The Siege of Jerusalem
Compiled by Hoyt Duggan. Transcribed from: The siege of Jerusalem: edited from MS. Laud. Misc. 656 with variants from all other extant MSS. by E. Kolbing and Mabel Day. London : Published for the Early English Text Society by the Oxford University Press, 1932.
"This text has not been carefully proofread. I have from time to time, especially in ll. 200-600, a section prepared separately from the portions in lower case, emended from the manuscripts against the Day-Kolbing edition."
1400
SJerus
In Tiberyus tyme &t;e trewe emperour
Sir Sesar hym sulf seysed in Rome
Whyle Pylat was prouost vnder &t;at prince riche
& Iewen iustice also in Judeus londis
Herodes vnder his emperie as heritage wolde
Kyng of Galile ycalled whan &t;at Crist deyed
&T;ey Sesar sakles wer &t;at oft synne hatide
&T;row Pylat pyned he was & put on &t;e rode
A pyler py&y;t was doun vpon &t;e playn er&t;e
His body bonden &t;er to beten with scourgis
Whyppes of quyrboyle by-wente his white sides
Til he al on rede blode ran as rayn [i]n &t;e strete
Su&t; stoked hym on a stole with styf Mannes hondis
Blyndfelled hym as a be & boffetis hym ra&y;te
&Y;if &t;ou be prophete of pris prophecie &t;ey sayde
Whiche [beryn] her aboute bolled &t;e laste
A &t;range &t;ornen croune was &t;raste on his hed
Vmbe-casten hym with a cry & on a croys slowen
For al &t;e harme &t;at he hadde hasted he no&y;t
On hem &t;e vyleny to venge &t;at his veynys brosten
Bot ay taried ouer &t;e tyme &y;if &t;ey tourne wolde
&Y;af hem space &t;at hym spilide &t;ey hit spedde lyte
Forty wynter as y fynde & no fewer &y;yrys
Or princes presed in hem &t;at hym to pyne wro&y;t
Til hit tydde on a tyme &t;at Tytus of Rome
&T;at alle Gascoyne gate & Gyan &t;e noble
Whyle noye noyet hym in Neroes tyme
He hadde a malady vn-meke a-myd[dis] &t;e face
&T;e lyppe ly&t; on a lumpe lyuered on &t;e cheke
So a canker vnclene hit cloched to gedres
Also his fader of flesche is ferly bytide
A biker of waspen bees bredde on his nose
Hyued vpon his hed he hadde hem of &y;ou&t;e
And Waspasian was caled &t;e waspene bees after
Was neuer syknes sorer &t;an &t;is sir &t;oled
For in a liter he lay laser at Rome
Out of Galace was gon to glade hym a stounde
For in &t;at cu&t;e he was kyng &t;ey he car &t;olede
Nas &t;er no leche vpon lyue &t;is lordes cou&t; helpe
Ne no grace growyng to gayne her grym sores
Now was &t;er on N[a]than Neymes sone of Grec[e]
&T;at sou&y;t oft ouer &t;e se fram cyte to o&t;er
Knewe contreys fele kyngdomes manye
& was a marener myche & marchaunt bo&t;e
Sensceus out of Surye sent hym to Rome
To &t;e athel Emperour an eraunde fram &t;e Jewes
Caled Nero by name &t;at hym to noye wro&y;t
Of his tribute to telle &t;at &t;ey withtake wolde
Nathan toward Nero nome on his way
Ouer &t;e Grekys grounde myd &t;e grym y&t;es
An heye sette&t; &t;e sayl ouer &t;e [salte] water
& with a dromound on &t;e deep drof on faste
&T;e wolco[n] wanned anon & &t;e water skewe&t;
Cloudes clateren gon as &t;ey cleue wolde
&T;e racke myd a rede wynde roos on &t;e myddel
& sone sette on &t;e se out of &t;e sou&t; syde
Blewe on &t;e brode se bolned vp harde
Nathannys naue a-non on [&t;e] nor&t; dryue&t;
So &t;e wedour & &t;e wynd on &t;e water metyn
&T;at alle hurtled on an hepe &t;at &t;e helm &y;emyd
Nathan flatte for ferde & ful vnder hacchys
Lete &t;e wedour & &t;e wynde wor&t;e as hit lyked
&T;e schip scher vpon schore schot froward Rome
Toward vncou&t; costes keuere&t; &t;e y&t;es
Rapis vnradly vmbe ragged tourres
&T;e brode sail at o brayd to-breste&t; a twynne
&T;at on ende of &t;e sschip was ay toward heuen
&T;at o&t;er doun in &t;e deep as alle drenche wolde
Ouer wilde wawes he wende as alle walte scholde
St[a]rke stremes &t;row yn stormes & wyndes
With mychel langour atte laste as our lord wolde
Alle was born at a by[rre] to Burdewes hauene
By &t;at wer bernes atte banke barouns & kny&y;tes
& [citezeins] of &t;e sy&y;t selcou&t; [hem] &t;o&y;t
&T;at euer barge o&t;er bot or berne vpon lyue
Vnpersched passed hadde &t;e peryles wer so many
&T;ey token hym to Titus for he &t;e tonge cou&t;e
& he [hem] fraynes how fer &t;e flode hadde yferked
Sir out of Surre he seide y am come
To Nero sondis-man sent &t;e [seygnour] of Rome
Ffram Sensceus his seriant with certayn leteres
&T;at is iustise & iuge of Jewen lawe
Me wer leuer at &t;at londe le[ngede] &t;at y wer
&T;an alle &t;e gold o&t;er good &t;at euer god made
&T;e kyng in to conseyl calle&t; hym sone
& saide Canste &t;ou any cur or craft vpon er&t;e
To softe &t;e grete sore &t;at sitte&t; on my cheke
& y schal &t;e redly rewarde & to Rome sende
Nathan nyckes hym with nay sayde he non cou&t;e
Bot wer &t;ou kyng in &t;at ku&t;&t;e &t;er &t;at Crist deyed
&T;er is a worlich wif a womman ful clene
&T;at ha&t; softyng & salue for eche sore out
Telle me tyt quo&t; Titus & &t;e schal tyde better
What medecyn is most &t;at &t;at may vse&t;
Whe&t;er gommes o&t;er graces or any goode drenches
O&t;er chauntementes or charmes y charge &t;e to say
Nay non of &t;o quo&t; Nathan bot now wole y [telle]
&T;er was a lede in our londe while he lif hadde
Preued for a prophete &t;row preysed dedes
& born in Bethleem one by of a burde schene
& &y;o a mayde vnmarred &t;at neuer man touched
As clene as clef &t;er cristalle sprynges
Without hosebondes helpe saue &t;e holy goste
A kyng & a knaue child &y;o conceyued at ere
A touche of &t;e trinyte touched hir hadde
&T;re persones in o place preued to gedres
Eche grayn is o god & o god bot alle
& alle &t;re ben bot one as eldres vs tellen
&T;e first is &t;e fader &t;at fourmed was neuer
&T;e secunde is &t;e sone of his sede growyn
&T;e &t;ridde in heuen myd hem is &t;e holy goste
Ne&t;er merked ne made bot mene fram hem passy&t;
Alle ben &t;ey endeles & euer of o my&y;t
& weren endeles euer [er] &t;e world was bygonne
As sone was &t;e sone as &t;e self fader
&T;e holy goste with hem hadde &t;ey euer
&T;e secunde persone &t;e sone sent was to er&t;e
To take careynes kynde of a clene mayde
& so vnknowen he came caytifes to helpe
& wro&y;t wondres ynowe ay tille he wo driede
Wyne he wro&y;t of water at o word ene
Ten lasares at a logge he leched at enys
Pyned myd p[ar]il[sye] he putte to hele
& ded men fro &t;e de&t; eche day rered
Croked & cancred he keuered hem alle
Bo&t; &t;e dombe & &t;e deue myd his der wordes
Dide myracles mo &t;an y in mynde haue
Nis no clerk with countours cou&t;e aluendel rekene
Fyf &t;ousand of folke is ferr to here
With two fisches he fedde & fif ber loues
&T;at eche freke hadde his fulle & &y;it ferre leued
Of brede & of broken mete bascketes twelue
&T;er suwed hym out of an cite [seuenty] & twey
To do what he dempte disciples wer hoten
Hem to citees he sende his sawes to preche
Ay by two & by two til hy wer a-twynne
Hym suwed of an-o&t;er cite semeliche twelue
Pore men & no&y;t prute aposteles wer hoten
&T;at of cay[ti]fes he ches holy churche to encresche
&T;e out-wale of &t;is worlde &t;is wer her names
Peter James & Jon & Jacob &t;e fer&t;e
& &t;e fif&t;e of his felawys Phelip was hoten
&T;e sixte Symond was caled & &t;e seue&t; eke
Bertholomewe &t;at his bone neuer breke nolde
&T;e ey&y;t man was Mathu &t;at is myche yloued
Tadde & Tomas her ben ten euen
& Andreu &t;e elleue&t; &t;at auntred hym myche
Byfor princes to preche was Petrus bro&t;er
&T;e laste man was vnlele & lu&t;er of his dedis
Judas &t;at Jesu Crist to &t;e Jewes solde
Su&t; hymsulf he slowe for sorow of &t;at dede
His body on a balwe tree to-breste on &t;e myddel
Whan Crist hadde heried helle & was [to] heuen passed
For &t;at mansed man Mathie &t;ey chossyn
&Y;it vnbaptized wer bo&t;e Barnabe & Poule
& no&y;t knewen of Crist bot comen sone after
&T;e princes & &t;e prelates a&y;en &t;e paske tyme
Alle &t;ei hadde hym in hate for his holy werkes
Hit was a doylful dede whan &t;ey his de&t; caste
&T;row Pilat pyned he was &t;e prouost of Rome
& &t;at worliche wif &t;at arst was ynempned
Ha&t; his visage in hir veil Veronyk &y;o hatte
Peynted priuely & playn &t;at no poynt wante&t;
For loue he left hit hir til hir lyues ende
&T;er is no gome [o]n &t;is [grounde] &t;at is grym wounded
Meselry ne meschef ne man vpon er&t;e
&T;at knele&t; doun to &t;at clo&t; & on Crist leue&t;
Bot alle hapne&t; to hele in [ane] hand whyle
At Rome reyned &t;e emperour quo&t; &t;e kyng riche &t;an
Cesar synful wrecche &t;at sent hym fram Rome
Why nadde &t;y lycam be leyd low vnder er&t;e
Whan Pilat prouost was made suche a prince to jugge
& or &t;is wordes wer [wel] wonne to &t;e ende
&T;e canker &t;at &t;e kyng hadde clenly was heled
With out faute &t;e face of flesche & of hyde
As newe as &t;e nebbe &t;at neuer was wemmyd
A corteys Crist seide &t;e kyng riche &t;an
Was neuer worke &t;at y wro&y;t wor&t;y &t;e to telle
Ne dede &t;at y haue don bot &t;y de&t; mened
Ne neuer sey &t;e in si&y;t goddis sone der
Bot now [be] bayne [to] my bone blessed lord
To stire Nero with noye & newen his sorowe
& y schal buske me boun hem bale to wyrche
To do &t;e deueles of dawe & &t;y de&t; venge
Telle me tit quo&t; Titus what tokne he lafte
To hem &t;at knew hym for Crist & his crafte leued
Nempne &t;e trinyte by name quo&t; Nathan at &t;ries
& &t;er myd baptemed be in blessed water
For&t; &t;ey fetten a font & foulled hym &t;er
Made hym cristen kyng &t;at for Crist werred
Corrours in to eche coste &t;an &t;e cours nomen
& alle his baronage bro&y;t to Burdewes hauen
Su&t; with &t;e sondes-man he [s]ou&y;t to Rome
&T;e ferly & &t;e fair cure his fader to schewe
& he gronnand glad grete god &t;anked
& loude criande on Crist carped & saide
Wor&t;y wemlese God in whom y byleue
[Als] &t;ou in Bethleem was born of a bry&y;t mayde
Sende me hele of my hurt & heyly y a-fowe
To be ded for &t;y de&t; bot hit be der &y;olden
&T;at tyme peter was pope & preched in rome
&T;e lawe & &t;e lore &t;at our byleue aske&t;
Folowed faste on &t;e folke & to &t;e fay&t; tourned
& crist wro&y;t for &t;at wye wondres ynow
&T;er of waspasian was war &t;at &t;e waspys hadde
Sone sende&t; hym to & &t;e so&t;e tolde
Of crist & &t;e kerchef &t;at keuered &t;e sike
As nathan neymes sone seide &t;at [was to nero] come
&T;an to consayl was called &t;e kny&y;tes of rome
& assenteden sone to sende messages
Twenti kny&y;tes wer cud &t;e ker[ch]yf to fecche
& asked trewes of &t;e emperour &t;at erand to done
Ac without tribute or trewes tenfulle wyes
&T;e kny&y;tes with &t;e kerchef comen ful blyue
&T;e pope &y;af pardoun to hem &t;at passed &t;er a&y;ens
With processioun & pres princes & dukes
& whan &t;e womman was war &t;at &t;e wede owede
[of] seint peter &t;e pope &y;o platte to &t;e grounde
Vmbefelde his fete & to &t;e freke saide
Of &t;is kerchef & my cors &t;e kepyng y &t;e take
&T;an bygan &t;e burne biterly to wepe
For &t;e doylful de&t; of his der mayster
& longe stode in &t;e stede or he stynte my&y;t
Whan he vnclosed &t;e clo&t;e &t;at cristes body touched
&T;e wede fram &t;e womman [he] warpe atte laste
Receyued hit myd reuerence & rennande teris
Out of &t;e place myd pres &t;ey passed on swy&t;e
& ay held hit on hey &t;at alle byhold my&y;t
&T;an twelf barouns bolde &t;e emperour bade wende
& &t;e pope departe fram &t;e pople faste
Veronyk & &t;e vail waspasian &t;ey bro&y;t
& seint peter &t;e pope presented bo&t;e
Bot a ferly byfelle for&t; myd hem alle
In her temple bytidde tenful &t;ynges
&T;e mahound & &t;e mametes tomortled to peces
& al tocrased as &t;e clo&t; &t;ro&y; &t;e kirke passed
Into &t;e palice with &t;e printe &t;an &t;e pope &y;ede
Kny&y;tes kepten &t;e clo&t;e & on knees fallen
A flauour flambe&t; &t;er fro &t;ey felleden hit alle
Was neuer odour ne eyr vpon er&t;e swetter
&T;e kerchef clansed hit self & so cler wexed
My&y;t no lede on hit loke for li&y;t &t;at hit schewed
As hit aproched to &t;e prince he put vp his hed
For comfort of &t;e clo&t; he cried wel loude
Lo lordlynges her &t;e lyknesse of crist
Of whom my botnyng y bidde for his bitter woundis
&T;an was wepyng & wo & wryngyng of hondis
With loude dyn & dit for doil of hym one
&T;e pope availed &t;e vaile & his visage touched
&T;e body su&t; al aboute blessed hit &t;rye
&T;e waspys wenten away & alle &t;e wo after
&T;at er lasar was longe ly&y;tter was neuere
&T;an was pypyng & play his pyne was awey
&T;ey &y;elden grace to god &t;is two grete lordes
&T;e kerchef arie&t; fram alle & in &t;e eyr hangy&t;
&T;at &t;e symple my&y;t hit se in to soper tyme
&T;e veronycle after veronyk waspasian hit called
Garde hit gayly agysen in gold & in seluere
&Y;it is &t;e visage in &t;e vail as veronyk hym bro&y;t
&T;e romaynes at rome a relyk hit holden
&T;is whyle nero hadde noye & non ny&y;tes reste
For his tribute was [tynt] as nathan told hadde
He commaundi&t; kny&y;tes to come consail to holde
Erles & alle men &t;e emperour aboute
Assembled &t;e senatours sone vpon haste
To iugge who jewes my&y;t best vpon &t;e jewys take
& alle demeden by dome &t;o dukes to wende
&T;at wer cured &t;row crist &t;at &t;ey on croys slowen
&T;at on waspasian was of &t;e wyes twey
&T;at &t;e trauail vndertoke & titus an o&t;er
A bold burne on a blonke & of his body comyn
No fer&t;er sib to hymself bot his sone der
Crouned kynges bo&t;e & mychel crist loued
&T;at hadde hem [g]euen of his grace & her grem stroyed
Moste &t;ei hadde hit in hert her hestes to kepe
& her forwardis to fulfille &t;at &t;ei byfor made
&T;an was rotlyng in rome robbyng of brynnyes
Schewyng of scharpe [stele] scheldes ydressed
Lau&y;te leue at &t;at lord leften his sygne
A grete dragoun of gold & alle &t;e [g]yng folwed
By &t;at schippis wer schred yschot on &t;e depe
Takled & atired on talterande y&t;es
Ffresch water & wyn wounden yn faste
& stof of alle maner store &t;at hem streng&t;e scholde
&T;er wer floynes a flot farcostes many
Cogges & crayers ycasteled alle
Galees of grete streyng&t;e with golden fanes
[&t;e brede] on &t;e brod se aboute four myle
&T;ey ty&y;ten vp tal-sail whan &t;e tide asked
Hadde byr at &t;e bake & &t;e bonke lefte
Sou&y;te ouer &t;e se with soudeours manye
& [ioyned in to] port jaf in judeis londys
Suree cesaris londe &t;ou may seken euer
Ful mychel wo m[o]n be wro&y;te in &t;y [w]lonk tounes
Cytees vnder s[yon] now is &y;our sorow uppe
&T;e de&t; of &t;e derewor&t; crist der schal be &y;olden
Now is bethleem &t;y bost ybro&y;t to an ende
Jerusalem & ierico forjuggyd wrecchys
Schal neuer kyng of &y;our kynde with croune be ynoyntid
Ne jewe for jesu sake [i]ouke in &y;ou more
&T;ey setten vpon eche side surrie withyn
Brente ay at &t;e bak & [all] bar laften
Was no&y;t bot roryng & r[u]th in alle &t;e riche tounnes
& red laschyng lye alle &t;e londe ouer
Token toun & tour teldes ful fele
Brosten &y;ates of brass & many borwe wonnen
Holy &t;e he&t;en here hewyn to grounde
Bo&t; in bent & in borwe &t;at abide wolde
&T;e jewes to ierusalem &t;[ere] josephus dwelde
Flowen as &t;e foule do&t; &t;at faucoun wolde strike
A cite vnder syon sett was ful noble
With many toret & tour &t;at toun to defende
Princes & prelates & poreil of &t;e londe
Clerkes & comens of contrees aboute
Wer schacked to &t;at cite sacrifice to make
At paske tyme as preched hem prestes of &t;e lawe
Many swykel at &t;e sweng to &t;e swerd &y;ede
For penyes passed non &t;o&y; he pay wolde
Bot diden alle to &t;e de&t;e & drowen hem after
With engynes to jerusalem &t;er jewes wer &t;ykke
&T;ey sette sadly a sege &t;e cite alle aboute
Pi&y;ten pauelouns doun of pallen webbes
With ropis of riche silk raysen vp swy&t;e
Grete tentis as a toun of torke[is] clo&t;ys
Choppyn ouer &t;e cheuentayns with charboklis four
A gay egle of gold on a gilde appul
With grete dragouns grym alle in gold wro&y;te
Lyk to lyouns also lyande &t;ervnder
Paled & paynted &t;e paueloun was vmbe
Stoked ful of storijs strayned myd armys
Of quaynte colour to know kerneld alofte
An hundred stondyng on stage in &t;at stede one
Toured with torettes was &t;e tente &t;anne
Su&t; britaged aboute bri&y;t to byholde
Er alle &t;e sege was sette &y;it of &t;e cite comyn
Messengeres wer made fram maistres of &t;e lawe
To &t;e chef cheuentayn &t;ey chosen her wey
Deden mekly by mou&t;e her message attonys
Sayen &t;e cite ha&t; [vs] sent to serche &y;our wille
To here &t;e cause of &y;our comyng [& what] &y;e coueyte wolde
Waspasian no word to &t;e wyes schewed
Bot sende&t; sondismen a&y;en twelf siker kny&y;tes
[gert hem greithely] to go & &t;e gomes telle
&T;at alle &t;e cause of her com[e] was crist forto venge
Say&t; y bidde hem be boun bishopes & o&t;er
Tomorow or [mydday] [alle modur-nakyd]
Vp her &y;ates to &y;elde with &y;erdes an hande
Eche whi&y;t in a white scherte & no wede ellys
Jewyse for iesu crist by juggement to take
& make hem come &t;at iesu crist &t;ro&y; conseil bytrayede
Or y to &t;e walles schal wende & walten alle ouere
Schal no ston vpon ston stonde by y passe
&T;is sondismen sadly to &t;e cite &y;ede
&T;er &t;e lordes of &t;e londe lent weren alle
Tit tolden her tale & wonder towe made
Of crist & of cayphas & how &t;ey come scholde
& when &t;e kny&y;tes of crist carpyn bygonn
&T;e jewes token alle twelf without tale mor
Her hondis bounden at her bak with borden stauys
And of flocken her fa[x] & her fair berdis
Made hem naked as a nedel to &t;e ne&t;er houe
Her visages blecken with bleche & al &t;e body after
Su&t; knyt with a corde to eche kny&y;tes swer
A chese & charged hem her chyuentayn to ber
Say&t; vnbuxum we be&t; his biddyng to &y;ete
Ne no&y;t dreden his dom his de&t; haue we atled
He schal vs fynde in &t;e felde ne no ferr seke
Tomorowe pryme or hit passe & so &y;our prince telli&t;
&T;e burnes busken out of burwe bounden alle twelf
A&y;en message to make fram &t;e maister jewes
Was neuer waspasian so wro&t;e as whan &t;e wyes come
&T;at wer scorned & schende vpon schame wyse
&T;is kny&y;tes byfor &t;e kyng vpon knees fallen
& tolden &t;e tale as hit tid hadde
Of &t;y manace ne &t;y my&y;t &t;ey make bot lyte
&T;us ben we tourned of our tyre in tokne of &t;e so&t;e
& bounden for our bolde speche &t;e batail &t;ey wille&t;
Tomorowe prime or hit passe &t;ey put hit no ferre
Hit schal be satled on &t;y-self &t;e same &t;at &t;ou atlest
&T;us han &t;ey certifiet &t;e [to saye] & sende &t;e &t;is cheses
Wode wedande wro&t; waspasian was &t;anne
Layde wecche to &t;e walle & warned in haste
&T;at alle maner of men in &t;e morowe scholde
Be sone after &t;e sonne assembled in &t;e felde
He strey&y;t up a standard in a stour wyse
Bild as a belfray bretful of wepne
Whan o&y;t fauted in &t;e folke &t;at to &t;e feld longed
Atte &t;e belfray to be botnyng to fynde
A dragoun was dressed drawyn a lofte
Wyde gapande of gold gomes to swelwe
With arwes armed in &t;e mou&t;e & also he hadde
A fauch[ou]n vnder his feet with four kene bladdys
&T;erof &t;e poyntes wer pi&y;t in partyis four
Of &t;is wlonfulle wor[l]de &t;er &t;ei werr fondyn
In forbesyn to &t;e folke &t;is fauchoun henge&t;
&T;at &t;ey hadde wonnen with [werre] al &t;e world riche
A bal of brennande gold &t;e beste was on sette
His taille trayled &t;er aboute &t;at tourne scholde he neuere
Whan he was lifte vp[his liche] &t;er &t;e lord werred
Bot ay lokande on &t;e londe tille &t;at al lau&y;te wer
&T;er by &t;e cite my&y;t se no setlyng wolde rise
Ne no trete of no trewes bot &t;e toun &y;elde
Or ride on &t;e romayns for &t;ey han her rede take
&T;er britned to be or &t;e [burghe] wynne
His wynges [brighte wer & brade] boun forto flee
With belles bordored aboute al of bri&y;t seluere
Redy whan ou&y;te runnen to rynge ful loude
With eche [wap] of a [wynde] &t;at to &t;e wynges sprongyn
Ibrytaged aboute &t;e belfray was &t;anne
With a tenful tour &t;at ouer &t;e toun gawged
&T;e b[est] by &t;e bri&y;tnesse burnes my&y;t knowe
Four myle &t;er fro so &t;e feldes schonen
& on eche pomel wer py&y;t penseles hy&y;e
Of selke & sendel with seluere ybetyn
Hit glitered as gled fur ful of gold riche
Ouer al &t;e cite to se as &t;e sonne bemys
Byfor &t;e four &y;ates he formes to lenge
Sixtene &t;ousand by somme while &t;e sege laste&t;
Sette ward [to] &t;e walles &t;at no&y;t awey scaped
Sixe &t;ousand in sercle &t;e cite alle aboute
Was no&y;t while &t;e ny&y;t laste bot nehyng of stedis
Strogelyng in stele wede & stuffyng of helmes
With armyng of olyfauntes & o&t;er arwe bestes
A&y;en &t;e cristen to come with castels on bake
Waspasya[n] in stele wede & his wyes alle
Weren di&y;t for&t; by day & drowen to &t;e vale
Of josophat &t;er jesu crist schal juggen alle &t;inges
Bigly batayled hym &t;er to bide[n] &t;is o&t;er
&T;e fauward titus toke to telle vpon ferste
With six &t;ousand soudiours assyned for &t;e nones
& mony in &t;e mydward wer merked to lenge
&T;er waspasian was with princes & dukes
& sixtene &t;ousand in &t;e &t;ridde with a &t;ryuande kny&y;t
Sir sabyn of surrie a siker man of armes
&T;at prince was of prouynce & michel peple ladde
Fourty hundred in helmes & harnays to schewe
& ten &t;ousand atte tail at &t;e tentis lafte
Hors & harnays fram harmyng to kepe
By &t;at bemys on &t;e burwe blowen ful loude
& baners beden hem for&t; now blesse vs our lorde
&T;e jewes assembled wer sone & of &t;e cite come
An hundred &t;ousand on hors with hamberkes atired
Without folke vpon fot at &t;e four &y;ates
&T;at preset to &t;e place with pauyes on hande
Fyf & twenti olyfauntes defensable bestes
With brode castels on bak out of burwe come
& on eche olyfaunte armed men manye
Ay an hundred an hey an hundred withyn
&T;o drowen dromedarius doun deuelich &t;icke
[an] hundred &t;ousand & yheled with harnays of mayle
Eche beste with a big tour &t;er bold men wer ynne
Twenty told by tale in eche tour euene
Cameles closed in stele comen out &t;anne
Faste toward &t;e feld a ferlich nonbr
Busked to batail & on bak hadde
Echon a toret of tre with ten men of armes
Chares ful of chosen charged with wepne
A wonder nonbr &t;er was who so wite lyste
Many dou&y;ti &t;at day &t;at was adradde neuer
Wer fond fey in &t;e feld er &t;at fi&y;t endid
An olyfaunt yarmed came out at &t;e laste
Keuered myd a castel was craftily ywro&y;t
A tabernacle in &t;e tour atyred was riche
Pi&y;t as a paueloun on pileres of seluere
A which of white seluere wal[w]ynde &t;er-ynne
On four goions of gold &t;at hit fram grounde bar
A c[h]osen chayr &t;erby on charbokeles twelfe
Betyn al with barn[d] gold with brennande sergis
&T;e chekes of &t;e chayr wer cha[r]-bokles fyue
Couered myd a riche clo&t;e &t;er cayphas was sette
A plate of pulsched gold was pi&y;t on his breste
With many preciose perle & pured stones
Lered men of &t;e lawe &t;at loude cou&t;e synge
With sawters seten hym by & &t;e psalmys tolde
Of dou&y;ty david &t;e kyng & o&t;er der storijs
Of joseph &t;e noble jewe & judas &t;e kny&y;t
Cayphas of &t;e kyst kyppid a rolle
& radde how &t;e folke ran &t;ro&y; &t;e re[d]e wa[ters]
Whan pharao & his ferde wer in &t;e floode drouned
& myche of moyses lawe he mynned &t;at tyme
Whan &t;is fai&t;les folke to &t;e feld comen
& batayled after &t;e bent with many burne kene
For baneres &t;at blased & bestes yarmed
My&y;t no man se &t;row &t;e sonne ne &t;e cite knowe
Waspasian dyuyse&t; &t;e vale alle aboute
&T;at was with baneres ouer[brade] to &t;e borwe wallis
To barouns & bold men &t;at hym aboute wer
Sei&t; lordlynges aloude lesteny&t; my speche
Her nys king no&t;er kny&y;t comen to &t;is place
Baroun ne burges ne burne &t;at me folwe&t;
&T;at &t;e cause of his come nys crist forto venge
Vpon &t;e fai&t;les folke &t;at hym fayntly slowen
Byholde&t; &t;e he&t;yng & &t;e harde woundes
&T;e betyng & &t;e byndyng &t;at &t;e body hadde
Lat neuer &t;is lawles ledis lau&y; at his harmys
&T;at bou&y;t vs fram bale with blod of his herte
[i] quyckeclayme &t;e querels of alle quyk burnes
& clayme of euereche kyng saue of crist one
&T;at &t;is peple to pyne no pite ne hadde
&T;at preue&t; his passioun who so &t;e paas rede&t;
Hit nedi&t; no&y;t at &t;is note of nero to mynde
Ne to trete of no trewe for tribute &t;at he aske&t;
&T;at querel y quikcleyme [qwe&t;er] he ne wilne&t;
Of &t;is rebel to rome bot resoun to haue
Bot mor &t;ing in our mynde myne&t; [vs] today
&T;at by resoun to rome &t;e regnance fally&t;
Bo&t;e &t;e my&y;t & &t;e mayn [&] mais[trie] on e[r&t;e]
& lord[chipe] of eche londe &t;at li&t;e vnder heuen
Lat neuer &t;is fai&t;les folke with fi&y;t vs wynne
Hors ne harnays bot &t;ey hit hard byen
Plate ne pesan ne pendauntes ende
While any lyme may laste or we &t;e lif haue
For &t;ei ben feyn[t] at &t;e fi&y;t fals of byleue
& wel wenen at a wap alle &t;e wo[r]ld quelle
No&t;er grounded on god ne on no grace tristen
Bot alle in st[erynne]s of stour & in streng&t; one
& we ben di&y;t today dri&y;ten to serue
Hey heuen kyng [take] hede to his owne
&T;e ledes louten hym alle & aloude sayde
Today &t;at fle&t;e any fote &t;e fende haue his soule
Bemes blowen anon blonkes to ne&y;e&y;
Stedis stampen in &t;e felde stif steil vnder
Sti&t;e men in stiropys striden alofte
Kny&y;tes croysen hemself cacchen her helmys
With loude clarioun cry & alle kyn pypys
Tymbris & tabourris tonelande loude
&Y;euen a schillande schout schrynken &t;e jewes
As womman [welter solde in swounn] whan hir &t;e water ne&y;e&t;
Lacchen launces anon lepyn to-gedris
As fur out of flynt ston ferde hem bytwene
Doust drof vpon lofte dymedyn alle aboute
As &t;onder & &t;icke rayn &t;rowolande in skyes
[&t;ei] beren burnes &t;row brosten launces
Kny&y;tes crosschen doun to &t;e cold er&t;e
Ffou&y;t faste in &t;e felde & ay &t;e fals vnder
Doun swowande [one] swelt with out swar more
Tytus tourne&t; hym to tolles of &t;e beste
Forjustes &t;e jolieste with joyn[yng] of werr
Su&t; with a bri&y;t bronde he beti&t; on harde
Tille &t;e brayn & &t;e blod on &t;e bent ornen
Sou&y;t &t;ro&y; an o&t;er side with a sore wepne
Bet on &t;e broun stele while &t;e bladde laste
An hey breyde&t; &t;e brond & as a bore loke&t;
How hetterly doun hente who so wolde
Alle bri&y;tned &t;e bent as bemys of sonne
Of &t;e gilden ger & &t;e goode stones
Ffor schyueryng of sche[l]des & schynyng of helmes
Hit ferde as alle &t;e firmament vpon a fur wer
Waspasian in &t;e vale &t;e fanward by-holde&t;
How &t;e he&t;yn her heldi&t; to grounde
Cam with a fair ferde &t;e fals men to mete
As greued griffouns girden in samen
Spakly her speres on sprotes &t;ay &y;eden
Scheldes as schidwod on scholdres tocleuen
Schoken out of schepes &t;at scharpe w[ere] ygrounde
& mallen metel &t;ro&y; vnmylt hertes
Hewen on &t;e he&t;en hurtlen togedr
Forschorne gilt schroud sch[o]dered burne[s]
Baches woxen ablode aboute in &t;e vale
& goutes fram gold wede as goteres &t;ey runne
Sir sabyn sette&t; hym vp whan hit so &y;ede
Ride&t; myd &t;e rereward & alle &t;e route folwe&t;
Kenely &t;e castels came to assayle
&T;at &t;e bestes on her bake out of burwe ladden
Atles on &t;e olyfauntes &t;at orible wer
Girdi&t; out &t;e guttes with grounden speres
R[o]ppis rispen for&t; &t;at redles an hundred
Scholde be busy to burie &t;at on a bent lafte
Castels clateren doun cameles brosten
Dromedaries to &t;e de&t; drowen ful swy&t;e
&T;e blode fomed hem fro in &t;e flasches aboute
&T;[at] knedepe in &t;e dale dascheden stedes
&T;e burnes in &t;e bretages &t;at aboue wer
For &t;e doust & &t;e dyn as alle doun &y;ede
Al forstoppette in stele storteblynde wexen
Whan hurdi&y;s & hard er&t;e hurtled togedre
& vnder dromedaries doun di&y;ten hem sone
Was non left vpon lyue &t;at a lofte stande&t;
Saue [ane] olepy olyfaunt at &t;e grete &y;ate
&T;eras cayphas &t;e clerke in castel ride&t;
He say &t;e wrake on hem wende & away tourne&t;
With twelf maystres made of moyses lawe
An hundred helmed men hien hem after
Er &t;ey of castel my&y;t come cau&y;ten hem alle
Bounden &t;e bischup on bycchyd wyse
&T;at &t;e blode out barst eche band vnder
& bro&y;ten [to] &t;e [berfraye] alle [&t;o] bew clerkes
&T;er &t;e standard stode & stadded hem &t;er
&T;e beste & &t;e britage & alle &t;e bri&y;t ger
Chair & chaundelers & charbokel stones
&T;e rolles &t;at &t;ey redden [on] & alle &t;e riche bokes
&T;ey bro&y;te myd &t;e bischup &t;ou hym bale &t;ou&y;te
Anon &t;e fey&t;les folke fayleden herte
Tourned toward &t;e toun & tytus hem after
Ffe[l]de of &t;e fals ferde in &t;e felde lefte
An hundred in her helmes myd his honde one
&T;e fals jewes in &t;e felde fallen so &t;icke
As hail froward heuen hepe ouer o&t;er
So was &t;e bent ouerbrad blody byrunne
With ded bodies aboute alle &t;e brod vale
My&y;t no stede doun stap bot on stele wede
Or on burne o&t;er on beste or on bri&y;t scheldes
So myche was &t;e multitude &t;at on &t;e molde lafte
&T;er so many wer mar[red] mereuail wer ellis
&Y;it wer &t;e romayns as rest as &t;ey fram rome come
[vnrevyn] eche a renk & no&y;t a ryng brosten
Was no poynt perschid of alle her pris armur
So crist his kny&y;tes gan kepe tille complyn tyme
An hundred &t;ousand helmes of &t;e he&t;en syde
Wer fey fallen in &t;e felde [&t;at no freke skapide]
Saue seuen &t;ousand of &t;e somme &t;at to &t;e cite flowen
& wy[nn]en with mychel wo &t;e walles with-ynne
Ledes lepen to a-non louken &t;e &y;ates
Barren hem bigly with boltes of yren
Brayden vp brigges with brouden chaynes
& portecolis with pile picchen to grounde
&T;ei wynnen vp why&y;tly &t;e walles to kepe
Fr[e]sche vnfonded folke & grete defence made
Tye&t; in-to tourres tonnes ful manye
With grete stones of gret & of gray marble
Kepten kenly with caste &t;e kernels alofte
Quar[r]en qu[a]rels out with quart[ote]s attonys
&T;at o&t;er folke at &t;e fote freshly assayled
Tille eche dale with dewe was donked aboute
With-drowen hem fro &t;e diche dukes & o&t;er
[for] &t;e caste was so kene &t;at come fram &t;e walles
Comen for&t;e with &t;e kyng clene as &t;ey &y;ede
W[ant]ed no&y;t o wye ne non &t;at wem hadde
Princes to her pauelouns passen on swy&t;e
Vnarmen hem as tyt & alle &t;e ny&y;t resten
With wacche vmbe &t;e walles to many wyes sorowe
&T;ey wolle no&y;t &t;e he&t;en her so harmeles be lafte
Sone as &t;e rede day ros [o]n &t;e schye
Bemes blowen anon burnes to aryse
&T;e kyng comaunde&t; a cry &t;at comsed was sone
&T;e ded bodies on &t;e bonke barforto make
To spoyle &t;e spilt folke spar scholde none
Geten girdeles & ger gold & goode stones
Byes broches bry&y;t besauntes riche
Helmes hewen of gold hamberkes manye
Kesten ded vpon ded was deil to byholde
Made wide weyes & to &t;e walles comen
Assembleden at &t;e cite saut to bygynne
Ffolke ferlich &t;ycke at &t;e four &y;ates
&T;ey bro&y;ten toures of tre &t;at &t;ey taken hadde
A-&y;en euereche &y;ate &y;arken hem hey
By-gonnnen at &t;e grettist a garrite to rer
Groded vp fro &t;e grounde on twelfe grete postes
[it] was wonderlich wide wro&y;t vpon hy&y;te
Ffyue hundred in frounte to fi&y;ten at &t;e walles
Hardy men vp-on haste hyen at &t;e grecys
& bygonnnen with bir &t;e borow to assayle
Quarels flambande of fur flowen out harde
& arwes [vn]arwely with attyr enuenymyd
Taysen at &t;e toures tachen on &t;e jewes
&T;ro&y; kernels cacchen her de&t; many kene burnes
Brenten & beten doun &t;at bilde was wel &t;ycke
Brosten &t;e britages & &t;e brode toures
By &t;at was many bold burne &t;e burwe to assayle
&T;e hole batail boun a-boute &t;e brode walles
&T;at wer byg & brode & bycchet to wynne
Wonder heye to byholde with holwe diches vnder
Heye bonked a-bou[t]e vpon bo&t;e sydes
Ri&y;t wicked to wynne bot &y;if wyles helpe
Bow-men atte bonke benden her ger
Schoten vp scharply to &t;e schene walles
With arwes & arblastes & alle &t;at harme my&y;t
To affray &t;e folke &t;at defence made
&T;e jewes werien &t;e walles with wyles ynowe
Hote [p]l[ay]ande picche a-monge &t;e peple &y;eten
Brenn[a]n[d] leed & brynston barels fulle
Schoten schynande doun ri&y;t as schyr water
Waspasian wende&t; fram &t;e walles wariande hem alle
O&t;er busked wer boun benden engynes
Kesten at &t;e kernels & clustred toures
& monye der daies worke dongen to grounde
By &t;at wri&y;tes han wro&y;t a wonder stronge pale
Alle aboute &t;e burwe with bastiles manye
&T;at [no freke in my&y;t fonde with-owttyn fethyrhames]
[ne] no segge vnder sonne my&y;t fram &t;e cite passe
Su&t; dommyn &t;e diches with &t;e ded corses
Crammen hit myd karayn &t;e kirnels vnder
&T;at &t;e stynk of &t;e steem my&y;t strike ouer &t;e walles
To co&t;e &t;e corsed folke &t;at hem kepe scholde
&T;e cors of &t;e condit &t;at comen to [&t;e] toun
Stoppen euereche a streem &t;er any str[ande] &y;ede
With stockes & stones & stynkande bestes
&T;at &t;ey no water my&y;t wynne &t;at weren enclosed
Waspasian tourne&t; to his tente with titus & o&t;er
Commaunde&t; consail anon on cayphas to sitte
W[hat] de&t; by dome &t;at he dey scholde
With &t;e lettered ledes &t;at &t;ey lau&y;te hadde
Domes-men vpon de[y]s demeden swy&t;e
&T;at ech freke wer quyk fleyn &t;e felles of clene
&T;en to be on a bent with blonkes to-drawe
& su&t; honget on an hep vpon heye galwes
&T;e feet to &t;e firmament alle folke to byholden
With hony vpon ech [halfe] &t;e hydeles anoynted
Corres & cattes with claures ful scharpe
Ffour kagge[d] & knyt to cayphases &t;eyes
Twey apys at his armes to angren hym mor
&T;at renten &t;e rawe flesche vpon rede peces
So was he pyned fram prime with persched sides
Tille &t;e sonne doun sou&y;t in sommere-tyme
&T;e lered men of &t;e lawe a litel byny&t;e
Weren tourmented on a tre topsail walten
Knyt to euerech clerke kene corres twey
&T;at alle &t;e cite my&y;t se &t;e sorow &t;at &t;ey dryuen
&T;e jewes walten ouer &t;e walles for wo at &t;at tyme
Seuen hundred slow hem-self for sorow of her clerkes
Somme hent her heer & fram &t;e hed pulled
& somme [down] for deil dasch[e]de to grounde
&T;e kyng lete drawen hem a-doun whan &t;ey dede wer
Bade a bole-fur betyn to brennen &t;e corses
Kesten cayphas &t;er-yn & his clerkes twelf
& brenten euereche bon in-to &t;e browne askes
Su&t; went to &t;e walle on &t;e wynde syde
& alle a-brod on &t;e burwe blewen &t;e powder
&T;er is doust [to] &y;our drynke a du[ke] to hem crie&t;
& bade hem bible of &t;at bro&t; for &t;e bischopes soule
&T;us ended coursed cayphas & his clerkes alle
Al to-brused myd bestes brent at &t;e laste
In tokne of tresoun & trey &t;at he wro&y;t
Whan crist &t;row his conseil was cacched to de&t;
By &t;at was &t;e day don dym[m]ed &t;e skyes
Merked [&t;e] montayns & mores a-boute
Foules fallen to fote & her fe&t;res r[y]s[t]en
&T;e ny&y;t-wacche to &t;e walle & waytes to blowe
Bry&y;t fures a-boute betyn a-brode in &t;e oste
&T;e kyng & his consail carpen to-gedr
Chosen chyuentayns out & chiden no mor
Bot charged &t;e chek-wecche & to chambr wenten
Kynges & kny&y;tes to cacchen hem reste
Waspasian ly&t; in his logge litel he slepi&t;
Bot walwy&t; & wyndi&t; & waltre&t; a-boute
Ofte tourne&t; for tene & on &t;e toun &t;ynke&t;
Whan schadewes & schir day scheden attwynne
Leuerockes vpon lofte lyften her steuenes
Burnes busken hem out of bedde with bemes loude
Bo&t;e blowyng on bent & on &t;e burwe walles
Waspasian bounys of bedde busked hym fayr
Fram &t;e fote to &t;e fourche in fyne gold clo&t;es
Su&t; putte&t; &t;e prince ouer his pal[l]e[n] wedes
A brynye browded &t;icke with a brest-plate
[&t;e] gra[te was] of gray steel & of gold riche
&T;er-ouer he caste&t; a cote colour[ede] of his armys
A grete girdel of gold with-out ger o&t;er
Lay&t; vmbe his lendis with lacchetes ynow
A bry&y;t burnesched swerd he belte&t; alofte
Of pur purged gold &t;e pomel & &t;e hulte
A brod schynande scheld on scholdir he hongi&t;
Bocklyd myd bri&y;t gold abou[t]e at &t;e necke
&T;e glowes of gray steel &t;at wer with gold hemmyd
Haule&t; [ouer] harnays & his hors aske&t;
&T;e gold hewen helme haspe&t; he blyue
With viser & with a-vental deuysed for &t;e nones
A croune of clene gold was closed vpon lofte
Rybaunde vmbe &t;e rounde helm ful of riche stones
Py&y;t prudely with perles in-to &t;e pur corners
& so with saphyres sett &t;e sydes a-boute
He stride&t; on a stif stede & strike&t; ouer &t;e bente
Li&y;t as a lyoun wer loused out of cheyne
His segges se[y]en hym alle & echon say&t; to o&t;er
&T;is is a comlich kyng kny&y;tes to lede
He bowe&t; to &t;e barres or he bide wolde
Betynge on with &t;e brond on &t;e bras rynges
Come&t; caytifes for&t; &y;e &t;at crist slowen
Knowe&t; hym for &y;our kyng or &y;e cacche mor
Wayte&t; doun fro &t;e walle what wo is on hande
May &y;e fecche &y;ou no fode &t;o&y; &y;e fey wor&t;e
& &t;o&y; &y;e waterles wede wynne &y;e no&y;t o droppe
&T;o&y; &y;e de&t; scholde dey daies in &y;our lyue
&T;e pale &t;at i pi&y;t haue passe hit who my&y;t
&T;at is so byg on &t;e bonke & ha&t; &t;e burowe closed
Ffourty to fy&y;ten a&y;ens fyue hundred
&T;o&y; &y;e wer etnes echon in scholde [&y;]e [tourne]
& more manschyp wer hit &y;it mercy by-seche
&T;an metles marr &t;er no my&y;t helpys
Was non &t;at warpi&t; a word bot waytes her poyntes
&Y;if [any] stertis on st[r]ay with stones hem to kylle
&T;an wro&t; as a wode bore he wende&t; his bridul
&Y;if &y;e as dogges wol dey &t;e deuel haue &t;at recche
& or i wende fro &t;is walle &y;e schul wordes schewe
& efte spakloker speke or y &y;our speche owene
By &t;at a jewe josophus &t;e gentyl clerke
Hadde wro&y;t a wonder wyle whan hem water fayled
Made wedes of wolle in wete for to plunge
Water-waschen as &t;ey wer & on &t;e walle hengen
&T;e wedes dropeden doun d[r]yed &y;erne
Rich rises hem fro &t;e romayns byholden
Wenden wel her wedes hadde wasschyng so ryue
&T;at no wye in &t;e wone water schold fayle
Waspasian &t;e wile wel ynow knewe
Loude law&y;[e&t;] &t;er-at & lordlynges byddis
No burne abasched be &t;o&y; &t;ey &t;is bost make
Hit be&t; bot wyles of werr for water hem fayle&t;
&T;an was no-&t;yng bot a newe note to bygynne
Assaylen on eche a side &t;e cite by halues
Merken myd manglouns ful vn-mete dyntes
& myche of masouns note &t;ey marden &t;at tyme
&T;er-of was josophus war &t;at myche of werr cou&t;e
& sette on &t;e walle side sakkes myd chaf
A&y;ens &t;e streyng&t;e of &t;e stroke &t;er &t;e stones hytte
&T;at alle dered no&y;t a dy&y;s bot grete dy[n] made
&T;e romayns runne to a-non & on roddes knytte
Si&t;es for &t;e sackes &t;at selly wer kene
Ra&y;ten to &t;e ropis rent hem in sonder
&T;at alle dasschande doun in-to &t;e diche flatten
Bot josophus &t;e gynful her engynes alle
Brente with brennande oyle & myche bale wro&y;t
Waspasian wounded was &t;er wonderlich sore
&T;row &t;e hard of &t;e hele with an hande-darte
&T;at boot &t;row &t;e bote & &t;e bone nayled
Of &t;e frytted fote in &t;e folis syde
Sone assembled hym to many sadde hundred
&T;at wolden wrecken &t;e wounde o&t;er wo habben
&T;ey bowyn to &t;e barres bekered &y;erne
Fou&y;t ri&y;t felly foyned with speres
Jo[k]ken jewes &t;ro&y; engynes by &t;anne
Wer manye bent at &t;e bonke & to &t;e burwe &t;rewen
&T;er wer selcou&t;es sen as segges mowe here
A burne with a balwe-ston was &t;e brayn cloue
&T;e gretter pese of &t;e panne &t;e pyble for&t; strike&t;
&T;at hit flow in-to &t;e feld a forlong or more
A womman bounden with a barn was on &t;e body hytte
With &t;e ston o[f] a staf[-slyng] as &t;e storyj telle&t;
&T;at &t;e barn out brayde fram &t;e body clene
& was born vp as a bal ouer &t;e burwe walles
Burnes wer brayned & brosed to de&t;
Wymmen wide open walte vnder stones
Frosletes fro &t;e ferst to &t;e flor &t;rylled
& many toret doun tilte &t;e temple a-boute
&T;e cite had ben seised myd saut at &t;at tyme
Nad &t;e folke be so fers &t;at &t;e fende serued
&T;at kilden on &t;e cristen & kepten &t;e walles
With arwes & arblastes & archers manye
With speres & spryngoldes sponnen out hard
Dryuen dartes a-doun &y;euen depe woundes
&T;at manye renke out of rome [by] rest[ing] of &t;[e] s[o]nne
Was mychel leuer a leche &t;an layke myd his ton
Waspasian stynte&t; of &t;e stour stewe&t; his burnes
&T;at wer for-beten & bled vnder bry&y;t yren
Tyen to her tentis myd tene &t;at &t;ey hadde
Al wery of &t;at werk & wounded ful sore
Helmes & hamberkes hadden of sone
Leches by torche-li&y;t loken her hurtes
Waschen woundes with wyn & with wolle stoppen
With oyle & orisoun ordeyned in charme
Su&t; euereche a segge to &t;e soper &y;ede
&T;o&y; &t;ey wounded wer was no wo nempned
Bot daunsyng & no deil with dynnyng of pipis
& &t;e nakerer noyse alle &t;e ny&y;t-tyme
Whan &t;e derk was doun & &t;e day spr[o]ngen
Sone after &t;e sonne sembled &t;e grete
Comen for&t;-with &t;e kyng conseil to her
Alle &t;e kny&y;thod clene &t;at for crist werred
Waspasian waite&t; a-wide his wyes byholde&t;
&T;at wer frescher to fi&y;t &t;an at &t;e furst tyme
Praye&t; princes on ernest & alle &t;e peple after
&T;at eche wye of &t;at werr schold his wille specke
For or &t;is toun be tak & &t;is toures heye
Michel tor[fere] & tene vs tides on hande
&T;ay tourned alle to titus & hym &t;e tale schewe&t;
Of &t;e cite & &t;e sege to seyn for hem alle
&T;an titus tourne&t; hem to & talkyng bygynne&t;
&T;us to layke with &t;is les[e folke] vs lympis &t;e worse
For &t;ey ben fel[l]e of defence ferce men & noble
& &t;is toured toun is tenful to wynne
&T;e worst wrecche in &t;e wone may on walle lygge
Strike doun with a ston & stuny many kny&y;tes
Whan we schul houe & byholde & litel harme wirche
& ay &t;e lo&t;e of &t;e layk li&y;t on vs-selue
Now mowe &t;ey ferke no ferr her fode forto wynne
Wolde we stynt of our strif whyle &t;ey her stor ma[r]-den
We scholde with [hunger] hem honte to hoke out of toun
[with-owttyn weme or wounde or any wo ells]
For &t;er as fayle&t; &t;e fode &t;er is feynt streng&t;e
& &t;er as hunger is hote hertes ben feble
Alle assenteden to &t;e sawe &t;at to &t;e [sege] longed
Apaied as &t;e prince & &t;e peple wolde
To &t;e kyng wer called constables &t;anne
Marchals maser[s] men &t;at he to tristi&t;
He charge&t; hem che[f]ly for chaunce &t;at may falle
With wacche of waled men &t;e walles to kepe
For we wol hunten at &t;e hart &t;is he&t;es aboute
& hur racches renne a-monge &t;is rowe bonkes
Ride to &t;e reuer & rer vp &t;e foules
Se faucouns fle fole of &t;e beste
Ech segge to &t;e solas &t;at hym-self lyked
Princes out of pauelouns presen on stedes
Torn[ei]en trifflyn & on &t;e toun wayten
&T;is lyf &t;ey ledde longe & [lord] &y;yue vs grace
In rome nero ha&t; now mychel noye wro&y;t
To de&t; pyned &t;e pope & mychel peple quelled
Petr apostlen prince & seint poule [also]
Senek & &t;e senatours & alle &t;e cite fured
His modir & his my[l]de wif murdred to de&t;e
Combred cristen fele &t;at on crist leued
&T;e romayns resen a-non whan &t;ey &t;[i]s rew&t;e seyen
To quelle &t;e emperour quyk &t;at hem vnquemed hadde
&T;ey pressed to his paleys porayle & o&t;er
To br[it]ten &t;e bold kyng in his burwe riche
&T;e cite & &t;e senatours assented hem bo&t;e
Non o&t;er dede was to doun &t;ey han his dome &y;olden
&T;an flowe &t;at freke frendles alone
Out at a pore posterne & alle &t;e peple folwed
With a tronchoun of tre toke he no more
Of alle &t;e glowande gold &t;at he on grounde hadde
On &t;at tronchoun with his te&t; he togge&t; & byte&t;
Tille hit was piked at &t;e poynt as a pokes ende
&T;an abide&t; &t;at burne & biterlych speke&t;
To alle &t;e wyes &t;at &t;er wer wordes aloude
Tourne&t; traytours a&y;en schal neuer &t;e tale rise
Of no karl by &t;e coppe how he his kyng quelde
Hym-self he stryke&t; myd &t;at staf stre&y;t to &t;e hert
&T;at &t;e colke to-clef & &t;e kyng deyed
Six mon&t;e after & no mor &t;is myschef bytydde
&T;at waspasian was went to werry on &t;e jewes
Four mettyn myle out of rome to mynde for euere
&T;at erst was emperour of alle &t;us ended in sorow
&T;e grete to-gedres &t;an [gete] hem an-o&t;er
On gabba a gome &t;at mychel grem hadde
&T;ro&y; othis l[ucy]us a lord &t;at hym longe hated
& at &t;e last &t;at lord out of lyf hym bro&y;t
Amydde &t;e market of rome &t;e[y] mette to-gedres
Othis falli&t; hym fey &y;af hym fale woundes
&T;at four mon&t;es & [no] mor hadde mayntened &t;e croune
& &t;o deyed &t;e duke & &t;e diademe lefte
& whan &t;at gabba was gon & to grounde bro&y;t
Othis entri&t; on ernest & emperour was made
&T;e man in his maieste was mon&t;es bot &t;re
&T;an he &y;elde&t; sathanas &t;e soule & hym-self quelled
&T;e romayns risen vp a renk rome for to kepe
A kny&y;t &t;at vitel was calde & hym &t;e croune rau&y;te
Bot for sir sabyns sake a segge &t;at was noble
Waspasian bro&t;er of blode [&t;at] he brytned hadde
Waspasian vpon vitel to vengen his bro&t;er
S[en]t out of surrie segges to rome
&T;at [a]s naked as an nedul &t;e newe emperour
For sir sabyns sake alle &t;e cite drowe hym
Su&t; gored &t;e gome &t;at his guttes alle
As a bowe[l]ed beste in-to his breche felle
Doun &y;er[m]ande he &y;ede & &y;elde&t; &t;e soule
& [&t;ey] kay&y;t &t;e cors & kast in-to tybre
Seuen mon&t;es &t;is [segge] hadde septre on hande
& &t;us loste he &t;e lyf for his lu&t;er dedes
An o&t;er segge was to seke &t;at septre schold haue
For alle &t;is grete ben gon & neuer agayn tournen
Now of &t;e cite & of &t;e sege wolle y sey mor
How &t;is comelich kyng &t;at for crist werre&t;
Ha&t; holden yn &t;e he&t;en men &t;is o&t;er half wynter
&T;at neuer burne was so bold &t;e burwe for to passe
As he to dyner on a day with dukes was sette
Comen renkes fram rome rapande swy&t;e
In bruneys & in bry&y;t wede with bodeworde newe
Louten alle to &t;e lord letres hym rau&y;ten
Sayn comelich kyng &t;e kny&y;thod of rome
&T;ro&y; &t;e senatours assent & alle &t;e cite ellis
Han chosen &t;e her chyuentayn her chef lord to wor&t;e
And riche emperour of rome &t;us rede&t; &t;is letres
&T;e lord vnlappe&t; &t;e lef &t;is letres byholde&t;
Ouer-loke&t; ech a lyne to &t;e last ende
Bordes born wer doun & &t;e burne rise&t;
Calle&t; consail a-non & ky&t;e&t; &t;is speche
&Y;e ben burnes of my blod &t;at y best wolde
My sone is next to my-self & o&t;er sib manye
Sir sabyn of surrie a segge &t;at y triste
& o&t;er frendes fele &t;at me fay&t; owen
Now is me bodeword of blys bro&y;t froward rome
To be lord ouer &t;at lond as &t;is letres speke&t;
Sir sabyn of surrie sey &t;e by-houy&t;
How y my&y;t sauy my-self & i so wro&y;t
Ffor y haue heylych hey&y;t her forto lenge
[tille] me &t;e &y;ates ben &y;et & &y;olden &t;e keyes
[and] i &t;is toured [t]oun ha[ue] taken at wille
& su&t; houshed on hem &t;at &t;is hold kepyn
Brosten & betyn doun &t;is britages heye
&T;at neuer ston in &t;at stede stond vpon o&t;er
Ky&t;e &t;[i] consail sir kny&y;t &t;is kyng to hym sayde
For y wol worche by &t;y witt &y;if worschip may folowe
&T;an sei&t; sir sabyn a-non semelich lord
We ben wyes &t;e with &t;y worschup to fur&t;er
Of longe tyme bylafte & ledes &t;yn owen
&T;at we doun is &t;y dede may no man demen elles
&T;e dom demed was &t;er who so do&t; by ano&t;er
Schal be soferayn hym-self sein in &t;e werke
For as fers is &t;e freke atte ferr ende
&T;at of fleis &t;e fel as he &t;at foot holde&t;
Bytake tytus &t;y sone &t;is toun for to kepe
& to &t;e dou&y;ti duke domyssian his bro&t;er
Her i holde vp myn honde myd hem for to lenge
With alle &t;e here &t;at i haue while my herte laste&t;
& &t;ou schalt ride to rome & receyue &t;e croune
In honour emperour to be as &t;yn eure schapi&t;
So may &t;y couenaunt be kept &t;at &t;ou to crist made
&T;y-self dest &t;at &t;y soudiours by &t;yn assent worchen
&T;an with a liouns lote he lifte vp &t;e eyen
To voiden alle by vile de&t; &t;at vitelys destruyed
Wymmen & weyke folke &t;at weren of olde age
My&y;t no&y;t stonde in stede bot her stor mardyn
After [&t;ay] touche of trewe to trete with &t;e lord
Bot Titus graunte&t; no&y;t for gile &t;at &t;e gomes &t;enke
For he is wise &t;at is war or hym wo hape
& with falsede a-fer is fairest to dele
To worchyn vnder &t;e wal w[a]yes &t;ey casten
Whan Tytus nold no trewe to &t;e toun graunte
With mynours & masouns myne &t;ey bygonne
Grobben faste [i]n &t;e grounde & god &y;yue vs joye
As Tytus after [on] a tyme vmbe &t;e toun r[i]de&t;
Wy&t; sixty speres of &t;e sege segges a fewe
Alle outwith &t;e ost out of a kaue
Vp a buschment brake alle of bri&y;t hedis
Fyf hundred fi&y;tyng men fellen hem aboute
In jepouns & jambers Jewes &t;ey wer
Hadde wro&y;t hem a wey & &t;e wal myned
& Titus tourne&t; hem to without tale mor
Schaftes schedred wer sone & scheldes y&t;relled
[And many schalke thurghe schotte with &t;e scharpe ende]
Brunyes & bri&y;t wede blody by-runne
& many segge at &t;at saute sou&y;te to &t;e grounde
Hacchen vpon hard steel with an herty wylle
&T;at fur out flowe as of flynt stonys
Of &t;e helm & &t;e hed hewen at-tonys
&T;e stompe vnder stede feet in &t;e steel leue&t;
&T;e &y;ong duk Domycian of &t;e dyn herde
And issed out of &t;e ost with e&y;te hundred speres
Ffel on &t;e fals folke vmbe-feldes hem sone
As bestes bretnes hem alle & ha&t; his bro&t;er holpen
&T;an Titus toward his tentis tourne&t; hym sone
Make&t; mynour[s] & men &t;e myne to stoppe
After profre&t; pes for pyte &t;at he hadde
Whan he wist of her wo &t;at wer withyn stoken
Bot Jon &t;e jenfulle &t;at &t;e Jewes ladde
An o&t;er Symond of his assent forsoke &t;e profre
Sayn leuer in &t;is lif lengen hem wer
&T;an any renke out of Rome [re]joycid her sorowe
Sale in &t;e cite was cesed with &t;anne
Was no&y;t for besauntes to bye &t;at men bite my&y;t
For a fer&t;yng-wor&t; of fode floryns an hundred
Princes profren in &t;e toun to pay in &t;e fuste
Bot alle was boteles bale f[or] who so bred hadde
Nold a goet haue [g]ouen for goode vpon [er&t;]e
Wymmen falwed faste & her face chaungen
Ffeynte & fallen doun &t;at so fair wer
S[ome] swallen as swyn som swart wexen
Som lene on to loke as la[n]terne-hornes
&T;e morayne was so myche &t;at no man cou&t;e telle
Wher to burie in &t;e burwe &t;e bodies &t;at wer ded
Bot wenten with hem to &t;e walle & walten [hem o]uere
In-to &t;e depe of &t;e diche &t;e ded doun fallen
Whan Titus told was &t;e tale to trewe god he vouched
&T;at [he] hadde profred hem pes & grete pite hadde
&T;o praied he Josophus to preche &t;e peple [to en-forme]
[For] to saue hemself & &t;e cite &y;elde
Bot Jon forsoke &t;e sawe so for to wyrche
With Symond &t;at o&t;er segge &t;at &t;e cyte ladde
Myche peple for &t;e prechyng at &t;e posterne &y;atis
Tyen out of &t;e toun & Tytus byseche&t;
To for[g]yue hem &t;e gult &t;at &t;ey to god wro&y;t
& he graunte&t; hem grace & gaylers bytau&y;t
Bot whan &t;ey metten with mete vnmy&y;ty &t;ey wer
Any fode to defye so faynt was her streng&t;e
Fful &t;e gottes of gold eche gome hadde
Lest fomen fongen hem schold her floreyns &t;ey eten
Whan hit was bro&y;t vp abrode & &t;e bourd aspyed
[Wi&t;ou]ten leue of &t;at lord ledes hem slowen
[G]oren euereche a gome & &t;e gold taken
Ffayn[ere] of &t;e floreyns [&t;an of] &t;e frekes alle
Ay wer &t;e &y;ates vn[&y;]et tille two &y;eres ende
So longe &t;ey [s]ou&y;t hit by sege or &t;ey &t;e [cite] hadde
Eleuen hundred &t;ousand Jewes in &t;e mene whyle
Swalten while &t;e sweng last by swerd & by hunger
Now Titus conseil ha&t; take &t;e toun to assayle
To wynne hit on eche [wise] of warwolues handes
Neuer pyte ne pees profre hem more
Ne gome &t;at he gete may to no grace taken
[&t;ei] armen hem as tyt alle for &t;e werr
Tyen euen to &t;e toun with trompis & pypys
With nakerers & grete noyce ne&y;en &t;e walles
&T;er many styf man & stour stondi&t; alofte
Sir Sabyn of Surrye on a syde &y;ede
&T;e &y;ong duke Domycian drow to an o&t;er
XV &t;ousand [fi&y;tynge] men eche freke hadde
With many maner of engyne & mynours ynowe
Tytus at &t;e toun &y;ate with ten &t;ousand helmes
Merke&t; mynour[s] at &t;e wal wher &t;ey myne scholde
On ech side for &t;e assaute sette&t; engynes
& bold-brayned men in belfrayes heye
Was no&y;t bot dyn & dyt as alle deye scholde
So eche lyuande lyf laye&t; on o&t;er
At eche kernel was cry & quasschyng of wepne
& many burne atte brayd brayned to de&t;
Sir Sabyn of Surrye whyle &t;e saute laste
Ley&t; a ladder to &t;e wal & alofte clymy&t;
Wende&t; wy&y;tly &t;eron &t;o&y; hym wo happned
& vp stondi&t; for ston[es] or for steel gere
Syx he slow on &t;e wal sir Sabyn alone
&T;e seue&t; hitte&t; on hym an vnhende dynte
&T;at &t;e brayn out brast at bo&t; nose-&t;rylles
& Sabyn ded of &t;e dynt in-to &t;e diche falle&t;
&T;an Tytus wepy&t; for wo & warie&t; &t;e tyme
Sy&t; he &t;e lede ha&t; lost &t;at he loue scholde
Ffor now is a duke ded &t;e dou&y;tiest y trowe
&T;at euer stede bystrode or any steel wered
Tytus on &t;e same side sette&t; an engyne
A sowe wro&y;t for &t;e werr & to &t;e wal dryue&t;
&T;at alle ouerwalte &t;er he went & wyes an hundred
Wer ded of &t;at dynt & in &t;e diche ly&y;ten
&T;an Tytus heue&t; vp &t;e honde & heuen kyng &t;onke&t;
&T;at &t;ey &t;e dukes de&t; han so der bou&y;te
&T;e Jewes praien &t;e pees &t;is was &t;e paske-euene
& &t;e comelich kyng &t;e keyes out rau&y;ten
Nay traytours quo&t; Tytus now take hem &y;ourselfen
Ffor schal no ward on &y;our wal vs &t;e way lette
We han geten vs a gate a[g]en &y;our wille
&T;at schal be satled sour on &y;our sory kynde
Or &t;e &y;ates wer &y;olden &t;re &y;er byfore
Ouer &t;e cyte wer seyn selcou&t;e &t;ynges
A bry&y;t bren[n]yng swerd ouer &t;e burwe henged
Without hond o&t;er helpe saue [of] heuen one
Armed men in &t;e ayer vpon ost-wyse
Ouer &t;e cyte wer seyn sundrede tymes
A calf a&y;en kynde calued in &t;e temple
& eued an ewe-lombe at [&t;e] offryng-tyme
A wye on &t;e wal cried wonder heye
Voys fram est & fram west & fram &t;e four wyndis
& sayd Wo wo wo wor&t; on &y;ou bo&t;e
Jerusalem &t;e Jewen toun & &t;e joly temple
&Y;if say&t; &t;e wye on &t;e walle o word mor
Wo to &t;is worldly wone & wo to my-selue
& deyd whan he don hadde &t;row dynt of [a] slynge
& haplich was had away how wyst I neuere
& &t;an &t;ey deuysed hem & vengaunce hit helde
& wyten her wo &t;e wronge &t;at &t;ey wro&y;te
Whan &t;ey brutned in &t;e burwe &t;e byschup seint Jame
No&y;t wolde acounte hit for Crist &t;e car &t;at &t;ey hadde
Bot vp &y;eden her &y;ates [&t;ey] &y;elden hem alle
Without brunee & bri&y;t wede in her bar chertes
fram none tille &t;e merke ny&y;t neuer ne cesed
Bot man after man mercy bysou&y;t
Tytus into &t;e toun take&t; his way
My&y;t no man st[e]ken [i]n &t;e stret for stynke of ded corses
&T;e peple in &t;e pauyment was pite to byholde
&T;at we enfamy[n]ed for defaute whan hem fode wanted
Was no&y;t on ladies lafte bot &t;e lene bones
&T;at wer fleschy byfor & fayr on to loke
Burges with balies as barels or &t;at tyme
No gretter &t;an a grehounde to grype on &t;e medil
Tytus tarie&t; no&y;t for &t;at bot to &t;e temple wendi&t;
&T;at was rayled &t;e roof with rebies grete
With perles & peritotes alle &t;e place ferde
As glowande gledfur &t;at on gold st[r]ike&t;
&T;e dores ful of dyemauntes dryuen wer &t;icke
& made merueylous lye with margeri perles
Derst no candel be [ky]nde whan clerkes scholde rise
So wer &t;ey lemaunde ly&y;t & as a lampe schonen
&T;e Romayns wayten on &t;e werke warien &t;e tyme
&T;at euer so precious a place scholde persche for her synne
Out &t;e tresour to take Tytus commaundy&t;
Doun bete &t;e bilde brenne hit in-to grounde
&T;er was plente in &t;e place of precious stonys
Grete gaddes of gold who-so grype lyste
Platis pecis of peys pulsched vessel
Bassynes of brend gold & o&t;er bry&y;t ger
Pelours masly made of metals fele
In cop[r]e craftly cast & in clene seluere
Peynted [with] pur gold alle &t;e place was ouer
&T;e Romayns renten hem doun & to Rome ledyn
Whan &t;ey &t;e cyte han sou&y;t vpon &t;e same wyse
Telle cou&t;e no tonge &t;e tresours &t;at &t;ei &t;er foundn
Jewels for joly men je[mewes] riche
Ffloreyns of [fyne] gold no freke wanted
Riche pelour & pane princes to wer
Besantes bies of gold broches & rynges
Clene clo&t;es of selke many carte-fulle
Wele wante&t; no wye bot wale[&t;] what hym lyke&t;
Now masouns & mynours han &t;e molde sou&y;te
With pykeyse & ponsone persched &t;e walles
Hewen &t;row hard ston hadde hem to grounde
&T;at alle derkned &t;e diche for doust of &t;e pouder
So &t;ey wrou&y;ten at &t;e wal alle &t;e woke-tyme
Tille alle &t;e cyte was serched & sou&y;t al aboute
Maden wast at [a] wappe &t;er &t;e walle stode
Bo&t;e in temple & in tour alle &t;e toun ouer
Nas no ston in &t;e stede stondande alofte
Morter ne m[o]de walle bot alle to mulle fallen
No&t;er tymbr ne tre temple ne o&t;er
Bot doun betyn & brent into blake er&t;e
& whan &t;e temple was ouertourned Tytus commaundys
In plowes to putte & alle &t;e place erye
Su&t; sow hit with salt & seide &t;is wordes
Now is &t;is stalwour&t;e stede distroied for euere
Tytus su&t; sett hym on a sete riche
As juge Jewes to jugge justise hym-self
Criour[s] callen hem for&t; as hy &t;at Crist slowen
& beden Pilat apere &t;at prouost was &t;anne
Pilat proffri&t; hym for&t; apered at &t;e bar
& he frayne&t; &t;e freke alle with fair wordis
Whan Crist of dawe was don & to &t;e de&t; &y;ede
Of &t;e he[&t;]yng &t;at he hadde & &t;e hard woundis
&T;an melys &t;e man & &t;e matere tolde
How alle &t;e ded was don whan he de&t; &t;oled
For &t;ritty penyes in a poke his postel hym solde
So was he bargayned & bou&y;t & as a beste quelled
Now corsed be he quo&t; &t;e kyng &t;at &t;e cate made
He wexe marchaunte amys &t;at &t;e money fenged
To sille so precyous a prince for penyes so fewe
[Thoghe ilke a ferthynge had bene ful florence an hundrethe]
Bot I schal marchaundise make in mynde of &t;at o&t;er
&T;at schal be he&t;yng to hem or I hennes passe
Alle &t;at here bodyes wol by or bargaynes make
By lower pris for to passe &t;an &t;ey &t;e prophete solde
He made in myddel of [&t;e] ost a market to crye
Alle &t;at cheffare wolde chepe chepis to haue
Ay for a peny of pris who-so pay wolde
&T;rytty Jewes in a &t;rom &t;rongen in ropis
So wer &t;ey bargayned & bou&y;t & bro&y;t out of londe
Neuer su&t; [on] &t;at syde cam segge of hem after
Ne non &t;at leued in her lawe scholde in &t;at londe dwelle
&T;at tormented trewe God &t;us Titus commaundy&t;
Josophus &t;e gentile clerke a-jorneyd was to Rome
&T;er of &t;is mater & mo he made fayr bokes
& Pilat to prisoun was do to pyne for euere
At Viterbe &t;er he veniaunce & vile de&t; &t;oled
&T;e wye &t;at hym warded wente on a tyme
Hym-self fedyng with frut & feffyt hym with a per
& forto paren his pere he praie&t; hym &y;erne
Of a knyf & &t;e kempe kest hym a trenchour
& with &t;e same he schef hymself to &t;e herte
& so &t;e kaytif as his kynde corsedlich deied
Whan alle was demed & d[on]e &t;ei drow vp tentis
Trossen her tresour & trompen vp &t;e sege
Wenten syngyng away & han her wille for&t;red
& hom riden to Rome Now rede ous our lord