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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De interpretacione draconum per Merlynum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De interpretacione draconum per Merlynum.
Þe kyng held Merlyn in mikel pris,ffor his seynge was god & wys.
(In ffortiger tyme, men hit told,
He was þat tyme bot twolf ȝer old.)
Þe kyng bisoughtym þat he wold seye
What manere deþ þat he schold deye.
“Sire kyng, to wyte hastow desir:
“Al way war þe wel fro fyr
“ffro Constantes childre, þat ar comand,
“Þat sone schul aryuen here on land.
“Þou signefiest þe rede dragoun,
“Þat ffader & broþer slowe wyþ tresoun;
“& hit menes, þer bataille strong,
“Þat þou hast halde þer lond wyþ wrong.
“Þe white dragon ys syngnefiaunce
“Þat þey schul take of þe vengaunce:
“fful yuel þou slowe þer ffader & broþer,
“& madest þe kyng, þat was anoþer.
“Þe þridde combraunce þat ȝit þe mones,
“Þou receyuedest þe Payens Saxones.
“On alle halue comes þy wo:
“Þe Saxoyns wyl waite þe to slo;
“I þat oþer halue þe eyres schul come,
“& aske þer lond of þe þorow dome;
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“Awey by tyme y rede þow fle.
“Þey schul aryue vp at Toteneys
“To morn, wyþ hors & wyþ harneys;
“To renne on þe [þey] schul þem renge;
“ffader & broþer þey schul þan venge.
“Þer þou wenst best recet to haue,
“ffle now faste, þy self to saue.
“ȝyt schal y warne þe of þys þynge,
“Aurelius schal first be kyng;
“& he schal lyue nought bot a stounde;
“Þorow poyson schal he be brought to grounde.
“Vter, his broþer, after hym schal be
“Kyng, & regne als dide he.
“Vter sone schal com fro Cornewaille,
“As a fyghtyng bor in bataille;
“Þe traiturs of þyne þat he may fynde,
“He schal furdo, and al þer kynde;
“Of prowesse he schal haue þe pris,
“& destruye alle his enemis.”
Merlyn stynte, & spak namore.
Þen fforteger tok his leue þore;
ffo[r] þes tydynges dwelt he nought,
On Merlynes wordes was al his þought.
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