Soche werkys new fche wroght, Neythyr in dede, nor in thoght, Save a rynge fo free, To the erle of Tullous fche gafe hyt wyth wynne, Yn efe of hym, and for no fynne, In fchryfte thus tolde fche me. The erle fayde, Syth hyt ys foo, That boght hur wyth hys bloode! Hyt myght be for youre gode. The abbot feyde, be bokes fele, And be hys profesfyon, that he wolde hele, rynge, And ellys he were wode. Y am comyn, lefe fyr, To take the batayle for hyr, 1030 1040 There to ftonde wyth ryght. But fyrfte myselfe y wole hur fchryve, Then wyll my herte be lyght. Let dyght me in monkys wede, To that place that men fchulde hyr lede, To dethe to be dyght; When y have schrevyn hyr wythowt fayle,.. For hur y wyll take batayle, As y am trewe knyght." The abbot was never fo gladd, Nere for yoye he waxe madd, The erle can he kyffe; They made meré, and flewe care, All that fevenyght he dwellyd thare, Yn myrthe wythowt myffe. That day that the lady fchulde be brent. The erle wyth the abbot wente, In monkys wede, y wys; To the emperour he knelyd blyve, He examyned hur wyttyrly, Sche feyde, Be hym that dyed on tree, Wherefore y fchulde be spylte; 1050 1060 Save oonys, wythowte lefynge, To the erle of Tollous y gafe a rynge; 1070 Asfoyle me yf thou wylte; But thus my destanye is comyn to ende, The erle asfoyled hur wyth hys honde, Ye that have accufed thys lady gente, That oon knyght made a rees, Thou carle monke, wyth all thy gynne, Thowe youre abbot be of her kynne, Hur forowe fchalt thou not cees; Ryght fo thou woldest sayne, Thowe all youre covent had be hyr layn, So are ye lythyr and lecs. The erle anfweryd, wyth wordys free, Syr, that oon y trowe thou bee Thys lady accufed has; Thowe we be men of relygyon, Thou fchalt do us but refon, For all the fare thou mas. 1080 1090 Y prove on hur thou fayft not ryght, Lo here my glove wyth the to fyght, Os falfe men y fchall yow kenne, All that ftoden in that place Wythowte any fayle. The two knyghtys were full wrothe, A He fchulde be dedd they fwere grete othe: But hyt myght not avayle. The erle wente there-besyde, And armyd hym wyth mekyll pryde, Hys enemyes to asfayle; Manly when they togedur mett, They hewe thorow helme and bafenet, They redyn togedur wythowt lakk, That othyr faylyd thoo; The erle fmote hym wyth hys fpere, 1100 1110 That fawe that odyr, and fafte can flee, And wroght hym mekyll woo. He myght not fle hym froo. Before the emperour they wente, He feyde, We thoght hur to spylle, That worthy ys in wonnys. The erle anfweryd hym then, Therfore, traytours, ye fchall brenne Yn thys fyre, bothe at onys. The erle anon hym hente, And in the fyre he them brente, Flefche, felle, and boonys. When they were brent bothe twoo, The erle prevely can goo To that ryche abbaye, Wyth yoye and procesfyon They fett the lady into the towne, Wyth myrthe, os y telle may. 1120 1130 1140 |