Roberd side ȝede doun, for he bitrayed was.
His owen men did treson, þe kyng him tok, allas!
Now taken is Roberd, & brouht vnto prison,
At Corue his kastelle sperd depe in a dongeon.
William þe Mortayn he skapes with no gile,
Fettered he is certayn Roberd of Stoteuile.
& Sir William Crispyn with þe duke was led,
Togider prisoned in ȝeres & dayes þam fed
þe kyng þam þer in mete & cloth inouh,
þat neuer þei were o twynne, vntille ded þam slouh.
OFTEN I haf herd told of þis duke Roberd,
So gode knyght no so bold was non in alle þe werld,
Aȝeyn þe Sarazins in bataile forto go,
Now he ligges in pynes, sorow wille him slo.
Why felle him suilk chance, & þis ilk mishap?
For of Gode's ordinance he forsoke þe schap.
Gode's grace he forsoke for ȝernyng of þis lond.
Vengeance þerfor he tok at his endyng he fond.
AT [L. Corue. Others say Caer|diff in South_Wales. See what is said about his death in p. 426, 443. of Rob. of Glouc. To which may be here added, that as nei|ther Robert of Gloucester, nor the Chronicle of Peter Lantoft (that I now publish) say, that Robert Duke of Normandy's Eyes were pulled out, so neither does John Rastall say any thing of that matter, as well knowing (and Sir Tho. More too had told him the truth of that part of our History) that the Story was not vouch'd by such Historians, as came nearest to Duke Ro|bert's time. But I shall put down the Words of Rastall at large, because they will give some light to the Reader as he is perusing this work of Peter Langtoft. ¶ In the seconde yere of his [Hen. the First's] reygne Robert Courteyse his brother duke of Normandye | whiche had ben longe tyme oc|cupyed in warre agaynst Chrys|tes enemyes hauynge worde of the dethe of his brother wyl|lyam Rufus | and that his brother henry had takyn vp|on hym to be kynge of Eng|lande | made preparacyon in Normandye and came ouer into Englande with a great hoost to chalenge the crowne. But by mediacyon of the lordes | it was agreed that Robert shulde haue euery yere durynge his life. iii. M. markes | as was promysed hym before by kynge wyl|lyam his brother. And who so euer lyued longest to be others heyre. And sone after that | this Robert departed agayne into Normandye. This Robert by his man|hode | dyd many notable actes | and specially at the wynnynge of the citye of A|con vpon the myscreantes & Turkes | and was chosyn kynge of Jerusalem | whiche he refused to take vpon him. In this tyme began great warre in Normandye be|twene kyng Henry & kynge Philyp of Fraunce | but kyng Philyp sone after dyed. ¶ About the. iiii. yere of this kyng | Robert Curteyse came into England agayne | to his brother henry whiche made hym great chere that before that Robert departed | he released to his brother the forenamed trybute of. iii. M. markes | & departed agayne into Normandye. After this a great varyaunce fell be|twene this Robert and his lordes in Normandye that they sent vnto kyng henry his brother wyllynge for to come into Normandye | & they wolde delyuer hym the contrey. And also by the intyssement of yll tale tellers | a great va|ryaunce fell betwene kynge henry & his [battel in Norman|dye.] brother Robert | that the kynge with a great armye sayled into Normandye | & with the helpe of the lordes there | chased his brother Ro|bert from place to place | and wanne from hym Roan | Cane | Faloys | and all the good townes & many castels. But at the last this Robert gaue battell to kynge hen|ry | in the whiche battell this Ro|bert [duke Ro|bert taken prisoner.] was takyn and sent ouer into Englande | and kept in prison in the ca|stell of Cardiffe in walys | by the space of. xxviii. yere where he after dyed without yssue of his body | and was buryed at Gloucester. And when this Robert was tak|yn | the kynge Henry seasyd alle Normandye into his owne handes.] Coue is Roberd dede, þe maner of his endyng [Ecce, heu! dicta God|fridi de Bo|lyon de Ro|berto Cour|those.]
My boke it me forbede to telle þerof no þing.
