On [of.] Gracian þey wolde hem venge.
Line 6656
Þey byseded hym sodeynly, [þe biseged him priuely.]
& token hym syþen par maistri,
& his body al to-hewe,
Þe peces vntil houndes þrewe.
Line 6660
Þe Romayns þat were wyþ him comen,
Smertly a-geyn to Rome þey nomen.
¶ De captiuitate Brytannie.
Melga Guaneys [Melga Guanis. (Ganis et Ma|gan, Wace.)] herde wel how
Þat þe poraille [poueraile. (vilain, Wace, l. 6281.)] Gracian slow;
Line 6664
ffro Irlond þey come, ful [& were.] fayn
Þat sire Gracian was so slayn;
Þey gadered alle þe outlandeys
Of Norwey men, wyþ þe Daneys,
Line 6668
& [of.] þe Scottes wyþ men of Irland,
& ouer-sette alle Northumberlande;
Þey passed Humber, pylede [robbed.] & brent.
Þen sawe þe Bretons þer lond al schent,
Line 6672
[P. puts here, for the next line,
& þer folk so schamly deie.] . & þey hadde no myght to stoppe þer weye, [myght stop weie.] ffor nought þat þey couþe don or seye; No þrowe in pes ne myghte þey reste; Þer-opon þey conseilled what was þe beste. Line 6676
¶ Hic miserunt Britones ad Romanos pro defencione eorum.
¶ Þey sente vnto þe senatours
Of Rome for help & socours,
As men þat þey most on affied,
