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 |  |
When þe kyng herde hym nemne a God,
He asked þenne how þey trowd,
& what þer Godes name hight,
On wham þey trowed had most myght.
He seide, “We haue Godes seeres
“ffor whos wyrschip we make auteres;
“Mars, Iubiter, & Saturnus,
“Dyane, & Mercuryus:
“Þis ar Godes of oure paen lay,
“Þat we worschipe at þer day.
“& mo Godes ȝyt we holde,
“As oure auncestres by-forn vs tolde;
“Bot on ouer alle wyrschipe we mest,
“Sire Mercurius, & holde his fest.
“Mercury ys on oure langage
“‘Woden,’ louerd, ys oure vsage,—
“Oure auncessour set hit so,—
“Þe ferþe day we halewe hym to.
“ffor we þat day worschipen hym alle,
“‘Wodenesday’ þat day we calle.
“Wyþouten hym an oþer we haue,
“A Godesse þat we for help to craue;
“On oure speche we calle hure ffre;
“Þe sixte day, hure worschipe we;
“ffor ‘ffre’ we calle hit ffryday,
“& worschipe hure on payen lay.”
He asked þenne how þey trowd,
& what þer Godes name hight,
On wham þey trowed had most myght.
He seide, “We haue Godes seeres
“ffor whos wyrschip we make auteres;
“Mars, Iubiter, & Saturnus,
“Dyane, & Mercuryus:
“Þis ar Godes of oure paen lay,
“Þat we worschipe at þer day.
“& mo Godes ȝyt we holde,
“As oure auncestres by-forn vs tolde;
“Bot on ouer alle wyrschipe we mest,
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“Mercury ys on oure langage
“‘Woden,’ louerd, ys oure vsage,—
“Oure auncessour set hit so,—
“Þe ferþe day we halewe hym to.
“ffor we þat day worschipen hym alle,
“‘Wodenesday’ þat day we calle.
“Wyþouten hym an oþer we haue,
“A Godesse þat we for help to craue;
“On oure speche we calle hure ffre;
“Þe sixte day, hure worschipe we;
“ffor ‘ffre’ we calle hit ffryday,
“& worschipe hure on payen lay.”
Þen seide þe kyng, “ȝe leue al wronge;
“Wyþ false Godes ȝe make monge;
“On swylk ar nought for to leue,
“Hit ar ffendes þat schol ȝow greue;
“& þat sore ouer-þynkes me;
“Naþeles,” he seyde, “welcome ar ȝe!
“ffayre men ȝe are, & stalworthe seme.
“And ȝe wyl serue me to queme,
“Euerilkon y wyl ȝow take,
“& riche men y schal ȝow make.
“Þe Peytes wayten me wyþ wo,
“Þe Scottes also vs brenne & slo;
“ȝyf hit be so, ȝe may me vaille
“To vencuse þem in pleyn bataille;
“Gyftes schol ȝe haue ful gode
“Til ȝoure cloþynge & ȝour fode;
“& kepes wel ay þe Northe cost;
“ffro þennes comen ouer al þeyr ost.
“Loke y fynde in ȝow no feyntyse;
“ȝe schul me serue of swylk seruise.”
On þys manere come þe Saxouns
Þorow ffortyger among þe Bretouns.
Hengist tok leue at þe kynge,
To Londone for to brynge his þyng;
& sone com to þe court agayn
Wyþ manye faire knyght & swayn.
“Wyþ false Godes ȝe make monge;
“On swylk ar nought for to leue,
“Hit ar ffendes þat schol ȝow greue;
“& þat sore ouer-þynkes me;
“Naþeles,” he seyde, “welcome ar ȝe!
“ffayre men ȝe are, & stalworthe seme.
“And ȝe wyl serue me to queme,
“Euerilkon y wyl ȝow take,
“& riche men y schal ȝow make.
“Þe Peytes wayten me wyþ wo,
“Þe Scottes also vs brenne & slo;
“ȝyf hit be so, ȝe may me vaille
“To vencuse þem in pleyn bataille;
“Gyftes schol ȝe haue ful gode
“Til ȝoure cloþynge & ȝour fode;
“& kepes wel ay þe Northe cost;
“ffro þennes comen ouer al þeyr ost.
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“ȝe schul me serue of swylk seruise.”
On þys manere come þe Saxouns
Þorow ffortyger among þe Bretouns.
Hengist tok leue at þe kynge,
To Londone for to brynge his þyng;
& sone com to þe court agayn
Wyþ manye faire knyght & swayn.
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