2

Seint austin him greiþede · ⁊is felaws echon
Vorte viȝte aȝen þe deuel · ⁊ to bataile gon.
Hi maden þe þe signe of þe crois · oþer armurre nedden heo non
Vorte do þis bataile · ⁊to ouer comen herre fon.
Acrois of seluer wiþ þe forme · of god hi lete arere
And in stude of banere · bifore hem alle hi bere.
Hiȝeodenfoþ baldeliche · as bolde kniȝtes and gode
And siwede þat swete baner · wiþ þe forme of þe rode.
Higon singe þe letanie · vor prow of þe londe
¶ Þe king hi gretten vairre · þo hi to him come
And seide þe ernde þat hi brouȝten · vrom þe court of rome.
Hi pr^echeden him of cristendom · ⁊ of ourre lordes lawe
To goder hele him ⁊ hise · wolden hi þer to drawe.
Heo biheten him heuene · þa^t so riche was and is
Þa^t he scholde after þat lif · torne to þat blis.
And heo þer wiþ outen ende · wiþ god þa^t vs bouȝte
Þe king stod þo he herde þis · inawel gret þouȝte.
Vair þing hit is he seide · þat ȝe me bihoteþ me
Were ich siker þat hit were soþ · don icholde after þe.
Ac me asente not þer to · vor hit is ȝet newe
Ar ichabbe more vnderȝete · ȝif þis beotrewe.
Ac vor ȝe beþ sotrauailed · vrom so ferre londe
And vor mi gode as ȝe me doþ · to vnder stonde.
Greue ich nelle ȝow nouȝt · ac vairre biȝow do
Vor vinden ichulle ȝow · alþat ȝe habbeþ nedeto.
And ich gr^ante alle þilke · þa^t wolleþ to ȝow terne
God leue ich ȝeue vch man · inel nomon werne.
Þis was ate furste · agod bigynnynge
Þerafter was þe betre hope · to come to god endinge.
Seint Austin ⁊ alle hise · aswiþe fair woninge
Þe king ȝaf in douerre · to do þer herre prechinge.
Seint Austin ⁊ hise felaws · bigonne to preche vaste
Soþa^t somme þat gode were · to hem here herte caste.
And turnde to cristendom · euer þe leng þe mo
Þat volk abouten hem com · as þikke as hi miȝten go.
Heore dede sprong so wide · þa^t to þe king it com
Þe miracles þat hiduden · as heo precheden cr[iste]ndom.
Þe king herde hem preche · him þouȝte hit was god
Tolonge he seide ichabbe abide · ar ich þis vnerstod.
He tornde to cristendom · ⁊ let him baptize anon
And leuede on ihesu crist · ⁊ hise men echon.
Þus þese holi men hedden · herre wille ate nende
And þe volk of ech toun · to cristendom gan wende.
¶Þa^t ourre lord hem sende grace · herre preching to vnderstonde.