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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 | The Story of England |  |
Þenne herde þise to Sarsyns seye
Þat þe force of Bretaigne was aweye,
How gret host wyþ Maximian went,
& to Conan þritty þousand sent;
What wyþ þat on, what wyþ þat oþer,
Þer lefte no force agayns non oþer.
What dide Melga & Guaneis,
Bot gadred ost of Outlandeys.
Wiþ gret nauye o þe se þey ryde,
& comen in alle by Scotlande syde;
Wyþ were & wo þey dide gret noye,
ffor Westmorland al gon þey struye;
Al þe northe contre þey wasted.
Þey passed Humber, & southe hem hasted;
Non encountre þey ne fond,
Bot husbonde-men þat tyled lond,
& werkmen, & oþer pedaille
Þat couþe nought werre ne of bataille;
ȝif any swyche stod ought agayn,
Wyþ armed men sone were þey slayn.
Ilk man fro his owen gan fle,
& þo þat ne myghte, slayn was he:
How scholde þat londe kepe hym fro harmes,
Þat naked ys of men of armes?
A lond hedles in tyme of nede,
Ouer al þanne ys sorewe & drede;
& so was þenne bot cry & kare,
Of socour & help þey were al bare;
Bot while þey hadde þer bolde barons,
Sauelike held þey þer castels & touns;
Ouer alle landes þey schewed þer myghtes,
Þe whyles þey hadde þer noble knyghtes.
Þen chose þey of most bolde & fers,
& sent hem to Rome as messegers
ffor help vnto Maximian;
And he þem sende sire Gracian;
Wyþ hym come two legyons
Þat wel socoured þe Bretouns;
Þise Sarsynes þeues þey drof awey,
In til Irland ilkon fled þey.
Þat þe force of Bretaigne was aweye,
How gret host wyþ Maximian went,
& to Conan þritty þousand sent;
232
Þer lefte no force agayns non oþer.
What dide Melga & Guaneis,
Bot gadred ost of Outlandeys.
Wiþ gret nauye o þe se þey ryde,
& comen in alle by Scotlande syde;
Wyþ were & wo þey dide gret noye,
ffor Westmorland al gon þey struye;
Al þe northe contre þey wasted.
Þey passed Humber, & southe hem hasted;
Non encountre þey ne fond,
Bot husbonde-men þat tyled lond,
& werkmen, & oþer pedaille
Þat couþe nought werre ne of bataille;
ȝif any swyche stod ought agayn,
Wyþ armed men sone were þey slayn.
Ilk man fro his owen gan fle,
& þo þat ne myghte, slayn was he:
How scholde þat londe kepe hym fro harmes,
Þat naked ys of men of armes?
A lond hedles in tyme of nede,
Ouer al þanne ys sorewe & drede;
& so was þenne bot cry & kare,
Of socour & help þey were al bare;
Bot while þey hadde þer bolde barons,
Sauelike held þey þer castels & touns;
Ouer alle landes þey schewed þer myghtes,
Þe whyles þey hadde þer noble knyghtes.
Þen chose þey of most bolde & fers,
& sent hem to Rome as messegers
ffor help vnto Maximian;
233
Wyþ hym come two legyons
Þat wel socoured þe Bretouns;
Þise Sarsynes þeues þey drof awey,
In til Irland ilkon fled þey.
In þys tyme at Rome ros Valentyn
Wyþ al hys kynde, em & cosyn;
Wyþ hym com kynges of þe Est,
Mo þan twenty, as seyþ þe Gest;
Bot þorow treson, y ne wot how,
Algate Maximian þey slow.
Þe Bretons þat Maximian ledde,
Summe þey slowe, somme were fledde;
Þan sesed Valentyn Rome al efte,
Al þat Maximian hym refte.
Wyþ al hys kynde, em & cosyn;
Wyþ hym com kynges of þe Est,
Mo þan twenty, as seyþ þe Gest;
Bot þorow treson, y ne wot how,
Algate Maximian þey slow.
Þe Bretons þat Maximian ledde,
Summe þey slowe, somme were fledde;
Þan sesed Valentyn Rome al efte,
Al þat Maximian hym refte.
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