ouer þe see þat hue be diht, [hue, Percy: Hue; "This is probably the name of the person who was to preside over this business". Das Pronomen "hue" ist auf "herte" zu beziehen, welches Wort im ags. (heorte) feminin war.]
wiþ fourscore knyhtes, al of pris,
In werre þat buen war & wys,
aȝein þe heþene forte fyhte,
Line 30
to wynne þe croiz þat lowe lys;
my self ycholde ȝef pat y myhte."
kyng of fraunce, þou heuedest sunne,
þat þou þe counsail woldest fonde,
to latte þe wille of kyng edward, [Percy stellt "kyng edward" in "Edward kyng" um und setzt für "sunne" in v. 33 "sinne". Auch hierdurch gewinnt er nur eine höchst unvollkommene Asso|nanz.]
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to wende to þe holy londe,
þat oure kyng hede take on honde,
al engolond to ȝeme & wysse,
to wenden in to þe holy londe,
to wynnen vs heueriche blisse.
Line 40
þe messager to þe pope com,
& seyde þat oure kyng wes ded;
ys oune hond þe lettre he nom, [lettre, ms. lre, mit Querstrich durch l.]
ywis, is herte wes ful gret.
þe pope him self þe lettre redde,
Line 45
ant spec a word of gret honour:
"alas!" he seide, "is Edward ded?
of cristendome he ber þe flour!"
þe pope to is chaumbre wende, [chaumbre, ms. chaumbre.]
for del ne mihte he speke namore,
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ant after cardinals he sende,
þat muche couþen of cristes lore,
boþe þe lasse ant eke þe more,
bed hem boþe rede & synge:
