On the dewke and hys mayne.
Line 1900
Gye dud wele that ylke day
And all hys men wythowte delay
And slewe þe Lumbardes on euery syde
Wyth swerdys and wyth sperys vnryde.
Line 1904
Thorow Gye they be ouercome,
Many slayne and many nome.
They flewe awey, Gye dud þem chace;
Of dedde men was full the place.
Line 1908
¶ Then came the dewke Raynere
And the constabull Waldynere
And wyth them grete company.
In a vale they sawe syr Gye
Line 1912
And faste to hym can they hye
Wyth full grete envye.
Gye drewe to an hylle
And all hys men wyth gode wylle.
Line 1916
'Lordyngys,' seyde Gye, 'herkenyþ me,
The ylke men, þat ye [MS. y.] yonder see,
Ys the dewke of Cesoyne [MS. Cesyone.]
And the erle of Coloyne.
Line 1920
We may not passe, wytterlye:
Wyth them ys grete cheualrye.
They haue vs closed on euery parte:
We may not passe wythowten hurte. [folio 173b:1]
Line 1924
We muste nede oon of the two
Othur to defende vs or to dethe go
Better hyt ys in honowre to dye,
Than to be takyn and hangyd hye.
Line 1928
Therfore euery man be gode couenande
Defende vs, whyll we may stande.
Hyt schall turne to grete honowre
Afturwarde in yche a stowre.'
Line 1932
All þey seyde wyth oon couenande:
