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 |  |
“Sire kyng,” he seyde, “ȝyf þou euere herde,
“So waxynge folk in al þys werde,
“Ne so gendryng, ne so plentyue,
“Ne so gracious kynde to þryue,
“Als we arn of oure kynde,
“In no lond scholde men fynde,
“Ne selcouþloker so to gendre,
“Ne haue so manye childre tendre,
“& wexen boþe men & women y-nowe,
“Þat alle þer dwelle þey ne mowe.
“ffor whan þe folk ar woxen & larged,
“& þe lond ys ouer-charged,
“Oure Prynces perceyue þer ar so fele,
“Þe ȝonge dur þey nought out wele,
“Bot þulke of twenty wynter elde
“Or more, þat con þem kepe & welde,
“On strong[e] men, lotes þey kest,
“& byddem go purchace þem best,
“To seke oþer lond & lede,
“ffor mykel people may hit nought fede.
“Mo childre þer are of oure gendrure
“Þan bestes are in oure pasture;
“& for we so multeplye,
“We ar of þe kynde of Germenie.
“At þis tyme fel on vs þe lot,
“Þer-fore, nede, of lande we mot,
“To seke vs oþer on to lende;
“& hidere oure Godes dide vs wende;
“Mercurius, þat vs saues & schildes,
“Haþ vs brought vnto þys yldes.”
“So waxynge folk in al þys werde,
“Ne so gendryng, ne so plentyue,
“Ne so gracious kynde to þryue,
“Als we arn of oure kynde,
“In no lond scholde men fynde,
“Ne selcouþloker so to gendre,
“Ne haue so manye childre tendre,
“& wexen boþe men & women y-nowe,
“Þat alle þer dwelle þey ne mowe.
“ffor whan þe folk ar woxen & larged,
“& þe lond ys ouer-charged,
“Oure Prynces perceyue þer ar so fele,
“Þe ȝonge dur þey nought out wele,
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“Or more, þat con þem kepe & welde,
“On strong[e] men, lotes þey kest,
“& byddem go purchace þem best,
“To seke oþer lond & lede,
“ffor mykel people may hit nought fede.
“Mo childre þer are of oure gendrure
“Þan bestes are in oure pasture;
“& for we so multeplye,
“We ar of þe kynde of Germenie.
“At þis tyme fel on vs þe lot,
“Þer-fore, nede, of lande we mot,
“To seke vs oþer on to lende;
“& hidere oure Godes dide vs wende;
“Mercurius, þat vs saues & schildes,
“Haþ vs brought vnto þys yldes.”
| The Story of England | |