And he þem sende sire Gracian;
Line 6628
Wyþ hym come two legyons
Þat wel socoured þe Bretouns;
Þise Sarsynes [þis Saxins. (les hulagues, Wace, i. 289, l. 6253.)] þeues þey drof awey,
In til Irland ilkon fled þey.
Line 6632
¶ In þys tyme at Rome ros Valentyn
Wyþ al hys kynde, em & cosyn;
Wyþ hym com kynges [a kyng.] of þe Est,
Mo þan twenty, as seyþ [Theodosius, so sais. (O Théo|sien d'Orient, Wace, i. 289, l. 6258.)] þe Gest;
Line 6636
Bot þorow treson, y ne wot how,
Algate Maximian þey slow.
Þe Bretons þat Maximian ledde,
Summe þey slowe, somme were fledde;
Line 6640
Þan sesed Valentyn Rome [Valentyn seised all eft.] [Petyt folio 40a:1] al efte,
Al þat Maximian hym refte.
¶ De Rege Graciano Romano.
Þys tydyng com to Gracian, [Lambeth folio 29a:2]
How Valentyn slow [þat he was dede.] Maxymian;
Line 6644
& saw he was here cheuentayne, [he saw him self cheftan. P. transposes this line and l. 6666.]
& dide hym coroune kyng of Bretayne,
And bar hym heye as a Tyraunt,
ffor þis was his custume & his haunt,
Line 6648
Pouere men to do þem wo;
Out of þer right he put þem fro,
& ful manye of þeym he slow;
Þe riche he louede wel ynow.
Line 6652
What dide þe mene folk & þe pedaille? [poueraile.]
Samned þem a gret bataille;
To pryue conseille þey gon þem renge,
