¶How kynge Gowan came for to de∣stroy this londe and how a man of gre¦te power that was called Gracian dei∣fended the londe.
AS alle thys was done kynge Gowan that was a Sarrasyn called hys bro∣ther. Elga and sayde to hym: that he sholde go conquere the londe that alle those fayre may∣dens were borne in. And he ordened tho a gre∣te power of Pehites of denmarke of or••e••ay and of Norway· And they came in to this lon∣de: and brente townes & slewe folke: and caste a downe chirches & houses / and ••obbed all the lond in length & brede & put to deth alle tho that wolde not forsake the ryght byleue & crysten∣dome / for as moche as there was no soueray∣ne that myght them helpe. For the kyng Max¦imian had take with hym all the worthy men whan he wente to conquere lytell. Brytayne And in the same tyme ye ye here now telle was saynt Albon martryd thrugh the wo••d tyr•••••• Dyoclesyan / in the same place where is now•• an abbaye made of saynt Albon whyles that he was a paynym. But he conuerted hym to god thrugh the predicacyon of clerke & a wyse man that was called. An••••ble that was ••••r∣bourghed a nyght in hys hous. And this was after thyn carnacyon of Ihesu Cryste ·ii. hon∣dred .xxvi. yere. And men shalle vnderstonde that saynt. Albon suffred his martyrdom befo∣re that saynt Edmonde was martryd & ther∣fore is saynt. Albon called the fyrste martyr of Englond. ¶This Gowans brother and hys folke that were sarrasyns wēt thrugh the lōde & destroyed al thynge that they foūde & no thyn¦ge they spared· whan these tydynges came to rome how ye kynge Gowan had begon for to destroye this londe / ye Emperour of come sent a strōge mā & of greate power that was called Gracian with ·xxiiii.M. well fyghtynge men for to caste out those sarrasyns of thys londe. And all they arryued at Portsmouth. Maxi∣mian myght not come hymself / for as moche. as he was chosen Emperour after the deth of