BALLADE

And there lay owre king til the fyrste day of octobre, the which day owre kynge remewyd and toke his way thorow Normandÿ and thorow Pykardy towarde Calys. And these bethe the townes that owre kynge rood by thorow Frawnce. First is Harflew, the secunde is Houndefle; the thirde is Barflete ; the ferthe is Monsterevelers ; the fift is Fescoonpe with the abbey; the sixt is Arkes ; the seventhe is Depe ; the eyghte is Depe : the IX° is the ceté of Delewe; the X° is the ceté de Tewe ; the XIo is ceté de Neelle ; the XIe is the ceté de Amyas; the XIIIe is the ceté of Aras ; the XIIIIe the water of Somme ; the XVe the ceté of Pyronne, the XVIe the water of Swerdys ; and than the batel of Tyrwyne. And in Agyncorte felde owre kynge faught with the Frenchmen, the ffryday to fore the day of Symond and Jude ; and ther all the ryall powere of Frensshemen come agenst owre kynge and his litill meyne, save the Frensshe kynge and the Dolfyne, and the duke of Borgogn, and the duke of Barre, elles all the lordys of Frawnce lay to fore the kynge in his hy way as he schuld passe towarde Calys, enbateylyd in Ille batayles, as the Frensshemen sayde bem silfe, the nownbre of LX M! men of armes, and the were the faireste men of armys that ever any man saw in any please: And owre kynge with his litille mayne say well he must nedys fygte, or he myght not come to Calays by the hy way. And than he sayde to his lordys and to his mayné : « Syres and ffelowes, the gondere mayné thenke to lett us of owre way, and thei wil not come to us, lete every man preve hym silfe a good man this day, and avant baneres, in the best tyme of the yere, for as I am trew kynge and knyght, for me this day schalle never Inglond rawnsome pay ; erste many a wyght man schall leve is weddes, for here erste to deth I wil be dyght, and ther fore, lordynges, for the lowe of swete Jhesu, helpe mayntene Inglondes ryght this

day. Allso, archers, to yow I praye, no fote that ye fle away, erste be we alle beten in this felde. And thenke be Englysshemen that never wold fle at no batelle, for agenste one of us thowthe ther be tene, thenke Criste will help us in owre right. Bot I wold no blede wer spilte, Cryste help me so now in this case, but tho that been cause of this trespase: when thou sittest in jugment, ther holde me excused tofore thi face, as thou art God omnipotent, but passe we all now in fere, duke, erle, and bachelere, of all owre synnys he make us sekere. Jentil Jhesu, borne of Marye, and as for us thou deydyst on good fryday, as thi will was, so brynge us to the blisse and hy, and graunte us ther to have a place. Do and bete on ffaste. » — Owre kynge tho bad wythe fulle glad chere ; and so thei dyde at that word, lord, knyght, and archere. Ther men myght see a semblé sade that turnyd many on to tene and tray, for many a lorde ther ryght low lay that common was off blod full gent. By evensong tyme sothely

te say ther helpe us God omnipotent.

Stedestherstumbelydin that stownde, That stod stere stuffed under stele ; With gronyng grete thei felle to [grownde,] Here sydesfedered whan thei gone fele.

Owre Lord the kynge he foght ryght [wele,] Starpliche on hem his spere he spent, Many on sake he made that sele, Thorow myght of God omnipotent.

The duke of Glowcestre, alsa thal tyde Manfuliy, with his mayné, Wondeshe wroghtther wondere wyde.

The duke of Yorke also, perdé,

Fro bis kyng no fote wold he flee, Tit his basonet to his brayn was bent:

Now on his sowle he have peté Mersifuil Goû omnipotent.

Hontingäom and Oxforde hothe

Were wondere fere all that fyght ; That erste was glade thei made ful [wrethe,] Tborow hem many on to deth were [dyght.} The erles foughten with mayn and [myght,] Rich houberke thei rofe and rente ; Owre kyng to helpe thei were full [lyght ;] Now blesse bem God omnipotent.

The;erle of Suthfoïk gan hem assaylile, And sir Richard Kigblé in that slede, Here lyves thei losten in that bataile, With dyntes sor ther were thei dede.

Gif eny man byde eny good bede Unto God with'good entent,

To tho two sowles it mote be neede Gracius God omnipotent.

Sire William Bowsere, as foule in [fright,]

Preste he ther was upon his pray,

Erpyngbam he come hym with,

Her manhode help as welle that day.

Off Frensshe folk in that afray

Thre dukes were dede with doleful

[dent,] And fyve erles, this is no nay ; Ther helpe us God omnipotent.

Lordes of name an hunderde and mo Bitterly that bargayn bowght ;

Two thousand cot-armers also,

After her sorow thedere thei sowght.

Ten thowsand Frensshemen to deth

[wer browght,]

Off whom never none anay went ; AÏ1 her names sothly know y nowght, Have mersy on bem Cryst omnipotent.

Two dukes were take in that stoure,

He of Orliawnce and of Borboun,

The Ewe and Arthowre,,

The erle of Vandoum, and many one.

The Erchebisshope of Sens come with [oure foon.]

Hym failed the Wynnyngof hisschone,

Thorow myght of God omnipotent.

The falsFlemyngys, God gefbem cure, Thei loved us never yit, by the roode, For alle here fais flaterung fare, Agenst owre kyng that day thai stode.

Bot many of hem her hert-blode Unblythely bledden upon that bent ; Yit shalle thai never wayt Inglond good [ swere by God omnipotent.

(Mss. Cotton; Cleop C. IV, f° 34. — Political poems and songs, relating to Qhe: English history, composed during the period from the accession of Edw. Il, to that of Ric. III, edited by Thomas Wright. — London, 1861, — vol. 4, page 138.)