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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Exemplum Byblie. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Exemplum Byblie.
“In þe bible ensample bygan:“Þe folk of Gabaot, þat wyþ wrong wan
“Of þe Iewes, & syþen hit les;
“At þe Iewes þey bysoughte pes,
“Of þer wrong bysoughte mercy,
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“Syn þey had mercy & pyte,
“Wirse þan þey, schul nought do we.
“At þe Iewes, ensample nymes,
“Graunt hem mercy, lyf & lymes.”
Þe kyng graunted þem þanne his pes
As þe bischop Eldade ches.
Bysyde Scotlond he gaf hem londes;
Þey tylede, & were grete husebondes;
Er þey wente, þey geue hostage,
Children of þeyres, of best lynage.
ffiftene dayes his court gan ly,
Þen dide he somone al þe clergy,—
& gaf þem landes, rentes, & fees,—
Bischopes, abbotes, of þe contres.
Schirreues, baillifs, he sente ay-whore,
His rentes to gadere & to restore;
Masons, whrightes, kyrkes dide make,
Þat þe Payens dide doun schake;
Þat fordon were þorow Hengist,
Were wrought a-geyn to serue Crist.
ffro þenne to Londone euene he went:
Þe toun he fond peyred & schent;
Kyrkes, houses, were beten doun;
To þe kyng þey mente hem of þe toun,
Þat many of þe beste burgeys
Were fled, euery man his weys.
He bigged eft þat er was playn,—
Clerkes, burgeys, dide come agayn,—
& gaf ilkon ageyn þer estre.
Syþen he wente to Wyncestre,
& bygged kirkes & houses þere,
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Syþen he ȝede to Salesbury,
& til þe abbey of Aumbresbury;
& til þat stede he tok his waye
Þere Hengist dide þe Bretons deye.
Þeyr buryels he þoughte for to honure
Wyþ som þyng þat ay myght dure,
& ffryþe þe stede þer þey lay,
Þat hit myght laste til Domesday.
He dide masons diuise a cast
What werk myghte lengest last.
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