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 |
The Story of England | ||
Þe morn when þe feste schuld be,
Come þe Erchebischopes of þer degre;
Wyþ hym, of Rome cam þe legat;
And oþer bischopes of mener stat;
&, right als þe story seys,
Dubrice corouned hym in his paleys;
A legat of Rome & he
Dide þer þat solempnete.
When he was corouned on þat wyse,
To þe kyrke þey ȝede to þer seruise;
Þe two Erchebischopes þat þer war,
Þey ledden hym, ys armes vp bar,
& sette hym in a riche chayer,
Þer he scholde his seruise her.
ffoure swerdes of golde were born
Wyþ foure kynges hym byforn,—
Þat seruise fel to þer scheld
When þat Arthur his feste held,—
Þe kyng of North Walys & of Scotland,
& of Southe Walys (þus wryten y fand),
Of Cornewaille, þe Duk Cador,
Þe fferþe swerd bar he þor;
Þaw his stat were nought so hey,
ȝit was he man ful wel worþy.
Dubrice, þat was a noble prelat,
& of Rome þe Legat,
Þat office þey dide, þey myghte best,
Of dignete þey were heyest.
Come þe Erchebischopes of þer degre;
Wyþ hym, of Rome cam þe legat;
And oþer bischopes of mener stat;
&, right als þe story seys,
Dubrice corouned hym in his paleys;
A legat of Rome & he
Dide þer þat solempnete.
When he was corouned on þat wyse,
To þe kyrke þey ȝede to þer seruise;
Þe two Erchebischopes þat þer war,
Þey ledden hym, ys armes vp bar,
& sette hym in a riche chayer,
Þer he scholde his seruise her.
ffoure swerdes of golde were born
Wyþ foure kynges hym byforn,—
Þat seruise fel to þer scheld
When þat Arthur his feste held,—
Þe kyng of North Walys & of Scotland,
& of Southe Walys (þus wryten y fand),
392
Þe fferþe swerd bar he þor;
Þaw his stat were nought so hey,
ȝit was he man ful wel worþy.
Dubrice, þat was a noble prelat,
& of Rome þe Legat,
Þat office þey dide, þey myghte best,
Of dignete þey were heyest.
The Story of England | ||