Whan he wist þer wille, he hasted him þider suiþe.
þei gaf him þe coroune, & were of him fulle bliþe.
He studied, how he myght venge his moder despite,
He did Harald body do drawe vp also tite,
& þorgh þe podels it drouh, þat foule were & deppest,
& siþen in to Temse his body did he kest.
þat fischid in Temse on þe nyght, whan þei þer nettes vp wond,
þe body of Harald in a nette þei fond.
þei durst it not forth schewe, for þe kyng wer þei ferd.
Som frendes he had, þat biried it in kirke ȝerd.
HARDEKNOUT did charge þe lond in suilk treuwage,
þat noiþer erle no barone myght lyue for taliage.
So þat alle þe comonalte had him ageyn herte,
þat were to him so fre, forþouht it sore & smerte.
Hardknoute wex fulle wroth toward Godwyn of Kent
For his broþer Alfred, þat he slouh & schent,
& to þe bisshop Alfrik, þat was his conseilere.
þei dred þe kyng folle sore, for he was fulle austere.
þe erle had frendes, to acorde þei gaf him þe weie.
þe erle was fulle quaynte, did mak a riche galeie
With fourscore armed knyghtes, in suilk apparaille dight,
þat so riche armes was neuer sene with sight.
& ilk knyght bare on his arme, be redy acounte,
Also mykelle brent gold, as sextene vnce amounte.
Withouten alle þis a hundreth knyghtes he toke.
Befor þe kyng & þe barons he suore on þe boke,
þat neuer Alfred his broþer þorgh him was dede,
No blynfeld no slayn, bot þorgh Haralde's rede.
