Hue de Longeville, a force
doughtre mere,
Advauncyd forwarde to provoke
the darte,
When soone he founde that
Adhelmes poynted speere
Had founde an easie passage
to his hearte.
He drewe his bowe, nor was
of dethe astarte, 485
Then fell down brethlesse
to encrease the corse;
But as he drewe hys bowe devoid
of arte,
So it came down upon Troyvillains
horse;
Deep thro hys hatchments wente
the pointed floe;
Now here, now there, with rage bleedyng
he rounde doth goe. 490
Nor does he hede his mastres
known commands,
Tyll, growen furiouse by his
bloudie wounde,
Erect upon his hynder feete
he staundes,
And throwes hys mastre far
off to the grounde.
Near Adhelms feete the Normanne
laie astounde, 495
Besprengd his arrowes, loosend
was his sheelde,
Thro his redde armoure, as
he laie ensoond,
He peercd his swerde, and
out upon the feelde
The Normannes bowels steemd,
a dedlie syghte!
He opd and closd hys eyen in everlastynge
nyghte. 500
Caverd, a Scot, who for the
Normannes foughte,
A man well skilld in swerde
and soundynge strynge,
Who fled his country for a
crime enstrote,
For darynge with bolde worde
hys loiaule kynge,
He at Erie Aldhelme with grete
force did flynge 505
An heavie javlyn, made for
bloudie wounde,
Alonge his sheelde askaunte
the same did ringe,
Peered thro the corner, then
stuck in the grounde;
So when the thonder rauttles
in the skie,
Thro some tall spyre the shaftes in a
torn clevis flie. 510
Then Addhelm hurld a croched
javlyn stronge,
With mighte that none but
such grete championes know;
Swifter than thoughte the
javlyn past alonge,
Ande hytte the Scot most feirclie
on the prowe;
His helmet brasted at the
thondring blowe, 515
Into his brain the tremblyn
javlyn steck;
From eyther syde the bloude
began to flow,
And run in circling ringlets
rounde his neck;
Down fell the warriour on
the lethal strande,
Lyke some tall vessel wreckt upon the
tragick sande. 520
CONTINUED.
Where fruytlefs heathes and
meadowes cladde in greie,
Save where derne hawthornes
reare theyr humble heade,
The hungrie traveller upon
his waie
Sees a huge desarte alle arounde
hym spredde,
The distaunte citie scantlie
to be spedde, 525
The curlynge force of smoke
he sees in vayne,
Tis too far distaunte, and
hys onlie bedde
Iwimpled in hys cloke ys on
the playne,
Whylste rattlynge thonder
forrey oer his hedde,
And raines come down to wette hys harde
uncouthlie bedde. 530