Classic Poem

Another knight smote Saint Thomas in that self wound,
And made him bow his face adown and look toward the ground.
The third in that self stead thereafter him smote anon
And maked him loute adown his face to the stone.
In that stead the fourth smote then the other hadden er i-do.
And the point of his sword brake in the marblestone ato.
Yet that ilk point at Canterbury the Monachus doth wite.
For honour of the holy man that there with was i-smite;
With thulk stroke he smote off the skull and eke the crown
That the brain full on the pavement all abroad there down.
That white brain was i-mengd with the red blood there,
That color was well fair; to see it they reulich were
All round it orn about his head as it were a diadem
And all around where abouten it lay wharof men token great game.