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 |  |
Þen telde Arthur to Beduer & Kay,
Þat he nadde neuere suche affray,
Of no geaunt but of on,
& þat geaunt highte Ryton;
fful manye kynges had he don slo,
& flow þe berdes of alle þo;
Til a pane, as a furour, he did hem tewe:
Loke ȝif Ryton were nought a schrewe!
Þat geaunt Riton sende his sonde
Til Arthur fro ferne londe,
& seide he scholde make hym a-ferd
But he flowe of his owen berd,
& sent hit hym vntil his pane,
To menske hit þer hit was wane;
& ȝyf he sent hit hym bleþely,
He schulde set hit most worschipfuly,
ffor he wolde vrle his pane wyþ-al
Aboute wiþ a ffylet smal;
And ȝyf Arthur wylde nought
Do als Ryton hym bisought,
Greyþe hym as sone as he myght,
ffor Ryton wolde wyþ hym fight;
& whilk of þem might oþer slo,
His berd he scholde don of flo,
& haue þe pane ilka del,
Þer-wyþ aboute vrle hit wel.
Arthur þen til Ryton went,
In bataille he slow hym & schent,
& wan þe pane & his berd;
O þe mount Derane he was conquerd.
Siþen fond Arthur neuere non
But Dynabrok, as was Ryton,
Þat neuere dide til hym in dede,
Þat he had of so mykel drede.
Þer þey hym slowe, þer þey hym leued,
& Beduer tok a squier þe heued,
To bere & schewe þe host aboute,
Wher þat þey were, & in what doute.
Sire Ohel ful sore byment
Þat his nece was so schent;
A fair chapel for hure dide make,
Of oure lady, for Eleynes sake.
Siþen þat tyme scheo was þer leyd,
ffor Eleyne, ‘Eleynes toumbe’ ys seid;
& so men han cald hit ay
‘Eleynes toumbe’ vnto þys day.
Þat he nadde neuere suche affray,
Of no geaunt but of on,
& þat geaunt highte Ryton;
fful manye kynges had he don slo,
& flow þe berdes of alle þo;
Til a pane, as a furour, he did hem tewe:
Loke ȝif Ryton were nought a schrewe!
Þat geaunt Riton sende his sonde
Til Arthur fro ferne londe,
& seide he scholde make hym a-ferd
But he flowe of his owen berd,
& sent hit hym vntil his pane,
436
& ȝyf he sent hit hym bleþely,
He schulde set hit most worschipfuly,
ffor he wolde vrle his pane wyþ-al
Aboute wiþ a ffylet smal;
And ȝyf Arthur wylde nought
Do als Ryton hym bisought,
Greyþe hym as sone as he myght,
ffor Ryton wolde wyþ hym fight;
& whilk of þem might oþer slo,
His berd he scholde don of flo,
& haue þe pane ilka del,
Þer-wyþ aboute vrle hit wel.
Arthur þen til Ryton went,
In bataille he slow hym & schent,
& wan þe pane & his berd;
O þe mount Derane he was conquerd.
Siþen fond Arthur neuere non
But Dynabrok, as was Ryton,
Þat neuere dide til hym in dede,
Þat he had of so mykel drede.
Þer þey hym slowe, þer þey hym leued,
& Beduer tok a squier þe heued,
To bere & schewe þe host aboute,
Wher þat þey were, & in what doute.
Sire Ohel ful sore byment
Þat his nece was so schent;
A fair chapel for hure dide make,
Of oure lady, for Eleynes sake.
Siþen þat tyme scheo was þer leyd,
ffor Eleyne, ‘Eleynes toumbe’ ys seid;
437
‘Eleynes toumbe’ vnto þys day.
| The Story of England | |