Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts
The Kyng of Fraunce made statuz newe,
In the lond of Flaundres among false ant trewe, 10
That the commun of Bruges ful sore con arewe,
Ant seiden amonges hem,
"Gedere we us togedere hardilyche at ene,
Take we the bailifs bi tuenty ant by tene,
Clappe we of the hevedes anonen o the grene,[L15] 15
Ant caste we y the fen."
The webbes ant the fullaris assembleden hem alle,
Ant makeden huere consail in huere commune halle;
Token Peter Conyng huere kyng to calle,
Ant beo huere cheventeyn. 20
Hue nomen huere rouncyns out of the stalle,
Ant closeden the toun withinne the walle;
Sixti baylies ant ten hue maden adoun falle,
Ant moni an other sweyn.
Tho wolde the baylies that were come from Fraunce, 25
Dryve the Flemisshe that made the destaunce;
Hue turnden hem ayeynes with suerd ant with launce,
Stronge men ant lyht.
Y telle ou for sothe, for al huere bobaunce,
Ne for the avowerie of the Kyng of Fraunce, 30
Tuenti score ant fyve haden ther meschaunce,
By day ant eke by nyht.
Sire Jakes de Seint Poul, yherde hou hit was;
Sixtene hundred of horsemen asemblede o the gras;
He wende toward Bruges _pas pur pas_, 35
With swithe gret mounde
The Flemmysshe yherden telle the cas,
Agynneth to clynken huere basyns of bras,
Ant al hem to-dryven ase ston doth the glas,
Ant fellen hem to grounde. 40
Sixtene hundred of horsmen hede ther here fyn;
Hue leyyen y the stretes ystyked ase swyn,
Ther hue loren huere stedes ant mony rouncyn,
Thourh huere oune prude.
Sire Jakes ascapede, by a coynte gyn, 45
Out at one posterne ther me solde wyn,
Out of the fyhte hom to ys yn,
In wel muchele drede.
Tho the Kyng of Fraunce yherde this, anon,
Assemblede he is douss['e]-pers everuchon, 50
The proude eorl of Artoys ant other mony on,
To come to Paris.
The barouns of Fraunce thider conne gon,
Into the paleis that paved is with ston,
To jugge the Flemmisshe to bernen ant to slon, 55
Thourh the flour de lis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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