2

Austin
þa^t echone monekes were : Seint Austin ⁊ eke þoþere
þis holi men hem wende forþ : þa^t alle were as broþere
After þa^t god was ibore : Uyf hondred ȝer hit was
⁊ fourscore ⁊ neȝ tuo ȝer .~ þa^t hi dude þis holi cas
hi dradde siyþe for hi necouþe.~ þe speche of Engelonde
hi nome men þa^t couþe boþe : þe langages understonde
hi dude hem forþ in þe see : þo hi þuder come
to ward þe havene of Engelonde : þe riȝte wey hi nome
to anyle bi weste Kent ~ here schip 'gan evene wende
þa^t tenet lond i cliþed is .~as oure lorde hem wolde sende
¶ þere hi neme furst here in . ⁊ nome furst to rede
hou hi myte best on take . to do þis holi dede
þa^t king Ailbriȝt þa^t was þo . Kyng of Engelonde
Diagueynte messages .~ he sende here sonde
þa^t hi were messages .~ fram anbeȝ man hicome
¶ To do him a message .~ fram þe court of Rome
þa^t scholde iwerþe wiþouten ende .~ to him ⁊ al his londe
To get pron ⁊ to richeste : if hit wolde understonde
þo þis word to þe king com . He stod a while in þoȝte
Gode teþinge he seide mote hit beo .~ þa^t hi haweþ to me ibroȝte
he underfens eþ hem faire ynouȝ : ⁊ wolcomeþ also
⁊ fyndeþ he plente ynouȝ : of þa^t hi hadde neod þe^rto
¶forte i habbe mid hem ispeke : ⁊ here message iseo
God leove as hi bihoteþ wel: þa^t hit mote þrou beo
his heste was wel iholde : me fens hem fair ynouȝ
þe king toward þuwe yse : sone þ^ereafte drouȝ
þo he to þe yle com : Seint Austin he sende
¶ þa^t he to do his message : wiþ his felawes to him wende
Seint Austin him greiþede wel : ⁊ his felawes echon
forto fiȝte aȝe þe devel : ⁊ to bataille gon
hi makede þe signe of þe crous : oþe^r armes hadde he non
forto do þis bataille : & ove^rcome here fon
A croiȝ of silver wiþ þe forme of god hilote rere
⁊ in stede of banner : to fore hem alle bere
⁊ geode forþ wel baldeliche : as hardy knyȝtes & gode
⁊ suede here banners In þe forme of þe Rode
hi gonne singe þe letanye : for prou of þe londe
þa^t oure lou^rde hem sende grate :here p^reachinge to understonde