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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Hic Romany trugam renuerunt pro toto tempore,
sic dixerunt. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Hic Romany trugam renuerunt pro toto tempore, sic dixerunt.
“Lordes,” he seide, “mani a lore“Haue we suffred þis lond fore;
“& byfore [vs], oure auncessours
“ffor ȝow han had ful harde stours.
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“When we hit hadde, dere was hit bought;
“Litel þerof were we amended,
“ffor ay for ȝow wel more we spended.
“ȝyf o ȝer til vs we ȝe hit ȝolde,
“Two ȝer after ȝe ne wolde;
“ȝyf o kynges tyme ȝe were vs trwe,
“To so mykel after ȝour wrong was newe,—
“Til whan ȝe mighte onst stonde ageyn—
“Ne louede ȝe neuere man Romayn;
“Ay when we come to þys lond,
“To lese oure right som clieson ȝe fond,
“And oþer wronges til vs y-nowe;
“An[d] alderworst, oure men ȝe slowe.
“Now ȝe haue nede, ȝe vs byseke,
“And het vs þanne to ben vs meke.
“Whan we han holpen ȝow in cas,
“Þen do ȝe wors, & more trespas;
“Til vs ȝe bere ȝow as lyouns,
“& waytes vs wyþ sum tresons
“ffor to wyþ-halden vs oure right,
“Oþer yuel hit gyuen, & þat wiþ fyght.
“Wel bettere were hit al for-sake,
“Þan suffre þe wo we þer-fore take;
“Our costes ar grete, & [we] wone fer heþen,
“& ȝe haue ay nede, & ar byneþen;
“& we ne mowe nought come al day.
“Doþ now ȝour self as ȝe best may!
“May we ones take til Rome,
“ffor no man eft schol we here come.
“To saue ȝour self, bygynneþ now,
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“Wyteþ wel, ȝour auncessours:
“Were bolde & hardy conquerrours,
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