The Story of England by Robert Manning of Brunne, A.D. 1338. Edited from mss. at Lambeth Palace and the Inner Temple, by Frederick J. Furnivall |
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Epistola Androchii ad Cesarem. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Epistola Androchii ad Cesarem.
“To Cesar, hardy, war, & wys,“Whas pruwesse men preise in pris!
“Of Bretaigne, Androche þe Bretoun,
“Sire of Kent, lord of London,
“Sendeþ þe gretynge, wyþ his god red,
“Þat whilom wylned to þe ded.
“Cesar! often haue men seen,
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“Þat syþen han loued to-gedre wel,
“Tristiloker þan ony stel;
“After hate, loue wyl be,
“& after schame, worschip men se:
“Þus hit bytides many gate,
“Of somme þer longe has ben hate.
“Ilk soughte oþer deþ, al þat we myght,
“When we met vs in feld to fight;
“Bot so hit fel, to boþe oure prow,
“Þat neyþer am y slayn, ne þow.
“A-geynes vs bataille hastow nomen,
“& twyes we haue þe ouercomen;
“Bot lef þou wel þis for certeyn,
“Þat ȝif þou wilt come eft ageyn,
“Of Kent ne þertestow fle þat cost,
“Þaw y were þere wyþ al myn host;
“& þey þe kyng þat tyme com þare,
“Ne þart þe fle for al his fare;
“ffor þorow myn help, & þorow me,
“Has þe kyng do þe twyes fle;
“ffor by me þe land þou lees,
“& for me fledde þy mykel pres.
“Þerof now y repente me sore,
“Þat y so dide ageyn þe þore;
“Þerfore by me þou schalt be brought
“To wynne þe lond, als þou had þought;
“Now me forþynkes þat y þe noyed,
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“ffor syn he haþ boren hym in to proud wyse
“Til his barons, & to alle hyse,
“And syþen hadde he neuere wille
“In pes me suffre a day be stille;
“My lond to waste he goþ aboute,
“My frendes to slo, & dryue þem oute;
“My self he wolde exile & chace,
“& slo, als hit ys his manace;
“My God y take witnesse vnto,
“Y serued neuere he scholde so do!
“My neuew to deþ he wolde haue demed;
“ffor y wyþstodit, he haþ me flemed,
“& for y wolde nought do his wylle,
“To suffre hym myn neuew spille.
“Y schal þe telle how hit bygan
“Bytwixt me & Cassibolan:
“ffor [þe] honur & for þe pris
“Þat we hadde ouer-come þe twys,
“Þe kyng dide þe folk somoun
“Þorow-out þe lond of ilka toun,
“Þat alle of valow, moste & leste,
“Suld com to London to his feste,
“Grace till our God [to] ȝelde
“With sacrifise, as lawe wilde.
“Graces ȝolden with sacrifise,
“Whan we had don our seruise,
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“& diuersly plaied þei gamen.]
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