Classic Poem

The merryest time itt is in may;
then springs the sum m ers day;
soe in tha t time, as yee may heere,
the Barrons came to vortiger,
& said, " my Lord the kinge,
wee haue brought you heard tydinge
of Pendragon tha t is thye foe,
& of Vther his brother alsoe;
They are comen into this Land
w i th many a K nigh t doughtye of hand,
& they will stint nought
till thou be to ground brought;
they are att Winchester almost;
therfore send about in hast
to all thy freinds, I thee reed,
for thou had neu er soe much need. "
vp him start vortigers,
& called to him Messengers;
to winchester he them sent,
& bade them, thorrow his com m andement,
" against Vther & Pendragon
the shold shutt the gates anon;
as they wold his loue winne,
they shold not let them come in;
& he wold come anon-right
to helpe them w i th all his might."
other Messengers he sent anon
to k ing Anguis soone,
& bade him " come to helpe att neede,
w i th all the folke tha t he might leade,
for to fight against his fone
tha t were comen him to slone."
when K ing Anguis he was come,
the way to winchester they nume;
& or they were halfe way there,
Vther & Pendragon comen weare
to winchester towne soe nye,
& reard their Bannors on hye;
armes the shewed rich there
tha t had beene their fathers before.
then the burgesse tha t they Banners knew,
att the first he can them rue
the death of Constantine the K ing ,
& of Moyne tha t was slaine soe younge,
& said " vortiger was a Traitor,
& all that wold him succor;"
& said " the wold let into the towne
both Vther and Pendragon,
& ceaze there into their hands,
for they were right heyres of the land."
they sett open the gates wyde,
& lett Pendragon in ryde,
And Vther his brother alsoe,
& all tha t came w i th them 2;
& yeelden to them both towne & tower,
& didden them full great honor,
tha t eu er after winchester then
great thanke & freedome wan.
when tha t vortiger the fell
the sooth Tydings hard tell,
tha t Vther & Pendragon
were let into winchester towne,
then he comanded his men fast
to goe to winchester in hast.
& when Pendragon vnder-nome,
tha t vortiger did thither come,
he cast open the gates wyde;
& all they can out ryde,
& dighten them w i thout fayle
to giue S i r Vortiger battayle.
but the English Barrons all in fere
tha t were comen with Vortiger,
when the can they folke seene
tha t were some time of their kine,
(w i th Vortiger was many a K nigh t
tha t knew the Banners anon-right;
well a 100 there were
tha t had serued their father deere,
& saiden " Vortiger was false in feild,
& all tha t eu er w i th him helde,")
to vortiger the ran soone,
& thought for to haue slaine him anon.
they had ment to haue slaine him there,
but all too litle was their power,
for against one of them
vortiger had 20 men
tha t were comen altogether
w i th K ing Anguis thither.
K ing Vortiger & Anguis
for wrath were neere wood I-wisse;
he com m anded all his route
to besett them all aboute,
& sware there shold scape none,
but they shold all be slaine
Lance they broke, & shafts the drew,
many of the Barrons the slew;
but they were strong & wight,
& fought againe w i th all their might;
for nothing wold the yeeld then,
but slew many a heathen man;
fast on him they can hew,
but alas, they were to few!
yett one Baron was soe stronge
tha t hee scaped out of the thronge;
hee pricked his steed w i th great randome
till he came to Pendragon;
he sayd, " thou art heyre of this land,
to my tale doe vnderstand!
for the loue of thy Brother & thee
hither I come to helpe thee,
& therfor now are wee shent;
for our good will to thee meant,
K ing vortiger & K ing Anguis,
w i th many a Sarazen of great price
shall hew vs downe to the ground,
but yee vs helpe in this stonde. "
itt was noe reed to bid him ryde:
the folke spurred out ou eu er ye syde,
& when they were together mett,
there were strokes wel besett:
there fought Vther & Pendragon
as they were woode Lyons;
Many a sarazens head anon
the stroke of by the Necke bone
Many folke tha t ilke tyde
were slaine on both syds;
K ing Vortiger, w i thout fayle,
was ou er come in tha t battele;
& Maugre him & all his
tha t were w i th k ing Anguis,
the were driuen soe nye
tha t into a castle they can flee,
& tha t was both strong & merrye,
vpon the plaine of salsburye.
Pendragon & his brother Vther
pricked after S i r Vortiger;
& when they to the castle came,
wylde fyer soone them nume
& cast itt in w i th a gynne;
& as soone as itt was w i thin,
itt gann to bren out of witt
tha t noe man might stanch itt;
& vortiger, w i th child & wiffe
tha t were theere in their liffe,
beast & man, w i th lymes & lythe,
were brenned all forthw i th.
Vortiger raigned heere
ffullye the space of 7 yeere.
now pray wee all the heauens K ing ,
& his mother, tha t sweet thinge,
he blesse vs all w i th his hand,
& send vs peace in England!