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 |  |
Hit was no baron in al Spaigne,
Ne þennes in-til Alemaigne,
Þat he til Arthures feste ne ferde,
Þat doughti was, & þer-of herde;
Somme, hym seluen for to se,
& to byholde his meyne;
& somme, to se on what wyse
Þey ordeigned þer faire seruise;
& some, to se þe Table Rounde
Þat neuere byforn þat tyme was founde;
& somme, to se his faire paleys;
Somme, to biholde his riche harneys;
Somme, þe folk to by-howe;
& somme, his knyghtes for to knowe;
& somme, for his geftes gode;
& somme, for his noble fode;
& somme come for to haue bailly;
& somme, to lere þere curtesy.
Ne þennes in-til Alemaigne,
Þat he til Arthures feste ne ferde,
Þat doughti was, & þer-of herde;
Somme, hym seluen for to se,
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& somme, to se on what wyse
Þey ordeigned þer faire seruise;
& some, to se þe Table Rounde
Þat neuere byforn þat tyme was founde;
& somme, to se his faire paleys;
Somme, to biholde his riche harneys;
Somme, þe folk to by-howe;
& somme, his knyghtes for to knowe;
& somme, for his geftes gode;
& somme, for his noble fode;
& somme come for to haue bailly;
& somme, to lere þere curtesy.
When Arthures court was plener,
& alle were comen, fer & ner,
Þe erþe abouen stired & quok,
So faste hors & man þer schok:
Þer was puttynge, þristinge, & þro,
Wyþ fot-folk þat come to & fro,
Innes for to teme & take;
Þat non hadde, pauilons did make;
Þer maistres mareschals ferde aboute,
Deliuered innes wyþynne & wyþoute;
Bordes broughte, cordes & cables,
& made mangers to stande in stables.
Þen mighte men se þe ladies lede
Many fair palfray & stede
In mud, in mires, to soille & dasche,
Siþen in wayers to watre & wasche,
Syþen to wype, & to mangers teye,
Hey & prouende byfor þem leye.
& alle were comen, fer & ner,
Þe erþe abouen stired & quok,
So faste hors & man þer schok:
Þer was puttynge, þristinge, & þro,
Wyþ fot-folk þat come to & fro,
Innes for to teme & take;
Þat non hadde, pauilons did make;
Þer maistres mareschals ferde aboute,
Deliuered innes wyþynne & wyþoute;
Bordes broughte, cordes & cables,
& made mangers to stande in stables.
Þen mighte men se þe ladies lede
Many fair palfray & stede
In mud, in mires, to soille & dasche,
Siþen in wayers to watre & wasche,
Syþen to wype, & to mangers teye,
Hey & prouende byfor þem leye.
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Þenne come chaumberleyns & squiers,
Wiþ riche robes of mani maners,
To folde, to presse, & to pyke,
& somme to hange, & som to strike,
Manteles, forours of riche pris,
Of meneuer, stranlyng, veyr, & gris;
Oþer pelure ynowe þer were,
Þe names of þem y ne wot what are,
Lomb or boge, conyng or hare,
Y ne knowe me nought in swylk chaffare.
Wiþ riche robes of mani maners,
To folde, to presse, & to pyke,
& somme to hange, & som to strike,
Manteles, forours of riche pris,
Of meneuer, stranlyng, veyr, & gris;
Oþer pelure ynowe þer were,
Þe names of þem y ne wot what are,
Lomb or boge, conyng or hare,
Y ne knowe me nought in swylk chaffare.
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