5

After him was king Imaud : for he was ner þane ani oþur
Swyþe guod man he bi cam : and louede wel holi churche
And ech man þat him to guode radde : aftur him he gan wurche

¶Men tolden him of seint Dunston : þat is broþer drof out of londe
with vnriȝtht for is guodnesse : and he bi gan him vnderstonde
After him he sende anon : þat he come aȝen sone
And with him bi leue is conseiler : of þat he hadde to done
Seint Dunston cam hom aȝen : and faire was vnderfongue
And hadde his Abbeye al in pays : fram ȝwuche he hadde ibeo longue
Swyþe wel he was with þe king : and al his conseiller
men speken muche of his guodnesse : wel wide feor and ner
h It bi fel þat þe Bischop : of wyrecestre was ded
þe kyng and þe Erchebischop Eode : þar of nomen heore red
And þeue holie Abbod seint Dunston : Bischop huy maden þere
for he scholde beo herre in godes lawe : þei it aȝein is wille were
Some men axeden at þe Erchebischope : of Caunterburi sire Ode
Ȝware fore þat he him Bischop maude : and ȝwy his g^races weren so guode
for he schal seide þis guode man : aftur me here bee
Erchebischop of Caunterburi : and þat men schullen isee
Ȝwat wostþou þis oþere seiden : þou spext folliche iwis
þou nost non more þane þi fot : opon god al it is
mine leue frend seide þis holie man : ȝe ne dorre me blamie nouȝt
for ich wot wel ȝwat ore louerd crist : in mi mouth hath ibrouȝt
And ho so with seith ouȝt of þulke þinge : þat ich eov habbe i sed
þe soþe he mai seo ȝif he liueth : after þat ich am ded
bischop he was of londone : seint Dunston sethþe also
of londone and of wyrecestre : and heold boþe to
hit bi fel þat þe Erchebischop : of Caunt^erburi was ded
þe pope and þe king Edgar : þar of nomen heore red
And mauden þane guode man Seint Dunstan : Erchebischop þere
Guode men þat him iknewen : wel glade þar of were
þe cristindom of Enguelonde : to guod stat he drovȝ
And þe riȝtes of holi churche : he heold up faste inovȝ
he fourmede þoruȝ al enguelond : þat ech person scholde cheose
To witien him chaste fram lecherie : oþur his churche leose
Seint Athelwold was þulke tyme : Bischop of winchestre
And Oswold þe guode man : bischop of wurecestre
þeos twei Bischopes with seint Dunston : weren al at one rede
And Edgar þe guode king : to done þat guode dede
þeos þreo Bischopes wenden a boute : þoruȝ al Enguelonde
And euerech luþer p_erson casten out : heom ne miȝhte non atstonde
heore churchene and heore oþer guod : clanliche heom bi nome
And bi setten as on guode men : þoruȝ þe popes graunt of rome
Eyȝhte an fourti Abbeies : of monekes and of nonnes
Ofþat tresur huy arerden in Enguelonde : þat of persones was so i wonne