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 |  |
Hereþ now of a quynte wyle,
How eche of þo þoughte oþer gyle.
Ar þat day com þat þey set,
Iuno wiþ sire Parys met:
“Paris,” scheo seyþ, “y schal ȝow seye
“A priuete by-twixte vs beye:
“We þre ladies han ordeyned so
“Þat alle þre schulle come þe to,
“& take þe a bal, & preye þe
“To gyue hit þe fairest of vs þre;
“& wham þou gyue hit, ys oure deuis,
“Scheo schal for euere bere þe prys.
“& ȝif y myghte biseke þe so,
“Þou woldest gyue hit me, Iuno;
“I schal þe graunte þorow my power,
“In Troye schold neuere be þy per.”
Parys seide, “dame, graunt mercy!
Right as þou wilt, al so wil y.”
Whan scheo was gon, cam Pallas
ffor þat same þat Iuno was;
Scheo preied Parys, als scheo had seyd,
Þat þe bal were til hure y-leyd:
“Of wysdam y schal gyue þe grace
“Ouer alle oþer in ilk a place.”
Parys seide, þat was curteys,
“Hit may be, lady, ȝyt as þou seys.”
How eche of þo þoughte oþer gyle.
Ar þat day com þat þey set,
Iuno wiþ sire Parys met:
“Paris,” scheo seyþ, “y schal ȝow seye
“A priuete by-twixte vs beye:
“We þre ladies han ordeyned so
“Þat alle þre schulle come þe to,
“& take þe a bal, & preye þe
“To gyue hit þe fairest of vs þre;
“& wham þou gyue hit, ys oure deuis,
“Scheo schal for euere bere þe prys.
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“Þou woldest gyue hit me, Iuno;
“I schal þe graunte þorow my power,
“In Troye schold neuere be þy per.”
Parys seide, “dame, graunt mercy!
Right as þou wilt, al so wil y.”
Whan scheo was gon, cam Pallas
ffor þat same þat Iuno was;
Scheo preied Parys, als scheo had seyd,
Þat þe bal were til hure y-leyd:
“Of wysdam y schal gyue þe grace
“Ouer alle oþer in ilk a place.”
Parys seide, þat was curteys,
“Hit may be, lady, ȝyt as þou seys.”
Whan scheo was gon, cam dame Venus,
& to Parys scheo seide al þus:
“Parys,” scheo seide, “we ladies are
“Þre in gret þought & in care;
“& þou may bate al þat gilt
“Of vs alle ȝif þat þou wylt.
“Y am,” scheo seide, “on of þo
“Þat ys in þought to þe to go.
“A day we set to þe to come,
“ffor to stonde al at þy dome;
“A bal,” scheo seide, “we schul þe brynge,
“& preie þe vpon alle þynge
“Þou gyue hit hure þat fairest semes,
“ffor þy dom vs alle quemes.
“& ȝif þou gyue hit me, Parys,
“I schal þe gyue a loue of pris,
“Þe fairest lady þat now lyues,
“ffor þe bal, ȝif þou hit me gyues.”
& to Parys scheo seide al þus:
“Parys,” scheo seide, “we ladies are
“Þre in gret þought & in care;
“& þou may bate al þat gilt
“Of vs alle ȝif þat þou wylt.
“Y am,” scheo seide, “on of þo
“Þat ys in þought to þe to go.
“A day we set to þe to come,
“ffor to stonde al at þy dome;
“A bal,” scheo seide, “we schul þe brynge,
“& preie þe vpon alle þynge
“Þou gyue hit hure þat fairest semes,
“ffor þy dom vs alle quemes.
“& ȝif þou gyue hit me, Parys,
“I schal þe gyue a loue of pris,
“Þe fairest lady þat now lyues,
“ffor þe bal, ȝif þou hit me gyues.”
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