He saisede the mulne for a castel,
With hare sharpe swerdes he grounde the stel,
He wende that the sayles were mangonel
to helpe Wyndesore.
Richard, etc.
The Kyng of Alemaigne gederede ys host,
Makede him a castel of a mulne post,
Wende with is prude ant is muchele bost,
Brohte from Alemayne mony sori gost
to store Wyndesore.
Richard, etc.
By God, that is aboven ous, he dude muche synne,
That lette passen over see the Erl of Warynne:
He hath robbed Engelond, the mores, ant th[e] fenne,
The gold, ant the selver, ant y-boren henne,
for love of Wyndesore.
Richard, etc.
Sire Simond de Mountfort hath swore bi ys chyn,
Hevede he nou here the Erl of Waryn,
Shulde he never more come to is yn,
Ne with sheld, ne with spere, ne with other gyn,
to help of Wyndesore.
Richard, etc.
Sire Simond de Montfort hath suore bi ys cop,
Hevede he nou here Sire Hue de Bigot,
Al he shulde quite here twelfmoneth scot,
Shulde he never more with his fot pot
to helpe Wyndesore.
Richard, etc.
Be the luef, be the loht, sire Edward,
Thou shalt ride sporeles o thy lyard
Al the ryhte way to Dovere ward;
Shalt thou never more breke fore-ward,
ant that reweth sore:
Edward, thou dudest ase a shreward,
forsoke thyn emes lore.
Richard, etc.
TRANSLATION.--Sit all still and listen to me:--the King of
Almaigne, by my loyalty,--thirty thousand pound he asked--to make
peace in the country,--and so he did more.--Richard, though thou
art ever a traitor,--thou shalt never more deceive.
Richard of Almaigne, while he was king,--he spent all his
treasure upon luxury;--have he not of Wallingford one
furlong:--let him have, as he brews, evil to drink,--in spite of
Windsor.
The King of Almaigne thought to do full well,--they seized the
mill for a castle;--with their sharp swords they ground the
steel,--they thought the sails had been mangonels--to help
Windsor.
The King of Almaigne gathered his host,--he made him a
castle of a mill-post,--he went with his pride and his great
boast,--brought from Almaigne many a wretched soul--to garrison
Windsor.
By God, that is above us, he did great sin,--who let the Earl
of Warenne pass over sea:--he hath robbed England both the moor
and the fen,--of the gold and the silver, and carried them
hence,--for love of Windsor.
Sir Simon de Montfort hath sworn by his chin,--had he now
here the Earl of Warenne,--he should never more come to his
lodging,--neither with shield, nor with spear, nor with other
contrivance,--to help Windsor.
Sir Simon de Montfort hath sworn by his head,--had he now here
Sir Hugh de Bigot,--he should pay here a twelvemonth’s scot,--he
should never more tramp on his feet,--to help Windsor.
Be it agreeable to thee, or disagreeable, Sir Edward,--thou
shalt ride spurless on thy hack--all the straight road towards
Dover;--thou shalt never more break covenant;--and that sore
rueth thee;--Edward, thou didst like a shrew,--forsookest thine
uncle’s teaching.
* * * * *
The following long, but singularly interesting, poem may be
considered as the popular declaration of the principles with which
the barons entered into the war, and the objects which they had in
view. It bears internal proofs of having been written immediately
after the decisive battle of Lewes; and the moderate and deeply
moral and religious feeling which the reforming party here shows,
even in the moment of triumph, is extremely remarkable, and is
closely connected with the complaints against the licentiousness
of the other party in the satyrical songs which precede. We might
almost suppose ourselves transported to the days of Wickliffe or
Cromwell.
THE BATTLE OF LEWES.
[MS. Harl. 978. fol. 128, r^o. of the middle of the 13th cent.]