So hii weren byset on everuche halve,
Somme slaye were, ant somme dreynte hemselve;
Sire Johan of Lyndeseye nolde nout abyde,
He wod into the water, his feren him bysyde,100
To adrenche.
Whi nolden hii be war?
Ther nis non ayeyn star:—
Why nolden hy hem bythenche?
This wes byfore seint Bartholomeus masse,105
That Frysel wes ytake, were hit more other lasse;
To sire Thomas of Multon, gentil baron ant fre,
Ant to sire Johan Jose, bytake tho wes he
To honde:
He wes yfetered weel,110
Bothe with yrn ant wyth steel,
To bringen of Scotlonde.
Sone therafter the tydynge to the kyng com;
He him sende to Londone, with mony armed grom;
He com yn at Newegate, y telle yt ou aplyht,115
A gerland of leves on ys hed ydyht,
Of grene;
For he shulde ben yknowe,
Bothe of heye ant of lowe,
For treytour, y wene.120
Yfetered were ys legges under his horse wombe,
Bothe with yrn ant with stel mankled were ys honde,
A gerland of peruenke set on his heved;
Muche wes the poer that him wes byreved
In londe:125
So god me amende,
Lutel he wende
So be broht in honde.
[Sire Herbert of Norham], feyr knyht ant bold,
For the love of Frysel ys lyf wes ysold;130
A wajour he made, so hit wes ytold,
Ys heved of to smhyte, yef me him brohte in hold,
Wat so bytyde:
Sory wes he thenne
Tho he myhte him kenne135
Thourh the toun ryde.
Thenne seide ys scwyer a word anon ryht,
"Sire, we beth dede, ne helpeth hit no wyht,"
(Thomas de Boys the scwyer wes to nome,)
"Nou, y chot, our wajour turneth us to grome,140
So ybate."
Y do ou to wyte,
Here heved wes of-smyte,
Byfore the Tour-gate.
[This wes on oure Levedy even, for sothe ych understonde;]145
The justices seten for the knyhtes of Scotlonde,
[Sire Thomas of Multone], an hendy knyht ant wys,
Ant sire Rauf of Sondwyche, that muchel is [hold] in prys,
Ant sire Johan Abel;
Mo y mihte telle by tale,150
Bothe of grete ant of smale,
Ye knowen suythe wel.
Thenne saide the justice, that gentil is ant fre,
"Sire Simond Frysel, the kynges traytour hast thou be,
In water ant in londe, that monie myhten se.155
What sayst thou thareto, hou wolt thou quite the?
Do say."
So foul he him wiste,
Nede waron truste
For to segge nay.160