London thus sede : 
 Ar. 3 Miser et enim me orpha- 
 nitatis Sf dcbilitatis, quce vobts 
 accessitjpostquamMaximianus 
 
 regnum istudomni militia om~ 
 nique juventute spoliavit. ftc. 
 Galfr.Mon. 4\Vrecchede, Af. 
 ter that Ar. s Folk Ar. 
 
 6 Othur londes storede ther 
 with, alas ! the deolful Ar. 
 
 7 With sper or with swerd 
 bataille for to do. Whan your 
 enemyes comcth yow to, ye ne 
 kiinneth bute fle, As shep by- 
 fore wolues. Ar. 8 Id at, 
 
 haber-
 
 100 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " For wen oure fon to ow come]?, je ne konne nojt bote fle, 
 
 " As schep to fore wolues : (how myjte more wo be ?) 
 
 < And J?c se bi set ow al ' a boute, bote twei weyes ge raowe 
 
 j^enche, 
 
 " O|?er ligge a doim and be slawe, o]?er fle and drenche. 
 " * Wor pere 3 any hope of ow, bote clanliche al pat lond, 
 " Al pe help and lokyng, ys in oper monne honde ? 
 '* * And pe Roraaynes be]? anyed of here trauail so sore, 
 " Of perel on se,& eke on lond, pat heo nul come her no more. 
 ct Heo wol rapcr bi leue here trnage, pat je hem bcrep ager. 
 " Ne konne je nojt lerne J?ing, ]?at je dude neuer er ? 
 " * Change gonre hond, & to vse of swerd & lance ys ydo. 
 " For no men ne be}) strengor J>en 50, jef jc turnede per to. 
 " Me may se a bonde mone's sone " oper wyle knyjt bi 
 
 t{ And some gronics and squiers, and seppc knyjtes some. 
 
 habergion sivc lorica. Potest 
 ;<?$ haubert Icgi, quomodo 
 *V ipse legisse videtur Codicis 
 Ar. interpolator. Et quidem 
 hodie itidcm bipennem halbert 
 vocitarc solemus. 
 
 f A boute, hough raowe ye 
 thanne - by thenche ? Ar 
 4 Help is ther non with yow, 
 but clenlich al this londe, Al 
 the helpyng and lokyng, ys 
 in othur manne's honde. Ar. 
 J Eritne ergo spes vest r a sem- 
 per in alieno tutaminc, $ non, 
 instructs manibus vestris, en. 
 sibus fy hastis depelletis la- 
 
 trones, nequaquam vobis for- 
 tiores, nisi segnitia fy torpor 
 adesset ? Jam tccdct Romanos 
 tarn assidui itineris fyc. Galfr. 
 Mon. * Malim ac pro and. 
 
 5 Aplieth your hondes to the 
 spere and to swerd also Ar. 
 
 6 Nonne homines transverso 
 ordine nascuntur, ita ut ex 
 rustico generetur miles, 4- ex 
 milite rusticus ? Miles etiam 
 de mangone vcnit, $ de milite 
 mango. Galfr. Mon. / Som 
 tyme a knyght by come, And 
 of a grom a squyer, and after 
 knyghtes some Ar. 
 
 Wen
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 101 
 
 " Wen je Imbbej? ' forrnc of men, be)) men * on alle wise, 
 
 " And turne)) jour bond to manhede, & 3 wytej) oure franchise. 
 
 4 ))is biscliop, J)at hatte Gocelyn," Jx>ru heor 3 alle rede, 
 
 To ))e lasse Breteyne wende for Jns dede. 
 
 King Conan he fond ded, * an o|?er of gret fame 
 
 Kyng he fond in hys stude, 7 And row was ys name. 
 
 " Sire kyng," quo)) J?e bischop, jef )>ou wolt vnderstonde, 
 
 " Deol ]?ou mygt habbe in J)in herte of jn kynde londe, 
 
 t( Of J?e*more Bretayn, 8 as ))in eldre wercy bore. 
 
 " For ))ou wost wel Maximian J?e kyng, & Conan her bi fore 
 
 ** ]>c bachelerje al )>at 9 agt wes out of ))at lond nome, 
 
 u And a stored here J)is I0 lond and ]>e power of Rome, 
 
 " And londes abouten vs habbe)) wel vnder jite, 
 
 " J?at )^er nis no folk bi leued, ))at lond forto wyte. 
 
 " Heo slej? & destruye)? al, ))at ))cr nys noting bi leued, 
 
 " Warbi men " mow libbe, and al for defaut of heued. 
 
 " And ]?er nys no mor J?at kynde ha)) J)erto bute ))ou '* on. 
 
 *' Help l3 J)i kynde eritage, & J^ou worst ]?er kyng anon. 
 
 )?e kyng gan som del to I4 lyjhe, \>o he herde ))is. 
 
 " Ycli 1S habbe," heseyde/'sirebischopjsuchtymeyseyywysj 
 
 1 The fourrae Ar. 2 In 
 ^r. J Kepeth youre Ar. 4 
 The erchebisshop Gwithelyn, 
 Ar. 5Aldre [/. alre] Ar. 
 6 And a nothur Ar. 7 An- 
 droge ^ir. Ther thyne el. 
 derne Ar. 9 Ought was ^r. 
 Lond thurgh the power 
 ^r. " Myght ^r. Il Al 
 on Ar. ' 3 Nough thyn olde 
 
 heritage, Ar. ' 4 Laughe, Ar. 
 15 0//n tempus erat quo non 
 negarem insulam Britannia 
 accipere, si quis earn mihi /r- 
 giretur. Non enim exislimo 
 alteram patriam fertiliorem 
 fuissCy darn pace fy tranquil- 
 litate frueretur. At nunc, 
 quoniam infortitnia accesse. 
 runt 4'c. Oalfr. Mon.
 
 102 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " J?at y nolde nojt habbe for sake ]?at lond bo me haddc y 
 
 brogt J?er (o. 
 
 ' Ac so rauclie * wrecched bed ]?er ys, ]?at nys not now so. 
 11 And nameliche for j?e folk of l Rome )?at so muche seruise 
 
 habbe}) }>ere, 
 
 " * j?at'' in such }>raldam forto be, 5 eche god mon loj) were. 
 " })is lond ich 6 habbe here so fre, J?at to non herre y schal 
 
 abnye, 
 
 <c Bute wite frara ]?e kyng of France, }>at do]? me oftc anye. 
 " And for to wyte me from hym, y nyl not 7 hennc wende. 
 " Ac for myn 8 eldore hadde j?at lond, 9 y segge |)e atte cnde, 
 <c To brynge it ajeyn I0 to oure kynde, ich wol fidcr sende 
 {c Costantyn my broker, |?at god knygt ys and hende, 
 " And wel " yfonded in armes, & two '* hondrcd knyjtes 
 
 al so, 
 
 Wel I3 y wrye with ]?e atyj, |?at god dede mow do 
 " Mid })e folk of })e lond, gef 14 heo agtes be}), 
 " And je mow hym make goure kyng, wen je tyme sc}?. 
 })is Costantyn was of send, and ' 6 }?is knygtes also, 
 And ' 7 schippes and here a tyl prest, such provves forto do. 
 
 1 That ich it wolde 
 nought haue forsake, yf hit 
 hadde ther to be brought Ar. 
 
 * Wrecchede now ther is, 
 that now is hit so nought Ar. 
 
 * Rome such seruice Ar. 
 4 Deest Ar. Ech man ful 
 loth were Ar. 6 Holde as 
 freo, y ne dar non othur a 
 buye, But witie me fro the 
 kyng of France, Ar. 
 
 Ar. 8 Elderne Ar. 9 Y 
 seigh yow atten eynde, Ar. 
 10 To ryght, ich Ar. " Y 
 founded Ar. "Thousend 
 
 Ar. cum Galfrido Mou. ' 3 A 
 rayd ia good a tire, dedes of 
 armes to do With the folk Ar. 
 14 Hii Ar. >b The tyme Ar. 
 16 These Ar. 17 Hure shipes 
 redy mad, this dede for to 
 do Ar. 
 
 Ac
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 103 
 
 Ac heo ne my^te ' so ra]?e come, ]?at }>e kynges twei 
 
 Nere y come out Yrlond, a wyt gret power bey 
 
 Of Scottes and of Picars, of Denemarch, 3 of Norwei, 
 
 pat euer * babbej? bis lond y hated, bote it were for eye. 
 
 Fer bi Nor]? 5 bi gonne, and hider faste drowe, 
 
 And caste a doun 6 bis stronge wal, & townes grete y nowe. 
 
 be Britones, bat mygte of scapie, by gonne faste to fle, 
 
 Some in roches, some in wodes, bat 7 rewbe yt was to se. 
 
 V^OSTANTYN 8 myd ys power, among al bis wrechedom, 
 
 At be hanene of Tottenais 9 stilleliche o lond com. 
 
 Glad were bo be Britones, & joyful & proute. 
 
 Heo comen out of be wode.s sone, and of be roches aboute. 
 
 So bat Costantyn hadde sone I0 power y now, 
 
 And toward bis luber men Nor]? ward sone drow. 
 
 " He cudde bat " heo were men, & slowe " 3 to gronde, 
 
 j?e prude I4 of Scottes & Picars abouten in a stonde. 
 
 For heo flowe }?at mygte fle, and some fel to gronde. 
 
 Heo mygte IS segge, wen heo come home, ]?at heo hadde here 
 
 pere y fonde. 
 
 To Yrlond heo flowe ageyn, & elles wyder heo mygte. 
 Heo ne Jjoujte not a god while with ]?c Brytones to fygte. 
 
 1 So sone come, that the 
 hither kynges tweye Ar. 
 "- With Ar. > And of Ar. 
 4 Ilaueth hated this lond, but 
 Ar. * Bigonne (simplici noce) 
 in Ar. ( > Pict Wall Ar. 1 
 Deol pro rew]?e in Ar. 8 And 
 his power in al this Ar. 
 
 9 Stille a lond Ar. I0 Gret 
 power y nough, Ar. lt Hii 
 Ar. I2 Hii Ar. Faste ta 
 Ar. '4 Of this lather men 
 hii batide in a stounde Ar. 
 l > Truly seigh tho, hure peer 
 hii hadde \ founde Ar.
 
 104 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 be Bry tones nome bo Costantyn, & glade bom all byng 
 
 In be town of l Cicestre crowned hyra * to here" kyng. 
 
 3 bis was so wel y wist in pes* with oute strif, 
 
 bat ber ne come ne Scottes bider, ne 4 Pycars al ys lyf. 
 
 bre 5 sones he haddc al so, Costantyn was on, 
 
 And Aurely and Uter, gode children echon. 
 
 Costanteyn, ys eldeste sone, in Gode's sernisc 
 
 Monk he made at Wynchestre, & dude as be wyse. 
 
 God mon he was y now, and gode lawes for]? caste, 
 
 And god pais e wes al ys lyf, f & to lute wyle bat laste. 
 
 For ber com a * Pycard, bat ys maners wel 9 wiste, 
 
 And fat he louede wel y now, & muche to hym truste. 
 
 He ladde hym into an I0 orchard, " as yt gret ned were 
 
 To speke wyb hym priueliche, bat noman y war nere. 
 
 Ac bo hco were al bi hem selue, & no mon hem neyj, 
 
 He drpw ys knyf, & slow be kyng, bat no man " yt y seyj. 
 
 He was IJ sone for]? y went, er any mon were war. 
 
 And bo me hadde al y sought, be kyng lay ded bar. 
 
 1 Rcctius Silchestre cum 
 Galfr. Mon. At Cirecestria in 
 Aluredo Beverlacensi,gu<?/ de- 
 floravit Galfridus. a Desunt 
 Ar. a The lond was tho wel y 
 keplinpais^r. 4Picardes^r. 
 5 Sones hadde this Coustan- 
 tyn,Constans [Constans quoque 
 in Aluredo Bev. &Galfr.Mon.] 
 het that on } AureUe Ambrose 
 the other, the thridde Uter 
 Pendragon. Constans his el- 
 deste Ar. 6 Was in his tyme. 
 
 while his lyf y lastc Ar. 
 " F. ac. 8 Picte Ar. 9 Waste, 
 Ar. 10 Postremo, cum x. cmni 
 prceterissent) venit quidam Pi- 
 ctiiSj qui in obsequtum suum 
 fuerat, Sf quasi secretum collo- 
 quium habituniS) in virgullo 
 quodum semotis cunctis eum 
 cultro interfecit GalfridusMon. 
 11 For consail as hit were 
 And to speke Ar. " Hit ne 
 soigh Ar. ' 3 Anon Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 j)o was Jns loncl kyngles, wat halt yt to telle longc ? 
 Gret word was among J?at folk, ho mygte ]?e crovvne fonge. 
 For ]?e elclosie some monk was, & ' J?e twei jonge were, 
 And to nyme * ferrore of ys kynde no ryjt nere. 
 
 VoRTIGER, * J>e quoynte swike, ]?at was erl of * Corne- 
 
 wail, 
 
 Forto do 5 a swykedom no conseil schulde hym fail. 
 To J?e sone ]?at was monk to Wynchestre he wende y wis. 
 " Lo," (he seide) ct now }>ou * syst, J>at ]?i fader ded ys, 
 " And )>i bre]?eren to jonge bej> to a fonge j?e crowne, 
 te And |?ei ]?ou be in oper clones, ]?i ryjte ' nys not ]?er downe, 
 " Wei * me 9 wot eldest J?on art, & myd best ryjt kyng al so, 
 " jef ])ou wolt lo wol be my frend, & bi my red al do, 
 " Ich wole brynge " ]?at folk in wille, to crowne J?e to kyng. 
 " And }>ei f>in ordre be )?er a^eyn, ]?er to ich wole it brynge. 
 " j?o monk was joyful y now, J>o he Iiurde ]?is, 
 " And bi het hym, gef it were so, euer more to be al hys. 
 Out of ys abyt anon Vor tiger hym drow, 
 And clones, "as to kyng bi come, dude on him faire ynowj. 
 
 1 The othur two Ar. * For. 
 ther of his kyn no ryght 
 men thoughtc hit nere Ar. 
 5 The luther swike, Ar. 4 
 * Cronica Latino, vocat cum 
 " ducem Gcwiteontm" Ar. in 
 margine. Et quidem Consul 
 Gewissorum in Aluredo Bev. 
 At in Galfr. Mon. " consul 
 " Gevciseorurn. i. Orient<iliitm 
 
 he caste hym sanz faille. To 
 the monek at Wynchestre sone 
 he wende y wys Ar. 6 Sukst 
 Ar. ' Is nought ther Ar. * 
 Thugh wost Ar. 9 Nee aliurn 
 video in progenie tua, quern 
 populus in re gem promoveret^ 
 Galfr. Mon. 'Wel^r. "The 
 people in wille, Ar. li At a 
 kyng Ar. 
 
 :i Anglorum. s A swykeldom 
 
 And
 
 106 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And bi fore al j>e Parleraent to London he gan hym bryrgc^ 
 
 And seide he was purest eyr, to be crowned ' to" kynge. 
 
 No mon ne mygt wel it wyj? segge. * me may ryjt y se, 
 
 "Wan he was J?er, & was pur eyr, J?ei he hadde J monk. 
 
 4 Up hym self }>e perel were, bote yt mygte wel do. 
 
 J?o hey men J?oru Vortiger * a fong hym alle ]?er to. 
 
 J?e erchbischop of London 6 Gocclyn was ]po ded, 
 
 And non o}>er 7 nolde hym crownc, for al }iat J?e crl bed. 
 
 For he hadde so longe in ordte be, & so was out y brogt. 
 
 For al ]?at 8 Vortiger nolde bi leue yt nojt, 
 
 Ac hym self hym crownede, & made hym kyng so. 
 
 ]>e sacryng was lute worj?, and na]?eles yt was y do. 
 
 j?o he was kyng ymad, ys hest he made a non, 
 
 fat clanliche to Vortiger ys men 9 abuydeechon. 
 
 10 For 7 ' hymself he " nolde j?enche nojt, bute take hym al on 
 
 honde. 
 
 For he cowj?e wel bet ]?an he gouerne such a londe. 
 J?o bi j?oujte Vortiger mest j?oru alle ]?yng, 
 How he myjte do quoynteliche, |?at he hym selue were kyng. 
 For that " euer ys J?ogt, and |?er fore J?e monk he nom 
 To ' kyng be. for he was nyce and kow]?e no wisdom, 
 
 1 Deest Ar. * Me may the 
 ryght y se, That he ne is ver- 
 rei heir, Ar. * Adde y be cum 
 Ar. 4 Upon hym self a peril 
 hit were, but he hit wolde do. 
 The heigh Ar. s Assentede 
 alle ther to Ar. 6 Gwythe- 
 lyn Ar. ' Hym crouny wolde 
 theigh Vortiger hem bed Ar. 
 8 Yut Vortiger wolde by 
 
 leue nought, (hat hym self ne 
 croune hym, and made hym 
 kyng ryght tho, And were hit 
 ryght othur wough, yut hit 
 was y do Ar. 9 Aboughwed 
 Ar. '" Deest Ar. " Wolde 
 thenke on nought, Ar. " E- 
 uere was his thought, Ar. 
 13 Be kyng. for Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 107 
 
 And ys twei brebren were bro^t out of cradel vnnebe. 
 And be heye men mest of be lond were y brojt to debe 
 Myd batailes & myd ober wo, ber fore he was so prowt, 
 
 I And be kyng * nas bute a schade, & let hym worbe al out. 
 To be kyng he seide, bat he moste ys castles astore, 
 
 benne wolde ys fon aboute 3 doute hym be more. 
 
 And for be 4 Picars were ys fon, some he wolde take 
 
 To be pryue with be kyng, for bilke schulde make 
 
 Here felawes, bat were leued at home, to loue bat lond j?e bet. 
 
 Ac * nabeles ber fore * nas yt nojt bo yt wes al bi set, 
 
 Ac for bei louede not be kyng, & in trayson were quoynte, 
 
 7 bat hco schulde \>e kyng sle, wen heo come * vp j?e poynte. 
 
 }?e kyng grantede at ys wil, and for ys gode 9 wende. 
 
 Aftur an hundred I0 Picars into Scotlond he sende 
 
 By certeyn messageres, so ]?at heo gonne brynge 
 
 II An hundred knyjtes of Picars, j?at bi leuede mid oure 
 
 kynge, 
 
 Of mest priue men, Jjoru j^is lu]?er Vortiger. 
 And }>e kynge's tresour he delde eke a boute fer & ner, 
 
 1 The kyng hym self was 
 but a shade, & let him al one 
 al out. And to the kyng Ar. 
 *Totum namq; dispositioniejus 
 regnum commissum fuerat, Sf 
 Cons tans rex dicebatur, qui 
 nisi pro umbra principis asta- 
 bat Galfr. Mon. 3 Douty Ar. 
 4 Pictes Ar. 5 Ecce occulta 
 occulti amid proditio. Non 
 enim id laudabat, ut salus inde 
 proveniretConstantis^sedquia 
 sciebat) Pictos gentem esse 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 instabilem, Sf ad omne scelus 
 paratam Galfr. Mon. 6 Was 
 hit nouht what hit was al by 
 set, At: 7 And that Ar. 8 To 
 the Ar. 9 He wende Ar. 
 10 Pictes to Ar. "An hundred 
 Pictes soudeours to by leue 
 with oure kynge, And to be 
 most preue with hym thurgh 
 this Vorliger. Of the kynge's 
 tresour he clelt fer and ner, 
 Ac most to the Pictes Ar. 
 
 w And
 
 108 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And mcst to }?e Picars, for to hem niest loue he drow. 
 
 Myd alle )?at be wolde hym self he made hym bi loued ynow 
 
 Alle ' )?at seruede j?e kyng, Jwu hyrn * were echone, 
 
 ' So ]>ai ech moti was a boute for to paye l>ym one, 
 
 And * songe al day bi J?e strete * al for hys honour, 
 
 " Worjn were Vortiger 6 to kyng o]?er emperour. 
 
 ]?o )ns Vortiger liadde 7 Jrat folk al * in ys hond, 
 
 He seyde, he raoste wende awyle out of }?is lond, 
 
 To purchace more ircsour j?e kyng for to spene, 
 
 For he nadde nojt y nowjr ys knyjtes to sustene. 
 
 And atte Picars nom ys leue, and at o]?er ere, 
 
 And wende horn ie to " hys fir, sori as he were. 
 
 J7er was sorwe and deol ynow among al }>e mayne, 
 
 For he schulde from hem '* wend, (for |?er was no kyng 
 
 bote he) 
 
 And namtliche among Picars, )?at were of so luj?er J?ou jt, 
 )?at he badde do such honour, & ]?at ne louede J?e kyng nojt. 
 *' Wat," heo seydeu, " wat is ' 8 vs to lete Jns badde kj'ng 
 u Go ]?us o Hue as a ' 4 schade, }?at nys worj? noting? 
 
 1 The seruantes of the kyng 
 AT. a Were made echone 
 Ar. J Ita ut eum pro rege 
 haberent. Adulantes igitur ei 
 per pluteas psallebant^ u di- 
 ii gnus est Portigernus impe- 
 " r/o, dignus est sceptro Bri- 
 il tannicE, Constansveroindig- 
 nus Galfr. Mon. Synge Ar. 
 J As for Ar. * To be kyng or 
 emperour Ar. 7Thisy/r. 8 On 
 Ar. Of the Pictes tok his 
 
 leue, and of othur there, Ar. 
 10 Ad hospitium suum Galfr. 
 Mon. " His centre in sorwe 
 as hit were Ar. " Wende, 
 (that was so large and fre) 
 And among the Pictes most, 
 that were of luther thought, 
 That he hadde do so muchel 
 honour, and louede the kyng 
 nouht Ar. '* This pro vs 
 in Ar. '4 Shadewe, Ar. 
 
 War-
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 109 
 
 Warto tarie we so longe, to quelle byra atten ende 
 
 j?at Vortiger ' were kyng, bat a jen vs ys so hende ? 
 
 In gret * wayj>e & hastinesse to )?e kynge's chanrabcr heo 
 
 wende, 
 
 And smyten of hys bed, and to Vortiger yt sende. 
 Vortiger made deol y now, * and sori was ]?er fore : 
 Ac nabeles so glad he nas sejj^e be was y bore. 
 For 4 y compaced he hadde ]?at atte bi gynnyng, 
 First * wen he brojte on so nyce a mon to kyng. 
 And se]?J7e bo he lette ys fon & 6 Picars to court brynge, 
 j?at batede muche be kyng, T & al was for bis jnnge. 
 And \>o be was so large & hende of hys jiftes al so. 
 
 * bo badde be al ys wille, for when yt was al ydo, 
 
 * And" to sue ende yt was y come, I0 as he hadde y compaced 
 
 in ys bojt. 
 
 And nabeles he feynede bym, ]?at me vnder jet yt nojt. 
 At London jns kyng was y slaw, he let J?o nyme anon Decoiia- 
 
 11 J?e Picars, & boru jugement let smyt of J>e bedes echon. rum. 
 |?er he kudde '* wat be was, vn kynde schrewe & quoynte. 
 1 * Ac al he dude, J>at me ne vnder jet in swykdom in no poynte. 
 
 1 Myght be kyng, that to 
 us is so heynde ? Ar. * Wrath 
 Ar. * And wep fol sore ther 
 fore Ar. 4 He hit hadde by 
 compaced atte Ar. * Tho he 
 made the monek, J?at nyce 
 was, to kynge Ar. 6 Pictes 
 Ar. ' And muche was for 
 these thynge. And that he 
 was Ar. Tho he hadde al 
 his wille, when this was Ar. 
 
 9 Omittit Ar. *> As he cast 
 in his thought. And euere he 
 made hit so queynte, that me 
 wiste hit nought Ar. " Alle 
 the Pictes thurgh juggement, 
 and hefdede hem echon Ar. 
 11 That he Ar. '* And al 
 was, that me ne sholde aspie 
 his falshede in no poynte. Ac 
 natheles some hit vnderyede, 
 & ne leuede Ar. 
 
 N 2 And
 
 110 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And nancies men yt trowede, and leuede not ys glose* 
 
 J?e kynge's ' brej>ren, Aurele and Ambrose, 
 
 Dradde, for here eritage, ymor)>red for to be. 
 
 And * heo, that hem hadde 3 to ward, ]?er fore gonne by se, 
 
 And to J?e lasse Breteyne wende to ]?e kyng, 
 
 And he * susteynede hem wel, for drede of jris Jringe. 
 
 Jo Vortiger al one was, and no pere 5 nad a londe. 
 
 Sone he lette hym * crowne kyng, & ]?e power nom on honde. 
 
 Princes ouer al aboiite of 7 eche kyndom 
 
 Speke hym vnel, & hatede hym for hys * swikedom. 
 
 J?e ' Picars were wrojj eke, and I0 J>ratten hym ynow, 
 
 11 For he myd such vnkyn dede heore felawes slow. 
 
 PVom J?e lasse Bretayne eke hym com word ylome, 
 
 J?at '* f>o twei children gret power to hem norae, 
 
 And I3 ]?at hit stronge childre were of here age, 
 
 And }?at ]>ei wolde hyder come, to wyrine here heritage. 
 
 Sucli strong ty fringes in sorwe and in sore 
 
 Brojt Jris false kyng, and er J?e lenger ]?e more. 
 
 1 Yonge bretheren, Uter 
 and Aurelie Ambrose, Ar. re. 
 ctius. * Hii, Ar. In warde, 
 ther fore hem gonne by se. 
 To the lasse Brutayne hii 
 wende to Budic the kyng, 
 Ar. 4 Hem let wardy wel, 
 Ar. 5 Hadde in londe, Ar. 
 
 6 Crouny Ar. 1 Euery Ar. 
 8 Swikeldom Ar. 9 Pictes 
 Ar. l Hatede Ar. " That 
 he with so vile deth hure fe. 
 lawes he slough Ar. " The 
 two Ar. 'That hii stale- 
 worthe were, as of hure age. 
 Ar. 
 
 Hors
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Ill 
 
 XXORS and Hengist bothe, |?at twei bre]?re were, 
 Come to Kent jnlketyme, and a riuede |?ere, 
 Myd j?re schip ful of a kny^tes y armed wel ynow. 
 3 jx) |?is folk was on lond, forj? into Kent hit drow. 
 f>o kyng was ]?o at Canterbury, and lierde her of anon : 
 Bi fore hym he lette brynge * J>is knyjtes" echon. 
 * }>o kyng bi huld hem faste ynow, (for it muchel men were) 
 And nameliche J>e twei bre]?ren, ( 6 for so muchel non )>er nere.) 
 He 7 ascode hem, of wanne )>ei, and ho" hem Jnder brogte, 
 And for wat encheson heo come, & wat ]?ing J>ei sojte ? 
 " Sire kyng," (quo]? Hengist, J?at for al o]?er speky wys) 
 " * Of Saxonie we be)) y bore, J?at of Germanic ys. 
 *' |^e manerys of ))ilke lond, ]>at wen J)er ys for]) ybrogt 
 ** So muche folk I0 of men, 7 ' J?at '* ]?o lond may '* susteyne 
 
 no^t. 
 
 u I3 ]>o" hcye men of I4 ]>o lond schulle com bi fore |?e kyng, 
 *' And " alle \>Q jonge men of j^elond letebi fore hym brynge. 
 u J>e strengeste me schal bi choys and bi lot al so 
 " Chese out, and sende in to o|?er lond," here beste forto do. 
 
 Hengistus. 
 
 1 Horn Ar. * Men pro 
 knygtes in Af. At miljtibus in 
 Galfr. Mon. 3 The tydynges 
 hough they come, were in 
 contreie a brod drough. 'J'lie 
 kyng Ar. 4 These men Ar. 
 * The Ar. 6 Nam ipsi pra' 
 ccteris <^ - nobilitate $ decorc 
 pratnitebantGnlfr. Mon. " Ax. 
 ede hem, whans hii were, 6c 
 ho Ar. 8 Suxonia tellus cdi- 
 
 dit noSj una ex regionibus 
 Ger manioc Galfr. Mon. 9 Of 
 Geruianye that is Ar. 10 Dc- 
 sunt Ar. " The Ar. '* Hem 
 susteytie Ar. XJ Dccut Ar. 
 ' The Ar. '5 Alle the yonge 
 bachelrie me shal to fore hym 
 bryng. The stalewortheste me 
 shal by loth and by chois also 
 Chese, & sende hem OIK of 
 londc, Ar. 
 
 3 
 
 Ami
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " And ' heo schulle be such, }?at no prince * dorre hem for sake, 
 
 " * Ac for heore prowesse gladliche in to here seruise take. 
 
 " )ris cas ys to vs y come, y chose we be]) }?er to, 
 
 " *For so mucheys in the lond, oure beste forto do. 
 
 And forto be maistres of f>is folk we be)? y chose & ynome 
 
 " Mi broker & ich, (for wo be]? of dukes kyny come.) 
 
 " For }?om our Godes in to ]?e se we wende ich vnderstonde,, 
 
 " And Mercurius ha]) vs y lad into 5 {n londe. 
 
 }?o }>e kyng herde nempne Mercurius in }?is cas, 
 
 He askcde, wat God and wat Jnng Mercurius was ? 
 
 " Oure bi leue (quo}? 6 }?is o]?er) in }?e bye 7 Godes ys y do, 
 
 " Saturnus and Jupiter, and al ]>c o]?er al so, 
 
 " }>at vp holde]? ]?e world, & in Mercurius mest y wys, 
 
 " * JHJ heye God,'" J?at in oure tonge Woden y clepud ys. 
 
 <{ 9 J?er ner vrel dore him bi toke of J>e woke }>e fer]?e day, 
 
 " In honour of hym y clepud in oure tonge Wednesday. 
 
 " Aftur hym we honoure]? Venus mest, }?at Frie y clepud ys 
 
 '* In on re tonge, & in \>Q wyke Friday for hym y wys. 
 
 " Her of je schul vnderstonde, }?at in ]>e firmament be]) 
 
 *' Planetes, y liche cler sterrcs, seuenc, as je se]? : 
 
 " Saturnus and Jubiter, ]Mars and J?e Sonne y wys, 
 
 <c Venus and Mercurius, and J?e Mone lowest ys. 
 
 1 Hii shnlleth Ar. *Ne 
 dcr Ar. * But Ar. 4 And 
 for ther was to muche folk, 
 oure beste we mote do. And 
 to be Ar. 5 This Ar. 6 That 
 Ar. 7 God Ar. 8 Omittit 
 Galfridus Mon. 9 Lege, ]>er 
 uer vr eldore, i. e. therefore 
 
 our elders $c. Nam in Galfr. 
 Mon. " huic veteres no sir i 
 " dicaverunt quartam feriatn 
 " septimance, quce usque in 
 Ci hodiernum diem nomen 
 " Wodnesdei r/e nomine ipsius 
 " sortita est. 
 
 " Aftnr
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 u Aftur ech of hem in J>e wike y clepud ys a day : 
 
 (l First * os Sonne, & so of o]?ere and ]?e senej>e Saturday. 
 
 " And for weder, & oj?er *|?ing on er]?e, aftur hem muche i 
 
 " 3 J?is mys bi leuede men hem clepede Codes while y wis. 
 
 " Sori ich am" (quo}? Vortiger) " ]?o he herde j?is. 
 
 * c For joure bi leue, ]?at *je segget, for no bileue yt nys. 
 
 Ac for joure coming ich am glad, ho so o\v hider ladde, 
 
 f Were yt God, were yt oj?er, for nede ich hadde. 
 
 For ich am myd my fon 6 on ech half by set, 
 
 And gef ich hem may ouer come J)oru jou ]>c bet, 
 
 7 Ich jou myd me at holde, & in grete richesse jou do 
 
 Of gyftes, and of chatews, and of londesal so. 
 
 Heo * maden certeyne couenaunt J?at heo wereal at on ; 
 
 So J>at }?ei bi leuede for]? with f j?ekyng echon. 
 
 Hit was not longe ID ]?er aftur ]?at J>is Picars ne come 
 
 Out of Scotlond Sou}?ward, and townes faste nome. 
 
 11 ]?e typing her of to oure kyng com, 
 
 J)e wey mid al ys power ajen hem fuste he nom. 
 
 1 Of the Sonne, & so forth 
 the senethe Ar. * Thynges 
 Ar. J These mysbyleuede Ar. 
 4 Ye bileueth, no bileue is. But 
 of you re come ich Ar. * Were 
 hit God, or eny othur, for al 
 nede ych hadde Ar, 6 In 
 euery half Ar. 1 Ich yough 
 wole with me -witholde, & 
 gret honour yut do, And 
 \iftes yiue ynough of londes, 
 & othur catelles also. Hit 
 made a certayn couenant, SQ 
 
 Belliiin. 
 
 that hii were at on ; Ar. 
 8 Paruerunt illico byrbarty 8f 
 fcedere confirmato in curia 
 ipsius remanserunt. ffec mora 
 emergentes ex Albania Picti, 
 exercitum val.de grandem mit- 
 tunt, aquilonaresque paries 
 insulae vastai'e cceperunt Galfr. 
 Mon. 9 Our pro )>e in Ar. 
 10 Afterward that the Pictes ne 
 come Ar. lt Tho the tydyng 
 of this thyng to Vortiger 
 come, Ar. 
 
 v 4 Strong
 
 114; 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Peticio 
 Hengisti. 
 
 Strong bataile heo smyte f er, ac fe Saxones anon 
 
 So god were, fat fe of ere bi gorine to fle echone. 
 
 f o Vortiger f oru hem hadde fe maistrie, 
 
 He gef hem jiftes grete ynow, and dude ys corteyse, 
 
 Hengist, fat here maistre was, he jaf in Lyndeseye 
 
 Londes faire, and rentes and ' townes grete and heye,'' 
 
 * War f oru hym & ys men * in fair wareson he brojte. 
 
 4 f o Hengist hadde f is, forfer more he f ogte. 
 
 f o he hadde f e kyng in priuete al clene at ys wille, 
 
 t( Sire," he seide, " of derne 5 cas ich wol fe warne stille. 
 
 *' fine fon bef in ech half, & f is ys fe meste doute, 
 
 " fat fin owne men ne louef fe nojt, fat febeth aboute. 
 
 " Heo fretnef festille, & seggef heo wollef 6 fe" brynge. 
 
 " fe twei bref re from Breteyne, & 7 crowne fat on ky nge : 
 
 " * f er fore ich rede, fat me sende into my contrei ywys 
 
 " To I0 Saxoine aftur more help, for help y now fer ys. 
 
 For " habbe fou power ynow, fou myjt be glad & blife. 
 
 Ac of ing ich ia wolde bidde f e, fat fou me woldest tyf e. 
 
 1 Tounes, & gret nobleye 
 Ar. * Quibussese fy commili- 
 tones suos sustentaret Galfr. 
 Mon. 3 In to rychesse Ar. 4 
 And yut tho he hadde al this, 
 forthermore he thoughte Ar. 
 5 Thyng pro cas in Ar. 6 Vocu- 
 lam hano eras it in Ar. eadem, 
 ut videtur, manus qua; & scrip- 
 sit. 1 Crouny on to kynge Ar. 
 
 8 Si placet tibi, mittamus in 
 patriam nostram, Sf invitcmus 
 mil.'tes ex ea, ffc. Galfr. Mon. 
 
 9 The rede, that we sende to 
 
 my Ar. w Sic in Cod. Har. 
 leyano. At Saxonie in Ar. 
 11 If thugh hast power y 
 nough, thugh maist be Ar. 
 "Wole bidde the, & thugh 
 wolt me lithe. Bidde what 
 thugh wolt, quath the kyng, 
 ich wole the graunte ywis, 
 Klles forsolhe ich were to 
 blame, yf hit to graunty is. 
 And fetthe [/. fetche] help al 
 that thugh maist, that be of 
 good araye, And ich wole hure 
 while yelde, and hure huyre 
 paye
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 1 15 
 
 " Send 'aftur help," quo]? }>e kyng, " J>at Jou menojtbi traie, 
 " And wole heore while jelde, so ]?at scholle holde hem wel 
 
 paie. 
 
 " And bidde of me wat J?ou \volt, & ich wol]?e grante ywis, 
 " For elles ich were vnkynde, jef it to grante ys. 
 Hengist faire hym bonkede, and hys bed lowtede a dotin. 
 " }>ou hast," he seide, " jetie me mony a fayr town. 
 *' And na]?eles such )?ing*nabbe y nojt, as it to duk bi come. 
 " For wan ich am 3 duke's sone, yt bi comej? to me" 
 " For to * habbe som 5 gret" cite or castel me to 6 ware, 
 (( 7 War inne y mygte to ]?yn nede habbe my folk gare* 
 J?er fore," as ich am Jn knyjt, & * prest to )?i nede al so, 
 Grante me 9 castel o|)er cite }?i nede in to do. 
 " Hengist," quoj? }?e I0 kyng |?o, " ner me not to done 
 " Such J>yng, as J?ou me biddest to graunte ]?e, so sone. 
 *' For J)ou art rnon off strange lond, & Cristene mon non. 
 " And eke, ]?ei ich wolde, my barones wolde yt with seggc 
 
 echon. 
 
 <c Sire, grante me Jx>nne," quoJ^Hengisf, " jef yt ys )n wille, 
 ^ 4 " As muche place, as myd a ]?ong ich may a boutetille, 
 
 paye. Hengis faire hym 
 thonked tho, and his heed 
 bowed a doun Ar. 
 
 1 Ad hcec Vorligernus, 
 " Mi tie ergo legatos tuos ad 
 Germanium, fy invita quos vo- 
 lueris, Sf pete a me quod de~ 
 sideras, Sf nullam repulsam 
 patieris Galfr. Mon. 2 Hane 
 ich nought, as a duk Ar. 8 A 
 
 were to done Ar. Haue Ar. 
 s Deest Ar. 6 Where, Ar. 
 ^ And, yf that ich nede hadde, 
 kepe me fro dere. Ther fore, Ar. 
 8 lledy to the also, Ar. 9 Cite 
 or castel my nede inne to do Ar. 
 10 Kyng, hit were me nought 
 to done Ar. " As much as 
 with a bole huyde ich may 
 ouer title, Ar. 
 
 duke's sone, me thinketh hit 
 
 " ' fat
 
 116 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 >ongr.a- 
 eter. 
 
 " ' }>at ich J?er a vppe mo we a siker bold" a rere, 
 
 " J?at ich * mowe in Jri seruise wytie, jef yt nede were. 
 
 |?e kyng ne bulde ]?at bute a 4 lutel, he grantede hys bone. 
 
 Hcngist sende in to hys contre after more power sone. 
 
 J?o carf he a bole hyde smale al 5 to a }>ong 
 
 }?oru out, wil he wolde laste, & J?o was he somdel long. 
 
 In an hard * roche stude ys J?ong aboute he drow, 
 
 And er wy}> inne al to ys wille raarkede place ynow, 
 
 And rerde J>er an castel god y now and strong, 
 
 7 J?at pangcaster, oper Tangcaster, yclepud was for }?e )?ong. 
 
 J?er come out of Germanie vnder ]?at, ych wene, 
 
 Y charged mid gode knyjtes, schippes eijtetene. 
 
 And Rowen, Hengiste's dojter, among hem y brojt was, 
 
 ^at fairor wommou nower a boute in no lond nas. 
 
 ]io ]?is castel 8 jare was, Hengist J>e king bi sojte 
 
 9 To come to hys castol, & se fe knyjtes J>at he brogte. 
 
 j^o kyng com jnder priueliche, & I0 ]?is knygtcs y sey, 
 
 And j?is castel, " so" sone a rerd. so l * strong and so hey. 
 
 1 Quo me, si opus fuerit^ re. 
 cipiam Galfr. Mon. 2 Vppon 
 may a siker place Ar. 3 
 Myghte in thyne sermse me 
 wytie and nede -were] Ar. 
 * Lite, & grauntede al his 
 bone Ar. *To one thonge 
 Thurgh out, while hit wolde 
 y laste, and that was somdel 
 longe Ar. 6 Roche's stode Ar. 
 Saxorum locum habct Galfr. 
 Mon. 7 And Thwong castel, or 
 
 Tancastel, cleped is for the 
 thwong. Thenne come ther 
 out of Germanye vnder that, 
 ich wene, Charged with or- 
 pede men, shipes eightetene 
 Ar. 8 A redy was Ar. 9 To 
 come and se his castel, and 
 men he hadde y broughte. 
 The kyng Ar. These Ar. 
 11 Decsl Ar. ll Noble pro 
 strong HI Ar. 
 
 1 Mid
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 1 17 
 
 1 Mid al * he was wel a payed and bi leuede atte mete. 
 
 f>is mayde out of charabre com, J>o J |?ei hadden y jele, 
 
 With a coppe of gold, fol of wyn, syde drow hire tail 
 
 4 A kne to Jfe kyng heo seyde, 5 " lord kyng wasseyl. Wasseyi. 
 
 1 With al Ar. * Ut vero 
 regiis epulis refectus fuit^ 
 egressa estpuella de thalamo, 
 aureum ciphum^ plenum vino^ 
 ferens, Accedens delude pro - 
 pius, Jlexis genibus dixit, 
 louerd ching woschail Galfr. 
 Mon. J Hii hadde y yete Ar. 4 A 
 kne sheo sette hure byfore the 
 kyng, & seide," sire wassail^r. 
 * Vide Seldeni Notas in Dray- 
 toni Poly-olbion, pag. 153. 
 ubi locum quendam e Roberto 
 nostro (olio tamen usus MS.) 
 adduxit, innuitq; Louerd kyng 
 was-heil idem esse quod Lord 
 kyng a health; Drinc-heile 
 vero idem quod Drinke the 
 health. Verum his de rebus 
 scripseruntplures., in quibus 4" 
 ipse numerandus estSomnerus. 
 Atqui tot audorum verba non 
 cst cur exscribam. Sat est siea 
 tantummodo in medium profe- 
 ram, quce observavit in Itine- 
 rario Cantiano(p. 20.) doctis- 
 simus Lamb ardus. idque ea 
 potissimum de caussa, quod Sf 
 ilium hue occasione plane con- 
 sulendum esse monuerit erudi- 
 tissimus Spelmannus in Glos- 
 sario.[_Hengist'] espying there. 
 
 fore, that king Vortiger was 
 much delighted in womena 
 companie, and knowing wel, 
 that sine Cerere 8f Libero^fri. 
 get Venus, he bad him to a 
 solempne banquet, and after 
 that he had (according to the 
 maner of Germanic yet conti- 
 nuing) well plied him with 
 pots, hee let slip before him a 
 faire gentlewoman, his owne 
 daughter, called Roxena, or 
 Rowen, which being instructed 
 before hande how to behaue 
 hir selfe, most amiablie pre- 
 sented him with a goblet of 
 wine, saying in hir own Ian. 
 guage, paej-Haeile Hlaponb cy- 
 nyng /j wessail Lorde king, The first 
 that is to say, bee merie Lord JJf** 
 king : with which hirdaliance, 
 the King was so delighted, that 
 he not onely vouchsafed to 
 pledge hir, but desired also to 
 performe it in the right maner of 
 hir owne countrey. And there- 
 fore he answered (as he was 
 taught) vnto hir againe, bninc 
 Hajile 'J drinke merily. Which 
 when shee had done, himselfe 
 tooke the cup,and pledged hir so 
 hartely,that fromthencefoorth hee 
 could
 
 118 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 be kyng bi huld hire ' swibe ynow, & woridrede hire * fair 
 
 hede. 
 
 3 For so fair wommon nustehenon. He askede wat heoseide ? 
 Men, bat knew be langage, seide, wat was wassayl, 
 And bat he scholde bat brogle onswere, " drynkhayl. 
 * c Drinkhayl, quo]? bis kyng agen, & bed hire drinke anon, 
 be coupe 4 he nom sebbe of hire among hem echon, 
 And cusie hire, & sette hire a doun, & glad dronk hire hail. 
 And bat was lo! in bis lond be firste vassayl, 
 As in langage of Saxonie, bat me myjte euer y wyte, 
 And so s wel he paib bat folk aboute, bat he nys not get for 
 
 gete. 
 
 No sire, ne be be day so 6 long, be while heo sitteb o benche, 
 And som of be nj-^t nimeb her to, be drynke forlo sthenche. 
 
 an iii._ r o.l!y 
 inarriagc. 
 
 could neuer be in rest, vntill 
 ssue ,f he had obtained hir to wife, 
 little weighing, either how 
 deepely he had endaungered 
 his conscience in matching 
 himselfe with a heathen wo. 
 man, or how greatly he had 
 hazarded his Croune by joyn- 
 ing handes with, so mightie 
 a forein Nation. 
 
 1 Faste ynough Ar. 2 Fair- 
 'hede Ar. unica voce. Nee ta. 
 men idem quod forehead esse 
 judicarim. Non aiiud enim 
 plane est quam facies pulchra. 
 id quod K GalfridoMonumetenbi 
 Konstut, qui sic ait : At ille, visa 
 facie puellae, admiratus est tan. 
 turn ejus decorem, & incaluit. 
 / And of men of hure langage 
 
 couthe he axede what sheo 
 sede? Anon men tolde thekyng 
 fore what was to seye wassail, 
 And that he sholde to hure 
 that tyme answere ther to 
 drynk hail. Drynk hail, seide 
 the kyng a ye, Ar. 4 He toke 
 of hure anon, and a mong 
 echon Kussed hure & a douu 
 hure sette, & gladly dronk 
 hure hail. And thus was 
 here in this londe furst y 
 knowe wassail Ar. s Wel 
 yut hit paieth the folk, that 
 hit is nought for yite Ar. 
 6 Long, and sitteth murye a 
 benche, And of the nyght yut 
 nymeth ther to, drynke ther 
 by to shenche, On an holy 
 rechoure's word hii wol 
 nought
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 119 
 
 Of an holi prechoure's word heo nolde not so ofte j>enclie, 
 
 As of the ran ri word, ]?at hem Jnnke]? of J?e sely wenche. 
 
 So foul lechour was ]>e kyng, that anon" in j?e hovvse 
 
 He willede, for foul lecheri, J?is mayde ' forte spouse. 
 
 Hengist wiste wel ys wille, * & jxit he wes hastyf. 
 
 He grantede 3 in hys felonye ys dojter to be ys wyf, 
 
 For wat )?e kyng geue hym J)e" contre of Kent y wis. 
 
 \>e kyng in ys foule wille grantede al }>is, 
 
 And weddede ))is raayde * in a wel lu^er cas, 
 
 For |?at he was Cristene, and heo a paynen was. 
 
 5 J>at lond wes vncl y paied ]?er wy]?, & ys J)re sones also, 
 
 Vortimer, and * Catigen, and Passen j?er to. 
 
 Four hundred jer and fourti and r nyene, ich vnderslonde, 
 
 Yt wes of grace, J>at J?e Saxones Jms come to ]?is londe. 
 
 }>o were among Cristenemen 8 ]?is paynes )?us y menged, 
 
 jjat mys bileue 9 into al J?is lond a mong men was y sprenged. 
 
 Hengist seide to J>e kyng, " Sire, }>on myjte y se, 
 
 c< |?at ich am in stude of |^i fader, & j?i conseiler schal be. 
 
 tf Do al aftur my conseil, and J>ou schalt |?oru me 
 
 "' Ouer come al j?i fon, to so)?eich segge \>e t 
 
 nought so wel thenche, As 
 Mi doth of that mury word 
 of that sely wenche. The 
 kyng on hure gan madde so, 
 that anon Ar. 
 
 1 Pro, forto. a And knew 
 his nycete, And grauntede 
 al for felonye his doughtur 
 his wif to be, By so the 
 kyng hym wolde yiue the Ar. 
 ' Sed omnibus unum consilinm 
 
 Consil'tn 
 
 Ilejigisti. 
 
 fuit, utpuelladareturregi^ $ 
 ut peteret pro ca provinctam 
 Cantice ab illo. Nee mora, data 
 fuitpuellaregi Wortigerno^Sf 
 provincia Cantice Hengisto, 
 Sfc. Galfridus Mon. 4This^vas 
 a sory cas Ar. s The people 
 was Ar. 6 Katigern Ar. 'i Sic 
 plane in Cod. nostro Har- 
 leijano. At fyue in Ar. 8 The 
 hethcne thus Ar. 9 In al Ar. 
 " Sende
 
 120 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Duo am Sende we set aftur my sones ' Octe and Ebise, 
 
 Hcngcsti 
 
 " )?atquaynte werroures he)?, and stalworj>e and wyse. 
 
 " In ]?e Norf> half jef hem lond, wherjxm wolt by se, 
 
 " j?at heo mowe bi tuene Je and J?e Scottes be. 
 
 " j?enne )?ou * myjt siker be by Sou]? Homber ywys. 
 
 J>e kyng he sende aftur hem, and grauntede al J?is. 
 
 So J)at mid J?re hundred schipes heo ariuede here, 
 
 * Ful of armes and of men, here was gret power. 
 
 }>e kyng wel 4 fayn jaf hem lond, as Hengist hym bi sogte, 
 
 And Hengist euer mo and mo schippes hyder brogte. 
 
 J?o J?e Bry tones ]?is y seye, of treson heo were in drede. 
 
 For ]?o lond was al mid hem y fuld, ]?er fore ]?e kyng * heo 
 
 bede, 
 
 J?at he schulde hym vnder stonde, & out of * lond hem do. 
 For yt ne bi com nogtto payns among Cristen men be so. 
 Foryt was Cristendam, & in mony studes me nuste 
 Wuch was on, ne wuch was oj?er, ne to warn me mygte truste. 
 Some faderes were Cristene, & f?o moderes hejjene were. 
 Me nuste to we]?er heo bi come ]?e children J?at heo bere, 
 ]?e kyng louede J>e Saxones, for loue of ys wyue, 
 And nolde, for al J?e Britones, out of 7 hys londe hem dryue. 
 
 1 Octa & Ose, Ar. * Maist 
 Ar. J Ful of trauaillyng 
 men, this was gret power 
 
 Ar. 4Fawe Ar. * Hii Ar. 
 6 This londe Ar. 1 ThU 
 Ar. 
 
 Seynt
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 121 
 
 SEYNT ' Germayn ]?e bischop to ]?is londe com, 
 
 For misbileue ]?at tyme, & to amende Cristendom, 
 
 And prechede, as yt nede was, & faire miracles wrojte, 
 
 So }>at j>e Cristene men in beter stat he brojte. 
 
 And heo a forcede horn" }>e more, |?e hej^ene a wey to dryue. 
 
 * He nolde bileue here porpos for f>e kyng, ne for ys wyuc* 
 
 Heo for soke ]?e kyng al out, & binome * ys power, 
 
 And hys eldest sone made kyng, ]?at hatte Vortimer. 
 
 j?is Vortimer with gret power and god ernest ynow, 
 
 J?oru conseil of Seynt Germayn, ajen * jns hefrene drow. 
 
 5 ]?o sene ger yt was aftur, ]?at heo to londe come, . 
 
 J?e kyng was, God i ]?onk, a boue in four batailes, )>at heo nome. 
 
 Alle heo were in one ger. atte firste, withoute one, 
 
 Catigen, j?e kynge's broker, myd hys men echone, 
 
 Asailede Hors and hys ost, so ]?at heo foujte faste, Beilum 
 
 So ]?at |?is Catigen yslawe was atte laste. 
 
 j?o kyng for ys broker de}> sori was y now. 
 
 To fis Hors he smot anon, & among al ys folk hyrn slow. 
 
 }>o ]>is strong mon was slawe, }>at so strong was in fyjt, 
 
 Ys men bi gonne to fle fi and /; fayn |?at heo mygt. 
 
 1 Germayu bysshop of Au. 
 feme, as ich ynderstonde, And 
 of Treueros seynt Lup, come 
 to this londe, For mysbileue 
 a mong men, and othur here- 
 sye, That me clepede Arriane 
 and also Pelagye, And prech. 
 cde the people, as nede was, 
 and faire miracles wroughte. 
 
 So that thurgh hem Cri- 
 stendom to betere stat was 
 broughte. And hii a forcede 
 hem Ar. 2 And wold nought 
 leue for the kyng, Ar. 5 Hym 
 his Ar. 4 The pro Jns in Ar. 
 * The senethe yer ther af- 
 ter hit was, that hii Ar. 
 6 Deest Ar,
 
 122 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 be bridde batail, bat heo smyte, was ryjt ' vp the se, 
 ber com be kyng myd ys ost, and Hengist hyra a je. 
 ber was batail strong y now, and raest yt was vp tweye, 
 Up be kyng and Hengist, }>at were so stronge beye. 
 Fuga J) stronge dyntes, bat heo srayten, grisliche yt was to sc. 
 
 Hengisti. 
 
 So bat Hengist bi gan atte laste to fle. 
 
 He, bat neuer er ne fiey, fond ber ys pere. 
 
 He fley in to be yle of Tenet, he no dorste a bide no ner. 
 
 jet eft heo fougten in J?e se, and by side bere ; 
 
 Ac be Britones at eche tyme be maistrye a wey bere. 
 
 * bo Saxones heo seye, J?at heo myjte no leng at stonde, 
 
 To be kyng bei sende, ]?at ]?ei 3 most wende horn to here londe. 
 
 bo heo were alle hcnne y went, here was joye y now, 
 
 be kyng gef ys men grete jiftes, & gret loue to hem drow, 
 
 And let arere chirches vp, bat be schrewes a doun caste, 
 
 And bi gan to make a muri loud, ac to lute wyle yt laste. 
 
 be Deuel hadde enuy >er to, bat he susteynede Cristendam, 
 
 And in ys 4 stepmoder herte ys woniyng he norn. 
 
 So bat 5 bo luber wommon of poyson hire bi bougte, 
 
 And apoysnede ]>e godeman, and to 6 be" debe hym brojle. 
 
 7 bis kyng, J?o he sey ben def>, ys knyjtes he let of sende, 
 
 And schewede hem al be wey wyder he schulde wende, 
 
 And jef hem gold and" soluer, and jiftes riche and gode, 
 
 And * bad hem for be loue of God, bat heo hem Vnderstode, 
 
 1 Upon Ar. * The Sax. 
 ones sey, that they ne myghte 
 a yenst the Brutones stonde, 
 Ar. *Myghte Ar. 4 Step- 
 modere's herte sone his In 
 he nom Ar. $ The Ar< 
 
 6 Deest Ar. 7 The kyng, tho 
 he sholde be ded, his knyghtes 
 let of sende, And shewede hero 
 of his stat, and of his lyf is 
 ende, And yaf hem goold Ar. 
 8 Audaccs autcm fy bellicosos 
 juvenes.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And * stabliche holde to gedere, to saue pat lond, 
 pat neuer pe luper payns yt hadJe eft an hond. 
 
 * And gef he myjte libbe lenger, he nolde drede nojt. 
 And wan it alles so was, pat he was to depe y brogt, 
 
 He bed, wan he wereded, pat me schulde ys bodi norae, 
 And burie yt 3 pe hauene, wer pe payns come, 
 In a temple swipe heye, pat heo myjt yt fer yse, 
 pat heo, for drede of }>c sygte, mygte sone fle. 
 
 * Hardi was is herte to hem, wen he wolde pat pei hadde 
 Drede of ys bodi ded, * wan heo o Hue hym dradde. 
 per was deol & sorwe y now, }>o pis gode raon was ded. 
 Ac nopeles heo ne buriede hym nogt, as he hym self bed. 
 For hem pote y t nas bute a wille, ac, as hee hem by pogte. 
 In London myd honour pis bedi an erpe brogte. 
 
 VoRTIGER, pe lu]?er mon, ]>o hys sone ded was, 
 
 Underfong ageyn to hym )?e kyndam, alas ! 
 
 For sone, J>om ys wyue's red, aftur Hengist he sende, 
 
 pat he j?ider to hym with * simple folk wende. 
 
 For he dradde, jef he hadde to gret power an honde, 
 
 ]mt per schulde a rise strif by twene hym and ]?e londe. 
 
 juvenes, qui ei in debellationi- 
 bus suis astaresolebant) horta- 
 batur, ut pro patria pugnan. 
 tes } earn ab hostium irruptione 
 tueri niterentur Galfr. Mon. 
 
 1 Stabelliche helde hem to 
 hepe, forto sauy that lond, Ar. 
 a And if he langor myght 
 haue leued, he \volde haue 
 drad ryght nought. But whan 
 
 hit ther to come were, he 
 were to deth y brought, Ar. 
 er the he- 
 thene men vp come, In a 
 tumbe swithe an heigh, fat 
 me myghte hit fer y se, Ar. 
 4 Hard Ar. * As they a lyire 
 hadde Ar. 6 Ut iterum in Bri- 
 taniam rediret; attttmenprica- 
 tim $ cum paucis Galfr. Mon. 
 
 Vol. J. o
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle: 
 
 Reditui 
 Hengiiti. 
 
 ])o Hengist herde telle, j?at Vortimer was ded, 
 
 He gaderede power y n&w, and sone nom ys red; 
 
 And J?re hundred )>oasoiid * men mid y armrtd he nom r 
 
 And mid al J>e atyl J?er to in to ]?is lond he com. 
 
 J?o ]>e kyng & ys consel wistc of * ys grete companye, 
 
 Heo bi Jjoujte & dradde sore> 3 }>at" it were for tricherie. 
 
 And na^eles ke sende hern word a gen in ys felonye, 
 
 ]?at in gret lone bider he com, and no J^ogte no vilanye, 
 
 Bute fbr drede of Vortinu-r, * last he o line were, 
 
 Such folkmyd hyra he brongte, for he hadde of hym fere. 
 
 Ac wen he nas o line nojt, he bad }>e kyng be hcnde, 
 
 }?at he mygte myd ys folk * vp ys lond -wcade, 
 
 Bi fore hym and ys conseil, * a certeyn tyme and place,- 
 
 7 With any maiier arme to fonde ys grace, 
 
 And J)at * ]>o kyng of hys men at huld wuche he wolde, 
 
 And dryue ageyn oner ]>e se filke )>at he nolde. 
 
 |^e kyng was her wy-f> wel ypayd, & setfe hem ^o day, 
 
 And al ys owe folk, J?at heo come }^e fiiste day of May 
 
 At Ambresburi, * for to of J>is |)ing som cndc, 
 
 To at holde wuche he wolde of hem, & ]?e oj?er ajen sende. 
 
 J?o Jns folk in eyf er syde y war was of }>e day, 
 
 In a newe maner Hengist jjongt ]?e kyng & ys bi tray. 
 
 yarmyd Avith hym 
 And with al hure 
 
 'Men 
 he nom, 
 atyr to this londe he com. 
 Whan the kyng Ar. 'This 
 romp. Ar. * Deest Ar. 4 Lest 
 he a lyue Ar. * Upon his 
 Ar. 6 In certeyn Ar. 1 With 
 
 oute eny manerc armcs to 
 fondy of his grace Ar. 8 The 
 Ar. 9 For to speke of this 
 Ar. rectius. Et tamen Auc- 
 tori magis commodum, for to 
 do (i. e. to make.) 10 To by 
 traye Ar. 
 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 15 
 
 He liette al ys knyjtes, bat myd hym ber were. 
 
 bat in ys liose stilleliche ych of hem a knyf bere, 
 
 And, wan heo to ' bis semble among bis Britones come, 
 
 bat ech of hem an hey mon in conseil to hym nome, 
 
 And swybe faire speke with hym, & wan he banne seyde, 
 
 t( Nymeb joure saxes," * bat he a non mid be dede \ymej> 
 
 owre 
 
 Drow ys knyf, and slow a non al an on ywar, exei. 
 
 bat heo my^t of be hexte men bat lond make bar. 
 
 bis word was wel vnderstonde, 3 so bat bo heo come 
 
 In eyber syde to Ambrisbury, ]>o day bat heo nome, 
 
 And be Brutones al simpliche in god pay, as heo vnderstode, 
 
 And Hengist spek with be kyng, as yt were for gode, 
 
 And bo he say ys time wel, he gan to grede anori, 
 
 <c Nymeb goure saxes," and ys men * ber with echon 
 
 Kypte heore longe knyues, and slowe faste to gronde, 
 
 So bat heo slow s four hundred & sixti in astonde 
 
 Of erles and of barons be 6 hexte bat ber were. 
 
 Alas ! be deol to bis lond, " wuch treson was bere ? 
 
 Now ne koube be Britones non Englisch y wys, 
 
 Ac be Saxones speche it was, & borw hem y come yt ys. 
 
 1 The assemble among the 
 Brutones Ar. * Thanne a- 
 non with that ilke rede, Ech 
 drough his knyf, and slough his 
 felawe an vnywar, Ar. * And 
 to hure day they come To 
 Ambresbury on aithur side, 
 as they the day nome. Sym- 
 
 pleliche the Brutones come 
 for pees they vnderstode, Ar. 
 4 Tho anon echon Kaughte 
 out hure longe knyues, and 
 slough ther with to grounde, 
 Ar. ^ Ita Sf Galfr. Mon. Sed 
 thre Ar. cum Aluredo Bev. 
 6Heighest^r. 1 Such Ar. 
 o 2 Hengist
 
 126 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Hengist anon ' mid }>e word * j?e kyng hente faste 
 Bi J?e mantel, and anon to his fet bym 3 caste. 
 So J?at YIS gode men were y brojt myd treson to gronde, 
 Ac some, }?at of scapede, mid stones, j?at heo fonde, 
 And mid staues of hegges, defondede hem a boute, 
 Pugna. And slow of ]ns lu]?er men mony on in )>e route. 
 
 JijLDOL, erl of Gloucestre, 4 ]>at a strong knyjt was, 
 
 Hente a strong leuour, at hym a com at honde bi cas. 
 
 Jo he say ys felawes ymorpred so viliche, 
 
 God ernest he nom to hym, and sturde hym harde lichc. 
 
 He smot to gronde, & lyjtliche he ne gef strok non, 
 
 jf>at he ne brak hed oj?er arm, or som oj?er bon. 
 
 He ne jef of hys lyf nojt, ys felawes for to awreke, 
 
 So |?at he slow in J?e place, er ys staf gonne breke, 
 
 Sixti mon and tene, and wondede mony on, 
 
 And jet he of scapede o Hue for hem euer ech on 
 
 And |?e lu]?er folk, }?at slowe )ms ]?at folk myd tricherie. 
 
 5 }>o kyng ]?ei bonde faste * y now, j?at rewliche he gan crie 7 
 
 7 And defoulede hym myd bendes, forto he swor ys o}>, 
 
 Alle here wille euer eft to do, ner hym ner so lo]?. 
 
 j?o wende for]? Jns lu]?er folk, and nome 8 London, 
 
 And Euerwyk, and Lincolne, al 9 J>oru ]?is treson. 
 
 1 With that word the kyng 
 to hym caughte Ar. z Et 
 ilico Vortigernum accepit^ fy 
 per pallium detiniiit Galfr. 
 Mon. 3 Kaughte Ar. 4 That 
 staleworthe man was, Hente a 
 tronchon on his hood that 
 hym com by cas, Ar. 5 The 
 
 Ar. 6 Anon pro y now in 
 Ar. "i And so they gonne fare 
 with hym, forte he swor his 
 oth, Al hure wille for to do, 
 were hym neuere so loth Ar. 
 8 Town adjicit Ar. 9 With 
 tresoun At . 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 137 
 
 And ' sej>]?e" Wynchestre bi Soufe, & o]?er * grete" townes mo, 
 And robbede euer as heo wende, & slow, & dude gret wo. 
 Jrese were 3 lo ! our faderes, of warn we bej? of y come, 
 J?at mid such traison habbej? ]?is lond |?us y nome. 
 
 , * cure feble kyng, ]?at lute was worj? J?o, 
 As he it hadde of serued wel to lutel hadde of wo, 
 He flow in to Walis, Jnder he com sone, 
 He ascode of hys conselers wat was best to done ? 
 Me radcle hym, for ys casteles al hym bi nome were, 
 j?at he in som siker stude a castel * buide J?ere, 
 }?at he mygte sikerliche wyte hym from hys fon. 
 }>e kyng 6 a god stude |)er to let seche out a non, 
 7 And bigan a strong castel of lym and off ston, 
 And of quoynte workmen let hym brynge mony on. 
 * }>o heo bi gonne ]?is castel," al J?at heo made a day, 
 O morwe, wen J?ei come }?er to, al clene |?er downe it lay 
 
 1 Deest Ar. z Omittit Ar. 
 3 Oure olde fadres lo ! of 
 wham we buth y come, And 
 with such trcchourie this lond 
 thus hii haueth ynome. Vor- 
 tiger this luthur kyng, that 
 litel worth was tho, As he 
 hadde of serued wel, hadde 
 muche wo, And was let go a 
 lyue. To Walis he wende 
 sone, And axede tho of his 
 consaillers, what best hym 
 was to done ? Ar. * Cum 
 igitur tandem tantam cladem 
 inspexisset Vortigir.ius, se~ 
 
 cessit in partes Cambrics, in. 
 scius quid contra nefandani 
 gentem ageret. Vocatis de- 
 nique magis suts, consuluit 
 illos, jussitque dicere quid 
 faceret ? Sfc. Galfr. M on. 
 s Sholde rere, Ar. 6 A good 
 place ther fore let Ar. ^ And 
 let bygynne a castel of strong 
 lym and ston, Ar. 8 In He- 
 refordshire vp the mont of 
 Eirik [Eir Galfr. Man,'] ful 
 high Was this castel by gon_ 
 ne, vpon the water of Wigh. 
 Tho hii bygonne the castel Ar; 
 o3 'No
 
 128 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Merlini. 
 
 1 No beter sped heo, nere J?at werk ncr so strong. 
 
 J?e kyng ascode at enchanteres, war on yt was ylong ? 
 
 *])e enchanteres seide, |?at me a childe sojte, 
 
 ]?at were y gete with onte fader, & j)at me yt j?ider brogte, 
 
 And slow yt, and mid j?e blode bisprenge wel here ston" 
 
 And here morter, & yt scholde stonde J?enne anon. 
 
 I Hem Jttjte yt was euel y do, ac heo bi leuede yt nojt, 
 W in mony a contrey such a child nas y sogt. 
 
 So J?at some 4 |?e messingeres to Kermerdyn come, 
 
 And s how children bi fore }>e gate plryede he toke gome. 
 
 ]jo seide on to 6 an o)?er, " Merlyn, wat ys }?e, 
 
 " ' Jiou faderles schrewe wy * rnisdostow me ? 
 
 " For ich am of 9 kynges ycome, & J?ou nart not worj? a fille. 
 
 u For ]?ou I0 naddest ner no fader, J?er fore hold }>e stille. 
 
 J^o ]?e messageres herde j?is, heo astynte J)ere, 
 
 And askede tl at men aboute, wat ]?at child were ? 
 
 II He ne bod neuer fader, heo seyde, ]?at me myjte vnder- 
 
 stonde, 
 And ys moder a kynge's dogter was of Jnlke londe, 
 
 1 Euere more hit ferde 
 thus, nere that werk so strong 
 Ar. * The kynge's enchaun- 
 tours seide hym tho, ther most 
 a child be sought, That hadde 
 neuere fader, and thuder hit 
 moste be brought, And sle that 
 child, and with the blood me 
 sholde bysprenge the ston Ar. 
 3 This thoughte hem won. 
 der for to do, & yut they left 
 fcit nought, Ar. 4 Of the Ar. 
 
 * Of children in the strete 
 that playde they toke gome 
 Ar. 6 That other, <' what 
 " myschaunce is the, Ar. 
 ' Quid mecuw conlendisfatue? 
 Galfr. Mon. Mysdoist thugh 
 me ? Ar. 9 Good men pro 
 kynges in Ar. I0 Haddest 
 neuere fader, Ar. ll Of the 
 men Ar. '* Men seyde, he 
 
 vnderstonde. 
 
 His moder 
 kynge's
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 129 
 
 And wonedc at Seynt Pctre's in a nonnery bere. 
 
 bo be messageres herde bis, joyful y now bei were. 
 
 To be baylys of be toun hastiliclie heo wende, 
 
 bat he be moder and be sotve to be kyng sende. 
 
 bo me wiste wat f heo were, me ne durste with segge it riojt, 
 
 So bat ]>e moder & be sone to be kyng were y brojt. 
 
 be kyng a bad be wommon segge sob, > bat heo nobing lete,, 
 
 bat he ne seide in sobnesse, ho J>at child bi gete. 
 
 ' <c My lord 4 kyng," quob bis ober, " to be sobe i segge it be, 
 
 '* bat neuer mon Jiey me * com, bat yt bi gc % t on me. 
 
 <e Ac of o bing ich wot, wau ich osfte was 
 
 " In chambre mid my fclawes 9 ;/ ber com to me bi eas 
 
 " "And sr.vybe fair mon with alle, & bi clupte wel softe a 
 
 (i And scmblant made fair ynovv, & custe me wel ofte. 
 
 " benne weade he forb, as in schade,, y nuste how ny ware. 
 
 " bo he hadde y siwed me longe in bis fare, 
 
 kynge's doughter was of 
 i. Southn'ales 
 
 Dcmecie londe, And duelleth 
 and [I. at] Seynt Petre's 
 church, as a nonne there Ar. 
 Adeo ut hod, sive had, pro 
 bod reponercm. 
 
 1 They Ar. * Het Ar. 
 3 For no thyng shold heo lete, 
 That heo ne told openlich, who 
 J'at child was by yete Ar. per. 
 inde ac si who idem quod 
 howvalere(. Illud tamen noto 
 in margine (ab eadem autem 
 -cocvlam was adject urn 
 
 esse, hoc nota (viz. * ) in 
 textu po&ita. K)'g, seide. 
 hep tho, the spthe ych sey the, 
 Ar. J Cam, Jat hit by gat in 
 me. And of on thyng ich wote, 
 whan icb al one was In priue 
 chaumbres with oute felawes, 
 Ar. 6 Folia octo in Ar. ex f , 
 cisa esse deprehendo, in quo 
 proinde de sequentibus, usque 
 ad hanc notam %$> (quant in 
 margine apposuimus, utpote 
 ad qiiam iteruin occurrit Ar.) 
 longe fusius qitam in Codice 
 Harleyano tract at urn cst. 
 o 4 <( Atte
 
 130 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 tc Aite laste in forme of mon ofte he lay bi me, 
 
 " Ac o]?er mon neuer non, to so]?e y segge it }>e. 
 
 ]?o J*} kyng herde {us, gret wonder he J?oujte J?ere. 
 
 He asched at is clerkes, ' were yt to leue were ? 
 
 }>e clerkes seide, }?at yt is in philosophic y fonde, 
 
 J?at }ier be]? in |)e eir an hey, fer fro ]?e gronde, 
 
 As a maner gostes, wygtes as it be, 
 
 And me may hem ofte on erj>e in wylde studes y sc, 
 
 And ofte in monne's fourrne wyinmen heo comej) to, 
 
 And ofte in wymmen forme )?ei come]? to men al so, 
 
 J>at men clepu]? eluene, and perantre in }?is maner 
 
 On of hem in }?is womrnon bi get ]?is child her. 
 
 }?o Merlyn haddeal }>is y herd, to J?e kyng he sede : 
 
 " Sire kyng, wy dudest }?ou my moder & me bi fore ]?e lede ? 
 
 " My enchantoures," quo]? }>e kyng, " me habbe]? ]?er to yrad, 
 
 <c }?at a child, }>at nadde no fader, bi fore me were y lad, 
 
 " And ]?at }>e werk myd ys blod, }>at we habbe]> on honde, 
 
 *' Be sprenged ]?at falle}? adoun, & ]?enne yt schulde stonde. 
 
 *' Lat ]?in enchanters," quo]? Merlyn, " sone bi fore me brynge, 
 
 ** And ich wol preue bi fore ]?e, }>at heo tellej) al lesynge. 
 
 ]?is enchanters were ybrogt sone bi fore ]?e kyng. 
 
 <f Wad segge ge," quo}) Merlyn, l( of ]?is newe J>inge ? 
 
 " Radde je, ])at me by sprengede ]?at morter mid my * blod. 
 
 " Here me schal sone 3' se, )>at ne konne no god. 
 
 1 7. e. whether he might bi- 
 lieve it ? Nam, si id, quod mulier 
 dixerat, fieri potuisset, in Galfr. 
 Mon. a Potest Sf interrogandi 
 nota distingui) nisi quod pie- 
 na,m sane distinctionem in Co- 
 
 dice eximio (utcunque adfoiem 
 wawcoJGalfridiMonumethensis, 
 mihi donato ab amico illo eru. 
 ditissimo Richardo Gravesto de 
 Mickleton in agro Gloucestri- 
 ensi, rcperiam. Sic enim ibi : 
 Lauda.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle: 131 
 
 " Seggeth me, gef ])at ge konne, wat ys bi ne]?e ]?e gronde, 
 <( ])at make)? ]?at f)o fundeinent no stond none stonde. 
 })ei ne kou]?e onswere nojt, as it ys y wryte. 
 * Lord kyng," quo]? Merlyn, <{ jef J>ou wolt ])e so]?e wyte, 
 u Lat delue vnder ])e fundement, & j?ou schalt bi ne])e fynde 
 * A water pol, ]?at ha)) y mad, J>at ]?is werk ys bi hynde. 
 Me dalf bi ne]?e, and fond |?e water, as Merlyn hadde y seid. 
 " Wat segge je maistres," quod Merlyn, " J?at jeue J?at cole 
 
 red, 
 
 u To bi nyme blod & my lyf, was ys bi nej>e now }?ere ? 
 ]>e maistres sete stille y now, ryjt as keo doumbe were. 
 
 61 Do)) out |?is water," quo]) Merlyn, t( & wen it is a weye, 
 
 " je schut bi nef>e jet y fynde hoi we stones tweye, 
 
 " And in ey])er a dragon J)er inne slepe faste. 
 
 Me let sone out of Jns pol ])e water clene caste, 
 
 And fonde, as he hadde y seid. Men wondred ynow, 
 
 And J)ojte, ])at ys monhede to Godhed drow 
 
 As ])is Vortiger and Jns folk token gome, 
 
 Twei grete dragones out of ]?is stones come, 
 
 j)at on was red, ])e o]?er wyte. ])o gonne to fyjte faste 
 
 Strong batail, and ])e fuyr out of ]?e mou]) caste. 
 
 So ])at ]?e white was aboue, as ])e folk y seye, 
 
 And drof Je rede al abak out of ])e put ney. 
 
 j)e rede, as for sorinesse, by turnede hym atten cnde, 
 
 And asailede ]?e wyte, & made hym abac wende. 
 
 As ])is dragones fojte Jms, ])e kynge hette Merlyn f)ere, 
 
 Forte segge, gef he cou])e, wat ])e tokonyng were. 
 
 dicite michi quid sub funda. 
 mento latet ? 
 
 Laudavistis, ut sanguis meus 
 diffunderetur in ccementum, & 
 quasi illico opus constaret. Set 
 
 Mer-
 
 132 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 MerHnT'* ^ er ^y n an * we P e I 70 ' an( ^ bi gan ys prophecic : 
 
 " Awey !"he seide, "Jjc rede dragon ! for ysende gynnej?to liye, 
 
 " And J?e white dragon schal in to ys holes wende, 
 
 " J?at bi tokenej? j?e Saxones, }?at ]?ou let aftur sende. 
 
 " )>e rede bi tokenej? ]?e Britones, and joure kynde J>at is, 
 
 *' }>at )>e Saxones schulle]? jet oner come, and here londe 
 
 Wynne y wis. 
 
 '* Grote watres wor]?e)? jet rede of monne's blode, 
 " Cristendom worj> y cast a doun, & chirchon J)at er Stode. 
 ' " Ac jet schul ]?e Britones som tyme ajeyn stonde, 
 ** For J?e bor of Cornewail schal helpe ]?is londe, 
 u And ]?o Saxnes hedes vnder fet trede. 
 " Mony yles wynne he schal, lond and o]?er stude 
 Lord he worj? of France, & Rome schal hys slurnhede 
 " Doute, & quake Jjerfore, ac ys endyng wor|? in drede. 
 *' ' J?at folk schal euer speke of hym, and ys noble dede 
 " Worj? to hyra a swete mete, j?at it con a rede. 
 " * Sijje, ]>at come]? aftur hym, schulle]? holde J)e seynorie. 
 Ac aftur hem schal aryse a worm of Germanye, 
 And }?e * se wolf hym schal brynge vp, 4 & ]?anne religion 
 And holychirche eftsone worj? y brojt al a don. 
 Change wor]? of bischopriches, & J?e digne sege y wys 
 Wor]? y brojt to Canterbury, |>at at London now ys. 
 
 ' In ore populorum celebra- 
 litur, $ actus ejus cibus erit 
 narrantibus Galfr. Mon. 2 Sei 
 fosteri ejus sequcntur seep, 
 trum, sed post ipsos exsurget 
 Germanictts vermts 3 Galfr. 
 
 Mon. ? JEquoreus 
 Galfr. Mon. 4 Delebitur item 
 Sf transmutalio pri- 
 tnamm tedium fat. Dignitat 
 Londonice adornabit Doro- 
 bernium Galfr. Mou. 
 
 Al
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 133 
 
 * Al )ns bi fel afturward, as ge schul * y hure, <=4^8 
 3 J>o Cornewaile's bor, of warn he spek, }?at" was kyng Artliure, 
 
 ]>at so wel huld vp ]>is lond, and ys fon ouer com, 
 
 * J?at J?oru ys nobley wan mony a kyndom. 
 
 Of prophecie of Merlyn we ne mow telle no more, 
 
 For it so derk to symple men, bute me were ]?e bet in lore. 
 
 Gret wonder hadde ]>at folk of }>e wisdam, j>at he seydo, 
 
 Offing, j?at to come was, and of his jong hede. 
 
 }?e kyng bed ]x> Merlyn, Jiat he liytn tolde an dede. 
 
 Iij wat de}? he scholde deye, & Merlyn Jns hym seydc. 
 
 " $ Costantyne's sones *fur fle, jef ]>ou mygt. 
 
 " 'For heo jarkej? here schipes toward ]?i lond rygt. 
 
 " Heo bileue]? }>at lond of Armore," ]?at }>o lasse Breteyn ys. 
 
 " Ileore seyles hep spredej? in j?e se, & hyder come]) y wis, 
 
 <( )?e Saxones heo wolle]? a saile, & to gronde brynge. 
 
 *' 8 Ac heo wolle ]?e in J)in owne tour sle'' atte bigynnynge. 
 
 " 9 j?oru }?i traison lu])er mon heor fader |?ou slowe. 
 
 " I0 And" |?oru ]?i trayson Saxones TI into J^is lond )x>u drowe. 
 
 " jx)u bede hem forto helpe \>e, ac to Jnn wo heo be|? y come. 
 
 " Twei sorwes '* J)e be]? vp on, & }?e ne worj)now]?er bi nome. 
 
 1 Much of this Ar. * Hure, 
 as of the Cornyssh boor, that 
 Ar. s F. ]?ro. 4 And thurgh 
 his grete nobleye Ar. $ Con- 
 stantyne's sones fuir Ar. 6 Ig- 
 nemjiliorum Constantini dif- 
 fuge, si diffugere valueris 
 Galfr. Mon. i For hure naueye 
 hii arayth hiderward nough 
 ryght. They leueth the londe 
 of Armoryk. Ar. 8 Aud the 
 
 sle in thyn owen tour Ar. 
 9 Hure fader and hure bro- 
 ther eke ]nirgh thi treson 
 men slowe Ar. I0 Deest Ar. 
 11 Ferst in to this lond 
 drowe Ar. " The cometh 
 an honde, & neither the ne 
 worth by nome. The Sax- 
 ones nough destroyeth thy 
 lond in the on ende. The 
 two Ar. 
 
 "For,
 
 134; Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " For * j?e Saxones destruyej? )ri lond in to J?o on ende. 
 " J)o twei" brej^ren in J?e o]?er half * vp )>i lond wol wende, 
 <{ To awreke on J?e here heor fader de]?, J>e ne tyd no pays. 
 (t For heo wollej? to morwe aryue atte haue of Tottenays. 
 <c And wen Hengist ys yslawe, Aurely wor}? kyng. 
 " Pays he wole brynge ageyn, & 3 chirchon j?oru alle J>ing. 
 c< Apoysned he wor}> atte ende, and aftur hyra an haste 
 " Hys broker schal haue ]>e kyndam, J?at apoysned wor}> atte 
 
 laste. 
 
 tf So gret treson worj> among hem, ]?at aftur ]?e schul come, 
 4 Ac j?e Cornewaile's bor hem schal chaste some. 
 
 AURELI & Uter, J>e twei bre]?ren corteys, 
 
 With gret power a morwe ariuede at Totteneis; 
 
 j?o j?e typing sprong, |?at heo comen attelaste, 
 
 fe Brutones, ]?at were helples, come aboute hem faste, 
 
 |?at were to sprad here & J?ere, heo were glad ynowg, 
 
 s j?at folk al so of holy chirche aboute hem fastc drowg. 
 
 fer heo made Aureli kyng, & homage hym dude echon, 
 
 And 6 bede, }?at heo moste vp ]?e Saxones wende anon. 
 
 Ac J?e kyng Aurely }>er ajeyn gan 7 speke. 
 
 For he jjojte on Vortiger ys fader first awreke. 
 
 1 Hinc enim regnum tuum 
 devastant S ozones, fyc. Galfr. 
 Mon. *Up the wollej? wende, 
 To a wrekehure fader deth, 
 the ne tideth no pays Ar. 
 * Chirches Ar. 4 But thurgh 
 
 wrech of hym be nome Ar* 
 
 5 The folk eke of holy Ar. 
 
 6 Consailed hym on the Sax- 
 ones, forto weynde anon Ar. 
 i To speke, and wylned vpon 
 Vortager his fader Ar. 
 
 the boor of Cornewaille shal 
 
 1 For
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 
 
 1S5 
 
 2 For ys herte was so gret for ys fader de|? J?ere, 
 J?at he ne mygt glad be, ar he awreke were. 
 Vortiger * ys y flowc, for drede of hym ywis, 
 
 3 To an castel in Yrchenfeld, in J>e Est ende of Walis, 
 A boue }>e water of Wye, vp an hul on heyg. 
 
 }>e kyng Aureli }>icler com, & J>at castel y sey. 
 To Eldolf, erl of Gloucestre, he spek in J?is manere : 
 " 4 Sire noble erl nym god geme of J>is castel here, 
 " Were he mo we J>e lu|?er Vortiger wytye fro |?e de]?e, 
 " J?at ich in ys inneward my swerd ne make a schej^e, 
 " j?at ys aller raon worst, J?at me euer sey with ye. 
 " ]?e deb ne myjte be to lu]?er, that he schulde in dye. 
 " For my fader Costantyn first he bi trayde amys, 
 " J?at sauede hym & al jmt lond from fe 5 Picars y wys. 
 <c Sejjj?e my broker 6 Constance he brogte hym to kynge 
 ts For he wolde hym bi traie, and to de]?e brynge. 
 
 1 Adeo enim propter prodi- 
 tionempatri illatam doluerat, 
 quod nil agere videretur^ nisi 
 ipsum prim vindicaret Galfr. 
 Mon. * Was Ar. 3 To Ge- 
 nor castel in Yrchne, in the 
 on ende of Walis, Vp an 
 hille, that Dirty hight, Jris 
 castel stode ful hie, In the 
 shire of Hergyn [Heryng- 
 fordeshire, i. Herfordshire, in 
 margine] vp the water of 
 Wye. The kyng tho he thu- 
 der com, spake in this ma- 
 ner to Eldolph, Erl of Glou- 
 cetre, sure se this castel here. 
 
 Wher may hit this Vortiger 
 wity fram his deth, And hit 
 ich myghte in his body make 
 my body a sheth. He is to me 
 man worst to loken on with 
 eye, His deth ne myghte to 
 luther be ]?an he sholde deye 
 Ar. * Respice^ dux nobiUs y 
 hujus urbts mcenia, utrum po- 
 terintVortegirnum protegere, 
 quin gladiimei mucronem ips& 
 infra viscera ipsius recondam. 
 Sfc. Galfr. Mon. 5 Pictes Ar. 
 6 Constans he made to be kyng : 
 Ar. 
 
 Antl
 
 136 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chrohiclc. 
 
 Ct And se^e, JJOHI ys tricherie Jm he hadde )?is lond on honde", 
 
 *' He mengede Je IuJ?er payns among ' jou in Jns londe, 
 
 f< * Forte holde me & myn broj>er out of oure eritage. 
 
 ** ' Ac oure Lord ha)? vp ys heued ybrojt ys owne outrage. 
 
 " For J>e luj?er Saxones vndcr gele ys lu]?er dede, 
 
 " Heo by nome liym ys kyndom, 4 & J?at was a ryjtful dede. 
 
 " Ac of o )nng ich habbe deol, J)at J>is payns, J)at lu]?er bej>^ 
 
 " J?at he brogte first to londe, as je alle y se]?, 
 
 " ]>e noble men of Jns lond |>us to schame brogte, 
 
 *' And |?is lond, ]?at was riche, wastedc al to nogte, 
 
 <; And al holy chirche & Cristendom habbej? y bro^t to gronde 
 
 *' Fram }>at J o se to ]?at o]?er, * a las 1 Jnlke stonde ! 
 
 '* Now je kynde mon of J)is lond 7 cu|?e|7 joure monhede. 
 
 " And awrekej? jou of J>is lu]?er men, |?oru warn com YIS 
 
 wrechedhede; 
 
 Ct * And sef>J?e ttirne we oure hond vp oure oj>er fon, 
 " And delyuere J^is lond of }>e lu|?er men echon. 
 10 Jris folk myd god herte y\s castel a sailede. 
 Ac for ]?e castel wes strong, here wille ]?o hem faylede. 
 
 1 The Cristenmen pro jou 
 in Ar. * To pro forte in Ar. 
 * But God on his owene 
 hede hath tournd his outrage. 
 The Saxones whan hii vn- 
 derstode of his luther dede, 
 Ar. 4 Thurgli gile and fals- 
 hede. Ac of one thyng Ar. Sed 
 Galfr. Mon. plane ut Codex 
 Harleyanus. Sic enim ille : 
 ''Namut nequitiam ipsiuscom- 
 "pererunt SaxoncSj ejecerunt 
 
 " ilium ex regno, quod nemt- 
 " ntmpigere debeat. 5 On see 
 Ar. 6 Alas ! theharde stounde ! 
 Ar. 1 Kyeth your manhede Ar. 
 8 Deinde vertamus arma in ho~ 
 stes tmminentes, Sfc. Galfr. 
 Mon. 'Delyuere we this lond 
 of luther Ar. I0 The folk with 
 good herte tho this castel 
 gonne asaile. And for the ca- 
 stel was so strong, whan will 
 dude hem faile, With queyn. 
 tise
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 13"? 
 
 >fyd quoyntise heo casten fuyr, & barnde fat castel withinne, 
 And fe kyng Vortiger was to doust y barud fer inne. 
 And fo myjte he fynde so}?, fat Merlyn hym er seide, 
 fat * heo Costantyne's sones fuyr schulde fle & drede. 
 f o tvas Hengist sore adrad of kyng Aurely fer, 
 And nomeliche for fe noble los, 2 fat he berde of hym er. 
 For f er nas in non ende of France, ny in no lond f er a botite, 
 fat in joustes & 3 tornemens echo mon gan hym doute. 
 For f er nas so god knygt non nower a boute France, 
 fat m joustes scholde at sitte f e dynt of ys launcc, 
 fat he 4 ne schulde a doun ofer ys hors ofer bofe ano, 
 Of er f e lance schulde breke in peses mony on. 
 fer fort; Hcngist was a drad to mete with ys launce, 
 
 Ouer Homber he fley a non, to wyte hym from meschancfc; 
 
 And casteles and cytees a storede faste fere. 
 
 5 And in Scotlond al so ; for f ilke londes were 
 
 A lufer recet euer a gey a Engelonde. 
 
 For eclie fat wolde hider harm, fer myjte at stonde. 
 
 *fo Aureli wiste, fat heo were y flowe to hurne, 
 
 He was glad, fat heo were a ferd, & fogte be horn sturne." 
 
 tise hii caste fure, and brende 
 hit with gynne, And Vorti- 
 ger alto douste Brende thcr 
 with ynne Ar. 
 
 1 Constantyne's sones fuyr 
 he sholde fle Ar. * That 
 men of hym here Ar. * Tour- 
 nementz me ne hadde of hym 
 jret doute Ar. 4 Nam si con- 
 gressum feds set , vel hostem 
 ab equo prosterneret, vel has. 
 
 tarn in frusta confringerct 
 Galfr. Mon. * Al toward 
 Scotlond, ther his recettes were. 
 For ther a luthere recett hath 
 be euer to Engelonde. All 
 that hiderward wolde harme, 
 ther hii mowe astonde Ar. * 
 Cumque idAurelio nuntiatum 
 fiiisset^audaciorejfectiis^spem 
 victories recepit Galfr. Mon. 
 At in Cod. Ar. Thokyng Aure.
 
 138 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 He jarkede ys ost, & siwede aftur hem faste NorJ> , 
 And J?o he sey ]?e contrcis, as he passede forj), 
 Destmyde & bare in eche half, grel deol he made fere, 
 And nameliche for chirches, fat y cast to gronde were. 
 1 He bi het God almyjty, gef he sende hym fo ouer bond, 
 To rere vp agen f e chirches a boute into al fat lond. 
 f o Hengist wiste, fat * heo come toward Scotlond, 
 3 He jarkede ys ost faste, ageyn hem for to stonde. 
 
 JQaLDOL, erl of Gloucestre, as he wende in ]>is ferhede 
 
 Toward ])e batail, to f e kyng f ese wordes he seyde : 
 
 t( Sire kyng, for al fe dayes, fat ich hane on erfe y go, 
 
 " O day me wolde f inke ynow to 4 libbe with oute mo, 
 
 4C fat ich fe lufer Hengist in Batail mygte mete, 
 
 " For on of vs schulde deye er we 5 J?at batail lete. 
 
 *' So * muche for ich habbe in myn herte, wan y j^er on 
 
 J?enche, 
 ** 7 ]?on come to make pays, of ys luj>er wrenche, 
 
 lie hadde word, the Saxones 
 were yflowe, Wei the more 
 was his joye, the lasse was 
 his howe. 
 
 " He made to God his a- 
 TOW, to haue the heigher 
 honde, Ar. * He Ar. * He 
 gan faste to greithi his oste, 
 ayen hym forto stonde. El- 
 dolf, erl of Gloucetre, that 
 wende in companye WiJ? the 
 kyng thuderward, gan to hym 
 speke an hie : " Sire kyng, 
 lie seide, alle deies j?at y haue 
 go Ar. 4 Lyue Ar. * To 
 
 pro j?at in Ar. 6 Reminiscor 
 namque diei, qua convenimus 
 quasi pace m habituri. Cum- 
 que <Sf de concordia ageretur, 
 prodidit omnes qui aderant, 
 fy cum cultris interfecit, prce. 
 ter me solum^quirepertopalo 
 evasi. Succubuerunt eadem die 
 cccc, LXXX. barones ac consu. 
 les, qui omnes inermes advene- 
 rant Galfr. M on. ^ Whan we 
 come to make pees, of his lither 
 wrenche, That of Erles and 
 Barons, that Ar. 
 
 "fat
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 139 
 
 Cf J>at of oure erles and barnes, ]?at so noblemen were, 
 
 " Four hundred & four score ' mid treson he slow ]?ere, 
 
 f( Of hem J?at 2 were al on war, & with oute armour were also. 
 
 " Now God leue, }?at J?e wreche ]?er of by twene vs mow be do. 
 
 J>e kyng Aurely ys felawes comforted wel to fyjte, 
 
 And al ys hope in * Godesone dude & al ys mygte. 
 
 As J>e ost in eij>er syde to 4 ]?is batail drow, 
 
 Heo come & metten baldeliche mid god ernest y now. 
 
 Heo smyten harde & made mony a strong wonde. 
 
 Heo schedde blod and slowe in ey]?er syde to gronde. 
 
 Anreli comfortcde j?e Cristenemen a boute, 
 
 And Hengist in his * half |?e he]?ene menne's route. 
 
 Ac J>e Cristene, ]?oru Code's grace, hadde J>e beter ende, 
 
 So J?at toward 6 Corneborw J?e he]?ene gonne wende, 
 
 " And j?o Cristene aftur, & to gronde brogte y nowe. 
 
 For al J>at heo myjte of take, heo nome o]?er slowe. 
 
 J)o Hengist y sey |?e Cristene men hym siwe so faste, 
 
 And ])at he moste nede turne ajeyn, oj?er deye atte laste, 
 
 He bi gan to ordeyne ys folk, & to batail ajen drow, 
 
 ' And in ey]?er syde, as heo dude er, to gronde me slow, 
 
 J?at ]>e cry of j?e folk, ]?at me slow, }>e oj?ere" brojte in drede. 
 
 Attc lastc J?e hej^ene men bi gonne hem to sprede. 
 
 1 With Ar. 2 Were an 
 vnywar, and vnarmed also. 
 God leue that hit -mote be 
 wreke by twixte vs two. The 
 kyng Aurelie Ar. J Code's 
 sone Ar, 4 The pro this in 
 Ar. sHalf also the hethene 
 of his route Ar. 6 Cones- 
 Vol. I. 
 
 burgh Ar. vThe Cristene 
 siwede after faste, broughtp 
 to grounde y now Ar. 8 Yn 
 aither syde, as hii dude er, 
 muche folk me slough. Thp 
 cry of folk J?at was a slawe, 
 the other Ar. 
 
 P b,
 
 140 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 be Cristene were be boldere, * be kyng faste sette 
 Forto coraforte ys men, and slow al bat he mette. 
 Eldol, erl of Gloucester, al so in hjs syde 
 * Arnde, and kepte her and ber, and slow a boute wyde. 
 And muche hys entente was 3 Hengist forto mete. 
 
 4 Heo mette hem atte laste, er heo be batail lete. 
 
 Ow ! Lord ! be dyntcs stronge, bat" were bi twene hem bere, 
 
 5 bat fuyr smot out of bat yre, lyjtyng as yt were. 
 
 So strong knygtes bobe bei were, * & here herte gret was. 
 
 Gorlois, erl of Cornewail, 7 ]>cr for]? com bicas. 
 
 As soneas Eldol hym seye, ys herte vpward drow : 
 
 Hengist by |?e helme by nebe he hente faste ynowg, 
 
 And myd strengbe hym drow a doun, & lowde bi gan to grede 
 
 " Cristenemen fijteb now, of noting e ne drede. 
 
 t( God me haj? my wille y geue; for ich hym habbe nowbe, 
 
 " Hym bat made al bis wo bi Nor]? & eke by Soube. 
 
 u Cuj^e]? now, bat je ben men ; for pe maistry al oure ys. 
 
 8 j?o Cristene men to grounde slow, bo 9 heo herdebis. 
 
 10 Heo ne fynede neuer mo, ar J?o o]?cr ware at gronde. 
 Some flowe to hulles and to wodes, bat heo fonde. 
 
 Ac Octa, Hengiste's sone, and ys power atte laste 
 
 11 Of scapede to Euerwik, & strengbede be toun faste. 
 
 1 And the hejene faste of 
 sette, 
 
 men to sle alle that hii mette 
 Ar. 2 Rood, & kept her and 
 Iher all a boute wide Ar. 
 3 With Hengis Ar. 4 So at 
 last to gedere hii mette, and 
 other batailles lete. Wonder 
 stronge were the strokes, that 
 
 Ar. 5 The fuir smot out of 
 the ire, Ar. 6 And the herte so 
 gret was Ar. ^ By side hem 
 com by cas Ar. The Cri- 
 stene to grounde Ar. 9 Hii 
 Ar. 10 And neuer wolde 
 fyne, er the other were to 
 grounde Ar. " Askapide in 
 to Ebracwike, Ar. 
 
 Hengist
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 HI 
 
 Hengist was o Hue y nome, and y Lolde fas(e. 
 
 Jo jns batail was y do, l |?is Britories attelaste 
 
 Nome }>e town of * Cornboru, and ]?er inne hadde reste 
 
 J?re dayes and ]?re 3 nygt, forto bi j?cnche hore beste. 
 
 J?e kyng lelte 4 }?e wyle burye ]?e decle men J?ere, 
 
 And do vnder lechecraft hem, J?at y wonded were. 
 
 f>e kyng * lette bryng ]?er aftur Hengist bi fore hym sone, 
 
 And aschede at erles & barnes, wat were mid hym to done ? 
 
 * Eldal, J>at bischop of Gloucestre 7 was, 
 
 And be erl ys broker Eldol, was ]?er bi cas 
 
 ])o he sey Hengist stonde bi fore ]?e kyng Jjere, 
 
 He stod vp & seide be verdyt by fore alle o]?ere at per were. 
 
 '* jef oj?er," he seide, " J?at |?erbe|? hym wol deliuere echone, 
 
 {l To smale peces ich hym wolde to hakke al one. 
 
 li * For ich wolde J?o prophcte wyle Samuel vnderstonde a 
 
 " J?at j?o he hadde j?e luj?er kyng Agag vnderhonde/ 
 
 n 
 
 1 These Ar. 2 Cones, 
 burgh Ar. * Nyght, as hem 
 thought beste Ar. 4 Thulke 
 while the deed bury there, 
 And dude tho to lechecraft, 
 that y wounded were Ar. 
 JThe kyng let Hengist af- 
 terward be brought to fore 
 hym sone, And axede of his 
 Barones, best what was of 
 hym to done ? Ar. 6 Eldad, 
 Ar. 7 Tho was, Arid the 
 ferthe brother Eldolf, ther 
 was eke by cas. Eldad seide 
 the verdit for alle that ther 
 were, When he seygh Hengis 
 stonde by fore the kyng there. 
 
 " Theigh alle," he seide," that 
 here beth him wolde dely- 
 uere echon, To smale pecis 
 alto hacky ich hym wolde a- 
 lone. For of prophete Samu- 
 el ich wolde vnderstonde, 
 That Agag the luthur kyng 
 hadde vnder hond, Ar. 8 /n- 
 sequerer namque prophetam 
 Samuelem, qui cum Agag re- 
 gem Amalech in potestatem 
 retinuisset) concidit ilium in 
 frusta dicens, " Sicut fecisti 
 " mat res sine liberis^ sic fa- 
 " dam hodie mat r em tuam 
 " sine liber is inter mulieres. 
 Galfr. Mon. 
 r 2 He
 
 142 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " He lette hym hewe to peses, and also he seide, 
 
 " As ]?ou hast y mad raony * wyf deolful lyf to lede, 
 
 " And mony child with oute fader, & mony wif lordlcs, 
 
 " * A I so ich wole make to day }>ine sones faderles. 
 
 " Al so 3 doj? bi J?is mon, ]?at so muche wo ha)> y do, 
 
 " So mony child mad faderles, dygte]? hym al so. 
 
 J?is word was for dom yholde, )?e erl Eldol hym drow, 
 
 And ladde hym with oute J?e town 4 mid god herte y now ; 
 
 And smot of hys hed, }?at so muche \\o hadde y do. 
 
 J?o was mony mon a wrcke, and mony mon glad al so. 
 
 Jns was eurne fourty ger, J^at he hadde j?is dom, 
 
 Aflur )?at 5 he mid his folc to }?is lond com. 
 
 J?o wende ]?e kyng myd god ost to Euerwik anon, 
 
 For to sle 6 Hengistesone, and ys men echon. 
 
 |?o Octa hit onderstod, J?at heo comyng were, 
 
 He sei wel, })at " power nas nogt ajeyn hem Jjcre. 
 
 An 8 raketyne of yre in hys hond lie nom, 
 
 And niyd |?e hexte of ys men 9 to ]pe kyng he com. 
 
 '* Sire," he seide, " myne Codes al ouer come be]?, 
 
 <c And Jn I0 Lord ys God al one, as we to soj>e sej?, 
 
 1 A wif Ar> * So wole 
 y make to day thi sone fader, 
 les Ar. * Do Ar. 4 With 
 gret filte y now, Ar. 5 He 
 ferst with his Ar. 6 Hen. 
 gibe's sone, Ar. 1 His pow- 
 er was nought a yen so many 
 there. A gret cheyne of iren 
 Ar. 8 Cvmmunicuto itaque ' 
 
 consilio, egressus est cum no. 
 bilioribus qui secum aderant^ 
 gestans catenam in manu, Sf 
 sabulonem in capite^ Sf sese 
 regi in hcec verba prcesentavit 
 Galfr. Mon. 9 A ye the kyng 
 com Ar. 10 God is Lord al 
 one, as we alle y seth, Ar. 
 
 fat
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. M.T 
 
 ** J?at bus noble men to byn wille brynge]? in bis manere. 
 
 " ' J?er fore vs with 2 veteres vnderfong now here. 
 
 " 3 bat to eche torment, bat ge wole vs, jare we be}) in bis 
 
 place, 
 
 " Bute J?ou wole of vs here pyte habbe and grace, 
 be kyng hadde rewbe 4 of hem, & ys conseil hym gef j?o, 
 Norn of hem sikernesse to ys bral euer mo " 
 And of eche bat with hym was, and in gret destresse, 
 Bi syde Scotlond hem gef a place, al in wildernesse, 
 To wone inne in braldam vnder be kyng eucr mo. 
 bese, and mony obere, bat y flovve were bo, 
 Y sei, bat be kyng hadde such mercy hem do, 
 To hym heo wende as prisones, and s bedom mercy also, 
 be kyng al inon maner hem jef 6 mercy and grace, 
 To wone al in 7 bralhede in bike wylde place, 
 * To wro)>e hele al bis lond was he so mylde bo. 
 For be schrewes dude to bis lond sebbe wel muche wo. 
 bo al j?is was y do, be kyng, ar he wende, 
 Let ordeyne in Euerwik bis lond for to amende, 
 And lette rere vp chirches in al be lond a bowte, 
 And bischopes dude in heore power, bat 9 er were al withoute. 
 
 1 Accipe ergo nos fy catenam 
 Sf, nisi misericordiam 
 habueris, habe nos ligatos^ Sf 
 ad quodlibet supplicium vo- 
 luntarie paratos Galfr. Mon. 
 2 Thes feteres Ar. 3 To (omisso 
 ]at) which torment though 
 wit vs do, we beth redy in 
 this place, But though wit 
 vs pyte do, or eny other grace 
 
 Ar. 4 Of hym, as his con. 
 sail yaf hym tho, And siker- 
 nysse nam of hym, to serue 
 hym euere mo Ar. s Mercy 
 bede also Ar. 6 Mylce Ar. 
 " Thraldom Ar. 8 To wro- 
 therhele to al this lond, that 
 he mylde was tho. For they 
 dude to al this lond suthe 
 muche wo Ar. 9 Erst Ar. 
 v 3 Aftur
 
 144 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Aftur fyftene dawes, fat * he hadde y ordeyned * f is, 
 
 To London 3 he wende, for to amende 4 fat fer was amys. 
 
 He let amende al fo town of houses fat were a downe, 
 
 5 And in fe contrey chirches let rere, and in fe towne. 
 
 Gode lawes," fat were aleyd, newe he lette make. 
 
 " Londes, fat were 7 arst by nome, 8 f e ryjt eyr he lette take. 
 
 Bute ys wille al clene was ys lond forto amende. 
 
 And aftur al f is to Wynchestre from Londone he wende, 
 
 For to amende f ilke 9 syde, & so & so to Salnsbury. 
 
 And so, for to amende more, to f e I0 downe of Ambresbury. 
 
 fo he com to fat place, fat fe heye men inne laye, 
 
 fat Hengist myd ys sexes let sle and by traye, 
 
 Of f e morf re he hadde deol, & bi gan to wepe sore, 
 
 He f ogte iii hys herte, how he myjte fe place " worf i. 
 
 For fer lay so gode men, I2 yt was wel ydo, 
 
 faf, for to defendc fat lond, y morf red were so. 
 
 Hys conseil he tok fo, how he raygt make fere 
 
 Some werk, I3 in honowr of hem, fat euer in mynde were. 
 
 fe erchbischop of Wai is seide ys auys, 
 
 " Sire," he seide, u gef fer ys any mon so wys, 
 
 1 Ilii Ar. * Al this Ar. 
 ?IIii Ar. 4Thyngs that 
 were amys. And let amendy 
 al the toun Ar. s Churchen 
 he rerde in contreye fram 
 toun to toune. Olde lawes, 
 Ar. 6 And londes, Ar. 7 Er 
 Ar. 8 To the ryght hcires 
 take. His wille was al clen- 
 
 ly this lond for to amende 
 Ar. 9 Cite, and so to Sales, 
 bury Ar. Toune Ar. 
 11 Worshipe more. For ther 
 Ar. ll Hym thought hit wel 
 to do, By cause, in sense of the 
 lond, they were amorthered 
 so Ar. ^That hii euere 
 more after in mynde were Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Sf ' }>at beste red be can rede, Merlyn bat ys. 
 
 For * ber nys in bi kynclam so wys mon y wys, 
 
 To segge sop of binges, bat to comene be]?. 
 
 3 Ne of quoyntes for to rede, as we al day y seb. 
 
 Merlyn was bo in Walls, he was sone of sogt 
 
 Myd messingeres, & y fonde, & to be kyng y brojte. 
 
 The kyng made hym joye ynow, & * amon hem alle 
 
 Bed hym telle of som 5 bing, bat hym schulde bi fall?. 
 
 " Sire kyrig/' quob Merlyn bo, <c suche binges y wys 
 
 (i Ne bob for to scliewe nojt, but wen gret nede ys. 
 
 <l For 6 gef ich seide in bismare, ober bute yt ned were, 
 
 '' Sone from me 7 he" wolde wende be Gost, bat dob me lere. 
 
 8 be kyng, bo non ober nas, bod hym som quoyntyse 
 
 Bi benke aboute 9 bilke cors, bat so noble were and wyse. 
 
 " Sire kyng." quob Merlyn bo, u jef bon wolt here caste, 
 
 fl In I0 be" honour of hem, a werk that euer schal y laste, 
 
 " To be " hul of Kylar send in to Yrlond 
 
 " I2 Aftur be noble stones, bat ber habbet lenge y stonde, 
 
 u bat was be treche of geandes, for a quoynte werk ber ys 
 
 ** Of stones al wyb art y mad, in be world such non ys. 
 
 1 That best red can ther 
 of rede, Merlyn hit is Ar. 
 1 Quippe non existimo^ alterum 
 in regno tito esse, cuisit clarius 
 ingeniunij sire infuturis dicen- 
 dis, sive in operationibus mu- 
 ch inandis Galfr. Mon. Ne of 
 queynte thynges for to rede, 
 Ar. 4 Among Ar. 5 Thinges, 
 Ar. 6 Nam si ea in derisionem 
 sive vanitatem proferrem, ta- 
 ceret spirit us, qnimedocet, ^, 
 
 Kylar. 
 
 cum opus superveniret, recede- 
 ret Galfr. Mon. 7 Deest Ar. 
 8 The kyng, tho other [/. 
 tho non other] myghte be, bad 
 hym Ar. Thulke bodies, 
 Ar. I0 Deest Ar. " Hille 
 of Kildar Ar. I2 After stones 
 noble and goode, that longe 
 han ther stonde, That was 
 carole of Geantz, for queynte 
 werk hit is Ar. 
 
 p 4 " ' N(
 
 146 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 (i ' Ne )?er nys noting, )?at me scliolde a myd strangle a dount 
 
 caste. 
 
 61 Stode heo here, as heo do]? )>ere, * euer a wolde lastc. 
 fa kyng * somdel to lyghe, ]?o be herde Jns tale. 
 u s Mow myjte," he seyde, " suche stones, so grete & so fale, 
 *' 6 Be y brojt of so fer lond ? & jet mest of were, 
 u Me wolde wene, J?at in }>is lond no stoti to worche nere. 
 " 7 Sire kyng," quo)? Merlyn, " ne make nogt an ydel such 
 
 t( For yt nys an ydel nogt, )>at ich telle )ns typing. 
 
 " For in }>e farreste stude of Affric geandes while fctte 
 
 " J)ike stones for medycine, & in Yrlond hem sette, 
 
 " * While heo woneden in Yrlond, to make here baj)es J^ere, 
 
 u J?er vnder forto baj)i, wen J?ei syk were. 
 
 " For 9 heo wokle J>e stones wasch, & J>er inne baj>e y wis. 
 
 < I0 For ys no ston J?er among, }>at of gret vertu nys. 
 
 1 Ne ther is nothing, that 
 hem sholde with strength a 
 doun caste Ar. z Grandcs 
 sunt lapides, nee est aliquis 
 cujus virtuti cedant. Qul si 
 eo modo, quo ibi positi sunt^ 
 circa plateam locabuntirr, sta- 
 bunt in ceternum Galfr. Mon. 
 ? Eiiere hii wolde y laste Ar. 
 
 4 By gan somdel to laugh Ar. 
 
 5 Who Ar. 6 Bryng fro so ft-rre 
 lond ? And themeste were, that 
 men wolde wene in J:is Ar. 
 " ' Sire," quath Merlyn, " ne 
 4< taketh nought an ydel such 
 
 For hitt is an 
 
 ydel nought, that y telle of 
 this thynge Ar. Ad hwc Mer- 
 linus: u Ne moveas rex va. 
 " num risuni) quiahcec abstjue 
 " vanifaleproferoGalfr. Mon. 
 8 The while hii wonede in Ir- 
 londe, to make hem bathes 
 there, Ar. 9 Lavabant nam- 
 (fue lapides, Sf infra balnea 
 dijj'undcbant) unde egroti 
 curabantur. Miscebant etiam 
 cum herbarum confectionibus, 
 unde vulnerati sanabantur. 
 Non est ibi lapis , qui medi- 
 camento careat Galfr. Mon. 
 10 For ther is Ar. 
 
 N
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 147 
 
 }?e kyng and ys conseil ' radde bo stones forte fette, 
 
 * And with gret power of batail, gef any mon hem lette. 
 
 Uter, (be kynge's broker,) bat Ambrose hette al so, 
 
 In anober maner name, y chose was ber to, 
 
 And fiftene bousant men, bis dede forto do, 
 
 And Mcrlyn, for his 3 quoyntise," bider wente al so. 
 
 4 Gynemon was bilke kyng of Irlonde. 
 
 bo me tolde hym, bat bis Britones y come were to ys londe, 
 
 Ajen hem lie wente anon myd 5 god power ynowj. 
 
 bo me told him here ernde, he astynte and low. 
 
 u No wonder," he seyd, 6 baw Breteyne al day go to gronde, 
 
 " 7 Wan heo, bat ber inne beb, suche folcs bob yfonde. 
 
 " Wo hab y herd such folye, wer ber be in non ende 
 
 " Stones, ber bat agtes be heo hyder sende? 
 
 " Armeb gow 8 faste now, and wyteb jowre lond. 
 
 " For 9 heo sclml not habbe here no ston, wyle ich may 
 
 wolde myn hond. 
 
 Uter and ys company e redi ageyn hem were, 
 ** And a strong batail smyte, & be Yrische to driue bere, 
 And wende forb myd stretigbe, bo nomon hem no lette, 
 And come to Kylar, bo stones forto fette. 
 
 ' Radde tho the stones Ar. 
 - And that with gret power 
 of men, yf ctiy wolde lette Ar. 
 ? Queynte witt, Ar. 4 Gwy- 
 neman, that was thulke tyme 
 kyng Ar. 5 Gret pro god in 
 Ar. 6 Theigh Brutons Ar. 
 7 The moste foles of the 
 worlde ofte hii beth y founde. 
 Who saw such a folye in to 
 the worlde's eynde. Stones 
 
 out of Irlond to Brutayu 
 seynde ? Ar. 8 Sone y now 
 Ar. 9 Hii ne shul haue the 
 leste ston, the while ic welde 
 myn hond Ar. ' So that 
 the Irissh men hii ouercome 
 there, And wente forth with 
 strengths, that noman hem ne 
 lette, To the hulle of Kildar 
 the stones forto fette Ar.
 
 148 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Jjo heo sey ' Jjo stones, heo wondred y now 
 
 Of }>e werk, J?at was so gret, & 2 ho yt Jrider drow. 
 
 " je gonge men," quoj? Merlyn, " cu)?e]? now joure mygte f 
 
 " How ge mow 3 j?is stones best to ]?e * schip dyjte. 
 
 Heo stode, & bi J?ojte hem best, & cables fette ynowe, 
 
 And laddres, and leueres, & faste schoue & drowe. 
 
 Ac heo ne myjte come for nopyng to eride s myd here wille. 
 
 Merlyn 6 say }>is, and low, and bad hem stonde stille. 
 
 He sette hys gy nnes, as he wolde, & 7 ys quoynt ise dude stille, 
 
 And ]>e folk myd }>o stones J>o dude al here wille. 
 
 And Ictte hem to schippes brynge, & so in to J?is londe, 
 
 Ac ]?er was som cnchantery J?er to, ich vnderstonde. 
 
 To J?e 8 downe of Ambres bury 9 ]>e stones y brojt were, 
 
 A joyn pe fest of I0 Wytson tyde, as Merlyn gan lere. 
 
 Four hondrcd jer & four score & aboute J?e ten]?e jer, 
 
 Aftur " }at gori on erj?e com, y set J?ei were ]?ere. 
 
 Alle ]?e hey men of " J?o lond }?e kyng lette of sende, 
 
 Erics and baroncs and knyjtes IJ in eche ende, 
 
 Bischopes and ahbotes and l * oj>ere ]?at |?ere were, 
 
 |?at J>e fest of Wytsontyde myd hem were }>ere." 
 
 1 YIS pro J?o in Ar. * Who 
 Jr. 3 Thes Ar. 4 Shippys 
 Ar. s Of hure wille Ar. 
 ft Sey al this, Ar. ~> His 
 queyntise caste. The folke of 
 the stones Iho hadde hure 
 wille an haste, And hem to 
 shippe gonne bryng, and so 
 in to this loride, Ac nought 
 with out enchauntementej as 
 
 y vnderstonde Ar. 8 Dounes 
 Ar. 9 Thes stones Ar. 
 10 Wittsonday, as Merlyn gan 
 hem lere Ar. M Lege, cum 
 Ar. that God on erthe come 
 6S c. lt The Ar. By 
 euery ende Ar. l * Othur 
 soth y say, That sholde come 
 to the kyngus fest a Witt, 
 soneday Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 149 
 
 J>e kyng at Wytsonday, Ipo heo come alle to ys heste, 
 
 Sette ]?e crowne on ys heued, and huld * noble feste. 
 
 " And alle ]>e foure dayes ]?e fest 3 he huld there. 
 
 4 Bischopes also, fat delyuered were, 
 
 In honour of J?ilke stude, j?ere he gef ys ]?o, 
 
 As of 6 Euerwyk, & of Walls, & also of oj?ere mo. 
 
 Merlyn with ys chauntement, & myd ys quoyntyse, ]?er 
 
 Sette vp j>e stones ryjt so, as heo stode in Yrlond er. 
 
 Jms was Stonehenge )>us 7 y mad, j?at men al day se|?, 
 
 In honour of J>e noble men, ]>at ]?er y buried be)?. 
 
 Jl ASCENCE, Vortigerc's sone, ys fader for barnd was, 
 Fley into Germanye 9 myd wel hasty pas. 
 J?ere he gaderede folc of Saxones y nowe, 
 For to a wreke liym of hem, ))at ys fader slowe. 
 In }?e Nor]? cnde of ]?ts lond heo by gonne ariue, 
 And faste slowe and I0 barnde, and robbode bi lyue. 
 j?at word " to owre kyn^ com, so J)at he wende 
 Myd ys power among hem, & heore prude schende. 
 Pascence and ys men, 12 J^o ascapede o lyue, 
 To schippes flowe faste * 3 a^en, ech whyle hem Jjojte fyue." 
 
 1 A noble Ar. * And 
 fully alle Ar. ? Held he 
 there. Bysshopryches, that he 
 held, delyuered there were Ar. 
 4 Interea honores, qui posses, 
 soribus carebant, domesticis 
 suis lurgitur^ tit ets obsequii 
 sui laborem rcmuneruret 
 Galfr. Mon. i Yaf hem tho, 
 6 Walls, & Ebracwick, and 
 
 othur many mo Ar. ^ Furst y 
 made, that we al day seith, 
 Ar. 8 Passent, Vortigeris 
 sone, tho his fader forbrend 
 was, Ar. 9 With full hasty 
 Ar. 10 Brende, and robbedo 
 swythe blyue Ar. 
 Aurelye come, Ar. '* That 
 Ar. IJ A ye, hying swyth 
 blyuo Ar. 
 
 A boute
 
 150 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 A boute heo wende by f e se, so fat to Yrlond heo come. 
 
 Gyneman kyng of Yrlond and heo gret conseil nome. 
 
 And f is loud forte schende alle heo swere an o}>. 
 
 For Gyneman was for fe Stonhenge hiderward jet wrof . 
 
 So fat ] e Yrische and heo myd gret power y wys 
 
 Come toward fis lond, and aryuede in Walis. 
 
 In ]>e town of Sent Dauid heo by leuede and aboute, 
 
 And forto asaile fis lond greyfed here route. 
 
 Kyng Aureli at Wynchestre to gret siknesse drow, 
 
 Gyneman and Pascente wer glad fer of y now. 
 
 A quoynte maistre of fe Saxones (" Eope was ys name) 
 
 To Pascence wende * anon, fat God jeue hym schame. 
 
 " 3 Wat wolclest," he seyde, " Jrilke mon to ys mede gene fawe, 
 
 tl fat fe kyng Aurely brogte of lyf dawe ? 
 
 " gef ich myjte," quof Pascenee, (f such mon fynde on, 
 
 " A fousant pownd of seluei ich wolde hym eue anon, 
 
 " And make hym euer vnder me mayster of al my londe, 
 
 " And fat ich hym wolde myd trewfe siker faste on honde, 
 
 f is forward was faste y mad, now coufe f is lufer man 
 
 4 Largage of fis lond, as" he were Cristeneman, 
 
 5 And fe maner of Bruytones, as he hadde among 6 hem y go, 
 And fe art of lechecraft, al to muche po. 
 
 His berd he lette schere first, 7 and a brod crowne al so, 
 And seffe a monke's abyt on hym he lette do. 
 
 1 Coppa Ar. * A non, 
 God yif hym moch shame Ar. 
 * " What wolt thou," he sayne, 
 " yiue the to his mede fawe, 
 " that wolde kyng Aurelie 
 
 4 The langage of Brutones, 
 as Ar. J And all the ma- 
 nere of hem, Ar. 6 Hem 
 go, Ar. i And made hym a 
 croune also, Ar. 
 
 " brynge of lyff dawe ? Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 151 
 
 And nora with hym spicery, ' jrat to fysik drow, 
 
 And wende hym to Wynchestre quoyntoliche y now, 
 
 And seyde z }>e kynge's, ]?at he wolde hym to hele brynge. 
 
 3 ]?at folk was sone glad y now for J?e * tyjnnge. 
 
 So wysliche he made yt & so wel, }?at me leuede hym fastc. 
 
 J?e kyng in hys s syde ys herte al vp liym caste. 
 
 He jef hym a luj?er drench, & ]?o he hadde dronke yt so, 
 
 He bed hym lygge & slepe wel, ]?at yt myjte do bet hym do. 
 
 J?e kyng hopede wel 6 to hym, and lette hym helie faste, 
 
 And stille was with oute noyse, & lay & slepte ys laste. 
 
 For ]?e poyson in ys slep }?e veynes so 7 ]?orp soujte, 
 
 * J?at it of eode al J?at body, & to de]?e sone hym brojte. 
 
 j?e 9 wyle he slep, I0 J>e traytour \>o wey aweyward nora 
 
 Stilleliche bi halues, ]?at me nuste wher he bi com. 
 
 Rigt aboute ]?e kynge's de|?, in j?e firmament an hey 
 
 A sterre, gret and fayr ynow, and swyjje cler, me sey. 
 
 11 O cler leom, with oute mo, ]?er stod frara hym wel pur, 
 Y formed as a dragon, as red as J>e fuyr. 
 
 Out of }>e dragone's mouj? twei leomes J?er stode ]?ere ; 
 
 12 Grettor tylde euene Est ouer Fraunce, as yt were, 
 
 ' And pro that in Ar. 
 1 The kyng (that longe 
 hadde be sike) he wolde to 
 hele brynge Ar. Urbem po- 
 stremo ingressus^ obtulit obse- 
 quium sunm clientibus regis, 
 Sf gratiam in oculis eorum in. 
 venit. Nihil enim desiderabi- 
 lius expectabant, quam medi. 
 cum Galfr. Mon. ? The folk 
 Ar. 4 Tydynge Ar. J Side al. 
 so, his herte Ar. 6 Oa hym, 
 Ar. vThurgh Ar. 8 That 
 
 all the body hit oueryede, & 
 sone to deth hym broughte Ar. 
 9 Interea nefandus proditor 
 tile, inter unum Sf alium ela- 
 psus, in curia nusquamcompa- 
 ruit Galfr. Mon. 10 This tray- 
 tour his wey a weyward 
 nome Al by halues stillelych, 
 me nuste Ar. " A cler leome 
 fro hure com, bryght so gold 
 pure, Ar. I2 The gryttere 
 Ar.
 
 152 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 }>e 6]>er hadde sene branches, alle cler ynowe, 
 
 Aud toward ]?e Yrische see Westward euene * jjei'' drowe. 
 
 }?o ]?is sterre was y sey, men a wondrede y now. 
 
 Uter, }>e kynge's broker, myd ys ost ]>o drow 
 
 To Walls to ]?is strange men, to a sayle hem & fygte. 
 
 A drad he was 3 sore y now of ]?is wonder sygte. 
 
 * Merlyn he clepude & aschede anon, how he myjte j?er of be? 
 
 Merlyn wep a non so faste, f>at deol yt was to se. 
 
 " Alas !" he seyde, " J?e deolful harm, }?at ys endeles ! 
 
 " Alas ! 5 J?at folk of Breyteyne, J?at now ys helples ! 
 
 " Ded 6 he'' ys J?e noble kyng Aureli }u broker. 
 
 "Ac J>e sterre, J?nt me yseyj), bi to}>onej> a no]?er. 
 
 *' Hye now )x>u noble due, }?at }>e batail were y smyte; 
 
 (i For kyng |?ou worst of Bretcyne, & J>e 7 maistry )>ou schalt 
 
 gete. 
 
 *' For fe sterre bi tokone)? ]?e, and J?e fur dragon al so. 
 t( j^e leom, 8 J?at out of ys mou)? oner France ys y do, 
 |C J?at by tokenej? a chyld, }>at ]?ou schalt bi gete ywys, 
 " ]?at schal wynne France & oj?er londes, in J?e world such 
 
 mon nys. 
 
 4< }je leome, ]?at tylde Westward, a dogter ]>at ys, 
 sc 9 ]?at ]?ou schalt bi ge'e, and schal habbe sones 
 
 1 Deest Ar. * Wondrede 
 ther on y novve Ar. * Swythe 
 sore of Ar. 4 Of Merlyn he 
 axede anon, hough hitt myght 
 he Ar. 5 The folk Ar. 6 Deest 
 Ar. 1 Maistry biyite. The 
 bryght sterre bytokneth the, 
 snd the fury Ar. 8 That 
 
 cometh out of his mouth, Ar. 
 'Thugh shalt biyite of thy 
 body, that shal haue sones y 
 wis, That kynges of JBru- 
 tayne shul here aftur be, Of 
 sonve and of contak thenne 
 me shal y se Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 153 
 
 " bat seal, eche aftur ober, kyng of Breteyne be, 
 
 <c Of some ober al in coritek, and bis me schal y se. 
 
 be noble mon, of warn he spek, bat he * wolde be gete, 
 
 bat was be kyng Arthure, as je schul ywyfe. 
 
 * Uter let al bis be (for he ne leuede yt not anon) 
 
 And wende toward Sent Dauid, to mete with ys fon. 
 
 be ober were of hem y war, & s garkede hem in here syde, 
 
 And * lette arme here ost wel, batail forto abyde. Bellum. 
 
 Heo come & smyte bis balaile, & faste slowe to gronde. 
 
 In eyber syde muche folk in a lute stonde, 
 
 Knygtes and ober folk, atte laste oure Lord bojte 
 
 On ys Cristene folk, and be s maystry hem brojte. 
 
 For ber was Gynemon y slawe 3 (be kyng of Yrlonde) 
 
 And Pascence (Vortigere's sone) bat so gret power hade in 
 
 honde, 
 
 And muche of here folk with hem, so bat fowe "atte nende 
 Alyue ber of scapede, bat to schip mygte wende. 
 And so 7 heo schulde lerne, with Cristenemen to fyjte. 
 For our lord wole among hys men euer cube ys myjte. 
 To Uter of ys brober deb ber com werd atte laste. 
 Aftur bis batayl he wende to Wynchestre faste. 
 
 'Sholde biyite, Ar. * U- 
 ther, when he hadde hurd al 
 this, forth he wende anon 
 Toward Seynt Dauidis, to 
 mete with his fon Ar. At U- 
 ther {in dubio tamen existens, 
 an verum protulisset Merli- 
 nus) in hostes, ut cceperat, 
 
 progreditur. Advenerat nam- 
 que prope Meneniam^ Sfc. 
 Galfr. Mon. J Greithede hem 
 Ar. 4 Lete hem army swithe 
 well, the bataille to a 
 Ar. s Victory Ar. 6 Atten 
 ende Ar. ' Hy myghte lerny, 
 Ar. 
 
 'Arst
 
 154 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 Arst was j?e kyng y buryed, er he z mygte" come j?ere, 
 Witbinne }?e place of be Stonheng, J?at he 3 lette rere. 
 For he lette j?e stude halwe, for |?e gode cors j?at }>er were, 
 And bischopes and worth! men ys body Jnder bere." 
 
 U TER, aftur ys *bro]?er de]?, }>e crowne to hym nom, 
 And J)oru.]?e heye men 5 of ]?is lond fong ]?is kyndom. 
 Of J?e dragon 6 he vnderstod, }?al y seye was on heye. 
 And of }?at Merlyn hadde 7 y seid, of J>e sijte ]?at me seyc. 
 To riche dragones of gold lie lette 8 make anon, 
 9 And at f>e mynstre of Wynchestre he offerede )?at on. 
 I0 ]?at o]?er he lette bi fore bym bere in batail wan he was. 
 Me clepede hym Uterpendragon )>er aftur for |?is cas, 
 J>at was, Uter dragone's heued, I2 & ;/ ]>at was to signifie, 
 }>at Merlyn hym clepude dragon in hys prophecie. 
 13 Otte, (Hengiste sone) }?at lu|?er Saxone, 
 And 14 Eose ys cosyn, heo Jtogte of treson. 
 \>e oj>, Jial to kyng Auryli heo swere by fore, 
 Hem J?ojte, Jo he was ded, }?at yt was al for lore. 
 
 1 Ac er was the kyng Ar. 
 * Deest Ar. * Let furst rere. 
 He hadde lete halwy the 
 place, for coorses that ther 
 were, By therchebisshopp 
 Seynt Dobrice, and other 
 that were there Ar. 4 Bro- 
 ther is deth, Ar. * Of the 
 lond a veng the kyngdom Ar. 
 6 He gan by thenche, that 
 
 was y seye an hegh Ar. 8 Y 
 seid, thurgh sight that he segh. 
 Two ryche Ar. Makie Ar. 
 9Atte hegh mynstre Ar. I0 
 The othur Ar. " Is, Ar. 
 Deest Ar. Octa (Hen. 
 giste's sone) the luthere Ar. 
 4Osa his brother also by- 
 thoughte hem on treson Ar. 
 
 Heo,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 155 
 
 Heo fjo^te,, to do pis lond schame, to Germany heo sende 
 
 1 y lorae," 
 
 (pat ys lond in Alymaine, 2 from warn heo alle come) 
 Aftur more folk of here kynde, so pat per come ynowe. 
 At Scotlond heo by gonne, and faste barnde and slowe, 
 And so 3 forp toward Euerwyk pe centre * a doun pei caste, 
 And bi segede Euerwik, po heo pider come, faste. 
 pe kyng Uter herde" here of, piderward faste he drowp. 
 To gedere heo come, and smite a batail strong y now. Beiium. 
 
 Heo * smyten & slowe in eyther syde, pat rewpe yt was to se. 
 Atte laste * pis Saxones by gonne forto fle, 
 And ' pis Britones aftur, and slowe to gronde faste ; 
 So pat some of scapode vp monteynes atte laste, 
 And some in to townes, and yt drow to nyjt, 
 So pat * heo ne mygt noper longer y se to fygte. 
 And pe Britones hem wyp drow, & pe Saxones hem reste. 
 Kyng Uter nom ys conseil, wat red were beste. 
 Gorloys, erl of Cornewayl, (pat wysest was y holde, 
 And old, and mest hadde y seye) ys red first he tolde. 
 " We mote," he seyde, " be hardy, & stalwor]?e, & wyse, 
 " gef we wol habbe oure lyf, and holde oure franchise. 
 <{ Wexing ener be}> oure fon bi water and by londe, 
 " pat, jef we abydeth longe, we schal hem not at stonde. 
 
 'Sone, Ar. 2 Of wham 
 hii furst come) Ar. * Euer 
 to ward Ar. 4 Doun caste, 
 And whan hii come to Ebrac- 
 wyk by segede the toun faste. 
 Whan kyng Uther hurde Ar. 
 
 5Foughte and Ar. 6 The 
 Saxones Ar. 7 The Bru. 
 tones Ar. 8 Hii ne myght 
 y se no lengor forto fight Ar. 
 9 What hym were do beste 
 Ar. 
 
 Vol. I. Q " Now
 
 156 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Now ' be be]? al on ywar, heo wollej? y swike by daye y 
 61 J?er fore 2 y ne rede in no maner fns nede lengor delaye. 
 *' We schul hem habbc now for nojt, y ne rede no lengor 
 
 abyde, 
 
 ' For he be]? naked & on ywar, 3 & to sprad wyde. 
 " }ris consel was wel yherd, heo hulde }?er to echon : 
 Al by nygte he wende for]?, and sogte out here fon. 
 Some beo fonde Hgge 4 slepe, heo demayde hem anon. 
 
 Capcio s Some hem wolde arme, ac wyle nadde he non. 
 Octae. 
 
 So ]?at beo slow ]?ere a ]?ousant and mo, 
 
 And nome 6 Octe and Eose, J?at wrogte al 7 ]?e wo, 
 
 And dude hem at London in pryson, & J?at was rew}>e sore 
 
 J>at heo nadde hem y slawe, for sorw ]>ei dude get more. 
 
 ])e fest of Estre }>o kyng sende ys sonde, 
 J?at heo comen alle to London ]?e hey men of J?is londe, 
 And j?e 9 leuedys al so 10 god," to ys noble fest wyde, 
 For he " schulde crowne bere, for ]?e hye tyde. 
 Alle ]?e noble men of J)is lond to J?e noble fest come, 
 And heore wyues & beore dogtren with hem mony nome. 
 ]?is fest was noble ynow, and ia nobliche y do ; 
 For mony was J?e faire ledy, ]?at y come was Jjerto. 
 
 1 Hii beth an vnywar, hii 
 wole y swyke Ar. *Y rede 
 in no wise this thyng lengour 
 Ar. J And y sprad a wyde 
 Ar. * A slepe Ar. * And 
 some wolde haue armede hem, 
 but tyme hadde the non Ar. 
 * Octa and Osa, Ar. ~\ This 
 
 Ygerne, 
 
 wo, Ar. 8 At Ester the kyng 
 made a feste, & sende a boute 
 his sonde, That to London 
 sholde come alle the hegh men 
 of the londe, Ar. 9 Ladyes 
 Ar. *Deest Ar. " Wolde 
 Ar. " Nobelly Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 157 
 
 Ygerne, Gorloys wyf, was fairest of echon, 
 bat was contasseof Cornewail, ' for" so fair nas ber non. 
 be kyng by huld hire faste y now, & ys herte on hire caste, 
 And bojte, bay heo were * wyf, to do folye atte laste. 
 He made 3 hire' semblant fair y now, to non ober so gret. 
 be erl + nas not ber with y payed, bo he yt vnder jet. 
 Aftur mete lie nom ys wyf myd 5 stordy med y now, 
 And, with oute leue of be kyng, to ys contrei drow. 
 be kyng sende to hym bo, to by leue al nyjt, 
 For he rnoste of gret consel habbe som insy jt. 
 6 bat was for nogt. Nolde he nojt be kyng sende jet ys sonde. 
 bat he by leuede at * ys" parlomente, for nede of be londe. 
 * bo kyng was, bo he nolde nojt, anguyssous & wrob. 
 For 9 despyte he wolde I0 a wreke be he swor ys ob, 
 Bute he come to amendement. Ys power atte laste 
 He jarkede, and wende forb to Cornewail faste. 
 Gorloys ys casteles a store al a boute. 
 
 In a strong castel he dude ys wyf, of hire was al ys 
 doute. 
 
 1 Deest Ar. * A wif, Ar. 
 3 To hure semblant fair, to 
 non Ar. 4 Was nought a 
 paid ther with, tho he Ar. 
 J Stourdy mod Ar. 6 But 
 al was nought. The kyng 
 eftsone sende a yen his sonde 
 Ar. 7 Deest Ar. 8 The kyng 
 was, tho he wolde nought, 
 Ar. 9 That despit Ar. 
 10 Be a wreke, & that he swor 
 his oth. And but he wolde 
 
 do his wille, he wolde hym a 
 gaste. So that in to Corne- 
 waille he greithed his ost 
 faste. In a castel of that cost, 
 me cluped Tyntagel, The erl 
 let putte his wif that stored 
 was ful wel. And in anothur 
 hym self he was, for he wolde 
 nought, Yf cas come hit were 
 wonne, bothe to dethe be 
 brought Ar. 
 
 Q 2 In
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 In ano]?er bym self he was, for he nolde nogt, 
 jef cas come, fat beo were bo]7e to dej?e y brojt." 
 J>e castel, }?at }?e erl inne was, ]?e kyng by segede faste? 
 For r he myjte ys gynnes for schame to t ]?e ober caste. 
 
 * \>Q he was her sene nygt, and * he'' spedde nogt, 
 Jgerne f>e contesse so muche was in ys J^ogt, 
 
 * ]?at he nuste non ofer wyt, ue he ne mygte for schame 
 Telle yt bute a pryue knygt, Ulfyn was ys name, 
 
 at he truste mest to. And ]>o }>e knyjt herde ]?is, 
 
 (( Syrc," he seide, 6t 5 y ne can wyte, wat red here of ys. 
 
 " For J)c castel ys so strong, )?at }>e lady ys inne, 
 
 '* For ich wene al J?e lond ne schulde ytmyd streng|?e wynnc. 
 
 " For j?e se ge]? al aboute, 7 bute entrc on j?er nys, 
 
 *' And }>at ys vp 8 on harde roches, & so narw wei it ys, 
 
 " }>at ]?er may go bote on & on, J?at j?re men with inne 
 
 " Myjte sle al j?e lond, er heo come ]?er inne. 
 
 " And nogt for j?an, jef Merlyn at J>i conseil were, 
 
 te gef ' any myjte, he cou]?e ]>e best red ]?e lere. 
 
 Merlyn was I0 sone of send, yseid yt was hym " sone, 
 
 ]?at he schulde ]?e beste red segge, wat were to done. 
 
 Merlyn was sory ynow for J?e kynge's folye, 
 
 And na]?eles f " Sire kyng," he seide, " ia here mot to maistrie. 
 
 1 JP. he ne myghte. Et tarn en 
 particula negativa deest etiam 
 in Ar. * Tho Ar. ' Deest 
 Ar. 4 That almost he loste 
 his witt, ac yut he tie dorste 
 for shame Telle hyt but to a 
 pryue Ar. * Y can no red, 
 what vs to don is Ar. 6 That 
 
 sholde a wynne Ar. 1 But 
 on entre ther is, Ar. 8 Au 
 harde roche, & so narw y wis, 
 Ar. 9 Eny man couth or 
 myghte, he wolde the best 
 lere Ar. I0 Fulsone Ar. 
 "Fulsone, Ar. "Her to 
 by houeth maistrie Ar. 
 
 y wene al this lond hym ne 
 
 ]*
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 159 
 
 " J?e erl hath twey men hym next, ' Bryjtboel & Jordan. 
 
 11 Ich wol 'make f>i self, jef f>ou wait, ]?oru art ]?at y can, 
 
 " s Habbe al ]?o fourme of the erl, as )>ou were ryjt he, 
 
 f< And Olfyn as Jordan, and as Brithoel me. 
 
 ])is art was al * clene y do, J>at al J changet he were. 
 
 Heo ]?re in J>e otheres forme, 6 j?e selue at yt were. 
 
 A jeyn euen 7 he wende for]?, * nuste nomon )?at cas. 
 
 To ]?e castel heo come ryjt as yt euene was. 
 
 e porter y se ys lord come, & ' ys meste priuey twei, 
 
 With god herte he lette ys lord in, & ys men beye." 
 
 J?e contas was glad y now, }>o hire lord' to hire com, 
 
 And ey}>er oj?er in here armes myd gret joye nora. 
 
 J?o heo to bedde com, J>at so longe a two were, 
 
 With hem was so gret delyt, ]?at bitwene hem J?ere 
 
 Bi gete was }>e beste body, ]?at euer was in J?is londe, 
 
 Kyng Arthure ]?e noble mon, J?at euer wor}> vnderstonde. 
 
 j?o Je kynge's men nuste amorwe, wer he was bi come, 
 
 Heo ferde as wodemen, and wende he were ynome. 
 
 10 Heo a saileden j?e castel, as yt schulde adoun a non. 
 
 Heo, )?at with inne were, ' ' jarkede hem echon, Occisio 
 
 And smyte out ** in a fole wille, & fojte myd here fon : 
 
 So ]?at ]?e erl was y slawe, & of ys men mony on, 
 
 1 Bryghtol Ar. Britahel 
 Galf. Mon. * The make, if 
 thuw wolt, Ar. 3 Haue the 
 fourme Ar. 4 gone Ar. 
 s Changed hii Ar. 6 Hem self 
 as hit were Ar. '> Hii Ar. 
 4 Ne wiste no niati this cas 
 
 Ar. 9 His moste priuees 
 beye, Als hym thought, and 
 let hem yn, & his seriauntz 
 tweye Ar. I0 They assail- 
 ede the castel egrely, as he 
 shold douu anon Ar. " Grei. 
 thed Ar. " With a full Ar. 
 Q 3 And
 
 160 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And be castel was y nome, & be folk to sprad pere, 
 
 jet, bo bei hackle al ydo, heo ne fonde not be kyng bere. 
 
 be ' typing to be *compas sone was 3 y nome, 
 
 fat hire lord was y slawe, and be castel y nome. 
 
 Ac * bo be messinger 5 hym sey be erl, as hym bojte, 
 
 fat he hadde so foule e ylow, ful sore hym of b ojte. 
 
 fe contasse made some del deol, ' for no sobnesse heo nuste. 
 
 be kyng, 8 for to glade here, bi clupte hire and custe. 
 
 *' Dame," he seide, c ' 9 no sixt bou wel, bat les yt ys al bis ? 
 
 " Ne wost bou wel ich am oly ue ? Ich wolc be segge how it ys, 
 
 " Out of be castel I9 slilleliche ych wende al in priuete, 
 
 tf bat none of myne men yt u nuste, for to spcke with be. 
 
 <c And bo heo myste me to day, and nuste wer ich was, 
 
 " |Z Heo ferden rijt as gydie men, myd warn no red nas, 
 
 <c And fogte with be folk 13 with oute, & habbeb in bis manere 
 
 u 14 Y lore be castel & hem selue, ac wel thou wost y am here. 
 
 1 Tydyng Ar. L. contas. 
 Nam couutesse in Ar. 3 Re. 
 ctiusj y come, cum Ar. * Sed 
 cum regem in specie consults 
 juxta earn residere inspexis- 
 sent [nuncii)~] erubescentes 
 admirabantur ipsum, quern in 
 obsidione interfectum deseru- 
 erant, ita incolumem prave- 
 nisse Galfr. Mon. J Y seigh the 
 Erl right, as hym thought, Ar. 
 * Y lowe, sore hit hym of 
 thought, Ar. ^ Butyutforsothe 
 heo nuste Ar. 8 Thenne, to 
 glady hure, clupte hure ofte & 
 kuste Ar. 9 Ne seist though 
 well, that fals hit is al this ? Ne 
 
 seist though well y am a lyue ? 
 Y woll telle hough hit is Ar. 
 Potest tamen ne idem quod now 
 hie significare, quo sensuplena 
 distinctione^ non interrogandi 
 nota, est utendum, idtjuod di- 
 ce ndum etiam est de no in tex- 
 tu, quod idem atque now va- 
 lere queat. I0 Priuely Ar. 
 11 Wiste, to speke a word with 
 the. And whanne hii faillede 
 of me to day. Ar. 12 Hii ferde 
 y wot as gidy men, "with wham 
 no red nas, Ar. 1} Ther oute, 
 and haueth Ar. M I lost the 
 castel and hem self, but y am 
 with the here Ar. 
 
 Ac
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. J61 
 
 *' Ac for ray castel, }>at ys ylore, sory ich am y now, 
 
 " And for myn men, j?at J?e kyng and ys power si 05. 
 
 t( Ac * my power is now to lute, |?er fore y drede sore, 
 
 u Leste}>e kyng * vs nyme here, & sorwe J>at we were more. 
 
 t( j?er fore ich wole, how so yt be, wende ajen }?e kynge, 
 
 * c And make 3 my pays with hym, ar he vs to schame * vs" 
 
 brynge. 
 
 For]> he wende, & het ys men, 5 }>at jef ]?e kyng come, 
 }>at ]?ei schulde hym j?e castel jelde, ar he with strengJTe it 
 
 nome. 
 
 Jx> he come toward ys men, ys owne forme he riom, 
 And leuede ]>e erle's fourrae, ' & \>c kyng Uter by com. 
 Sore hym of Jrojte ]?e erie's de]?, ac in o]?er half he fonde 
 Joj'e in hys herte, for J)e contasse of spoushed was vnbonde. 
 }?o he hadde }?at he wolde, and paysed with ys fon, 
 To })e contasse he wende agen, me let hym in a non. 
 Wat halt it to telle longe? bute heo were sej?J>e at on, 
 In gret loue longe y now, wan yt nolde afyer gon ; 
 And hadde to gedere ])is noble sone, ]?at in ]?o wprld ys pcre 
 
 nas, 
 pe kyng Arture, and a dojter, Anne hire name was. 
 
 1 Oure power ys now lyte, 
 Ar. > Her ynne YS nyme, 
 that vrere sorwe more. Ar. 
 * Ferst my pees with hyra, 
 
 Ar. 4 Recte omittit Ar. * Yf 
 that the Ar. . And kyng 
 a ye by cam Ar. 
 
 4 Octe
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 ' OcTE and Eose, pis luper Saxones twey, 
 
 In prison were at London, as ich 5011 tolde, beye. 
 
 Myd here wardeynes pel spekon, so pat pei bo)) y wys 
 
 Fiowe into * Germaine, pat in Alimayne ys, 
 
 And grete power gaderede of Saxones per. 
 
 jet it hadde beter * y bo, pat me hadde y slawe hem er. 
 
 In Scotlond heo ariuede, and 4 werreden faste, 
 
 And barnde & slow to gronde, & townes a doun caste. 
 
 pe kyng lay po sore syk, heo were glad for pat cas. 
 
 An erl per was of Leycetre, Lot ys name was, 
 
 pat 5 strong knyjt was & god, pe kyng hym by tok ys mygt, 
 
 And pe power of pis lond, * with pe hepe men to fygte. 
 
 Also ys dogter Anne he gif hym to ^ hys" wyae. 
 
 pis noble 8 erl with )>e Britones ajeyn ys fon wentebiliue, 
 
 And fagt, and slow 9 faste, and J?e hej^ene I0 al so god. 
 
 Ac nameless |?e hepene folk faster a jen stod. 
 
 For ]>e Brutones nolde for prade aftur j?e erl do. 
 
 For he nas not kyng, & }?er fore }>e worse hem " com to. 
 
 J?o ]?e tiding com to |?e kyng, pat n heo so febliche spedde, 
 
 He was so sori and so wrop, pat he ney awedde. 
 
 1 Octa and Osa, the luthere 
 Saxones tweye, Ar. z Get. 
 manie Ar. J Y be, they hadde 
 he queld ere Ar. 4 Werrede 
 swithe faste, Ar. 5 Stale- 
 worth man was & good, the 
 kyng toke hym his myght, 
 Ar. 6 With hethene men Ar. 
 i Deest Ar. 8 Erl a yenst the 
 
 Saxones wende forth as blyue, 
 Ar. 9 Staleworthly, and 
 
 Ar. * Also good. For the 
 hethene men strengore euer 
 with stood. The Brutones 
 eke for pruyte nought for the 
 Erl do Ar. " Cam to Ar. 
 "Hii^r. 
 
 Bi
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 163 
 
 Bi fore hym he lette brynge ys men, & bi gan hem faste blame, 
 
 J?at heo for heore prude brojte }?is lond to schame. 
 
 }>ider he seide he wolde hym self, J?aj he ne myjte on fote, go, 
 
 jef any horsbere wold him bere, to wreke hym of ys fo. 
 
 Myd god wille he wende for]? in an horse bere, 
 
 1 And ys folc for]? with hym, J?at ]?e balder for hym were. 
 
 ]?e Saxones were so prowde, J?at ]>e kyng com so, 
 
 ]?at* vnne]?e heo wolde" armes on hem do. 
 
 For heo seide, it were schame, ]?at we y armed were. 
 
 J Nys he more ]?an half ded y lad in a bere ? 
 
 j?e kyng * set vp ys herte hye, & ordeyned ys men faste. 
 
 J> e Saxoaes * he asailede, and to gronde caste. 
 
 So j?at sone dayes hem of 6 Jxrz;te here prute, 
 
 ]?at heo of ]?e noble mon }?e kyng tolde so ^ lute. 
 
 For }>er was * Otte y slawe, and ys cosyn Oese al so, occisio 
 
 And so yt hadde be beter, ]?at me hadde er y do. 
 
 ]?e Saxones, }?at myjte fle, bi gonne to fle faste 
 
 ]?us ' }>e same dede kyng cou]?e hem agaste. 
 
 * l lo Lo," he seide, " }?ei clepude me sam ded kyng some, 
 
 <f And jet ich habbe leuer sam ded hem ouercome, 
 
 '* J>an hoi and sond be ouercome ; and leuer al so me ys 
 
 c< For to dye myd honour, ]?an M libbe in schame y wys. 
 
 'The folk, that wende 
 forth with hym, the bolder for 
 hym were Ar. * Unnethe for 
 hure prute hii wolde Ar. 
 3 He is more than Ar. 4 His 
 herte sett an hygh, & ordenyd 
 his folk faste Ar. s Hii asail- 
 lede, and slough to gronde 
 faste Ar. * Thought al htire 
 
 gret pruyte, That hii of the 
 noble man Ar. t Luyte Ar. 
 8 Octa y slawe, and Osa also, 
 Ar. The half dede Ar. Se. 
 mimortuus Galfr.Mon. lo " Lo 
 half dede kyng," he sede, 
 11 ye clupeth me somme, Yut 
 " haue y leuer half dede hem 
 Ct ouercome, Ar. " Lyue, Ar. 
 
 * Jv
 
 164 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 ]?e Saxones * were ]>o ouercome, ac Iieo ne leuede jet nojt 
 Heore schrewede dede, ac to wro}>e hele wer bco to dej?e 7 
 
 bro^t. 
 
 For heore ost euer wax hem com cuer mo and mo. 
 BoJ>e bi Est and bi Nor]? }?ei dude 3 mucliel wo. 
 J?e kyng wolde ajen hem wende, ac he no mostefor ys conseil. 
 For J>e 4 feblor wel he was for |?e oj?er trauail. 
 ]?e Saxones hem hadde ymad in J?is lond y wys 
 Kynges in J>re s studes, ]?at al to on y comen ys. 
 Hengist 6 was first kyng of T Keng, & Elle in Sou]?sex, 
 And se)>J?e last wast Certyk kyng of Wcstsex. 
 For he and Kenryk ys sone come vp at jarnemoujje, 
 And se^e a duk, J?at hatte Port, com vp at Portesmowf>e. 
 Yt was as s in gere of grace |?at God was bore, ich wene, 
 J?at Certik com first, four hundred jer & four score & tene. 
 Kyng he was of West sex, and ys ofspryng al so, 
 And atte laste ]?ilke kynde al }>e oj?er wan J?er to. 
 For Port, f>ike grete duk, com vp here by Sou]?e, 
 Me clepu]? ' yt," ]?er he first com vp, aftur bym Portes- 
 
 mowjje. 
 
 1 The Saxones tho were 
 ouercome, that hii by left hit 
 nought. Huresherewed herte 
 hem wrother hele to deth for- 
 soth brought, fterwar eft 
 the Saxones ost wax euer mo 
 and mo Ar. * Delicti autem 
 SaxoncSy non idcirco a mali- 
 tia sua deititerunt, sed aqui. 
 
 lonares prorincias ingressi, 
 populos incessanter infesta- 
 bant Galfr. Mon. s Gret Ar. 
 4 Feblor he was tho for his 
 erst travayll Ar. *Stedes, 
 that come to on now is Ar. 
 6 Furst was kyng in Kent, 
 and Elle Ar. 1 Sic. |n 
 the yer Ar. 9 Deest Ar. 
 
 f'US
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 165 
 
 Jms were ' heo'' in werre and 2 wo ymenged f>e Saxoncs, 
 
 Som tyme aboue 3 &" some tyme by ne]?e, 4 here myd J>e 
 
 Britones. 
 Ac al aboue * neuere hii nere ar aftur ]?e kyng Arturc. 
 
 Ac suj?]?e hii wonne al clene out, as je solle here aftur hure. 
 Uter, )?e gode kynge, (of 7 wan we speke by vore,) 
 
 1 Was feble after pat he was in |?e hors bere y bore, 
 ]?at he moste vor feblesse nede" holde hym stylle, 
 
 Jer vore J>e lu]?er Saxons I0 so muche adde her wylle. 
 
 11 And jute }?o hyy ne mygte hym se, ll hyy jjojte wyt trayson 
 
 In some manere hym brynge of lyue, oj)er wyj? poyson. 
 
 Hiy sende her feble messagers in pouere monne wede, 
 
 J?at at doles in }>e court her mete myd oj?ere bede. 
 
 Hii aspyed in ]>e court ouer al of Jiynges alle, 
 
 So J>at hyi vnder jete '* an wclle, ney \>t halle, 
 
 Of wat ]?e kyng ofte drone, vor he ne drone in such cas 
 
 Lutyl oper pyng bote |?ere of, vor ]?e wadyr so cold was. 
 
 Wanne he drone ekyn wyn, ]?erainong yt was ydo. 
 
 And me made metes in J?e court myd Jnilke water al so. 
 
 1 Deest Ar. 2 In vr o men- 
 ged Ar. * Deest Ar. 4 A- 
 mong the Ar. 5 Where hii 
 neuere er after Ar. 6 But 
 after hym hii wonne al clene, 
 as ye shul after hure Ar. 
 ^ Wham Ar. 8 Gan faste for 
 to feble an horse beere y bore, 
 So that he moste for feblesse 
 netles Ar. 9Ther fore Ar. 
 "To muche Ar. ll yut 
 (omisso and) tho they ne Ar. 
 '* Hii thoughte in treson For 
 
 to brynge hym to deth with 
 som maner poyson. Hii sende 
 fele messageres in poure men- 
 nes wede, Ar. '* A well, 
 negh the kynge's halle, Of 
 which the kyng ofte dronk. 
 For in this ilke cas Litel 
 othur thyng he dronk, but 
 water that cold was. Whanne 
 he dronk also any wyne, ther 
 on hit was y do, And mete 
 me made in the court of thulk 
 welle also Ar.
 
 166 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 j?o ]?e traytors yt vnder jete, Lii l en venymede wyj? ynne 
 
 ]?e welle about in eche syde * myd her lu|?cr gynne. 
 
 f>at fe water, J?at ferof com, poyson was wel strong. 
 
 f>e kyng was sone apoysond, *J?o lie }?erof drone, 
 
 An mo j)an an hondred of hys men, ar me wyste were of yt com. 
 
 Muche ssame were bii wur)?e, J?at do]? such 5 suyke dom. 
 
 SoJ? hym sede Merlyn er, }>at he solde J?oru puyson deye. 
 
 ]pe chere men of lond, J>o hii ded hym yseye, 
 
 Deol & sorwe hii made ynou, ac j?o )?er nas o]?er red, 
 
 Hii let hym beburye by ys bro]?er, as he hyra sulf bede. 
 
 6 Atte mynystre of Ambysbure, at Stoneheng ywys. 
 
 Wel agte 7 ]?at he be wur]?e stude, J?at such sepulture ys. 
 
 , 8 liter sone, (of wan we tolde by uore,) 
 Ye abbyth y hurd hou he was bygete & ybore. 
 )>o J?ys kyng was J?us ded, J?e heye men alle come 
 Of )?e lond to 9 Cylycestre, and conseyl |?erof nome 
 Vor to make hem a kyng. I0 Vor nede horn drof }?erto. 
 Vor the Saxons wuste, J?at }>e kyng was ded so, 
 
 1 Fontem namque aggresst 
 aunt nephandi proditores, ip- 
 sumque ajfecerunt veneno y ita 
 ut manans aqua tota corrum- 
 petur Galf. Mpn. * With 
 hure enuenymouse gynne Ar. 
 3 Full Ar. 4 Whan he Ar. 5 
 Swikeldom. So hym seyde 
 Merlyn er he sholde thurgh 
 poyson deye. The hegh men 
 of the lond, tho hii his deth y 
 seye, Ar. 6 By side tke toun 
 
 of Ambresbury, at Stonhenge 
 y wis Ar. 1 That be a worthi 
 stede, ther such sepulture It 
 Ar. 8 Uthere's sone, (of 
 wham) Ar. ' Cilchestre Ar. 
 * Urgebat cnim eos neces situs. 
 quiO) audito prcedicti regis 
 obttu, Saxones cuncives suos 
 ex Germania invitaverant^ Sf 
 duce Colgrino ipsos extermi. 
 nare nilebantur Galfr. Mon. 
 
 Hii
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 1(57 
 
 Hii sende uorthe to Alymayne after more poer blyue, 
 
 And f>ojte J>ys Brutons al clene of londe dryue. 
 
 So J?at hii adde y wonne al clene )?at Nor]? londe, 
 
 Fram Homber to Cataneys, & adde al in her honde. 
 
 Artur was ]?o gong mon of vyftene gere vnnej>e, 
 
 And jut al ]?at londe made ' hyra, after ys fader's defe, 
 
 And * began suon eke er such man vorto be, 
 
 j?at menessolde in none londe ys per nour yse. 
 
 So large he was & so hende, & 3 al" so de bonere ; 
 
 So hardy and so gentyl, and of so vayr manere. 
 
 4 ]po so muche folc to hym come, * of kyngtys gong & olde, 
 
 }>at he * nadde nogt wel ware wyth such meyne up to holde. 
 
 Ac 7 ys herte was euere god, gong ]?ey he were, 
 
 * Vor he }>o%te of J?e Saxons ys spence vp arere. 
 
 He bygan wel sone to arere ys baner. 
 
 Vbr ys prowesse he adde sone gret folc and poer. 
 
 He wende toward Euerwyk ' myd vayr I0 copanye y nou. 
 
 ]?o ]?e Saxons hyt vnder jete, })at he ^uderward drou, 
 
 Of Scottes, and of Pycars, and of hym sulue hii nome, 
 
 Gret poer y nou and strong, and agen hym come. 
 
 1 Subintellige, kyng. a 
 Thenne bygan such a man 
 to be, That me myghte in 
 non londe no whar his per se 
 Ar. J Deest Ar. 4 And so 
 Ar. * Of yonge and of olde, 
 Ar. 6 Hadde vnnethe \vhar- 
 with such a meyne holde Ar. 
 7 Arthurus ergo, quia in illo 
 
 probitas largitatem comitaba, 
 tur,$tatuitSaxonesinquietare t 
 ut eorum opibus^ quce ei fa- 
 mulabatur^ ditaret familiam 
 Galfr. Mon. 8 And euere h 
 thoghte of the Saxones his dis- 
 penses rere Ar. 9 With gret 
 power y nogh Ar. '" Sic.
 
 168 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 ber was slagt in cyber half, none mercy ber nas. 
 
 Ac kyng Arture atte laste (as God wolde) aboue was, 
 
 And sywede into Euerwyk * Colgrym her cheuenteyn, 
 
 And hym, bo he was wybynne, byseged 3 myd al ys many. 
 
 Baldulf, Colgryme's broker, syx bousend men myd him nom. 
 
 And, ys broker vorto help, toward Euerwyk com. 
 
 4 So he was fram Euerwyk aboute s an ten myle, 
 
 He * at stunte, & bojte, bat he wolde myd gyle 
 
 Up be kyng Arture come anonywar by nyjte, 
 
 And so him and al ys folc ssende, jyf he mytte. 
 
 ]?e kyng was 7 berof ywar, he bojte to do bote. 
 
 Myd syx hondred kyngtes, & 8 bre bousend men 9 auote, 
 
 Cadour, erl of Cornwayle, ajen hym he sende, 
 
 10 bat agen hym come anonyvvare, by awey bat he wende, 
 
 And slou and vere wouudede, and monye brojte to debe^ 
 
 So bat bys " Baldulf of scapede alyue vnnebe. 
 
 be wyle la bat" be kyng Arture biseged Euerwyk, 
 
 Me tolde hym of a gret due, 1S bat het Theldryk, 
 
 bat out of Alemayne com '* in to Scotlonde so 
 
 " Myd syx hondred syppuol kyngtys, & al be atyl ber to. 
 
 1 Ther was slaughter gret 
 y nogh, and mercy lite ther 
 was Ar. * Colgryn Ar. 
 i With his myght and mayn. 
 Bathulf Colgryne's brother, 
 Ar. 4 And tho he was Ar. 
 sA^r. 6 Astynte, Ar. 7 Her 
 of y war, and thoghte her of 
 do bote. With six Ar. 'Foure 
 Ar. Sed ut Codex noster liar- 
 .Mon. vAfote, 
 
 Ar. io An vn ywar to falle 
 on hym, by weye as hii wnde. 
 The Erl brak rp his bussh. 
 ment, & broghte manyon to 
 dethe Ar. "like Bathulf 
 ascapede a lyue vnnethe Ar. 
 " Deest Ar. >3 Me clupede 
 Cheldryk, Ar. < To Scot- 
 londe tho Ar. "With VI. 
 hundred shupfull of men, and 
 hure atyr ther to. That was 
 power
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 169 
 
 j?ere was so gret poyr in to an londe y lad. 
 
 j?o )>e kyngy's conseyl wuste J>ys, hyt was som dele adrad. 
 
 J?e kyng Arture hii radde anon, to London vorte wende, 
 
 To nyme }>er ys conseyl, wuch were best geiide, 
 
 Leste such poer come vp hym, and hym ssende. 
 
 ]?e kyng dude aftur her rede, and to Londone wcnde. 
 
 J?ere he hulde ys Parlement, wat were best to done. 
 
 ' ]?o * ]?at he and ys conseyl at one red were sone. 
 
 3 ]>o J^at to }>e lasse Brutayne ]?e kyng sone sende 
 
 To Howwel, kyng of J?e lond, J?at he to hym wende 
 To helpe hym in such nede, and that hym vnderstode 
 J?at kunde yt wolde J>at he dude, vor hii were of one blode. 
 J?e kyng Arture's syster's sone J>ys kyng Howwel was, 
 
 4 And J?e kyngys sone of lasse Brytayne, & none nerer kunde 
 
 ]?er nas. 
 
 j?o {^ raessager wy]? ]?e tydyng to kyng Howwel com, 
 Hys conseyl wel hastelyche in such nede he nome, 
 Vor to helpe ys s neueu, and ys kynedom. 
 * Myd vyftene Jousend kyn^tes into ]?ys londe he com. 
 
 power wonder gret to on 
 londe y ladde, Tho the kyng 
 hurde this, he was somdel a 
 dradde. The kynge's counsail 
 radde hym a 11011, to London 
 forto wende, To counsaille 
 hogh he myght best his ene. 
 myes a shende Ar. 
 
 'Sothat^r. *Communitan. 
 detn assensu iilato, mittuntur 
 Armoricam nuncii ad regem 
 
 Hoelum, qui ei calamitutem 
 Britannice notificarent. Erut 
 autem Hoelus Jilius sororit 
 Arthur 7, ex Budicio, rege Ar- 
 morieorum Britonum, gene, 
 rat us Galfr. Mon. 3 To the 
 lasse Brutayne forto sende sone. 
 Ar. 4 The kynredene of hem 
 no ferther lias Ar. * Kynnes- 
 man, Ar. 6 With XV. thou- 
 send of men to this Ar, 
 
 At
 
 170 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 At Souj^hamtone ' he com vp, & J>o hyi to gadere come 1 
 
 J?ys tueye kyngys hii custe hem, & hii cltipte hem ylome* 
 
 J)o hii adde her folc y set, z as rygt was in such cas, 
 
 Vorjjward toward Lyncolne hii wende 3 myd god pas. 
 
 Jere hii come & mette hym, & strong batayle smyte J?ere, 
 
 So }>at moo ]?an syx jxmsend of J?e Saxon aslawe were, 
 
 Wat aslawe wat adrent, so }?at atte laste, 
 
 \>o * hii ne seye oj>er won^ hii gonne to fle vaste 
 
 In to a wode j?cr by syde : and 5 ]?o hii }>er in come, 
 
 Hem J?ogte hii were sykere ynou, & toke e lasse gome. 
 
 J?e kyng sy wede * after, & byseged hem aboute. 
 
 1 Ac" among J?e *tren hii wuste hem, J?at hii nadde nodoute. 
 
 fo j?e kyng Arture ysey, J>at hii nolde out come, 
 
 A boute ]?e wode he let fulle |)e grete tren sone, 
 
 And leyde ech vpe o]?er aboute in ech ende, 
 
 J?at yt was, as yt were, awal jjat hii ne solde out wende. 
 
 f re 9 dawes & J?re nyjt mete les hii wuste hem so, 
 
 J?at hii nuste hou on take, ne wat vor hunger do. 
 
 \>Q kyng" Arture hii bysojte mercy I0 atte ende, 
 
 at he granted hem in pes out of ys londe wende, 
 
 1 This kynges tweyne furst 
 to gedre come. Aither othur 
 clippe gan, and kuste to 
 gedre y lome Ar. * As hit 
 fel in such Ar. 3 A ful good 
 pas. The Brutones and the 
 Saxones smyte a gret ba. 
 taille there, So that sixty 
 thousand [serf, sex milia in 
 Galfr. Mon.J Saxones ther y 
 
 were a dreynt, so Ar. * Hii 
 seygh non othur won, Ar. s 
 Whenne Ar. 6 After faste, and 
 Ar. ^ Deest Ar. * Trees hii 
 kepte hem longe, for al Ar- 
 thure's route Ar. 9 Dayes 
 & thre nyght hii were y kepte 
 so, That hii nuste for hunjre 
 What hii myghte do. Of 
 kyng Ar. >0 Atten ende, Ar. 
 
 An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 171 
 
 An hii granted hym al her god, bat hiL hyder ladde, 
 
 Gold and seluer and tresour, al clene bat hii adde. 
 
 Hii ' byhete hyra eke ech jer, to here hym truage 
 
 Out of her londe, and berto * take hym god ostage. 
 
 be kyng bom ys conseyl s encented wel her to, 
 
 And god ostage of nom, be truage vor to do ; 
 
 And atel al her god, and let him al bar wende. 
 
 And jut hym of bojte sone, bat he was hem so hende. 
 
 Myd her gold & seluer & myd her tresour he myjte 
 
 Susteyny gode wyle hys ost vorto fyjte, 
 
 Ac jut bys lubere false men, in be see bo hii come, 
 
 Turnede agen to suykedome, and anober red nome. 
 
 Atte hauene of Toltenas hii gonne + eft aryue, 
 
 And dude hym alond, & rewede in Deuenyssyre blyue. 
 
 And so uorb in Somersete, * and' 7 muche wo gonne do 
 
 Al anone to Seuerne, and to Babe 6 so, 
 
 And bysegede be 7 (houn, ac wyt boute hii were. 
 
 Vor be kyng- byuore was hii bygonne her werre bere. 
 
 Vor be kyng was toward Scotlond, & awreke hymbojte 
 
 Of Scottes and of Pigars, bat euer vnele hym wrojte. 
 
 1 Promiserunt quoque, se 
 daturas ei tributum ex Ger- 
 mania,) obsidesque inde man- 
 suros Galfr. Mon. 2 Make hym 
 good Ar. * Assentede ther to, 
 And ostage of hem nam truage 
 to do. At helde hem & al 
 hure good, & let hem bar 
 wende Ar. 4 Up aryue, And 
 come a londe, & robbede in 
 Deuenesshire as blyue Ar. 
 
 s Deest Ar. 6 Also, Ar. 
 ^Toun, but out hii holdewere. 
 The kyng fer by Northe was 
 for to werry there. Of Scottes 
 & of Picardz a wreke hym he 
 thoghte, That euermore to his 
 lond muche shame wroghte. 
 The tydynge to hym com of 
 thes Saxones tho, He wiste 
 neuere hoder turne so wo was 
 hym tho. Of Scottes Ar. 
 
 Vol. I. n bo
 
 112 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J>o ]>e tydyng to hym come of ]>c Saxons ' we, 
 
 He nuste in we|?er ende turne, so vol he was of wo. 
 
 Of J?e Scottes" he wolde awreke be, jyf tyme hyra J?erto jeue, 
 
 Ac he * nolde vor non }>yng }>e Saxons byleue. 
 
 3 Howwel, ys scyster sone, kyng of J?e oj?er Brutayne, 
 
 Mest in ys herte was, vor anguysse to playne, 
 
 (Vor he lay byuore syk) ]?at he solde by leue hym )?ere, 
 
 Laste J?e Scottes hym dude ssame, o]?er )?at he ded were. 
 
 He byleuyd bym poer ynou, and toward Soraersete 
 
 Wende toward J)e Saxons, vor }?at nolde he nojt lete." 
 
 J?o he come to Somersete, and j?e Saxons sey, 
 
 He houede, & spec to ys men J?es wordes al an hey : 
 
 " Vor * ]?ys lu]?er Saxons 5 abbyt gret dedeyu 
 
 " Vorto holde me treu}>e, gj f ych abbe eny mayn, 
 
 " Ich chylle treuj>e holde to Jhcsu Crist treuly (jyf ych may) 
 
 " And J>at blod of ys kunde floe awreke gut today/' 
 
 i{ Armej? ^ou nou hastelyche, arniej? jou anon, 
 
 " Vor we ssolle to day * myd God help ouercome vr fon. 
 
 1 We idem est quod Anglo. 
 Sax. fa. sive pae, i. e. wo -eel 
 sorrow. Sed J?o (ut reor) est 
 reponendum e Cod. Ar. ut 
 prius J?o, M'hen, postering 
 then signet. * Wolde for no 
 Ihyng Ar. 3 But for Howel, 
 his suster sone, kyng of lasse 
 Brutayne, At Alclud sore sik 
 Jay, he was in gretpayne, And 
 that he inoste nedely byleue 
 hym tho there, Leste the Scottes 
 dude hym shame, or dies that 
 he dede were. He bileft a power 
 
 with hym, and toward So- 
 mersete He wende a yen the 
 Saxones, he wolde hit noghf 
 for lete Ar. 4 These Ar. 
 
 5 Haueth of vs dedeyne, And 
 haueth thus y broke huie oth. 
 yf y haue myght and mayne, 
 I make a vogh to Jhesu 
 Christ, (to holde, yfymay,) 
 The blood, that they haueth 
 shad, to venge yut to day Ar. 
 
 6 Thurgh Code's help ouer- 
 come oure fon. The kyng at 
 the gynnynge let an hange 
 
 anon
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 173 
 
 Ac be kynng atte bygynnyg let hang echon 
 
 Her ostages vor be treson, he ne byleuede nojt on . 
 
 bo bys * gode /; folc jare was * in to batayle ryde, 
 
 Seyn Dubryc, be archebyssop of Carleon, gan abyde, 
 
 And wende 3 vp a lute hul amydde bys companye : 
 
 ft je Crystyne men," he seyde, " of 4 so" noble seynore, 
 
 <( bat beb Gode's owe lymys, born goure Crystendora, 
 
 " * benc he on God, bat vor vs deyde, & on 6 bys kynedom. 
 
 (e Fyjteb vor jure 7 kunde, and defendeb goure rygte. 
 
 " bencheb be nede of be londe, & of * vr louerd" mygte. 
 
 " And gyf eny of 3011 ys aslawe here in bys fvgte 
 
 " To sauy 9 be lond folc vor be londe's rygte, 
 
 " He sy web purlyche God, bat gef ys owe lyf here, 
 
 " To sauy vs synneuol men fram be deuele's poen 
 
 tc And wo so here ys aslawe, ys deb hym sal be 
 
 ff In I0 lesnesse of al ys synnys, & ys soule ssalle fle 
 
 " And be ybrogt byuore God, ar Ir bat body be cold. 
 
 He ia asouled al bys folc, bo he adde al bys y told. 
 
 IJ J?at folc boru ys prechynge so god wylle nom bere, 
 
 14 bat hem bojte echewyle fyue, in batayle ar hii were. 
 
 anon Alle hure ostages, he 
 lefte a lyue non Ar. 
 
 1 Deest Ar. *In bataille 
 for to ryde, Therchebisshop 
 Dobryght bade hem alle a- 
 byde, Ar. 3 Upon a litel 
 hulle among this Ar. 4 Deest 
 Ar. JThenketh on God, 
 Ar. 6 His Ar. sedrectius j^ys. 
 7 Kynde blod, and also for 
 your ryght Ar. 8 Our Lorde's 
 Ar. 9 The Christene fey, 
 
 and his Lorde's ryght, he 
 syweth purly God, that yaf 
 Ar. 10 Foryieuenge Ar t 
 11 The body Ar. Asoil- 
 ede Ar. I3 The people Ar. 
 14 That euery while hem 
 thoghte ten, er hii were there. 
 The kyng thanne let arme 
 hym self in hauberk noble & 
 riche. An helm of gold vpon 
 his hed, nowher non hitt 
 liche Ar.
 
 ftobert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 f>e ' kynng was abouc yarmed wyf haubert noble & rychey 
 
 Wyf helm of gold on ys heued, (nas nourliym ylyche) 
 
 f ti fourrae of a dragon feron z was yeast. 
 
 Hys ssekl, fat het Prydwen, was fanne y honge wast 
 
 About ys ssoldren, and feron y peynt was and ywort 
 
 fe yraage of our Lady, in wan was al ys fogt. 
 
 Myd ys suerd he was ygurd, fat * so" strong was & kerie, 
 
 Calybourne yt was ycluped, * nas nour no such yc wene. 
 
 In ys ryjt bond ys lance he nom, fat yclnped was lion, 
 
 Long& gret s & strong ynon, hyra ne rny^te alsytte non. 
 
 He fojle al 6 on Jhesu Criste, and ys men echon, 
 
 Upe fe doune aboue Bafe hii "> my tie myd her fon. 
 
 Hii srayte batayle strong y iron, fat al long day ylaste. 
 
 f e Saxons in her syde stode euere agen vastc. 
 
 Myche folk fer was ynon aslawe in eyfer syde. 
 
 fo fe nygt vp hem come, fat hii ne myjte no leng abydc, 
 
 8 Up an toret of an v herre hulle fe Saxons wende fere, 
 
 fat fe heye bulle to hym was a eastel, as yt were. 
 
 Amoraje, fo yt day was, adoun eft hii alygte, 
 
 And in batayle strong ynou bygonne ef sone 
 
 l jpse vero Arthur us, lortca, 
 lanto rege digna, indutus, au- 
 ream galeam > simulachro dra- 
 conis inscutptam, capiliadap- 
 tat Galfr. Mon. * Was his crest. 
 Hisshild, that het Pridewen, 
 aboute his nekke he kest. A 
 cros ther on was peynt, and 
 on a corner An ymage of oure 
 Lady on that sheld he ber. 
 
 Ar. 4 Perlees as y wene Ar. 
 5 And poynted wel, myght 
 hit of sitte non Ar. 6 InAr. 
 7 Mette with Ar. 8 Up the 
 
 cop 
 
 of an hull the Saxones 
 
 wende there, For to be re- 
 fuyt to hem, and eastel, as hit 
 were. A morwe as sone as hii 
 was day, doun hii a light, Ar. 
 9 L. heye. 
 
 With his sweord Ar. 3 Deest 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 175 
 
 And slowe vaste in ey]?er half, ]?at reu]?e yt was ynou. 
 
 bo J?e kyng Arture y sey, }>at me so vastc ys men slou, 
 
 Hys berte he gan vp arere, Jjat lie nadde J?e maystrye, 
 
 And dude ys wylle ' al to God, & on ys moder Marie, 
 
 And Calybourne, ys gode suerd, * myd gode ernest adrou, 
 
 And smot aboute 3 in eujjer syde to grounde & hard ynou, 
 
 And four hondred men, ar he resle, ys owe honde he slou, 
 
 An syxty and ten al so, be asaut was somdel tou. 
 
 And ber to nadde he o|?er help, bote God & Seynte Marie, 
 
 An Calybourne ys gode suerd, to do suche maystrye. 
 
 jjo ys men yseye bys, after vaste hii drowe, 
 
 And to grounde aboute smyte, & f>e Saxons vaste slowe. 
 
 Colgrym, bat her mayster was, and + Baldulf, ys broker, 
 
 Aslawe were at jmlke asaut, & also mony s a noj?er. 
 
 Vor mony Jiousend pere Avere aslawe, & Teldryc atte laste, 
 
 IJys felawes bo he sey aslawe, bygan to fle vaste." 
 
 \>o ]?ys batayle was ydo, to j?e kyng com message, 
 
 }?at be Scotte^ & 6 Pygars dude hym gret out rage, 
 
 7 And syre Howwel ys neueu, kyng of be of>er Brutannye, 
 
 * j?at syk 9 day, as ych seyde er, byseged myd al her mayne 
 
 1 Al on God, and his mo. 
 der Ar. 2 With ernyst vp he 
 drogh, Ar. 3 In aither half 
 to grounde and faste slogh. 
 Foure hundred vnder his 
 hond with his sweord gon 
 deye, Thurgh the help of our 
 Lord and his moder Marie. 
 The kynge's men seigh this, 
 |- after hym faste drogh, Ar. 
 
 4 Bathulf Ar. s Anothur. 
 Than thes men thus were 
 slawe ? Cheldrik atte laste, 
 Tho he segh non other won, 
 gan to fle faste Ar. 6 Picar- 
 des Ar. 1 And that Howel 
 Ar. 8 That sik was, as I 
 seyde er, by seged with hure 
 mayne Ar. 9 Lege, lay. 
 
 B 3 J>0
 
 176 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?o J?e kyng hurde f>ys, hym longede Jwder sore, 
 
 1 He ne myjte }?er leng abyde, J?e Saxons to sywe more. 
 
 Cadour, erl of Cornwayle, he * byleuede |?ere 
 
 3 Myd ten ]?ousend men * vorto sywe hem, j?at of scaped were. 
 
 The erl sywyde * myd ys men he Saxons vaste ynou, 
 
 And strong batayle smot, and 6 Teldryc be prince slou, 
 
 And ys compaynye ]?e mestedel, bote auewe atte nende 
 
 Mercy hym cryde, J?at hii moste in to her owe lond wende, 
 
 And suore T & toke hym ostage, bat hii ne ssolde neuere ywys 
 
 Thys lond * eft asayly, ne ssame don amys. 
 
 Jjo bat be folc of Saxons * namore hydyr I0 ne" come, 
 
 ]?e wyle ]?e kyng Arture " waste )?ys kynedome. 
 
 Cadour, erl of Cornwayle, J>o he adde ydo al ^ys, 
 
 To J?e kyng ys louerd wende, to Scotlond ywys. 
 
 }?e kyng adde ** er" among J?e Scottes ysturyd hym vol wel, 
 
 13 And delyuered of hym, or he come, ys neueu syre Howwel, 
 
 And yslawe of hem monyon, so J?at 14 in an yle 
 
 Hii IS of scapede atte laste l6 by uore mony amyle., 
 
 " 7 ]?et water ge]> al aboute, and J?er ynne eke be]? 
 
 M Syxty heye roches, as men ]?ere ysej?. 
 
 1 Ne myghte he ther no 
 lengor byde, the Saxones to 
 werry more Ar. * By lefte 
 Ar. 3 With Ar. 4 To fol- 
 we hem, that a scaped were 
 Ar. s With Ar. 6 Cheldrik 
 Ar. 7 And ostages yeue, hii 
 sholde neuere y wis Ar. 8 A 
 
 Ar. "> Deest Ar. XI W ar. 
 dede Ar. n Deest Ar. 
 13 And remewed the sege, er he 
 come, fro his cosyn Ho wel, Ar. 
 '* In to an Ar. '* A sea. 
 pede Ar. >* Byfore hym ma- 
 ny Ar. 17 The water by 
 goth hit al Ar. " LX. roches 
 
 saily more, ne shame, ne do a in that ile, ho that cometh 
 mys. So that Ar. 9 No more ther seth Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. ' 177 
 
 }>er ynne noman ne wonye]?, ac in eche roche J?er ys 
 
 In tyme of jere an ' erne's nest, ]?at hii bredej? in ywys. 
 
 Ech ys in a roche hym sulf, vor hii ne mowe nojt ne be. 
 
 Vor hem byhouej? muche mete, & hii ne mowe nogt wel fle 
 
 Vor feblesse of her brode, ac wan her bryddys rype bej>, 
 
 j?ere hii fynde]? more mete, in londes aboute hii fle]?. 
 
 Jje kyng * bylay J?ys Scottes 3 }?ere myd al wo, 
 
 J?at ]?er deyde of hem vor honger a ]?ousend and mo. 
 
 And jut nolde f>e ssrewen to none pes go. 
 
 Gyllam, kyng of * her londe, to hem wende |?o 
 
 Wyth gret pocr in ]?e water, to helpe hym in ]?ys eas." 
 
 \>o kyng Arture yt wuste, prest ajen hem he was 
 
 And slou of hem to grounde, so ]?at hii gonne with drawe, 
 
 And hii, J?at mygte com ajen, alyue were wel vawe. 
 
 6 }?e kyng hem adde afayted so, )?at hyi ne kepte nanmore 
 
 hym mete, 
 
 jut he J^ojte asayty J?e Scottes, ar he hem lete. 
 He bysette hem vaste ynou, so J>at atte laste |?ere 
 j)c byssopes and o^er prelats, ]?at of londe were, 
 5 Some with grete processyon in gret anguysse and fere 
 Wepynde byuore J?e kyng, & her relykes myd hem bere, 
 
 1 Egle's Ar. At in marg. 
 H lies of Ernes ab end, ma- 
 nujicet adjecerit manus admo- 
 dum recensj or lies of Eagles. 
 Et quidem voci Eagles adsti- 
 pulaturdalfr.^/lon. *Bisegede 
 Ar. * Ther and dude hem 
 jnuche wo, So that of hem 
 fior hunger deide a thousand 
 
 & wel mo. And yit wolde 
 noght the sherewes the 
 kynge's wille do. The kyng 
 of Irlond Gwillamour to 
 Scotlond com that while 
 With gret power by water, 
 to helpe hem in this lie Ar, 
 4 L. Irlonde. $ L. come 
 cum Ar. 
 
 R 4 And
 
 178 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And o}>er holy chyrche J>ynges ' bare vorpe echon. 
 Hyy * welle alle adoun eke byuore J>e kyng anon, 
 And bed hym, vor ys suete loue, J?at deyde on ]?e rode, 
 J?at he hadde reupe of hem, & of 3 ys" soule vnderstode. 
 
 4 Wanne he adde fer byuore of hem yslawe y nowe, 
 
 5 J?at he soffrede jnilke lybbe, J?at he follyche alle ne slowe ; 
 And ]?at he som hurne of ]?e londe grauntede hem pere, 
 War ynne hii leuecle, & euermo seruage hym here. 
 
 J>e kyng, vor pyte 6 hcrof, bygan to wepe sore, 
 
 And nom of hem sykernesse, J?at hii ne solde mys do nanmore, 
 
 And grauntcd hem ' annende lond, to wonye ynne in seruage, 
 
 To bere * j?erof hym and ys eueremor truage. 
 
 Nou 9 were J?er myd hym bre men, (bat of ryjte kunde come 
 
 Of kynges of bulke lond, I0 vorte Saxons hem bynome) 
 
 Auncel, and Vryan, and Lot be brydde was, 
 
 pat spousede be kynge's IT susier, (je abbyb yhurd bat cas,) 
 
 And adde by hyre tueye sones, syre Wawen ]?e hende, 
 
 })e ober het Modred, j?:it ]>e kyn<r bytrayde '* atte nendc. 
 
 1 Lcge, bare votte, sive^ ut 
 in Ar. barfot. Nam nudis pe- 
 dibus in Galfr. Mon. * Felle 
 Ar. *DeestAr. 4 And suthe 
 he Ar. s A fewe, that lefte, hii 
 prayde hym saue, arid holde 
 hem al his owe. And that 
 som heorne of the lond he 
 wolde hem graunte there, 
 Wher inne hii myghte lyue, 
 p,nd cue re aftur truage hym 
 bere Ar. 6 Hadde reuthe, he 
 $egh hem wepe so sore Ar. 
 dliter atque Galfr. Mon. 7 An 
 
 ende of lond, to lyue inne in 
 seruage, Ar. 8 Ther fore 
 hym Ar. 9 Aderant ibi tres 
 fratres, regali prosapia orti. 
 Loth videlicet^ atque Urianus 9 
 nee non Auguselus, qui ante- 
 quam Saxones prcevaluissent 
 principatum illarum partium 
 habuerantG&lfr.Mon. 'Fort 
 Saxones it hem by nome) Aguis- 
 sel, & Urien, and Loth Ar. 
 1 ' Anne addit Ar. la After at- 
 ten ende Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 179 
 
 f?e kyng Arture J>ys ]?re men kynges made ]?ere 
 
 I Ech of ys ryjte ertage, as herelderne were. 
 
 * Auncel kyng of pur Scotland, and 3 Vryan ys broker 
 
 4 Kyng of lond of Muryfycens, vor he was ner |?en anoj>er, 
 
 Of ]?e conlreye of 5 Ledeneseye Lot he made kyng, 
 
 6 And of al contreye J>at ]?erto vel, & J?at was muche ]?yng. 
 
 J?o he adde al j?ys lond ybrogt and Scotlond al so 
 
 Al clene in rygte to ys wylle, ano|?er lie moste do. 
 
 He spousede a noble wyf 7 Gtierwar her name was 
 
 Of J>e lieye kunne of Rome, no vayror womman nas. 
 
 As sone as Somer come, to Yrlond lie gan wende, 
 Vor to afayty J?at lond, 8 & to wynne ech ende. 
 Gyllam, kyng of lond, ar he )?uder com, 
 Vole, as yt were wy]?oute nournbre, agen liym he nom. 
 Hii com ' & ymette hem sone, & gret batayle hii smyte, 
 Ac ]?e kyng Arture was aboue, as me may wel y wyte. 
 And J?e kyng Gyllam was ynome, and so al J?at lond 
 * By certey conuenant was in kyng Arture's hond. 
 
 II Fram Ia ]?an he wende sone to Ipe lond of Ys lond, 
 And wan hyt al clene to hym, arid al |?at he wond." 
 
 1 Euery in his heritage 
 Ar. * Anguissel Ar. * V- 
 rien Ar. 4 Kyng he made of 
 Moreff, for he was ner than 
 othur, Ar. 5 Liones Loth he 
 Ar. 6 With al the porte. 
 naunce ther to, and that was 
 gret a [1. a gret] thing Ar. 
 1 Gunnore Ar. And wynne 
 in euery ende. Gwillamour, 
 
 kyng of that lond, Ar. 9 And 
 raette with hem sone, & gret 
 bataille smyte, Ar. to By a- 
 cordement Ar. ll Hcec duo 
 carmina omittit Ar. " Subju- 
 gatis itaque totius Hybernice 
 partibuS) classem suam direxit 
 in Yslandiam, eamque debel- 
 lato sibi populo subjugavit 
 Galfr. Mon. 
 
 So
 
 180 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 So * such tythynge aboute com, as ech sende o]?er sonde, 
 
 |>at so noble man he was, )?at ne myjte no lond at stonde, 
 
 Doldam wende anon to hym, J?at was kyng of Godlonde, 
 
 And 3 Gumyas, kyng of Orcadas, ys grace vorto fonde, 
 
 And bycome ys men, & byhete hym, to bere hym truage 
 
 Eche ger, and holde of hym and of hys in seruage. 
 
 * Of )>ys Brytanye he was ]>o kyng, & adde also Scotlonde, 
 
 And ys londe and Orcadas vnder hym, and yr londe. 
 
 J?o wynter was al ydo, in to )?ys londe he wende, 
 
 To brynge ]>ys londe in god pes, and ]?e lawes amende. 
 
 Tuelf ger he byleuede J?o here wyth nobleye y nou, 
 
 And 5 hexte men of mony londes aboute hym vaste drou. 
 
 6 And bygan to astrengj?y ys court, & to eche ys maynye ; 
 
 And myd so gret plente holde ys hous, & myd so gret cortesye, 
 
 Jrat me ne myjte 7 of so noble los man neuere vnderstonde. 
 
 And J?at ]?er * nas ]?ere aboute kynjt in none lond, 
 
 J>at I0 me tolde of eny ]?yng, bote he of sywte were 
 
 Of J>e kyng Arture's hous, oj?er som sygne " J?er of" bere, 
 
 Of robes oj>er of armes, & }?e god mon was so hende, 
 
 J?at he '* aueng vawe echon, |?at to hym wolde wende. 
 
 * Kynge's a boute ech to ci- 
 ther sende thanne hure sonde, 
 Of the dedes that he dude, 
 non royght hym a stonde. 
 Doldyn Ar. a Exinde divul- 
 gato per ceteras insulas ru- 
 more^ quod ei nulla provincia 
 resistere poterat, Doldanius, 
 rex Gotlandiw, fy Gunvastus, 
 rex Orcadum, ultro venere, 
 promissoque vectigali subjec- 
 tionem fecerunt Galfr. Mon. 
 
 J Gwynas Ar. *> Thanne was he 
 of Brutayne kyng, & hadde al 
 Scotlonde, Godlonde and Or. 
 chadas vnder hym, andlrlonde 
 Ar. $ Beste Ar. 6 He gan to 
 strength! his lond, & encreste 
 his mayuy ; Ar. ' Of such a 
 los no man vnderstonde Ar* 
 Was Ar. 9 Knyght Ar. 
 10 Men Ar. " Desunt Ar. 
 IZ Faire vnderfenge alle, that 
 to hym Ar. 
 
 Bote
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 181 
 
 Bote (o segge ssortlyche, ' nas ver ne ner, 
 
 Of prowesse * ne of cortesye, in ]?e worl ys per, 
 
 Hys los sprong so wyde sone of ys largesse, 
 
 Of streng]?e and of corteysye, and of ys prowesse, 
 
 To ]?e verrost ende of ]?e world, J)at such man nas nour non. 
 
 So Ipai cfyer grete kynges douted hym echon 
 
 Byjende see in eche stude, and dradde ver and ner, 
 
 at he come and by nome her londes, oper her poer. 
 
 ? Hii bygonne her heye tounes strengj>y vaste aboute, 
 
 Her castles & storys, ])at hii mygte be ynne in doute. 
 
 J 70 fa 8 g& e tydyng com to ]?ys noble kyng Arture, 
 
 Myd god herte he wolde such tydyng yhure. 
 
 He j^ojte come by hem, & brynge hem somme to lure, 
 
 And to ynnne jut al Europe, gyf he myjte dure. 
 
 j?e]?rydde del of al }?e world Europe yclyped ys, 
 
 * J?at tylj? fram ver bygonde Rome to J>e West worle's ende 
 
 ywys. 
 
 Hym J?ogte he adde yrest ynou, $ no leng he nolde abyde. 
 Hys poer he let sumny, ]?at ysprad was wel wyde, 
 
 1 Was non fer ne nere, Ar. 
 a And of courtaisye, Ar. J Hii 
 lete hure tounes strengthe 
 faste, for hii hadde gret doute, 
 By cause he myghte with 
 hym lede of knyghtes such a 
 route Ar. 4 That is bi hi- 
 dere the Grekissh see al Cri. 
 stendom y wis Ar. 5 He 
 wolde no lengor abide. He let 
 of sende his power, that spar- 
 puled was ful wide; And 
 
 whan that they al redy were, 
 thei went forth in hure weye, 
 And dude hem so in to the 
 see, and sutth to Noreweye. 
 So fell, er thei thuder come, 
 the kyng of Noreweie dede 
 was, And Loth, Arthure's 
 othom, his heir was by cas, 
 And hadde ordeyned hym 
 ther to by fore his deth longe. 
 But the men Ar. 
 
 And
 
 182 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And grey]?ede ys noble ost, and dude hym in J?e weye, 
 
 And dude hym so in to see, and vorst to Nor]?weye. 
 
 Nou was J?e kyng of Nor)>weye ded )?er by uore by cas, 
 
 And Lot, )?at was ys cfyom, J?e kynge's neueu was, 
 
 And J>e kyng hym adde mad ys eyr }?er byuore longe ; 
 
 Ac J?e men" of Nor]?eweye nolde vor prute bym ' ynder vonge, 
 
 Ac adde ymad ano]?er man kyng of |?e londe, 
 
 J?at ajen ]?e kyng Arture hopede wel at stonde. 
 
 Chyld * Waweyn, Lotys sone, J?ulke tyme was 
 
 Bote of tuelf jer, & j?e pope of Rome bytake was 
 
 To norys ]?oru ]?e kyng Arture, & Jmlke tyme ryjt 
 
 J?e pope hjm tok armes, & ys owe honde made hym 3 kynjt. 
 
 4 As ]?e kyng Arture, as ych seyde, to Norvveye com, 
 
 J?e kyng of londe agen hym J?en wey sone nom 
 
 Myd ys poer, and smyte an batayle strong ynou ? 
 
 And ssedde blod in eyj?er half, and muche folc me slou. 
 
 Ac her poer of Norweye ydo was anon, 
 
 ]?e kyng hym sulf was sone aslawe, & 3 ys men monyon. 
 
 }>e. Brutons hym sturede ]?o, and slowe and barnde vaste, 
 
 So }?at Mi wonne al clene Nor]?weye atte laste. 
 
 ]>er after lui wonne Denemarch, vorto do seruage 
 
 To )?e kyng Arture euermo, and to bere hym trua^e. 
 
 He 6 made Lot ys o]?om kyng of Nor|?weye, 
 
 ]?er 7 after toward France hii dude hym in J?e weye. 
 
 1 A vonge Ar. * Erat tune 
 IValvcanuSifiliusprcedictiLoth, 
 Xll.annorumjuveniS) obsequio 
 Sulpicii papce ab avunculotra- 
 ) a quo nrma recepit Galfr. 
 Mon. JKnyght^r. 4 Whan 
 the Ar. s His men negh 
 
 echon Ar. 6 Quibus subactis, 
 cum Loth in regem Norguegiie 
 promovisset,navigavitArthurus 
 ) factisque turmis pa- 
 triam undique vastare 
 Galfr. Mon. 7 Afterward to- 
 ward France he dude Ar, 
 
 1 Nou
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 183 
 
 ' Nou adde France Jmlke tyme }>e emperour Leon ; 
 And he bytoc yt in warde an due, J?at het Follon, 
 j?at hardy body was and god, and poer adde y nou. 
 |?o he wuste, }>at ])e ]?yng Arture J?uder drou, 
 
 * Alle J?e kynjtes and )?e folc, )?at in ys poer were, 
 He nom, & mette J?e Brutons, & smyte batayle J?ere. 
 Ac al J>at hem was lute wurj?, vor ajen }>e kyng Arture 
 And ys poer hii myjte lute wule dure. 
 
 Vor * euere, wanne he 4 nom aloud, al ]?e bachelerye, 
 
 |?at agt was in j?e lond, lie * nom in ys companye 
 
 ' And of ys maynage vp ys coust, & vor he was so hende, 
 
 Ech noble man vawe was myd hym vorto wende. 
 
 7 And beste part ye of Fraunce to hym al so drou. 
 
 * Vor he was so large & hende, |?at to hym com poer ynou, 
 Vor me ne tolde welney of no rnon, noj>er here ne j^ere, 
 Bote he myd ]?e kyng Arture in som manere were. 
 
 1 Nogh hadde Fraunce thulke 
 tyme a lord, het Frollon, 
 (That vndertok the gouer. 
 naunce thurgh emperour Leon) 
 That hardy man was & strong, 
 and hadde power y nogh Ar. 
 
 * Alle maner of men, of his 
 power that were, He toke, 
 and with the Brutones mette, 
 & smyten a bataille there Ar. 
 
 * Nam Arthurumjuventus in. 
 sulurum omnium^ quas sub. 
 jugaverat, comitabatur. unde 
 tantum perhibebatur habere 
 cxercitum, quanta* erat dijfi. 
 
 die ab ullo posse superari 
 Galfr. Mon. 4 Wan a lond 
 Ar. * Toke Ar. 6 And of 
 mayne at his cost, and for he 
 was so hende, Euery noble 
 man was glad with hym forto 
 wende. And the best part of 
 Fraunce Ar. 7 Fumulabatur 
 quoque ei melior pars Gal- 
 licance province, quam sua 
 largitate sibi obnoxiam fece- 
 rat Galfr. Mon. ' For his 
 largeste & hendeneste, that 
 hym com folk y nogh Ar.
 
 384 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 
 
 1 JJQ }>e due Follon ysey, }>at ys poer no]?yng nas, 
 
 He flen in to Parys rayd wel quyc pas, 
 
 And astorede *J?en toun, and streng}>e hym aboute, 
 
 Kyng Arture and ys poer aseged hym wy)?oute. 
 
 So J>at wyjjynne 3 a raon])e }>e due Follon ysey, 
 
 J?at ys men, vor defaute and vor hunger, deyde ny, 
 
 And J>at ys poer nas nojjyng, agen kyng Arture 
 
 4 He fogte do ys owe body, wyle he mygte dure. 
 
 Vor he was strong man & hardy, J>e strengoste of ys londe. 
 
 To }je kyng Arture he sende, j?at he ssolde s hym" vnder stonder 
 
 * To do an batayle hem snlue tuo myd her owe honde, 
 
 And we]?er so mygle aboute be were louerd of oj>ere's londe. 
 
 J?o kyng Arture hurde T ]?ys, no gladdere man nas. 
 
 He sende word, J?at al prest to such batayle he was. 
 
 Sykernesse * & trouj>e * yply^t, of ]?ys vorewarde hii nomc. 
 
 So j?at, at certeyn day yset, to |?ys batayle hii come 
 
 A lute wyjjoute Parys, I0 atyled wel y nou. 
 
 Muche was " f>at folc aboute, J?at to |?ys batayle drou. 
 
 1 Whan that Frolle vuder- 
 stod, that he sconfited was, 
 He flegh in to Parys with a 
 quyke paas, Ar. * The toun, 
 and strengthed hym a boute 
 Ar. * A raouthe day duk 
 Flolle y seigh, That his men 
 in defaute for howger deide 
 negh, Ar. * He thoghte with 
 his owene body, while he 
 myght endure Ar. s Deest 
 Ar. 6 A n d J the bataille, 
 yf he woldc, with his owen 
 honde, And whether myghte 
 
 a boue be were maister of 
 othere's londe Ar. ' This, 
 gladder neuere he nas Ar. 
 8 Dato igitur in amba parte 
 fcedere^ co?iveniunt uterque in 
 insulam, quce erat extra civi- 
 tatem^ populo expectants quid 
 de eis erat futurum Galfr. 
 Mon. 9 Hii plight, and hure 
 forward nome. So that at a 
 day sett to bataille hii come 
 Ar. I0 Arayed wel y nogh 
 Ar. "The folk Ar. 
 
 'Hii
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 ! Hii fondede her steden vorst, & her lancen subbe hii iiome, 
 
 And wyb hard dunt & gret yre to gadere subbe hii come. 
 
 - be kyng Arture agen ]>e brest ys felawe uorst anhytte 
 
 Agen ])e breste, bat he vel, & ne mygte noleng sytte. 
 
 As sone as he mygte turne ys hors, ys suerd he drou ber, 
 
 Vor to asayly hym berwyb, ac be ober was vppe er, 
 
 And 3 gef ]>Q sted myd ys sper ajen brest dele's wounde, 
 
 So bat bobe stede and kyng leye sone at grounde. 
 
 4 bo be 5 Brutons seye bys, hii vor bere vnnebe, 
 
 bat hii ne breke be couenant, & brogte ben ober to debrf. 
 
 Ac kyng Arture keuerede vp, & asaylede Follon vastc, 
 
 And smyte eyber ober her & ber, & harde duntes caste, 
 
 So bat Follon myd a stroc be Brntons sore ajaste, 
 
 Vor be kyng Artnre ajen be frount he smot atte laste, 
 
 bat, gyf he nadde \vyb be selde somdel be dnnt yhent, 
 
 Syker he hym adde aslawe, al out yssent. 
 
 bo kyng 6 Arture yt yuelde, and ysey al so ys blod 
 
 Vp ys haubert & ys sselde, he was ney vor wrabbe wod. 
 
 1 Hii a saide hure stcdes furst, 
 hure lances Ar. 2 And kyng Ar- 
 thur on the brest Frolle so hitte, 
 That he fel doun to grounde, he 
 myghteno lengor sitte Ar. ^Smot 
 his stede in the breste, & yaf hym 
 dethe's wonde Ar. tDesunt alt- 
 quammulta in Ar. utpote in 
 quo folium unum integrum 
 (fol. sc. LXIX. quatuor dnntaxat 
 versibus exceptis) hie loci exci- 
 sum esse, particulamque unius 
 paginal (sivefaciei secundwfolii 
 u?ane vacuum, video, in 
 
 cujus tamen particulae vacuce 
 
 thur scriptum legitur. 5 Brit- 
 tones ut regem prostratum vide- 
 runty timentes eum peremptum 
 esse^ vix potuerunt retinerij 
 quia rupto feeders in Gallos 
 unanimiter irruerent Galfr. 
 Man. 6 Manante igitur san- 
 guine f cum Arthurus lori- 
 cam &$ clipeum rubere vim 
 disset, ardentiori ira accensus 
 est, atque erecto totis ui- 
 ribus caliburnO) impressit
 
 186 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 He drou syre Calybourne ys suerd, ]?at was so gode, 
 
 An anowardc )?e helm v/y}> wel stourdy mod 
 
 ]?en o]?er he smot, and to clef at heued myd Ipe wounde. 
 
 He vel and ssoc }>e helm, and deyde in astounde. 
 
 ]>o J?ys dede was ydo, and }>ere o])er was ded, 
 
 Jmt conseyl of France sone nom ys red, 
 
 And to J?e kyng Arture hym jolde ech man J>at was wys, 
 
 And jolde hym vp al }>at lond, & ]?e keyen of Parys. 
 
 ]>ys was lo ]>Q Corn well yssebor, of wan Merlyn spec ynou, 
 
 And clere leme of J?e sterre, ]?at oner France drou. 
 
 Som was ycome, as he sedc, of j?e noble kyng Arture, 
 
 Wei me ssal her after of hym jut yhure. 
 
 j?o he adde ywonne France J?us, & al }?ys was ydo, 
 
 J?ys noble kyng Arture delde ys men atuo. 
 
 1 ]?e kyng Howwel he bytoc, and ]>Q o]?er princes al so, 
 
 \>a.t odel of ys ost to wende to Peyto 
 
 Vor to wynne |?at lond, and hym sulf he wolde wende 
 
 Vor to wynne seynorye aboute in o]?er ende. 
 
 Kyng Howwel wyj? ys poer wan sone Peyto 
 
 Al to kyng Arture's wylle, and Gascoyne al so. 
 
 J)e kyng won Normandye, and also god Aungeo, 
 
 And wyjjynne anye jer al }>ys was ydo. 
 
 eum per galeani in caput Folio- 
 nis, quod in duas paries disse- 
 cuit. Quo vulnere cecidit Folio, 
 tellurem calcaneis pulsans^ Sf 
 spiritum in auras etnisit Galfr. 
 Mon. 
 
 1 Et unam partem Hoelo dud 
 
 commtsit, prcecepitque illi t ut 9 
 ad expugnandum Guitardum y 
 Pictaviensium ducem, iret; ipse 
 vero cum reliqua parte ceteras 
 provincias sibi subjugare vaca~ 
 vit Galfr. Moo.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 187 
 
 J?e kyng wende ]>o to Parys, J>o he adde ydo al Jys, 
 
 And al hey men of lond ]?uder come ywys. 
 
 Her homages of hem, and her seruyse, he nom, 
 
 And j?e lawes, as he wolde hym sulf, sette on }>e kynedom. 
 
 He jef ]>at lond of Normandye Bedwer ys boleler, 
 
 And J)at lond of Aungeo ' Kaxe ys panter, 
 
 And oj>er J>yng oj)er heye men, & syker yt made ynou, 
 
 And suf>J?e aboute Leynte toward )>ys lond drou. 
 
 PO |?e kyng Arture com here in |?ys londe s 
 
 And so muche lond adde ywonne, & adde al so an honde, 
 
 In yoe & blysse he was ynou, & alle ]>at wyj? hym were, 
 
 And agen Wyttesonetyd yt was in ]?e gere. 
 
 He J>ojte ]?e heye feste of Wytesontyd do 
 
 "Wy|? honour among ys men, and ]?at alle come ]?er to, 
 
 Bo}?e kynges and dukes, and erles echon, 
 
 Barons and kynjtes, squeers monyon, 
 
 Laydyes and maydens, and ech mon ]?at ajt were 
 
 In eny lond, })at ys was, ]?at hii were alle ]?ere. 
 
 Of ys rounde table ys ban aboute he seude, 
 
 |?at eche a Wytesonetyd to Carleon wende, 
 
 A toun J?at ys in Glammorgan vp J>e water of Osc ydo, 
 
 A lute bysyde Seuerne, in murye stede al so. 
 
 Vor me may f>ere in J?e SouJ>half al by the see lede 
 
 Fram o])er londes god ynou, to endy such a dede. 
 
 * In oj>er alf be]? grete wodes, lese and mede al so, 
 
 So ]?at j?er vas no defaute such noble J?yng to do. 
 
 1 F. Kaye. Nam Gaioque Dapifero in Galfr. Mon. * Hie 
 denuo pergit Cod. Ar, 
 Vol. I. s fei
 
 1,88 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?er come to ]?ys rounde (able, as be sende ys ban, 
 
 1 Aunsel kyng of Scotlond, and al so Vryan, 
 
 fat was kyng of Muryfycens, & also of Norj? Walys 
 
 Cadwal, and also*Scater kyng of Sou]? Walys, 
 
 Cador kyng of Cornwayle, and ercbebyssopcs al so 
 
 Of Londone, and of Euerwyk, and of * Carlen J?er to. 
 
 Erles J?er come ek monyon, as j?e erl of Gloucestryc 
 
 * Morond, and Ingomer erl of Leycestre, 
 
 5 Maron erl of Warewyk, and Cnrsal of Cycestre, 
 
 Galluc erl of Salesbury, Jonatal of Dorcestre, 
 
 Kymmar erl of * Canterbury, of Baj?e syre 7 Vrgen, 
 
 Bose" erl of Oxenford, J?at were alle noble men. 
 
 J?e barons & the kyngtys, |?at of bys londe aday 
 
 At bys rounde table were, noman telle ne may. 
 
 Kynges ]>er were eke of ylys, * ar j?e kyng of yrlonde 
 
 ' Gyllam, and also Malueys kyng of yslonde, 
 
 Lot kyng of Nor]?eweye, and I0 Doldam of Godlond, 
 
 And J?e kyng of Orcadas, & of Denemarch ycb vnderstonde. 
 
 Kynges eke of bygende see, as Kay of Aungeo, 
 
 Bedwer of Normandye, Guyder of Peyto, 
 
 Lygger of Colonye, and al so tbe l * dosse pcrs 
 
 Of France were j?ere echon, |?at so noble were and fers. 
 
 1 Anguissel Ar. 2 Es tau- 
 ter Ar. ^ Carlyon Ar. 4 
 Morwid Ar. in quo $ Dude 
 ywan pro Ingomer. 5 Mau- 
 ran of Wircetre, [Maren Gwi- 
 gornensis, quee nunc Warguic 
 dicitur, Galfr. Mon.] Cursal 
 
 lesbury, Jonathas of Dorche- 
 stre, Kynmar Ar. 6 Kent, 
 Ar. i Vrbygen, Eoso Ar. 
 8 As Ar. 9 Gwillamour, & 
 Maunsel kyng of Islonde, Ar. 
 Doldan Ar. " Dusze 
 Ar, 
 
 erl of Chestre, Aleth of Sa- 
 
 Hys
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 189 
 
 Hys neueu kyng Howwel of J?e lasse Brutenye al so 
 
 1 Myd so vayr folc Jmder com, & myd so gret charge ]?erto 
 
 Of mules, of cartes and of hors mydde alle gode, 
 
 j?at er nas non so wytty man, ]?at yt al vnderstode. 
 
 * J>er nas 3 bytuene ]?ys & Spanye no prince wijxmte al }>ys, 
 J>at nas at ]?ys rounde table, & at J?ys feste ywys. 
 
 And no wonder. Vor ]?e kynge's los so wyde sprong ynou 
 Of godenesse & of cortesye, 4 ]?at her herte to hym drou. 
 
 PO J)ys heye men were alycome, & J?e heye tyme also 
 Of Wytsontyd, |?e feste vor to do, 
 
 * J?e herchebyssopys were ybrogt, to sette |?e kynge's croune 
 On ys heued. Ac * Seyn Dubryc of sulue tyme 
 
 Was erchebyssop. hym byuel j?e croune on hym do, 
 And Jje sernyse of holy chyrche ek, ]?at byuel |?er to. 
 \>o croune was on ys heued, and ydo was ech o]?er 
 Tueye erchybyssopys ladde J?ys noble kyng 
 
 1 With muche poeple thuder 
 com, and gret nobleie ther to 
 Ar. * Ther was no prynce by 
 twixte Spayne & Alemayne 
 of pris, Ar. a Prceter hos non 
 remansit princeps alicujus 
 pretii citraHispaniam^quin ad 
 istudedictum vcniret. Nee mi. 
 rum. Largitas namqueArthu- 
 rz'j per totum mundum divul- 
 gatci) cunctos in amorem il- 
 lius illexerat Galfr. Mon. 4 
 That euory man to hym drogh 
 
 Ar. 5 Thre Erchebisshopes 
 were come, to sette on the 
 kynge's croune. But Seynt 
 Dubrice, that Erchebisshop was 
 of the selue toune, (As hit was 
 his costume that offys te do) 
 Dude the seruiseof holi churche, 
 that byfel ther to. Tho the 
 croune. 6 Dubricius ergo, 
 quoniam in sua diocesi curia 
 tenebatur, paratus ad cele. 
 brandum obsequium, hujus ret 
 curam suscepit Galf. Mon. 
 s 2 To
 
 190 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 To ]?e chyrche of heye munstre. And j>er jeode byuore liym 
 
 ]?ere 
 
 Four kyngs, and four suerdes of golde byuore hym bere ; 
 Vorst )?e kyng of Scotlond, and J>e kyng of Nor]?walys, 
 And J>e kyng of Corn wale, and ]?e kyng of Soujjwalys. 
 ' OJ>er byssopys and prelats by uore ]?ys kyng Arture 
 And clerkes songe as rygt was, J?at joye yt was to hure. 
 In * o]?er alf ]?e quene was s of erchebyssopys al so 
 ylad, and ycrouned eke, as ryjt was vor to * do, 
 And to no]?er munstre ylad, & four quenes by uore hyr wcnde, 
 ]?e four kynges wyues, f>at we by uore nemde, 
 5 And foure wyte colfren byuore byr also bere. 
 e companye of laydyes wel grete also were. 
 ]?o 6 hii were to chyrche ybrogt ey)?er in ys syde, 
 7 So gret & murye was J>at song, |?at me song J?er inne wyde, 
 |?at J>e folc stod, |?at J>er were, as hii were y nome, 
 Ne hii nuste to wejrer chyrche murgorye yt was to come. 
 J>e kyng was to ys paleys, |?o ]>Q seruyse was y do, 
 Ylad wy|? 8 |?ys men ye, and J?e quene to hyre al so. 
 
 1 And bysshopes, and other 
 prelates, to fore the kyng Ar- 
 thure Songe with hure cler- 
 gie, that joye it was to hure 
 Ar. 2 The othur Ar. * Of 
 therchbisshop also Ar. 4 Do, 
 To a nother munstre there, & 
 iiii. quenes by fore wende 
 Ar. *And euery of hem in 
 hure hond a whit coluere 
 bere. Ladies fele & faire y 
 nogh also ther were Ar. 6 
 Postremoperactaprocessione^ 
 
 tot organa, tot cantus in utris. 
 quejiunttemplis, utprce nimia 
 dulccdine milite&^qui aderant^ 
 nescircnt quod templorum 
 prius adirent Galfr. Mon. '' 
 So noble and mery was the 
 song and melody that tyde, 
 That men thoghte also murye 
 as thegh hii hadde be nome, ?fe 
 hii ne wiste to whather churche 
 meryer it was to come Ar. 
 8 His raeyne, Ar. 
 
 Vor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 191 
 
 y"or ' hii huldo Jie olde vsages, bat men wyb men were 
 
 By hem sulue, and wymmen by hem sulue al so J'ere. 
 
 bo hii were echone y set, as yt to her stat by com, 
 
 Kay, kyug of Aunjreo, a )xmsend kynjles nome 
 
 Of no'ule men, y closed in ermyne echone 
 
 * Oi on sy wete, and seruede 3 as bys noble feste a non. 
 
 Bedwer be botyier, kyng of Normaudye, 
 
 Nora al so in ys half a uayr companye 
 
 4 Of on sywyte, vorto seruy of be botelerye. 
 
 By no rr 5 be 6 quene yt was also of al suche corteysye, 
 
 Vorto telle al be noblye bat \>&c was y do, 
 
 J>cy my tonge were of stel, me ssolde nogt dure }?erto; 
 
 "Wymmen ne kepte of no kyngtas in druery, 
 
 Bote he were in armys wel yprowed, & atte leste Jnye. 
 
 J?at made, * lo! }>e wymmen j?e chastore lyf lede, 
 
 And ]>c kynjtes ]>e stalwordore, & f>e betere in her dede. 
 
 Sone after bys noble I0 mete, as ry^t was of such tyde, 
 
 j)e kyngtes atyled hem aboute in eche syde, 
 
 1 Antiquam namque consue. 
 tudinem curias servantes Brit- 
 tones ^consuever ant mares cum 
 maribusjnulieres cum mulieri- 
 bus festivus dies celebrare se- 
 paratim Galfr. Mon. *Allein 
 on sewte,to serue the feste a non 
 Ar. * Malim, at. + Of ano- 
 ther siwte, to serue the butel- 
 rie Ar. s In palatio quoque 
 regince innumerabiles minis- 
 iri^diversisornamentisinduti) 
 obsequium suum prccstabant^ 
 morem suumexerccntes. Quern 
 si.omninodescriberepergerem, 
 
 nimiam prolixitatem histories 
 generaremG&lfr.Mon. ^uene 
 eke also ther was such cour- 
 taisye, Ar. 1 Stel, hit nolde 
 suffice ther to. Wommen tolde 
 of no knyght tho as in loue 
 and druerye, But he were in 
 armes preued atte leste thrye 
 Ar. Tho the Ar. Cha- 
 ster lyf to lede, Ar. '* Mete, 
 ech wende in his syde, 
 Knyghtes and squyers eke, 
 and buskede hem to ryde, In 
 the feldes and in the modes 
 Ar. 
 s3 l
 
 192 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 In feldes and in medys to pretie her hachelerye. 
 
 Somme wy]? lance, some wyj> suerd, wyj) oute vylenye, 
 
 Wyj? pleyynge at ' tables, oj>er atte chekere, 
 
 WyJ? castynge oj>er wyj? ssctynge, * oj>er in som ogyrt manere. 
 
 And 3 \vuch so of eny game adde ]?e maystrye, 
 
 + ]> kyng hem of ys gyftej? dude large corteysye. 
 
 Vpe J?e alurs of j?e castles ]?e laydes ]?anne stode, 
 
 And byhulde j?ys noble game, & wyche kynjts were god. 
 
 Allc }>e J?re hexte dawes ylaste J)ys nobleye 
 
 In halles and in veldes, of mete and eke of pleye. 
 
 J?ys men come ]?e ver]?e day byuore ]?e kynge })ere, 
 
 And he gef hem larje jyftys, euere as hii wur})e were. 
 
 Byssopryches and cherches s clerkes he jef somme, 
 
 And castles and tonnes kyngtes pat were ycome." 
 
 Seyn Dauid was j?e kynge's vncle, hym he 6 gef aday 
 
 }?e herchebyssopryche of Carleon, as he wel bysay. 
 
 Vor he was suyj?e holy mon, 7 and munstre let rere, 
 
 j?at me clepuj? in Walys Seyn Dauid, & gut lie lyj? Jwrc. 
 
 1 The tables, & the esche- 
 kere, Ar. * Othur som othur 
 manere. What man of any 
 game hadde Ar. 3 Quicumque 
 ergo ludisui victoriam adeptus 
 eratjttbArturo largis muneri, 
 busdi(abaturGzUr.Mon. *Sic 
 Codex Harleyanus ; at in Ar. 
 plane, The kyng hem yaf 
 yiftes grete, & dude hem cour- 
 taisye. An hegh vpon alures 
 ladies gonne by holde, To 
 >vaite ho so dude best, & most 
 
 was of tolde. Alle fulle fower 
 daies last thus hure pleye 
 In valeis aboute, and faire 
 feldes, & mete eke of nobleye 
 The y. day come thes men 
 bifore the kyng there, Ar. 
 s To clerkes he yaf sone, 
 Castelles to knyghtes eke, as 
 best hy m thoght to done. Ar. 
 6 Yaf that day Ar. ^ And 
 let a munstre rere In the cite 
 of Meneve, and lith nogh bu- 
 ryed there Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 193 
 
 |?e,byssopryche of Wynchestre a god mon he ;c;ef po, 
 
 Of Chychestre ano]?er, and jut oper rno. 
 
 pe wule pe kyng and ys men aboute }>ys nobleye were, 
 
 pet come in tuelf olde men in yd * eucne pas pere, 
 
 Men of wel vayr semblant, and branchys hii bere 
 
 Of olyue, as in sygne j?at hii of pes were. 
 
 A Idter 2 he toe pe kyng, p'\t po he yt let rede. 
 
 Fram pe cenatour of Rome hii come, and pys seyde: 
 
 " Lucie, ])c cenatonr of Rome, to Arture pe kyng, 
 
 <k J Send, pat he * ofte serued ap t wyth oute gretynge. 
 
 '* Muche * me wondrej? and oucr muche of py reuerye, 
 
 " Of Jjyn cruel liij^er hede, and of ]?yn robbery ; 
 
 u And namelyche of ]?yn vn rygt ychabbe gret dedeyn, 
 
 l pat poo. to pe noble stede of Rome d.-st myd al py mayn. 
 
 " And |?at pou. nelt 6 hym yknowe, ne do j?yn seruage, 
 
 ** Ne vndcr stonde hou \uper yt ys, to 7 do eny outrage 
 
 4< 8 Oj?er werny out pe noble stude, put al pc world 9 abuej) to. 
 
 " Vor pjn auncetres dude al, pat we pe hotej? do. 
 
 " And J7ou, as in gret despyt of so noble seynorye, 
 
 " S9 Ne at halst nogt one py truage, ac myd py reuerye 
 
 1 Moderatis passibus Galfr. 
 Mon. 2 Hii toke to the kyng, 
 and he than let hit rede. Fro 
 Lucye the senatour hit come, 
 and thus hit sede : " Lucie 
 senatour Ar. 3 Sendeth, as 
 
 per tuae tirannidis protervia. 
 Adm iror^inquam^ Sfinjuriam t 
 
 quain Romce intulisti, recolli- 
 gens indignor Galfr. Mon. 
 6 Hure Ar. ^ Do hure eny Ar. 
 8 0r greuyoght that noble stede, 
 
 he hath deseruyd, with oute j Ar. 9Boweth^4r. * Noght 
 gretyng. Muche wonder we j only at halst hure truage, but 
 haueth of thi reuerye, Ar. \ dost also roberie, By reuynst 
 4 1*', of deserued aj\ J Admi- Fraunce and othur londes, 
 rans vehement er admiror su- ! Ar. 
 
 s 4 " Ra-
 
 194 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Rauysest France & ober londes, bat by Weste be]? echon, 
 " )?at bere ' truage to Rome, & ]?oru ]?e ne doj? nojl non. 
 " Vor banne of ]?e gret despyt ]?e noble court of Rome 
 " Rygt wole habbe of be y wys, bat bou hym dest ylome. 
 " Amydde haruest we ]?e sette]? day of bys nrxte gere, 
 " At Rome vorto ansuerye, and ]?at bou be ]?e sulf bere 
 " We be hoteb, vorto auonge bat be court be wole deme. 
 <J And bote bou do * of one byng nym wel jode jeme, 
 <c bat ychylle my sulf be seche out, & bom suerd restore 
 " Al bat by reuerye vs ab by nome, and more. 
 J?ys was a prout mandement, 3 and an heynol dede. 
 be kyng adde berof gret despyt, bo he hurde yt rede. 
 Vor be vorste truage, bat he sende to Rome, of seluer ober 
 
 of golde, 
 
 bat was Lucye's bod aslawe, burye gyf hii yt wolde. 
 The kyng cluped ac nojt vor ban ys conseyl wel sone, 
 To ansuerye to J?ys 4 mandement, wat were best ti. done. 
 Cadour, erle of Cornwayle, stod somdel and lou, 
 And verste seyde ys auys myde gode wylle ynou. 
 
 1 Som tyme truage to 
 Rome, & nogh bereth hii non. 
 And for this ilke grete de. 
 spit the noble Court of Rome 
 Ryght wole haue of, that 
 thugh hast mysdo ofte y lome 
 Ar. * Of that y seighe take 
 ryght nogh good yeme, E les 
 my self y wole the seche, and 
 thurgh my sweord restore 
 
 Al that thugh YS hast bynome, 
 and yut ther to wel more Ar. 
 
 * And gret manassjnge. The 
 kyng hadde foul scorn of this 
 ilke bostynge. For in stede of 
 truage of siluer and of goolde 
 He sende hem Lucie's body, 
 burie hit ho so wolde Ar. 
 
 * like lettre, what Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 
 
 195 
 
 <* Syre," he sede, " J?er x byuore ychabbe ybe sore dracl, 
 " Laste * }>at ydel lyf, ]?at }>yne men 3 abby]? y lad, 
 < { Nou mony day out of los and in sleuj?e hem brojte. 
 <c Vor wanne men be]? al ydel, ]?at er batayles sojte, 
 u Her ydelnesse hem ssal brynge to synne lecherye, 
 ** To tauerne, and * to sleu^e, and to hasarderye. 
 tc Hyt ys ney vyf ger, Jat we abbyj? ylyued in such vyce, 
 " Vor we s nadde nogt to done, and in suche delyce. 
 il And )?er wy]? 6 nys nojt God ypayd, J>er vore he a|? ybrojt 
 " J?e Romeyns 7 in suche wylle, ]?at we nere to ydel nojt, 
 *' Ac )?at we come to vr stat ajen of vre verste prowesse, 
 *' Lest we felle in dedlych sunne vor vr ydelnysse. 
 \>o he adde ysed ys auys, & o]?ere hym bere wytnysse, 
 8 |?e kyng Arture sede ys al in gladnesse. 
 
 * f 56 louerdynges," he sede, " j?at ychabbe in conseyl & in batayle 
 " y fonded as vor ajte men, ]?at roe nolde neuere fayle, 
 ** Do]? nou 9 al joure wyt ]?erto, me wel to consayle, 
 <{ * And ych hopye we ssolle ]?e lasse recche of ]?e Romeyns 
 tayle. 
 
 1 Hue usque in timore fue- 
 ram, ne Britones } longa pace 
 quietoS) otium, quod ducunt^ 
 ignavosfaceretjfamamque mi- 
 litioE) qua ceteris gentibus da- 
 riores censentur^ in eis om- 
 nino deleret Galfr. Mon. 2 The 
 ydel Ar. * Longe haueth y lad, 
 Nogh out of hure good loos in 
 to slouth hem broghte Ar. 4 To 
 drunkenesse, &othurhasardrie 
 Ar. s Hadde noght to done, 
 and haue had cure dclice Ar. 
 
 6 Is ^noght God a payd, Ar. 
 ^ In to such a will, that we 
 be ydel noght Ar. 'Than 
 seide kyng Arthur in murthe 
 & in gladnesse. " Ye lor- 
 dynges, that y preued haue ia 
 consail and bataille, And as 
 noble men founde, & wolde me 
 neuere faille, Ar. 9 Facilius 
 ergo inquietationem Lucii to. 
 lerare poterimus, si commu- 
 ni studio prcemeditali fueri. 
 mu$j quibus modes earn debili- 
 tart
 
 196 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Vor me ]?eiiche}> myd vn ryjt hii ' esse]? vs truage. 
 
 " Vor * July Cesar yt norn vorst myd streng]?e & myd out- 
 
 rage, 
 
 " Jjoru descord & contek, bat bytuenc vr elderne vas J?o. 
 " He nom verst myd vnrygt, & brojte J>at loud in wo. 
 " And )?yng j>at ys myd strengj>e ynom, hou myjte yt be myd 
 
 <c Vor lie 3 na}> reson non, bote robberye and mygt. 
 <( 4 And s myd as reson we mowe of hem esse y wys. 
 " Bere he Jeanne f>e o}>er truage, )?at bynej?e ys. 
 " Vor July and oj?er emperours, hii segge)>, com J?er to, 
 ** J?at emperors were of Rome, ych may segge al so, 
 
 tare insliterimus. Quam non 
 mult um timendam nobis ext's- 
 timo, cum, irrationabili causa 
 exigat tributum, quod ex Bri- 
 tanniahaberedesiderat Galfr. 
 Mon. I0 And casteth, hogh to 
 make aknotte intheRomayues 
 taille Ar. 
 
 ' ' Axeth Ar. * Julius Ce- 
 sar alther furst tok hit with 
 outrage, For a contek that 
 bytwyne oure eldrene was tho. 
 He nom hit furst with vnright, 
 &broght the lond in wo. That 
 thy ng, that with wrong is nome, 
 hogh myght hit be with right ? 
 Ar. 3 Hath no reson to, but 
 Ar. 4 And with also good 
 reson we mowe of hem y wis 
 Abere thilke truage, that as 
 thyng robbed is. For by Julie 
 and other emperours hii thenk- 
 
 eth com ther to, And we in 
 the same manere may seye also, 
 That oure auncetrcs of this 
 lond som tyme wonne Rome, 
 As Belyn & Brenne, noble men 
 that ye haue hurd of y lome 
 Ar. * Quoniam ergo id, quod 
 injustum est^a nobis prcesump. 
 sit exigere i consimili ratione 
 pe tarn us ab Mo tributum Ro- 
 ma>, 6f qui fortior supervene- 
 rit ferat quod habere exop- 
 tavt't. Nam si, quia Julius 
 Caesar, ceterique Romani re- 
 ges Britanntam olim subjuga- 
 verunt, vectigal nunc dcbere 
 sibi ex ilia reddi decernit^ si- 
 militer nunc ego censeo, quod 
 Roma mihi tributum reddere 
 debety quia untecessores met 
 earn antiquitus obtinuerunt. 
 Belinus etenim ^c.Galfr.Mon.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 197 
 
 il |?at myn auncetres of ]?ys lond \\ylc wonne Romp, 
 " As Bely ]?e noble kyng, J?at je abbe]? yhurd y Ionic, 
 " And Constantyn, Eleyne sone, ' hii wutej? wel Rome nom, 
 " And sufye Maxymyan, and of a beyre blod ycli com, 
 " Myn auncetres 3 were alle J>re, & kynges of }>ys londe, 
 11 4 And \vonne j?e emperye of Rome, & boj?e adde an honde. 
 " Of * France & * oper londes, ]?at we wonne myd vr myjte, 
 " \Ve mo we segge, }>ai we 7 nabbej? to ansuerye nojt myd ryj^le. 
 <{ Wanne bii for soke ys, & for slew^ed, & to non defence ne 
 
 come, 
 
 * c ]>o we ]?oru chyualerye out of her poer ys nome. 
 " Vor hii ne mo we nojt segge, }?at with treson, o}?er stal]?e, yt 
 
 were do. 
 
 " Vor wy))inne nye jere non of hem ne com enes J?er to. 
 Howwell, kyng of )?e o|?er Brytayne, JJQ he hurdefws he sede: 
 *' ]?ey ech of vs sete alday, J?e best red to rede, 
 <{ Betere ansuere ne ssolde we fynde, 8 ]?an ge abbe]? nou ysed. 
 " j?ere vore we ajte honoury wel of so noble wyt ]>y red. 
 
 1 Ye witeth Ar. 2 F heyre. 
 Nam hure in Ar. 3 Hii were 
 alle Ar. 4 Hii wonne them, 
 perie of Rome, & tho hii hitte 
 hadde an honde Ar. s Cen- 
 setisne ergo vectigalex Rorna- 
 nispetendum ? De Gallia au- 
 tem sive collatcralibus insults 
 non est respondendum, cum 
 illas diffugeretur defendere, 
 quando easdempotestatieorum 
 subtrahebamus Galfr. Mon. 
 6 Of other londes, that we 
 wonne with vnryght Ar. ' Ne 
 
 mogh answere ther to with 
 ryght. When they forsoke 
 and for sleuthede, and to non 
 defence come, Tho we thurgh 
 chiualrye out of hure hondes 
 hit nome. For hii ne mogh 
 seye with treson, ne with 
 stalthe, hit was do, For thes 
 ix. yer non of hem ones come 
 ther to Ar. 8 Than that that 
 ye han sede. Wel oughte the 
 man honoured be, that is so 
 noble of rede Ar. 
 
 "Vor
 
 198 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Vor * jyfwe in }>ys manere wende)>, we ne fayle]? a anon* 
 
 wyse, 
 " J?at we ne ssolde abbe }?e maystre, wanne we defende]? oure 
 
 franchise. 
 
 <e And wo so anoj^er monne's 3 god bynyme wole myd vnryjt, 
 " Myd ryjt he may ys4owelese,5yf ]?e defender a}) )>e my^te. 
 " And s wanne J>e Romeyns aboute be]?, vs to bynyrae vrrygte, 
 reson we 6 wolle hem bynyme, gyf we raowe to gadere 
 
 " Non yt worj? T jended, }>at Sybyle J>e sage sede by uore, 
 
 <c J?at ]>er ssokl of Brutayne J?re men be ybore, 
 
 '* J?at ssold wynne }?e ernperye of Rome, * & J>e tueye ydo ytys, 
 
 " As of Bely and Constantyn. & Jxm art ]pe Jjrydde ywys. 
 
 ' Hye ' nou vaste vorto auonge ]?ys nobie honour al, 
 
 " To brynge hem vnder ]?e, l ]?at ]?e wolde make her Jjral. 
 
 Hye " nou to anhansy vs alle, & ynelle nojt be byhynde, 
 
 u Ten ]?ousend hors la y wrye, ych J>e woile fynde. 
 
 1 Nam si, juxta prcedictam 
 rationem, Romam adire volu- 
 eris, non dub it o quin triumpho 
 potiamuT) dum libertatem no. 
 stram tueamur ; dum juste 
 ab inimicis nostris exigamus, 
 quod ti nobis injuste ipsi re~ 
 petere inceperunt. Quicumque 
 enim sua alteri eripere cona- 
 tur, meritO) quce sua sunt, per 
 eum t quern impetit^ am it tit 
 Galfr. Mon. * In non wise, 
 To haue the maistre, in defence 
 of oure owene franchise Ar. 
 
 3 Good taketh with vnright, 
 Ar. 4 Owene leose, & the de. 
 fendour haue rayght Ar. * Sut- 
 the the Romeynes beth aboute 
 to reue vs of oure right, Ar. 
 6 Wolleth hem hure bynyme, 
 & to gederes fight Ar. 1 Ful. 
 fuld, that Ar. Of the two 
 do hit is, Ar. 9 The faste for 
 to Ar. 'That wolde the 
 make thral Ar. " BIyue to a 
 vaunce vs alle, y wole noght 
 be by hynde, Ar. " Heled 
 (her to y wole the fynde Ar. 
 
 Aunsel,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 199 
 
 A tinsel, J?at }>e kyng adde ymad kyng of Scotlonde, 
 
 Glad y nou was l myd ]?ys word, & vor joye held vp ys honde. 
 
 " Vor J?at," he sede, " ychabbe yhurd, so gret joye ychabbe 
 
 and blys, 
 
 <l * j?at y nabbe non tonge, J>at mowe al yt ssewe ywys. 
 " Vor al, j?at we abby)> of londes and of kynges byuore 
 " y wonne myd chyualerye, yt \>yncfy me al vor lore, 
 " Bole we of Romeyns be awreke & of Saxons al so, 
 <( J)at vre elderne er }>ys so muche ssame abbe]? ydo. 
 " And nou |?e tyme ys icome, J>at we mowe ben awreke, 
 " So glad ycham, J )?at y not, wat vor joye speke. 
 <c Vor y ne wylnede neuere J?yng so muche, as ych do her blod, 
 " 4 Ou ! Jhesu ! J>at j?ulke day worj? me snete and god. 
 tl Suete wollej) }>e wounded be to me, & no]?yng stronge : 
 t( Suete wole ek my dej) be, jyf ych ym auonge 
 " Vorto awreke ! hor faderes, & to holde vp oure franchyse, 
 * l And vorto 6 anansy our kyng, as we ssolde in al wyse. 
 *' Seche T we out j?ulke halue men, ne abyde we nojt to longe, 
 tl Jjat * we after her wrecche dej? her londes auonge. 
 " And ycholle our ost eche, & our bachelerye, 
 " Wy}joute archers & vot men, wyj? tuo |?ousend hors y wrye. 
 
 1 For that word Ar. * That 
 I haue no tonge, to telle 
 hogh joyful my herte is Ar. 
 * That I ne wot, what Ar. 
 4 Me thinketh, to haue to 
 do o day with hem wold do 
 me good. Softe wolde the 
 woundes be to me, and no 
 thyng stronge : Swete wolde 
 
 a fonge Ar. s Oure Ar. 
 6 A vaunce Ar. " Aggredia* 
 mur igitur semiviros illos, $ 
 aggrediendo perstemus^ nt t 
 devictis tpsis, eorum honori- 
 bus cum leeta potiamur etc- 
 toria Galfr. Mon. 8 We mogh, 
 when they beth dede, hure 
 faire londes fonge Ar. 
 
 also be my deth, j f y hym shal 
 
 Of
 
 200 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Of men here of f ys lond fe kyng adde fer wyfoute 
 
 Syxly f ousend liors ' y wrye^ & fat was a uayr route. 
 
 fe kynges of syx yles ek, as Norfewey & Yrtonde, 
 
 Godlond and Orcadas, Denemarch and Yslonde. 
 
 Sene kynges ek aboute Fraunce, as Brutayne & Normandye, 
 
 Gascoyne and Aungeo, and al so Pycardye, 
 
 Of Peyto, and of ofer tuo, and * dozze pers of France. 
 
 Among hem alle 3 hii were syker al, wyfoute balance, 
 
 Of an bond red f ousend hors, & four score f ousend ferto, 
 
 And fre 4 sousend wel ywrye, & tuo hondered also, 
 
 Wyfoute fot men, fat were so vale, fat fer nas of non ende, 
 
 fys was a uayr compaynye, foru al |?e world to wende. 
 
 J?o J?ys was syker & byspeke, ]?e kyng hem het * echom, 
 
 J)at hii wende ech in ys syde to her contrcye anon, 
 
 And fat hii alammasse day myd her poer come 
 
 Ech one (o Barbesflet, and fes veage nome. 
 
 fe kyng bed |?e raessagers, fat hii fe senatour sede, 
 
 fat he wolde to Rome come, ac no truage hym to lede, 
 
 Ac vorto conquery of hym f ulke sulue seruage, 
 
 fat hii askyef of hym * vyllyche, & rayd outrage, 
 
 1 Y heled, and that Ar. 
 2 Dusze Ar. > Syker hii 
 were, with oute variaunce. 
 An hundred thusend hors he 
 led, of fotmen was non ende. 
 Ther was a faire companye 
 thurgh al the worlde to wen- 
 de. Tho that al this was 
 byspoke, and syker were 
 alle at on, Euery man to his 
 contre highede sone anon, I 
 
 charged a Lammasse day with 
 hure power hii come Euery 
 man to Barbefleet, and this 
 viage nome. Thanne to the 
 messagers answerd Arthur the 
 kyng, That to Rome he wolde 
 come and no truage bryng, 
 But forto wynne ther of hem 
 thulke self seruage, Ar. 4 Sic. 
 f L. echon. 6 Spitously, Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 201 
 
 And bat he wolde to Rome come be day bat hii hym. sette 
 r ]?e ryjte abbe we]?er so mygte, wanne hii hem to gadere 
 
 raette. 
 
 )ws a departedc f bo'' ])e court, and 4 eche in ys syde 
 parked hem agen be day, vor hii * mygte leng abyde." 
 
 JuUCYE ]?e senatour, bo he wuste bys maundement, 
 
 Sone he adde wyde aboute ys messagers ysend, 
 
 Vorto gadery to ys help al 7 bat poer of Rome, 
 
 So bat ajen Lammasse alle bes kynges to hym come, 
 
 Of Affryc and of Grece, of Spayue and of Syrye, 
 
 Of Medes and of Perces, * of ' Ytours, of Lybye, 
 
 Of Egypt and of Babylonye, and of Frugye, 
 
 And al so of I0 Mesopot, of Bytynie, of Boecye. 
 
 Alle ]>es kynges, and al o}?er |?at were by Este Rome 
 
 And al bat 'to Rome ssolde seruyse, to hym come, 
 
 So J>at feu^ty bousend hors & syxty hondred also 
 
 Jwr were, " j?o hii jare were, ]?ys chyualerye to do. 
 
 Kyng ** Arture bytok Modred, ys syster sonc, ych wene 
 
 13 bys lond to loke, Jx> he wende, & Gouernewaur be quene^ 
 
 1 And ryght haue ho so myght 
 when hii to gederes mette Ar. 
 4 Digrediuntur ergo legati^ 
 digrediuntur reges^ digredt- 
 untitr proceres, ^, quod eis 
 prceceplum fuerat, perjicere 
 non differunt Galfr. Mon. 
 4Euery man wende 
 on his syde, And euery man 
 to holde his day a ray do hyra 
 thanne to ryde Ar. i F. ue 
 
 mygte leng. 6 gent Ar. 1 The 
 power Ar. 8 Of Tharce and 
 of Libie Ar. 9 Iturceorum 
 Galfr. Mon. I0 Mesopotanie 
 Ar. " Tho hii were alle 
 redy, this Ar. lz Compo- 
 sito igitur adventu ipsorum, 
 Arturus, Modrcdo nepoti 
 suoconservandamBritanniam 
 atque Gannumarce [Sic Co- 
 dexMS.qiiemmiliiperquambe- 
 nigue
 
 202 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor he trust e to ' hym mest, as me ]>yngj? he wel ajte, 
 
 * And, as je ssolde her after yhure, hii brojte hym suj>|?e to 
 
 najte. 
 
 M yd al ys ost of J?ys londe to Sou]?hamptone he wende, 
 And dude hym 3 in see, myd wynd ]?at God hym sende. 
 J?o he come ver in )>e see, and he aslepe was, 
 4 At tyrae of mydnygt of }>e nyjt, hym mette a greuous cas. 
 Hym Jjojte he sey a gryslych beore s fle in ]?e eyr anhey, 
 6 fat alle J>e hauenes quakede of J>e flygt hym J>ojte he sey. 
 And an dreduol dragon frain the West come myd hym to fygte, 
 J?at 7 |?e leom of ys eyen al )?e contreye * lyjte. 
 And ]?e dragon ' velde ]?ulke bere, & to grounde hyra caste. 
 10 An nofer dragon com fram Est, & myd jmlke dragon fagt 
 
 taste." 
 
 }?o ]K kynge awok, he told ys meyne of Jys cas. 
 And some byfo^te, and tolde wat ]?e " bytokne was, 
 
 nigne donavit amicissimus Gra- 
 vesius, licet alii Guennoveram 
 & Guenheram^ rel Gonnoram 
 sive Gouernzsauram appellent] 
 regince committens^ cum exer- 
 citu suo portum Haymonis a- 
 divzt, ubitempestivo ventorum 
 Jlatu mare ingressus estGalfr. 
 Mon. IJ Hys lond to kepe 
 tho he wende, & also Gonnore 
 the quene Ar. 
 
 1 F. hem. * Ac, as ye schulle 
 her after hure, to most sorwe 
 he hym broght Ar. * Forth 
 in the see, Ar. 4 Euene a 
 
 boute mydnyght, hym mette a 
 wonder cas Ar. * Fle out of 
 the Est an hegh, That alle 
 men, that negh hym were, 
 quaked, whan they hym segh. 
 A grisly dragon fro by Weste 
 Ar. 6 Cujus murmure tola lit, 
 tora intremebant Galfr. Mon. 
 7 Thurjh the lightnesse of 
 his eyen Ar. 8 A light Ar. 
 
 9 Ouercome this bere, Ar. 
 
 10 Loco hujus versus licec habet 
 Ar. And ded left hym in the 
 feld, this Arthur sore a gaste 
 Ar. " Bitoknyng Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fat fa dragon of by Weste bytokned fa kyng Arture, 
 
 And fa beore som foul geant, fat me ssolde of yhure. 
 
 1 J>at lie ssolde ouercome fa geant ; & fa dragon of byheste 
 
 Bytokned fa emperour of Rome, & fa batayle of the beste 
 
 Ouercome bytokned fat fa Romeyns ssolde al so. 
 
 Ac fa kyng ne jugede nojt, fat yt ssolde be so y do, 
 
 Jjer after hii come" to Barbesflet, & pygte far by syde 
 
 Her tentes and pauylons, her compaynye to abyde. 
 
 Under fat far com worJ to j?e kyng Arture, 
 
 J?at ]?e meste geant, fat mon ssolde of yhure, 
 
 Out of ]?e lond of Spayne com, & adde * ynome' Eleyne, 
 
 J?at was so vayr, ]?e kynge's nece Howwel of Brutayne, 
 
 And vpe j?e mount of Seyn Mychel yre lede atte laste, 
 
 And J?e kyngtes of ]?e lond sywed after vaste, 
 
 Ac hii ne myjte nout agen hym do. Vor 3 we]?er so hii \vende 
 
 By water, ojjer by londe, anon ryjt he hem ssende, 
 
 4 Mydgleyue oj?er myd roches, and uewe alyue he let. 
 And some he myd strengj^e nom, & al quyc hem fret. 
 
 5 Al sfyllelyche wy]?inne nygt |?e kyn^ nom ys boteler 
 Bedwer, fat nomon yt wste, and Gay ys panyter, 
 
 1 Some seide also, that the 
 kyng sholde with honour 
 Fighte er longe were with the 
 Cenatour, And seide, theCena- 
 tour bi tokned the best of by 
 Est, And Arthur (o the dragon 
 that com fro by West. Ther 
 after hii come Ar. *Rauesshed 
 Ar. * Nam sive mart, sive 
 terra ilium invadebant, out 
 naves eorum ingentibus saxis 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 obruebat, out diversorum ge. 
 nerum telis interimebat. Sed 
 Sf plures cupiebat, quos se- 
 mivivosdevorabat Galfr.Mon. 
 4 With speres & stones also, 
 fewe a lyue he let Ar. * Al 
 stillely, whan hit was nyght, 
 Arthur clepede a part Bed- 
 uer his boteler, and Kay his 
 stiward, And two squyers 
 with hem also, that he muche 
 T triste.
 
 20* 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicfe. 
 
 (Vor he truste to hem meste) and wende vor]? as alone, 
 
 Vor ' he volde to such geant verdes lede vone 
 
 Vor o body, as we seyJ7, and so muche ek he truste 
 
 To hyrn sulue & to hardyssy. Ys men wanne hii yt wuste, 
 
 j?o he come toward j?ys hnl, a gret fur J>eruppe he sey, 
 
 And anoj?er vppe a lasse hul, ]?at }>er bysyde was ney. 
 
 Nou * nnste hii" to sojfc, vppe wef>er J?e geant were ; 
 
 Bedwer he sende vorto aspye stylelyche verst J?erc. 
 
 Verst to ]>e lasse hul 3 inyd * assyp, J>at he vond, 
 
 He wende al by water, vor he ne 3 mygt nojt alonde. 
 
 JH> * he com 7 vp j^e hul an hey, he hurde atte bygynnyg 
 
 Of a womman a dooluol cry, and a pytos wepynge." 
 
 Verst he was sore adrad, }mt )>e geant were ]?ere ney, 
 
 And naj'eles he 8 hente herte, & drou more an hey. 
 
 ]>o vond he I0 jere J)et fur, and a lute }>er bysyde 
 
 11 An " buryels al nywe ymad, & a womman, ]?at so crydc, 
 
 triste, And wende forth al pri- 
 uely, that his ost hit nyste. 
 Whan thei negh the Imlles 
 come, a fure uppon they segh, 
 And vppon the lasse hulle a 
 nother that were somdel negh. 
 Than nuste hii Ar. 
 
 1 Tanta namque virtuteprce- 
 calendonegligebatcontratalia 
 monstra exercitum ducere ) ctim 
 $ SHOS hoc modo inunimaret, 
 $ solus ad ilia destntenda svjji- 
 ceret Galfr.Mon. *Dubitantes 
 illico super qiteui eorum habi. 
 tasset gigas, Be due rum dirt. 
 guntjUt certitudinem reiexplo- 
 raret Galfr.Mon. 'Inabot, that 
 
 he fond, Ar. 4 Navicula Galfr. 
 Mon. 5 Myght by lond Ar. 
 6 Cujus \_montis~\ dum cacumen 
 incepisset ascendere, audito 
 dcsuper femineo ululato [Sic 
 Codex illc, quern mihi donode. 
 dit amicissimus Gravesius, non 
 ululatu^ primo inhorruit^ qrtia 
 dubitavit monstrum adesse 
 Galfr. Mon. 7 Up to the hulle 
 an liegh, at the bygynnyng, Of a 
 womman hehurdeacry pitously 
 playnyng^r. 8 Tok good herte, 
 Ar. 9 Tho he fond therafuyr, 
 and a lytel Ar. * Sic qui- 
 dem Codex (quern sequimur) 
 Harleyanus, pro quo alii (ut 
 in
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 205 
 
 Airier holded sytte bere, and anon, so heo y sey 
 
 be kyng Bedwer, heo syjte, and bygan to grede an hey, 
 
 " Alas! alas ! bou wrecche mon, wuch mys auenture 
 
 ** Hab be ybrogt in to bys stede, alas ! hou ssalt on dure ? 
 
 *' Alas! be pynes, bat bou ssalt sone bolye, deb! 
 
 " ]>e pyte, bat ychabbe of be, boru out myn herte geb. 
 
 " Vor bys verbroyde geant, abbe he of the an syjt, 
 
 " by fayre body so gentyl yor suolwe he wole to nygt. 
 
 < Vor he wole sone come bulke verbroyde pece, 
 
 a bat nom Helene, noble raayde, kyng Howwel nece," 
 
 " bat ychabbe nou ryjt her ybured, was noryse ych was, 
 
 " bat was al my soule, & al my lyf, ych wene non such nas. 
 
 in Ar. }>er (sine ]>eTe)forsitan 
 malint. Sedgere (quod para- 
 turn notat] retineo. ll A bu- 
 rieles newe made, & the worn, 
 man, thatcride, Al for olded 
 & for wope, and tho heo segh 
 Bedewer, " Lord haue mer- 
 cy," sheo sayde, " on the man 
 '* what dost though nouth her ? 
 " Alas !" sheo seide, " though 
 <f wrecche man, what mys a 
 u Tenture Hath broght the to 
 " this stede, hogh shalt though 
 tl longe endure? The pite, 
 " that y haue of the, thurgh 
 ** my herte it geth. Sory I 
 " am, that though shalt suffre 
 li sone deth. For this foule 
 " Geant, haue he of the a- 
 " syght, Thi body, that so 
 
 " gentil is, wole sone be to 
 " twyght. For hider he wole 
 li come right sone that ilke 
 " foule pece, That rauesshede 
 " faire Eleyne, kyngHowele's 
 " nece Ar. ll Inspexit quo- 
 que tumulum recenter factum^ 
 Sf juxta eum qiiandam anum 
 
 jlentem Sf ejulantem. Qua 
 ut eum aspexit) conspectum 
 
 Jletu impediente in hunc mo- 
 dum profata est : '' infelix 
 " hot/to^ quod infortunium te 
 a in hunc locum subvectat? 
 11 ! inenarrabiles mortis 
 u pcenus passure ! miseret me 
 " tuiy miseret) quia tarn detef- 
 " labile monstrum Jiorem ju. 
 lt ventutis tuce in hoc node 
 il consumet Galfr. Mon. 
 
 T 2 ' And
 
 206 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " * And * j?e vvule he wolde }?ys tendre J>yng wemmy foule- 
 
 y nou, 
 
 " And heo ne mygte yt soffry nogt, myd lecherye he yrslou. 
 tf J?o code he to me olde 3 werche, to endy ys 4 floule cas, 
 ( <s To wytnesse God ych take, J>at ajen my wylle yt was) 
 " And dude by nie ys lecherye, alas 1 ]?ulke stoilnde! 
 " J?er uor fle J>ou bendy mon, vor sykcr be jjou y founde, 
 " Wanne he com]? by me to lygge, he wole |>e lyme mele 
 tl To drawe and vorsuolwe, perauntre at one mele. 
 Bedvver" bygan to comforty Je womman in ]?e place, 
 And by het yre bote of hyre wo bytyme, ]?orii Gode's grace, 
 And wende ajen to J?e kyng, and tolde al J>ys cas. 
 Je kyrjg was sory, J>o he wuste, )?at ]?et rnayde aslawe was, 
 6 Ac anauntre he j?ojte hyrn do, & dude hym 7 in weye, 
 Jys clene mayde vorto 8 awreke, and ys felawes beye. 
 
 1 And as this foule Geant 
 wold haue leye hure by, This 
 ilk fairc mayde he slogh 
 thurgh his lechery. Tho yede 
 he to me, olde wrecche, his 
 lechorye to fulfille, I take 
 God to witnesse hit was a ye 
 my wille, So that euere wole, 
 whan hym lust with me haue 
 ado. And thus I lyue in this 
 penance, and dury moch wo. 
 Wei sone he wole come her 
 to me, and if though her be 
 founde, Though shalt sey 
 waillaway, & curse the harde 
 stounde. Bedewer Ar. a Nam- 
 qiie, recepto infra tenerri- 
 
 mum pectus timore, dum earn 
 nefandus ille amplecteretur^ 
 vitam, diuturniore luce dig- 
 nam,Jinivit. Ut igilur ilium, 
 qucc erat mihi altera spes } a/- 
 tera vita, altera dulcedo jo- 
 cunditatis, fccdo coitu suo de- 
 turpare nequivit, detestanda 
 venere succensus, mihi invitee 
 (Deum Sf seneciutem meam 
 testor) violentiam ingessit. 
 Fuge, dilecte mi, fuge, fyc. 
 Galfr. Mon. 3 L. wrecche. *L. 
 foule. 5 The Ar. 6 I n a 
 venture Ar. ' In his weye, 
 Ar. A wreke^ with his 
 felawes tweye Ar. 
 
 Ar
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 207 
 
 Ar liii come vpe ' bys hnl, arst he was ycorae 
 
 "pys gryslyehe geant, & hadde an valtc baru ynome, 
 
 And yspyted hym bom out myd an yrene spyte, 
 
 And roslede in bys grete fare, to abbe be folle byte. 
 
 Artur bed ys * felawes, talate hym y worbe alone, 
 
 Ac gyf liii seye hym in nede, bat bii me made targynge none. 
 
 Kyng Artur hym blessede, and batdelyche ynou 
 
 Toward bys gryslyche 3 fourme myd gode herte hym drou. 
 
 Jw * geant, bo he sey hym come, bygan ys mace adrawe, 
 
 bat tueye stalwarde men ne ssolde nojt * enes wawe. 
 
 Toward 6 be heued be kyng lie smot, ac he henfe myd ys 
 
 sselde. 
 
 Ac gut he bryde aladoun, and wel harde yt veldc. 
 Vor yt 7 borte al be hnl myd be stroc was astoned. 
 Artur was ly^t ynou, as he was ywoned. 
 He hupe vp, bo he wrobbe was, and ys suerd adrou, 
 And smot * ben ssrewe in the frount, myd gode ernest ynoug. 
 
 1 To the hul, the Geant was 
 come, And hadde broght a gret 
 swyn, that he hadde nome, Ar. 
 ~ Felawes tho to lete hym al 
 one, Ar. * Gest with good 
 hert he drogh Ar. * Mox il. 
 los M/, nihil taleprcemeditatuS) 
 uspexit^festinavit clavam M. 
 am sumere, quam duojuvenes 
 vix d terra erigerent. Evagi- 
 navit ergo rex gladium suum t 
 $ prcetenso clipeo^ quantum 
 velocitas sinebat^ properabat 
 eiimpra>cedere, antequum da. 
 vani cepisset. At ille^ non ig. 
 narus meditattonisj jam ccpe- 
 
 rat earn^ regemque interposito 
 clipco tanto conamine percus- 
 sit, quod sonitus ictus Sf iota 
 liltora. replevtt, Sf aures ejus- 
 dem ultra modum hebetavit 
 Galfr. Mon. s Ones Ar. 
 6 The kynge's hed he smot, 
 he hept hym wyth his shelde. 
 But yut h bowede hit al 
 doun, and wel harde hit felde. 
 For hit ferde of the strok al 
 the hulle was stoned. Arthur 
 was light a fote, as he was wo- 
 ned. And lept vp, tho he wra- 
 thed was, Ar. ' F. J-ojte, 
 The Ar. 
 
 T 3 Ac
 
 208 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Ac fe vcl & fless was so l bard, & fe scolle hard & fycke, 
 
 fat, vor fey yt ne come nogt foru, fe dunt nas nojt wycke. 
 
 And ys mace he dude ek bytuene, * ac fet blod adoun wende 
 
 So vaste in eye, and in face, fat hym ney a blende. 
 
 fe kyng * hupte her & fer, & leyde on euere vaste, 
 
 So strong vas fe ssrewe, fat no dunt ne myjte hym adoun 
 
 caste. 
 
 He vemde, & grunte, & stod ajen, as yt were a strong bor ? 
 fat euere wole ajen f e stroc, vorte he ne may nainor. 
 fe kyng smot euere her and fer, so fat atte laste 
 Ernest of herte he nome to hym, and adrou so vaste 
 Calyburne, ys god suerd, fat he scolle clef a tuo, 
 fat f e suerd was al f er inne yhud, 4 fat brayn ornout also, 
 f o * gryslych jal fe ssrewe f o, fat grislych was ys here. 
 He vel doung as a gret ok, fat bynefe ycorue were, 
 fat yt fojte fat al hul myd fe vallynge ssok. 
 fo stod fe kyng and lou, fey ech lyme hym ok, 
 Vor he was wery yfajt. Bedwer he het fere, 
 fat he a croune of fe grislych heued, & to castel bere. 
 So fat hii come to her felawes ' in dawynge. 
 So noble 8 los nas neuere yhurd, as me bar f o fe kynge. 
 
 1 Togh, and the scolle so 
 thicke, That hit greuede hym 
 nojt ful muche, thegh he harde 
 hitte Ar. * And yut the blod 
 outwende, And ran in his eyen 
 so, that hit hym muche a blen- 
 de Ar. JLepte Ar. * The 
 brayn orn out also. So grisly 
 yul the sherrewe, and grisly 
 
 was his bere, And fel doun 
 as an oke, that for tome 
 were Ar. * Exclamavit ve- 
 ro invisus ille, Sf velut quer- 
 CM*, ventorum viribus era- 
 dicatct) cum maxima sonitu 
 corruit Galfr. Mon. 6 Smytu 
 of Ar. ' In the dawenynge 
 Ar. 8 A los was neuere Ar.. 
 Uys
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 209 
 
 Hys men truste J>e bet to hym, and mony blessynge 
 
 He adde, vor he delyuerede men of an so voule }?ynge. 
 
 )x> kyng Arture's men y come were ecUon, 
 
 Sone hii drowe hem toward France, vorto seche her fon. 
 
 Hem com tytynge, J?at ' emperour to France ycome was 
 
 Myd so gret folc hym to seche, J>at such neuere yseye was. 
 
 per of nas nogt J?e kyng adrad, * ac vorjiore he wende bysyde, 
 
 And bygan to 3 puthe ys pauylons, hym vorto abyde. 
 
 J?e erl of Oxenford he nom, and anojrcr erl al so, 
 
 And syre Waweyn, ys syster sone, jx> al jjys was ydo, 
 
 And to Lucye J?e senatour in ]?ys mauere liem sende, 
 
 To hote hym, ]?at hastelyche out of France he wende, 
 
 O]?er J)at he come * amorwe, batayle vorlo do, 
 
 Vorto cu}>e, wej^er adde beterre ryjt ]?er to. 
 
 5 ]?ys njoble kyngtes wende vor)?, and hete Lncye so 
 
 Vorto wende out of France, e oj?er batayle do, 
 
 Quyntylyan, ys neueu, ansuerede atten ende, 
 
 J^at he nas nogt |?uder ycome, out Jeanne vorto wende, 
 
 Ac to gouerny France, 7 J?at of ryjte of Rome > s, 
 
 And ]?at bote julpynge and bost no]?yng myd Brutons nys. 
 
 1 Syre 9 Waweyn, ]?e gode kyn^t, was \>o wro]? ynou, 
 
 And among al J?at folc hupte ner, and ys siierd adrou, 
 
 1 Theraperour Ar. * Ac 
 wende ther by side Ar. 3 
 Picche his pauelones, them, 
 perour to a bide Ar. 4 On 
 the morwe, Ar. s Thes Ar. 
 6 Or elles the bataille do . 
 The senatour's cosyn Quiiu 
 cian answerede gavn atten- 
 
 ende, Ar. 7 That hqlden of 
 Rome is, Ar. 8 Sire Wa, 
 wayn the good knyght was 
 tho wrq,th y nogh, God wot, 
 And sodeynly drogh his 
 sweord, & of his hed he smot, 
 And with that hed to hors he 
 leote. ther folwede hvm v 
 
 T 4 now*
 
 210 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And smot of ]?at heued, & anon j?at heued myd hym nom. 
 
 And wyj? ys felawes to ys hors vor bcra all gut he com. 
 
 Ac wat an horse, wat a vote, |)e Romeyns hym sywyde ynouj* 
 
 Vorto awreke her gret maysler, ]?at syre Waweyn slou. 
 
 Geryn, erl of Carcoys, fat rnyd kyng Arture was, 
 
 Fie byturnede hym j?o he sey J?e Romeyns lu]?er pas, 
 
 And on ]?oru out J?at body he smot myd ys lance. 
 
 f e erl of Oxenford ek Jwjte of ys cheance, 
 
 And byturnde hym, & myd ys lance )wu ])e. ]?rote smot on. 
 
 And ]?us |?ys jire gode kyngtys stured hem among her fon. 
 
 )?o was }>er on, |?at het Marcel, j?at fondede myd al ys mayn, 
 
 Forto ' awreke Quintylyan, to sle syre Waweyii, 
 
 Syre Waweyn hym byturnde, & an stroc hyra gef, 
 
 )?at al * )?at heued & ]?e brest * clanlyche hym to clef. 
 
 " Go," he seyde, " to 4 Quintylyan in helle ]?er he ys, 
 
 *' And seye hym, j?at syre Waweyn hym sende word ]?ys, 
 
 " fat suche strokes |?e Brutons conne gyue y wys, 
 
 l( 5 ]?at he seyde, J?at myd hym bote gulpynge & bost nys. 
 
 <c Vor'ychot wel Jwder foussalt, }>yn delj^oumyjt hym ssewe. 
 
 Hys felawes he bed turne agen, 7 al ]?ey hii were vewe. 
 
 nowe Of Romeyns, to haue 
 \vreke hure maistre, & made 
 gret a vowe. Geryn Erl of 
 Chartres.thatmessager also was, 
 Byturnde hym, whan he sey the 
 Romaynes folwe such a paas, 
 And thurgh the body on he smot 
 with his good launce Ar. 9 Ira- 
 tus illico Gwalguanus, ense, 
 quo accinctus erat^ irruit in 
 futrty Sfj ejusdem captie ampu- 
 tate, ad equos cum sociis re~ 
 
 greditur. Insequuntur ita- 
 que Romaniy par tint pede, 
 partim equis, ut conci-cem 
 suum in legato s omni nisu dif- 
 fugientes vindicent Galfr.Mon. 
 1 A venge Quincian, and 
 quelle sire Ar. z The Ar. 
 5 Al clene he to claf Ar. 
 * Quincian Ar. * For he 
 seide, but yilpyng and bost 
 with Brutons is Ar. 6 Ywot 
 Ar. ' Al thogh they Ar. 
 
 Hii
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Hii turnde ajen, & ech of hem atte leste one slou. 
 
 Ac euere be Romeyns after sywede vaste ynouj. 
 
 So bat ber com out of an wode, as yt was byspeke, 
 
 An syx bousend of Brutons, her felawes vorto awreke. 
 
 Hii come out myd god eyr, and asaylede vaste 
 
 The Romeyns, & raonye slowe, & somme adoun caste. 
 
 bo to Petreye, a gret Romeyn, bys tydynge come, 
 
 Ten bousend of hors y wrye myd hym sone he nome, 
 
 Vorto helpe ys felawes, and bo ober ne myjte be, 
 
 Toward be wode, fram * wanne he come, j?e Brutons gonnc 
 
 tofle. 
 
 Ac ])o hii come among narwe heggys, bii stode ajen anon, 
 And turnde * J>e breste ajen, & vaste slowe her fon. 
 And ]>e Romeyns stod ajen |?o, ]?at |?er was gret slajt. 
 3 ]?e erl of Oxenford ysey, ]?at ]?ys fare nas nojt, 
 J^ulke, ]?at he mest truste to, as a gret companye, 
 He bed hym sywy, trwelyche to do chyualerye. 
 J?o J?ys vorewarde was ymad, |?oru out 4 ost he drou, 
 And percede j?e ost |?oru out, and vaste aboute slou. 
 So ]?at to her mayster Petreye he come, 
 And vaste, as he adde yjx^t, by ]>e necke hym nome, 
 And s braste hym adoun of ys hors, & hym sulue al so 
 * Anowarde hym vel adoun, as he adde ybogt to do." 
 
 1 Whennes that hii come, 
 Ar. * Toward hure enemyes, 
 & faste leyde hem on Ar. 3 So 
 that the Erl of Oxenford seygh 
 hure fare was noglit, Ar. Adeo 
 ut in Codice etiam ttarleya.no 
 was pro nzsforsitan sit repo. 
 
 nendum. 4 This ost Ar. 
 ^ Wrast Ar. quo modo etiai* 
 in Codice Harleyano potest 
 legi, si litteram primam 
 non pro J? sed pro p (nam 
 in hoc codice eodem modo 
 hce littcrcc effingunlur) ha- 
 beas.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?e Romeyns sturte ' to" anon, her prince vp to rere, 
 
 J>e Brntons to helpe * her alf, vaste aboute were. 
 
 J?er was pultyng and ssouyng, and stroc mony one. 
 
 So )?at e Brutons atte laste, among alle her fon, 
 
 Myd streng)?e ladde vorj? Petreye * her prince J?ere. 
 
 J?o }?e Romeyns were wy}> out chef, dyscomfortd hii were 
 
 4 And to spradde hem her & ]?er, & ]?e oj>ere after vaste, 
 
 And slowe & despoylede, and to grounde hem caste, 
 
 And astored hem myd her armes, & Je hexte alyue nome, 
 
 So ]?at myd gret prowesse to 5 J?e" kyng Arture hii come. 
 
 Welle Jjat |?e kyng was J>o glad, vor he nuste her of nojt, 
 
 Vayre jyftys he hym jef, and wel mo he adde yjjo jt. 
 
 ]>e prysons amorwe to Parys he sende, 
 
 To holde in prison, & wy|? 7 hym god condut ]?er wende. 
 
 }>e Romeyns* Jwgte J)ys wel, and, as J?e maystres hete, 
 
 Vyftene |?ousend j>er wende, ]>ys prisons vorto mete. 
 
 \>o ]>e Brytons come myd J^e prisons J?ar, 
 
 }?e Romeyns come agen hem al anony war, 
 
 And wende hem to ssende anon, ac j?e Brutons ajen stode, 
 
 And defended hem wyle hii myjte myd wel stourdy mode. 
 
 So J>at, vor defaute of help, hii were al ney yssend. 
 
 Ac fo com J?e due of Peyto, as God adde ]?e grace ysend, 
 
 beas. Fel doun euene vp 
 hym, and ley ther bothe two 
 Ar. 
 
 1 Deest Ar. 2 Hure lord, 
 faste Ar. ? The Romeynes 
 prince there Ar. 4 And dis- 
 parpled her & ther, the Bru. 
 
 tones after hem faste, Ar. 
 s Deest Ar. * The kyng 
 was tho glad y nogh, for he 
 wiste ther of noght, Ar. 
 7 Hem Ar. Thoght her 
 on wel Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 213 
 
 Myd )>re J?ousend hors y wrye, & )>er of was * y war. 
 
 o were }>e Brutons glad ynou, & }>en feld made bar, 
 
 And ]?e kyng of * Syrge, and mony ofyer hii slowe, 
 
 And lonerdynges, ]>at hii norae, to prison vaste hii drowe. 
 
 }>o hii to ]?e kyng come, and ssewed her stalwardhede, 
 
 ]?c kyng wos ]?o glad ynou, vor hym J>ojte he nadde no drede. 
 
 .LiUCYE \>Q senatour in Jragt was he sone, 
 
 In such ard cas as hym vel, wat were best to done. 
 
 So J>at he Jjojte 3 styllelyche, to a strong cyte wende, 
 
 Vorfe J^e emperour hym myjte more poer sende. 
 
 Kyng Arture was her of ywar, and Jjo^le, ar he slepe, 
 
 Myd al ys poer by ]?e wey somwar hym 4 kepe. 
 
 Vor|> he wende myd ys ost, and J>o he was y come 
 
 To J?e stede, J?er he wolde bee, cheueteyns he made somrae ; 
 
 As J?e kyng of Cornwayle, and of Scotlond al so, 
 
 Of Nor|?weye, of Denemarch, of Bruteyne, of Peyto, 
 
 Of Gascoyne, of Normandye, and erles gut J>erto 
 
 Of Cartoys, of Oxenford, of Leycestre al so, 
 
 And syre Wawein ys neueu, flour of corteysye. 
 
 Ilys ost he delde a seuene, and in ech companye 
 
 Vyf Jjousend and vyf hondred he dude of bachelerye 
 
 And vyfty and vyue, and ]?at was vayr seyngnerye. 
 
 }>c eyjte]?e ost to hym sulue he adde J?er wyj^oute, 
 
 Syx J)ousend and syx hondred J)ere were in jmlke route 
 
 the trap of the Romans. 
 Nam-, " Guithardus etenim^ 
 dux Pictavensium, comperto 
 
 t( dolo cum tribus miltbut 
 " udvenerat," in Galfr. Mon. 
 2 Sirie, Ar. Priuely, Ar. 
 4 To kepe Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle.' 
 
 And syxty and syxe, and ys dragon yrerd of golde, 
 
 As in stede of ys baner, and j?anne, gyf eny wolde 
 
 Come as to defense, ]?at ner wounded were, 
 
 O]?er wery, as in a castel recetted were ]?ere. 
 
 JN> he adde ]>ys ost yset, he bygan hem rede, 
 
 And in J?ys batayle to conseyly, and )?es wordes seyde : 
 
 " Myn * leue * priue kyngtes, J?at gode abbyj) enere y be, 
 
 (" Vor non, as wyde as ys |?e worl, me ne ssal joure per ysey) 
 
 c< 3 je abbe}) y mad leuedy, Brutayne joure owe lorid, 
 
 " Of })rettene kynedoras, ]?at we abbe)? in vr bond. 
 
 " Vor ]?ey je abbyj? nou vyf jer 4 of batayle vn vscd be, 
 
 '* jut in joure noble prowesse wel $ durynde ych jou se, 
 
 *' J?at so gret folc of Romeyns je vewe mad fle 
 
 ** In to J>ys <oun her byuore, ]?at sone wollej) out te. 
 
 " And je ssolle hem mete& quelle, as so monye ssepe, vor nogt, 
 
 se Hii 6 wende wel her owe sleuj)e on jou abbe y cajt, 
 
 tf Wanne hii wolde of joure lond so vyllyche abbe truage 
 
 ** And noble men, as ge be}?, brynge in so vyle seruage. 
 
 ** Nule]> hii nojt ]?e chyualerye, )?at je abbej) in France ydo, 
 
 * InNor]?weye, & in Denemarch, & in o|?er londes al so, 
 
 " Of her stynkynge seruyse j?at ge abby)> out ybrogt ? 
 
 " ]?ys alue men je ssolle wynne wel lyjtloker & vor nojt. 
 
 1 Domestic^ met, qui Brit- 
 tanniam terdenorum regnorum 
 fecistis dominant, vestrce con- 
 gratulor probitati, quam nul. 
 latenus deficere, immo magis 
 cigere^ considero Sfc. Galfr. 
 Mon. * Preuede Ar. 5 Ye 
 haneth wonne to Brutayne, that 
 is our kynde lond, Thritty 
 
 grete kyngdomes, and beth 
 nogh in oure bond Ar. 4 Out 
 of bataille be, Ar. * Duryng 
 Ar. 6 Sane orientalium gen. 
 Hum segnitiam in vobis esse 
 existimabant, dum patriam 
 vestram facere iributariam, 
 Sf vosmetipsos subjugare af~ 
 fectarent Galfr. Mon. 
 
 ' Wuch
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 * c ' Wuch onouers wolde gou come, gyf je hern ouercome? 
 
 <c Vor we wolde anon ber after vorb and Wynne Rome. 
 
 " Of be tresour, bat gou banne * worb," ne of tounes, ne of 
 
 tours, 
 
 " Ne of londes, non ende ne worb, ne of obere honours, 
 bet folc by hete hym bo echon, prest vor to be 
 To deye raber in 3 feld, ban be batayle fle. 
 Lucye be cenatour al so in ys dede 
 Ordeyned and radde ys ost, and bes wordes seyde: 
 " Myne noble kyngtys, to was poer and heste 
 cc Alle londys ssole abouye 4 to* by Weste and by Este, 
 " bencheb on gonre elderne, bat were of so noble mygte, 
 *' s Ne dradde nojt to ssede her blod, vorto wynne her ryjt, 
 C{ Ac euere fogte, 6 as hem nere deb yssape none, 
 <{ An so hii wonne her seygnerye, & ouercome her fon, 
 ' And adde seruage of al be world, were yt nou wel bygonne. 
 " bat we lore be nobleye, bat hii so noblyche wonne ? 
 An ern, in stede of ys baner, he sette vp of golde, 
 And wende toward bys batayle, abyde woso wolde. 
 Hii made her cry in eyber half, & to gader esmyte, 
 Wo nuste neuere of slajt, bere he mygte ywyte. 
 7 bat folc vel doun to grounde aslawe, as leues dob of tre, 
 be Brutons adde be worse 8 vorste, vor hem was loj> to fle. 
 
 1 Gret honour yogh wole 
 byfalle, the Romeynes and ye 
 
 ouercome. 
 
 ther after \vende to wynnc 
 Rome Ar. * Shul haue, Ar. 
 
 3 The feld, Ar. 4 Deest Ar. 
 s That dradde Ar. As 
 
 thogh hem nere deth shape 
 non, Ar, 7 The folk Ar. 
 8 Fight pro vorste in Ar.
 
 216 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fe kyng Bedwer was fere aslawe, vor fe kyng of Medes 
 
 him slou 
 
 Wyd an lance foru fe frote, as he toward him drou. 
 Kay ys felawe hym wolde awrcke, kyng of Aungeo, 
 And to defe was in f ulke x verde ywounded al so. 
 And jut, as a noble kynjt, hys felawe's body he nomc, 
 And fer wyf , ded as yt was, to fe kynge's dragon come. 
 Ou ! louerd ! fe deol fat fcr was of hem of Normandyc, 
 fo hii seye her kyng aslawe, flour of cbyualerye ! 
 ]>e deol ek of hem of Aungeo, fo hii her kyng yseye 
 
 * Wy}> wounden to raunced so, ]?at he moste node deye ! 
 Hyrel, Bedwer's neueu, j?o ys vncle aslawe he sey, 
 
 * He verde as a wytles mon, yt was to be hym ney. 
 Myd J?re hondred hors ywrye in ys wod rage he wende 
 Vorto a wreke ys * vncle dej>, as ver ys herte tende. 
 He perced ost and o]?er, vorto he ysey ynou 
 
 j)e kyngys baner of Medes, fat ys vncle slou. 
 
 So gret was ys herte, fat of dej? he ne rojte nofyng. 
 
 8 To grounde he smot he & ys, & aslowe fen kyng, 
 
 And fer, as ys vncle ded lay, ys foule caroyne he brojte, 
 
 And ryjt fer by pece mele hakked yt al to nojte. 
 
 fo gradde he to ys felawes, myd gode herte fere, 
 
 To legge on vaste f e lufer men, fe wule hii 6 versse were. 
 
 Route wounded Ar. Ar. f But atte laste the 
 
 'With his woundes alto 
 raced, that Ar. * He ferd, as 
 he were wod, myght noman 
 come hym negh Ar. 4 Un. 
 
 kyng Mede to his eynde he 
 broghte, And thuder, that 
 his vncle lay, his caroigne 
 broghte Ar. 6 Fresh Ar. 
 
 cle's deth, so his herte tende 
 
 Vor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor be prowesse bat he adde ydo, Lii stured hem alle vaste, 
 1 And fojte in eyber alf, and bet folc adoun caste. 
 ,In be Romeyns alf to debe ber were ydo 
 be kyng of Babylone, & be kyng of Spayne al so, 
 And be kyng of Medes, & tueye gret scenatours, & folc wyb- 
 
 oute ende. 
 
 * In bys half bcre were aslawe be noble men and hende, 
 Syre Lyger due of Babyloyne, & anober due al so, 
 And be erl of Salesbury, and of 3 Cyceslre berto ; 
 And also be erl of Babe, so bat boru bys cas 
 be compaynye 4 abes half muche anebered was. 
 bo coin be kyng of Brutayne, & syre Waweyn be hendc, 
 Myd her nywe ost al 5 verss, & stured hem in ech ende ; 
 So bat ber were among hem bere to debe y do 
 A gret due, and tuo bousend, and ober myd al so. 
 ' be" kyng Howwel, & syre Waweyn, " bat" so gode bodyes 
 
 were, 
 
 Euere hii were ylych verss, & slowe here & Here. 
 Bote hii som mon brogte adoun, newe duntes hii smyte. 
 Weber of hem betere were, 9 strong yt was to wyte. 
 Syre Waweyn wylnede euere myd al ys myjte 
 Myd Lucye be scenatour in batayle to rygte. 
 10 Lucye ne wylnede nabemo, nobyng so muche alonde, 
 As to fyjte myd a such kyngt, hym sulue vorto fonde. 
 
 1 So that ther was in ai- 
 ther side much folc doun caste 
 Ar. * In Brutones side Ar. 
 3 Chestre Ar. 4 Of Bru- 
 tones half much a peired was 
 Ar. s Fressh Ar. 6 Deest Ar. 
 \ Omittit Ar. f That place 
 
 hii made whar hii come, and 
 stored her and there Ar. 
 9 Wonder it Ar. Lucie 
 welnede also no thyng more in 
 londe, Than forto fight with 
 sire Wawayn hym self forto 
 fonde Ar. 
 
 So
 
 218 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So }>at hii mette hem J>er, boj?e hii were wel rawe. 
 
 " Jjer were duntcs aryjt, and suerdes wel ydrawe. 
 
 J?e Romeyns come to her mayster sone, to helpe bem in such 
 
 cas, 
 
 So }?ycke, ]?at syre Waweyn ney ybrogt to grounde was. 
 ]?e kyng Arture yt vnder jet, and come sone in astounde. 
 " Wat do * je," he seyde, " syre kynjfys ? QuelleJ? on to 
 
 grounde. 
 
 " Wy lete %e * ]?ys alue men Jms longe alyue go ? 
 " fenche]? on ]?e batayles, |?at je abbyj? ar J?ys y do, 
 *' On vr elderne, j?at J?ys wrecches * worrede myd vnryjte, 
 " On vre francbyse, }?at hii wolde bynyme vs, jyf hii mygtc. 
 *' Ne late]? none alyue go, to grounde smytej) joure fon. 
 " Syre Calybourne ys suerd he bygan to ssake anon, , 
 And slou to grounde her & J>er, ac he ne smot nogt one, 
 j)at he ne slou hym oj>cr ys hors, &, among hem echon, 
 J>e kyng of Lybye & of Bytynie hym sulf he gan quelle 
 Myd Calybourne, & sende her hej?ene soulys to helle. 
 fe Brutons, as hii versse were, to grounde slowe, 
 And e Romeyns in her alf vaste ek agen drowe. 
 Lucye, to hardy ys men, prykede her and J>er, 
 And bygonne as anywe batayle ry^t as hii versse were. 
 Morond, erl of Gloucestre, myd ys ost by syde 
 In an valeye houede, ]?e endynge vorto abyde. 
 Atte laste myd ys versse vole to hem he come }>ar, 
 And byclosede 5 J)ys Romeyns by hynde anonywar. 
 
 1 Duntes ]>er were grete y 
 smyte of sweordes that were 
 Ar. * Ye nogh my 
 
 knyghtes alle ? quelleth Ar. 
 * Thes halue men Ar. 4 Wer- 
 red Ar. s The Ar. 
 
 J,o
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?o were J>e Brutons al aboue, hii slowe]x> to grounde 
 
 je mony J?ousend of J>e Romeyns in a lutel stounde* 
 
 ]>& f scenatour was wyj? a sper Lucye ]x>ru ysmyte. 
 
 ]>o adde }>e Brutons ]?e maystrye al byjyte, 
 
 ]?e Romeyns, Jjat mygte of scapye, flovve vaste sone, 
 
 And Jte Brutons after, vorte hii were alle ouercome. 
 
 1 Armes hii adde ]?ere & hors, & alle rjfchesse y nou. 
 
 ]?e kyng, j?o hal ]?ys was ydo, toward reste drou, 
 
 And let ]?e bodyes of ys men, ]>ai aslawe were, 
 
 Gadery out and bur ye noblyche ynou fyere. 
 
 Kyngys in to her owe londe he let lede al so, 
 
 As Bedwer in to Normandie, and Kay to Aungeo, 
 
 And ano}>er in (o Flanclres, and oj>ere of J?e route 
 
 Kyngtys he let burye in abbcyes |?er aboute. 
 
 Men bysyde of |?e lond he het to burye ys fon. 
 
 Vor he ne kepte yor reu|?e, |?at |?er wer vnbured non. 
 
 Ac Lucye*s body he sende 3 hym to Rome, 
 
 And bed hem, J>at her maystre's body vor ys truage nome, 
 
 And |?at he nolde neuere more o]?er truage hem sende, 
 
 Ac he wolde hym sulf jut Jmder come, & seche hem in ech 
 
 ende. 
 
 Grettore batayle j?an )>ys was, ych wene, nas neuere non, 
 Bote yt were jnilke of Troye, vor }?er nas vnne}?e non 
 Prince in al ]>c world, }?at ne moste be J?er, oipcr sende 
 Fram J?e West side of |?e world to ]?e Estmost ende. 
 
 1 Cheuenteyn Ar. * Ar- 1 hors and rychesse y nogh Ar 
 mure the Brutones hadde & J 3 Hit Ar. 
 
 Vol. I. u ?
 
 220 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 bo adde be kyng Arture y wonne fram be Westmost see 
 
 1 Anon to be mouns al bat lond, ar he come age, 
 
 He bogte * wynne al clene Rome, & al be lond per aboute. 
 
 And vorlo 3 passy vorb be mouns, he jarkede vaste is route. 
 
 And as he was prest to do Jmlke noble dede, 
 
 A messager com fram bys lond, & nywe tydyrige hym seyde, 
 
 bat Modred, ys neueu, * wan he bytoc bys lond, 
 
 Adde ynome ys kynedom clanlyche in ys hond, 
 
 And ycrouned hym sulue kyng, boru be quene rede, 
 
 And huld byre in spousbruche in vyl flesse's dede. 
 
 Alas ! be luber tricherye ! hou myjte 6 be more ? 
 
 bo was be kyng Arture vol of sorwe and sore, 
 
 1 1n wuch alf turne he nuste bo, weber Est be West, 
 
 Ac to wreke hym 8 of ys lubcr neueu, ys herte ber euere best. 
 
 be veage toward Rome he 9 byleuede vor bys cheance, 
 
 And be kyng Howel of Bmtaine myd be poer of France 
 
 He I0 byleuede ber, towardy ys londes byjonde see, 
 
 And hopede to wynne Rome, wanne he come eft age. 
 
 Myd be poer of bys londe hyderward hedrou, 
 
 And myd " be kynges here bysyde hymbojte "er longe ynou. 
 
 r A non to the mountes to 
 ward Rome non was liym a 
 yee, Ar. * To wynne Ar. 
 s Passe ouer the mountes, he 
 grethed faste his route Ar. 
 4 Wham hebytoke^r. *Spous- 
 breche in vil lechores ded Ar. 
 (> Hit ,be Ar. " In whather 
 half tourne he myghte he 
 nuste Est or West, Ar. 
 8 Of Mordred, his herte Ar. 
 
 9 Lefte Ar. l Bilefte, to 
 kepe his londes ther by yonde 
 the see Ar. " dimisso 
 Hoelo, duce Armoricorum, 
 cum exercitu Galliarum^ ut 
 paries illas pacificaret^ con- 
 festim cum insulanis tantum- 
 modo re gibus j eorumque ex. 
 ercitibiiS) Brilanniarn remea- 
 vit Galfr. Mon. " Erst Ar. 
 
 Ac
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle 221 
 
 Ac Modred, pe luper suyke, per byuore bysojte 
 
 Chelryk kyng of Saxons, pat * he hem help brojte, 
 
 And he byhet hym and ys al Kent ver and ner, 
 
 Al pat Hengyst adde wule * wype kynge's daye Vortyger : 
 
 He byhet hym and ys also al Norpomberlond, 
 
 3 Al pat lond fram Homber anon into Scotlond. 
 
 *po pat eygte hondred ssypes into pys lond he brogte 
 
 5 Vol of Saracens yarmed, as he hym bysojte. 
 
 Gret poer of Yrlond Modred hym 6 wan al so 
 
 Of Pycars, and of ech maner men per to, 
 
 pat he waste pat no loue to pe kyng Arture bere. 
 
 So pat eygte score pousend of hors ywrye per were 
 
 In 7 ys ost, po hii were gadered in pys cas, 
 
 \Vat of Cristyne, wat of payns, & al to muche pat was. 
 
 po Arture myd ys poer ariuede in pys londe, 
 
 Modred bygan myd ys ost ajen vaste stonde. 
 
 Atte hauene an batayle hii smyte myd gret mayn, 
 
 }ier was aslawe * pen hende kynjt pe noble syre Waweyn, 
 
 And Aunsel pe kyng of Scotlond, and mony pousend also. 
 
 Ac luper Modred atte laste, po al pys was y do, 
 
 Flen myd al ys poer to Wynchestre vaste, 
 
 So pat pe kyng Arture pe veld adde atte laste. 
 
 po ' Guanwaur, pe Inper quene, hurde of pys cas, 
 
 Fram Euerwyk to Carleon heo flen myd quyc pas, 
 
 1 He som help hym broght, 
 Ar. * By kynge's Ar. ?And 
 the lond toward Humber Ar. 
 4 So that vi. hundred shipes 
 Ar. at Galfridus Mon. plane 
 nt Codex Harleyanus. sFul 
 
 of mysbileued men, as he Ar. 
 6 Gat also Ar. 7 This ost, 
 whan hii Ar. 8 The cnrtoys 
 knyght Walwayn Ar. 9 Go- 
 noure, Ar. 
 
 u 2 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And by com nonneber, to lybbe in chaste lyue. 
 
 * Som wat heo was cr adrad, ar heo hyede so blyue. 
 
 Heo ne hycde nogt agen yre louerd, to wolcome hym to londo. 
 
 * jut yre was betere nonne be, ban come ynder ys honde. 
 )?o kyng Arture adde ybured ys folc bat ded was, 
 
 He sy wed after be traytor myd wel quyc pas. 
 
 be ssrewe 3 parked ys ost, and agen hym com, 
 
 And wybout Wynchestre auober batayle he riom. 
 
 berhii dude sorwe ynoq, and slo\ve to grounde vaste^ 
 
 Ac }>Q traytor was *byne]?e r and flen atte laste 
 
 To Cornwayle myd god eyr, he ne dorste no ner abyde. 
 
 J?er he gadered hym ny we ost, aboute in eche syde, 
 
 So J?at he adde s vnder al. myd J>at hym byieued er 7 
 
 Syxty J?ouscnd hors 6 y wrye y al to muche was ])er. 
 
 Hys ost he 7 dygte suy)?e wel, al hou yt ssolde be, 
 
 And suor he wolde ra]?er deye, |?an euer eft to fle. 
 
 Kyng Arture was anguysous 8 in ys companye, 
 
 |?at }>e luj'er traytor adde of scaped hym so tuye. 
 
 He sywed hym myd ys folc to Cornwayle vaste, 
 
 Bysyde J^e water of Camble hii mete 6 hem" atte laste. 
 
 J)er hii smyte an batayle deol uol y nou, 
 
 J?atdeol yt was so muche folc in ey]>cr syde me slou. 
 
 Vor }>er ne byieued in no^cr syde none hey mon vnnef>e, 
 
 Kyng, ne due, ne oj^er, frit nas ybrojt to de}?e. 
 
 1 A gast heo \vas to reli- 
 gion, er heo highed so blyue. 
 Heo ne yede a yenst hure lord, 
 Ar. * Beter hure thoghte 
 noune to be, than to come, Ar. 
 3 Yut ordeyned his ost, Ar. 
 
 4 Oucrcome, and flegh, Ar, 
 
 5 Under hym, with that hym 
 leuede er, Ar. 6 Heled, alto 
 Ar. T Gan a raye faste, hugh 
 hit sholde be, Ar. 8 And his 
 Ar. iDeestAr. 
 
 Ac
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Ac Modred pe tray lor adde more folc ' of" y nou. 
 
 po pe kyng Art are ysey, pat me ys folc so slou, 
 
 And pe kyng of Denemarch was aslawe, & pe kyng also 
 
 Of Norpweye, & of ys oper men mony pousend perto, 
 
 And he sey, pal ys fon stode euere ajen vaste, 
 
 To pe Intel folc pat he adde he spec atte laste. 
 
 " * Sulle, he seyde, " vr lyf dere ar we be ded, 
 
 " * And ychelle sulle myn dere ynou, wanne per nys oper red, 
 
 " Abbe ych slawe pe false suyke, pe luper traylor, 
 
 fl Hy t worp me panne vorto deye gret joye & honour. 
 
 He drou Calyborne ys suerd, and in eyther syde slou, 
 
 And vorte he to pe tray tor com, made hym wey gode ynou. 
 
 He hente of verst ys helm, and snppe myd wylle god 
 
 Anne stroc he jef hym, myd wel stourdy mod, 
 
 And poru haubert and ys coler, pat ncre nopyng souple, 
 
 He smot of ys heucd as lyjtlyche as yt were a lute stouple. 
 
 pat was ys laste chyualerye, pa vayre ended j'nou. 
 
 Vor pe folc so pycke com, pe wule he her louerd slou, 
 
 Aboute him in ech alf, pat among so mony fon 
 
 He aueng depc's wounde, and wonder nas yt none. 
 
 Ac onercome vas he nogt, pey ys wounden dedlych were. 
 
 po * he adde ys laste chyualerye pus noblyche ydo perc, 
 
 He s gcf pe croune of pys lond pe noble Constantyn, 
 
 (pe erl Cadore's sone of 6 of Corn way le,) pat was ys cosyn 
 
 1 Deest Ar. % Selle we," 
 he seyde Ar. 3 Myn shal be 
 dere bought, ther is non othur 
 red Ar. 4 Sed Sf inditus ille 
 Ardirus rex lethaliter vulne- 
 ratus est, qui illinc ad sanan. 
 d(t "idnerasuu in insula Aval. 
 
 lonis advectus, cognato suo 
 Constantino, Sf filio Cadoris 
 duds Cornubice, diadema Bri- 
 tannice concessitanno ab incar~ 
 natione Domini D.XLII. Galfr. 
 Mou. * Desunt hie bina folia 
 in Ar. in ptibus, prxter alia y 
 u 3 ora.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And let hym lede in to an yle, vorto hele ys wounde, 
 
 And deyde as J>e beste kynjt, )?at me wuste euere yfounde. 
 
 Ac naj?eles J?e Brulons and j?e Cornewalysse of ys kunde 
 
 Wenyjj he be alyue gut, & abbej? hym jut in mynde, 
 
 Jat lie be to comene jut, to wynne agen ]?ys lond . 
 
 And nogt, vor J?an at Glastynbury ys bones su]?]?e me wond, 
 
 And }>er touore J?e heye wened, amydde j?e quer y wys, 
 
 As ys bones lyggej?, ys tumbe wel vayr ys. 
 
 In vyf hondred jer of grace, and fourty and tuo, 
 
 In \>ys manere in Corn wale to dej?e he was ydo. 
 
 CONSTANTYN was ]>o kyng, after J?e kyng Arture. 
 1 As }>e Saxons sette ajen hym, |?e wule hii myjte dure ; 
 And Modrede's tueye sones, ]pe wule hii dorste abyde, 
 Ac Constantyn * hem to drof, eyj?er in ys syde, 
 fen anne in to Wynchestre, and Jer wyj? sorwe y nou, 
 In chyrche to vore ]?e heye wened Constantyn hym slou. 
 J?e o]?er flen to Londone, and ])or\i Constantyn al so. 
 )?er by uore )>e heye wened to defe he was y do. 
 Conan 3 slou suj))?e Constantyn in ]?e |?yrdde jere. 
 At Stonhenghe he was yburyd, as ys elderne were. 
 
 oratione soluta qucedam con. 
 ceptafuisse e fragmento quo. 
 dam plane colligo. 6 Dele. 
 
 1 The Saxones werred faste 
 on hym, Ar. omisso^pro quo 
 ac malim. * Aboute hem drof 
 ech on his side, And wente to 
 Wynchestre,^r. *Exindetertio 
 
 anno inter/edits esf] Constan- 
 tinus] a Conano } fy juxta 
 Utherpendragon infra lapi- 
 dum structuram sepultus fuit, 
 qua; hand longe a Salesbiria 
 mira arte composita Anglo- 
 rum lingua Stanheng nuncu- 
 patur Galfr. Mon. 
 
 Seyn
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Seyn Dauyd deyde ]?er byuore, hyssop of Walys, 
 And )?er be was vayre yburydj in ys owe chyrche ywys. 
 Constantyne's neueu Aurely was kyng J?o, 
 Arid leuede in ys kenedom tuo jer and nanmo. 
 
 VoRTYPOR was J>o kyng vour gere vnnejje. 
 ]?e Saxons he broghte al bynej>e, & mony on to de}>e. 
 
 J\J ALGO com jx> after hym, |?at |?e vayroste kyng was, 
 J?;U me wuste euere in ]?ys lond, & al so ]?er nas 
 Strengore mon non by ys day. vor he wan ek to |?ys londe 
 |?e syx yJes |?at be]) aboute, and heklys adde an honde, 
 As God londe, and Orcadas, and al so Yrlonde, 
 Norj^weye, and Denemarch, and al so Yslonde. 
 
 v^ARYC was kyng after liym, J?at stalworde mon was, 
 
 Ac to prout he was & to fals, J?at ssende ]?ys londe alas ! 
 
 Vor J)e Saxons & J?e Englysse men were euere in J?ys londe, 
 
 Arid adde agen }?o Brutons euere worre an honde. 
 
 }>o hii seye ]?e falshede of ]>e kyng Carryc, 
 
 Hii wende after * Godmond, }>at was kyng of Affryc, 
 
 To helpe hem wynne ]>ys londe, & by hete hym vayre ynou. 
 
 ]>e kyng Godmond myd vayr ost hederward sone drou, 
 
 And myd hondred J?ousend men, & syxty j?ousend fer to, 
 
 He come here myd J?e Saxons ]?e worre vor to do. 
 
 J Katerik Ar. * Qui tune in Hibernta erat, ut e Galfrido 
 Monumetensi liquct. 
 
 u 4 ^e
 
 226 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fe Saxons, and ' J>et grete folc, )?at come so of Affryc, 
 
 Asayled vaste ]?e Brutons, and her kyng Carryc. 
 
 Mony batayie hii smyte, & sywyde vpe hym vaste, 
 
 And fram toune to toune hym dryue, so )>at atte laste 
 
 Hii dryue hym to * Cyrencestre, & bysyged hym }?er inne. 
 
 Jen toune hii barnde vpen hym, ar hii myjte 3 hym wynne, 
 
 }?er hii smyte an batayle. suJ?J>e hii dryue ywys 
 
 Caryc ouer Seuerne Weste in to Walys. 
 
 Vor ]?e 4 kunde men of ]?ys londe recetted were ]?er 
 
 Euere, wanne of strangemen yworred hii were, 
 
 )>et lu)?er hej^ene folc 5 varnde }?o vaste, 
 
 And * desturde al J>ys londe, and tounes adoun caste, 
 
 Wat mydfure, wat myd suerd, hii destrude al ]?at hiifounde. 
 
 Hii ne sparede prest, ne chyrche, ]?at hii ne brojte to grounde. 
 
 Hii, ]?at my^te of scapye, vaste flowe |?ere 
 
 To Walys, and to Cornwayle, and hudde hem vor fere. 
 
 J?e erche byssop of Londone, and of Euerwyk al so, 
 
 }jo hyi seye, ]?at Cristendom to grounde was al ydo, 
 
 And chyrchen alle yeast ydoun, J?e relykes hii nome ywys, 
 
 }>at hii adde of holy men, and flowe in to Walys. 
 
 J?e relykes nolde hii nogt byleue, ac bere wyj? hem vor fere. 
 
 Vor ra]?er hii wolde ymartred be, fan hii 7 yperysed were. 
 
 And into ]>e lasse Brutayne men flowe al so )?ycke, 
 
 So }>at here nas nojt byleued, bote he]?ene folc and wycke. 
 
 J This ranch folc, Ar. 
 * Circetre Ar. cum i. civitas 
 passenim supralin.ab ead. ma* 
 
 nu. ^ Hi t ^ A 4 Kynde Ar. 
 
 s Pro barnde. Nam brende in 
 Ar. sed u pro b scepissime in 
 vett. libris. 6 Destruyde Ar. 
 i A peyred Ar. 
 
 So
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So }?at fram Nor]) into j?e Sou]? no Cristendom nas, 
 Ne fram Seuerne to }>e Sou}? see, ac pure hejxmesse was. 
 Alas ! alas ! \>e god Arture, to ' ver be was )?o. 
 Ilys dej> brojte to J?ys loud muche sorwe and wo. 
 
 SAXONS & }?e Englysse, & her compaynye, 
 Adde }>o of }?ys londe al clene ]>Q maystrye, 
 And made hem kynges of }?ys lond, as hii adde byuore, 
 Ac ]?e Brutons nadde so clene er neuere her poer uerlore. 
 j?e Saxons and J>e Englysse in pes hulde ]>o 
 Ech kyng ys kynedom, }>at hii dude er in wo. 
 Syx kynges hii were some tyme, as of Kent, of Westsex, 
 -Of Estangle, of Nor]?homber, of }?e Marche, of Estsex. 
 In bygynnynge of ]?ys boc me may rede, and nojt lye, 
 Hou rauche lond ech of hem adde to ys partye. 
 |?e verste kyng }?at of Saxons was, was verst kyng of Kent 
 Hengyst, }?oru wan }?ys lond verst was yssend. 
 Hyt was 3 eyjte & fyfty jer after" Hengyste's kynedom, 
 Ar eny kyng- of Saxons in Westsex com. 
 Vor Hengyst was kyng fourty ger, & in ]?e ey^te gere 
 After ys de}? at jernemoujje aryued ]?er were 
 Vyf ssypuol of Saxons, y armed wel y nou, 
 Certyk het her cheuenteyn, ]?at to }>ys lond hem drou. 
 \Vel sene jer }?er after, a due, (j?at wyde was couj?,) 
 Y cluped Port, myd ys ost * atte hauene of Portesmo]>, 
 
 1 Fer Ar. a The Saxoues Ar. J xlviii. yer after Ar. 
 Aryued at the hauene Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And after Port, J>at was ys name, \>K hauene me dupe]? so. 
 
 So J?at her poer euere wax, J?e Brutons ssame to do, 
 
 And mony a batayle hii smyte. So J?at atten ende 
 
 ]?e Saxons wonne of }>ys lond al j?e Sou]) ende 
 
 Euere by Soujre Teraese fram Est into West. 
 
 Certyk hii made J?er kyng, vor he was }>erto best. 
 
 Westsex hii clupede ys kynedom, as je abby}) yhurd ylome. 
 
 J?ys was a lute byuore ar kyng Artur come. 
 
 }>e verste kyng of Norjrtiomber in Je jer of grace bygan 
 
 Vyf hondred & seuene and fourty, l as me telle can. 
 
 After kyng Arture yt was, and J?o was Kynryc 
 
 Noble kyng of Westsex, after ys fadyr Certyc. 
 
 Vor ])o }>e Englysse men adde in ]?ys londe poer, 
 
 Hii worrede Nor]?ward, and wonne ver and ner. 
 
 So J>at ]m wonne Homberlond, & a noble bachyler, 
 
 }?at het Yde, hii made kyng, ]?er nas naur J>o ys per. 
 
 He come of Woden ]?e olde louerd, as * in te^e kne, 
 
 ]?at J?e 3 Saracens wenej), J?at he a gret God be. 
 
 Vor Jmlke Woden," }>e grete louerd, sones adde J>rc, 
 
 Weldeg, and Wyjtieg, and Beldeg j?at was so fre. 
 
 Of Weldeg come )?e kyng of Kent, & ]?e kyng of }>e March of 
 
 J?e oj>er. 
 J?e kyng of Westsex & of Homber of j?e |>rydde, j?at was her 
 
 broJTer. 
 
 Jjulke Woden adde a wyf, ]?at ycluped was dame Frye, 
 4 A Latyn dame Venus, as ychabbe yseyd nou tueye. 
 
 1 As y wel telle can Ar. 
 2 In the tethe gre, Ar. J Mys, 
 bileued poeple wende, a God 
 
 he hadde be. This Woden 
 Ar. 4 In Latyn Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 229 
 
 1 f>er uore J?e Englysse clupede, after Woden, Wednesday, 
 
 )?at ys day in J?e wouke, and, after Frye, Fryday. 
 
 Vor }?e he]?ene Englysse men, ]?at mys byleued were ]?o, 
 
 Byleuede, jrat in heuene Codes hii were bo, 
 
 And Jjat to tueye sterren, J>at me sue]? ylome 
 
 Venus and Mercuryus, hii wene}> }?at hii bycome. 
 
 J?e Saxons and pe Englysse come in to ]?ys londe, 
 
 As we sey]?, at otyme, as ych vnder stonde. 
 
 * Her londes su]>]?e, ]?o hii myjte, hii delde as hii cou]?e, 
 
 J>e Englysse }>e Norjjalf, ]?e Saxons by Sou]?e, 
 
 As Estsex and Myddelsex, and Sou]? ward al Soupsex, 
 
 And al West by 3 Nor>e Temese, al clene Westsex. 
 
 f)e Englysse Nor]?uolc & Soujmolc adde al in her bond, 
 
 And al West by Nor]?e Temese, & al Nor]? Homberlond. 
 
 And J?e kynges of Westsex lengost gonne dure, 
 
 And alle j?e o]?ere wonne to hern, as ge ssolle her after yhure. 
 
 ]?e Brutons, as ychabbe ytold," in West Walys were, 
 
 And worrede euere, as hii dorste, fram jere to jere. 
 
 Vor by ]?e kynge's daye Ch.nlyng, ]?at was Kenryke's sone, 
 
 Hii dude hem verrore in ]?ys londe, * }?at hii were in wone, 
 
 And wonne }>e myddel of ]?ys lond to Bedeford anon, 
 
 And streng]?ede casteles and astoryde monyon. 
 
 1 The olde Saxones, after 
 Woden, cleped Wodenesday, 
 And, after dame Frye, his 
 >viff, me clepede the Friday 
 Ar. * Hure lond sutthe by 
 twixt hem hii delde as hii 
 couthe, The Englissh in the 
 Northhalf, & the Saxones by 
 
 Southe. And nempned the 
 contreys after hem, & lefte the 
 names olde. As of Estsaxo- 
 nes Estsex, of Estenglissh 
 Estangle, that is yit holde. 
 The Brutons, as y haue told, 
 Ar. t F. Souj?e. 4 Than hit 
 was hure wone, Ar. 
 
 So
 
 230 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So pat at Bedeforde come pe Saxons, 
 
 And srayte an batayle, and to dryue pe Brutons, 
 
 And nome pre of her gode castles, pat stronge were al so, 
 
 Eynesham, and Bunsyntone, and A ylesbur perto. 
 
 So pat Cristyndora was al clene ver lore, 
 
 And hepenesse f in to al pys lond, as ych seyde byuore," 
 
 And yt laste aboute an fourty jer, forte Seynt Austyn com, 
 
 And poru Seyn Gregory pe pope brojte Crislendom. 
 
 SEYNT Austyn myd ys felawes to Engelond com 
 
 poru pe pope Seyn Gregory to prechy Cristendom. 
 
 Mauryce was po emperour, & per adde ybe byuore 
 
 Vyfty emperours at Rome, * suppe God was ybore. 
 
 In J>e vyf bond red jer of Grace Seynt Austyn byder com 
 
 And four score jer and tuo, to prechy Cristendom. 
 
 And aboute an hondred ger yt was, and fyfty al so, 
 
 After pat Saxons & Englysse verst corne pys lond to. 
 
 And after kyng Arture's dej>e aboute an fourty jer 
 
 J?at so noble kyng was of |?ys lond, as we abbep ytold er. 
 
 po Seynt Austyn & ys felawes pus come to pys lond, 
 
 3 Wyppe was kyng of pe Marche, & * Adelfred" of Homber? 
 
 lond ; 
 
 Gelryc was kyng of Westsex, & of Kent kyng ' Aylbryjt. 
 And of Estsex ys syster sone, pat me clupede kyng 6 Sebrygt t 
 \Vel an fourty holy men, and monekes 7 eclione, 
 Seynt Austyn adde wyp hym, & po nas lie nojt 8 one. 
 
 1 In to al this 
 gan to catche 
 1 Ar God Ar. 
 < Dcest in Ar. 
 
 lond by- 
 more, Ar. 
 J With Ar. 
 5 Etherbert 
 
 6* 
 
 bt-rt 
 
 Al 
 
 Ethelb 
 
 Ar. ' 
 one Ai 
 
 ert] ^r. 6 g e . 
 Nogh cchone, v/r.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 231 
 
 J?o hii come in to }>ys lond, to kyng ' Aylbrygt of Kent, 
 
 In was lond hii aryuede, hii sende her maundement, 
 
 j?at hii were fram Rome ycome, in hey message ywys, 
 
 J?at so gret joye ssolde turne, to hym and alle hys, 
 
 And to joye wyj^outen ende, jyf he hem vnder stode. 
 
 " Suche byhestes," qua]? }?e kyng, " me j^enchej? be]? gode, 
 
 " Late}? hem vynde mete ynou, & }>at hii abbe]? nede to, 
 
 " Forte ychabbe wy]? hem yspoke, * & wyte wat hii wollef> do. 
 
 For e kyng wel vnderstod of ]?e Cristyndom, 
 
 }?at by uore hem was in ]?ys lond, & }x>ru hem to grounde com. 
 
 So ]?at atte laste, (wat halt yt to telle longe ?) 
 
 j?e kyng bygan and ys folc Cristendom auonge. 
 
 And of Seynte Peter & Seyn Poul an chyrche he let rere 
 
 3 In Est ende of Kanterbtiry, j?at }>e*chef chyrche were. 
 
 Erchebyssop of Kanterbury Seynt Austyn was fer 
 
 J?e verst ]?at euer was, vor at London ]>e se was er. 
 
 |?o com Merlyne's word to so]?e atte ende, 
 
 5 ]?at ]?e dygne se to Kanterbury of London ssolde wende. 
 
 At Roucestre, )?at ys toune in Kent of grete fame, 
 
 Seynt Austyn made a byssop, Seyn Juste was ys name, 
 
 }>at was a monek ys felawe. So ]?at atte fyn 
 
 7 Syn Juste was }?e vorste byssop, after Seynt Austyn. 
 
 1 Ethelbert Ar. * To wile 
 Ar. 3 l n the Est Ar. 4 
 Hed churches were Ar. sed 
 alibi in eod. Codice (in quo 
 sanemultw, minus necessaries, 
 repetitiones) hed churche were. 
 
 Canterbury sholde wende Ar. 
 sed alibi the dignyte pro the 
 se. 6 A toun Ar. ^ Seynt 
 Just was Erchebisshop made 
 after Seynt Austyue. Seynt 
 Mellyt Ar. 
 
 That the se of London to 
 
 Seyn
 
 232 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 SEYN Mellyt }>e holy mon in to Estsex wende 
 
 To prechy }>er Cristyndom, as Seynt Austyn hyra sendc. 
 
 Nou departe]? ' euere" Temese Estsex frara Kent. 
 
 " Sebrygt he vond J?er kyng, j?o he was Jmder y went. 
 
 He turnde hym to Cristyndora, and J?e contreye al so. 
 
 Sebryjt and J?e kyng of Kent, ]?o al ]>ys was y do, 
 
 At Londone of Seyn Poul an heued chyrche gonne rere, 
 
 fat jut ys, and Seyn Mellyt * byssop made J?ere. 
 
 |?us come, lo ! Cristendom ajen in to }>ys londe 
 
 Among ]?e he]?ene Saxons, as ych vnder stonde. 
 
 Ac among ]?e Brutons in Walys was euere Cristendom 
 
 Su}>]?e yt verst ]?oru J?e kyng Lucie hyder come. 
 
 And J?at was byuore J)ulke tyme four hondred jer, 
 
 An aboute an four & tuenty, as we abbe]? ywryte er. 
 
 J>e pope Eleu]?ery, ]?at sende verst hyder Cristendom, 
 
 Was ]?e 4 ]?rettej7e pope, J?at after Seynte Peter com. 
 
 J)e decyples, J?at he hyder sende, Cristendom to brynge, 
 
 5 Byleuede in a wyldernesse, after her prechynge, 
 
 }>at me clepu]? nou Glastynbury, J?at desert was |?o. 
 
 And J?er hii bycome monekes, and nome to hem mo, 
 
 And J?er myd her owe honde hii rerde hem verst 6 anchyrche 
 
 Of herdles, and of 7 jerden, as hii couj?e wurche. 
 
 1 Deest Ar. * Sebert Ar. 
 * Hii made bishop there Ar. 
 4xiii. Ar. a By lefte Ar. 
 6 Cujus figurant cum alibi^ 
 turn etiam in libra prceclaro 
 
 contexto, $) non ita pridem 
 a nobis edito, cut tit. The 
 History and Antiquities of 
 Glastonbury, videsis. 'Yer- 
 des, Ar. 
 
 (ab Antiquario pererudito 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 233 
 
 And j?at was J?e verste churche, ]?at in Engelond come, 
 And J>e aldest hous al so, as in lawe of Cristendom. 
 Jjeruore me yt aj? euere ycluped, |?e olde chyrche, ywys. 
 Mony ys }?e ' lioly halwe, ])at her y bured ys, 
 
 2 Nour so mony in Engelonde, to so])e yen segge j?ys. 
 
 3 And, as me a)? wule ysed, grettore oj? non nys, 
 
 fan by J?e olde chyrche of Glastynbury, wo so dep oj? nome." 
 For }>er was chyrche four hondred jer, ar Seynt Austyn hy- 
 
 der come, 
 
 And Seyn Patryc was er monek, & abbe]? suj?)?e ]?er, 
 je ar Seynt Austyn come mo J?an an hondred ger. 
 And in ryjt alf of J?e wened ybured he was ]?er al so. 
 Syx score ger and on he was old, ar dej> hym come to. 
 
 4 jms was at Glastynbury verst yholde vp Cristendom, 
 'And suj>]?e nou, after J?at ]?et folc of Englyss hyder come, 
 
 And ]?e Brutons were ydryue al in to West Walys, 
 
 Hii helde vorj) |?er Cristendom, and byssopes ywys. 
 
 So ]?at, ]>o Seynt /; Austyn com among hem, he vond 
 
 Byssopes and monekes mony on in J?e lond. 
 
 In J?e cyty of Bangor a gret hous }?er was, 
 
 }?at were vnder $ sene cellen, and J?er of non nas 
 
 1 Good seynt, Ar. 2 No. 
 whar Ar. 3 And, as me by 
 olde daye seide, gretter oth 
 was [/. nas] holde, Than by 
 the olde church of Glastyn- 
 bury ho so swery wolde Ar. 
 4 Thus alther furst at Gla. 
 stynbury sprong vp Cristen- 
 dom, That sutthe that En- 
 glissh men to this londe com, 
 
 tons dryue in to West Walls, 
 And ther hii hulde hure Cri- 
 stendom, that furst they toke 
 ywis. So that whan Seynt 
 Ar. s vii. celles, & ther of 
 non ther nas, That ccc. 
 monekes nere inne othur mo. 
 And alle lyuede by hure 
 swynch, loke whare they do 
 now so. Dinoc het Ar. 
 That hethene were. The Bru- 
 
 J-at
 
 234 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicfe. 
 
 fat f>re bond red tnonekes T were inne, o]?er mo. 
 
 And alle lenede by her suenche, loke jyf hem nas wa. 
 
 Dynok het her abbod, J?at gret clerc was and god. 
 
 Seynt Austyn was wel y payd, )>at her bylyue was so god* 
 
 And nancies he hem en yoynede * bocsomnesse do 
 
 To j?e herchebyssop of Kanterbury, & to Englysse men also, 
 
 'And among Englysse men vorj? myd hym Cristendom to 
 amende, 
 
 And wende aboute and prcchy, as ]?e pope hem sende. 
 
 }?e byssop hym ansuerede, and |?e abbod Dynok, 
 
 Al myd grete resons and wyt of her hoc, 
 
 Jat wan hii adde hem sulne erchebyssop and kyng, 
 
 Hii ne ssolde to Englysse men abue rygt noj^yng. 
 
 For }>e folc of Englyss & Saxons 4 her lond hem bynome, 
 
 And her kunde erytage, myd trayson & suyke dome. 
 
 War vor hii nolde for rion man nanmore to hem wende, 
 
 J>an to so mony houndes, bote yt were hem to ssende. 
 
 ' jyf ge nolle," qua}? Seyn Austyn, " wyt ^oure breferen in 
 
 peys be, 
 
 " J>at bef, as ge wytej? wel, Crystyne as wel as ge ; 
 " And gyf je nolle Englysse men Gode's lawe teche, 
 4 ' And vor]? myd me among hem Cristendom preche, 
 <c goure fon ssolle her poer 5 amoryg 5011 wyde reche, 
 " And bryng gou to de]?e monyon, & J?at ssal be joure wreche. 
 
 1 Malitn, nere, ut in Ar. 
 a Obedience to do Ar. 3 And 
 go with hym to Englissh 
 men, Cristendom to mende, 
 And helpe hym preche a- 
 monges hem, as the pope hem 
 
 answerede, Ar. 4 Hure lond 
 hem hadde bynome With 
 gile, and hure heritage with 
 falsnesse and tresone. Wher- 
 for hii wolde Ar. * Among 
 Ar. 
 
 sende. The bisshopes hym 
 
 After
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 235 
 
 After Scynt Austyne's daye to soj?e com al bys, 
 
 Ac f>e wule he was alyue nojt, as 50 nowe yhure ywys. 
 
 K.YNG l Aylbryjt gret despyt adde in ys bo^t, 
 
 bat be Brutons nolde Seynt Austyn abue nogt. 
 
 a Edelfred, bat was kyng of Norbhomberlond, 
 
 He entyced and ober kynges here of bys lond, 
 
 bat hii wende to Walys, and be Brutons ssende. 
 
 be kynjes, bo hii preste were, myd poer Jmder wende. 
 
 At be cyty of Cayrleon J>e Brutons ost ber was. 
 
 fye Englysse anon Jmderward drowe myd god pas. 
 
 A gret batayle hii smyte J?er in a lute stounde. 
 
 Ac Brocmayl, due of Brutons, was J?er ybrojt to grounde. 
 
 Yor he flen and byleuede ys folc, bo he nuste o]?er won, 
 
 Somme aslawe and somme ywounded, and by nebe echon. 
 
 Nou were ber y come fram Bangor monekes monyon, 
 
 In vastyng and in orysons, to 3 bydde ajen her fon. 
 
 And ermytes and monekes of ober 4 studes bysyde 
 
 Bede God, ]?at J^e Brutons be maystrye moste bytyde. 
 
 bo such folc of bys holymen kyng Elfred ysey, 
 
 Sytte and s bydde vor her folc, and crye 6 on God an hey, 
 
 And me sede hym, ]?at hii 7 dede vor be Brutons echon : 
 
 " 5yf yt so ys," quab be kyng <c J?at hii * byddy]? vor vr fon, 
 
 " banne vyjteb hii a^en vs, as muche as ys her myjte, 
 
 tc Myd her armes to God, bey hii myd 9 arme ne fy^te. 
 
 . J Ethplbert Ar. * Elfrid, 
 Ar. 3 Praye Ar. 4 Houses 
 bisyde. And prayed to God 
 
 for hure Brutones Ar. 8 Pray- 
 eth for oure fon Ar. 9 Armes 
 Ar. sed alibi wepne in eod. 
 Codice. 
 
 the Brutones Ar. 5 Praye 
 Ar. 6 TO Ar. 7 Prayed 
 Vol. I. * " Sleb
 
 236 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 '* Sle]? hem * hastelyche anon, as oure pure fon. 
 
 }>at folc was * prest ]?er to, & lo grounde slowe anon. 
 
 So ]>at tuelf hondred holymen hit raartrede ]?ere, 
 
 And aboute an vyfty of scapede alyue vor fere. 
 
 )?o was yt to hem ycome, J>at Seynt Austyn hem seyde, 
 
 And nojt vor )?an God dude wreche * of J>e lu}>er dede. 
 
 Vor J?e kyng Edelfred wende toward Bangor \o, 
 
 Vorto destrue |?e Brutons * wat he founde mo. 
 
 }>e slouerdynges, J?at ]?er were, parked hem anon, 
 
 And ordeynede her ost, to fyjte ajeu her fon. 
 
 Ac Bledder due of Cornwayle, and Cadwan of Walys, 
 
 And Margad ano}>er due, and her poer al y wys, 
 
 And o]?er Brutons J>at ])er were, smyte hem out anon, 
 
 And a batayle strong ynou smyte myd her fon. 
 
 So ]?at mo ]?an ten Jousend were of Englyss ybrogt to de]?e, 
 
 And J?e kyng Adelfred was wounded, j>at of scapede alyue 
 
 vnne]?e. 
 
 Ac Bledder, due of Cornwayle, aslawe was J?o, 
 And mony of J?e Brutons, 7 & of ]> e Englysse wel mo. 
 And ]?e Englysse flowe ouer Homber vaste. 
 A parlement )?e Brutons made 8 ]>o atte laste, 
 To chese hem any we kyng, & chose J?e due Cadwan, 
 J?at was among hem alle ]?e stalwordoste man. 
 
 1 Boldely a non, Ar. 
 * Redy Ar. 3 Of thulke lu- 
 ther dede. Forth went kyng 
 Elfrid of Northhumberloude 
 tho To Bangor, to destruye 
 Ar. 4 That Ar. s Lordes 
 
 of the Erutones raide hem 
 anon, Ar. Sed alibi garkede 
 pro raide in eod. Cod. 6 EU 
 frid Ar. i Ac of Ar. Att 
 Chestre atte laste, Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 237 
 
 o Jjys kyng ycrouned was, hii f jarked hern anon, 
 
 And into Homberlond sywede * vp her fon. 
 
 j?e kyng * Edelfred & ys alf myd J?e poer of ys londe 
 
 And of o]?er londes 4 ^are was ajen hem vorto stonde. 
 
 J)o hii were to |?ys batayle prest in ey]?er syde, 
 
 Some * frend hym by^ogte bet, & bytuene hem gonne ryde, 
 
 And made acord bytuene hem, ]?at }>e kyng 6 adde al }?al lond 
 
 7 Eldelfred byjonde Homber, alclene in ys hond, 
 
 And kyng Cadwan by Sou]?e Homber, & ys owe lond Walys. 
 
 ))oru hard oj? & god ostage yconfermed was al J^ys. 
 
 Bytuene j?ys tueye kynges anon so gret loue )?er was, 
 
 J)at her noj?er nadde no })yng, J?at to Caere's wylle nas. 
 
 Bytuene ]?e kyng 3 Edelfred, and ]?e quene ys wyf, 
 
 er after, }>or\i ' lu]?er wylle, wax a gret stryf, 
 
 }?at |?e kyng hyre drof awey, myd chylde as heo was, 
 
 And nom hym ano])er wyf, and jrat was a deluol cas. 
 
 To ]?e kyng Cadwan e quene wende j?o, 
 
 And cryde on hym, ]?at he ID ssolde helpe hyre in yr wo. 
 
 j?e kyng Cadwan was j?o aboutc, bytuene hyre & " kyng 
 
 To make acord by ys poer, and ne mygte vor iio]7yng. 
 
 So }>at he hulde vorj? j?e quene in ys owe house, 
 
 Myd chylde helples as heo was, myd )?e quene ys owe spouse, 
 
 }?at myd chylde was as wel as heo, and of one tyme ney. 
 
 And J?o ]?e chyldren were ybore, ]?at of ia kunne were so hey, 
 
 1 Raide hem Ar. * Up- 
 pon Ar. 3 Elfrid in his side 
 with power of Ar. 4 Redy 
 Ar. s Men Ar. 6 Shold 
 
 haue^r. 1 Elfrid Ar. El. 
 frid, Ar. 9 Yuel will, Ar. 
 Wolde Ar. " The kynge 
 
 Ia Kynne Ar. 
 
 Hii
 
 238 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Hii clupede Edwyne )>e Jjynge's sone of NorJ>homberlond 
 
 And Cadwal ]?e kynges sone here of J>ys Sou}?lond. 
 
 J>ys chyldren were wel jonge ysend to Salomon, ]?e kyng 
 
 Of ]?e lasse Brutayne, to gode norysynge. 
 
 )?e kyng hern norysede wel, & wyj? hym priue ynou, 
 
 And Jx> hii to elde come, to armes hem drou. 
 
 So Jnit stalward ' kyntes bo]?e hii bycome, 
 
 * And wel yfonded in armes, & in batayles y lome. 
 
 kyng of Kent, }>at ]?oru Seynt Austyn nom, 
 As we abby}> ytol byuore, verst Cristendom, 
 Deyde as in ]?e jer of grace syx hondred & syxtyne, 
 And he was syxe and vyfty ger kyng, as ych wene. 
 ys sone was kyng after hym, Edbald was ys name, 
 |?at spousede 3 su^e ys fader wyf, hym to grete ssame, 
 And ne tolde nogt of ys Cristendom. And ]>e kyng Sebryjt 
 
 also, 
 
 Crysiyne kyng of Essex, }>o he was of lyue ydo, 
 Hys ]?re sones he byleuede eyrs of ys kynedom, 
 J?at were panys alle ]?re, and ajen Cristyndom. 
 So )?at hii come at one tyme, in her lu}?er rede, 
 To seynt Mellyt, byssop of }>e lond, & at ys masse hym seyde, 
 " Syre byssop, * wy ne gyfst us of ]?yne wyte brede, 
 " ]?at )?ou est J?e sulf at J?y masse, in )>yne vayre wede, 
 
 'Knightes Ar. *And a 
 saied in armes ofte were and 
 lome, Ethelbert kyng of Kent 
 4r. 3 His owene fader wif, 
 
 Ar. 4 Whi nelt }>ou yiue TS 
 of thulke white brede, That 
 thou etyst ech day in thyne 
 
 wede, Ar. 
 
 "fat
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 239 
 
 " )?at ]?ou geue our ' fader wyle, & jut jyfst J>at folc al so ? 
 
 " jyf 36 * wolde," qua]? )?e hyssop, " as 3 goure fader dude, do, 
 
 " And be yuolled in holy water, & myd Cristendom monge, 
 
 (< ge mowe sauflyche }?et holy }>yng, as he dude, auonge, 
 
 " We nolle]? nojt," qua]? }>ys o]?er, te }>ey }?ou vs bede, 
 
 " Wyfynne )nilke water come, for we nabbe]? non nede, 
 
 " Ac in alle raanere we wollej? etc of }?ulke brede. 
 
 ]?e hyssop yt nolde grante, ac 4 outlych yt wy]? seyde 
 
 To gyue hym Jjulke holy ]?yng, bote hii y uolled. 
 
 Hii suore anon in wra]?]>e, jyf he ensentan nere, 
 
 To jyue hym so lute }?yng, & bole he yt hem eue, 
 
 }?at he ne ssolde in her lond in non manere byleue, 
 
 Hii dryue hym out of her lond, & ys men echon. 
 
 J>ys holy man, seyn Mellyt, to Kent wende anon, 
 
 To speke wy]? J?e erchebyssop Laurence 3 and al so 
 
 \Vy]j yuste, hyssop of Rouchestre, wat were best to do. 
 
 5 Seynt Austyn nou al by ys daye to erchybyssop nom 
 
 Laurence, & made after hym to susteyne Cristendom." 
 
 J?ys ]?re byssopcs bytueyne hem nom hem ]?us to rede, 
 
 }?at hii myjte in her owe lond holyor lyf lede, 
 
 And wy])oute 6 peryl sykerore, }?an to byleue })ere 
 
 Among mys bylyuede men, bote J'er eny bote were. 
 
 So Jrat seynt Juste & seynt Mellyt to France f>o wende, 
 
 And lete }>e luther men 7 y\vorj)]?e vorte God yt wolde amende. 
 
 terly Ar. Fide supra,pag.66. 
 s Bina hcec metro, omittit Ar. 
 6 Perile sikeror to be there 
 Than a mong hethene men, 
 fort hit a mended were Ar. 
 ( i Worthe Ar. 
 take ofer amonge ; Ar. 4 Ot- 
 
 v Q 1 4 
 
 X > Ap 
 
 And peple also ? Ar. a Wol. 
 leth, Ar. * Other haueth, do, 
 Be fqlled with colde water, 
 and the fey a vonge, Then 
 mowe ye party of that bred
 
 240 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 Ac nas nojt long ]?er after, a]? God wreche of hem norae, 
 
 J?at, after her fader de)?e, worrede Cristendora. 
 
 For agen J>at folc of Westsex hii norae an batayle, 
 
 And ]?ere hii were ybrogt to grounde, & * yssend wyjxwte fayle. 
 
 Vor her folc was muche aslawe, and ybrojt to de]?e, 
 
 And hii, vor 3 her luj^erhede, of scapede alyue vnne]?e. 
 
 Laurence, ]>e erchebyssop, al prest hym made also, 
 
 Vorto wende out of Ipys lond, as ys felawes adde ydo. 
 
 J?e nyjt, J>at he * adde in mud vort abbe y wend amorwe, 
 
 He lay muchedel of )?e nyjt in wo and in sorwe, 
 
 To * bydde God vor holy chyrche and vor Cristendom. 
 
 So fat aslep atte laste vor werynysse hym nome. 
 
 Seynt Peter to hym come, as ]?e slep hym toke, 
 
 And tormented hym sore ynou, J?at 6 hech lym hyra oke. 
 
 And T e]?ste of hym, wy he adde so vyllyche ys ssep vorsake, 
 
 Wyfoute warde, among ]?e wolues, ]?at in warde hym were 
 
 bytake ? 
 
 And wy of God, ne of hym, ensample he ne nom, 
 J?at deyde boj>e 8 in rode, to susteyny Cristendom ? 
 j?ys erchebyssop was adrad welsore, }>o he awok : 
 He hyede to ]?e kyng, vor ech lyme hym ok, 
 And ssewed hym al ]?at cas, and ys wounden some, 
 And bed hym ys lyf amende, oper vp hym sulf yt ssolde come. 
 
 1 But sone fel hit after, 
 ward, that God wreche nom. 
 For they after hure faderes 
 dethes werrede Christendom 
 Ar. * Shent Ar. 3 Hure 
 Juthernesse, skapede Ar. 
 
 4 Hadde mette to wende his 
 wey a morwe, Ar. s Praye 
 Ar. 6 Every lyme Ar. 
 7 Axede Ar. 8 On rode, to 
 saue Ar. 9 And blyue he 
 hyed Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 ' be kyng anon for drede ys false wyf vor soke, 
 
 bat he huld in such hordom, and Cristendom toke. 
 
 And after Seyn Just & Seynt * Mellyt be tueye byssopes 
 
 sende, 
 
 So bat agen to bys lond bys gode men bobe wende, 
 And hii of Rouchestre Seyn Just to her byssop * vayre toke, 
 Ac be Lond res Seyn Mellyt + ac clanlyche versoke, 
 5 Ac huld hem to her hebenesse, & in bys manere com 
 Kyng Edbaldj after ys fader, vorst to Cristendom, 
 After Laurence's debe, as God jef bat cas, 
 Erchebyssop Seyn Mellyt of Kanterbury was, 
 Erchebyssop he was vyf jer, and after hym me nom 
 Seyn Just to erchebyssop, to sauy Crystendom. 
 
 V^ADWAL, 6 be kynge's sone, bat was of bys lond, 
 As ych seyde er, & Edwyne of Norblioraberlond, 
 bat in Brutayne were, ' hem hii gonne wende, 
 After her * fader debe, 9 eyber in ys ende, 
 And auonge her erytage, and I0 louede hem wel bobe 
 Atte bygynnynge wel ynou, & subbe somdel wrobe." 
 For bo hii adde antuo ger ybe lourdes in her " londes, 
 Edwyne sende to Cadwal, bat hym ssolde vnderstonde, 
 
 1 The kyng of Kent Ed- 
 bald his false wife tho for- 
 soke, Ar. * Mellyt in to 
 Fraunce he sende, Ar. * A 
 yen toke, Ar. 4 Al Ar. Vide 
 BedcEHist.EccLlib.ILcap. VL 
 a And Ar. 6 The kynge's 
 sone Cadewan of this londe, 
 And Edwyne kynge's sone 
 
 of Northhumberlonde, Ar, 
 ^ Homward gonne, Ar. 8 Fa- 
 dres Ar. 9 Aither to his 
 ende Ar. Sf e regione, ab ead. 
 manu, i. contre. I0 Louede 
 to gedere y nogh, And after, 
 ward, as ye shul hure, hure 
 loue clene a drogh Ar. ' ' Londe 
 Ar. 
 
 x 4 An4
 
 242 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And soffry hym in ys owe lond, J>at he ycrouned were 
 
 As ueruorb as he in ys, and as rygt was croune here. 
 
 1 Kyng Cadwal nora ys conseyl, & sende hym word so, 
 
 J?at ys conseyl ne gef hym nojt, ne ensentede J>erto, 
 
 J>at in one kynedom, |?at of one croune were, 
 
 J?at yt were departed, & ]?at me tueye crounen here. 
 
 Edwyne was wroj? vor J?ys, and suor ys more oj>, 
 
 To be ycrouned wyjxmte hym, * nere bym no so lo]?. 
 
 Cadwal suor ys o}? ajen, gyf he croune bere, 
 
 Vorto smyte of ys heued vnder ys croune J>ere. 
 
 Jjus wax stryf bytuene hem, hii greyf>ed her host vaste, 
 
 And by NorJ)e Homber 3 mette hem atte laste. 
 
 Mony ]?ousend |?er were ybrogt of Cad wale's men to dej)e, 
 
 And he hym sulf wyj) vewe men of scapede alyue vnne]?e, 
 
 And flen bym vorj? in to ]?e see, al }>oru Scotlond, 
 
 And so vor]? euere in to }?e see, vorte he com to yrlond. 
 
 Edwyne wende J?o anon out of ys owe lond, 
 
 And destrude wyde aboute ]>at Cadwal adde an honde, 
 
 Alle ys stedes, ver and ner, and to grounde caste. 
 
 Cadwal in yrlonde is ost jarkede vaste, 
 
 And vorj) toward J'ys lond J>e veage nome. 
 
 Ac euere wanne he myd ys ost to eny hauene com, 
 
 1 And when j?at Cadewall 
 hurde J?is, he send word ]?o 
 To Edewyne, J>at he nolde as- 
 sente Jer to, And )>at in on 
 londe, o kyngdom ]?at were, 
 Any partyng so were mad, 
 J>at me two crounes bere. 
 
 \vone of his faderes olde. For 
 thi assente ther to, he seide 
 that he nolde. Edwyne was 
 tho wroth y nogh, and swor 
 his more oth Ar. a Were 
 hym neuere so loth Ar. 
 3 They mette atte laste Ar. 
 
 And seide, hit was a yenst the 
 
 Ed-
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Edwyne was agen hym, and drof hym aje. 
 
 So bat he ne rayjte aryue, ac huld bym in be see. 
 
 Ac anchanteor Edwyne adde of Spayne wyb hym bo, 
 
 j?at coube hym segge of ys dedes al hou yt ssolde go 
 
 boru ys chanteraent, so bat Cadwal 
 
 Ne dude nobyng, bat Edwyne boru hym yt nuste al. 
 
 Cadwal nuste bo ober rede, bote myd al ys raayne 
 
 Wende to porchacy hym help to be lasse Brutayne. 
 
 1 Tempest hym drof in be see here and ber vaste. 
 
 So bat in be yle of Gerneseye hii aryued atte laste. 
 
 bo Cadwal com to reste, ber so gret deol he nome, 
 
 bat he adde so ys folc vorlore, and ys kynedom, 
 
 bat he lay syke in ys bed vor deol and vor sore, 
 
 bat he ne ete non mete *bre dawes ber vore. 
 
 be s verbe day to veneson hym bojte ys herte clrou, 
 
 Bryan, 4 ys owe priue man, was J>erof glad ynou. 
 
 Hys bowe he nom, & sojte a best aboute mony a myle, 
 
 5 And he ne myjte, ssolde he deye, vynde non in al be yle. 
 
 Sory was J?ys Bryan bo, 6 J?at lie non grace nadde, 
 
 For he hopede yt were ys louerde's hole, vor be wylle bat he 
 
 adde. 
 
 He ne vnderstod of non ober fless, bat be kyng yknowe ne cou] 
 bat yt nere non veneson, wanne yt were in ys moube. 
 
 1 A tempest Ar. * iiii. 
 Ar. 8 V . Ar. 4 That priue 
 with hym was, therof was 
 glad ynogh Ar. 5 But Ar. 
 6 For he no grace hadde. 
 For he hopede his lorde's 
 
 hele, yf he eny hadde. He vn. 
 derstod of non other flessh, 
 that he knowe couthe, That 
 hit nere veneson, whan hit 
 were in his mouthe Ar. 
 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 He byjjojte hym of harde ynou, to abbe ys louerde's lyf. 
 
 A gret pece of ys owe by he ' kerf out wyj? a knyf, 
 
 And helde J?e * wounde, he mygte loke gyf he nas trewe. 
 
 ]?e kyng be brogte yt wel yrosted vor veneson newe. 
 
 Newe and verss yt was ynou, ]?e kyng etc J>erof anon. 
 
 Hym Jjojte, J>at so suete mete he ne etc neuere non, 
 
 Ne so sauery in ys mou}?, so at he turnde to hele, 
 
 And hoi was J?e J>rydde day, vor ]?ulke suete mele. 
 
 Hym longede after veneson })er after longe sore, 
 
 Ac ner gode of jmlke beste ne com in ys mouj? nanmore. 
 
 To )?e lasse Brutayne wyj? ys folc |?o he drou> 
 
 And of be kyng Salomon was * vnderuonge vayre ynou. 
 
 And byleuede wy]? hym alle wynter, vorte after \xs gere's 
 
 ende, 
 * And greyj?ede her poer hyder vorto wende. 
 
 JVYNG Edwyne adde ywonne er alout the Brutons lond, 
 
 More fan eny Englyss kyng euere er adde an bond, 
 
 Al bygonde Seyn Dauid, & al Walys al out. 
 
 By uore hym nas non Englyss kyng so ryche ne so prout, 
 
 HeJ>en man he was ywys, and to Cristendora 
 
 J)oru erchebyssop of Euerwyk Seyn 5 Paulym he com. 
 
 1 Kutt of Ar. * Wounde, 
 whan he myghte loke wher 
 he nere trewe. To the kyng 
 
 Ar. 3 Undernom Ar. 4 And 
 than homward a yen he cast 
 hym to wende Ar. * Sic. 
 
 Cad\val
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 C^ADWAL kyng ]?at ajte be of Brutons londe, 
 
 Myd poer, ]?at kyng Salomon hym adde ytake an honde, 
 
 (]?at was ten f>ousend kyngtes,) & myd ys owe poer, 
 
 Aryuede bysyde Toteneys, and come somdel ner. 
 
 In ]?e toun of Exestre mony Brutons were, 
 
 And a luj>er kyng of ]?e Marche byseged hem ]?er, 
 
 Penda, |?at he]?ene was, vnder Edwyne |?e kyng. 
 
 Cadwal, J>o he wuste }>ys, ne made no targyng, 
 
 Ac smot to hym myd ys ost, & })er wyjjoute fayle 
 
 At Eccestre strong ynoa hii smyte an batayle. 
 
 Penda j?ys he]?ene kyng was sone ouercome, 
 
 And ys folc muche aslawe, & he hym snlf ynome. 
 
 f o he in prison was ydo, ' and o]?er couj?e ne yse, 
 
 He byhet Cadwal myd hym myd al ys poer be, 
 
 And J?at he ssolde vor hym ]?e bet kyng Edwyne ouercome. 
 
 Of ys was sykernesse * ydo, and ostages y nome. 
 
 Penta parked ys poer, and Cadwal ek ys route 
 
 Of Brutons, ]?at vor defaute of help to sprad were wyde 
 
 aboute. 
 
 Jjo ]?ys ost al jare was, vor|?ward vaste hii drowe, 
 And in NorJ?homberlond ]?at folc vaste hii slowe. 
 Kyng Edwyne adde also in ys half gret poer 
 Igadered of Englysse kyngcs, & of ys owe ver & ner. 
 
 1 And other ne couthe by 1 Edwyne kyng sholde be ouer. 
 se, He by het Cadewalle with 1 come Ar. * Made AT. 
 hym for to be, And helpe that I
 
 246 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 In to ]?e veld of ' Haduele ech of hem drow 
 Myd her ost, & smyte ]?er an batayle strong y nou. 
 Kyng Edwyne was J>er aslawe, and * Osfryd ys sone also, 
 And Godbold kyng of Orcadas, & her folc ney }>erto. 
 And Cadwal was al aboue, ]>& wule yt wolde ylaste. 
 J?e Englysse and ]>e Saxons he slou |?o wel vaste. 
 He ne sparede olde ne gong, ne 3 womraan, ne chyld, 
 J?at he ne slou, 4 wanne he vond. he nas noj^yng myld. 
 Ano)?er batayle su}>]?e he sniot 4 agen Osryc strong ynon, 
 J>at kyng was after Edwyne, & )?er 6 he hym slou, 
 And ys tueye neueus, J?at after hym kynges ssolde be, 
 And Cadan kyng of Scotlond, yslawe hii were alle J?re. 
 7 Eufryd, Edwyne's broker, )?o he sey * ]?ys wo aboute, 
 To Cadwal he wende, & mercy cryde vor doute. 
 Cadwal hym, & tuelf Jxmsend |?at myd hym corn, slou. 
 |>ys jer was among hem of feble grace y nou. 
 And ]?at was of hem lute harm, vor after her Cristendom 
 - And to hej>enesse hii turnde agen. & J>us such wreche hem 
 '. nome. 
 
 Kyng Cadwal and ]>e Brutons her wylle adde also, 
 And stured hem among her fon, J>at hem adde er ssame ydo. 
 
 f Hedefeld Ar. Ostryd 
 Ar. 3 .Wommen with childe, 
 Ar. 4 Whan he hem fonde, 
 & was no thyng mylde Ar. 
 5 With Ar. 6 He tho hym 
 Ar. ' Confrid Ar. 6f in ora 
 y e regione hujus car- 
 minis, Confrid kyng of Bere. 
 wyciens, idque equidem ab ea- 
 dem manu. Infra autem in 
 
 hoc Codice Emfryde scribi- 
 tur. 8 This wogh, For to haue 
 mercy to Cadwal he drogh. 
 And he of hym no mercy haue 
 wolde tho, But hym xii. J?ou- 
 send men he let to dethe so. 
 Lytel force hit was of hem. 
 for after hure Cristendom To 
 hethenesse hii tournde a ye. 
 for thy God wrech nom Ar. 
 Seyn
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Oswald, Eufrydys broker, kynj was ymad J?o 
 Of al Nor])homberlond, among al ]?ys wo, 
 Jrat holyman was & god, J?e betere ys grace was. 
 And kyng Cadwal to hyra to sturne vorst was. 
 J?ys was in ]>e jer of grace syx hondred jer y wys, 
 And aboute an foure & frytty, j?at ydo was al J?ys. 
 
 OEYN Byryn J?e byssop an holy man was, 
 
 j>at in to J)ys lond boru }?e pope Honory ysend was. 
 
 To turne kyng of Westsex Kyngyls to Cristendom, 
 
 And ]?at lond of Westsex, in to ]?ys lond he com. 
 
 Seyn Byryn hym to Cristendom turnde }>om Code's grace, 
 
 And, as God wolde, Seyn Oswald was in Jwlke place, 
 
 And of holy vantston J>ys grete kyng nome, 
 
 And ys godfader was in ys Cristendom. 
 
 Seyn Oswald and ]>ys oper kyng, J>oru vr Louerde's grace, 
 
 Porueyde Seyn Byryn to ys wylle an place, 
 
 1 J?at Dorchester ys ycluped, J?at bysyde Oxenford ys, 
 
 As in ]?e Est Sou)?, an sene myle y wys. 
 
 }>er Seyn Byryn byssop was, J>e vorste ]?at was ywys. 
 
 Vor ]?e see was }>er of byssop ])o, ]?at at Lyncolne nou ys. 
 
 J?er he deyde, & J?er lie lay vorte su]?|?e J^erafter long 
 
 J?at he was to Wynchester ylad, as * ys jut vayre auong. 
 
 1 That Dorchestre me cle- 
 peth by side Oxenford, That 
 is Southward by the water 
 of Themese vi. myle thenne 
 y wis. Seynt Beryn bisshop 
 ther was the furste that there 
 come. And after othur bis- 
 
 shopes hure se at Lyncola 
 nome. Berin deide at Dor. 
 chestre, & lay ther ful longe. 
 To Wynchestre were his 
 bones lad sutthe, & faire a 
 vonge Ar. * Id est, being 
 honourably received in that 
 place
 
 248 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 place where he is yet. At de 
 BirinO) pariter atquede Dorce- 
 stria,lectudigni$simasunthcec 
 qucB sequuntur^ e Ranulphi 
 Hig(leniPolychronico(a Joan, 
 ne TrevisaAnglice verso) Lon- 
 dini edito A. D. M.D.XXVII. a 
 nobis exscripta. Sic nimirum 
 illic, I. v. c. xiii. Saynte Biry- 
 nus the confessour was sent of 
 Honorius the pope for too p reche 
 tooEnglysshemen. Andwhyle 
 Birynus sayled in the see of 
 Brytaine | hebethoughteonhis 
 Tesie\\is[pallulamintelligit(si- 
 bi a papa Honorio donatum) 
 super quam corpus Chrtsticon- 
 secrabatj corpusque Domini, 
 cum in eadem involutum^ quod 
 collo suspensum semper secum 
 portabat, inter sacrandum su- 
 per sanctum altareponere con- 
 suev er at )iit ait Joannes Brom- 
 ton, chron. coL 755.] that he 
 had foryete in the hauen | and 
 yede ypon the see & fette his 
 Anno gr- restellis. 51 Beda libro tertio : 
 Heracni capitulo sexto. This Byrinus 
 imp. 26. conuerted Kyngilsus liyng of 
 Westsaxons | andcrystnedhym 
 at cyte Dortyk | that is Dor. 
 Chester. There was kynge Os- 
 walde present and was Kyngil- 
 sus godfader | and wedded his 
 doughter afterwarde. And 
 bothe the kynges gaue that cyte 
 for too ordeyne there a by sshops 
 see. And there Byrinus deyed 
 
 after the. xiiii. yere of his bys- 
 shoprych and was beried there. 
 But at last by Hedda by sshop of 
 Why nchester Byrinus was Iran, 
 slated too Wynchester in to the 
 chy rche of saynt Peter and Poul. 
 1 R. But the chanons of Dor- 
 cheter saye naye | and saye that 
 it was another body than saynt 
 Byrinus body that was so tran- 
 slated. Therfore a byer of a 
 wonder werke is yet seen [scn- 
 psit A. D. M.CCC.XLII. Ed* 
 vardi tertii xvi.] at Dorches- 
 ter aboue the place of his fyrste 
 graue. That Cyte Dortyk or 
 Dortinga that nowe is called 
 Dorchester is Tii. myle bi south 
 Oxenforde sette bytwene two 
 ryuers of Tame and of Temse. 
 Also it is founde in cronycles 
 that kynge Kyngilsus assygned 
 all the lond seuen myle for too 
 makea.bysshops see in Winches- 
 ter J and for the sustenance of 
 the mynysters. And for the 
 kynge was lette by his dethe 
 euyl that he myghte not fulfyll 
 it. He swore that his sone Ken- 
 walcus sholde fulfyll it after- 
 warde. H Willelmus de pon. li- 
 bro secundo. The Cytee Dor- 
 chester longed to the bisshops of 
 Mercia fro that tyme vnto the 
 comynge of the Normans. 
 But in Willyam conquerours 
 tyme the bysshops see was 
 chaunged vnto Lyncolne. 
 
 Cadwal
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 24-9 
 
 Cadwal kyng of Brutons worrede euere vaste 
 
 And Penda vp Seyn Oswald, vorte su]>j?e atte laste 
 
 fat at ]>e toun of Mersueld by Nor}?e ba]?e hii come 
 
 Seyn Oswald and ]?e due Penda, and batayle nome. 
 
 Penda J?er J>e lu]?er due in batayle slou 
 
 And raartrede Seyn Oswald, & al ys body to drou ; 
 
 And mony J)ousend of ys men aslawe ek ]?er were. 
 
 J?ys was of ]>e ger of grace in syx hondred gere 
 
 And four hondred. vor Seyn Oswald ' in the jer kyng was, 
 
 And of eygte & frytty ger old, f>o hym vel ]>ys cas. 
 
 OSWY, Seynt a Oswald broker, kyng y mad was Jxn 
 Jle by]?ojte hym of pes, to lybbe wyjjout wo. 
 He acordede wy]? kyng Cadwal, & tresour hym gef ynou, 
 Vorto be ys pryue frend, wyjjout worre and wou. 
 J>e fourme of pes was vaste ymad by tuene hem there, 
 |?at ne mygte nojt wel ybroke be, bote treu}>e ylore were. 
 Ac Penda 3 hejjen due adde euere god wylle 
 To worre hym, and do hym ssame, 4 & Jjojte in ys herte stylle. 
 Ac he ne dorste vor Cadwal, 3 ac na]?eles atten ende 
 To J?e kyng at ys parlement to London he gan weude, 
 And alle dukes of Bruteyne, & ]?e Englyss kynges echone, 
 * Icome were to ]?ys parlement, bote kyng Oswy one. 
 
 1 Lege ex Ar. ix. ger pro 
 in ]?e jer. a Osewalde's Ar. 
 J The hethene Ar. 4 Yf he 
 hit myghte fulfille Ar. 5 But 
 so fel atten ende, The Cade. 
 
 Aval to his Parlement to Lon- 
 don gan wende, And all the 
 dukes Ar. 6 Saue the kyng 
 Osewy of Northhumberlond 
 al one Ar. 
 
 Penda
 
 250 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Penda askede J?e kyng anon, wy kyng Oswy nere }?er ? 
 
 ]>e kyng seyde, he vnderstod, J?at he syk were. 
 
 " Syre," qua]? ]?e o)?er, " to so]?e, yt nys no]?yng so, 
 
 <e Ac he gadere}? vaste ys poer, vs ssarae to do, 
 
 " And he a]? ysend byjonde see after Saxons mo, 
 
 " And wole awreke ys broker de]?, he suerj?, on vs tuo. 
 
 " ' J?eruore gyf me myd poer leue Jmder wende, 
 
 c< And bryng hym to ssame & bynej>e, er J?an he vs ssende. 
 
 To breke ys trewe couenant, J?e kyng was lop perto, 
 
 And na^eles ys conseyl hym jef, J)at he moste yt nede do. 
 
 J?o Penda J?ys leue adde, he nome poer y nou, 
 
 And toward )>is kyng Oswy ouer Homber drou, 
 
 An barnde vaste and robbede, and to groimde slou. 
 
 j?e kyng Oswy hyra let esse, wy he dude hym so \vou, 
 
 And bed hym, vor Code's loue, habbe of hym reuj?e, 
 
 And of ys lond, & ]>enche bet on vorewarde & on treuj>e. 
 
 }?o Penda nolde o]?er, |?e o]?er agen hym sette, 
 
 And dude hym al in Gode's grace, & myd ys ost hym met(e, 
 
 And an batayle smyte strong ynou, & ]?oru Gode's grace 
 
 * Kyng Oswy ' J?e Cristyn men byleuede J?e place. 
 
 Vor Penda, J?e he]>ene due, aslawe was J?ere 
 
 And Jrytty oj?er dukus, Jjat myd hyra also were. 
 
 1 For thy let me haue leue 
 thuder forto wende, And lette 
 him of his purpos er he vs 
 alle a shende Ar. * Kyng 
 Osewy and his Cristene men 
 that day hadde the place Ar. 
 3 F. )>e hethen med, ut sensus 
 
 place to king Oswy, nisi for- 
 sitan and the Cristyn men 
 malis ex Ar. ut byleuede pas- 
 sive sumatur, sc. to king Oswy 
 and the Christian men the 
 place was left. Possem Sf alia 
 notarc, sed non est tanti. 
 
 sit, the heathen men left the 
 
 Syx
 
 Kobert u* ^^~~cscers Chronic* 
 
 Syx hondred ;er of grace yt was, & in }>e ' vyftyfe jere, 
 
 J?er * byjet Penda Inte Cristynmen vorto afere. 
 
 J?o Cadwal, kyng of Brutons, noblyche adde ynou 
 
 ybe kyng eyjteand fourty jer, and to elde drou, 
 
 He deyde after Martynmasse * ryjt fen syxte day. 
 
 fe Brutons made deol y nou, Jo he ded lay, 
 
 4 And made kynge's fourme of bras al holu wyfinne, 
 
 Vpe an hors ryde of bras, & )at body dude ferynne, 
 
 And vpe" ]?e West gate of Londone sette hyt s wel heye 
 
 In sygne of ys nobleye, |?at men wel wyde yseye. 
 
 An J7e syjfe J?er of ]?e Saxons aferde. 
 
 An chyrche of Seyn Martyn J?er by ne|?c hii rerde/' 
 
 War ynne me ssolde Code's seruyse do, 
 
 And synge vor ys soule, and vor alle Cristyne al so. 
 
 C-' AD WALL AD ys sone was ^ j?erafter ymad kyng, 
 jong ' bacheler and stalward atte 9 by gynnyg, 
 And J>om out wel wuste ys lond, & sauede ]?e Brutons 
 Styflyche ' al an tuelf ger ajen !I Saxons. 
 Ac ]>o vel he in sykness and sorwe vpen o^r, 
 ]?e Brutons fojte her & J?er ech ajen o]>er, 
 
 1 xv. yere, Ar. By gate 
 Ar. * Euene the sixte day 
 Ar. 4 Hii made a kynge's 
 fourme, and hym al hoi with 
 ynne Upon a hors rydyng of 
 bras putte al with gynne, 
 And vpon 4r. s Ful hegh 
 In tokne of his noblesse, that 
 me hitt fer segh, And that the 
 sight ther of the Saxones 
 
 Vol. I. Y And 
 
 sholde a fere, A church of 
 Seynt Martyn by nethe hii 
 6Cadwalla- 
 dre Ar. fy sic infra. ^ After 
 hym mad Ar. 8 Staleworth 
 bacheler & noble in alle thyng, 
 And Sfc. Ar. 9L. bygynnyng. 
 10 Fully xii. Ar. " The 
 Saxones Ar.
 
 252 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle.- 
 
 And lore, as wo seyb, grace of God, & bat he gan hem ssewe. 
 Vor he sende hem so muche honger & lubcr jeres arewe, 
 1 bat bys folc was ney meteles, bote wo so conbe myd gynne, 
 Ober myd bow and arwen, eny wylde best wynne. 
 So gret qualm com ek among men, bat hii, bat were alyue, 
 Ne mygte nojt al burye bat folc, bat deyde so ryue. 
 Vol of syknesse, and of qualm, and sorwe bys lond was bo, 
 Of honger, and of vnele geres, hou mygte be more wo ? 
 * bet folc gret compayne & ober myd wop & sorwe y nou, 
 Wanne hii myjte ssyppes abbe, in to ober londes drou. 
 be kyng 3 hym" let ek in sorwe and in sykenesse lede 
 Toward be lasse Bmtayne, & bys deoluol playnte seyde : 
 ^ * Awey ! awey ! we. synuol men, alas ! oure wrecchede, 
 '* bat we abbyj? bus God agult myd mony synuol dede 
 * e We and oure elderne ek, be wreche ych vnderstonde 
 ^ bat bus wrecchedlyche nou vus dryfj? out of oure kuncfe 
 
 londe, 
 
 ^ bat Romeyns" ne myjte myd batayle neuere do, 
 ** Ne Scottes, ne * Pycars, ne be Saxons berto. 
 *' Nou we beb, boru wreche of God, vor oure synuol dede, 
 * Idryue out al clene, wy|? out hope, wyj? sorwe & * wreche. 
 
 1 That the peple hadde no 
 mete, but they with any gyn- 
 ne Wilde bestes, or fowell, or 
 fissh myght wynne. Such pe- 
 stilence cam also, that hii, that 
 were a lyue. The dede myghte 
 vnnethe burye, they deide so 
 blyue Ar. a The folc with 
 grete companye in care and 
 sorwe y nogh, Ar. 3 Hym self 
 4r, 4 A las ! he seyde, and 
 
 welawey ! whi couthe we 
 noght blynne, While that we 
 tyme hadde, our lyfF to ledp 
 in synne, Thurgh which we 
 shal nogh al clene be dryue 
 out of londe, And al hit is 
 j^orgh wreche of Code's ow r 
 ene honde ? That the Ro 7 
 mayiies 4r- s Pictes, Ar. 
 6 L. wrephede. 
 
 Vor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 253 
 
 " * Vor vajt we abbe]? so ofte vp hem y wonne }>at lond, 
 
 " Wanne God nel nojt, )>at yt be lengore in oure hond. 
 
 li Vor |?e sojniast God, Jx> he yse, J>at we nolde, vor no^yng, 
 
 " Fram oure synne vs wy}j drawe, ne }?at non prince, a ne, 
 
 <c Ne mygte brynge vs out of J>e lond, he, J?at myjtuol ys, 
 
 *' 3 DeJ^e after oure deserte, and 4 pulte vus out ywys. 
 
 " Come]? nou ajen ge Romeyns, and je Scottes al so, 
 
 <c * Pycars, and Saxons, and Englysse |?er to," 
 
 * c }?at so muche abbe]? desyred * ]?at lond, je mowe yt fynde 
 
 nou]?e 
 
 et Al bar wyj out defense, bynor^e and eke byson]>e, 
 <f 7 And al ]?at ]?oru wreche of God, & no^t joure poer nojt y do, 
 " (Vor al ]>e poer, ]?at je alle adde, ne mygteyl bringe }?erto,) 
 <c Ac ]x>ru }?e myjte of Jhesu Crist \ve bej) ybrojt to grounde, 
 " ]?at we wra]?]?ed cuere mo, and nou we abbe]? yfounde. 
 < Alas ! }?at by myne daye such wreche ssolde come, 
 t{ }>at y nadde ybe ded bore, botc God adde ]?e soule y nome. 
 ]?e deol ne may non tonge telle, ]?at J?e kyng to hym nome, 
 So f>at to \>e lasse Brutayne myd }>ys sorvve he corn, 
 To, }?e kynge's neueu Salomon, Aleyn, J>at kyng was J>o, 
 And vayre of hy m was vndervonge in ys muchele wo." 
 
 1 An ydel we haue so ofte 
 recouered rf hem oure lond, 
 When God nele, that we len- 
 gor haue hit in our hond Ar. 
 * Adde kyng cum Ar. * Doth 
 Ar. 4 Putteth Ar. s Pictes, 
 and Englissh, and Danes al- 
 so. Ar. 6 This Ar.. i And 
 when ye haueth hit, seye ye 
 oe may, ye haueth vs out pylt 
 
 Thurgh your strengthe, but 
 hit is thurgh oure owene gylt. 
 Deol he made gret y nogh, 
 so that his wey he norn To- 
 ward the lasse Brutayne, and 
 thuder sone he com To kyng 
 Salomone's sone Aleyn, that 
 tho was, And faire of hym 
 was vnderfonge, #s fcl ia 
 this cas Ar.
 
 254 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J>o J)e Brutons j?erafter were al as out of munde, 
 
 After folc J?e Saxons sende of her kundc, 
 
 To come & wonye in Jys lond, ]?at noman agen hem nas, 
 
 And )?at J)et lond to her wylle al bar a$en hem was. 
 
 ]?o J?ys strangemen hurde ]?ys, ynou of folc hii nome, 
 
 Of men and of wymmen ek, and to J>ys lond come. 
 
 Anon from Corn way le to Norf>homberlond, 
 
 1 Hote yt were of poueral, al bar hii founde }?at lontf. 
 
 J?e poueral ouer Seuerne flen J?at }>er was J*o, 
 
 And byleuede vorj? in Walys in sorwe and in wo. 
 
 * We longe her afterward J>o yt com to amendement, 
 
 And bote of honger & of qualm vr Louerd adde ysend, 
 
 Som help of ]?e kyng Aleyn kyng Cadwallad bysojte, 
 
 And J)at he in to ys kunde londe |?oru ys help hym brojte." 
 
 j?e kyng hym grantede anon, and as hii were aboute, 
 
 Ey|?er in ys half, to gadery gret ost and gret route, 
 
 To kyng Cadwallad an angel * auysyon brogte 
 
 Fram heuene, and bad hym wy|?drawe of }>a.t he jjojte. 
 
 Vor yt nas Gode's wylle, ]?at of ]>e Brutons 4 kunne 
 
 Regnede more in Engclond, and al uor her sunne. 
 
 And namelyche ar ]?ulke tyme )>at ys in prophecye 
 
 Merlyn seyde to Arture, J?at nolde nojjyng lye. 
 
 1 L. bote. Nam bute in Ar. 
 a Afterwardes whan hit fel, 
 as God yaf the grace, That 
 alle these meschenes gonne 
 ouerpace, And the peple in 
 Walys strengthed sijmwhat 
 were, Cadewaldre hym by 
 Jthoght in this ilke manere, 
 
 wassh was qlene. To Aleyn 
 kyng of Brutayne he gan his 
 
 mone menc, 
 
 nere wise his help hym by 
 soght, That thurgh hym in 
 to his Reaume he myght be 
 broght Ar. ^Tydyng Ar. 
 4 Kvnne Ar. 
 
 That the synne of his peple 
 
 Vor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor he seyde, bat be Brutons me ssolde gut ysey 
 
 Wynne her rygte kynedom, ac yt ssolde arst long be. 
 
 Wannc ye relykes of halewen yfounde were & ykud, 
 
 j?at vor drede of SaXons wyde were yhud. 
 
 To Sergy be pope, bat ]>o was, to Rome he bed hym wende, 
 
 And do ber ys penance, bat God byra wolde sende. 
 
 And byleue al erblych bojt, ben deuel vorto ssende* 
 
 And he ssolde among holymen l to heuene" atten ende. 
 
 be kyng bys auysyon, |?at J)e angel hym seyde, 
 
 }?e oj?er tolde priuelyche, hym berof to rede. 
 
 e kyng Aleyn let ]>Q anon in ys bokes aspye, 
 
 Bo]?e of Sybyle be sage, and of Merlyne*s prophecye ; 
 
 Were Im to ys auysyon acorded in ech J?ynge? 
 
 Arid bo he vond^ bat bytuene hem was non dyscordyng, 
 
 He radde be kyng Cadwallad, to benche nanmore 
 
 Of* Engelond, ac do al out }?e angele's lore, 
 
 And wende to Rome, 3 holy lyf to lede. 
 
 be kyng Cadwallad dude al out, bat be angel he hym bede, 
 
 And at Rome was of be pope vayre 4 vnder vonge, 
 
 And in penance and holy lyf lyuede bere longe, 
 
 5 And in ettebe day of Aueryl out of bys worl he wende 
 
 To be joye of Heuene, as God after hym sende. 
 
 * Hyt was sene hondred ger bote on jer lasse vnnebe, 
 
 After bat God anerbe com, bat bys kyng com bus to debe. 
 
 1 Be nombred Ar. * Bru- 
 tayne, but do after the Ar. 
 1 Ther holy Ar. 4 A fonge, 
 Ar. 5 The xix. day of A. 
 pril Ar. 6 Six hundred yer 
 
 and foure skor, and ther to 
 eyghtetene, Hit was }>at our 
 Lord bore was y wene. The 
 Englissh Ar. 
 
 Y 3 be
 
 256 Robert of Gloucester's Cliroiiidfo 
 
 J>e Englysse" and }?e Saxons, ]>at alone ]>o were, 
 
 Crete tonnes and castles bygonne bulde and'rere, 
 
 }?at hit adde er yeast adoun, & louerdes were al }?o, 
 
 And |?e Brutons clene al out myd sorwe & myd wo, 
 
 And lore J>o bo)?e al clene, name and eke loud. 
 
 Vor }?at was Brutayne ycluped er, me cluped nou Engelond. 
 
 J?o vewe were of hem blyeued, as in Cornwayle & Walys. 
 
 Brutons nere nanmore ycluped, ac Waleys ywys. 
 
 After ' Walon, J?at was her * due, 1m adde vorst J>e name, 
 
 And ne myjte ncucr efter J?ys lond keuere, at lybej? myd alle 
 
 same, 
 
 x Bote hii ]ws myd scolkynge vp ]?e Englysse wende, 
 And do]? eny skec feble ynou, and abbe}) }>c worse ende. 
 Ac, (as j?e angel seyde er, and Merlyn ek by uore,) 
 Hii ssollej? keuery muche lond, J>at hii abbe]? ylore ; 
 Al Walys and al )?e March, and al myddel lond ywys, 
 fat ys, al )>at bytuene Temese and Homber ys, 
 Al Est toward Londone, & ]?at me ssat jut ysey. 
 At vpe Code's wylle yt ys, wanne yt ssal be. 
 Here we Englysse men mowe yse sone, 
 Myd wuche rygte we be]? (o ]?ys londe yeome. 
 Ac }>e wrecche Englysse men be]? of ]?e olde ' more ; 
 In wuche manere, je abbe]? y hurd, hou hii yt abbe}? y lorer 
 Ac |?e feble ys euere byne]?e. vor hii, Jjat abbe]? myjte, 
 Myd streng]?e brynge}? ofte }?at wowe to }?e ryjte. 
 
 f Gwalo, Ar. * Prince, 
 Ar. * And ofte tyme in 
 skolkyng on Engelond gon 
 they wende, Aiid made con. 
 
 tek and strif, and hadde the 
 worse ende Ar. Subintel- 
 lige, Britain.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?O Brutayne was jms ylore, and J>e londe's name 
 To J?e name of Engelond yturnd, to gret ssame, 
 Sene kynges hii adde longe, as j?e kyng of Estsex, 
 Of Kent, of Homberlond, of Est Angle, of Sou>sexj 
 Of ]?e March, of Westsex, * of alle }?es echon 
 Wule \>es were kynges, }>at nouj? ys bote one. 
 Vor ech bygan to worry vp o]?er, and oj?eres londes bynome, 
 And hii of Denemarch among hem, vorte alle to one come* 
 }>e kynges of Westsex adde )?e ouer bond, 
 So J?at attelaste hii wonne alle J?e oj?eres lond. 
 Ac Sou)>sex ne last nojt longe, ne Estsex 2 na]?e mo. 
 f>e kyng of Westsex sone hem wan, bote vyue ]?er nere J?o. 
 J?e kynedom of j?e March ylaste long and wei ynou, 
 " V^orte ]?e kunde kyng seyn Kenelm in marterdom me slo. 
 Kyng Kenulf ys fader godman was, }?at J>e hous of Wynche- 
 
 cumbe 
 
 Rerde vorst, and }>cr Iy}> hym sulf in a tombe. 
 ))o Seyn Kenelm ymartred was, ys vncle J Seowulf 
 Kyng was after hym ymaked, J^e kynge's broker Kenulf. 
 He nus kyng bot^ on jer, ar on Bernulf com, 
 And }?oru strengj) hym caste out of ys kenedom. 
 
 was kyng y mad, as o]?er byuore hym were, 
 Of Westsex in }>e jer of grace eyjte hondred jer. 
 
 1 Alle thes echou While were 
 of kynges Ar. * Ne the IHO 
 Ar. J Stve, Ceolulph. 4 
 Perplurahic occur runt inCod. 
 
 In quo tatnen Codice desunt 
 cuncta metra usque ad JSd- 
 .wardi, JElfrcdi Magni Jilii, 
 regnum. 
 
 Ar, oratione soluta concept^ 
 
 Y 4 By
 
 258 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 By ys daye Seyn Kenelm to dt j j)e ybrojt was, 
 
 J?e kynedom was Jjerafter lute, vor wreche of fat ca$. 
 
 Vor Bern ill f, of wan we toldc, nojt ]?re ger kyng nas 
 
 Ar Egbryjt, kyng of Westsex, made Lyra seke pas. 
 
 Vor an batayle at Elendone liii smyte myd her ost, 
 
 \>Q kyng Bernulf was fere bynefe, & bynome al ys bost r 
 
 And ys folc muche aslawe, & he flen wyf muche wo. 
 
 In kyng Egbryjte's poer ys kynedom was JH>. 
 
 Ejjte hondred jer & tuenly, & syxte j?er to, 
 
 As in ]?e jer of grace fys batayle was ydo, , 
 
 \>e kyng of Westsex hr after adde al ]>e kynedom 
 
 Of J?e March, o]?er eche jer truage of hena noni. 
 
 In Egbrygte's kynedom four and tuenty ]?e ^er 
 
 Hyt was, ar ]?ys balayle at Elendone were. 
 
 Bernulf suj>)?e in Est Angle }>oru men of lond, 
 
 And )>oru Egbry^te's poer, was aslawe, ych vnderstonde, 
 
 And )jat folc of Est Angle vnderuonge fere 
 
 Kyng Egbry^t to her soueryn, & seruage hym bere. 
 
 Kyng Egbryjt was J)o prout vor ys segnorye. 
 
 Adelwolf, ys sone, he sendc myd vayre bachelerye 
 
 To wynne Kent, & Estsex, & Sojjereye, myd maystrye. 
 
 To Jje lond of Kent hii wende vorst myd her chyualerye, 
 
 Kent hii wonde tymelyche, and Balred ]?e kyng 
 
 Flen ouer Temese, and byleuede ys owe J>yng. 
 
 Estsex and SouJ^sex, and SoJ^ereye al so 
 
 Hii wonne, ar hii come ajen ; & J>o al fys was ydo, 
 
 Egbryjt, kyng of Westsex, al >ys to hym nom, 
 
 Al to be vnder hym, and vnder ys kynedom.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 259 
 
 Al J>at lond bysou}>3 clene he adde al so 
 
 Under hym, o]?er in ys hond. wynne he Jjojte mo. 
 
 Ajen hem of NorJ?homberlond myd ost he com at ' Doyre, 
 
 Hii dude hym a non her manhede, & ne conteked namorc. 
 
 J>e kyng Egbryjt adde ybe kyng }>re and J>rytty jer, 
 
 J?et folc of Denemarch hyder com, as yt adde y do er. 
 
 Ssepeye hii robbede vorst, and su)>J?e cfyer mo. 
 
 Ac ]?e kyng Egbryjt hem drof ajen, ar hii dude to muchewo. 
 
 j?o kyng Egbryjt adde kyng ybe seuene & J>rytty jer, 
 
 He deyde as a noble man, ac ys londes he delde er. 
 
 Adelwolf, ys eldeste sone, he gef J?o al Westsex, 
 
 j?at was as ys erytage. and su])})e al Sou)?sex 
 
 Hys jongore sone A]>elston he gef, and J?e kynedom 
 
 Of Kent and of Estsex, ]?at of ys porch as com. 
 
 ilyt was eyjte hondred jer, and nyne ]> rytty ferto, 
 
 As in j>e jer of grace, }>at he deyde so. 
 
 1 Meminerunt etiam Annales 
 Saxonici, sub anno DCCCXXVII. 
 Anb j-e Ecgbpyhe liefebe _py jibe 
 co Dope pi^ Noji^anhymbjie. 
 *j hy hym J>32ji eaj^mebo bubon. 
 j jej^paerinerre. Ejusdem 
 quoque mentionem habemus 
 apud Florentium Wigornien- 
 sem. Id quod item monuit doc- 
 tissimus Gibsonus^ qui porro 
 innuit, locum hunc in agrofu- 
 isse Eboracensi, licet plane 
 incertum sit quonam hodierno 
 vocetur nomine* Quidni autem 
 quis censeat, ipsumfuisse Dur. 
 ham ? Quo minus ita putemus, 
 nihil quidem obstat in Annuli- 
 
 bus Saxonicis, e quibus dis- 
 cimuSy Ecgbryhtum primum 
 subjugasse Merciorum reg. 
 num, Sf totitm quod fuit ab 
 Australi parte Humbri, dein. 
 de movisse ultra Humbrijlu. 
 men, in ipsum, ut videtttr t 
 Deirorum agrum. Et tamen 
 fateor } hanc sententian mini- 
 me con-venire cum Florentio, 
 locum longe minoris notes 
 quam Dunelmumfuisse aperle 
 tndicante, suoque itidem tern- 
 pore Dore nomine venisse sig. 
 nificante. Quomodocunque sit } 
 in partibus ultra Humbrum 
 fuisse sane existimarim* 
 
 Of
 
 260 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 OF fc battles of Dcnemafch, Jjat hii dude in |>ys londe 
 
 fat worst were of alle o}?ere, we mote abbe an honde. 
 
 Worst hii were, vor o[ere adde somwanne ydo, 
 
 As Romeyns & Saxons, & wel wustc f>at lond J?erto. 
 
 Ac hii ne kepte yt holde nojt, bote robby, and ssende^ 
 
 And destrue, & berno, & sle, & ne couj^e abbe non ende. 
 
 And bote lute yt nas worj 1 , ]?ey hii were ouercome ylome. 
 
 Vor myd ssypes and gret poer as prest efsone hii come, 
 
 Kyng Adelwolf of ]ns lond kyng was tuenty jer. 
 
 ])e DeneyS come by hym ryuor jban hii dude e r. 
 
 Vor in J?e al our vorst ger of ys kynedom 
 
 Myd ]>re & Jrytty ssypuol men her prince hyder come^ 
 
 And at SooJ)hamptone aryuede, an hauene by SouJ>e. 
 
 Ano)>er gret ost }?ulke tyme aryuede at Portesmotijje. 
 
 \>e kyng nuste wej>er kepe 3 at delde ys ost atuo. 
 
 J?e Denes adde J?e maystre. J>o al was ydo^ 
 
 And by Estangle & Lyndeseye hii wende vorj? atte laste, 
 
 And so hamward al by Kent, & slowe & barnde vaste. 
 
 Ajen wynter hii wende hem. ano]?er Jer eft hii come, 
 
 And destrude Kent al out, and Londone nome. 
 
 Jms al an ten jer ]?at lond hii brogte fer doune, 
 
 So )>at in }?e tej>e jer of ]?e kynge's croune, 
 
 Al bysoujje hii come alond, and J?et folc of Soraersete 
 
 J)oru J?e byssop Alcston and ])et folc of Dorsete 
 
 Hii come & smyte an batayle, & J^ere, foru Code's grace, 
 
 J*e Deneys were al byne|?e, & J>e lond folc adde J)e place^ 
 
 And more prowesse dude ]>o, |?an J?e kyng myjte byuore^ 
 
 |>eruore gode lond men ne bej> no^t al verlore. 
 
 1*
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 261 
 
 J>e kyng was ]?e boldore )?o, & ajen hem ]?c more drou, 
 
 And ys foure godes sones woxe vaste y nou, 
 
 Edelbold and Adelbryjt, Edelred and Alfred. 
 
 ]>ys was a stalwarde tei% & of gret wysdom & red, 
 
 And kynge's were al foure, & defendede wel j?ys lond, 
 
 An Deneys dude ssame ynou, f>at me volwel vomL 
 
 In syxtef>e jerc of ]?e kynge's kynedom 
 
 Is eldeste sone Adelbold gret ost to hym norae, 
 
 And ys fader also god, and oj?ere heye men al so, 
 
 And wende agen j?ys Deneys, f>at muche wo adde y do. 
 
 Vor myd tuo hondred ssypes & an alf at Temse mouji hi* 
 
 come, 
 
 And Londone, and Kanterbury, and o]?er tounes nome, 
 And so vor]? in to Sojrereye, & slowe & barnde vaste, 
 Jere J?e kyng and ys sone hem mette atte laste. 
 J>ere was batayle strong ynou ysmyte in an }?rowe. 
 J>e godes kynjtes leye adoun as gras, wan medep mowc, 
 Heueden, (|?at were of ysmyte,) & o}>ei lymcs also, 
 Flete in blode al fram ]?e grounde, ar j?e batayle were ydo. 
 Wanne ]?at blod stod al abrod, vas |?er gret wo ^ nou. 
 Nys yt reuj?e vorto hure, |?at me so vole slou ? 
 Ac our suete Louerd atte laste ssewede ys suete grace, 
 And sende }>e Cristyne Englysse men |?e maystrye in ]>c place 
 And j?e he]?ene men of Denemarch byne]?e were echon. 
 Nou nas ]?er jut in Denemarch Cristendom non ; 
 Je kyng her after to holy chyrche ys herte ]>e more drou, 
 And tej^ejede wel & al ys lond, as hii ajte, wel y nou. 
 Seyn Swythyn at Wynchestre byssop J?o was, 
 And Alcston at Syrebourne, J>at araendede muche }?ys cas.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicfe. 
 
 }?e kyng was wel J?e betere man J?oru her beyre red, 
 
 Tuenty wyntcr he was kyng, ar he were ded. 
 
 At Wynchestre he was ybured, as he jut ly)> J?ere. 
 
 Hys tueye sones he gef ys lond, as he byjet ham ere. 
 
 Adelbold, j?e eldorc, ]>e kynedom of Estsex, 
 
 And suj>]?e Adelbryjt, Kent and Westsex. 
 
 Eyjte hondred ger yt was and seuene and fyfty al so, 
 
 After )?at God aner]?e com, j?at }>ys dede was ydo. 
 
 Bo]?e hii wuste by her tyme wel her kynedom, 
 
 At J>e vyfte ^er Adelbold out of fys lyue nome. 
 
 At Ssyrebourne he was ybured, & ys broker Adelbryjt 
 
 His kynedom adde after hym, as lawe was and ryjt. 
 
 By ys daye J?e verde com of J?e hej?ene men wel prouf, 
 
 1 And Haratessyre and destrude Wynchestre al out. 
 
 And J>at lond folc of Hamtessyre her red JK> nome 
 
 And of Barcssyre, and fojte and J>e ssrewen ouerconif . 
 
 Adelbryjt was kyng of Kent geres folle tene, 
 
 And of Westsex bote vyue, J>o he deyde ych wene. 
 
 was after hym kyng y mad in J>e place, 
 Eyjte hondred & seuene & syxty as in J>e jer of grace. 
 J?e vorste jer of ys kynedom fe Deneys |?ycke com, 
 And robbede and destrude, and cytes vaste nome. 
 Maystres hii adde of her ost, as yt were dukes, tueye, 
 Hynguar and Hubba, ]?at ssrewen were beye. 
 In Est Angle hii byleuede, to reste hem as yt were, 
 Myd her ost al ]?e wynter, of }>e vorst gere. 
 
 1 F. an give on ; nisi mox malis, and Wynchestre destrude #
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 )?e o]?er ger hii dude hem vorj?, & oner Hornber come. 
 
 And slowe to grounde & barnde, & Euerwyk norae. 
 
 j?er was batayle strong y nou, vor yslawe was }?ere 
 
 Osryc kyng of Homberlond, & monye j?at with hym were. 
 
 ]?o Homberlond was ]?us yssend, hii wende & touncs nome. 
 
 So j?at atte laste to Estangle agen hym come. 
 
 J>er hii barnde & robbede, & )?at folc to grounde slowe, 
 
 And, as wolues among ssep, reulych hem to drowe. 
 
 Seynt Edmond was J?o her kyng, & ]>o he sey ]>ai deluol cas 
 
 at me mor})rede so ]?at folc, & non amendement nas, 
 
 He ches leuere to deye hymsulf, |?at such sorwe to ysey. 
 
 He dude hym vor}) among ys fon, nolde he ' no]>yg fle. 
 
 Hii nome hym & scourged hym, & su^e naked hym bounde 
 
 To a tre, & to hym ssote, & made bym mony a wounde, 
 
 J?at J>e arewe were on hym J?o )?ycce, |?at no stede nas byleuede. 
 
 Atte laste hii martred hym, & smyte of ys heued. 
 
 }?e syxle jer of }>e crounement of Aldered ]?e kyng 
 
 A nyvve ost com into J>ys lond, gret ]?oni alle Jjyng, 
 
 And anon to Redynge robbede and slowe. 
 
 J)e kyng and Alfred ys broker nome men ynowe, 
 
 Mette hem, and a batayle smyte vp Assesdoune. 
 
 J)er was mony moder chyid, j?at sone lay ]?er doune. 
 
 ]>Q batayle ylaste vorte nyjt, and |?er were aslawe 
 
 Vyf dukes of Denemarch, ar hii wolde wyj? drawe, 
 
 And mony fjousend of o]?er men, & J?o gonne hii to fle j 
 
 Ac hii adde alle ybe assend, * jys |>e nyjt nadde y be. 
 
 Tueye batayles her after in }>e sulf jere 
 
 Hii smyte, and at bo|?e J?e hej?ene maystres were. 
 
 1 L. noj>yng. * Sic, 
 
 h
 
 264 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?e kyng Aldered sone J?o }>en wey of de]? nome, 
 As yt vel, J?e vyfty jer of ys kynedom. 
 At Wymbourne he was ybured, as God jef ]?at cas, 
 fe gode Alfred, ys broker, after hym kyng was. 
 
 .A.LFRED, )?ys noble man, as in ]>e ger of grace he nora 
 
 Eygte hondred & syxty & tuelue Ipe kynedom. 
 
 Arst he adde at Rome ybe, &, vor ys grete wysdom, 
 
 J>e pope Leon hym blessede, fo he fmder com, 
 
 And }>e kynge's croune of |?ys lond, Jmt in ]?ys lond jut ys : 
 
 And ' he led hym to be kyng, ar he kyng were ywys. 
 
 And he was kyng of Engelond, of alle J>at J?er come, 
 
 J?at vorst }?us * ylad was of \>c pope of Rome, 
 
 And su^fe o]?er after hym of ]?e erchebyssopes echon. 
 
 So |?at by nor hym pore kyng nas J?er non. 
 
 In }>e Sou]) syde of Temese nyne batayles he nome 
 
 Ajen Ipc Deneys J?e vorst ger of ys kynedom. 
 
 Nye jer he was ]?us in J?ys lond in batayle & in wo, 
 
 An ofte sy)?e aboue was, and byne]?e oflor mo; 
 
 So longe, fat hym nere by leuede bote ]?re ssyren in ys bond, 
 
 Hamtessyre, and Wyltessyre, and Somersete, of al ys lond. 
 
 A day as he wery was, and asuoddrynge hym nome 
 
 And ys men were ywend auyssef, Seyn Cutbert to hym com. 
 
 (t Ich * am," he seyde, " Cutbert, to }>c ycbam ywend 
 
 11 To brynge )?e gode lytynges. Fram God ycham ysend. 
 
 1 Id est, heled sive conse- 
 crated, vel anointed. Vide no- 
 fas nostras ad Vitam JElfredi 
 Magnt Spelmannianam,) p. 17. 
 *Pro oyled, sivc anointed. Nisi 
 
 for sit an tarn htc 9 quam Sfj'am 
 supra^ idem quodAnglo-Saxu- 
 nicum geha] jobesse existimes. 
 * Vide WillielmiMalmesbur. de 
 gestis regumAngl. lib.H.c.lV.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 265 
 
 {< Vor }>at folc of )?ys lond to synne her wylle al geue, 
 
 " And jut nolle herto Iier synnes byleue 
 
 f{ ]?oru me & other halewen, ]?at in J>ys lond were ybore; 
 
 " j?an vor 3011 byddej? God, wanrie we bej? hym byuore, 
 
 u Hour Louerd myd ys eyen of milce on j?e lokej? }?eruore, 
 
 " And }>y poer ]?e wole jyue agen, J>at ]?ou ast ney verlore. 
 
 " And J)at ]?ou |?er of soj? yse, |?ou ssalt abbe tokynynge. 
 
 " Vor ' fym men, ]>at be]? ago to day auyssynge, 
 
 ft In lepes & in eoufles so muche vyss hii ssolde hym brynge, 
 
 " }?at ech man wondry ssal of so gret cacchynge. 
 
 ** And ]?e mor vor |?e harde vorste, |?at ]?e water yfrore hys, 
 
 <c })at ]xj more ajen ]?e kunde of vjssynge yt ys. 
 
 f< Of serue yt wel ajen God, and ylef me ys messager, 
 
 " And J?ou ssal ]>y wylle abyde, as ycham ytold her. 
 
 As J>ys kyng hereof awoc, and of J>ys syjte J>ojte, 
 
 Hys vyssares come to hym, & so gret won of fyss hym brojte, 
 
 ]?at wonder yt was, & namelyche vor }>e weder was so colde ; 
 
 JJQ lyuede |?e god man wel, ]?at Seyn Cutbert adde ytold. 
 
 In Deuenyssyre J>er after ]?er aryuede of Deneyg 
 
 |?re and tuenty ssypuol men, al a^en |?e peys, 
 
 J?e kynge's broker of Denemarch due of ost was. 
 
 Oure kynge's men of Engelond mette hem by cas, 
 
 And smyte }?er an batayle, and her gret due slowe, 
 
 And eyjte hondred & fourty men, & her caronyes to drowe f 
 
 j?o kyng Alfred hurde J?ys, ys herte gladede )?o, 
 
 J?at lond folc to hym come so J>ycke so yt myjte go, 
 
 Of Somersete, of Wyltessyre, of Hamtessyre J?erto, 
 
 Euere as he wende, and of ys owe folc al so. 
 
 1 Pro, >yn. 
 
 So
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronide. 
 
 So fat he adde poer ynou, and atte laste hii come, 
 And a batayle at Edendone ajen fe Deneys nome, 
 And slowe to grounde, & wonne fe maystre of fe velde. 
 fe kyng & ys grete duke bygonne hem to jelde 
 To fe kyng Alfred to ys wylle, and ostages toke, 
 Vorto wende out of ys lond, jyf he yt wolde loke; 
 And jut ferto, vor ys loue, to aiionge Crist endom. 
 Kyng Gurmund, fe hexte kyng, vorst fer to come, 
 Kyng Alfred ys godfader was. & ybaptysed ek fer were 
 frefty of her hexte dukes, and muche of fat folc J)ere 
 Kyng Alfred hem huld wyjj hym tuelf dawes as he hende, 
 And su^e he jef hem large jyftes, and let hym wende, 
 Hii, Jat nolde Crist jn be, of lond flowe ]?o, 
 And bjgonde see in France dude wel muche wo. 
 3ut |?e ssrewen come ajen, and muche wo here wrojte. 
 Ac J?e kyng Alfred atte laste to ssame hem euere brogte. 
 Kyng Alfred was J?e wysost kynj, fat long was byuore. 
 Vor }?ey me segge ]?e lawes be]? in worre tyme vorlore, 
 Nas yt nojt so hiis daye. vor }?ey he in worre were, 
 Lawes he made rystuollore, and strengore j?an er were. 
 Clerc he was god ynou, and jut, as me tellej) me, 
 He was more J>an ten jer old, ar he cou)>e ys abece. 
 Ac ys gode moder ofte smale jyftes hym tok, 
 Yor to byleue o]?er pie, and loky on ys boke. 
 So fat by por clergye ys ryjt lawes he wonde, 
 fat neuere er nere y mad, to gouerny ys lond. 
 And vor fe worre was so muche of fe lufer Deneys, 
 J>e men of f ys sulue land were of fe worse peys. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 267 
 
 And robbede and slowe o[?ere, J^eruor he byuonde, 
 
 j?at fer were hondredcs in eche contreye of ys lond, 
 
 And in ecu toune of J>e hondred a tej?ynge were also, 
 
 And }?at ech man wy])oute gret lond in tejjyngc were ydo, 
 
 And )?at ech man knewe o]?er J?at in tej^ynge were, 
 
 And wuste somdel of her stat, gyf me ' }m vp hem bere. 
 
 So streyt he was, )>at }>ey me ledde amydde weyes heye 
 
 Seluer, J?at non man ne dorste yt nyme, J?ey he yt seye. 
 
 Abbeys he rerde mony on, and mony studes ywys. 
 
 Ac Wynchestrye he rerde on, J>at nywe munstre ycltiped ys. 
 
 II ys lyf ey^tc and tuenty ger in ys kynedom ylaste. 
 
 After ys de}) he was ybured at Wynchestre atte laste. 
 
 liiDWARD, ys gode sone, kyng was ymad ]?o 
 In }>e jer of grace nyne hondred jer & on & nanmo. 
 3 Foure & tuenty jer he was kyng, & to more poer come 
 J?an euere ys fader dude, ac bojt to so gret wysdoni. 
 He wan" }>e kynedom of ])c March myd ys dedes bolde, 
 So fat of hym yt was afterward yholde. 
 And ]?at lond of Estangle, and Nor]?homberlond, 
 And Walys he wan J?oru batayle, al vnder ys hond. 
 And henas neuere in batayle byne]?e in jbys lond. 
 He byuond vorst an queintyse ajen ]?e Deneys to anstond. 
 
 cum spattOj in Codice 
 
 dum. * EdwanJ the veil, his 
 sone, Ar. ' Logher was he 
 fenne his fader of clergie and 
 wisdom, But more glorious 
 thenne he in power that hym 
 come. He wanne Ar. 
 
 Vol. I. z Vor 
 
 Tios/roHarleyano. 
 e. TSeofKe stve theft) m Codice 
 Cottoniano, sicut me docuit a. 
 micus. Adeo ut ]>uf ]?e in Codi- 
 ce nostro Harleyano sit legen.
 
 268 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor be heye tounes in be lond and be castles berto 
 
 Myd gode kynjtes he let astory, & myd sustynance berto. 
 
 So J?at ware be kyng were, and ber come her fon, 
 
 In eche contreye prest hii were myd be lond role anon, 
 
 And srnyte mony batayle, bat be kyng yt nuste, 
 
 So bat myd strengbe of heye tounes ech contreye byrn sulf 
 
 wuste. 
 
 Hys soster he let spousy, bat yliote was Elfled, 
 To be kyng, bat huld be March of hym, ]?at yhote was E- 
 
 >elred. 
 
 1 So ]?at heo rayd chyldc was, and Jjojte byre so sor, 
 Ar }?at chyld were ybore, |?at heo ne wyllede yt nanmor. 
 Com more to Jmlke stoupe vor me ne myjte yre bringe, 
 J?at heo wolde euer eft in manne r s bedde come vor non )?yng r 
 Ac euere seyde, wanne heo was of suche fynge bysojt, 
 " |?at kynge's dorter, as he was, yt bycom no^t, 
 " Such fol delyt vorto do, ne such dede na}>emo, 
 " ]?at were encheson afterward of such pyne and wo. 
 " Ac jyf }?e * bygynnyge were jut as strong, as ys j?e ende, 
 *' Ich wene gut mony womman }?ulke wey wolde wende. 
 }?e luj?er Ed wolf was }>e kynge's broker Edward, 
 And, vor pur hate ajen ys broker, held as assreward. 
 
 1 Tho that heo with chrlde 
 was, and hadde hit i bore, 
 And hadde i felte the woo ther 
 of, she saide therfore, That 
 come woulde sheo neuere in 
 manne's bedde more, For sheo 
 hadde had so myche sorow & 
 sore 
 neuer efte suche dede do ? 
 
 That shuld be encheson of 
 suche sorow and wo. On A- 
 the! wolde, Erne's son of this 
 kyng Edwarde, For hate 
 ganne to werry hym as a shere. 
 warde. The Danes Ar. E- 
 thelwoldum etiam Jilium pa* 
 trui regis appellat Will. Mai. 
 mesb.f. 25. b. * Sic. 
 
 be
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 269 
 
 be Deneys'' were in Homberlond, to hem he gan drawe. 
 
 Hii auonge hym vayre ynou, & were wyb him wel vawe, 
 
 And made hym her kyng anon, ys broker vorto ssende. 
 
 Sone hii greybed her ost bo, Soubward vorto wonde, 
 
 And asayle Estsex, and nome bat lond anon. 
 
 Vor be maystres of be lond jolde to hem echon. 
 
 bo wende hii in to he March, & muche sorwe made, 
 
 And robbede and destrude vaste anon to x Creskelade. 
 
 So hii passede Temese, and dude wo y nou, 
 
 Kyng Edward sone myd ys ost after hem drou, 
 
 And drof hem in to Homberlond myd wel quyc pas. 
 
 Ac kyng Edwolf ber after sone aslawe was. 
 
 Vor bo kyng Edward & ys men hamward ywend were, 
 
 * bat folc of Kent, ajen ys wylle, 3 byleuede by hynde bere. 
 
 bo Edwolf and be Deneys waste hem so byleue, 
 
 4 To hem hii smyte anon, and batayle hem jeue. 
 
 be Kent ers stode vaste agen, & be kyng Edwolf slowe. 
 
 Heye & lowe ber were aslawe, in eyber alf ynowe. 
 
 Kyng Edward be nybe jer of ys kynedom 
 
 be castel made of Hereford, and to gode ende com. 
 
 be ger berafter be Deneys 5 wende fram Leycestre to Norb 
 
 hamtone 
 Toward Oxenford faste, and at 6 Hogenorte 
 
 1 Vulgo, Crekelade. Male 
 autem Brekkelade in Ar. 2 
 The folke Ar. 3 Be hynde 
 lafte there Ar. * Towarde 
 hem they turned a je, and ba- 
 taille them jeve. The men 
 
 of Kente stode a ye, and this 
 Edwolf slowe Ar. Wente 
 fro Northamptone Toward 
 Ar. 6 Lege, Hogenortone, 
 (sive, ut in Ar.) Hoggenor- 
 tonne. 
 
 z 2 Slowe
 
 270 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Slowe muche folc ' y nou, and " in ])e contreye aboute^ 
 
 Atte laste ]?e contreye folc com myd gret route, 
 
 And to dryue hem al to nogte, & her preye hem bynom. 
 
 * SuJ?]>e, in J?e endlefte ger of \>e kynge's kynedom, 
 J?e Deneys come and robbede Nor]? Walys vaste. 
 So J?at to yrchenefeld hii come atte laste. 
 
 3 Out of castel of Hereforde J>at folc vaste }>o com, 
 And of Je contreye al aboute, & batayle wyj? hem noni, 
 And slou of hem her hcxte due, & obere men mony on. 
 Hii, J?at myjte of scapye alyue, of londe flowe echon. 
 
 * Alfled, quene of ]?e March, strong 5 womwan was and 
 
 ' quenyte 
 In batayle, and yholde as quene in eche ponyte. 
 
 1 Desunt Ar. *Sithcn in 
 the xi. yere Ar. aOute of 
 IJerford the folke a yenst 
 heme sone com, Ar. 4 El- 
 flede, Ar. s Pro, womman 
 sive woman. 6 L. qneynte, 
 cum Ar. uti etiam mx infra 
 poynte. 7 Ind in bataile as a 
 kyng i holde in eche poynte. 
 Al Wales sheo ouercome, and 
 Yorke was hure also. Atte 
 Camelworthesheodeyde sethe, 
 and buried atte Gloucestre thoo 
 Ar. Delude desiderantur reli- 
 qua meira, ad Eadzsardum 
 hunc spectantia, multaque eo- 
 rundem loco orutione soluta in- 
 seruntur^inquibusSjindicatur^ 
 eumWigornicE, non Ferenduni 
 (nt/wcFaringdon, in agro Ber- 
 cheriensi] obiise. Nam sic au- 
 ctor : This Edwarde veil 
 
 deyde atte Worcetre, and bu. 
 ried was at Wynchestre, by 
 side his fader, (minus recte. 
 Nam 4' alii Ferenduni hoc con- 
 tigisse asserunt.) qui $ hcec re. 
 tulit de morte atque sepultura 
 sElfledcE^Elfledce, sive Ethel. 
 Jledee : Ethelflede,lady of Mer- 
 cheneriche, a boue saide deide 
 to fore hure brother Edwarde 
 veil. v. yere, and was buryed 
 in Seynt Petre's churche atte 
 Gloucestre, whiche heo, with 
 hure husbonde [Ethel red] 
 with grete diligence had i 
 maked, be cause they hadde 
 translated Seynt Oswalde's 
 bonus fram Bardenay thn. 
 der, but Jat by Danes de. 
 stroyed, a nother abbey now 
 
 in 
 
 by Eldre erchbischop of York. 
 Al
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 271 
 
 Al Walys heo ouercora, and J>e March J?erto. 
 Stafford heo wan, and Leycestre, and Warewyk |?erto, 
 And Bruges & Euerwyk, & J?e contreye ' &" al so 
 Of Euerwyk to hyre com, hyre wylle vorto do. 
 At Tamewur }>e heo deyde su)>J?e, & ybured he was y wys 
 In Seynt Petre's porchc at Gloucestre, as J>e abbey jut ys. 
 j?e kynedom J>o of ]>e Marcli kyng Edward to hyra nome, 
 As in J?e syxe & tuenlye jer of ys kynedom. 
 Kyng Edward adde J>re sones : J>e eldoste A}?elston, 
 And Edmond and Eldred, }?at kynges were echon. 
 And suj)jje he deyde at Farndone, as God gef Jat cas, 
 And in mustre at Wynchestre by ys fader ybured was. 
 
 Aj>ELSTON was J>o kyng, ]?at was Edwarde's sone, 
 
 And )>orii }>e heye men of ]?e lond ycrouned at Kyngestone. 
 
 Nyne horidred ger of grace & foure & tuenty y cfouned he was, 
 
 * And aboute an fourtyne jer kyng J?er after he was. 
 
 Holy chyrche he louede wel, and rerde mony on, 
 
 }>e vorste ger of ys kynedom ybore was Seyn Dunstone. 
 
 Ny we abbeyes he made 3 vaste J>ys gode Aj>elston, 
 
 And J>er nas of okle house in }>e lond non, 
 
 jrat he ne amendede myd som lond, o|?er myd byldynge, 
 
 O)>er myd boc, o)>er ryche clo]?, olpei ctycr ryche j?ynge. 
 
 1 Abesse malim. a And but londe, That he ne amended 
 
 n xvi. yere after kyng he 
 nas Ar. J Many ich vnder- 
 stande, Ne olde Abl^ey was 
 ther none thourgh oute al his 
 
 with summe lond, other with 
 summe buildyng, Other with 
 bokes other clothe, or summe 
 rjche thyng Ar. 
 
 1 3 Nor}>-
 
 272 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Nor}>hombcrlond he wan, and Walys and Scotlond, 
 
 And ]?e kyflges & her lond held al in ys hond. 
 
 Hyra J)ogte yt was more nobleye, ]?o he adde an hond al |)ys, 
 
 Vorto make kynges, J?an to be kyng y wys. 
 
 Ajen he made kynges, J?at kynges er were, 
 
 Bote }?at hii were vnder hym, and truage hym bere. 
 
 \>o hii adde her lond agen, J?e kyng of Scotlond 
 
 Constantyn, and Analaf kyn of Homberlond, 
 
 Up f>ys kyng A]?elston gaderede men y nowe, 
 
 And here bysouj>e Homber myd her ost drowe. 
 
 Analaf was gode ' kyngt, & stalward & queynte. 
 
 Menestral he was gode ynou, & harpare in eche poynte. 
 
 To A}?elston pauylon myd ys harpe he wende, 
 
 And so wel wyj^oute harpede, ]?at me after hym sende. 
 
 er he harpede so wel, |?at he payde al J?e route, 
 
 Ac euere were ys eyen in eche hurne aboute. 
 
 After mete, ]>o hii nolde nanmore of ys pley, 
 
 * Hii jeue hym seluer vor ys gle, & let hym go ys wey. 
 
 3 Of |?e seluer he adde hoker, vor he ne com Jmder vor non, 
 
 Ac ys wylle he adde }>o he sey ]?e stat of ys fon. 
 
 On, j?at adde y be wyj? hym, ]>e kyng tolde ]?ere. 
 
 j?e kyng hym blamede }w>, ]?at he nadde ytold hym cr. 
 
 ct Syre he seyde, " ych was ysuore to hym ar to ]>e, 
 
 " And jyf ych adde hym 4 bysuyke, J>e wors }>ou wost 5 leue me, 
 
 'Knyght Ar. a Me yaf 
 hym yiftes for Ar. 3 Of his 
 yftes he tolde scorne, Ar. 
 
 me. Ac remewe to a nother 
 stede thyne tentes Ich the 
 rede, Ar. 
 
 4 Be trayed, Ar. s Truste to 
 
 Ac
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 273 
 
 *' Ac remewe in to anofer stude f y pauylon by myn rede, 
 
 " Ofer fou mygt ut to nyjt of som treson drede. 
 
 1 J?e pauylon was remeued fo, and fe kyng and alle ys, 
 
 Ac a byssop and ys men fer nor]) com ywys, 
 
 And pyjtefer her pauylon, & byleuede al nyjt fere. 
 
 And f ys luf er men com anygt, & wende f e kyng yt were, 
 
 And slou fe byssop and alle ys men, fat gult nadde non. 
 
 And suffe hii wende vorfore mo, and sojte Afelston. 
 
 Of hem nas he nogt * ywar s ar ]> o at fe laste. 
 
 Ac sone he and ys men armede hem wel vaste, 
 
 And Edmond ys broker myd hym, 4 & fo hii preste were echon, 
 
 And wende to fys batayle, and mette myd her fon, 
 
 fe kyng to ys suerde drou, and fo ne vond he non. 
 
 Hyt was myd treson hym bynome, hard cas was fat on. 
 
 On God" almygty & Seyn Aldelm fe kyng cride vaste fo, 
 
 And hii sende hym by vayr myracle bote in ys wo. 
 
 To hys scaubert he pulte ys bond, al preste asuerd he vond 
 
 fer inne, foru God y sond, no beterc in lond. 
 
 1 Thenne to a nother stede 
 the kyng remew gan. To 
 that place the same nyght [a 
 bischop] cam than, And wende 
 to haue founde the kyng thcr, 
 so that he logged ther, But 
 the Enmys cam a nyght, and 
 wende the kyng hit were, 
 Ar. * Turn ultra progre- 
 ditins [Analaus~^ regem ipsum 
 imparatum offendit, quippe 
 qui nihil tale hostem ausu- 
 rum timensj largo: quieti in- 
 
 dulserat Will. Malmesb. fol. 
 26. b. J Fort atte Ar. * And 
 dighte hem echechon Paste to 
 the bataille, to mete with hure 
 fone. The kyng trawe wolde 
 his swerde, when he tyme I 
 seye, And thenne founde he 
 there non. for hit was a way 
 Per aunter by fallyng a way 
 or by summe other cas. The 
 kyng was ther of sore abassh. 
 ed, as no wonder was. Ou 
 God Ar. 
 
 z4 In
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 In J?e kyng tresorye ]>at suerd ' ywust ys, 
 
 As vor * noble relyke, jut to J?ys daye ywys. 
 
 3 I egged yt ys in on alf, and in J?e o}>er nojt. 
 
 }>ere ne myjte neuere gold ne seluer }?eron be ybrojt. 
 
 ]?ys noble kyng A]?elston, J?o }>ys gode suerd hym com, 
 
 Nobylyche & wel he fajt, & so god ernest to hym nom, 
 
 }?at fram ]?at )>e sonne aros, vorte hyt derc nyjt was, 
 
 }?e batayle ylaste, and neuere vvery he nas. 
 
 Wat J?oru ys stalwarhede, wat ]?oru Gode's grace, 
 
 Mony was 4 gode body, f>at he slou in }>e place. 
 
 J>e balayle was at 5 Brymesbury, & }?ere were of Deneys 
 
 An of Scottes aslawe, and also of yreys, 
 
 Vyf songe 6 kyflges, prout ]?oru al ]?yng, 
 
 And prout Constantyn, }>at of Scotlond was kyng. 
 
 And of o]?ere, J)at were aslawe, me nc myjte non ende yse. 
 
 Hii, f>at of scapedc alyue, bygonne vaste to fie. 
 
 Jms 7 |?e kyng A]?elston agaste })o ys fon. 
 
 * Vor hii ne ssolde in ]?ys lond abbe * rccet non, 
 
 10 ]?e castel of Euerwyk to grounde he let caste. 
 
 (Vor ys fon were ofte ]?er inne, J>e wule " he ylaste) 
 
 1 yut i kepte is, Ar. * A 
 noble Ar. * Egged in the on 
 half, Ar. 4 The strong body, 
 Ar. * Brunnesbury Ar- Vide 
 cl. Gibsoni nominum locorum 
 Explicationem in Chronico 
 Sax. uti etiam Additiones ad 
 ejusd. Gibsoni Camdeni Bri- 
 tannia Versionem Anglican, 
 p.S73.in comitatutiorthumbr. 
 6 Knyghtcs^? 1 . non adeo recte. 
 
 7 This Ar. 8 And for Ar. 
 9 Resceyte Ar. 10 A castell 
 Ar. Inde certe Sf in ad, 
 ditionibus oratione soluta 
 in eodem codice scriptum le- 
 gimus, In the mene while 
 Athelston lette throw downe, 
 
 York 
 
 an olde Castell at Ebraywik, 
 
 that the Danes by olde tyme 
 
 hadde i maked, and that hit 
 
 shulde
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 275 
 
 fat hii nadde non recet, vorto greuy ys lond. 
 * Al so of ech maner porchas, ]?at com in ys bond, 
 O|?er j?at jyf cny of ys as in porchas norae, 
 He verbed, j?at neuere non among ys spence ne come, 
 Ac to hous of relygyon j?at me yt al clene here, 
 And to poueremen aboute, * |?at meseyse were. 
 Alle J?e kynges of Walys he brojle wel to laAve 
 To Hereford al vnder hym, to ys 3 wille vawe, 
 j?at tuenty pound of golde ech of hem hym bere, 
 An * pretty pound of seiner fram gere to gere, 
 And s tuenty j>ousend * oxen ek to J>ys golde, 
 An hauekes and hondes, as mony as he wolde. 
 To certeyn wonynge he hem brogte boj?e lowe & heye, 
 So J>at 7 her wonynge were al by weste Weye, 
 ' And noj?yng in ]>e Est alf. So ]?at Weye y wys 
 jut to ]?ys * daye to del]? Engelond and Walys, 
 And Jx>ru kyng A]?elston J?at was vorst ydo. 
 Men 9 of Cornwayle he brogte to certeyn stude also. 
 
 shulde be no more refute to 
 Enmys, and myche good, 
 ther inne I founde, he parted 
 a monge his men Ar. Sed vt- 
 ^mWill.Malmesb./o/.27. b. 
 11. Hit dude ilasteMr. 
 
 1 Also of eche purchas, that 
 he gat to his honde, Othur that 
 any of his men that any pur. 
 chas nome, He for bede that 
 neuere mo a mong his purchas 
 come, Ar. * That seke and 
 mysaisedwere Ar. J Wille wel 
 fawe, Ar. * Trecentas Will. 
 
 Malmesbur. s 25. millia Will. 
 M. 6 Oxen a yere to this 
 golde, Ar. i The Walesshmen 
 he putte beyonde Weigh, Ar. 
 8 Day deleth Ar. 9 Inde dL 
 gressus in Occidentals Brit', 
 tones se convertit, qut Come- 
 zcallenses vocantur^ quod in 
 OccidenteBrittannicE siti, cor- 
 nu Gallics ex obliquo respi- 
 ciunt. Illos quoque impigre 
 adorsus, ab Escestra, quani 
 ad id temporis ccquo cum An. 
 glisjure inhabitarant, cedere 
 com.
 
 276 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor byjonde }>e water of Tamer he adde hem alle ybrojt. 
 To wonye J>er, as in her owe, and a J^ys alf nogt. 
 Vor hii wonede J?er by uore anon to Excestre rygt, 
 And Welsse were in Engelond vorte ' he yt adde dyjt. 
 Kyng Afelston louede muche Malmesbury y wys. 
 He ef hem of ]?e holy croys som, ]>ai J?ere jut ys. 
 And he was at ys ende * day vayre ybured }>ere. 
 Kyng he adde arst ybe aboute an vyftene jer. 
 
 JOjDMOND, A)>elstone's broker, after hym was kyng, 
 
 Gode man & doutede God J>oru alle }>yng. 
 
 In |?e jer of grace nyne hondred yt was & 3 foruty jer, 
 
 }?at he was kyng y mad, and old he was er 
 
 Eygtene ger, and he was kyng syx jer* and day. 
 
 Foure & tuenty ger he was old, J^o he aslawe lay. 
 
 Saracens ]?er were, J:e jut byleuede in Engelond, 
 
 In Lyncolne & in Leycestre, & in Derby ych vnderstoude, 
 
 In Stafford & in Nothyngham. he drof hem al to nojt, 
 
 And Cristynemen aboute in her stude brojt. 
 
 j?et ho'us of Glastynbury he louede wel ynou, 
 
 And made Seyn Dunston abbed J?ere, & to ys conseyl hym drou, 
 
 And J?oru ys conseyl chyrchyn wyde he let rere, 
 
 And abbeys and prioryes aboute here and J?ere. 
 
 In to hous of Glastynbury gret }>yng be jef J>o, 
 
 And grete franchyses hem grantede, fat lastej? euermo. 
 
 compultfj terminum provincial 
 suce citra Tambram Jluvium 
 jtatuens, sicut Aquilonaribus 
 Jjrittannis amnem Waiam II- 
 mitem posuerat Will. Mai. 
 
 mesb. /. 27. b. 
 
 Athelstone hit right Ar. 
 4 At Gloucestre he deyde Ar. 
 in marg. 3 Sic. * And vii. 
 
 wonethes in Ar. 
 
 fat
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 277 
 
 )?at hy adde her franchises as veruo]? as }>e kyng, 
 
 And myd gode chartre, J?at gut is j>er, made confermyng. 
 
 Edwyne ys sone was J>at luf>er was ynou, 
 
 And Edgar j?e jongore }?at to alle godnesse ilrou. 
 
 Kyng Edmond atte laste myd luper dele's wonde 
 
 Pytoslyche was aslawe, alas ! Jmlke stounde ! 
 
 Vor a Iraytor of * ys lond, Lof was ys name, 
 
 8 yflou was out of Engelond myd wretchede & ssame." 
 
 SuJ>J?e aday as j?e kyng sat at ys mete 
 
 At Pokelchyrche bysyde Brystowe, & somdel adde y^ete, 
 
 Lof, J)ys lu]?er traytor, myd ys clones ychanged j?ere, 
 
 Cora in, & byuore hym et, ano|?er man as yt were. 
 
 A Seyn Austyne's day yt was, as it valj? in May, 
 
 J?e kyng byhuld aboute, and ]>ys tray tor y say, 
 
 And auysed bym suyj>e wel, wat man yt were. 
 
 And J?o he sey J?at |?ys Lof, j?ys traytor sat ]?ere, 
 
 He hupte hym vp fram J?e bord, in gret wra)?]?e ynou, 
 
 And hente J>ys Lof by ]?e top, 4 fram J?e borde hym drou, 
 
 An defouled hym vnder hym myd honde & myd fote. 
 
 J?e J?ef, |?at lay byne}>e hym, ^ojte on lu|?er bote, 
 
 And smot ]?e kyng wyj? a knyf in ^e breste depe ynou, 
 
 And, to gret harm to al }>ys lond, J?e gode kyng he slou. 
 
 1 So that hij habbeth 
 Fraunchise as liit were a 
 kyng, As afterward me may 
 I see, thourgh his conferm- 
 yng. Edwyne his furste sone 
 But Ed- 
 gar the yonger to all gode. 
 
 nesse drowe^r. *This londe, 
 Leof Ar. in quo fy Leof etiam 
 infra. *I flemed was oute 
 of Engelond, where of cam 
 ther grame Ar. * And a 
 doune hym drowe, Ar. 
 
 N
 
 278 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fet folc to drou fen traytor ech lyme pecemele. 
 
 fe kyng bygan ' by al ys lyf ys gode wel wyde dele. 
 
 And fe toun of Pokelchyrche, and ofer fat ys were 
 
 He jef in to Glastynbury, & let Lyra burye fere. 
 
 And fere he lyf gut to fus day, ac y not foru wuch dom 
 
 fe toun suffe of Pokelchyrche fram Glastynbury com. 
 
 Seyn Dunston was at Glastynbury f o f c kyng y wounded was, 
 
 And 3 jut foru joye of Deuel he wuste of ]>at cas. 
 
 Vor ]>e Deuel com by uore hym, * & hoppede & lou, 
 
 And saylede and pleyde, & made joye y nou. 
 
 Jjys holy man wuste anon 3 wu ys joye was, 
 
 And fat vor som mescheance of }>e kyng he made * so glad pas. 
 
 Toward Pokelchyrche he wende hastelyche and blyue, 
 
 An me tolde hym by ]?e wey, fat he was out of lyue. 
 
 JtLDRED was J> o kyng anon after Edmond ys broker, 
 
 Vor ys tueye sones so gonge were, fat me ne myjte abbp 
 
 non ofer. 
 
 God man Edred was y nou, & to godnesse drou anon, 
 And muche louede holy chyrche, & fe godman Seyn Dunston, 
 Men of Norfhomberlond were ajen hym vaste, 
 And of Scotlond also, ac her poer lute ylaste. 
 
 1 All by his lyf his gode a 
 boute dele. At Pukelechurche 
 was do this dede. for thy to 
 Glastenbury He hit yaf, and 
 bade me shulde at Glastenbu. 
 ry him bury Ar. * What Ar. 
 3 yut in the same stounde 
 he wiste of this cas Ar. 
 
 * Dauncyng and lowgh, And 
 as hit were pleying made 
 game i nogh Ar. sSuchq 
 solas. Dunston toward Pu. 
 kelchurche dight him self 
 bliup, So that me tolde him 
 by the way, the kyng was 
 out of lyue Ar. 
 
 Vor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor Teat wyj> loue, wat wy)> eye, he brojte hem al to ys wylle, 
 
 And her olde seruage made hem holde al stylle. 
 
 1 Vourtene jer he was kyng, and at ys ende day, 
 
 Me tolde Seyn Dunston * vore," J>at he syk lay. 
 
 To hym he wende hastelyche, and by j>e wey ywys 
 
 He hurde angles synge an hey by the 3 lyste }?ys : 
 
 " J)e kyng Edred nou aslepe in oure Louerd ys. 
 
 J>o wuste Seyn Dunston, )>at he was ywend to Heuene blys. 
 
 4 Suche gode kynges me ssolde s nou vynde among, 
 
 J)at angeles of her endynge myjte made song; 
 
 .fcjDWYNE, Edmonde's sone, after Edred kyng 
 Fals & lu]?er, vor non worse in ys kunde nas. 
 A.s a nywe Herodes in such poer he com, 
 6 And vp ys poer destrude and apeyrede Cristendom. 
 A fol womman in spousbreche he huld vnder ys wyf. 
 Seyn Dunston hym seyde wel, ]?at yt was a lujjer lyf. 
 And, as Seyn Jon Baptyst, kalangede her mys dede. 
 Wro]j was ]>e kyng and ys hore, |?at he her folye * w 
 
 was 
 
 1 The Latyn sei> ix. yere 
 and a half Ar. in margine. 
 3 Deest Ar. 3 Idem quod An. 
 gl. Sax. lujc sive desiderium 
 vel fervor. Sed hie loci hila- 
 ritatem signabit. perinde ac si 
 dicas, he heard angels sing on 
 high with mirth this sive thus. 
 Jnde in Cod. Ar. And as he 
 wende to him warde, he hurde 
 by the way A mery song of 
 
 angeles thus seggyng heye 
 4'c. 4 Suche dede kynges 
 now fewe bene vs amonge, 
 That angelus atte hure end. 
 yng maketh of eny songe Ar. 
 
 5 Potius, uou, i. e. few, ut CK 
 Ar. constat, nisi cum eod. Cod. 
 few adjicias, retento nou. 
 
 6 And with his vnell lyuyng 
 apeyred Cristendom Ar. 1 F. 
 wj-J; sede. 
 
 And
 
 280 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And f e womman fondede, hym to def e brynge. 
 
 So fat Seyn Dunston was, foru hyre and fe kyng, 
 
 I flou out of Engelond, and to Flaundres wende. 
 
 1 f e gode man ne toe neuere gome, fat me hym so foule ssende. 
 
 Abbeys f ys lufer man brogte ek in alle wo. 
 
 And fat hous of Malmesbury, fat an old hous was f o, 
 
 * Of" tuo hondred jer and seuenty yrerd fer byuore, 
 
 He made yt stable to ys hors, as yt were alle vorlore. 
 
 So lufer man was f e kyng, fat f e heymen of }?e londe 
 
 Bygonne, as hii nede moste, agen hym vaste at stonde, 
 
 And bynome hym muche of ys lond, * & bytoke Edgar ys 
 
 broker. 
 
 Vor he drou to alle godenesse, and 4 betere was fan ofer. 
 fys Edwyne was fus kyng J?re jer, and somdel more, 
 And J?at lond vor ys dej>e ne wep nogt ouersore. 
 And jut vor al ys ssrewede, as yt ywryte ys, 
 foru byddynge of Seyn Dunston, ys soule com to blys. 
 
 JCjDGAR Edwyne's broker, & Edmonde's sone fe kyng, 
 Kyng was after Edwyne, gode man foru alle ]> yng. 
 Non lyckore ys broj>er hym nas, fan an wolf ys a lombe, 
 Of manere ne of dede, fey hii were in one wombe. 
 Vor f ulke tyme fat Edgar of ys moder was ybore, 
 Seyn Dunston was at Glastynbury, & ferafter & byuore, 
 f o hurde he f ulke tyme angles synge ywys 
 Up in f e lufte a murye song, & fat song was f ys : 
 
 1 The gode man was wel 
 a paide of fat God hym sende 
 Ar. Deest Ar. * And 
 
 toke hit Edgar his brother 
 Ar. 4 Heigher Ar. 
 
 "To
 
 Rdbert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 281 
 
 " To holy chyrche & to ]?e lond peys ys ybore and blys 
 
 " By Jmlke chylde's tyme, J?at nou ybore ys. 
 
 1 Suj?J?e |?o Seyn Dunston wuste, ]rat |?e chyld was yboro 
 
 He wuste, J?at al Eiigelond he ssolde brynge of wo. 
 
 And so he dude, vor J?o he was, after ys broker, kyng 
 
 He brojte al }>ai lond in pes, ]?at er was in stryuyng. 
 
 He vndude alle luj)er lawes, J?at me huld byuore, 
 
 And gode lawes brojte vor]?, J>at er were as uorlore, 
 
 Scotlond and Nor]?homberlond and Walys al so 
 
 Wy|? out heste to hym come, ys wylle vorto do. 
 
 |?e er]?e jeld bet, & ]?e weder was * mergore by ys daye, 
 
 And lasse tempest in J>e see ]?an me er ysaye. 
 
 Me tolde hym of Seyn Dunston, |)at ys broker drof of londe. 
 
 After hym he sende anon, & he com ]?orii ys sonde, 
 
 And ys abbeye auong in pes, fram wan he was so longe, 
 
 And was J?e kynge's conseyler, & vayre was vnder vonge. 
 
 Erchebyssop of Kanterbury J?oru j?ys gode kynge 
 
 Syen Dunston was suj>j?e ymad, }>e more godnesse to bringe. 
 
 3 J>ys kyng al so at Glastynbury, as he J?eruorJ> com, 
 
 Seynt A}>elwold, J)at was ]?er mouek, out of ys house he nome, 
 
 And jef hym 4 an place in Barcssyre, |?at muche ys in mone, 
 
 Vyf myle by Soujje Oxenford, j^at me clupe]) Abendone. 
 
 J)ys holy man Seyn Afelwold bulde }?ere vaste, 
 
 And a uayre abbey J>er bygan, * }?at euereft a]? ylaste. 
 
 1 There by knewe Seynt 
 Dunston, that he, that bore 
 was tho, Shulde kepe Enge- 
 lond in his tyme fro woo Ar. 
 'Meryer Ar. 3 This kyng 
 also fro Glastenbury as he 
 
 Vorst 
 
 therforth come Seynt Ethel- 
 wolde, that was ther monek, 
 oute of the house noine, Ar. 
 JThat hider to 
 
 doth last Ar.
 
 282 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vorst abbod he was J?ere hymsulf, & monekes to hym nonte. 
 
 In J?ys raanere Abendone vorst to abbeye com. 
 
 1 It byuelle, pat pe byssop of Winchester was ded, 
 
 pe kyng hyrn made byssop pere, pom Seyn Dunstone's red> 
 
 Atte heye chyrchc of Winchester, per ys se was ydo, 
 
 pat me clupede chyrche cathedral, & jut me -dep also. 
 
 Canons per were Seculers, po he vorst puder come, 
 
 Ferce men and prout, j?at muche were in herdom, 
 
 |>e kyng and Seyn AJ?elwold ajen hem sette vaste, 
 
 * And out of j?e hous & of her rentes ech after o]?er caste, 
 
 And made an hous of monekes, to holde her ordre bet. 
 
 }je monekes out of Abendone vorst were Jnider yuet. 
 
 Of Seyn Swy]?yn |?at hous was, as yt ys jut also, 
 
 So J>at out of Abendone y was vorst ydo. 
 
 In secunde jer ]>at he vorst byssop was 
 
 }?ys gode kyng and he dude j^ys gode cas, 
 
 And ek in J?e vyfte jer of ]?e kynge's kynedom 
 
 Seyn A|jelwold vcrrst byssop was, & J>e byssopryche nome. 
 
 Jjys gode kyng Edgar 3 & he" Seyn SwyJ?yn atte fyne, 
 
 J?at longe addc vnder er]?e yleye, vorst brojte into ssryne. 
 
 Issryned he was nyne hondred jer, & on & seuentyj?e ger, 
 
 After }?at our Louerd alyjte in ys moder anerj^e here. 
 
 Kyng 4 Edgar & Seynt Aj?elwold in Wynchester arerde also 
 
 Ano]>er hous of monekes, pat jut stondej? bo]?e tuo. 
 
 1 The kyng made him bys. 
 shop after thorgh Seynt Dun. 
 stoun's rede In the churche 
 of Wynchestre, & ther suthe 
 he was dede. Ther were Cha. 
 nons Seculers tho he tinnier 
 
 come, That lyued in pruyte 
 and lyther lyf, and myche in 
 hordom Ar. * And of hure 
 houses and hure rentes eche 
 after easte Ar. 3 Desunt Ar. 
 4 Reliyuapene omnia carmina, 
 ad
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 283 
 
 And gut fe f rydde hii rerde al so fere of Seynte Maryc 
 
 Of wynmen of relygyon, and made a nonnerye. 
 
 fe prioryc of Holy, fere a byssopryche ys, 
 
 And fe abbey of Petresboru, hii arerde also ywys, 
 
 And forncy and Rameseye, and of ere mony on. 
 
 V'or eyjte & fourty abbeyes hii rerde in fys lond echon. 
 
 As fys kyng Edgar an honlcf ywend was 
 
 Alone he com fram ys man, as God gef fat cas, 
 
 So fat he aly^te adoun, and aslepe lay. 
 
 J?o fojte hym in ys slepe, fat an hey tre he say 
 
 Stonde j?ere bysydes hym, as he byhuld an hey. 
 
 Upe J?e hexte bowe tueye applen he sey, 
 
 And J?e bowes of J>e on appel smyte oj?er vaste 
 
 So harde, j?at he vel adoun in fe water atte laste. 
 
 A uoys seyde, as hym fojte, fes wordcs ]?oru soun, 
 
 <c Wei ys fe, wel ys fe, " as he vel adoun. 
 
 jx> he awok, hym J?ogte wonder of f ys cas, 
 
 Hys gode moder Alfyfe he tolde al hou yt was. 
 
 " ge leuc sone," quaf moder, " fe toknyng herof ys, 
 
 " fe heye tre, fat fou yseyc, bytoknef fe ywys. 
 
 " fe tueye applen bytoknef, gyf fou yt wolt ywyle, 
 
 " Tueye heye sones of fe, fat fou ssalt byjyte, 
 
 " fat fe one's bowe smyte fen ofer to grounde, 
 
 <{ fat ys, fat fe ofere's frende ssolle f e ofer sle myd wounde. 
 
 " fe voys, fat seyde, " wel ys fe," to tokny fat ys, 
 
 " fat hym worf wel ynou, vor to heuene he wende ywys. 
 
 ad Edgqrum spectantia, desi- 
 ilerantur in Ar. in quo tamen 
 
 orutione prosajca concepta, 
 
 habentur. 
 ad eundem pertfoentiaj 
 
 Vol. I. A A Al
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Al J?ys byuel afterward, vor sones he adde tueye, 
 
 Seyn Edward and Aeldred. pat kynges were beye, 
 
 And one's kunrede pen oper suppe slou, 
 
 And he wende to heuene, and was wel y nou. 
 
 He adde Edward by ys vorste wyf, as ych abbe y sed, 
 
 And by Alfrede, ys oper wyf, he adde Aeldred. 
 
 And Alfyfe, ys god moder, let rere ywys 
 
 Vorst ]?at hous of Ssaftebury, as Seyn Edwarde's body ys. 
 
 Kyng Edgar adde vnder hym alle ]?e kynges hereaboute. 
 
 Vor per nas non ywys, pat nadde of hym ' dounte. 
 
 peruor ]?e kyng of Walys, as in gret seygnorye, 
 
 He het, })at he hym sende eche %er by maystryc 
 
 ]>re * Jjousend of wolues, in name of truage. 
 
 J>e Welysse kynj, vp ys power, dude hym f>e seruage, 
 
 And sende hym |>ys wolues fram gere to jere. 
 
 Jjre )>ousend at certeyn terme vor ]?at lond delyuered were. 
 
 J>re jer he huld ys rente, ac J>e ver]?e was by liynde. 
 
 Vor he sende J?e kyng word, J>nt he ne mygte naamo yfynde. 
 
 And ]?at was lute wonder, vor to vale j?er were by vyue. 
 
 Vor al )>at lond were }>e wors, adde hii byleued alyue. 
 
 Bo]?e Walys and Engelond ]?e betere ys ]?eruore jut, 
 
 And J>eruore ]>e gode m;m yt dude more |?an vor prute. 
 
 }jys gode kyng Edgar, pat so sialworde kyng was, 
 
 And wys & hardy poru out al, bote lute of body nas. 
 
 |?eruore ]?e kyng of Scotlond enuye adde J?erto. 
 
 And 3 as he sat at mete, & mony o|?er kynjt al so, 
 
 1 L. doute. Hundred 
 alii. Et sic ctiam scriptor 
 prosaicus in Cod. Ar. 3 And so 
 
 by fel atte a fest, where ma. 
 
 ny \vordes communliche ben 
 
 spoke, Kynad, kyng of Scot- 
 
 tes,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 235 
 
 tie seyde a wel bey word among ys kyirjtys echon, 
 
 f>at he adde gret lioker, (& wonder nas yt non) 
 
 Of a so lute halue man, as kyng Edgar was, 
 
 bat her nas lond ne prince non, bat of hym adrad nas. 
 
 bys word com to be kyng Edgar, beruor he bojte hym tcche, 
 
 Wuch were he halue man, gyf he mygte hym of rechc. 
 
 He com and mette hym in a wode, and bed hym abyde, 
 
 And he adde vor be nones tueye suerdes by ys syde. 
 
 He drou out bobe tuo, and bed hym nyme an honde, 
 
 And chese we)?er he wolde. and hen halue man vonde, 
 
 And loke wer he halue man hym mygte out at stonde. 
 
 Vor dereyny hii wolde hem sulue tuo, & take Gode's sondc. 
 
 be ober vel adoun akne anon rygt vor drede, 
 
 And cryde hym mercy vor Gode's loue of bat he rays seyde. 
 
 Kyng Edgar adde reube of hym, so reulych he gan crie. 
 
 " Syre kyng," he seyde, " ech god man yt ys vyleynye 
 
 * e To be of bold word atte mete, & coward in be velde. 
 
 " Understonde be bet efsone, and hold me byn helde 
 
 be godenesse al of kyng Edgar none tonge telle ne may. 
 
 Mony was be god abbey bat he rerde by ys day. 
 
 Seynt Edward be marter, as ych seyde er, was ys sone 
 
 By ys rabere wyf, and Seynt ' Edybe of Wyltone. 
 
 tes, inhisbordeseidethus: "Me 
 " wondreth," quath he, " that 
 *' suche an halfe man as Ed. 
 " gar shulde wynne so many 
 " prouinces Auctor prosaicus 
 in Cod. Ar. 
 
 1 Atqui cave sis, ne pro 
 Jilia legitima habeas. Spuria 
 etenim erat e Wljriiho, sive 
 
 Wlfrida ab Edgaro suscepta, 
 Inde Will. Malmesb. (f. 33. b.) 
 " Nam de Egelfleda, cogno- 
 <c mento Candida Jilia Ordmeri 
 " ducts potentissimi Edwardum 
 " genuit, $ sanclam Editham 
 fe Wlfritha, [a/. Wlfrida] 
 " quam cerium est non tune 
 A A 2
 
 286 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " sanctimontalemfuisse, sed ti- 
 
 tl more Regis puellam laicamse 
 
 *' velavisse, moxque eundetn ar- 
 
 " repto velo lecto imperial! sub- 
 
 <; aclam : Unde ojfensntn bea- 
 
 " turn Dunstanum, quod ilium 
 
 " concupisset) quce vel umbra. 
 
 " tics sanctimonialis fuisset^ 
 
 " vigorem Pontificalcm in eum 
 
 *' egisse." Quce verba Sf ipsum 
 
 etiarn auctorem prosaicum in 
 
 Codice Ar. ob ocnlos habuisse 
 
 compertum habeo^ quamvis 
 
 Sanctum Edilham non nomi- 
 
 net. Sic nempe ille : To this 
 
 Ensample of cruwelte (jam an- 
 
 tea locutus fuerat de Ethel- 
 
 zsoldoj ab Edgaro pcciso, eo 
 
 quod minus honest e sesc gessis- 
 
 set in negotio ad fdiam ducts 
 
 Devonian, Venere quasi ipsa 
 
 formosiorem, periinente) t-r 
 
 dude, his foos putteth a nollier, 
 
 that is to saye, that Wulfride 
 
 monechyn i sacred he tote out 
 
 of hure abbey, & delt with her 
 
 holdyng his lemman. Which 
 
 Poynt whenne Scynt Dunstone 
 
 hurde, he blamed and vnder- 
 
 name the kyng hugeliche, so that 
 
 he sette vii. yeres penaunre vpon 
 
 him, the which he toke on hym, 
 
 that is to say of, and that vii. 
 
 yere he bare no crowne. But 
 
 summe saith, that this Wulfride 
 
 was nat vereliche a nonne, bote 
 
 that for drede of the kyng a 
 
 Seculpr woman i veyled, and a 
 
 none the veil? so i doo a way, & 
 
 take to the kynge's bedde. but 
 nat for than Dunstone dude the 
 lawe a yenst the kyng as for a 
 nortne, suth that the kyng wolde 
 coueyte any, whether she were 
 verreliche veiled or noo. But 
 how so euer thes this [sic] 
 thynges were, certeyne hit is, 
 that fro the xvi. yere of his age, 
 whiche yer he was ordeyned 
 kyng, a nou to the xxx. yere 
 him lakked his coronyng. And, 
 thenne was he crowned atte 
 Bathe, and lyned after but iii. 
 yere. ffcque hue in re magnl 
 cestimandam esse censeo aucto- 
 ritatem rotulce cvjusdam mem- 
 branece, scrmone Gallico, penes 
 Richardnm Gravesium, ami- 
 cum ilium eruditissimum^ de 
 Micklcton in agro Gloucestri- 
 ensi, in qua rotula lunquant filia 
 legit tin a com memoraturEditha* 
 contra fidem scriptorum opti- 
 morum. Hcec enim verba ro- 
 tula.' : Tceti Edgar anoif. ii. 
 femmes, le me apres lautre. De 
 la primer il engendra Edward, 
 ke puis fu martyr, e Seint 
 I'kHth. de la secunde Eamun e 
 Ethel red. Quam tamen rotu- 
 lam idcirco plurimi j'aciendam 
 essc duco, quod plerisque, qnus 
 vidi) sit antiquior, picturasque 
 regum ac principum exhibeal, 
 minus equidem elegantes, sed 
 qua; antiquariis mult is in 
 rebus usui esse possint. Sed 
 (quod dolendum) imperfecta 
 est
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 287 
 
 fie deyde & wende to heuene nyn Iiondred jer ych wene 
 As in ' ]>e of grace, and syxty and fyftene. 
 
 J^EYNT Edward ]?e marter, ys eldorc sonc, 
 After hym was kyng ymad, RS lawe was & wone. 
 \>c godenesse of }^ys ^onge kyng ne may no fonge telle. 
 Vor he was mek & mylde ynou, & vayr of fless & felle, 
 Debonere to speke wyj>, & wy]) pouere men mcst. 
 Chast and wys of conseyl, and prule lie lonede lest. 
 Wylde men ne louede he nojt, }^at rechyles were of Jjojtc, 
 Ac wyse men lie drou to hym, & after hem he wrojte. 
 Ech gret dede ]?at he dude, ^e messtcdel ssolde go 
 After j?e erchebyssop Seyn Duriston, |?at was }?o. 
 Gode pes j?er was In Engelond, & loue & joye ynou, 
 And rychesse by ys daye, vor clles yt were wy|? wou. 
 To J>e godnesse of J^ys holymon |?e deuel adde enuye, 
 And }?e lu]?er qnene ys stepmoder, j^at vol was of tricherye. 
 Vor heo |?ogte ny^t & day, gyf heo myjte j^oru eny ^y 
 J?at Seynt Edward were aslawe, & yre sone ymad kyng, 
 |>e jcr )^at lie ymarlred was }->e hexte men of ]>e loud 
 In tye toun of Calne were, as ych vnderstonde. 
 
 cst rotulci) quippc qua? incipit 
 ab Athelstano rege, dcsinilque 
 cum Edzcardo post confutes. 
 tutupyimO) priori parte) pa. 
 riter at que posteriori^ ubscis- 
 sa, Sf for titan funditu$ depcr- 
 dita. in citjus sane Atheist ani 
 regie pictura illud plane ob- 
 servatu dignissimum csse vi- 
 deo, quod sceptnun sivc insig- 
 
 ne regittm in manu tcncat si. 
 nisii'UjVelerum ad amussim re- 
 ferens /3JCTjpt?. minime absur- 
 dC) quum princeps essct belli" 
 cosissimus, clavaque Ilerculca 
 usuin fuisse censerent hostes. 
 ciijusmodi tamen j3ax.Tr>f'>a.s neu- 
 tiquani, quod set am, videos in 
 niimmis Athclslanianis. 
 l - Mde, sor, 
 A A 3 AS
 
 288 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 As hii sete in an chambre an hey in conscyl of spcche 
 
 J>e flor to brae vnder hem, as yt were vor wreche, 
 
 And hii velle and debruscde somme anon to debe, 
 
 And somvne yruaymed, & somme yhurt, so bat eny vnnebe, 
 
 Wy]?oute gret harm, of scapede, bote Scyn Dunston by cas, 
 
 fat hentc hyra by a bem, and ysaued was. 
 
 Wat by toknede bys, ]?at }?e heyme men velle so, 
 
 Bote J?at hii and al J>at lond byne]?e ssolde be ydo, 
 
 Jjoru folc of strange lond, and bat me ssolde yse, 
 
 Vor hii soffrede her kyng so vyllyche y mor^red be ? 
 
 Vor a day as Seyn Edward an hontey wende by cas 
 
 In an wode in Dorsete, bat bysyde ' Warham was, 
 
 J?at vayr wode was |?ulke tyme, a gret wylle hym com to, 
 
 Vor to yse ys jonge broker, (vor anon he bojte yt do.) 
 
 Vor he was a lute J>er bysyde, as ys stepmoder was, 
 
 In an toun, ]?at me cluped Corf, ]?at bote ]>re myle j?anne nas. 
 
 A strong castel ber ys nou, ac ]?o nas non bere. 
 
 Longe Ipo^te Seynt Edward at ys broker ar he were. 
 
 An vewe men myd hym he nom, & jmder ward gan ryde. 
 
 Hys men pleyde by J?e wey, & spradde aboute wyde. 
 
 So bat }>ys holy kyng alone was sone, 
 
 And alone wende vorb, as he J>ogte to done. 
 
 J?o hys luber stepmoder alone ysey hym come, 
 
 Heo fojte do yre wylle of hym, as heo adde yr red y riome. 
 
 |?o bys holy man was ney ycome, be qnene ajen hym code 
 
 Wyj? noble mayne ynou, & gret loue hym gan bede. 
 
 pe feste bat heo wy}> hym made non tonge telle ne may. 
 
 Heo suor, bat he ssolde alygte, & byleue myd yre al day. 
 
 1 Wharham Ar. 
 
 Cedes,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 289 
 
 " Cerles, madame," qua]) }>ys of>er, " so ne may yt nogt be. 
 
 *' Ac lat me speke myd my broker, vor me longej? hym to se. 
 
 a Vor ar ych hym abbe yseye, y ne wor]>e nojt bly]?e ywys, 
 
 " Myn herte ys so mucbe on hym, & non wonder hyt nys. 
 
 " A, syre," quaj? f>ys luj^er queue, " wanne yt ne may o]?er be, 
 
 " Vorst ych \volle to j?e drynke, & suf>})e }>ou ssalt hym yse. 
 
 " As me hym drynke toe, on was prest ynou, 
 
 " And ]x)ru ys wombe smot a knyf, and ys gottes to droj. 
 
 A long knyf yt was & smal y nou, as me may jut yse 
 
 Atte chyrche of Kaucrsham, as he ap jare ybe. 
 
 )?ys holyman sat vp ryjt, & ysey ys dele's wounde. 
 
 He ne rod bote lute wey, ar he vel to grounde, 
 
 And let ]?er ys suete lyf, and <o heuene weride. 
 
 Awey! lute wcl J^ojte he, }x> me ys wombe rende. 
 
 fo }>ys holy man ymartred was, hii, J?at hym }>er brojte to, 
 
 Byj^ojle hou hii myjte best myd Ipe holy body do. 
 
 Hii porncyde an derne stude, & fer inne yt caste 
 
 Vyllyche & slyllelyche, & bured yt ]?er vaste. 
 
 }?o J?ys dede was ydo, }?e quene add'e al hyre wylle, 
 
 (Vor me ' hal euere myd ]?e quyke,) J?e dede was sone stylle. 
 
 Seynt Edward \>e z vyfte ger of ys kynedom. 
 
 Ajen cue aday aslawe was in such marterdom. 
 
 JTlLELDRED, J?e quene sone, ]?at kyng was ymad J>o, 
 Nas bote of ten jer old, ]?o ys raoder dude J?ys wo. 
 Ne of J>ys dede nuste he nojt, bote as God gef ]?at cas. 
 In ]>e * luft he hurde anhey, as he alone was, 
 
 ' Holt Ar. 2 Ferst Ar. mi- I hie, quam Sf in seqq. * Welkne 
 1WS recte. * Ethelred Ar. tarn \ he hurde Ar. 
 
 A A 4 Hys
 
 290 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Hys broker, J)at was aslawe, pytoslyclie grede. 
 
 J?et cbyld ciyde & sore wep, & ys moder fat cas sede 
 
 Welle, fat f ys lufer quene anguyssous was fo. 
 
 1 fat cliyld hco hente vaste anon, fat he ne raoste on yot go. 
 
 gcrd ne vond heo prcst non, fat chyld vorto bete, 
 
 An honduol heo hente of * candlen longe and grete. 
 
 * fat chyld heo bete 4 so stronge myd fe condlen long & towe, 
 Heo ne byleuede nojt ar he lay at hyre vet yswowe. 
 
 5 Warforu fys chyld afterward, such hey man as he \vas, 
 AVas fe worse wan he sey condlen vor fys cas. 
 Wat halt yt to telle longe ? J^ys chyld me made kyng, 
 Ac Seyn Dunston 6 weF vnne^c wolde do |>e sacring. 
 7 Vor god man spek ek ]?erof wel longe by uore, 
 }>o he baptyscd )?ys Aeldred, sone so he was y bore. 
 Vor ]?c chyld fuled in liys hond ]?e water & ]>e vanston, 
 Byuore byssopes fat ]?cr were, and heye men mony on, 
 And dude hys kunde fulj? hede. Seyn Dunston scyde anon, 
 J?at he ssolde of sunne encheson be, & of wrcchhede mony on. 
 And ]?o he ssolde * kyng be, |?ys god man Seyn Dunslon 
 Hatede muche to crouny hym, gyf he yt mygte ver gon. 
 
 * Ac |?o he moste nede yt do, ]?oru pur londe's lawe, 
 
 " Syre kyng," he seyde, " vor ]?ou art myd vnrygt herto 
 ydrawe, 
 
 1 The childe Ar. * Wex- 
 chandellen Ar. The Jr. 
 4 So sore bette -with Ar. 
 * Wherfor euer afterward, 
 for this ilke cas, Whenne he 
 suche candelen seigh, the 
 worse him thoght he was Ar. 
 6 Deest Ar. : Of him pro. 
 
 phecied Dunston long by fore, 
 Tho that he christened him 
 whenne he was ibore Ar. 
 8 I crouncd be, the godeman 
 Dunston Wel loth he was to 
 croune Ar. 9 But whenne 
 he most nedes hit doo ; by the 
 londe's lawe, Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 291 
 
 { ' Up ]>y nowe heued yt ssal come J>y moder luj>er plawe 
 
 " j?oru ssedynge of }>y broker blod, ]>at Jnis ys bro^t of dawe, 
 
 " And vor Englysse men were wel ypayd 
 
 " In ssedynge of J?y broker blod, }>at so was bytrayd, 
 
 " j?er vor her poor ssal al clene hem be bynome, 
 
 " ' And jxju al so. Vor strange folc of strange londe ssal come, 
 
 " And )?y lond vor ])yn scruage & to grounde ybrogt. 
 
 " And al ]?at ssal come by |?yne day, & by myne nojt. 
 
 u Atte laste our Louerd wolle of hem vnderstondc. 
 
 And al J^ys word to so]?e com suj|?e to Engelond. 
 
 gut Elfred, J?e Iu]?er quene, ]?at Seynt Edward slon, 
 
 Of yr trepas byuore yre de|? repentant was ynou, 
 
 And rcrJc tuo nonneryes, Wor\vel j?at one was, 
 
 And Ambresbury j?ct o]?er, to bete yre trespas, 
 
 An adde grace, jyf God wolle, yre synne vor to bete, 
 
 And come to gode amcndemcnt, ar heo ]?at lyf lete. 
 
 j?e )?rydde jer, as yt wolde be, of Ayldrede's kynedom, 
 
 |?e bygynrjynge of |?is sorwe to Engelond vorst come. 
 
 Vor of )?e vole of Dencmarch ]?er ariuede J?o, 
 
 Atte hauene of Son]? hamtone, sene ssyp vol & z nantnon, 
 
 An robbede ]?e tonn vaste, at her poer noj?yng nas. 
 
 }>ys was as a tokne ]?at to comyng was, 
 
 As by Seynt Dunstone's day nanmore J?cr ne com. 
 
 Vor he deyde ]?e tepe jer of ]?e kynge's kynedom, 
 
 1 On the also strange folke 
 of other londe shall come. 
 This londe worth in seruage, 
 and be to grounde i brought 
 Ar. Igitur pro vor fyn repo- 
 nerem worj? yn, i. e. shall be to. 
 
 2 Nomo, And gonne to robbe 
 faste a boute, but lite here 
 power nas. This was the 
 furst tokene of woo to come 
 that was, But by Dunstone's 
 Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And nyne hondred ger & eygte & eyjlety after ]>a.i God was 
 
 ybore. 
 
 And }>e hyssop Seynt Athelwold was ded ]?er byuore, 
 And Seynt Oswald ]>e byssop after ]?re ger, 
 As in ]?e ' ]?rettej>e ger ]?at ]?e kyng croune ber. 
 * J?er betere peys yt was vor hem ]?e wule hii were alyue. 
 3 Ac after her daye sone, Je sorwes spronge blyue. 
 
 1 xiii. yere Ar. z The better 
 Ar. 3 But after her dayes sone 
 sorwes sprong ryue. This kyng, 
 er he hadde a wyf, he gat ane 
 sone Bi a symple woman, that 
 worth euer in mone, That, for 
 his strength, called was Ed- 
 munde Irenside. For so orped 
 knygbt me ne knewe wide Ar. 
 minus quidem recte, Sf contra 
 Jidem eximii probique nostri 
 historici Roberti, qui plane 
 docuit) Edmundi matrem ux- 
 orem re vera futsse ElhelredL 
 id quod etiamfecerunt alii op- 
 timce notce scriptores^ (inter 
 quos jure optima censendus 
 eruditissimus Bradius) secus 
 atque illi) qui } partibus addicti, 
 nothum Edmundum (e concu. 
 bina nimirum genitum) fuisse 
 produnt, in quibus fy ipse erat 
 Jacobus Tyrrellus, qui tamen, 
 paullo antequam fatis conces. 
 sisset, me monente in Lelando 
 nostro, (Coll. Vol. VI. p. 75.) 
 sententiam mutavit^ ut e nota 
 quadam liquet in Bibliotheca 
 Bodleiana ab ipso Jacobopro- 
 
 pria manu in Historia sua An- 
 vlice generali scripta, quam si- 
 nul atque commodum fuerit 
 consulas velim. Ceterum Sf il, 
 lud notandum est, per symple 
 woman in Cod. Ar. non aliud 
 quam ignobilem feminam esse 
 intelligenditm, de qua re nos 
 etiam breviter egimiis in Le. 
 lando. id quod etiam viderat 
 auctor prosaicus in Cod. Ar. 
 ubi de Edmundo sic scribit : 
 This kynge's [Ethel red] sone 
 was not of Emme quene, but of 
 a nother woman unktiow to the 
 commune peple. Natheles he 
 was a faire, jolyf yong man, a 
 strong man and hardy, and for 
 thi of Englysshmen was he 
 cleped Edmunde Irenside. He 
 muche a leide J?e cowardyse of 
 his fader, and j?e loughnesse 
 of his moder in him self thorgh 
 his vertue noblelich. At- 
 que hcEc chartis mandave- 
 ram priusquam rotulam (cujus 
 snpra, p.%86.mentionemfeci) 
 Gravesianam vidissem, quce 
 tamen nee ipsa illisfavet, qui 
 Ed.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 293 
 
 j?e kyng adde by hys vorste wyf one stalwarde sone, 
 
 J?at, vor hys stalwardhed, longe woi]> in mone. 
 
 Vor me ne vond non so gode kyngt ware so he wende wydc. 
 
 Me cleped hym, vor hys streng]?e, Edmond yrensyde." 
 
 J)e sorwes, as ych chabbe ytold, spronge aboute ylome. 
 
 Vor Jxit folc of Denemarcli sone to londe come, 
 
 Edmundum nothum fuisse ve- 
 lint. Contra, picture tanquam 
 primogenituin heredemque E- 
 thelrediexliibent) verbaqtie ip- 
 safilium ex uxore non e con- 
 cubina fuisse innuunt. hcec 
 nempe, pro interpunctione 
 TotulcB. Icesti Ethelred engen- 
 dra Eamun yreneside dc vne 
 femme aliene ke fu la soer au 
 due de Normandie. si engen- 
 dra alured ke futrai parGoud- 
 wyn count de kent. E Edward 
 le confessour kegist a Westmo- 
 ster. E quibus verbis non est 
 quod colligaS) Edmundi ma- 
 trem fuisse duds Normannice 
 sororem,) quce tamen (utpote 
 Ethelredi uxor secunda) Alw- 
 redi atque Edwardi mater re 
 vera erat. Id quod satis erit 
 manifestum, si hoc modo ver~ 
 ba rotulce distinguantur . Icesti 
 Ethelred engendra Eamun Yre- 
 neside. De une femrae aliene, 
 ke fu la soer au due de Nor. 
 mandie, si engendra Alured, 
 ke fu trai par Goudwyn count 
 de Kent, e Edward le Confes- 
 
 sour, ke gist a Westmoster. 
 Hcec distinct to si probetur, id 
 ulique liquebit) rotulce aucto- 
 rem Edmundi matrem igno- 
 bilein Hide m fuisse censuisse^ 
 nihilque proinde de eudem a 
 seipso fuisse dicendum. Cete- 
 rurn non dijfiteor, alibi etiam 
 de Ireriside matre locutum fu- 
 isse scriptorem prosaicum in 
 codice Ar. eamque pro concu- 
 bina habuisse. After the deth 
 (inquit ills) of Knut, Harol- 
 de & Hardeknnt, kynges of 
 Engelonde, regned Seyut Ed- 
 warde Confessour, Edmunde 
 Irenside's brother in his fader's 
 half, that is to seye of Ethel- 
 red kyng, but nat in the mo. 
 der. for this Edmunde Iren- 
 side was gete of vnlawfullebed- 
 de, thoughe he were noble and 
 stronge in batayle. Atque hcec 
 sub Henrico 11. tradit^ ubi de 
 Henrici // di . stemmate agit, 
 verba dicta interim innuens e 
 Chronicis Gallicis se produx- 
 isse. 
 
 And
 
 294 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And anour alf J?ys lond J?e hauenes hii adde ysogt. 
 
 So j?at Nor]?homberlond was al to grounde ybrojt. 
 
 Kent hii destrude also god, & ]?e Est contreye wyde. 
 
 1 Exetre hii barnde al adoun, & in }>e West syde. 
 
 Vr kyng worrede ofte ajen, as he niygte do. 
 
 Ac wreche of ys broker de]? wel haide hym com to. 
 
 Vor hys poer was lute wor]?. vor hejef hem atten ende 
 
 Four Jjousend pound of sterlynges, hem ajen to wende. 
 
 So Jrat hys quene deyde, and of sorwe and sore 
 
 Hym com in eche half, euere )?e leng J?e more. 
 
 Vor J?e Deneys come ajen, and in eueryche ende 
 
 Hym worrede her & J?er, J?at he nuste wuder wende. 
 
 He byjjojte hym wel narwe, gyf }>er mygte be eny red 
 
 j?oru wyuynge, dper ]?oru eny J?yng, * vor hys wyf was ded,' 
 
 He vnder stod, }>at Rychard, due of Norraandye, 
 
 Was man of gret poer, and of gret seygnorje, 
 
 Vor Emme, hys * gode dojter," he sende ofte ys sonde, 
 
 To spouse hyre and to make hyr quene of Engelond, 
 
 * The West centre also they 
 wonne Deuenshire, And the 
 Toune of Excestre sette thaya 
 fuyr. Our kyng wered Ar. * 
 Tarn hie quam f alibi mire 
 omniapermutantur in Ar. ita 
 scilicet, ut hcec verba plane o- 
 mittat) ne Edmundi Irenside 
 matrem Ethelredi uxorem fu- 
 isse agnosceret. 3 Good sus- 
 ter, Ar. *Sed discrepantiainde 
 orta, quia Richardus fy Em. 
 
 majilii erant Richardi primi, 
 ducts Normannice. llinc cer. 
 te scriptor prosaicus in eod. 
 Codice Ar. Thes [Emme] 
 was Richarde's doughter, due 
 of Normandie, which. L. wyn- 
 ter after William his fader 
 gouerned thulke Duchie, which 
 the xviii. yere this kyng dey. 
 de. And after him came Ri- 
 charde the II. whas suster was 
 thees Emma.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 295 
 
 Jmt he mygte, )?oru alyance, eny help vndcrgo, 
 
 To wyte hym fram hem of Deneraarch, at dude ]>ys lond so 
 
 wo. 
 
 So J?at ]>o hii were aton, ]>e spousynge was ydo, 
 As in j?e jer of grace a f>ousend and tuo, 
 Arid of J>e kynge's crounynge in four & tuenty ]?e ^ere. 
 ' I? Ip ^ e I 76 ky n > fa ue adde of ys fon J?e lasse fere. 
 2 And here sprong, lo! )?e vorste more as of hem of Normandic, 
 Ware J?oru hii come in to |?ys lond, & 3 abbej> ]?e maystre. 
 Vor J>e kyng adde by * j?ys. M. tueye sories ywys, 
 Alfred, & Seynt Edward }>at at Westymustre yssryned ys. 
 And of j?ulke blode suJ?J?e Wyllam bastard com, 
 As je ssolle her after yhure, and wan |?ys kynedom. 
 J?at poer muche of Denemarch in pes wytoute stryf 
 Was hern ywend to Denemarch, ar ]?e kyng weddede wyf. 
 J)e kyng, vor ys grete poer, as of ys J wynnyge, 
 Alle ]?e Deneys, }>at were byleucd, he let to dej?e bringe 
 In a Seynt Bryce day, and in one day cchon, 
 }?at non nere of o]?ere y war, ne }?at J?er ne of scapede non. 
 Suan, J?c due of Denemarch, }?o he hurde of J)ys cas, 
 Made hym wro|> & wod ynou, & eche f>at wyj? hym was. 
 Hii grey]?ed hem myd gret poer, and to Engelond come 
 As in ]>e uyue & tuentyjje jcr of J)e kynge's kynedome, 
 " Hud in J)e jer of grace a Jxmsend and J?re. 
 Hii slowe & sorwe dude ynou, nomore ne mygte be. 
 
 1 Thenne pro ]>o in Ar. 
 * Ther sprong vppe tho the 
 ferst more of hem of Nor- 
 roandye, Ar. * Hadde the 
 seignourie Ar. 4 This que. 
 
 ii. sones I wys Ar. rectius. 
 nisiforsitan M. pro Mistress 
 vel Maistress she domina ac- 
 cipias. s L. wynninge. 6 L. 
 and cum Ar. 
 
 So
 
 296 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So J>ycke hii come, ]?at j?e lond ouer al hii gonne fulle, 
 
 As }>ycke as ameten crepe}) in an amete liulle. 
 
 By Norj^e and by SouJ7c, in ]?e Est and in ]?e West, 
 
 So |?yckc hii come, fat me nuste in wuch half kepe best. 
 
 Hii ne sparede prest ne clcrc, ]?at hii ne slowe to grounde, 
 
 Ne men of relygyon, ware so hii eny founde. 
 
 Ne wominane, ne soukyng chylile, ne dojter, ne sone. 
 
 Hii verbarnde Norwych, and J?e toun of Wyltone. 
 
 }rat a reulych lond was Engelond, & fol of sorwe ynou. 
 
 Hii myjte acorsy Je ' fole" queue, ]?at Seynt Edward slou. 
 
 a Vor Suan, ]?e lii]?er due, adde euere ys yuere 
 
 J>re felawes, }>ai next hym were, in edit manere 
 
 Byreynynge and robberye, and quellyi^ atte laste. 
 
 ]?ys were hys ]?re felawes, ]?at he huld euere vaste. 
 
 Wanne at an god manne's house ys men were at inne, 
 
 Vorst hii wolde etc & drynke }?at hii found J?er inne, 
 
 And suj?))e j?e louerd of ]?e hous quelle and alle hys, 
 
 And SU])]>G brenne al ys hous, as vor her scot ywys. 
 
 Suche were J?o |?e jyftes Jjat hyder come J?o. 
 
 Muche a]? Engelond ydryue sorwe and wo. 
 
 Mest wo hii dude in Barcssyre, and vp Assesdoune, 
 
 And so aboute Quychelmesley, and so in mony totme* 
 
 Atte laste kyng Ayldred, ]?o he was to grounde ybrojt, 
 
 And muche of |?e lond aslawe and destruyd al to nojt, 
 
 1 Deest Ar. * With this 
 Swan, the luj?er duke, iii. 
 felwes were, Euere folwyng 
 hym, of luther manere, Rob- 
 byng and brennyng, & quel- 
 lyng the last. These made 
 
 myche folke of him sore a gast. 
 Most sorow they dude in 
 Berke shire aboute Asshe- 
 doune, And a boute Quichol- 
 mes they stroyed many a 
 toune Ar. 
 Suan,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 297 
 
 Suan, }>e due of Denemarch, he gef atte nende 
 
 Folle J>rytty }?ousend pound, to Denemarch to wende, 
 
 And byleue J?ys lond in pes, so fat ]?ys was ydo. 
 
 Ac lute yt was ar ]?er com wel more wo J>erto. 
 
 Vor ]?e kyng Ayldred, ysey ys lond al bare 
 
 Of }>e folc of Denemarch, he nolde nojt jut be ywar, 
 
 Ac let gadery anevve host, j?oru al Engelond wel wyde, 
 
 Of heye men and of lowe eke, ygadered by J?e hyde, 
 
 fat euere eyjte hyde lond an man hym ssolde fynde 
 
 WyJ? helm & haubert, & }>e atyl, J?at non nere byhynde; 
 
 And grey]?ed hem ssyppes in ]?e see, ac al nas worj> afylle. 
 
 1 Vor ]>o ys const was al ydo, he mygte let abbe ybe stylle. 
 
 To Suan, due of Denemarch, )>e tytynge sone com. 
 
 Hys ost and hys poer wy]? bym sone he nome. 
 
 And in ]?e ]?ousend jer of grace, & J?e teje ^er al so, 
 
 And of vr kynge's crounement Jjrytty ger & tuo. 
 
 In an holy ]?ores day, to J?ys lond he come, 
 
 And }?en toun of Gypeswych myd strengj?e sone nome, 
 
 And robbede aboute in j?e lond, and tounes adoun caste. 
 
 Ac J>e contreye of Grantebrugge ajen hem stod vaste, 
 
 And fojte al \>e stalwarde men, ]?e wule her poer ylaste, 
 
 Ac hii were, as hii nede moste, bynej?e atte laste. 
 
 And )?ere was )>e kynge's suster sone yslawe AJ>elston, 
 
 And barons and knygtes, and heye men monyon. 
 
 Aboute heruest * J?ys Deneys as roters arnde 
 
 By Chylterne to Oxenford, and * }>en toun barnde. 
 
 Tho all the cost was i 
 made, hii myght as well a be 
 stille Ar. The Danes fur- 
 
 ther more wende Ar. 3 Thane 
 toune brende Ar.
 
 298 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 \>o wende hii vorj) of Denemarch, & robbed al Estsex, 
 
 And ' gute bruggessyre & Estangle, & also Myddel sex. 
 
 Bokynghamssyre & Oxenfordssyre, & Hertfordssyre al so. 
 
 Bedeuordssyre and haluerulel Hontyndonessyre }>erto. 
 
 Nor)?hamtessyre, and by Sou]?e Temese Barcssyre, 
 
 And SoJ^ereye and SouJ?sex, and Sou})hamtessyre. 
 
 An mucheldel of Wyltessyre, and ]?o al )>ys was ydo, 
 
 Hii drowe hem toward Canterbury, to robby bere al so. 
 
 In be bousend ger of grace, and endleuene berfo, 
 
 bys folc com to Kanterburyj robberye to do. 
 
 By tnene hour leuede day j?e latere, & Myelmasse day, 
 
 J?ys folc bysette Kanterbury, and vaste by lay, 
 
 And grct raymson of hem wi|?inne esste to be out of wo. 
 
 Ac }?e erchebyssop of ]?e toun, Seynt * Alfe ]?at was J?o, 
 
 Was vaste |?er agen to jyue eny raymson. 
 
 J?e Deneys vor wrajjjje ])o asaylede vast ]?e toun, 
 
 And wonne hym, & vaste slowe, & ]po hii wy]? inne com, 
 
 Hey men, J>at J?er inne were, and Seynt Alfe hii nome, 
 
 And monekes, & ]?e toun barnde & adoun caste. 
 
 e erchebyssop Seynt Alfe hii heolde & bounde vaste, 
 
 And ladde hym bysyde London" to ]?e toun of Grcneswych, 
 
 And helde hym }>er in prison, ]?at he nas nan man ylyche, 
 
 Half ger and somdel more, and suj^e in ]>e jer of grace 
 
 A ]>ousend and tuelf jer, hii ladde hyrn 3 in an place 
 
 Wyfoute ]?e toun Greneswyke, & stenede hym wyj? stones 
 
 As me stenede Seynt Steuene, * & debrusede ys bones. 
 
 1 L. Grantebruggesyre. * /. e. Elphege. 3 To a place Ar. 
 * And all to bruyscd his bones Ar. 
 
 Atte
 
 Robert df Gloucester's Chronicle; 299 
 
 Atte laste myd a dencliax me sraot hym to grounde 
 
 In J?e heuede, j?at he lay, and deyde in astounde. 
 
 1 }>e Saterday, in ]?e Ester wouke, ]?ys holy man hii slowe. 
 
 Ac vewe j?at were atte dede }>e beuerege bylowe. 
 
 Vor somme by come cancrefrete, & somme blynde oJ7er wodej 
 
 And somme deyde verlych as hii vp rygt stode. 
 
 Sojmt vor drede of J?ys wreche J?e Deneys were agaste, 
 
 And wy]?drou hem of her lu]?er hede J?e wule yt wolde y laste, 
 
 * And ]>cv was ])e betere pes ajer, and vnnej?ej 
 
 Vor in J?e jer of grace a )?ousend and ^rettej^d 
 
 Suan, ]?e due of Denemarch, by gan to turne ys hond. 
 
 And after ]?at he adde destrud }>e Sou j? alf of ]?ys lond, 
 
 He wende and robbede al ]?ys lond al ]?e Nor]? syde, 
 
 NorJ?homber and Lyndeseye, and destrude wyde 
 
 Enere fram Watelyngestret, and so by Oxenford. 
 
 Hii come .and nome Wynchestre, and so Walynford. 
 
 Fram Walyngford hii wende, & |?e toun of Ba]?e nome. 
 
 So J?at Suan was kyng yholde, ware so he euer come. 
 
 Ac ]>e kyng of Engelond, in such sor & mournynge, 
 
 Carede of ys jonge sones mest of alle J>ynge, 
 
 Laste hii were defoulde ogt. vor hii ne cou]?e of fyjtenge. 
 
 ]?er vor into Normandye he let hem sone brynge, 
 
 x This was doo the Efter 
 [/. Ester] wouke in the Sa- 
 terday, As more plenner in 
 his lyf se ther of me may. 
 Many, that was atte his 
 deth, by com blynde & wode, 
 And summe deide sodeynlich 
 
 * Desunt omnia metra sequen- 
 tin in Cod. Ar. usque ad 
 hoc iignum marginale (<?*) 
 in historia Edmundi Yrene- 
 syde, quorum tamen loco jier- 
 quam mult a occurrunt, ora- 
 tione soluta scripta. 
 
 vp ryght as they stode Ar, 
 Vol. I. B B Bo]?e
 
 30Q Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Bojje Alfred & Seynt Edward, & } quene her moder also, 
 
 WyJ> )?e dup Rychard, { quene brojjer, vorte such wo were ydo. 
 
 Ac hys eldosle sone Edmond yrenesyde, 
 
 Vor he was hardy, & gode knygt, atome be let abyde. 
 
 Jjat luj>er folc of Denemarch robbede and slowe vaste, 
 
 And chyrchyn and abbeys barnde and adoun caste. 
 
 Men ley vn bured to drawe, J?at reuj yt was ynou. 
 
 }>at feble folc to wyldernesse and to wodes vaste drou. 
 
 Ayldred kyng of Engelond, J>o he sey al f>ys wo, 
 
 Hou me destruyde ys lond, and ys folc slou, 
 
 To mydewynter he wende anon, f o be ne sey oj>er red, 
 
 To Normandye, & huld hym )?ere vorte )>educ Suan was ded, 
 
 Suan deyde in ]?e jer of grace a jwwsend and fourte|?c. 
 
 Hys folc made euere vaste worre jut after ys dej?e, 
 
 And made hys sone kyng after hym, Knout was hys name, 
 
 J?at dude, aswel as hys fader, Engelond gret ssame. 
 
 An false knyjtes of Engelond huld myd hym vaste, 
 
 Ac hii, }?at trewe & gode were, ajen hym her herte caste, 
 
 And sende after kyng Ayldred into Normandye sty-lie, 
 
 And he come sone to Engelond, and wende abbe 
 
 Ac j?e kyng Knout yt vnder jet, he was fol of rage. 
 
 1 He wende anon to Sandwych, & men J?ere in ostage, 
 
 " but sodeyneliche he 
 turned his sayles to ward 
 Sandewyche, and wente a 
 londe. And puttyng a way 
 bothe Godde's drede and 
 mane's, the hostages, whiche 
 he adde faire children of 
 gret noblete, he let take and 
 
 kutte of hure noses and eres 
 and somme a blende. And 
 whenne he had so I doo, he 
 tolde hit as for a grete joye, 
 and glorie, that he hadde so 
 defouled the Englyssh hosta- 
 ges inquit auctor prosakus in 
 Cod. Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 301 
 
 J>at were bytake hys fader, vor heye men of J?e londe, 
 
 He nom and let hym smyte of boj?e vet and honde. 
 
 Nou adde heye men of ]?e lond ytake f>ere byuore 
 
 Hys fader ostage god ynou, and dep op ysuore, 
 
 Wyj? hym to holde trewelyche, and breke |?o her oj>. 
 
 J?eruore ]?e kyng Knout wyj) hem was j>o so wod wroj 
 
 And vor wra^e let bylyme her ostages J?at were. 
 
 Su)>Jje he wende into Westsex, and robbede J>ere, 
 
 And in Dorsete dude & Wyltessyre & Somerssete gret wo. 
 
 Kyng Ayldred lay syk in ]>e toun of Cosham ]?o, 
 
 In Westende of Wyltessyre, vor he was feble and old, 
 
 And \vyj? care and sorwe ouercome, as me ap ytold. 
 
 An fram Cosham to Londone he of scapede vnne]?e, 
 
 Vodo wyte hym fram ys fon, J?at hii ne brogte hym to defe, 
 
 Jjere he huld hym in e toun myd muche sorwe and sore, 
 
 fat of al hys lond of Engelond he nadde an fot more. 
 
 J?e gates he made vaste, and wuste hym wyj? inne. 
 
 His fon asaylede J?en toun wyjroute myd al her gynne. 
 
 Atte laste J?ys kyng Ayldred, as in al J?ys stryue, 
 
 In an Seyn Gregorye's day, wende out of ]?ys lyue, 
 
 As in ]?e jer of grace a ]?ousend & syxtej>e. 
 
 Feblyche he lyuede al hys lyue, & deyde in feble de]?e. 
 
 In suche sorwe he was kyng seuene & Jrytty jer. 
 
 He adde mony an sory day, & muchel anguysse er, 
 
 An, vor wreche of hys broker de|?, al such sorwe to hym come, 
 
 }>at lute joye he adde al ys lyf of ys kenedom. 
 
 B B g Edmond
 
 302 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle/ 
 
 JcjDMOND yrenesyde, kyng Ayldrede's sone, 
 
 So gode knygt of body was, }^at longe worj? in raonc^ 
 
 Me nuste so gode in none londty an atte bygynnynge, 
 
 After hys fader dej?e, me dies hym (o kynge, 
 
 J>e heye men of J?e loud, J?at fals ne luj?er nere. 
 
 Ac monye huldemyd kyng Knout, J>at false an trysthors were. 
 
 Kdmoiicl, vor ys strenge, was ycluped Yrenesyde. 
 
 Dreduol he was to ys fon, j?at hym durste vewe abyde. 
 
 Debonere and myklc he was to alle J>at gode were, 
 
 Qiicynte & suy}>e hardy mon, as man wy]?oute fere. 
 
 Vorst be wende to Westsex, and j?ere ech contreye 
 
 Aboute al to ys wille bo]?e vor loue and eye. 
 
 As leon hardy ynou he wende aboute wyde, 
 
 An wan contreye and o)>er aboute in eche syde. 
 
 }iat Knout nadde poer non ajen hym vor to stonde, 
 
 gyf false traytors nadde ybe here of Engelonde, 
 
 )?at hulde myd f>e kyng Knout, traytors as hii were. 
 
 So ]?at nojer of J>ys kynges abouynde to o]?ere nere, 
 
 Ac eyj>er gaderede gret ost, and of o^ere's men slowe. 
 
 Atte laste myd frer ost to gadere ward hii drowe, 
 
 And mette hem after mydsomer, J>e feste of Seyn Jon, 
 
 And a gret batayle smyte by syde ]?e toun of Sserton, 
 
 And slowe to grounde muche folc, & f>o al was ydo 
 
 |?e kynges & muche of her folc alyue purtede atuo. 
 
 }jo wende kyng Edmond to Londone myd ys route, 
 
 And al J>at folc of Denemarch destrude Jjer aboute, 
 
 And drof hem out of }>ys lond, & jut nolde he nojt Wynne, 
 
 Ac wende in to Westsex ]?ulke contreye to wynne.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 303 
 
 |?o he was fram by Este y wend, J>e Deneys myd al here gynne 
 
 Bysegede Londone, ac liii ne mygte nojt come wy]?ynne. 
 
 So wel he was wy^ynne ywust, f>oru men ]?at J>er were, 
 
 J?e Deneys hem wyj? drowe, f>o hem ne spedde nojt ]?ere, 
 
 And wende Estward in to Kent, & robbede |?ere vaste, 
 
 And her preye at Medeweye in to ssyppes caste. 
 
 Kyng Edmond hem sywede, J>o he hurde ]?ys, 
 
 And passede Temese and Breynford ywys, 
 
 And slou aboute vaste ynou monye |?at he vond, 
 
 And monye flowe her and ]?ere aboute in J?e lond. 
 
 Batayles hii smyte rnony one, as we bygonne to telle er. 
 
 Vor eyjte batayles hii dude ney wat wy]?inne half jer. 
 
 As at Sserston and ellesware, and }>e syxte batayle was 
 
 Uppe J)e hulle of Assesdonne, ycliylle telle J?at cas. 
 
 J>ys tueye noble kynges myd her poer hem mette, 
 
 And smyte J?ere a batayle, and vaste to gadere sette. 
 
 yordeyned hii adde her ost wel in eyj?er syde, 
 
 And Edmond ydygt hys standard, were he ssolde hym sulf 
 
 abyde, 
 
 And hys dragon vp yset, and )>ys batayle ysmyte. 
 Hii slowe to grounde in ey^er alf, ]mt deol it was to wyte. 
 In ys standard Edmond was, as rygt was vor to abyde. 
 He sey, j?at me slou ys folc aboute in eche syde. 
 Hys herte hym nolde soffry nojt abyde vorte tyme were, 
 Ac to J>e batayle smot anon, as man wyjjoute fere, 
 And byleuede dragon & standard, & stured vaste ys honde^ 
 And slou to grounde, as noj>yng hym ne ssolde at stonde. 
 Sone adde ys gode body yperced ]>e ost ]?oru out. 
 He made ys wey roume ynou, vorte he come to kyiig Knout. 
 B B 3 ]?ere
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?ere were duntes arygt ysmyte bytuene hem tueye 
 Of }>e helmes, J?at fur sprong out, vor hii were strong beye. 
 A due, j?at was myd kyng Edmond, Edryc was ys name, 
 fcat was traytor and louerd suyke, our Louerd jyue hym 
 
 Vor be fondede hym bytraye, vor kyng Knoute's loue, 
 
 ]?o he dradde ]?at Edmond was, as he sey, al aboue, 
 
 And kyng Knout ney ouercome, vp an hul an hey 
 
 He wende wy]? ys suerde adrawe, j?at Jrct folc hym al ysey. 
 
 He adrou ys blody suerd, and loude bygan to grede : 
 
 t( Englysse men, Englysse men, fie]? anon, ych rede. 
 
 <c Vor Edmond, vre kyng, to de]?e he ys ydo. 
 
 Hym sulf he gan vorst to flc. vor ojjere ssolde al so. 
 
 Englysse men hym leuede wel, & flowe after blyue, 
 
 And al yt was to bytraye ys louerd, )?at was alyue. 
 
 }?o kyng Edmond J>ys ysey, J?at ys folc vnder stod, 
 
 Jjat he was to depe ybrojt, and )?eruor flowe vor wod, 
 
 He arnde vp a lute hul, and gradde in J>e place 
 
 Hys folc, and dude of ys helm, and ssewede hys face, 
 
 And seyde, " turne|) vaste agen, ycham alyue ywys. 
 
 Hys folc turnede anon ajen, ))o hii hurde ])ys, 
 
 And smyte vorj> ]?ys batayle, gretter ne rayjte non be, 
 
 And fogte vorte yt was nygt, ]?at hii myjte noleng yse. 
 
 Ac ye Englisse adde ybe above, jyf yt nadde ybe vor nygt. 
 
 Ac hii departede, as hii nedc moste, vor defaute of sygte. 
 
 Hii grey)>ed hem ]?erafter, ano]?er batayle to do, 
 
 And ef sone come to gadere vp Assesdoune al so, 
 
 And batayle smyte strong ynou, ac Knoute's poer vaste 
 
 Wexynge was, fat he wan }>e maystrie atte laste. 
 
 Sory
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 305 
 
 Sory was Edmonil }>o, to Gloucestrye he Amende, 
 
 To porueye hym more help, jyf God hym grace sendc. 
 
 1 Kyng Knout sywed after myd an long tayle. 
 
 So ]>at aboute Gloucestrye fe eyjtejje batayle 
 
 1 Up Seuerne hii srayte, and astede, & so vaste me slou 
 
 }?e gode bodyes in ey}>er alf, f>at yt was deol ynou. 
 
 Myd blod )>e er)>e was yheled, )>at pyte yt was to wyte. 
 
 Ac no|>er partye ne rayjte )>e maystrye. 
 
 Ne hii ne mygte yse vor J>e nyjte |?e batayle to do non ende. 
 
 Hii departede myd sorw ynou amorwe ajen to wende. 
 
 And kyng Edmond ouer Seuerne was in West syde, 
 
 And kyng Knout bygan myd ys ost in Estalf abyde. 
 
 And Seuerne was bytuene hem, & Knoute's poer 
 
 Of vole of byjonde see wax euere ver & ner. 
 
 As Edmond sat myd ys ost nnyjt in ' such solas, 
 
 As folc myjte, Jmt ver wounded & sor & wery was, 
 
 And speke of )>ys batayle, hou yt myjte be god : 
 
 An old kynjt ]>er ros vp, & byuore |?ys folc stode. 
 
 i{ Icham," he seyde, " mest fol. j?eruore, as foles wolle, 
 
 ** My fole red, jyf je wolle yhure, vorst ssewe ichylle. 
 
 1 Knut suyd euer after hym 
 euer atte taille Ar. * Up. 
 on Seuerne in a place they 
 smyte stronge i now. Many 
 was the goode body in eyther 
 half me slow. But yutte 
 neyther partie the mastrye 
 haue niyghtj By cause that 
 they were lette by corny ng of 
 the nyght. Kyng Edmunde 
 
 was of Seuerhe in the West 
 syde, And Knut in the Est 
 half a yenst him ganne bide, 
 So that the water was by 
 twene her bothes power, And 
 the folke of Denemarch wax 
 euer fer and ner Ar. * This 
 cas, Wher many a woud-n 
 eel ma ii and wery ifoujt was, 
 Ar. 
 B B 4 " Muche
 
 306 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Muche Jnng we abbe]? yseye, & vre elderne vs ek seyde. 
 
 *' Angusse & sorwe we abbe}? ynou, of wel more we mowe drede. 
 
 (t We fyjte]? & be]? ouercome, & non maystrie we ne yse]?. 
 
 " Hou myjte we bote be ouercome, }?at }ms defoulede be})? 
 
 * { ' Despoyled & verwounded, & vre streng]?e le sej> vaste, 
 
 " Vre felawes & vre owe lyf we drede}) ek atte laste. 
 
 " Wanne ssal vre reste come, & endynge of vre wo, 
 
 " And among vus sykerness & pays ? ych drede neuere mo. 
 
 ft Edmond ne may be ouercome vor hys strangle ywys, 
 
 u Ne J>e kyng Knout oure fo, vor he so queynte ys. 
 
 " Wat may }?anne oure ende be, bote, wanne ]?ys knyjtes 
 
 ecbon 
 
 <{ In ey])er syde be}? aslawe, & oure maystres byleued one, 
 " Olper hii mote ]?anne acordy, o]?er fyjte hem sulue (uo ? 
 " * Wat reson ys, ]?at hii ne mowe as wel nou]?e so, 
 " ]?e wole hii abbe}? eny alyue, ]?at hem mowe serue & drede ? 
 " Nere hem nojt bo}>e vayror so ? wu wat ys gydy hede ? 
 <c }>ere were wule in Engelond at otyme kynges fyue, 
 <{ And alle hii were ryche ynou, & of noble lyue. 
 " And nou to lute to hem tueye al Engelond ys. 
 " And ofte wo so coueytej) al, al lesc]? ywys. 
 " ^yf ey}?er kyng so muche wylne]? to be louerd her, 
 '* j?at her iio]?er nele abbe felawe, 3 ne pere, 
 
 'Dispoiled & foiled buth 
 oure frendes, cure strenthes 
 leseth we faste, And also of 
 our awne lyf we dredeth atte 
 laste Ar. a What reson is 
 hit, that hii ne mowe as. 
 
 well do now soo, While any 
 knyghtes buth lefte a lyue, 
 that hem mowe serue & drede? 
 Nere hem nought fairer so, 
 where is hure Gidehede ? Ar. 
 * Ne non pere, Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 SOT 
 
 ^ Fyjte hem sulue tueye, ]?at ' louerd wolde be one. 
 
 " Wu nere liera nojt betere nou so, J?at wanne her knygtes 
 
 echone, 
 
 u And her folc were al aslawe, & hii byleued al bare, 
 u And ne founde who hem seruede in anguysse ne in care, 
 " Ne who myd hem in neode ]?at lond defendy mj'jte ? 
 *' * Her of J?at scfye seggeje, as by joure in syjte. 
 Nadde }>ys knyjt fulleche hys reson ysed, 
 )?at ys felawes nadde sone ynome her red, 
 And seyde alle myd one motive, " we 3 ensentej? J>erto, 
 t( J?at ]?ys tueye kynges acordy, o]?er batayle hem sulue do. 
 Kyng Edmond, |?o he hurde ]?ys, vol was of joye & blys. . 
 j?e batayle, he seyde, he wolde * nyme myd god herte ywys. 
 |?at worde he sende amorwe to Knout among ys fon, 
 And grantede ys owe body, J?e batayle to do anon. 
 1 Hii lete hem army beye, in to an yle myd gode pas 
 Al mydde Seuerne hii wende, J>at Olenege y cluped was. 
 J?er inne hii were hem sulue tuo, & J>e water al aboute. 
 Her ost was ey]?er in ys syde alonde byleued by J?oute. 
 6 Myd god ernest & god ynou her suerdes adrowe bo]?e, 
 J>ys kynges to gadere come, & made hem boj^e wroj?e. 
 
 1 Woll be lordes all on. 
 And so were hem fairer now, 
 that whan hure knygtes 
 echon, And al hure folke buth 
 a slawe, and hii by lafte all 
 bare, Ar. * Her of seggeth 
 youre avise, as by youre in- 
 syght Ar. 3 Assenteth Ar. 
 4 Take Ar. JThey armed 
 hem self beitbe, and dight 
 
 hem -with goude pas Into 
 an He in Seuerne, that Ol- 
 neye cluped was Ar. 6 The 
 kynges thenne in ernest grete 
 her swerdus drough bothe, 
 And smyte to gedre fast y 
 now a men that were wrothe. 
 Kyng Edmunde assailled kyng 
 Knut so fast, that he . was 
 Negh ouer come, and sore he 
 was
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 To grounde hii smyte & harde myd stalwarde honde, 
 fat wonder was, hou ofer rayjte ofere's dunt at stondc. 
 f o kyng Edraond ywraffed was, & wyf inne hot, 
 He ssoc ys suerde & grunte, & myd such ernest smot, 
 fat fe sprong out myd ech dunt of helme so fere, 
 fat yt f ojte myd ech dunt, as fat heued afure were. 
 As f ondre fat soun was, fe lygt as lyjtynge, 
 So fat ech dunt f ogte leyjt as yt were & f ondrynge. 
 Me specf of mony stalward knyjt, ac me vond on fere, 
 yblessed be f e moder wombe )>at hym to monne bere. 
 J>e kyng Knout was so debrused, |>at he stod vnnej>e. 
 He dradde wanne he lore )?at lyf, & were ybrogt to dej>e. 
 He adde leuer fan eny fyng, fat hii acorded were. 
 Ac he ne dorste ys feblesse telle Edmond, vor fere 
 Laste, jyf he vnder jete, fat he were so ouercome, 
 fat he nolde fyne ar he adde ys lyf hym by nome. 
 f o he adde a wule yrest, ys armes he gan to caste, 
 And wyf gret ernest step ver, & asayled Edmond vaste, 
 Myd al fe strengfe fat he myjte, & ssewe more f erto 
 Al vor he ne ssolde wene, fat he were ouercome so. 
 fys Knout bygan to reste, fo ys assaut was ydo, 
 And bet Edmond, as in pes, aword hure of er tuo. 
 Kyng Edmond hym grantede, & somdel hym wyf drou, 
 And lende vp hys sseld, & herkned hym ynou. 
 
 was a. gast. He hadde lyuer 
 thanne eny tbyng accorded 
 haue be there. But he nulde 
 his feblenesse yut telle in no 
 maner. Lest Edmunde hit 
 
 vnderjete that he were ouer. 
 come, And that he nolde fyny 
 til his lyf were by nome 
 Ar. 
 
 Ich
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 309 
 
 "Ich abbe, quab Knout, " ywylned by kynedom ar bys, 
 <c And nou, wel more ban by lond, by sulf ych wylny ywys. 
 " Vor bou nart nojt worb one be of Engelond kyng her, 
 4< Ac ' to prince of al be vorld. vor in be world nys by per. 
 " Ich abbe al * bat lond of Norbweye & of Denemarch aa 
 
 honde. 
 
 " I ne wende nojt bat eny man my dunt ssolde atstonde. 
 t{ Ac bou ne at stonst yt nogt one, ac art al clene aboue. 
 " War vore ych desyry mest ]?yn grace & J^yn lone, 
 lc 3 Jat ]?ou of alle myn londes me be felawe & per, 
 <f An ych mot ek of Engelond be Jy partyner. 
 *' Vor gyf we to gadere be]?, & al clene of one rede, 
 " France & ech o]?er lond, & ech prince vs wole drede. 
 " J>er vor ych byseche J?e, haue half my lond myd me, 
 t( An * ych, as \>y partyner, half Engelond myd J?e. 
 Edmond, J?o he hurde }>ys, ys grete herte wy|) drou, 
 And s ensentede to ys rede, & bycom 6 mylde ynou, 
 And 7 byude to ys mylde word, }>at myd suerd was aboue. 
 Hii caste awey sseld & suerd, & turnde al to loue, 
 An byclupte hem & custe^ & her folc in ey]?er syde, 
 }?o hii seye hem acorded, vor joye loude hii cryde, 
 An songe, te Deum laudamus, eyj^er in ys route, 
 And to gadere wende, & custe hem ech o|?er aboute. 
 Bytuene J?ys tueye kynges was a certeyn four me ydo, 
 An forewarde * among al her folc, ar hii 9 departed atuo, 
 
 1 To be kyng of Ar. | Ar. * Ich wole, as Ar. 
 * The Ar. * And that thow * Assented Ar. 6 Meok Ar. 
 
 of all my londes my felawe 
 be and peer, And that ich of 
 Engelond be thy partiner 
 
 7 A bowede Ar> 8 By twene 
 
 Ar. 9 Parted a two, That 
 
 eyther hadde his dele of lond 
 
 and
 
 310 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicled 
 
 Wat ey]?er adde to ys del of lond & o}?er J>ynges, 
 
 And departede wyj? loue atuo, & byleuede boj?e kyngcs, 
 
 An gyf hii adde in gode loue longe ylyued beye, 
 
 Me adde ]?oru al Cristendom yspoke of hem tueye, 
 
 An eche prince & eche londe douted hem tuo. 
 
 Ac Edmond was al to raj?e, alas ! to def>e y do. 
 
 Vor J?e lu]?er due Edryc j^pjte euere to bytraye 
 
 Kyng Edmond, ys owe louerd, Inout vor to paye. 
 
 A lu}?er gadelyng was ys sone, bope at one rede. 
 
 Hii fondede myd alle gyle to do ]?ys lufer dede. 
 
 J?o hii ne myjte in o]?er wyse J>ys dede bringe to ende, 
 
 In to a chambre forene ]?e gadelyng gan wende, 
 
 J?at kyng Edraond com ofte to, & in ]?e dunge )?ar 
 
 Hudde hym }?ere longe, |?at none man nas y war. 
 
 An J?o J?e kyng j?erto com, ys nede vor to do, 
 
 j?e luper ]?ef jare was myd ys arme Jrerto, 
 
 And smot * im J?oru ]?e foundernent, & ]?oru J?e gottes ryjt, 
 
 Edmond ]pe noble kyng, ]?at was so noble knyjt. 
 
 Wyj? a long y pony ted knyf, y egged in ey)?er syde, 
 
 J?us a ssenduollyche he hym slou, aboute Seynt Andreu tyde. 
 
 3 An Oxenford he was aslavve, }-oru )>ys lu]?er lore, 
 
 Myd treson & gyle ynou, ynot hou mygte be more. 
 
 Jje beste body & noblest, J?at in eny lond J?o was, 
 
 yslawe was |?oru a gadelyng, so vyllyche, alas ! 
 
 and other thynges, Aud part- 
 ed with loue a two, and by- 
 lafte bothe kynges Ar. 
 
 1 Him into the founde- 
 ment into the guttes ryght, 
 
 There thourgh he deyde that 
 hastelich, ]>at was so noble 
 a knyght Ar. J Shepfu}. 
 lyche Ar. 3 Atte Oxenford 
 Ar. 
 
 Ar
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 31 \ 
 
 Ar men myjte aboute come, }x>n j?ef to seche bare, 
 
 Of scaped. he was & yflqwe, non man nuste ware. 
 
 Me grey]?ede )>ys gode kyng, r wanne non oj>er nas, 
 
 An brogte hym vayre aner)>e, as he wel a wur]?e was, 
 
 In ]?e abbeye of Glastynbury, byuore 3 ]?e hey wened anhey. 
 
 Vor he wyllnede vor to lygge ys gransyre ney 
 
 Ipe kyng Edgar }>e gode kyng, J?at |?ere ybured ys. 
 
 J?ere hii lyggej? vayre ynou boj?e jut ywys. 
 
 Ac Jrys luj^er gadelyng, J?at ]?ys gode kyng so slou, 
 
 To kyng Knout wende anon glad ynou. 
 
 Ife grette hyra anon," & seyde, " hayl * |?ou be kyng one. 
 
 t( So nys yt no^t," qua]) }?e kyng, *' vor my kynedom ys 
 
 ymone. 
 
 <f Vor an felawe ych abbe ])erto, J>at ych loue ynou. 
 " * Ver, gode syre kyng," qua|> J>ys J)ef, "vor ]?y loue ych 
 
 hym slou. 
 
 " Here ys |>at knyf al blody, J?at ych brogte hym wyj? of dawe, 
 *' An smot hym J?oru J?e foundement, & so vp to j?e mawe. 
 <c Jjy loue ych abbe wel dere abojt, & ray lyue anaunter y do. 
 " j^er nys non alyue nou, J?at |?e abbe yserued so. 
 " J>eruore vnderstond ]?e wel, & jeld my mede blyue. 
 " Vor ych abbe ydo IpG more gode, }?an alle J>e men alyue. 
 " )>ou seyst so]?," quaj) ]?e kyng, " j?ou ast muche ydo vor me, 
 " An ychylle wel fy mede jelde by J?e treu]>e ych on to J>e. 
 
 1 Tho other bote nas, Ar. 
 a Worthy Ar. a The heigh 
 auter. For he wilned to lygge 
 neigh his graunt sire there 
 
 Ar. 4 Be thow kyng al on. 
 So is hit not, quod he a je, 
 hit is myne but in mone Ar. 
 sFor, Ar. 
 
 " ychylle
 
 312 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " ychylle make J?e heymon, ' by tyrae ychabbe 
 
 " J>at |?ou ne ssalt vor ]>j lyflode neuesre carye nogt. 
 
 Edryc, ])e luf>er suyke, ys fader, com al so : 
 
 " Syre," he seyde, '* yen abbe muche loue J>e ydo, 
 
 " * Versake Edmond s my nowe louerd, & bytrayd vor j>e, 
 
 " An let hyin sle vor J>y loue, hou wolton yt jelde me ? 
 
 " |?o seyde kyng Knout a^c, traytor ]?ou art ywys, 
 
 ft An muche age God & ajen me J>ou ast ydo amjs, 
 
 Ct Wanne J?ou ast 4 J?y nowe louerd, as )?ou * tellest vore, 
 
 " To so vyle dej?e ybrot, ]?at was my broker y suore. 
 
 t( Hys blod, J?at J>ou madest ssede, ssal arde com on J>e. 
 
 tf Vor 6 ]>y nowe mouj? }% a|? ydemed by J)at J)ou seyst 7 me. 
 
 He let caste |?ys traytor in }?e euenynge late 
 
 At fenestre in Temese, nouse vor to abate. 
 
 An let hym styllelyche adrenche, vor manne speche jiere. 
 
 And fat was, lo ! ys noble mcdc, to lute }>ey yt were. 
 
 J?e lu)?er trajtor hys sonc auanced was jut bet, 
 
 * Vor hys robe & hys dygnyte was al wel byset. 
 
 He jef hyra such auancement, as he wolde, he suor ys o]?, 
 
 J>at he ne dorste neueref carye 9 of mete ne I0 of" cloj>. 
 
 1 Right some ich haue I 
 thought^r. a For sake ich 
 haue myne awne lordc, and 
 him by trayed for the. For 
 thi, sir kyng, a benefeat ich 
 aske in help to me Ar. * Pro, 
 toyn owe. * L. }>yn owe. 
 ffam thyne awne in Ar. * 
 Me tellest fore Ar. * L. J>yn 
 owe. Sed thy nawne in Ar. 
 
 tour he let take an hast, And 
 pryuyliche with oute noyse in 
 to Themese him cast, And let 
 him stilliche a drenche, that no 
 noyse were. And this was, 
 loo ! his good rewarde, thogh 
 hit i nogh nere Ar. 8 In 
 robe of roiall dignite, that 
 was well by sette Ar. 9 For 
 Ar. lo Deest Ar. 
 
 1 To me. So that thesne tray. 
 
 An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle; 313 
 
 An robe he let hyra ssape verste of blod rede scarlet fere. 
 
 J>e ssarpe stones ' by fe slrete hys taylors were. 
 
 Vor he let hym myd hors * to" drawe frara strete to strete, 
 
 fat fe peces ffelle of ys fless aboute monye & grete. 
 
 * f e taylors corue so raonge peces, vor ys robe ne ssolde powe- 
 
 He ne dorste f o carye nojt of fe wynter couwe. 
 
 Suffe he let smyte of ys hede by f e ssoldren, as me sey, 
 
 And let yt sette vpon tour of Londone an hey. 
 
 And so he was hey man ymad, as he byhet hym to ys made, 
 
 Alle tray tors & 4 louerd suyken God late hem so spede. 
 
 JVNOUT was f o alone kyng, as wo seyf , of 5 Engelon, 
 Of Norfweye, 6 of Denemarch, & gret poer adde anhon- 
 
 de, 
 
 Ac Edmond ]?e gode kyng, fat so ryllyehe me slou JTO, 
 Adde tueye jonge sones, ar he were to dej>e ydo, 
 Edward & 9 Edmontl, & breferen al so tueye 
 Seynt Edward & Alfred, fat in Normandye were beye. 
 Vor fes were kyng Edmond next, & ys eyrs also. 
 Kyng Knout J> ojte hou he myjte best herof do, 
 * To bynyme hem her erytage, & myd wuch wrong he myjte, 
 And myd wuch treson, bote he adde som colour of ryjte. 
 
 1 In the Ar. a Deett Ar. 
 
 ' His taillours corue him suche 
 it robe, that none coueyte 
 wolde, Ne that he ne durst 
 after neuer carie for the colde 
 Ar. ^ Lord swykes Ar. s 
 Eagelond, Ar. 6 And of Ar. 
 i Edmunde, half bretherne 
 
 twy Ar. 8 To byneme hem 
 her heritage how that hexnyght, 
 As hit were by coloure of 
 summe maner ryght. For thogh 
 many may do atte his lust 
 some thyng, Of wrong he 
 wolle make a ryght as by co- 
 louryng Ar. 
 
 Vor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Tor wanhe man may do wat he wole & vnryjt ynou j 
 
 Ofte he bryngj? vor coueytyse to rygte pur \vou. 
 
 He made a gret parleraent, & bro^te heye men }>erto. 
 
 Ac \vo sey}>, yncle no)>yng wyj?bnte lokyng do. 
 
 }>o bed he J?e court segge so]?, & ryjt vnderstonde, 
 
 Wat forewarde Jer were ymad ' in fourme of Engelonde, 
 
 Bytuene hym & kyng Edmond, ]>c wule he was alyue, 
 
 And warn Edmond made * Iiys eyr of ys londe wy})oute 
 
 striuc, 
 
 And warn of ys gouges sones wardeyn ek ydo, 
 And wat ]?yng he adde assygned ys lueye brejjeren al so. 
 Herof he bed hem segge so]?, as yt were glosyng. 
 Vor he ne kepte, he seyde, myd vnryjt of no monne's J>ynge. 
 JTO stode }?er somme vp, ]?at adde ynome her red, 
 Vorto paye kyng Knout, & nogt Edmond ]?at was ded, 
 And seyde byuore al court, j?at kyng Edmond byquej) 
 Hys kynedom & al ys lend kyng Knout byuore ys de]?, 
 And j?e warde of ys tuo sones, vorte hii of elde were. 
 Alas! .alas! j^e trecherye, J^at me niyjte yse J?ere ! 
 Vor ]?e dede. was vergyte anon, & ]?e quike vorto paye, 
 
 * Hii bytoke J?e qued her soule, ]?e kunde eyrs to bytraye. 
 j?ys word was yholde stable, & yloked vor dome. 
 
 Kyng Knout of Edmonde's londes anon seysyne nome, 
 
 * And huld hym ^o al clene kyng of al Engelond, 
 
 Of Norfweye, of Denemarch, gret poer he adde an honde. 
 
 1 And fourme Ar. a His 
 heire with oute any stryue, 
 And to whom his yong sones 
 in warde shulde be do, Ar. 
 . Hure soules by toke they 
 to the fende, the ryght heire 
 
 to be tray Ar. 4 And helde 
 him self a lone kyng of all 
 Engelond, And Norwey and 
 Denemarch, and grete power 
 hadde in hond Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 315 
 
 Ecli )>ojte he was Goile next, j?at mygte abbe ys grace, 
 Of so gret poer ]?er byuore me ne kneu non in nou place* 
 J?o he was of al Engelond kyng, wy}?oute ' mone, 
 He bygan to cu)>e anon, ]?at he was kyng * one. 
 Alle J>at were ojt 3 ysyb Edmond ]?e kynge, 
 
 4 Ojjer in alyance of eny loue, to de]?e lie let bringe, 
 OJ>er flerad hem out of Engelond, non byleued nere, 
 Bote ys tueye jonge sones, J>at so feble & tendre were. 
 He ne mygte, vor J?e worlde's ssame, hem to de]?e bringe. 
 
 5 He sende hem out of Engelond, to 6 & heye kyng 
 7 Bysjde Denemarch^ )>at he hem to dej>e brogte, 
 
 So ver * in onekej?elond, J?er non man of hem ne rojte. 
 
 Awey ! sely ^onge J'ynges, frendeles were hii )?ere, 
 
 J?at so ver, as mylde lomb, to dc|?e ylad were. 
 
 fo hii to J?e kynge come, > |?at lie hem to dej>e bro^te,, 
 
 Vor }?e heye blod, I0 of wain hii come, f>e kyng hym byfojtc, 
 
 An adde reuj^e of hem gret, & ys wille gan wy)? drawe, 
 
 An ne myjte, vorreufe, vor non )?yng bring hym of lyfdawe. 
 
 11 To )>e kyng of Hongari }>ys sely chyldren tueye 
 
 He sende hem vor to norysy, ]?at he warded hem wel beye. 
 
 1 Any mone, Ar. * A lond 
 Ar. * Sibbe sir Edmunde 
 Ar. * Or of Aliauncein any 
 wey, to dethe Ar. *But 
 sehte Ar. 6 An Ar. t A 
 lyte by side Ar. 8 i n cou the 
 lande, -wher no man of hem 
 rought. Alas! the sely Ar. 
 vTo dethe that hem shulde 
 haue brought, Ar. 10 They 
 of come, he him sone by 
 
 Vol. L 
 
 thought Ar. "To the kyng 
 of Hungary the sely children, 
 tweye. The kyng hem faire 
 vnderfeng for hure heigh no- 
 blty, So long fort Edmunde, 
 that was the quene brothe 
 [*ic], Spoused his doughter, 
 and seth made the other, 
 That hijt Edwarde, spousy 
 the erhperoure's nerew Ar.
 
 316 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 jre kyng hem vayre vndervong, & honoured in ech wysey 
 An gret deuyte tolde of hem, vor her gentryse, 
 So longe, )?at he let Edmond, j?at was ]?at on broker, 
 Sspousy ys owe dogter, & su^e he let Jte o}?er, 
 J?at het Edward, spousy ]?e emperoure's ' raowe. 
 J?o adde hii boj>e ywyued wel, & nojt tolowe. 
 a Ac" Edmond leuede lute wule y & no chyld * nadde alyue; 
 Ac Edward ]?e ojjer adde }?re chyldren by ys wyue, 
 A sone, ]?at *het Edward, & dojtren also tueye, 
 Margarete & Cris<yne, fat gode wommen were beye. 
 J?ys gode chyldren ajte be euermo in 3 munde. 
 Vor Engelond, gyf hii nere, were jut out of kunde, 
 As je mowe 6 hure her afterward, in kyng Henrye's lyf, 
 Hou Engelond com to kunde ajen J?oru ]?e god Mold ys wyf, 
 7 J?at |?es Margarete dojter was, Mold })e gode quene. 
 Vor J>ys lond werej;ut out of kunde, jyf hii nadde ybe, ych 
 wene. 
 
 1 Non tantum cognata, sed 
 Jilia re vera erat Henrici II. 
 ImperatoriS) nomenijue ejus 
 erat Agatha. Deest Ar. 
 'Hadde Ar. 4 Height Ed- 
 gar, and also doughtren twey, 
 Ar. Et quidem recte Edgar. 
 5 Mynde. For Engelond, yf 
 they nad i be, hadde be oute 
 of kynde Ar. 6 Here after. 
 Avarde, in Harry the furste's 
 lyf, 1 hure, how Ar. 1 That 
 doughter was of Mergarete, 
 as ich vnderstande, By twene 
 hure and Macolyn kyng of 
 
 Scotland. Knut of all Enge- 
 lond was thoo kyng thorough 
 oate. Hit is no nede to eeshe, 
 yf he were kene and proute. 
 Tho he was of Edmunde's 
 sones, and al that with him 
 were, Delyuered, he was 
 proute i nough, and yet he 
 was infere O kyng Ethel- 
 rede's ii. sones, that were 
 in Normandye, Aluered and 
 Seynt Edwarde, lest hii wolde 
 a styge, Thorough Richard., 
 due of Normandycj Ar. 
 
 Kyng
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 317 
 
 Kyng Knout of al Engelond was fo kyng alout. 
 
 Me ne dar nogt esse, wer he were kone f o & prout. 
 
 ]>o he was of Edmonde's sones, & of al, fat myd hym were, 
 
 Delyueredj he was fers ynou, ac sorndel he was in fere 
 
 Of Edmonde's tueye breferen, fat wonede in Normandye, 
 
 Alfred & Seynt Edwarde, laste hii gonne astye 
 
 foru fe due of Normandye, fat her vncle was. 
 
 Hym fojte were he syker of hem, hym ne doutede of no cas. 
 
 Seynt Edwarde's moder feruore he of sende, 
 
 Emme fe quene of Engelond, fat ' he hyder wende, 
 
 2 foru conseyl of her brofer, fat was fe due Rychard, 
 
 An f oru ensent of hyr tueye sones, Alfred & Seyn Edward, 
 
 An were yspoused hym to wyf, & oure quene were al so. 
 
 Wat halt yt to telle longe ? f ys dede was ydo. 
 
 Vor kyng Edmond was aslawe a Seynt Androwe's (yd, ych 
 
 As in fe ger of grace a fousend and syxfenc. 
 
 And to fe 3 lammasse afterward he spousede fe quene, 
 
 As in fe ger of grace a fousend and scuentcne. 
 
 1 She Ar. * And the on 
 of hure bretherne, that was 
 due Richarde, And thourgh 
 assent of hure soues, Aluered 
 and Edewarde, and spoused 
 hym to wyue Ar. J Anb J?a 
 co-fojian KP. Aug. her re 
 cyng pecan him Ji^elpebej- 
 lafe Jej- o^pey cynger him 
 to cpene. Ricaj;bejf feohtop:. 
 Chron. Sax. sub an. MXVII. 
 Male proinde in Cod. Ar. 
 signi/icatur, hascc miptias 
 
 celebratus fuisse A. D. MVII. 
 (As in the yer of grace Ml. 
 and seuene) Edmundumque 
 occisum A. D. MYI. (For as in 
 the yer of oure lorde Ml. and 
 sixe yere Edraunde Irenside, 
 her sone in la\ve, slayne was 
 ere.) Ettamen in hocipso Co- 
 dice Parliamentum (sive potius 
 magnum vel commune co;*oi- 
 \ium)OxonienseA.. D. M.XVIII. 
 tentum fuisse rectissime eliam 
 asseritur, 
 eg 2 jut
 
 318 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Clifonrcle. 
 
 jut to be fe sykerore, after f ys spousynge, 
 
 He let ys barons of Engelond to Oxenford bringe 
 
 A fousend as in ]>e jer of grace and eygtef e jer, 
 
 An a parleraent vor hys stat of hem made fere. 
 
 So fat jyf fer eny was, fat ajen hym herte bere, 
 
 Hym fojte hys poer non fyng nas, ac ' as vor riojt yt \vcre. 
 
 * As was to Lyra al clene ysuore, fer nas non byhynde. 
 
 f was he al clene louered, to bynde and vnbynde. 
 
 A wyf, fat het 3 Aylyne, he adde er of gret fame. 
 
 By hyre he adde an sone, Harald was hys name, 
 
 fat of Jw kunde was of Denemarch, in eyjrer alf al out. 
 
 By Emme he adde ano{>er sone, fat het Hardekuout, 
 
 fat beye were kynges after hym, as me ssal sone rede, 
 
 fys kyng was f o f oruout al man of noble dede. 
 
 f o he was alone kyng of grete londes f re, 
 
 Hym fojte al fe world ne myjte a;en ys poer be. 
 
 And nafeles he bygan ys lierte in bocsumnesse amende, 
 
 An fojte on ]>e vayre grace, fat houre Louerd hym sende, 
 
 1 All Ar. * All Mere clene 
 to hym i swore, ther was none 
 be hynde Ar. 3 Helene Ar. 
 quam JElfgifam^ sive JEl- 
 givam, appellant alii. Quin. 
 etiam Sf hoc notanilum^pleros- 
 que scriptores eande.m concubi- 
 nant) non uxorem^ Camttifuis- 
 te asserere. Unde sane doclis. 
 simus Bradius in textu histo- 
 ric sua; (p. 129.) Cnute not 
 long before he died, appointed 
 his eldest son Swane, by his 
 
 first Wife Elgiva, to be king 
 of Norway, and his second Son 
 Harold, by the same Woman 
 to be king of England^ and 
 Harde-Cnute his Son by Em- 
 me, king of Danemarke ; ex 
 Hovedeno nimirum 251. a. at 
 in notis, * By most Writers 
 reported to have been a Con. 
 cubine, she was Daughter to 
 a Mercian Noble-man, who is 
 said to have been Earl of 
 Northampton. 
 
 An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 319 
 
 An loiiede Englysse men, and Engelond J>erto, 
 
 An muche louede holy chyrche & susteynde also, 
 
 An restorede abbeys, J?at destrud were byuore, 
 
 An chyrchen let vp arere, bat were arst as verlore, 
 
 An let arere monye nywe, & in stedes raest bere 
 
 1 As he adde men aslawe, & batayles ydo er, 
 
 * An vp Assesdone & )>er aboute mest chyrchen lie let rere, 
 
 As vor her soulen, )?at yslawe were bere. 
 
 Vor he & be kyng Edmond mest armes ]?ere bere, 
 
 An mest man slajt boru hem & batayles ber were. 
 
 Seynt Alfen's body," bat y martred was 
 
 At Greneswuch boru hys fader, as we tolde j?at cas, 
 
 At Seyn Poule's of Londone, as yt was anerbe ydo, 
 
 Hys owe honde nome yt vp, &., as yt byuel berto, 
 
 Het let yt fayre honoury, & sende yt atte fyne 
 
 To be munstre of Canterbury, 3 as he \y]> jut in ssryne. 
 
 be brydde jer ych vnderstonde, j?at he was alone kyng, 
 
 Fram hys lond of Denemarch me brojtc hym tythyng, 
 
 bat he was ]?ere yworred vaste of hys fon. 
 
 He nome wyj? hym of Engelond god knyjt monyon, 
 
 An myd gret poer & rauche folc buderward vende anon. 
 
 So Jmt he sone come bysyde hys fon echon, 
 
 An byleuede hym ber al nyjt, & al hys ost al so, 
 
 An bojte anon amorwe strong batayle do. 
 
 A gret erl of bys lond, Godwyne was hys name, 
 
 Myd hys poer myd hym was, bat monyon dude ssame. 
 
 Where he Ar. * As 
 vpon Asshedoune and a boute 
 there, As for the sowles of 
 fiem that slayne there were. 
 
 Seynt Alphe Erchebysshop r 
 pe's body Ar. * And ther 
 hit was in shryne Ar, 
 
 cc 3 Vor
 
 320 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Vor bys lond, as me ssal hure, ofte he dude bytraye. 
 He bojte bo hou he mygte ]>e kyng Knout best paye. 
 By ny^te * hym & hys poer he let army bere, 
 And wende so anonywar, * as be kynge's ion were, 
 
 3 An fond hem, as wo seyb, aslepe. he leyde on hem to grounde, 
 An slou and to drof hem alle in a Intel stunde. 
 
 Amorwe'' bo be kyng wolde wende vp hys fon, 
 
 An myste Godwyne & hys men, of gyle he dradde anon, 
 
 bat be Englysse hym bytraye wolde, he bojte of luber won 
 
 Vor to sle bys Godwyne, and be Englysse echon. 
 
 An nabelcs he wende toward hys fon myd al hys poer vaste, 
 
 Vor to smyte an batayle, & bo ne wond he atte laste 
 
 Nogt of hem bote caroyne, & be bod yes dede al so, 
 
 bo he vend, bat Godwyne such andede adde y do, 
 
 An delyuered hym of hys fon, & ybrojt hym so aboue, 
 
 Euereft he louede hym be more, & al Englysse vor hys loue. 
 
 bo he sey, J>at Englysse men so gode in nede were, 
 
 An hys fon were ouercome, nobyng he nas in fere. 
 
 4 bo he adde one be kynedom of grete londes bre, 
 Hym bojte 5 al be world ne mygte agen hys poer be. 
 
 1 Hym self and Ar. 
 1 Wher the Ar. * And founde 
 hem muche del a slepe, so 
 that in a stonde This En- 
 mys of Swethe londe hii 
 brought all to grounde. Ulf 
 and eke Ergall of Swethe 
 lond kyngus Fust [sz'c] to 
 kyng Knutus host, at his 
 comyngus, Muche harme 
 
 wyse Godewyn with his men 
 gate of hem the pryse. A 
 morwe Ar. * Tho hadde he 
 al on the kyngdomes of Ar. 
 5 That in all the worlde nc 
 myght his pere be. Of all 
 his proude dedis ne can iche 
 telle nought, Bute of on tale 
 ich wole, as hit cometh in 
 thought Ar. 
 
 had i doo, but in this case 
 
 Of
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 321 
 
 Of al hys proute dedes I ne may verbere nojt, 
 
 }?at I ne mot jou telle of on, nou yt comj? in my )>ot. 
 
 A }?ousend as in J?e jer of grace, & on & tuenty j?erto, 
 
 As in }?e vyfte ger ]?at kyng Knout in such poer was ydo, 
 
 He * wende, as noble syre, fram londe to londe, 
 
 at 2 hym {jogte al world ne ssolde agen hym stonde. 
 
 As he wende aboute by ]?e see, & such poer adde an honde, 
 
 Up achaere he sat adoun, al vp J>e see sonde, 
 
 An 8 enresonetfe hys men, as hii byuore hym stode, 
 
 So "pat ]>e tyme com of ]>e see flode, 
 
 J?at yt bygan to wexe vaste, at yt de]? atte tyde. 
 
 ]?e kyng byheld j?e wexynge an hoker al asyde, 
 
 So ]?at }>e water vaste waxe* vppard hey & wyde. 
 
 3 Jjogte J>ys grete louerd', jut ychelle abyde. 
 
 ]>o yt was ney to hym ycome, baldelyche 6 spac 
 
 An sturnelyche to }>ys water, ]?o yt alles out brae. 
 
 * e Water," he seyde, " 7 wat ]?encst on? ych rede ne com 
 
 no ver. 
 
 " Under stond, j?at }>ou art al clene in my poer. 
 ** Vor J?at lond, vp wan ]?ou vrnst, & vp wan ych sytte her, 
 " Is clene myn al aboute. vor Jxm wost ynabbe no per. 
 <; ]?eruore ych 8 ote ]?e J^yne wexyng anon lete, 
 ' }?at ]?ou ne be so hardy nogt, J?yn louerde's clo|?es to wete, 
 
 1 Wende a boute as Ar. 
 a He thought in all the 
 worlde none shulde him \vith- 
 stonde Ar. 3 Spak to his 
 Ar. * Poling^ uppard (idem 
 quod Anglo-Sax, 
 
 * yut thought this grete lorde 
 he wolde a byde ther Ar. 
 6 He spak Ar. * What 
 thenkest thow ? I rede come 
 no ner Ar. 8 Hote Ar. 
 
 c c 4 " Ne
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " Ne hys lyraes, ac vp ' mynowe let me in pes sytte, 
 
 " * Ctyer, by ]>e fey |?at ych ou to }>e, ychelle rekeny myttc, 
 
 ]>e water dude vor]? hys kunde, & wax euere vaste, 
 
 So |?at to ]?ys grete louerd hyt com atte laste, 
 
 * An watte hys ssone & hys vet. so longe yt wax an hey, 
 
 J>at yt watte hys brych al aboute, & euere vpard yt stey, 
 
 So ]?at hys hupes smourte, & of cold were ney. 
 
 ]?ys grete louerd sturte hym vp, }>o he oj)er ne sey, 
 
 An wed hym vp to londe, hym j^ojte er late ynou. 
 
 He byheld toward ]?e water, & hys grete herte wyb drow." 
 
 " Wyte," he seyde, *' al men, ]?at aner]>e wonye]? her, 
 
 " 4 )?at yt nys bote |?e pi^re masse eny kynge's poef . 
 
 *' Ne )?at no man ys wur)>e to be ycluped kyng, 
 
 *' Bote J?e heye kyng of heuene, J?at vrojte al Jjyng, 
 
 <c f?at haj? heste of water, and of er]?e al so. 
 
 *' Heuene & helle & ech f>yng mot nede hys hestc do, 
 
 <c An habbe hym as louerd, vor ynam non y wys, 
 
 " J>eruor me to clupye kyng, myd vnryjt yt ys. 
 
 '* ]?eruor ych byhote God, }?at yne ssal kynge's croune 
 
 " Neuere bere anerfe, vor my poer ys Jjer doune. 
 
 He wende hym vor]? to chyrche, & byuore ]?e rode com, 
 
 An wyj? meke herte pyteslyche hys kynge's croune nom ? 
 
 1 My nawne Ar. - Or 
 elles, by the fey that is me, 
 ich wolle fyght mytte Ar. 
 ^ Kit wette his hosen and his 
 shone, and yut for pruyt he 
 nolde Ryse fort he nedes 
 moste, or elles drenche he 
 
 shulde. And thenne he sturte 
 vppe of the water he thought 
 late i now. And be hilde to- 
 warde the water, & his grete 
 hert with drow Ar. 4 That 
 hit is bute the mase any 
 kyngt's power Ar. 
 
 An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 323 
 
 ^n sette vpon the rode heued, & seyde }?at he alone 
 
 Was wur)?e to croune bere, & o|?er kynges none. 
 
 He byleuede }K croune |?ere, sykynde wel sore, 
 
 An }?erafter vp hys heued ne com he naraore. 
 
 An me seyj?, Jrnt he ne bar neuere J?e croune of Engelond, 
 
 Ac ne bar Jmlke ne non o]?er J?erafter, ych vnder stonde. 
 
 Syn]?e god man he becom & aforced hym ynou, 
 
 An byhet God euereft afterward to byleue wou, 
 
 An God & holy chyrche to louye myd al hys rayjle, 
 
 An make godes lawes, & susteyne ech rygte. 
 
 j?es byheste he held vol wel, & gode lawes y nou 
 
 He made ]>e beste J?at myjte be, & to ech godenesse drou. 
 
 Yor |?e manslajt ]?at he adde ydo, & ]?e vnrygt y lome, 
 
 And vor J?e monye gode cas }>at hym ofte come, 
 
 He byhet God to wende j)e holy wey to Rome, 
 
 So ]?at he & hys knyjtes wy)> gode herte J?en wey nome. 
 
 An as he toward Rome wende by mony alond, 
 
 Wanne he eny lu]?er lawes in eny stude vond, 
 
 }?e prince, oj^er louerd of stude, sone he out sojte, 
 
 And bote he granted hy ra amendement, myd tresour he yt bo jte, 
 
 An vor he was man of such poer, vewe ajen hym wrojte, 
 
 So J?at euere ware he come gode lawes he brojte. 
 
 1 Gengyl men ]?at he vond in prison ek ydo, 
 
 O]?er in warde myd vnryjt, he bojte hem out also. 
 
 At Rome he was auonge uayre, and asoyled also. 
 
 A^en he wende to Engelond, }>o al }>ys was y do. 
 
 J?o he com ajen, at Glastynbury hym longede ar he were, 
 
 yor loue of kyng Edmond, }>at ybured was ]?ere, 
 
 1 Goude men Ar. 
 
 H
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?at he cluped hys broker, vor JJG treuj^e J?at bytuene hem was 
 
 her. 
 
 fat bodi he honourede y nou J>o he com ]?ere, 
 And al J>e stude vor hys loue, & dude vayr offrynge, 
 An amendede }>at hous myd mony a ryche J?ynge, 
 An jef hem londe and rentes, and conformede al so 
 |>e jeftes, j?at o|?er kynges hadde er y^yue ]?erto, 
 Of rentes and of londes, as ]>e kyng Cuj^red, 
 An kyng Centwyne & Ine, & sufye kyng Alfred, 
 Edward and A}>elston, Edmond and Edgar. 
 Her geftes he confermede, & to make ech man ywar, 
 To holde ]?ys jeftes stable, amansy he let al so 
 Alle ]?at aboute were her geftes euere vn do. 
 He confermede her londes, as frelyche to holde y wys, 
 By gode chartre & her rentes, as ]>e kyng huld hys. 
 Jjys kyng Knout was tuenty jer kyng of Engelond, 
 An in a Jxmsend jer of grace & J?rytty, ych vnderstondc, 
 An syxe he deyde at Ssaftebury, & at Wynchestre myd gret 
 
 prute 
 At Seyn Swyjjynes he was ybured, |?ere as he lyj? ^ut. 
 
 IxARALD, *]>e kynge's sone Knout, after hym was kyng. 
 ycrouned he was at Oxenford, a ssrewe j?oru alle }>yng. 
 Of |?e kunde he was of Denemarch, of J?e eror * wyf y bore. 
 |% lasse he louede Englysse men, & Engelond |?er uor. 
 
 1 Desunt omnia metro., ad 
 Haraldum hunc spectantia, in 
 Cod. Ar. in quo tamen deeodem 
 
 multa scripsit auctorprosatcus. 
 
 2 Hinc ait scriptor prosaicus 
 
 in Ar. In the yere of cure 
 
 lorde
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 325 
 
 \)e vorste jer j?at he was kyng, Emme, J?e gode quene, 
 He drof out of Engelond, (& hys ssrewede made ysene) 
 His stepraoder, bys fader wyf, ]>at quene adde ybe tuye 
 Of Engelond, & J>at hys fader let vette in Normandye. 
 Jx> J>ys quene was of londe ydryue, }>om hyre wy)?erwyne, 
 Heo wende to )?e erl of Flaundres, Jmt het Baldewyne. 
 J?ys erl hyre vayre vndefvong, ]>at was hende & fre, 
 And tok hyre ])e castel of Bruges, inne vorto be. 
 }?ere was j?ys gode quene, wy]>oute eny striuynge, 
 Vorto hyre stepsone was dede, Harald J?e luj?er kynge. 
 Vor he nas kyng bote four jer, & syx monies vnne)?e, 
 Ar he lay at Oxenforde, & drou toward )?e de]?e, 
 And deyde ]?er in pyne ynou, & suj^e hys body me ber 
 To ]>e abbey of Westminster, & bured yt vayre |?ere. 
 In }>e jer of grace a j?otisend, & on & fourtyj?e gere, 
 J?ys kyng deyde in Aueryl, mony glad man was J?ere. 
 
 hys broker J?o ]?en wey sone norae 
 Fram Denemarch in to Engelond, & to Sandwych com. 
 J?oru ]?e baron ye of Engelond & of Denemarch al so 
 Ichose he was to be kyng, vor hii ensentede ]?erto. 
 Vor he hadde somdel to Engelond more kunde }>an }>e o]?er, 
 Vor he was, in hys moder alf, Seynt Edwarde's broker. 
 1 Sone so he was kyng y mad, after bys moder he sende 
 j?e quene Emme to Flaundres, & bygan hyre stat amende, 
 
 lorde M.XXXVI. Knutus sone I doughter toke the regne. 
 Harolde of Erie Elfelmus ' ' As non as he was Ar. 
 
 An
 
 ??6 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 An huld byr vayre, as ryjt was, hys moder & quene al so. 
 
 Ac }?yg Hardeknout nas kyng nojt follyche geres tuo. 
 
 Vor J)er faylede ' of ten dawes, J>at he ne deyde * of" ywys. 
 
 At 3 Larahupe he was ded, & ybured he was & ys 
 
 At Seyn Swythyne's at Wynchestre 4 by hys fader ]?at lyth ]?ere. 
 
 Kynges of Denemarch in j^ys manere were 
 
 Kynges here of J?ys lond, ech after Q^er. 
 
 )>e sone vorst after j)e fader, J?e broker after J?e broker. 
 
 And Engelond was out of kunde syxe & tuenty jer, 
 
 In worre & pyne & sorwe ynou, as Seyn Dunston s by het her. 
 
 Ac )>o jjys j?re kynges were ded of Denemarch, J>ere nere 
 
 6 Byleuede namon in Engelond, |?at of ]>& kunde were. 
 
 moste yt nej3e come ajen to J?e ry^t eyr of kunde, 
 
 J?e holy man Seyn Edward, }?at euere worj? in munde. 
 
 Vor 7 Aldred, hys eldore broker, was arst aslawe here 
 
 Wy}> treson in JSngelpnd, ycbylle telle in wuch manere. 
 
 Atyme, to speke myd hys moder, to Engelond he com, 
 
 8 An gret folc of Normandye myd hym hyder he nome. 
 
 9 An" \>Q false erl of Engelond, Godwyne was ys name, 
 (j^at I0 euere" adde wy}? treson J?ys lond y do ssame,) 
 
 " And dorter he adde god, he J>ogte he wolde fpnde 
 Make hyre jut, jyf he mygte, quene of Engelond. 
 j?at '* Aldred nolde spousy nogt hys dorter he was in fere, 
 Vor prute & hys heynysse, jyf J?at he kyng were. 
 
 4 Deest Ar. * Deest Ar. 
 J L. Lamblike. Nam Lam- 
 hethe in Ar. 4 Be for his 
 fadre three [I. there] Ar. 
 *Seide er Ar, 6 Bylafte no 
 
 mo Ar. 7 Aluered Ar. 
 8 And muche peple Ar. 
 9 Deest Ar. Ofte tyme Ar. 
 11 A doughter Ar. " AIut3- 
 red Ar. 
 To
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 327 
 
 To be gongore broker Seynt Edward hys hope was more 
 
 ynome, 
 
 Vor he was symple & myldore, & ' eb to ouercome. 
 j>eruore }>o he sey Alfred so gret heynesse drawe, 
 He Jwjte hou he mygte do, bat he were of lyf dawe. 
 To >e heye men of Engelond vaste he wende aboute, 
 And seyde, Engelond myjte be of Alfred in gret doute. 
 * Vor he bojte, gyf he were kyng, bat folc of Normandye 
 Al maystres make in Engelond, bom" streng]?e & tricherye, 
 An deseryth hem also bom Normannes he Jjojte, 
 j?eruore myd hym of Normandye so muche folc he brojte : 
 So bat 3 hey men of }?e lond he brojte al to hys wylle, 
 4 bat hii nome Aldred, & al hys folc, myd trycherye stille, 
 An ladde hem vaste ybounde to Guldeforde al so. 
 
 Awey ! sely gultelese men, lute adde hii mys do. 
 
 Jx> hii come to Guldeforde, J>ys erl Godwyne J?e ssrewc 
 
 Lete J?ys gnltelese man sette al arewe, 
 
 An telle out euere be tebe man, & \>Q nyne ]?oru out he nome, 
 
 And let smyte of her alre heuedys, & made a reufol dom. 
 
 bo be te)?e was alyue, lie j^ojte of more wou. 
 
 Hym ^ogte J?er were to monye alyue of ynou. 
 
 Alle bat were alyue byleued, a rewe ef sone he drou, 
 
 An tolde of hem be tebe out, & be ny)?e slou. 
 
 So J>at s ber byleuede alyue vewe bo, 
 
 And bulke out of Engelond he drof myd muche wo. 
 
 1 Lithlyche to Ar. 2 He 
 saide, yf he were kyng, folke 
 of Normandye All mastres in 
 this londe shulde be an hye, 
 And dissherite Englyssh men 
 
 thourgh Ar. 3 Certeyne men 
 Ar. 4 So that they toke A- 
 luered in a tyme all stylle Ar. 
 i lie ne laft but fewe a lyite 
 tboo, Ar. 
 
 Alfred
 
 328 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 Alfred hii ladde to Ely, & ' pulte out bo]?e hys eye, 
 
 An hulde hym ]?ere in prison, * vorte sely raon gan deye* 
 
 Vas J?ys of ]?ys Godwyne a ssrewe & lu]?er dom, 
 
 jut owre Lorde, ar he deyde, gret wreche fere of nom. 
 
 Vor, as je ssolle her after hure, he deyde in pyne ynou, 
 
 An ssrewede J?at he dude lute he bylou. 
 
 SEYNT Edward in Norraandje was f o byleuede alone 
 As bar, as wo sef, of J?e kunde, as he sprong of 
 
 stone. 
 
 He dradde vor he was alone of f e tern byleuede fere, 
 An vor Jra traytors of Engelond so false & luj?cr were, 
 Leste he were of hys fon foru treson ybogt, 
 An, vor lone of hys erytage, so to dej>e ybrogt. 
 To God he made hys pleynte, ofte wepynd wel blyue, 
 An namely che ]?e wule hys fon of Denemarch were alyue. 
 u Help me," he seydc, *' in J?ys wo, Lord, bydde ych ]?e. 
 " 3 Vor my frend & my nexte ney stondej? agen me. 
 *' My fader, }>at leuede here in worre & in stryf, 
 *' In worre & sorwe & sor ynou he endede hys lyf. 
 " My bre]?eren be]? bo]?e aslawe J?oru treson al so, 
 <{ 4 My neueus be}? yfloynd, & out of Engelond ydo/ 
 
 1 Putte Ar. * Fort that 
 he ganne deye. Me seith, that 
 his nauell guttc oute I take 
 was, A knyt to a post, and af- 
 terward a pas He was i made 
 by the poste ever goo a boute, 
 Fort he hadde i drawe bvm 
 
 selfe his guttes al oute. Nas 
 this of this Godewyne a full 
 luther dome ? Ar. 3 For 
 thulke that shulde my frendes 
 be stondeth a yest me Ar. 
 4 And my Cosyns i flemed 
 of londe both twoo, Ar. 
 
 An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 329 
 
 " An my moder ' ywedded to my meste fo, 
 
 st An ych alone byleued, woder ssal ych, Louerd, go? 
 
 et Hii j?at of my erytage al louerdes bej> 
 
 " Wylne]? alle J?yng most my dej>, as men ysej?. 
 
 " * And al pouere, Louerd, ycham to J>e byleued ywysj 
 
 *' An jxm wolt, Louerd, help be to hym ]?at faderles ys. 
 
 <{ Al to sope yt ys ycome, J?at Seynt Dunston gan telle. 
 
 " f>e wreche of my 3 vncle de}?, jjat hys stepmoder let quelle, 
 
 * c My fader abojte yt dere ynou, & my bre]?eren bo. 
 
 ft So J?at j?er nys non byleued, bote ych, Louerd, & nanmo. 
 
 <c Nys yt vyue & syxty ger, Louerd, non mon ago, 
 
 " Jjat to Engelond, vor Jmlke de]), vorst com such wo. 
 
 '* Hou longe ssal yt ylaste? Louerd, wy}? drau |?yn honde. 
 
 ** Of ]?y wreche sende som ende, & reu on Engelond. 
 
 j?o J)ys kynges of Denemarch alle Jre were dede, 
 
 An Alfred al so aslawe r ])e barons nome to rede, 
 
 An oj?er heye men al so, as God gef ]?at cas, 
 
 An chose Seynt Edward to her kyng, ]?at kunde eyr j?o wa 
 
 As he was ]>erto ychose, er ]?an lie were y bore. 
 
 J?o was yt to so)?e y come, |>at yseyd was byuore, 
 
 j?at Seynt Peter at Glastynbury to byssop Bryjtwold seyde. 
 
 JJG com vorst pes to Engelond, after * j?e" wrecchede. 
 
 Me sende after bym to Normandye, to Engelond s |?at" he com> 
 
 6 An late folc of Normandye myd hym hyder nome, 
 
 1 I wedded was to Ar. 
 a Alon -pouer bilafte icham 
 to the, Lorde, I wys. Lorde, 
 as the luste, helpe the childe 
 that faderles is Ar. * Un- 
 
 stepmoder Ar. 4 Deest Ar. 
 s Deest Ar. 6 A fewe folke of 
 Normandye heder with him 
 he nome. So that with litell 
 vncouthe Ar. 
 
 cle's detb, that my [l t hys] 
 
 So
 
 330 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 So pat rayd lute onekep folc to Engelond he drou. 
 pe heymen come ajen hym rayd joye & prute ynou, 
 An vnderuonge hym as her louerd vayre poru all pynge, 
 An anester day at Wynchestre crouned hym to kynge. 
 I sacred he was }>o to kyng of erchebyssopes tuo, 
 Of Canterbury & Euerwyk, & other byssopes al so. 
 It was in a pousend ger, & fourty & tuo, 
 After pat God anerpe cora$ pat he was crouned so. 
 po was joye in Engelond al oute in eche syde. 
 Hys godenesse & hys gode los aboute sprong wel wyde, 
 pat per nas non god prince, ne kyng in none londe, 
 J?at ne wylnede enqueyntance of hym, ych vnderstonde. 
 }>e emperour of Rome to hym in gode loue ywys 
 Obleged by hys messagers al J>yng |>at was hys. 
 Vor Edmonde's sone yreneside, pat hys on broker was, 
 Hadde y wedded hys cosyne, he was glad of pat cas. 
 An Seyn Edward ney kun was pe kyng of France al so^ 
 pat eche pyng clene pat hys was he obleged hym ttf. 
 So pat per nas prince nour, pat at hys wylle nas, 
 Bote he one of Deneraarch, pat euere hys fo vras; 
 Seynt Edward, vor al hys god, debonere was y nou, 
 An namelyche to pouere men, to non prute he ue drou. 
 Reufol he was to neody men, of hys almesse large & fre. 
 Of more deuocyon non man in chyrche ne myjt be. 
 lie was selde yseye worp, ne in glotonye, ne in prute. 
 pey hys tresour were ylore, per of he tolde lute. 
 So holy lyf he ladde & god, so chast and so clene, 
 1 pat hey men of pe lond wolde hem alday mene, 
 
 J That the hegh men of the londe wolde hit al day be 
 
 mene,
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 jxvt hii nadde non eyr bytnorie hem, & )>at gret peryl yt was, 
 
 Vor J?er myjte come to al ]?e lond muche wo vor such cas. 
 
 Vor gyf he adde an kund eyr byjyte by hys wyf, 
 
 The sykeror were J?at lond, wnj? oute worre & stryf. 
 
 1 |?e erl Godwyne, ]?e false man, ]?at ]?e kynge's broker slou 
 
 Aldred, as ych tolde er, an dojter god ynou 
 
 Of holy lyf & clene adde, Edyfe was hyre name, 
 
 }>at, as yt ys of hyre ywryte, & of hyre holy fame, 
 
 ]?at as ]?e rose spryng of j^e brer, ]?at ssarp & kene ys, 
 
 AI so com }>e clene mayde of J?e ln|?er man y wys. 
 
 J>ys lu]?er man was vaste aboute to hey men ylome, 
 
 To brynge yt ])crto, jef he myjte, }?at ]>Q kyng hys dojter 
 
 nome. 
 
 Me seyde ]>e kyng, J?at he moste nede weddy wyf, 
 An |?at }>et mayde was hym best, vor hyr clene lyf. 
 fyc kyng hym byj^o^te pryuelyche & stylle, 
 Jjat in such cas god yt was, to do J>e wylle. 
 An vor heo was so clene mayde, & of so holy lyue, 
 J?e betere hyrn were in holynesse to nyme hyr to wyue,* 
 ]?an an heye kynge's dojter, of -* verre londe y brojt ; 
 ]?at to hys holy lyue nolde acordy nojt. 
 
 mene, And that he ne hadde 1 spronge this holy mayde of 
 non heire gret perille hit I luther kynd i wys. And suth 
 
 was, Ar. 
 
 1 Godewyne erle a dough- 
 ter he hadde, that was of 
 grete fame, And of clene lyf 
 also, Edithe was hure name. 
 And as the Roos of a brere 
 
 that the kyng nede muste 
 wedde a wyf, Me saide the 
 mayde was to him good for 
 hure clene lyf, That hit was 
 better to him to haue hure to, 
 wyf Ar. * Feme Ar. 
 
 pr/ngeth that kene is, Also 
 Vol. I. p j) Ai>
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 1 An weddede }>ys mayde," j?at so holy & clene was, 
 
 More vorto paye * fat load, fan vor eny ofer cas. 
 
 Longe hii were to gadcre, fys gode kyng & quene, 
 
 Ac of ogt bote of holynesse lute yt was ysene. 
 
 Vor God, as bii seyde ofte, hii toke to wytnesse, 
 
 J?at bytuene hem neuere nas bote clannesse. 
 
 Bofe hii were at one 3 worde, to lybbe in clene lyue. 
 
 4 So fat hii were wyfoute eyr, me f yncf, vor al hys wyue. 
 
 fe kyng of Denemarch & hys men f retned hym wel vaste. 
 
 So fat hii s greyfed hym hyderward atte laste. 
 
 A Wytesoneday, as Seynt Edward at hys masse stod, 
 
 An bed vor |?e pes of )>e lond, ]?at God yt sende god, 
 
 Rygt atte sacryng he stod as he lowe, 
 
 In J?e chyrche of Westmynster, as men 7 byhelde ynowc, 
 
 Hii }>at hym were mest priue, asked WQ yt were 
 
 )?e kyng J?o he hem come, & wy he made such cliere ? 
 
 " Certes, syres," qua]? J?e kyng, *' yhered be Gode's sonde, 
 
 ** ]>Q lujjer men of Denemarch, myd her kyng of J>e londe, 
 
 " To her olde luj^erhede yturnd adde her ^ojt, 
 
 <c To worry owr suete pays, J?at owr Louerd vs a}> ybrojt. 
 
 " An to day, in J>ys god tyme, her poer clene hii nome, 
 
 4< 9 An J?e wynd hem payde wel, & to J>e see hii come, 
 
 *' Vorto destrue Engelond, as hii abbe)> ofte ydo. 
 
 " An ]?ulke tyme, }?at je yseye fat ych somdel lou so, 
 
 1 So that he this maide 
 wedded, Ar. The Ar. 
 ^Accorde, Ar. 4 So that 
 heirles was the kyng, for 
 all the quene his wyf Ar. 
 s Dight Ar. 6 And bade to 
 
 him and to his londe God 
 shulde sende pees gode, Atte 
 sacryng he stod, right as 
 thogh he lowgh, Ar. "Hit 
 seigh i nowgh Ar. De. 
 stourbe Ar. 9 For the Ar. 
 
 11 J?e
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 333 
 
 " J?e kyng by an laddre ' to \>e ssyp clam an hey, 
 
 " An ]?reu vp to doun in \>Q see, & adrenct]?e, as ych ysey, 
 
 " An bys men, as in \vanhope, \vende hem agen blyue, 
 
 t( * So ]?at ych hopye to God pays, fe wule ycham alyue. 
 
 Messagers to Denemarch sone ysend were, 
 
 And, as j?e tyng adde ysed, * to so]?e hii founde }>ere. 
 
 Neuer eft hii of Denemarch hyder nolde come. 
 
 Vor god prince al alond varj? }?e bet ylome. 
 
 Yor ]?e lond was fyue & syxty jer in worre & in sore, 
 
 As * he habbcj? yhurd byuore, & afterward jut more, 
 
 As ge ssolle hure her afterward, ac |?e wule he was kyng, 
 
 j?at lond was in god louc & pes, wyjxmte eche stryuynge. 
 
 OEYNT Edward brogte to Engclond out of Normandye 
 
 Men, * ]?at adde liym fleme ydo god & corteysye. 
 
 And Roberd a clerc he louede mest, yor he jef hym }>e bys*. 
 
 sopryche 
 
 Of London, & su])]?e of Canterbury }>e erchebyssppryche. 
 ]>o he was erchebyssop, lu]?er he was and prout. 
 ]?e kyng hym 6 louede, &alle hys dedes f^oru hym dude al out, 
 J?cr was vp ]?e quene Emme, J?e kynge's moder, y do 
 A lu)?er sclaundre, & vp J?e byssop of Wynchestre al so, 
 )jat 7 hii in contenance to folyche hem bere. 
 |?e erchebyssop tolde J?e kyng more ^ fan J?er were, 
 
 1 To shipward clam an 
 hiegh. And fell doune in the 
 see, and a dreynte neigh, Ar. 
 2 So that as for the Danes 
 may ich be withoute stryue. 
 Messagers Ar. * The sothe 
 they Ar. 4 ye Ar. 5 That, 
 
 while he flemed was, hadde 
 do him cpurteseye Ar. 6 Lou. 
 ed cuer most, and dude by 
 him al oute Ar. ' Hii to 
 gedere in contenaunce Ar. 
 8 Than sothe were, AT. 
 
 p D 2 fal
 
 334 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fat ]> er was foul lecherye bytuene hem y do, 
 
 1 And fat f om f e queue hyr sone was Alfred to defe ydo, 
 
 And fat he ne myjte nogt byleue, bote he amenderaent toke 
 
 Of so vyl dede, wande he adde her soules to loke. 
 
 fe kyng leuede hym wel ynou, & suer he nolde abyde, 
 
 fat he nolde verst nyme vengeance in hys syde. 
 
 fe byssop he bynome verst al bys lay fe, 
 
 * And suffe hym in prison, & bynome bym hys se. 
 
 Hys raoder he dude in warde, & scars lyf lede her fonde 
 
 In fe abbey e of Worwell, & bynome byre hyr loncje. 
 
 f ys quene made deol y nou, & hyr lettrcs wyde sende, 
 
 3 To byssopes, fat heo truste to, yre stat vorto amende, 
 
 4 And fat heo wolde foru fury yre, jyf me wolde fat heo bere, 
 Of er trede, ssewy, fet heo gulteles were. 
 
 fe kyng was meok & mylde ynou, an, as f e byssopes bade, 
 Wolde hys raoder do alout, bote as fe ofer yt made. 
 And nafeles hii were aton," as hii wolde desyre, 
 fat hys moder * hyre skere ssolde myd fury yre. 
 
 * And that Aluered her 
 sone thorgh her was dede al- 
 so, Be cause that Knut and 
 Hardeknut sheo loued thorgh 
 al thing More that Ethelred, 
 and other of his Ospring. 
 As the commune fame was 
 thorgh oute all the lond, That 
 shco loued Knut in hert, me 
 wrong dude vnderstande. 
 The Erchebisshop seide, he 
 jie myght let hit be so nought, 
 And that to amendement hit 
 moste nedes be brought. The 
 kyng hym leued of this thing, 
 
 and seide he nolde a bide, Ar. 
 2 And brought him in pri- 
 son, and him by name his see 
 Ar. * To heghe men, that 
 heo truste to, Ar. 4 And 
 seide, that sheo wolde thorgh 
 fuyr ire, if that me hure 
 bede, Preue, that heo was 
 gultless of that ilke dede. The 
 kyng was meoke and mylde i 
 nowe after summe's rede, 
 Wolde haue lette his moder 
 goo, but summe hit with sede. 
 Atte laste hii were atte on Ar. 
 5 Skere her self shulde Ar. 
 
 fe
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 335 
 
 be erchebyssop Roberd hurde of bys dome, 
 
 An, bey he nere * nogt ybe, to bys conseyl he com. 
 
 be byssopes * he ladde a conseyl, " Louerdynges," he seyde, 
 
 " 3 Ich wene vor hys moder my louerd be kyng gebede, 
 
 " bat nys as no woman, ac as be deuel ych doute, 
 
 *' bat, vorto ssende hyre owe sone ])e kyng, heo ys aboute, 
 
 " bat seyb he ys 4 amansed, vor hyre copynere 
 
 " be byssop * he deb in warde, of wan heo wole hyr skere. 
 
 " jyf heo skery hyre of hym, hou wole heo vorbore mo 
 
 " 6 Skere of bat heo ab ydo, hyre sone's jret wo, 
 
 <c Of bat 7 heo Alfred hyre sone radde to debe brynge, 
 
 " And bat heo porueyde poyson to hyre sone be kynge ? 
 
 *' Ac gyf heo hyre * skere wole of eche of bys bynge, 
 
 <c And heo hyre skerynge do after my lokynge, 
 
 " And heo of scapye harmylcs be gultes echon, 
 
 t( 9 Icholte, vor me & vor be kyng, bat gult nabbeb non, 
 
 " And grante, bat my dygnyte me be al bynome, 
 
 " And bat heo & be byssop ek to hyre I0 sta ajen come. 
 
 u Let nyme four yrene ssares vor hyr sulue al afure, 
 
 ' An fyue vor be byssop, & jyf heo yt may " dure, 
 
 1 Nat i bede, to Jr. a He 
 spake to thus, Lordynges, 
 Ar. * The kyng for the 
 quene his moder heder vs 
 hath i bede. She fareth nat 
 aa a woman, but as a deuell, 
 ich doute, And for to shende 
 Ar. 4 A cursed Ar. * That 
 he dude in warde, of wham 
 she thenketh hure skere. yf 
 
 sheo clenseth hure self of him, 
 Ar. 6 Skere hure of Ar. 
 7 She Aluered hure sone let 
 to dej? Ar: 8 Purge Ar. 
 9 Ich graunte, for me and 
 for the kyng, that guides 
 mote she goon, And graunte, 
 that all my dignyte me be all 
 by nome, Ar. lo Stat Ar. 
 11 Endure Ar. 
 
 D D 3 " Waune
 
 336 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 14 Wanne hii lygge]? in }>e flor to steppe vp echon 
 
 * After oj>er bareuot, and heo byleue non, 
 
 " ]?at hco ne steppe wy}? folle fot wy)>oute quakynge, 
 
 tl And ' jyf vet bet ]?anne sauf, woute eny wemmynge, 
 
 " Graunte}? hem al qnyt. ac jyf heo quake]? * out, 
 
 " OJ?er step]? bysyde, o]>er hyrc vet in eny werame be ybrogt, 
 
 <{ Holdej? hem gulty of J>e dede, & late]? hem also 
 
 " Al her lyf, as wyckemcn, in strong prison be ydo. 
 
 ]?ys fourme was ygrantcd ]?o, & certeyn day al so 
 
 At Soyn Swythyne's at Wynchestre, wanne yt ssolde be ydo. 
 
 ]?o me tolde }?e * quene vore, heo was glad ynou. 
 
 So }?at }?oru al Engclond 4 ]?ys word sone drou, 
 
 ]?at, ]?o J)e day was ycome, so muche fole }?er com, 
 
 ]>at me nnste ware hem inny, vorto se ]?ys dom. 
 
 }?e heye men ney of Engeloud were J?ere echone, 
 
 * To se Code's graee of ]?e qucne, bote erchebyssop one. 
 
 Ac he feynede hym sorodel syk, &, ney }?e see to be, 
 
 lie byleuede at Douere, jyf neod were, to fle. 
 
 }?e queue, |?oru ]?e kynge's heste, 6 ybrojt was also 
 
 Fram Worwelle to Wynchestre, 7 ]?ys jngement to do. 
 
 To Seyn Swythyne's ssryne J?en wey heo nom * wel ryjt, 
 
 Gladlyche }?o heo Jmdcr com, & byleued al nygt 
 
 In wop & in orysons, J^at reu]?e yt was to se, 
 
 And euere bed ]?e holyman hyre help vorto be. 
 
 1 yf her feet be thanne saf 
 with oute Ar. * Ought, Ar. 
 i Quene her of, heo Ar. 4 The 
 tythjng here of drow. And 
 thoo the day Ar. s To see 
 
 this purgyng of the quene, saf 
 the Erchebisshop a lone Ar. 
 6 I brought forth was tho Ar. 
 v Hure purgacion to doo Ar. 
 8 Full Ar. 
 
 As
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 337 
 
 As lieo vel in a lute slep, Seyn Swythyn to hyre com. 
 
 * e Dojter," he seyde, <c be studeuast to vnderuonge j?y dom. 
 
 " Icham Swythyn, warn bou ' byst, & verjyf by sone bys dede, 
 
 " An to passy be fury yre, * nane bou non drede. 
 
 \>Q quene heo was glad, bo heo awok, of bat J>ys godemon seyde, 
 
 3 bet folc com by eke a morwe, to se bys wonder dedc, 
 An be heymen come echon, ben dom to hure sone. 
 
 An be kyng, ben dom vorto ^yue, an hey sat on hys trone. 
 Byuore hym, vorto auonge hyr dom, )?e quene me brogteal so. 
 pe kyng hyr esste sturnelyche, wer heo wolde be dom do ? 
 
 4 J?e quene wepude wel sore, be kyng ansuerede bys : 
 " Syre kyng, bou art my louerd & my sone ywys. 
 '* Ich emme bat J>e bcre, & vor J?e gronede ylome, 
 
 *' be wule ]?ou in my wombe were, & ar bou fram me come. 
 
 " A sclaundre ys vp me ybrojt of my chyldren tueye, 
 
 " Of be and Alfred ]?y broker, bat my sones were beye, 
 
 " bat ych ssolde atte rede be, }?y broker to debe brynge, 
 
 *' And J)e vorto apoysony. & jut of brydde J?ynge, 
 
 " bat ych sunne of lecherye myd Aylwyne al so, 
 
 " bat ys byssop of Wyncliestre, ssolde abbe ydo. 
 
 " Ich * clupye God to wytnesse, j?at 6 me to day yhute, 
 
 " j?at, gyf ych 7 of eny" gulty am, * bat" ych mote )?oru )>ys 
 
 fure 
 
 *' Brenne byne|)e & perysy, bat me roowe yse be wreche. 
 " An jyf ych gulteles am J?er of, bat God }?et so]?e teche. 
 
 1 Biddest, Ar. * Haue 
 
 thow no drede Ar. * The 
 
 peple Ar. 4 The quene 
 
 tienne wepyng sore, to the 
 
 kyng seide thus : Ar. * Take 
 Ar. 6 He this day hit hure, 
 Ar. ^ Desunt Ar. 8 Deest 
 
 Ar. 
 
 V D 4 ]*
 
 333 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?e quene was )?o vor]? ylad ' myd mony a wepynde eye 
 Of byssopes and of heymen, & of o)?ere ]?at yt yseye. 
 Hyre ryche clones were of ydo, bole j?at * heo was by weuet! 
 
 3 Hyre body wy)> a mantel, a wynipel aboute her heued. 
 
 )?e legges bare bynejje ])e kne, j?at me myjte eche stape yse. 
 
 Awey ! vnele bycome yt queue so bar vorto be. 
 
 Me brogte vorj) 4 ]?ys fury ssares, & leyde * ys al arewe, 
 
 4 In J>e bare er}>e ysuope, Code's grace to ssewe. 
 J>e byssopes 7 blessede ])e ssares, & ]?e quene al so, 
 
 An ladde hyre vorj? in eyj?er lialf, 8 ]>ys jugement to do. 
 }?e quene ^ojte al on God, & to heuene caste hyre eye, 
 And ne lokede no )>yng donward, &, as hii alle yseye, 
 * Heo stap vp j?ys fury yre, enerych stap al dene. 
 Nuste heo hyr sulf wanne yt was, ne bleuyte nojt ene. 
 J?er was joye & blysse y nou, & 10 mony a wepynde eye, 
 Vorst vor fere, & su}>j?e vor joye, ]?o hii ]?ys yseye. 
 )?e byssopes, ]?at hyre ladde, vor joye " wepe al so, 
 And ** herede Gal & Seyn Swythyn, fo }>ys * 3 myracle" was 
 ido, 
 
 1 With many a wepyng 
 tere Of lordes and barons, 
 and other that were there Ar. 
 'She Ar. With a light 
 mantell, and a veile a boute 
 hur hefed. Hure legges bare 
 by nethe kne, me myght see 
 
 her shappe. Selcouth thing 
 
 hit was to see a quene so bar. 
 
 fote stappe Ar. 4 Thes Ar. 
 
 s 11cm Ar. 6 Upon the 
 
 playne erthe ther, Godde's 
 Ar. "i Blessed tho the quene, 
 an prayde for hure also, Ar. 
 8 Her pro )>ys in Ar. 9 Heo 
 stapped vppon the fuyry 
 shares, harmeles al clene. 
 Herself he nust whanne hit 
 was, ne blenched heo na ene 
 Ar. I0 Many a weping eye, 
 Ar. " Wepte Ar. "He. . 
 ried Ar. 1} Deest Ar. 
 
 An
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 339 
 
 An Jackie hyre outward of j?e chyrche, )?e quene byjan lo crie : 
 
 " Vor J?e loue of Jhesu Crist, ne do]? nojt * }?e vylenye, 
 
 tf To do my penance wyjxrate, ac in alle manere, 
 
 " a As yt rne yloked war, in holy chyrche here. 
 
 " Madame," s qua}? J?e byssopes, <e ]?ou * ast ydo ywys. 
 
 " So helpe me God," qua)? ]?e quene, 5 <c ynuste nojt er }?ys. 
 
 <c No fur yne velde, nene sey in J?ysse place. 
 
 * c Bote nou ych yt verst yse, 6 yrede be Gode's grace. 
 
 " Lede|? me ]?anne to my sone, yat he mo we yse 
 
 * e My vet aboue, & eke byne]?e, were hii ywemmed be. 
 
 Jx> hii brojte hyrc to ])e kyng, J?e kyng lyggynge hii wonde, 
 
 Wepynde & open heued, to sprad al to ]>e grounde. 
 
 Hyt was longe ar he mygte speke, vor deol ]>at he made, 
 
 Atte laste he ros vp, as Ipe bissopes hym bade, 
 
 And vel to ys moder vet, adoun anon akne. 
 
 " Moder," he seyde, *' ych abbe mys ydo ajen God & ajen J?e, 
 
 * e 7 J?at Inam nojt wur]?e to be )?y sone, ac per Seynt charyte, 
 
 c Vor }>e pyte ]?at of fe Magdaleyn God adde, vorjyf yt me. 
 
 " Sone 3 ".quaJ7 hys moder |?o, " as al * f>ys men yse]?, 
 
 " God a]> vayre yssewed, J?at we gultelese b; \>. 
 
 *' Atte bygunnynge ]?eruore agen ]?e byssop ych rede 
 
 " 9 Amendement do, }?at ys gultelesse of ]?e dede. 
 
 1 This Ar. * As hit or- 
 deyned to me was, in holy 
 Ar. 5 Seide Ar. 4 Hast it 
 do er this Ar. * I nust hit 
 nat I wys. No fuyre Ich felte, 
 ne say in this like place Ar. 
 6 Heried Ar. 1 1 ne am not 
 worthy be thi sone, For 
 muche the gilte Ich haue. 
 
 For thy of God and of the 
 mercy now ich craue Ar. 
 Thes folk I seeth Ar. 
 ') Amendement let be do, that 
 gilteles is of that dede. 
 Sithen thow maiste a yenste 
 me, for ich mote be mylde, As 
 kendeliche the moder ought 
 to the childe Ar. 
 
 "And
 
 340 fcobert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " And su)>]?e ajen me J>ou myjt, vor ich mot nede be mylde, 
 
 " As kunde of moder wole & blod aen my chylde. 
 
 J>o J>e hyssop was ycome ' wepynde wel sore, 
 
 J?e kyng vel doim to hys vet, & cryde hym mylce and ore. 
 
 fe bjssop * wepynde al sd ver jaf yt hym anoa. 
 
 So J>at )?oru be kynge's bone, )?e byssopes echon, 
 
 3 Ech after o)?er, asoylede }>en kyng of ]?ys trespas 
 
 Myd jerden in bys naked rugj & J)at gret pyte was; 
 
 fre strokes ]>e modcr ekj 4 wepynde wel sore, 
 
 ef hym * to asoylyj & ne myjte vor reuj?e more. 
 
 fo custe J)e kyng 6 hys moder, & j?e hyssop su}?})e also, 
 
 And herede genie Seyn Swythyn, |?at such myracle adde ydo 
 
 )?e kyng J?o 1 myd gode herte delyuery het anon, 
 
 Bo]?e quene and hyssop, her maners echon. 
 
 Nyne touncs )>e quene anon of ]?at hyr owene was 
 
 gef ]?e house of Seyn Swythyn, vor }>ys holy cas. 
 
 And J?e byssop o]?er nyneof hys erytage ywys. 
 
 Vor he nyne fury ssares yjeue was al )>ys. 
 
 ))e kyng * confermed her maners, & hym snlf gef al so 
 
 Tueye God gode maners Seyn Swytbyn }?erto, 
 
 * Wepyng full Ar. a We. 
 pyng also for gaf him a non 
 Ar. 'Assoilled him right 
 there of his trespas With 
 yerdes on his naked rigge, 
 ]>at grete pite was Ar. 4 We- 
 pyng full Ar. * For ab- 
 solution, for rewthe sheo ne 
 myght no more Ar, 6 And 
 his moder, and the bisshoppes 
 also, And hered God and 
 
 Soynt Swethyne of this mi* 
 racle i do Ar. 7 With goude 
 hert let deliuere a non, Bothe 
 the quene and bisshop, her 
 londes every chon Ar. 8 Con- 
 fermed al this, and him self 
 yaf there to II. good Tounes 
 for that he haddemysdoo, That 
 wolde be xx. in all, hit was 
 nat lite there. Hit wolde 
 fynde the Couent wortes i 
 no we
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 341 
 
 fat wolde be tuenly vnder al, & fat nas nojt lute fere. 
 
 Vor yt wolde fynde hem lek worten y nowe by f e jere. 
 
 Vor gode f e nexte kyng Edward, fat after hyra come, 
 
 Ne gef hem nojt follyche so muche wyf ynne hys kyncdom. 
 
 fo abbey of Seyn Denys Seynt Edward jef also 
 
 fe priorye of Derheste, & londes fat f er bef ferto. 
 
 f e erchebyssop of Canterbury sory ynou was )>o, 
 
 Jw he hurde of e quene al hou yt was ygo. 
 
 Hym fo^le wel longe, ar he were ouer see^ 
 
 * And byleuede al hys byssopryche, & necome neuefe eft ae. 
 }>c quene & eke J?e byssop, J?e wule hii alyue were, 
 
 Muche honourede Seyn Swythyn fram jere to jere. 
 Hys moder wende out of }>ys lyf, Emme \>e god quene, 
 In J?e a f>ousend ger of grace & tuo & fyfty ych wene. 
 Seynt Edward huld at * Wyndelsore a uayr fcste wy^alle, 
 And as a gong man byuore * liym seniede in J>e halle 
 He spurnde myd hys on vot, fat he vel almost abrod, 
 
 * Ac he hente myd hys of>er, so J?at he abode. 
 
 J>e erl Godwyne, ]?e false man, seyde fo, " 5 j?at fe on brofef, 
 
 " As je sef, in nede help]? fere fat of er. 
 
 fo ansnerede fe *kyng & seyde, " so myjte me 
 
 " My brof er helpe, Godwyne, gyf he moste vor fe. 
 
 nowe euery yere. To the ab. 
 bey of Seynt Denys Seynt 
 Edwarde, yaf also The Pri- 
 oury of Derhurst, Ar. 
 
 1 He bilafte his bysshop- 
 riche, and neuer cam a yee 
 Ar. aWynchestre a fest 
 grete with alle Ar. Hem 
 
 Ar. 4 But >e other fote 
 him halpe, so that Ar. * 
 Ther the on brother, Ase ye 
 seith, in nede ofte helpeth the 
 other Ar. 6 Kyng, so myght 
 my brother me Ofte haue 
 holpe, and he most for the 
 Ar. 
 
 fo
 
 342 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fo was ]?ys luj?er Godwyne ' of ssamed suyj?e sore, 
 
 " Syre," he seyde, te jut me jtync]?, * J)at yuortrou J?ou art more 
 
 (t To me of ]?y broker de]?, & leuest hem ych yse, 
 
 " }mt in falsnesse ]?e tolde, ]?at ych ssolde J?y tray tor be. 
 
 <c 3 As wys derae God ]>at so)>e, J?at of ech j?yng wot endc, 
 
 " And also late J?ys mossel bred Jx>m my Jjrote wende, 
 
 44 WyJ? out harm of me, as I nadde neuere in non cas 
 
 " Gult of }>y broker de|?, ne ]>y traytor neuere I nas. 
 
 Mossel he dude in to hys mou]?, ac the kyng yt blessed er. 
 
 Hyt byleuede amydde hys J>rote, astrangled he was ryjt ]?ere, 
 
 And deyde atte borde al styf, wy]? ssendnesse inou. 
 
 Out al byne|?e ]?e borde 4 Haral hys sone hym drou. 
 
 5 A J^ousend jer in ]?e jer of grace & J?re & fyfty J?ys was. 
 
 Lute harm, j?ey ech traytor ended in such cas. 
 
 Of al hys kun in Engelond Seynt Edward nadde nogt on. 
 
 Vor hys bro]?eren were aslawe, oj?er 6 yfleynd echon. 
 
 J^eruore ]?o J>ys holy man 7 as" in to elde wende, 
 
 To j?e emperour of Rome after hys * neueu he sende 
 
 Edward, 9 Edmonde's sone Jjat was Yrene syde, 
 
 J>at hys eyr were after hym, gyf he myjte alyue abyde. 
 
 1 Ashamed Ar. * Thow 
 mystrowest me more, And put- 
 test vpon me thi brother, and 
 nelt I leue me, For all that 
 ich a quyt was by men of 
 Noblete: And also wys ne. 
 uer this morsell thourgh my 
 throte passe, As ich of thi bro- 
 ther deth never gulty nas. 
 The morsell to his mothe he 
 putte, but blessed was hit 
 tr Of a bisshop, So that ther 
 
 with a strangeled he was 
 ther. He deyde styff atte borde 
 in shamefull deth i now Ar. 
 * F. ac. 4 Harold Ar. 5 A 
 Ml. as in the yere of grase 
 and. liii. this was Ar. 6 1 
 flemed Ar. ^ Deest Ar. 8 Co- 
 syns [/. cosyn] Ar. 9 That 
 was the sone of Edmunde 
 Irenside, That he his heyre 
 M ere Ar.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 343 
 
 J?ys emperour liyra sende, myd gode lone & fre, 
 
 Edward & Agace hys wyf, & her chyldren )?re 
 
 |?e jonge " Edward Adelyng, & also Margarete, 
 
 And * Cristyne her soster, f>at god were & suete. 
 
 J?o hii come to Engelond, glad was j>e kyng Jjo, 
 
 Vor he nadde in bys fader alf kunnesmen nanmo. 
 
 ]?ys was in a ]?ousend ger & seuene & fyfty J?erto 
 
 As in ger of 5 race, }?at ]?ys dede was ydo. 
 
 Ac Edward deyde sone, & ybured was wy|? gret prute 
 
 At Seyn Poule's at Londone, as hys bones be]? jute : 
 
 And hys sone 3 Edward bote gong & tendre nas, 
 
 Jjeruore ])e kyng vor hys dej? f>e sorrore was. 
 
 4 Vor })at chyld was wel ^ong, eyr & kyng to be, 
 
 And he wuste wel, |)at in ]?e lond 5 rauche wo me ssolde y se. 
 
 And vor hys vncle in Normandye liym adde 6 yusteyned er, 
 
 J?o he was 7 fleyne & frendeles, * mo J>an j?ru(ty" jer, 
 
 He wolde, {?at hys sone sone after hyra kyng were 
 
 Wyllara due of Normandie, ryjt lawe ]?ey yt nere. 
 
 ' Vor he was in hys moder alf next of hys blod, 
 
 And j?er nas non in hys fader alf J?at ]>er to was so god. 
 
 J?er uore]?ys Wyllam bastard Engelond he byhet, 
 
 And byque)? in hys dej? vnel, ar he J>at lyf let. 
 
 1 Lege, Edgar Athelyng, 
 cum Ar. * Christiene Ar. 
 
 3 Repone, Edgar, cum Ar. 
 
 4 For his sone Edgar to 
 yonge was kyng to be Ar, 
 
 5 Muche stryf shulde be Ar. 
 
 6 Susteyned Ar. ' Fleme 
 
 Ar. 8 Negh xxx. Ar. 9 For 
 in his moder half quene Em- 
 me he was the nexte bloode, 
 And as for the londe's prough 
 him thought none so goode Ar. 
 
 And
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And J>at muche vor J>e londe's prou, vor hys neucn so gong 
 
 was. 
 
 Hou * Wyllara bastard was bygyte, Icholle telle Jmt cas. 
 Rychard due of Normandye, Erame broker be quene, 
 Adde a sone, j?at liet Roberd, J?at due was su))J>e, Ich wenc. 
 Roberd, J?ys noble due, as he wende oner loud, 
 A wel vayr mayde, as hym pogte, matresche he vond. 
 J>ys mayde hym payde &uy]pe wel, rayd god wille he liyr nonij 
 And huld byre as hys lefmon, as wo seyj> in hordom, 
 And byget on hyre j?ys Wyllam, &, vor he was so ybore 
 Out of spoushod, me cluped hym Wyllam bastard ]?eruore. 
 
 1 Metro, hac de re de$unt in 
 Ar* in quo tamen sequentia y 
 eopertinentta, narravit scrip- 
 tor prosatcusy quibus similiq 
 itidem videas tarn in Poly- 
 chronicoj quam Sf in Lelandi 
 nostri Collect. Vol. VI. p. 296. 
 After him [Richarde the Hide.'] 
 Robert his sone [was due of 
 Normandye,] a man of grete 
 worthinesse. After him Wil- 
 liam Bastard, of wham this 
 geste folweth. Robert due of 
 Normandye in a tyme as he 
 dwelled in a toune of Nor- 
 mandie, i cleped Faleys, he 
 caste his chere to a mayde in 
 the toune, that me cleped 
 Herlote. And, when sheo was 
 broughte to the duke's bedde, 
 and shulde go fherto, she toke 
 her smok a boue atte coler 
 hem, and rent hit doune to 
 the foot, and leide it a wey 
 
 fram hure. And whenne sheo 
 was esshet, why she dude soo ? 
 she answered and seide, hit 
 was uat curtasye ne reson 
 that thinges, that touched 
 her feet & hure lowe thynges, 
 shuld touche her lorde's 
 mouthe ne visage, & so thulke 
 same iiyght the due gat on 
 her William Bastard. And 
 after hure slepe sheo a woke, 
 and made a grete gronyng 
 and syghyng. So that the due 
 huryng that, esshet of hure, 
 why sheo sighed so ? And sheo 
 answered^ " Lord ich haue 
 " worderliche [/. wonderliche] 
 "imette, Me thought," quod 
 sheo, " that a gretp tree growe 
 " outp atte my wombe, and 
 (< by shadowed alle Norman. 
 " dye." And after, whenne 
 hit came to the tyme, when, 
 the childe was i bore, a non ? 
 |>ourgh
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 345 
 
 Ar J?at chyld were ybore, a wel wonder cas 
 
 |>e mocler raette by byre chyld, ]?at in hyr wombe was, 
 
 |?at hys gottes were to drawe aboute al Normandye, 
 
 And eke aboute al Engelond, fat was to sygnyfye, 
 
 fat he ssolde be due of Normandye, & kyng of Engelond, 
 
 And bothe, as yt suffe vel, holde in hys honde. 
 
 J?e chyld ek }?o yt was ybore, & to grounde com, 
 
 Out of hys moder wombe verst, bope hys honden he nom 
 
 Vol of fe poudre & of }>e erfe sturnelyche ynou, 
 
 And closedes to gader & hys fusles bo|?e adrou. 
 
 \>o was yt jugged, fat he ssolde be, wyf oute fayle, 
 
 Hardy kyng & stalwarde, & muche do of batayle. 
 
 Al yt bycom to sof e suf j?e. he bygan jong ynou, 
 
 To cufe wat he wolde be, fat so jong hys fusles adrou. 
 
 j?ourgh necgligence of women 
 attendyng a boute his moder 
 foryetyng hym, he was wal- 
 wed into the strawe that was 
 by, and had caught his. ii. 
 hondes so fulle ther of, that 
 ynnethe, with oute grete 
 harme, me myght delyuere 
 hit oute of his honde. Wher- 
 for, muche folke demed, he 
 shulde wexe to summe grete 
 auoire of worlde's ricchesse. 
 And as this childe was after 
 in norysshyng in Valeys, a 
 grete man [sic hccc concipiun- 
 tur~] of the centre, I hote 
 William Tallmage. So that 
 a burgeys, where as this 
 childe was in noryssbyngj 
 
 prayde this William to come 
 to his house, and visile his 
 lorde's sone. This William 
 Tallenage & alle his kynne 
 hadde etier i hated this 
 childe's fader and his kynne, 
 and yut not withstondyng 
 that he cam to the hous, 
 wher this childe was inne. 
 And as non as this childe, 
 that viiiic-the coude speke, 
 saugh him, sodeyneliche hit 
 gan chide towardes this 
 man, and so ferde towardes 
 him, that me toke grete hede 
 there of, supposing hit myght 
 nat be withoute grete ordi- 
 nance of God.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 fat chyld wax so wel & yfen, as seyde frerade & sybbe, 
 
 fat he wolde be a noble mon, gyf he moste lybbe. 
 
 Hys fader adde of hym eke gret joye & prys, 
 
 fat so gode sygne adde so gong, to be stalwarde & wys. 
 
 Ar he were of sene ger old. f oru out mony a lond 
 
 fe pope sende cr. v ysery toward fe holy lond. 
 
 Roberd due of Normandye fe croys nora atten ende, 
 
 And parked hym wyf of ere to fe holylonde to wende. 
 
 At Festamp, ar he wende vorf, he made al Normandye 
 
 Suerye, holde hys jong sone, as to st ygnorye. 
 
 gong due he was on pf sene jer ynnefe. 
 
 Vor fe fader ne com neuere ajen, ar be were brojt to defe. 
 
 And f ys gong chyld byleued due, & gret fyng adde an honde. 
 
 f ys was ar Seynt Edward were kyng of Engelond. 
 
 And Seynt Edward byleuede vorf myd hym, as he adde er 
 
 ydo 
 
 Myd hys fader in hys nede, & myd vys grantsyre al so. 
 feruore f o he was kyng, gret loue he gan bede 
 fys Wyllam, vor hii susteyned hym so in hys nede. 
 So fat suffe in hys elde, fo hys lyf was ney ydo, 
 As in f e jer of hys kynodom tuenty & tuo, 
 Of fe croune of Engelond he nuste wat best do, 
 Vor Edgar, hys neuen sone, wel gong was f erto 
 To be kyng of Engelond, & hys owe lyf ssogt was, 
 And he dradde of gret contek alonde vor fat cas. 
 Hym fojte to jyue Wyllam fys lond, hyt was best to do. 
 Vor he was wurfe, & of hys blod, & best yt confe wyte alsq. 
 feruor he jaf yt hym, as he byhet hym byuore, 
 And sende to hym myd fe gyfte to Normandye feruor
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 347 
 
 j?e erl Harald ]?e quene broker, as me wende, & o}>er mo. 
 Ac sojj yt ys, }>at ]?e erl Harald passede f?e see jro, 
 Wy}? gret poer & folc ynou, so j?at, as God yt wolde, 
 Wyf> wynd he was in strange londe ydryue, J>er he nolde. 
 J^erc hii were, as strange men, * grymylyche vndervonge, 
 And ynome to albe of here, & ybrojt in bendes stronge. 
 Syr Gvvy of Pountyn was hys name, ]?at hym adde in bende, 
 And askede hem gret ramson, in prison vorto wende. 
 Harald was of heye herte, & suor raj^er he wolde 
 jyue ]?e due of Normandye of hys tresor & of hys golde, 
 J?at so noble due was & god, * ]?an a such alue man as he was. 
 To j?e due he sende sone, to helpe hym in ]?at cas. 
 J>e due sende to Syr Gwy, so 3 ]?at Syr Gvvy anon 
 And adde Harald to J>e due, & hys fclawes cchon. 
 J?e due vayre hym vnderuong, & honoured hym y nou, 
 So J>at, as ryjt was, gret loue byluene * hym drou. 
 Harald, vor to paye hym wel, sende liym sone hys sonde, 
 Hou ]?e kyng hym * made after hym hys eyr of hys londe. 
 
 1 Greuyliche ynderfonge 
 In Sir Guy de Pounsoun's 
 loud, and i prisoned wonder 
 strong. And whenne they 
 hadde ther a while thus i 
 dwelte in bende, Sir Guy as- 
 ked hem Raunson grete, of 
 prison for to wende Ar. 
 Than suche half man Ar. * 
 That he a non Ladde Harolde 
 tho to him, and his felawes 
 echon Ar. 4 Hem drowgh. 
 Harold than, to queme the due, 
 gpide sone his sonde, Ar. * 
 
 VpU I. 
 
 Maked after his day heire of - 
 Engelond. And Harold swor 
 to the due, and to him fast 
 bonde, That to his by houe al 
 on he wolde kepe the londe, 
 And that the duke's doughter, 
 whenne that tyme come, That 
 yong was thoo, in foreward to 
 Avyf Harolde nome. And thus 
 Harolde was i swor to do thes 
 (hinges twoo With also gret 
 othe and bonde, as men myght 
 doo Ar.
 
 348 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And bat he wolde take bym to wyte hys lond he vnderstode 
 To hys byefbe, & bat he wolde wardeyn be hym god. 
 As strong vorewarde as hii myjte hii made & as hard, 
 And vp holy relykes Harald suor to Wyllam bastard, 
 Treulyche to wyte Engelond to hyrn, vorte he come, 
 And bat he hys one dogter to vvyue also nome, 
 bat jond was at bulke tyme, so bat bys bynges tuo 
 Wyb as gret of? he suor hym, as man myjte do. 
 bo bys vorewarde was ymad hard & strong y nou, 
 Harald toward Engelond wyj? gode loue drou. 
 ]?e kyng he tolde al ]?at cas, |>at bytuene hem was ydo, 
 Hou he wolde to Wyllam try we be, an hys dogter spousy al so. 
 ]>o was be kyng glad ynou, bat he wel to hym truste, 
 1 And bytot hyra bat lond, bat he wel to bys Wyllam yt wuste. 
 Seynt Edward wuste of hys dej?, ar he henne wende, 
 Vor Seynt Jon euuangelyst byuore longe word sende, 
 And sende hym tokne by a ryng, bat at Westmynstre jut ys, 
 J>at Seynt Edward ber byuore Seyn Jon jef ywys. 
 be kyng bo bet word hym com, & ben ryng ysey, 
 He Jonkede God bat he wuste, bat hys deb was so ney. 
 Hys gode he delde pouere men, & made hys bernes bare, 
 And hys tresorye al so god, & to God hym made al jare. 
 Glad he was of Westmynstre bat he * let hym sulf rere, 
 )?at byuore hym was ybrogt to grounde, boru lu]?er kynge 
 bat were. 
 
 1 And by toke him all the I wyst Ar. * Lette vppe a rere 
 londe, to the due that he | Ar. 
 
 Ac
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 349 
 
 Ac ' vorb cbyrche vnbalwed was, beruor hym was wo. 
 
 He bojte * lete hys halwy to mydewynter anon bo. 
 
 fey Seyn Peter hjmsulf 3 yhalwed adde er, 
 
 gut he moste efsone vor J?e nywe worke bere. 
 
 He seade after hys * baronye, at mydewynter * rayd hym to be. 
 
 bo be feste ygadered was, deol me myjte yse. 
 
 Vor bo yt ssolde raurgost be, be kyng vnelede anon. 
 
 And nabeles glad he was hym sulf, '* vor he wuste gon. 
 
 And vor joye of hys debe, & vor be heye feste also, 
 
 be trauayl he nome to hym al, bat hem wolde vane to do. 
 
 He ber be croune, & huld be deys myd ober atyl al so, 
 
 And myd gret semblaat be feste huld vorte bre dawes were 
 
 ydo. 
 
 A Seyn Jone's day he sey bat al com to god endynge, 
 He made ac conferment to Westmynstre of eche fynge, 
 |>at boru hym hem ygyue was, o|?er |?oru cny ober kynge, 
 So ]?at no kyng after hym ne dude no destour brynge. 
 be chyrche ' he let halwy as a Chyldery masse day. 
 Wei feble he was bere hym sulf, as al ^ bat folc y say. 
 In a bousend jer of grace, & syxe & syxty berto, 
 Hyt was bat bys holyman bys dede let do. 
 
 ' For the churche Ar. 
 2 To habbe halwed hur atte 
 jnidwynter thoo Ar. 3 Her 
 hadde halwed er Ar. 4 Ba- 
 rons, Ar. * Negh pro myd 
 in Ar. 6 For he wiste hoder 
 gon. yut bare he the crowne, 
 & helde the deys with other 
 a tyre also, And with gret 
 cHere iii. dayes helde his 
 
 fste so. A Seynt Johen's day, 
 of all to make good endyng, 
 He conformed by his chartre 
 in all maner thyng To West- 
 mynstre the fredomes i vsed 
 yut huder to, And ho that a 
 yenst hem ought dude, let 
 sentence ther on doo. The 
 churche he lette halwe a Chil- 
 dcrmassc day Ar. ' The Ar. 
 E E 2 J>0
 
 350 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle, 
 
 fo hyt was al wel ydo, & ybrojt to god ende, 
 
 fe kyng feble & syk ynou to hys bed gan wende. 
 
 f o was fer deol & sorwe ynou of men fat wuste fat cas, 
 
 Vor hii wuste, fit to Engelond muche wo to come was. 
 
 Worre & slagt, and ofer wo, & honger & gret wou. 
 
 fe quene vel by hym adoun, & byclupte hym vaste ynoj 
 
 Vorto hete hys coldc lymes, fat non hete ne come to, 
 
 foru hete of hyre owe body, & of hyre clofes al so. 
 
 fe kyng lay as he were ysuowe almest dawes tuo. 
 
 He gan, as he awoke of slepe, hys eyen fo vn do. 
 
 He sat ' vpard vp hys bed, hys honden held vp anhcy. 
 
 " Lonerd," he seyde, t( fat ech f yng madest queynte & sley, 
 
 *' And changest z poer & kynedoms alat f y nowe rede, 
 
 ** And rnonne's sones wrechc senst of her fader mys dede, 
 
 " gyf fy n S> f at ych nou yscy, 3 come of fy sofnesse, 
 
 c ' jet me poer yt to telle in al my feblesse, 
 
 " Vorto ssewe f y poer, fat hii fat yt ysef 
 
 " Douty f e, & of f e synne, fat hii in bef , 
 
 " Repent y mowe, & fer of hem amendy so, 
 
 " 4 fat hii ssulde hem fram fe harm, fat fou fencst hem do. 
 
 Anon as fys holymon 5 adde hys oryson y do fere, 
 
 Stalward man of speche he was, holy man as he were, 
 
 f o gan he to 6 tcllen f us : te f ulke tyme fat ych was 
 
 <c ' As man fleyne in Normandye, me com moriy god cas. 
 
 1 Upwardes on his bedde, fro the harme, that thow hem 
 
 ^r. * Power and kyngdom 
 ^tte thynp a\yne wille, And 
 maanes sonns sendest wreche 
 of his fader's ille Ar. 3 Come 
 shall of thy Ili^htwesnesse, Ar. 
 
 thenkest doo Ar. s Haddq doo 
 his prayere, Strong i now 
 his speche was Ar. 6 Segge 
 Ar. i Fleine4 man in Nor. 
 mandye, me cam Ar. 
 
 And pray the shilde hem 
 
 " Men
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 351 
 
 " Men of relygyon ych louede wel y nou, 
 " An to me hem, fat best were, ' at vore alle ofer ych droii. 
 " * An tueue holy men at vore alle ofer mest yc louede fere. 
 *' Nou wot ych wel, fat 3 mony day in heuene bofe hii were. 
 " Hii tolde me, fat" to Engelond after me ssolde come. 
 " Hii seyde me of fe wrecchede, 4 fat alonde af jare ybe. 
 *' f e wreche hyef & sone comef . & fat ssal me yse. 
 " Vor prestes, myd vnclene honde & myd lechor's mode 
 " Al soyled, sacryef Code's fless & hys blod. 
 " Ssepurdes hii 5 bet lufer, vor hii ne 6 wytef nojt 
 * ( Her ssep fram fe 7 wolues. vor be hem ybrogt 
 <f fe melke & f e wolle clene. of of er * f yng hii nolle telle. 
 * { fe ssepurdes and f e ssep 9 al so ssulle to pyne of helle* 
 <{ As god heymen of fe lond robbeors felawes bef . 
 " Pouere men, fat hii mowe ouer, hii huldef as je ysef . 
 " Nou wole vr Louerd ssake hys suerd, hys bowe ys ybend, 
 t( And I0 prest af yrnade, vortosmyte men fat bet myswende. 
 *' fo seyde ych myd drery mode, gyf hii wollef turne herfojf, 
 " An sory be, & " bete her synne, wolle vr Louerd vorjyue 
 hem 03 1 ? 
 
 1 By fore Ar. * Ac ii. 
 holy men be fore Ar. 3 Ma- 
 ny a day bothe in heuen they 
 were. And now ryght bothe 
 hii come to me, and the an. 
 gvrysses some Hii tolde me, 
 that Ar. adeo ut in Cod. 
 nostro Harleyano metrum in. 
 tegrum omittatur. 4 That 
 longe in londe hath be, Of 
 whiche the wreche hiegh faste, 
 as me shall i see. For Prestes 
 with vnclene hondes, and with 
 
 lecherous mode, All i foyled, 
 vseth to sacre Godde's flesh & 
 blode^r. 5 Beth Jr. *Ke- 
 peth Ar* ^ Wolues, to hem 
 that buthe by taught Ar. 
 8 Thynges nele I tell Ar. 
 
 9 Also bothe shulleth to Hell. 
 And also Robbers of the londe 
 high mennes felewes beth. 
 Power men, that hii mowe, 
 hii buyldeth as ye seeth Ar. 
 
 10 Redy Ar. " Let Ar. 
 
 E E 3 " fat
 
 352 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 " |>at ys vor nojt," j?e o]?er seydc, " vor }>e folke's herte ys 
 " So yharded, J?at hit be]? blynde & deue ywys, 
 ** J?at hii nolle]? non god ]?yng yhure nc yse. 
 " Jx> seyde ycb, ' wer vr Lonerd wole euere wro}> be, 
 " * Wer he nolle grace do, & be of mylce more ? 
 " VVanne J>at lond, after so grot joye, so vol wor]> of sore, 
 " Wat ende ssal ]?erof be, & \vanne eny blys, 
 " O]?er comfort, after such sor ?" ]?o seyde ]?e oj?er ]?ys : 
 if A grene wexyng tre, J?at ys fram hys more 
 tc Ismyte adoun, & J?e brede of ]>e ]?re londes })erfram ybore, 
 <c Wanne yt ys eft by hym sulae, wyjjout ech monne's rede, 
 *' Iturnd ajen to hys rygte more, ^at er was as dede, 
 * 6 And bygyn]? to blowe, & su]?)?c to bere frut, 
 tl ]?anne me may, wo yt * ysuc]?, to bote hopye gut. 
 }?o ]?e quene, & hyre broker Harald, hurde ]?ys, 
 And Roberd, }?at wardeyn was of }?e palays ywys, 
 Hii wepe, & made deol y nou, vor hii seye }?e so]?iiesse, 
 4 In wuche Iccherye & o^er synne ]?e prestes songe her masse; 
 And hou }?e heye men of ]?e lond ]?e pouere to grounde brogte, 
 J?e wreche, ]?at God wolde do, nas nojt vor nojt hii j?ojte. 
 J?e syjte bytokne]? J?us, as yt was vnderstonde: 
 J>ys tre ]?e noble kynedom bytoknej? of Engelonde. 
 ]>Q more bytoknej) ]?e ryjtc kunde, ]?at ech of cfyer come, 
 Fram kyng Alfred 5 ]>e kunde more, J?at furst was yheled at 
 Rome, 
 
 1 Whether oure Ar. 2 Whe- 
 ther he woll yet grace Ar. 
 3 Sceth, for bote Ar. 4 ow 
 
 in lecherie Ar. s The mo- 
 narke, tha anoynted was atte 
 Rome, Ar. 
 
 To
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 353 
 
 To Seynt Edwarde's fader, & to hym sulue al sa. 
 
 Ac ]>o he deyde wy]x>ute ryjt eyr, J?e wexynge was ydo, 
 
 And j?at tre ysmyte fram J>e more ouer ]>re londes brede. 
 
 Vor }?e kynges were of Engelond of vn kunde sede. 
 
 Verst Harald ]?e quene broker, & Wyllam bastard also, 
 
 And suf?]?e hys sone Wyllam, J?e rede kyng, J?erto. 
 
 Ac after |?at Wyllam, ]>e rede kyng, yssote was by cas, 
 
 And ])e gode Henry hys broker after hym kyng was, 
 
 Seynt Edwarde's nece, >at of hys fader kunde come, 
 
 And of ]?e ryjte kunde of Engelond, kyng Henry to vty ue nomc, 
 
 |?at was Mold J>e gode quene, )>at in gode tyme was ybore ; 
 
 \>o smot verst ]?ys tre agen to hys kunde more, 
 
 And Normandy J?oru ]?e kyng, & J?oru ]>e quene Engelond 
 
 Joyned were ]?o kundelyche in one monne's honde. 
 
 1 In a fosend ger of grace & syxe & syxty ryjt, 
 
 After vr suete Louerd in hys moder was alyjt. 
 
 Kyng he was ]?re & tuenty jer, & syx monies ]?erto, 
 
 And ]?re woke & syx dawes, ar hys lyf were ydo 
 
 J?o Seynt Edward adde J>ys ytold, he closedc hoj^e hys eye, 
 
 And ]?e ver]?e day of Janynere in }>ys manere gan deye. 
 
 Al J?e franchise of Engelond, & al joye & blysse, 
 
 Myd hym was vaste ybured, fo me bured hym ywys. 
 
 And J?at me vond sone afterward myd mony deluol cas. 
 
 At Westmynstre a tuelf j?e day }>ys gode man ybured was. 
 
 1 Whenne Seynt Edwarde 
 thus tolde, he gantie to close 
 his eyghe, The iiii. day of 
 Januare thenne ganne he 
 deye, In the yere of oure 
 Lorde. ML Ixvi, right After 
 
 that onre swete Lorde in his 
 moder a light. Kyng he was. 
 xxiii. yere and vi. moneths 
 ther too, And iii. wokes and 
 vi. dayes er his lyf was i doo. 
 Al the fraunchise Ar. 
 EE 4: Harald
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 HARALD bys false erl, ]>o Seynt Eilwarde dede lay, 
 
 Hym sulue he let crouny kyng Jmlke sulue day 
 
 Falslyche. vor Seynt Edward so wel to hym truste, 
 
 1 J?at he bytot hym Engelond, bat he yt wel wuste 
 
 To * Wyllammc's byofbe bastard, due of Normandye. 
 
 Ac hym sulf he made kyng 3 rnyd such trecherye. 
 
 Ac be gode tryw men of J?e loud wolde * abbe ymade kyng 
 
 e kunde eyr, be gonge chyld, Edgar AJ?elyng. 
 
 5 Wo so were next kyng bykunde, me clupej? hym A^elyng. 
 
 j^eruor me clupede hym so, vor bykunde he was next kyng. 
 
 Ac Harald made hys Avey byuorc, 6 as myd suykedom, 
 
 Myd jyftys & myd vayre byheste, & auong }?e kynedom. 
 
 So |?at somme hym chose alout, & somme hem hulde stylle, 
 
 7 And soffrede as hii nojt rie myjte al obere's wylle. 
 
 So bat Harald was kyng, to worn be hele be kynedom. 
 
 And Seynt Edwarde's syjte by hym to so]?e come. 
 
 Vor }?o bygan be wow vorst, as me myjte yse, 
 
 Jat ssolde, as Seynt Edward seyde, by )>re kynges day be. 
 
 Vor * Cosle, If arald broker, }^at he drof er in (o Flaundre 
 
 By kynge's day Edward hym sulue to gret sclaundre, 
 
 1 Thenne he by toke him 
 Ar. a \Vinrame's by hone At. 
 * With fals trechourie Ar. 
 4 Haue maked Ar. s He thai 
 were nexte kyng by kyndc, 
 Ethelyng he was, And there 
 fore me cleped hym so, for 
 nexte lieire he was Ar. 6 All 
 with swikeldom, With yeftes 
 and with faire by hestes, to 
 Tonge the kyngdom Ar. 
 
 7 And snffred thulke tyme as 
 men that myght not haue her 
 wille. So that Harolde to 
 wrothur hele helde the kyng- 
 donie, And sone, as Seynt Ed- 
 warde seide, after ward hit 
 come. And thoo by ganne the 
 wrake ferste, as all mea 
 myght i see Ar. 8 Pro Toste. 
 At in Ar. Tostyn, Harolde's. 
 He
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 355 
 
 He com anon ]?o vppen hym myd gret poer & eye, 
 
 Myd Harald ' Darfagor kyng of Nor]?wey, 
 
 And myd gret poer of NorJ?omber to Euerwyk hii com, 
 
 And rauche a folc in J?e Sou]? syde bofe slowe" & nome. 
 
 Kyng Harald com ajen hyra myd poer strong ynou. 
 
 3 Bysyde Euerwyk hys ost ajen hym he drou, 
 
 In a stude, ]?at me clupede 4 Stamford brugge J?o, 
 
 And nou me clupej? yt Batayle brugge, vor j?e batayle fat 
 
 was fo. 
 
 J?er hii smyte to gadere, & made a sory pley. 
 Vor fere was Tost aslawe, & fe kyng of Norjwey^ 
 And her syde * al byne]?e ; to ende yt com so 
 ]?at Seynt Edward byuore seyde of J?elke breJTeren tuo, 
 J?at hii ssolde to gadere fyjte, & Harald aboue be. 
 6 J)er me mygte of Jjulke word J?at so}messe yse. 
 Fram anon amorwe vorte rnyd oner none, 
 Jjo" batayle laste strong, ar 7 he were ydon, 
 J?e Englysse ouer }>e brugg droue }?e o]?er at laste. 
 Ac J?o ]?at water was bytuene, hii stode ajen vaste. 
 1 On body ]?er was of Nor]?wey, betere nas J>er non. 
 Vor he at stode vp ]?e brugg myd anax al on, 
 And drof the Englysse men agen, 9 hym ne mygte nonafstonde. 
 And slwi mo fan fourty of hem myd hys owe hondc, 
 
 1 Lege, Harfager. *Folke, 
 that hem with stode, bothe 
 slawe Ar. * A lite by side 
 Euerwik the hostes ge- 
 der drougli, Ar. 4 Stayne- 
 forde Ar. * Was all by ne- 
 thej to ende cam hit thqo 
 
 Ar. 6Ther of me myght 
 atte thulke tyme all the sothe 
 i see. Fram ernemorwe fort 
 hit was myddeouer none, 
 The Ar. 7 Hit Ar. A 
 man ther was Ar. 9 That 
 noo myght him withstande. 
 And
 
 356 
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And wuste hern so vorte after none vorte on myd gyle nome 
 
 A ssyp, & ar he were ywar vnder be brugg com, 
 
 And smot hym ar he were ywar vnder foundement lowe 
 
 Myd a sper, & so an hey, bat he deyde in a browe. 
 
 A slalwarde pece bat was, nou God cube hys soule loue. 
 
 bo bojte be Englysse vor hys deb bat hii were al aboue, 
 
 And passede be brugge anon, and slowe to grounde, 
 
 So bat be ober parlye bynebe was in astounde. 
 
 bo'' Harald ysey hys broker aslawe, ' & be kyng Arfager 
 
 Of Norbwey & her folc, he ne huld nour hys pere. 
 
 He ne geld nojt wel her mede, bat wyb hym hys fon slower, 
 
 beruore hys men )?e lasse her herte to hym drowe. 
 
 And )?at hii kudde hym aftefwarde, ajen William bastard, 
 
 a As je ssole sone yhure, vor he was euere assreward. 
 
 j\jLUCHE aj; he sorwe ybe ofte in Engelond, 
 
 3 As ge mowe here & er yhure & vnderstondej 
 
 Of mony batayle ]?at a]? ybe, & ))at men j?at lond nome ? 
 
 Verst, as je abbe)? yhurd, J?e emperours of Rome. 
 
 mowe ther of hure he after 
 [/. here after] warde Ar. 
 * As ye mowe i hure by wryt, 
 as Teh vnderstande, Of ma-; 
 ny batailles that hath i be of 
 men this londe that nome, 
 Of Giauntes ferste & Bru- 
 tonus, and suth of men of 
 Rome. Of Saxons suthe and 
 Danes thenne, and Norman- 
 nus atte laste. And yut there 
 wolle be more wrake, Icham 
 fulle sore a gaste Ar. 
 
 And slough him self fourty 
 tvith a sparthe in hande. So 
 atte laste vnder him pryuy- 
 liche on came lowe, And in 
 the foundement him smote, 
 that he deide in a throwe. 
 Then were the Englysshmen 
 aboue in lytell stounde, And 
 passed the brugge, and slowe 
 downe to grounde. Tho Ar. 
 
 1 And Harolde Herfager, 
 He toke gret pruyte ther of, 
 and helde non his pere, And 
 yelde not well Ar. 2 As ye 
 
 Sub]*
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 35? 
 
 Sujj]?e Saxons & Englysse myd batayles stronge. 
 
 Atte laste hey of Normandye, f>at maystrus bet jut here, 
 
 Wonne yt & holde}? jut, y cholle telle in wuclie manere. 
 
 I J3o Willam bastard hurde telle of Haralde's suykedhede, 
 Hou he hadde ymad hym kyng, & myd wuch fals hede. 
 Vor J>at lond hym was bytake, as hyt welle wuste, 
 
 To wyte yt to hym wel, & he wel to hyra truste. 
 As J?e hende he dude verste, & messagers hyra sende, 
 " Jat he vnderstode hyra bet hys dede vorto amende, 
 t( And jjojte on ]?e grete o]?, J?at lie hyra adde her ydo, 
 <c To wyte hyra wel Engelond, & to spouse hys dojter also, 
 *' And hulde hym J?erof vorewarde, as he by het ek |?e kynge, 
 " And bote he dude bytyme, he wolde sende hym o]?er ty]?yng 7 
 <c And seche hyra out ar tuelf monjje, & hys ryjtys wynne, 
 tf |at he ne ssolde abbe in to al Engelond, &erne to wyte hym. 
 Harald hym sende word, " ]?at folye yt was to truste 
 " To such ojj, J>at was ydo myd strengjje, as he wel wuste. 
 " Vor gyf a mayde treu]?e plyjte, to do a fole dede 
 " Al one priuylyche, wyj? out hyre frendcs rede, 
 {< jmlke vorewarde ys vor nojt. & wat loker yt ajte her,- 
 <c J)at ych suor anoj?, }?at was ]>o al in }>y poer, 
 << \VyJ7oute consel of al ]?e londe, of ^yng ]?at rayn nojt nas ? 
 <f J?eruor ned o}> ysuore, nede y broke was. 
 " And jyf |?ou me wolt seche in Engelond, ne be )K>U no so- 
 sturne 
 
 II Syker J?ou nc ssalt me fynde in none hurne. 
 
 1 Hie perplura prosaice ha. I nimirum metris in codem 
 lentur in Ai\ haud panels ' prtetermissis. 
 
 V*
 
 358 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J>o Willam liurde, J?at he wolde susteny hys trecherye, 
 
 He let of sende hys knyjtes of al Normandye, 
 
 To eonseyly hym in J?ys cas, & to helpe hym in suche nede, 
 
 And he gan of her porchas largelyche hem bede, 
 
 As hii founde suJ>J>e in Eugelond, f>o yt ywonne was, 
 
 j)e betere was toward hym her herte vor ]?ys cas. 
 
 fe due Wyllam hys wylle among hem alle seyde, 
 
 J>at four }?ynges hym made mest bygynne ]>ulke dede. 
 
 Vor Godewyne, Haralde's fader, to de]?e let do 
 
 So vyllyche Alfred, hys cosyn, & hys felawes also. 
 
 And vor Harald adde hys oj) ybroke, |>at he suor myd hys 
 
 ryjt honde, 
 
 J?at he wolde to hys byoff?e wytye Engelond. 
 And vor Seynt Edward hym gef Engelond al so. 
 And vor he was next of hys blotl, & best wur)?e J>erto, 
 And vor Harald nadde non ryjt bote in falshede. 
 J>es |?ynges hym made mest bygynne )?ys dede. 
 And vor he wolde, at all men yseye hys try wede, 
 To }>e pope Al j sander he sende in such cas hym to rede. 
 Haralde's falshede J?o j?e pope ysey ]?ere, 
 And perauentere me hym tolde more ]?at so)? were> 
 }?e pope asoyled & blessed Wyllam & al hys, 
 J>at into Jys batayle myd hym ssolde ywys, 
 And halewede hys baner, ]?at men at vore hym bere. 
 was he & al hys gladdore J?an hii er were. 
 So J?at Jpys due adde agen heruest al jare 
 Hys barons & hys knyjtes, myd hym vorto fare. 
 To ]?e hauene of Seyn Walry ]>e due wende jx> 
 Myd J>e men J>at he haddc, & abyde mo. 
 
 After
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 359 
 
 After heruest ]?o her ssyppes & al hii preste were, 
 
 And wynd hem corn after wylle, her seyles hii gon rere, 
 
 And hyderwarde in ]?e se wel glad |?en wey nome. 
 
 So J?at bysyde Hastynges to Engelond hii come, 
 
 Hem Jtojte, ]?o hii come alond, J?at al was in her honde. 
 
 At see sone as J>e due Wyllam hys fot sette alonde, 
 
 On of hys knygtes gradde, <* holde vaste Wyllam nou 
 
 " Engelond, vor )>er nys non kyng bote J>ou. 
 
 " Vor syker }>ou be, Engelond ys nou J?yn ywys. 
 
 J?e due Wyllam anon verbed al hys, 
 
 ]7at none nere so wod, to robby, ne no manere harm do J)ere 
 
 Vpe }>e lond, ]?at bys was, bote hem ]?at ajen hym were, 
 
 And an fourty nyjt hy byleuede ]?ere aboute, 
 
 And conseylede of batayle, & ordeynd her route, 
 
 Kyng Harald sat glad ynou at Euerwyke atte mete, 
 
 So ]?at ]?er come a messager, ar he adde y jete, 
 
 And seyde, |>at due Wyllam to Hastynges was ycome, 
 
 And hys baner adde yrerd, & ]?e contreye al ynome. 
 
 Harald, a man wyj? gret herte corageus y nou, 
 
 As he of non man ne tolde, jmderwarde vaste drou. 
 
 He ne let nogt clupye al hys folc, so wyllefol he was, 
 
 And al vor in }?e ofer batayle hym vel so vayr cas. 
 
 J?o J?e due Wyllam wuste, }>at he was ycome ney, 
 
 A monek he sende hym in message, & dude as J?e sley, 
 
 jjat lond, ]?at hym was ygyue, J?at he ssolde yt vp jelde, 
 
 OJ?er come, & dere em ]?e ryjt myd suerd in J?e velde. 
 
 ^yf he seyde, |?at he nadde non ryjt ]jerto, 
 
 J?at vp J>e pope lokynge of Rome he ssolde yt do, 
 
 Aod
 
 .360 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And he wolde ferto stonde, al clene wyfoute fygte, 
 
 "Wer Seynt Edward yt hym jef, & wer he adde f erto ryjt. 
 
 Harald sende hym word agen, fat he nolde hym take non lond, 
 
 Ne non lokynge of Rome, bote suord & ryjt honde. 
 
 fo yt ofer ne myjte be, eyfer in hys syde 
 
 Conseylede and parked hem, batayle vorto abyde. 
 
 fe Englysse al f e nyjt byuore vaste bygon to synge, 
 
 And spende al fe nyjt in glotonye & in dryngynge. 
 
 |>e Normans ne dude nojt so, ac liii cryde on God vaste, 
 
 And ssryue hem ech after o)?er, |?e wule ]?e nygt ylaste, 
 
 And amorwe hem lete asely wy|? mylde herte ynou. 
 
 And suJ7]?e }?e due wy|? hys ost toward ]?e batayle drou, 
 
 An stounde lie gan abyde, & hys knyjtes rede. 
 
 " je knyjtes," he seyde, tc }?at bet of so noble dede 
 
 <{ ]?at nere neuere ouercome, ne goure elderne na]?emo, 
 
 <{ Understondej? of ]?e kyng of France J?at joure elderne dude 
 
 wo, 
 
 " Hou my fader in Parus amydde hys kynedom, 
 " Myd prowesse of goure faderes myd streng]?e hym ouercome, 
 " VnderstondeJ) hou joure elderne ]?e kyng nome al so, 
 <k And helde hym vorte he adde amended ]?at he adde mys do, 
 " And Rychard, J?at was }>o a chyld, hii gelde Normandye, 
 * c ]?at was due her byuore, & io suclie maystrie, 
 c< Jiat at eche parlement, ]?at he in France were, 
 *' fat he were ygurd wy)> a suerd, }?e wule J?at he leuede j?ere a 
 <{ ])at |?e kyng of France ne hys so hardy were, 
 "fat atte parlement kuyf ne suerd be re. 
 ^ Vnderstounde)) eke j?e dedes, |?at fulke Rychard dude al so, 
 ^ fat he ne ouercome nogt kynges alone, ac jut more ferto.
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 361 
 
 ?' Ac he ouercom }?e deuel, & adoun hym caste 
 
 " To gadere as hii wrastled, & bond hys honden vaste 
 
 (l By hynde at hys rugge. of such prowesse ge ])enche, 
 
 c< Ne ssame je nojt J?at Harald, ]?at euere was of lu]?er wrenche, 
 
 " An byuore 3011 was versuore, J>at he wole myd hys tayle 
 
 " Turne hys wombe toward vs, & hys face in batayle. 
 
 ^ Vnderstonde]? J?e suykedom, ]?at hys fader and he wrojte, 
 
 " And hii J?at myd hym be)?, ])o hii to de]?e brojte 
 
 " So vyllyche Alfred my cosyn, & joure kunes men also. 
 
 " Hou myjte in eny wyse more ssame be do? 
 
 " Monye, J?at dude Jmlke dede, je mowe here to day ysey. 
 
 tc Hou longe ssolle her lu|)er heued aboue her ssoldren be ? 
 
 * { Adrawe]? joure suerdes, & lokej? wo may do best, 
 
 .'* )?at me se joure prowesse fram )?e Est to }>e West. 
 
 " Wote awrete ]?at gentyl blod, ]?at so vyllyche was ynoine 
 
 -" Of houre kunes men. yor we mowe wel. vr tyrne ys noil 
 
 ycome. 
 
 J?e due nadde nojt al ysed, ]?at myd ernest gret 
 As ys folc wel atyled to J?e batayle sscet. 
 A sueyn, }?at het Taylefer, smot vor]? byuore {>ere, 
 And slou anon a Englysse man, |?at a baner bere, 
 And efsone anoj?er baneur, & fe |?rydde almost al so, 
 Ac hym sulf he was aslawe, ar Ipe dede were ydo. 
 j?e furst ende of hys ost byuore Harald myd such gynne 
 So J>ycke sette, )?at non man ne myjte come wy)>ynne, 
 Wy)? stronge targes hem byuore, ]?at archers ne dude hem nojt, 
 So ]?at Normans were ney to grounde ybrogt. 
 Wyllam by^ojte an queintyse, & bygan to fle vaste, 
 And hys folc yor{? wyj? hym, as hii were agaste, 
 
 And
 
 362 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 And flowe ouer a longe dale, & so vp an hey. 
 
 J?e Englysse ost was prout ynou, ]?o hii j?ys ysey, 
 
 An bygonne hem to sprede, & after J>en wey nome. 
 
 e Normans were aboue J?e doune, ]?e oj>ere vpard come, 
 
 And byturnde hem aboue al heselyche, as yt wold be adon- 
 
 ward. 
 
 And o|?er byuore ne mygte nogt so quiclyche vpard. 
 And hii were byuore al to sprad, J?at ne mygte bytuene hem 
 
 wende. 
 
 J?e Normans were so wel porueyd aboute in ech ende, 
 And stones adonward slonge vp hem y nowe, 
 And myd speres & myd flon vaste of hem slowe, 
 And myd suerd & myd ax. vor hii, J?at vpard nome, 
 Ne myjte non wylle abbe of dunt, as hii j?at donward come, 
 And her vantwarde was to broke, jxtt ne mygte wy^ynno 
 
 hem wende, 
 
 So }?at J?e Normans vaste slowe in eche ende. 
 Of Englysse al vor nogt ]?at valeye was ney 
 As hcye yfuld myd dedemen, as j?e doune an hey. 
 }>c ssetares donward al uor nojt vaste slowe to grounde, 
 So }?at Harald )?oru ]?e neye yssotte was dele's wounde. 
 And a knygt ]?at ysey, ]?at he was to grounde ybrojte, 
 And smotj as he lay bynej>e, & slou as vor nojt. 
 Fram J?at yt was amorwe ]?e batayle ylaste strong 
 Vorte yt was ney myd ouernon, & ]>at was samdel long. 
 Mony was J?e gode dunt, ]?at due W) 11am gef aday. 
 Vor J)re stedes he slou vnder hym, as muche folc ysay 
 Ver pryked, & ver arnd about, & ver wounded also, 
 And debrysed ajen dedemen, ar j^e batayle were ydo. 
 
 An4
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 363 
 
 And jut was Wyllam's grace f ulke day so gode, 
 fat he nadde no wounde, war f oru he ssedde an drop blod. 
 f us, lo ! ]>e Englysse vole vor najt to grounde corae 
 Vor a fals kyng, fat nadde non rygt to fe kynedom, 
 And come to a nywe louerd, fat more in ryjte was. 
 Ac her nof er, as me may ysey, in pur rygt nas. 
 And f us was in Normannes hond fat lond ybrojt ywys, 
 fat anaunter gyf euermo keuerynge fereof ys. 
 Of fe Normannes bef f ys hey men, fat bef of fys lond, 
 And f e lowe men of Saxons, as ych vnderstonde. 
 So fat ge sef in eyj?er syde wat ryjte je abbef f erto, 
 As ych vnderstondej fat yt was foru Code's wylle ydo. 
 Vor f e wule f e men of fys lond pur hef ene were, 
 Non lond, ne no folc agen hem in armys nere. 
 Ac nou suff e fat f et folc auong Cristendom, 
 And wel lute wule hii hulde f e byheste, fat hii nome, 
 And turnede to sleuf e, & to prute, & to lecherye, 
 To glotonye, & heye men muche to robberye, 
 As fe gostes in a uysyon to Seynt Edward seyde, 
 Wu f er ssolde in Engelond come such wrecchede, 
 Yor robberye of hey men, vor clerken hordom, 
 Hou God wolde sorwe sende in fys kynedom. 
 Bytuene Myhelmasse & Seynt Luc, a Seyri Calyxte's day, 
 As vel in f ulke gere in a Sater day, 
 Jn f e jere of Grace, as yt vel al so, 
 A fousend & syxe & syxly, fys batayle was y do. 
 And due Wyllam was fo old nyne & f rytty jer. 
 And on & f rytty jer he was of Normandye due er. 
 Vol.1. FF to
 
 Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle. 
 
 J?o J>ys batayle was ydo, due Wyllam let brynge 
 
 Vayre hys folc, J?at was aslawe, anerj?e ]?oru alle J>ynge. 
 
 Alle Jat wolde leue he jaf, J>at hys fon anerj?e brojte. 
 
 Haralde's raoder vor hyr sone wel jerne hym bysojte 
 
 By messagers, & largelyche hym bed of hyr )>ynge, 
 
 To grante hyre sone body anerj?e vorto brynge. 
 
 Wyllam y t sende h yr vayre y nou , wy]?oute eny ]>y nge waruore : 
 
 So J?at yt was ]?oru hyre wy}> gret honour ybore 
 
 To )>e hous of Waltam, & ybrogt aner]?e ]?ere, 
 
 In ]?e holy rode chyrche, J)at he let hym sulf rere, 
 
 An hous of relygyon, of canons ywys. 
 
 It was vayre anerjre ybrojt, as yt jut ys. 
 
 Wyllam, ]?ys noble due, ]x> he adde ydo al J?ys, 
 
 ]?en wey he nome to Londone he & al hys, 
 
 As kyng & prince of lend, wyj? nobleye ynou. 
 
 Ajen hym wyj? vayre processyon J>at folc of toun drou 
 
 And vnderubnge hym vayre y nou, as kyng of f>ys lond. 
 
 J>us come, lo ! Engelond into Normannes honde. 
 
 And J?e Normans ne cou]?e speke Jx> bote her owe speche, 
 
 And speke French as dude atom, & here chyldren dude al$o 
 
 teche. 
 
 So J?at heymen of J?ys lond, J?at of her blod come, 
 Holdejj alle Jmlke speche, ]?at hii of hem nome. 
 Vor bote a man couj>e French, me tolj? of hym wel lute. 
 Ac lowe men holdej? to Englyss, & to her kunde speche jute. 
 Ich wene J>er ne be man in world contreyes none, 
 )>at ne holdej? to her kunde speche, bote Engelond one. 
 Ac wel me wot vorto conne bothe wel yt ys, 
 Vor \>e more }?at a man con, ]>c more worj? he ys. 
 
 RO- 
 
 Printed by Mcrcier and Chervet, 
 No. 3?, Little Bartholomew Close, London.
 
 SOU7 ~N BRANCH, 
 
 IMINIVEBShV t:F CALIFORNIA, 
 
 LIBRARY, 
 
 LOS ANGtLi :..S. CALIF.
 
 University of California 
 
 SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 Return this material to the library 
 
 from which it was borrowed. 
 
 SEP
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY