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 capcione Hengisti per Comitem Gloucestrie. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De capcione Hengisti per Comitem Gloucestrie.
Þan was Hengist ful-like schent,Þat ffetered to þe kyng was sent.
Þen dide þe kyng kep hym ful streit
In cheynes bounden for deseit.
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& his cosyn sire Ebbesa,
Wyþ gret pyne þey boþe ascaped,
& ȝork to take þey hem raped.
Bot whan þey hadde þe toun taken,
Warly wayted, & held þem waken,
Þoþer þat lefte, fled her & þer,
By dounes & dales, by wodes ay-wher.
Þe kyng was ioyful þat he so spedde,
Hengist was taken, & his folk fledde;
To Conyngesburghe þe kyng gan turne,
& þere þre dayes mad he soiourne,
Þe wounded for to hele & reste,
Þe Payens fro þe Cristen keste.
In þat tyme þat þey þer lay,
Þe Bretons alle, þat oþer day
To conseil þe kyng cald hem to,
Þe beste to wite what were to do:
Wheþer Hengist þey redden hym to slo,
Or hym enprisone, or lete hym go.
A byschop onswered,—sire Eldadus,
Sire Eldokes broþer,—& seide right þus:
“I deme Hengist þe same wys
“As in þe bible Samuel seys.
“Samuel did Agag to þe ded—
“Kyng of Amalek was þat qued,—
“A ful fers kyng, riche & kene,
“To Godes folk he wroughte al tene,
“He robbed here godes, þer tounes brent,
“& alle he slow þat he myght hent.
“Swylk sorewe myght nought longe dure;
“He was taken at a desconfyture,
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“ffor his mysdedes to haue demyng.
“Saul asked what iugement
“Schuld Agag haue, er þat he went.
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