IV.
FINDING OF THE CROSS. [[Harlein MS. 4196, [folio 149b:2] .]]
De Inuencione sancte crucis.
MEn aw to honure euer omang
Þe cros þat al our hele on hang;
And how þat haly tre was fun,
Was þis feste ordand and bigun;
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Þat tre vs aw forto do honoure
Þat bare oure lord and oure sauioure.
Whils Constantyne þe nobil king
Lifd here in erth in grete liking,
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Trew he was, in dede and saw,
And lely lifed he in his law;
In Rome he regnid als Emperoure,
And gouerned it with grete honoure;
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So in his tyme, trewly to tell,
All on þis maner it bifell:—
Þe grekis and þe folk of barbary
Gederd ful grete cumpany,
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Forto gif batail ogaynes rome,
And so by strenkit it to ouercum;
And when king Constantine herd tell
Off al þis fare, how it byfell,
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In his hert he had grete drede,
For ful grete power gun þai lede;
He ordand him grete cumpany
Of men of armes and archery
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His land with fighting to defend,
And to hald it fro his enmis hend;
And als he lay opon a night,
Bifore þat day þat þai suld fight,
Line 28
Him thoght he lukid to heuyn on high,
