Comen is þe erle Edgar with alle þo of his kynde,
Sir Wolnoth he is þar, þo with þat he mot fynde.
Marlesuayn Turkille sonne, & Suane a douhty knyght,
Of Scotland Gospatrik, with þam at alle his myght.
þe Normans in þe South wer in so grete affray,
Of kastels & of touns þei com out alle day,
To ȝork ran ilk a man, to rescet in þat toun,
þat no Danes man þe walles to breke doun.
Sir William Malet was wardeyn of þe cuntres,
Sibrigh þe Gaunt was set with him to kepe þe fees.
þise tuo brouht tiyng, þe wer comen bi þat coste,
þerfor William þe kyng did turne ageyn his oste,
& suore a grete othe, þat he suld neuer spare
Noiþer lefe no lothe northeren, what so þei ware.
¶ William turned ageyn, & held þat he had suorn,
Alle mad he wasteyn, pastur, medow & korn,
& slouh boþe fader & sonne, women lete þei gon,
Hors & hondes þei etc, vnneþis skaped non.
Whan þe Danes herd, þat William held his oth,
þat he with þe Norreis so ferd, spared lefe no loth,
Fulle quaintly þei sent to William messengers,
Of pes þei mad present, to turne ilkon þer pers
Ageyn to Danmark go with his wille & his leue,
þat he suld no mo slo, ne þei suld him not greue. [Ecce Da|nachi.]
NOW duellis William eft, fulle bare mas many wone,
Of gode men er non left, bot slayn er ilkone.
Clerkes vnneþis þei lete, to kirke o lyue to go,
Horses & hondes þei ete for hunger & for wo.
