We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 May 2024
[fol. 59r]
Chaunter mestoit / mon cuer le voit / en un dure langage.
Tut enploraunt / fust fet le chaunt / de nostre duz baronage
Qe pur la pees / si loynz apres / se lesserent detrere,
Lur cors trencher / e demenbrer / pur salver Engletere.
Ore est ocys / la flur de pris / qe taunt savoit de guere,
Ly quens Mountfort. / Sa dure mort / molt enplorra la terre.
Sicom je qui / par un mardi / firent la bataile.
Tot a cheval / fust le mal / sauntz nulle pedaile
Tresmalement / y ferirent / de le espie forbie
Qe la part / Sire Edward / conquist la mestrie.
Ore est ocis, etc.
Mes par sa mort / le cuens Mountfort / conquist la victorie.
Come ly martyr / de Caunterbyr / finist sa vie.
Ne voleit pas / li bon Thomas / qe perist seinte eglise.
Ly cuens auxi / se combati / e morust sauntz feyntise.
Ore est ocys, etc.
Sire Hue le fer / ly Despencer, / tresnoble justice,
Ore est atort / lyvre a mort / a trop male guise,
Sire Henri / pur veir le dy, / fitz le cuens de Leycestre,
Autres assez, / come vus orrez, / par le cuens de Gloucestre.
Ore est ocis, etc.
Qe voleint moryr / e mentenir / la pees e la dreyture
Le seint martir / lur fra joyr, / sa conscience pure,
Chaunter mestoit (204)
London, British Library, Harley MS 2253, fols 59r–59v
With harsh words must I sing; my heart is aware of that. All made tearfully was the song about our gentle barons, who let themselves be destroyed for the sake of a peace so far off and allowed their bodies to be slashed and dismembered to protect England.
Now is slain that precious flower, Montfort the earl, who knew so much about war. England will lament his cruel death.
[7] It was on a Tuesday, so I believe, that they fought the battle. The calamity was that they were all on horseback. Without any infantry, they fought there so forlornly with their burnished swords that Sir Edward's side won the day.
Now is slain, etc.
[12] But by his death Montfort the earl won the victory. He ended his life like the martyr of Canterbury.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
