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 |  |
Petreus, he þat y of tolde,
þe noble Romayn fers & bolde,
He mayntende þer bataille,
& sette his folk wysly to assaille;
Wel couþe he stande, wel couþe he scurne,
& faire wyþdrawe hym, & eft returne.
Bytwyxt þem were many chaces,
ffele turnynges & fele wanlaces:
Þat hardy was, he fond hardy;
Who so couþe iuste, he fond redy;
Þat wel couþe fighte, þer fond his fere;
Þat nought ne couþe, þer myght he lere.
Al þe Bretons, oft astray þey rod,
Non held to-gydere, ne oþer abod.
ffor prowesse þat þey ȝernde al day,
Þer-fore þey nere of non array;
Þey nadde warde how þat þey ȝede,
But þat prowesse wer do of armes dede.
þe noble Romayn fers & bolde,
He mayntende þer bataille,
& sette his folk wysly to assaille;
Wel couþe he stande, wel couþe he scurne,
& faire wyþdrawe hym, & eft returne.
Bytwyxt þem were many chaces,
ffele turnynges & fele wanlaces:
Þat hardy was, he fond hardy;
Who so couþe iuste, he fond redy;
Þat wel couþe fighte, þer fond his fere;
Þat nought ne couþe, þer myght he lere.
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Non held to-gydere, ne oþer abod.
ffor prowesse þat þey ȝernde al day,
Þer-fore þey nere of non array;
Þey nadde warde how þat þey ȝede,
But þat prowesse wer do of armes dede.
Petreus bygan auise hym more,
Hys beste men a-boute hym wore,
He couþe in werre wel stonde in stour,
& at his nede gete hym socour;
fful wel he halp þere help failled,
& wel hym rescowed when he was sailled;
God tent til al his men he tok,
When þey astraied, whideward þey schok,
& alle relyed þem wel ageyn,
Þat ilkon wyste his certeyn.
Hys beste men a-boute hym wore,
He couþe in werre wel stonde in stour,
& at his nede gete hym socour;
fful wel he halp þere help failled,
& wel hym rescowed when he was sailled;
God tent til al his men he tok,
When þey astraied, whideward þey schok,
& alle relyed þem wel ageyn,
Þat ilkon wyste his certeyn.
| The Story of England | |