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 transfiguracione Merlyny. |
 | The Story of England |  |
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De transfiguracione Merlyny.
“ffor alle manere forme þat ys,“Kan y turne til oþer lyknes:
“A face to be like anoþer,
“& a body vnto þat oþer;
“Stature of body, speche & leryng,
“& contenaunce of ylka þyng,
“Y schal chaunge, what so þey are,
“Ilkon schal wene þat oþer ware.
“Þe Erl cherly wyþ hym ledes
“Two knyghtes, doughti of dedes;
“Sire Bertel þen hat þat on,
“Þat oþer heyghte sire Iordon;
“Þis are his priue conseillours:
“Til þeir lyknesse y schal turne oures;
“Y þe Erles lyknesse y schal þe dight,
“Y schal be lyke Bertil his knyght,
“Lyke Iordan schal be Vlfyn;
“Þus schal we come þe castel yn;
“Alle þre at euen schol we go
“To þe castel, wyþouten mo,
“& speke þer speche & þer facounde;
“We schul come in þen on a stounde.
“Dred þe nought of no man,
“ffor no queyntise þat any can;
“And þou schalt haue hure to þy wylle,
“Þy grete desir to fulfille.”
Al þat euere Merlyn teld,
As gospel þe kyng hit held:
Þen comaunded he til on certeyn,
Þe host to kepe til he com ageyn.
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& colour & cloþyng dide remue,
Contenaunce, speche, þe same assise;
He turnde þe kyng on þe Erles wyse,
& he & Vlfyn, to alle sightes,
As Bertel & Iordan, þe Erles knyghtes.
At euen þey come to Tyntagel,
& þo þat wende haue knowe þem wel,
Receyued þeym wyþ glad[e] chere,
As hit were þe Erl lef & dere.
What þey wilde, non wold þem werne;
Þe kyng lay þat myght by Igerne,
& scheo conseyued of hym þat nyght
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