One day before death took him,—he would talk with his baronage;—he saw the knights before him,—grievously he began to weep.—“I shall die,” he said, “of necessity,—I see my death which comes to seek me;—cause my son to be crowned king,—may the Lord God give him grace to do well!”
At Poitiers to the pope—a messenger told his death;—and the pope put on the stole,—with bitter tears he took the letters.—“Alas!” he said, “how? is he dead—to whom God gave so much honour?—May God grant mercy to his soul!—he was the flower of holy church.”
The pope entered in his chamber,—he could scarcely support it;—and he sent for all the cardinals,—grievously he began to weep.—The cardinals made him desist,—aloud they begin their service they cause the bells to be rung through the city,—and God’s service to be performed in holy church.
The pope himself came to the mass,—with very great solemnity;—he often applies himself to absolve the soul,—and said in great humility:—“May it please God in Trinity,—that your son may effect the conquest—of Jerusalem the noble city,—and pass into the Holy Land!”
The young Edward of England—is anointed and crowned king:—may God grant that he follow such counsel,—that the country may be governed;—and so to keep the crown,—that the land may be entire,—and himself to increase in goodness,—for his father was a worthy man.
If Aristotle were alive,—and Virgil who knew skill,—they would not say the value—of the worthy man a tenth part.—Now is dead King Edward,—for whom my heart is in desolation;—may God preserve his soul in safety,—for the sake of his holy passion! Amen.
The following song, in English, on the same event, is preserved in another manuscript. It is somewhat singular that one of these songs is clearly translated from the other, the variations being comparatively small, and consisting chiefly in the transposition of some of the stanzas. The French song was probably the original.