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 Comete per Merlynum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De interpretacione Comete per Merlynum.
“Þe sterne þat þou seye so red,
“Bytokneþ euere þe kynges ded.
“Þe dragon, þat semeþ so hey,
“Þy self hit menes, þat ys so hardy;
“Þe brond þat schyned out of his mouþ,
“Þat spreden boþe Est & South,
“Þat ys, of þe schal come a sone
“Doughty of dede, many on schal mone;
“Alle ffraunce þen schal hym loute,
“Vntil Mongow men schal hym doute.
“Þat oþer, þat schon West so euen,
“Toward þe Norþ hit spredde in seuen,
“A doughter hit ys, y vnderstande,
“Þat maried schal be bysyde Scotlande;
“Hure eyres bymene þo seuen brondes,
“Þat schullen welde alle þo londes.”
“Bytokneþ euere þe kynges ded.
“Þe dragon, þat semeþ so hey,
“Þy self hit menes, þat ys so hardy;
“Þe brond þat schyned out of his mouþ,
“Þat spreden boþe Est & South,
“Þat ys, of þe schal come a sone
“Doughty of dede, many on schal mone;
“Alle ffraunce þen schal hym loute,
“Vntil Mongow men schal hym doute.
“Þat oþer, þat schon West so euen,
“Toward þe Norþ hit spredde in seuen,
“A doughter hit ys, y vnderstande,
“Þat maried schal be bysyde Scotlande;
“Hure eyres bymene þo seuen brondes,
“Þat schullen welde alle þo londes.”
Syre Vter listned ilka del
How Merlyn conforted hym wel;
He bad his host reste al þat nyght,
On morn erlik to bataille þem dight.
Þe Irische wyste whan þey schold come,
& made hem redy alle & some;
Stalworthly to-geder þey fought,
Bot þe Irische sone were brought to nought,
ffor þe Irische kyng & Passent
Were slayn, & þer host al to-schent;
& þo þat wyþ þe lyf ascaped,
To þer schipes faste þem raped.
Of þo þat fledden to þe se,
Þat was ouer-taken, slayn was he.
Whe[n] al were slayn þey myghte hent,
To Wynchestre sire Vter went.
I þe weye he mette a messeger,
Þat teldyt al to sire Vter
What manere þat þe kyng deyd,
& byryed [was] þer (als he seyd)
At Stonhenges so louely,
Wyþ þe byschopes & al þe clergy.
As Vter com rydyng y þe stret,
Þe folk on hym sore gon gret,
& seyde, “sire, haue mercy on vs!
“Ded ys þy broþer Aurelyus
“Þat mayntende vs in al his myght;
“Tak þou þe coroune, hit ys þy right,
“& be our heued, for we hit ȝern,
“& fend vs from our enemys fern.”
How Merlyn conforted hym wel;
He bad his host reste al þat nyght,
On morn erlik to bataille þem dight.
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& made hem redy alle & some;
Stalworthly to-geder þey fought,
Bot þe Irische sone were brought to nought,
ffor þe Irische kyng & Passent
Were slayn, & þer host al to-schent;
& þo þat wyþ þe lyf ascaped,
To þer schipes faste þem raped.
Of þo þat fledden to þe se,
Þat was ouer-taken, slayn was he.
Whe[n] al were slayn þey myghte hent,
To Wynchestre sire Vter went.
I þe weye he mette a messeger,
Þat teldyt al to sire Vter
What manere þat þe kyng deyd,
& byryed [was] þer (als he seyd)
At Stonhenges so louely,
Wyþ þe byschopes & al þe clergy.
As Vter com rydyng y þe stret,
Þe folk on hym sore gon gret,
& seyde, “sire, haue mercy on vs!
“Ded ys þy broþer Aurelyus
“Þat mayntende vs in al his myght;
“Tak þou þe coroune, hit ys þy right,
“& be our heued, for we hit ȝern,
“& fend vs from our enemys fern.”
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