Entroductionne
Somme cherisounce60 it ys to gentle mynde,
Whan heie have chevyced61 theyre londe from bayne62,
Whan theie ar dedd, theie leave yer name behynde,
And theyre goode deedes doe on the earthe remayne;
Downe yn the grave wee ynhyme63 everych steyne,
Whylest al her gentlenesse ys made to sheene,
Lyche fetyve baubels64 geasonne65 to be seene.
ÆLLA, the wardenne of thys66 castell[67] stede,
Whylest Saxons dyd the Englysche sceptre swaie,
Who made whole troopes of Dacyan men to blede,
Then seel’d[68] hys eyne, and seeled hys eyne for aie,
Wee rowze hym uppe before the judgment daie,
To saie what he, as clergyond[69], can kenne,
And howe hee sojourned in the vale of men.
Notes
60 comfort.
61 preserved.
62 ruin.
63 inter.
64 jewels.
65 rare.
66 Bristol.