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 |  |
508
Þe toun was strong, in veyn trauailled.
Þen sey Gurmound hit halp þem nought,
Þe sautes þat þey on hem sought,
& longe byhoued þem þere to lye
Er he schold wynne hit wyþ maistrie.
Castels aboute þe toun dide make,
Bretaxed & carneled, þer-inne to wake.
Isambert, þat on he tok,
Þeyr estres for to spye & lok;
An oþer he tok his owene barouns;
Þe þrydde gaf he to þe Saxouns.
Vntil hym self he made a tour;
Þer-inne he lay, & held soiour,
Þer-inne ȝede he vp & doun,
And spied þe estres of þe toun.
Þey of þe toun were bolde & stout,
By tyme vmwhile þey camen out
Al armed, as men hardy,
& dide þe Payens gret vyleny.
By-twyxten þem was many a chace,
& putte þer lyues ofte in grace;
fful often dide þey many foul chek,
& often were þey in þe brek;
On boþe sides, to wynne pris,
Boldely bede þey ilk oþer þe vys;
But þey wyþoute were euere þe mo,
Ageyn to toune dide þem go;
509
Of Bretons, Saxoyns, & Aufrican.
When þey had dryuen þe Bretons in,
Þe Walsche men myghte þey nought wyn;
Þe toun ful longe þer owen held.
Þe ost wyþoute leye in þe feld,
& hadde destruyed al þe contre,
ffourty myle aboute, & þre.
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