¶How the kynge. Gurmonde droue kyng Cortyf to Chechestre / & slewe the Brytons / & thrugh crafte & engyne gate the same towne.
COrtyf the kyng fledde thens in to Che∣chestre that tho was stronge / and there helde hym .xx. dayes / & this Gurmonde came and it besyeged. But the cytee was so stronge that he myght not gete it by no maner of wy∣se with engyne that they myght doo. Tho be∣thought they vpon a subtylte for to brenne the towne. They made engynes wyth glewe of nettes / & toke pecys of thunder & of fyre & bon∣de it to sparowes feet & than lete them flee and they anōe flewe & lodged thē in ye towne ther yt theyr nestis were / & in stackes & euesynges of houses / & ye fyre began to kyndle & brente all ye towne / And whan the. Brytons sawe that in euery syde they hyed them out & fought / but a¦none they were slayne and dyscomfyted / And whyle batayll dured the kynge pryuely hydde hym and stale awaye in to walys / & men wyst neuer where he became / and soo was the tow∣ne of Chechestre taken and destroyed. And af∣ter. Gurmonde wente and destroyed townes and cytees that neuer were after made ayen / as it is seen yet in many places of thys londe.