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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 | The Story of England |  |
The Erchebishop his conseil held,
Of erles, barons, & knyghtes of scheld;
Ilkon after oþer sent
To come to comune Parlement,
& after sire Vteres sone Arthorghe
To come to Circestre, þe noble burghe;
& þere bitaught hym þe coroun,
Þorow comun graunt of ilka baroun.
fful ȝonge þen was he, lond to welde;
ffyftene ȝer þan was his elde;
At Circestre þat tyme þar
Was first tyme þat he croune bar;
Some of his þewes y wil descrye;
I trowe y schal nought mykel lye:
Of erles, barons, & knyghtes of scheld;
Ilkon after oþer sent
To come to comune Parlement,
& after sire Vteres sone Arthorghe
To come to Circestre, þe noble burghe;
& þere bitaught hym þe coroun,
Þorow comun graunt of ilka baroun.
fful ȝonge þen was he, lond to welde;
ffyftene ȝer þan was his elde;
341
Was first tyme þat he croune bar;
Some of his þewes y wil descrye;
I trowe y schal nought mykel lye:
Craftily dide he mannes dedes,
Doughtiest knyght at alle nedes;
Þan of myrþe most was in halle,
Glad-chered, louely, & lordlyest of alle;
Ageyn þe proude, proud herted was he;
Ageyn þe meke, debonere & ese;
Þe hardiest man hym self to fende,
Bleþely gaf, largely wold spende;
Þat nedful was, & hym bysought,
Þat he myghte, he werned hym nought;
Mykel loued he ioie & worthly þynge,
Doughti dedes made of menyng;
Nobliche his court he ledde,
Richely alle hyse he fedde;
Ilka day come tydynges newe;
Gestes of ioye, wyþ knyghtes trewe;
Ouer alle prynces þe pris he nam
Of curteseye & of wysdam;
Was no þyng so noble of þewes,
As men reden of hym, & schewes.
Doughtiest knyght at alle nedes;
Þan of myrþe most was in halle,
Glad-chered, louely, & lordlyest of alle;
Ageyn þe proude, proud herted was he;
Ageyn þe meke, debonere & ese;
Þe hardiest man hym self to fende,
Bleþely gaf, largely wold spende;
Þat nedful was, & hym bysought,
Þat he myghte, he werned hym nought;
Mykel loued he ioie & worthly þynge,
Doughti dedes made of menyng;
Nobliche his court he ledde,
Richely alle hyse he fedde;
Ilka day come tydynges newe;
Gestes of ioye, wyþ knyghtes trewe;
Ouer alle prynces þe pris he nam
Of curteseye & of wysdam;
Was no þyng so noble of þewes,
As men reden of hym, & schewes.
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