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 |  |
Gurmound was a noble knyght,
Of noble lynage, of mykel myght,
Stalworþe of body, hardy of wille,
He dredde noman for god ne ille;
Kynges sone he was of Aufryk,
Þat is in heþenesse a ful fer stryk;
Of al Aufrike was he heyr,
But þer-of ne tok he ward ne speir;
ffor, Aufrik he gaf til his broþer,
& seide he wolde purchace hym oþer,
He seide he wolde toward þe west,
By þe se syde, to make conquest,
& croune wolde he neuere bere
But he hit wan wyþ force & were.
Merlyn þe clerk longe byforn
Of Gormound spak, er he was born,
& seide, ‘þe wolf vpon þe se
‘Schuld do alle þe Bretons fle:’
Þus seyde Merlyn wyþ herte ful sor,
Þe Bretons tyme for euere mor,
Til Cadwal & til Conan
Þeir bones broughte ageyn wyþ man.
Of noble lynage, of mykel myght,
Stalworþe of body, hardy of wille,
He dredde noman for god ne ille;
Kynges sone he was of Aufryk,
Þat is in heþenesse a ful fer stryk;
Of al Aufrike was he heyr,
But þer-of ne tok he ward ne speir;
ffor, Aufrik he gaf til his broþer,
& seide he wolde purchace hym oþer,
He seide he wolde toward þe west,
By þe se syde, to make conquest,
& croune wolde he neuere bere
But he hit wan wyþ force & were.
Merlyn þe clerk longe byforn
Of Gormound spak, er he was born,
& seide, ‘þe wolf vpon þe se
‘Schuld do alle þe Bretons fle:’
Þus seyde Merlyn wyþ herte ful sor,
Þe Bretons tyme for euere mor,
Til Cadwal & til Conan
Þeir bones broughte ageyn wyþ man.
fful wel he cald hym ‘wolf of drede;’
He robbed oueral as he ȝede.
He purchased hym, þorow robberye,
Men ynowe, & fair nauye,—
An hundred & sexti þousand bolde
Of men of armes knowe & tolde,
Wyþouten gelde & maryners,
& sergauntz, & gode archers;—
Schipes he hadde, y ne wot how fele;
Alle he tok, & non wold spele.
Water & lond, long & brod,
He ouer sailed, & al þorow rode;
Ildes þorow ȝede, kynges ouer-cam,
Þeyr landes sesed, þer godes nam.
So longe he ferde o þe se sailand,
& kynges slow by se & sand,
Al holy his flute gan dryue,
Vpon Irland he gan aryue;
Þe lond sone til hym gan falle;
Irische kyng he dide hym calle;
Þen seide he ‘he wolde to Bretaigne,
‘Wiþ Bretons to make a newe bargayne.’
He robbed oueral as he ȝede.
He purchased hym, þorow robberye,
Men ynowe, & fair nauye,—
An hundred & sexti þousand bolde
Of men of armes knowe & tolde,
502
& sergauntz, & gode archers;—
Schipes he hadde, y ne wot how fele;
Alle he tok, & non wold spele.
Water & lond, long & brod,
He ouer sailed, & al þorow rode;
Ildes þorow ȝede, kynges ouer-cam,
Þeyr landes sesed, þer godes nam.
So longe he ferde o þe se sailand,
& kynges slow by se & sand,
Al holy his flute gan dryue,
Vpon Irland he gan aryue;
Þe lond sone til hym gan falle;
Irische kyng he dide hym calle;
Þen seide he ‘he wolde to Bretaigne,
‘Wiþ Bretons to make a newe bargayne.’
| The Story of England | |