Like a Wheel
Red Book of Hergest XVIII

Like a wheel revolving immense courses,
A weakening affliction is the severe compulsion of taxes,
The unjust imposition of the ardent dragon of the mountains.
Terrible is the conflict about the ports and ferries,
And the hostilities of chieftains to chieftains.
It is natural that Franks should be highly elated: they will come on a Thursday;
And for a lady’s complaint there will be wars;
And the country will be wasted, and without laud;
And the key of Rome will be in the hands of commanders;
And the Allmyn will be unable to make assaults;
And there will be happiness to the Venedotians, who will resort to the South;
And weakness to the Saxon from his treaties, And long depravity from want of laws;
And Lloegyr will be enfeebled by the treachery of its chiefs,
And the thrusting of Franks, and tumult in ships,
And the battle of Dovyr hastening death,
A wonder for a long life to such as will hear it.
There will be a wounding through the community owing to the disappearance of the partisans
Of the guileless dragon, dark and light.
Powerful chiefs of noble descent.
And may lie give us of his bounty a pledge
Of a portion of his feast for ever without privation!
Amen.