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 |
The Story of England | ||
Exe Castellum factum est, cui dedit nomen Þongcastre.
When Þongcastre was al closed,
Þe name y-gyuen, oueral alosed,
Of þo þat Hengyst sente his sonde,
Þer comen sexten schipe to londe,
Wyþ mikel folk, knyghtes, swaynes,
& oþere þat were of his demaynes.
Þe name y-gyuen, oueral alosed,
Of þo þat Hengyst sente his sonde,
Þer comen sexten schipe to londe,
Wyþ mikel folk, knyghtes, swaynes,
& oþere þat were of his demaynes.
In a schip wyþ gentil men
Com Hengiste doughter þat hight Ronewen,
A ȝong woman & louely,
Auenaunt, & fair & semly;
Bot þis lewed men sey & synge,
& telle þat hit was mayden Inge.
Wryten of Inge, no clerk may kenne,
Bot of Hengiste doughter, Ronewenne.
Al þe folk Hengist fore sent;
To Þoncastre ilkon þey went.
(ffro Angle, a contre in Saxonye,
Comen alle Hengistes compaynie;
So þat for Angle, y vnderstond,
Bretayne was cald Engelond.)
Þen Hengiste faste hym purueyd,
& sente unto þe kyng, & seyd,
‘Preyenge, as he loued his griþ,
‘Þat he wolde ony night herberwe him wyþ,
‘A day to ete a sop, & drynke,
‘& se his werk, how þat hym þynke;
‘& of his folk, how þat hym þought,
‘& wyþholden þo þat to hym dought.’
Hengystes werk fayn wolde he se;
He ȝede þider al in pryuete.
Whan he hit saw, wel he hit preised,
& þat þer myght be folk wel aysed;
& þo knyghte þat late cam,
ffor þer sonde wyþ hym þey nam.
Hengist þat day dide his myght
Þat al was glad, kyng & knyght;
& als þey were best in gladyng,
& wel cuppe-schoten, knyght & kyng,
Com Hengiste doughter þat hight Ronewen,
A ȝong woman & louely,
Auenaunt, & fair & semly;
Bot þis lewed men sey & synge,
& telle þat hit was mayden Inge.
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Bot of Hengiste doughter, Ronewenne.
Al þe folk Hengist fore sent;
To Þoncastre ilkon þey went.
(ffro Angle, a contre in Saxonye,
Comen alle Hengistes compaynie;
So þat for Angle, y vnderstond,
Bretayne was cald Engelond.)
Þen Hengiste faste hym purueyd,
& sente unto þe kyng, & seyd,
‘Preyenge, as he loued his griþ,
‘Þat he wolde ony night herberwe him wyþ,
‘A day to ete a sop, & drynke,
‘& se his werk, how þat hym þynke;
‘& of his folk, how þat hym þought,
‘& wyþholden þo þat to hym dought.’
Hengystes werk fayn wolde he se;
He ȝede þider al in pryuete.
Whan he hit saw, wel he hit preised,
& þat þer myght be folk wel aysed;
& þo knyghte þat late cam,
ffor þer sonde wyþ hym þey nam.
Hengist þat day dide his myght
Þat al was glad, kyng & knyght;
& als þey were best in gladyng,
& wel cuppe-schoten, knyght & kyng,
The Story of England | ||