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 |  |
Bretons of Walys herde wel how
Þat þe Englische þe monkes slow;
Þey gadered þem to consail
How to venge þat tyrpayl.
Þre noble men were in þat cite,
Þo þre made a gret semble;
Þo þre weren alle kynges,
& of þe Bretons lordynges:
Bledryk, of Cornewaille was sire,
& lord ouer al Deueneschire,
Als þe water of Ex rennes
ffro þe hed,—þer men hit kennes,—
Vnto þe se þer hit gos yn;
Longe helden hit þe Bretons kyn,
Euere til Adelston cam;
He dide þat kynde mykel scham.
Þat þe Englische þe monkes slow;
Þey gadered þem to consail
How to venge þat tyrpayl.
Þre noble men were in þat cite,
Þo þre made a gret semble;
Þo þre weren alle kynges,
& of þe Bretons lordynges:
Bledryk, of Cornewaille was sire,
& lord ouer al Deueneschire,
Als þe water of Ex rennes
ffro þe hed,—þer men hit kennes,—
Vnto þe se þer hit gos yn;
Longe helden hit þe Bretons kyn,
Euere til Adelston cam;
He dide þat kynde mykel scham.
Of Northe Walys, Cadwan was kynge,
& Mergadu of Southe Walys lordyng;
Al was hit þeires vntil Seuerne,
Byside þe hille of Maluerne.
But Athelstan, þorow force & eye,
He drof [þem] byȝonde þe water of Weye.
Bledrik, Margadu, & Cadwan,
Ost þey gadered of mania man.
Englische, Saxons, þey assailled,
& þe Englische þem sore trauailled.
Elfrik was wounded, þe deþ he dredde,
In feld[e] he gaf bak, & fledde;
ffele of his were þere slayn,
But he ascaped wyþ gret payn:—
(Sire Bledryk of Cornewaille,
He was slayn in þat bataille);—
No wonder þey hym yuel bitid,
He had no mercy þat mercy cryd.
Of þe monkes y telde biforn;
Wyþoute mercy were þey lorn.
& Mergadu of Southe Walys lordyng;
536
Byside þe hille of Maluerne.
But Athelstan, þorow force & eye,
He drof [þem] byȝonde þe water of Weye.
Bledrik, Margadu, & Cadwan,
Ost þey gadered of mania man.
Englische, Saxons, þey assailled,
& þe Englische þem sore trauailled.
Elfrik was wounded, þe deþ he dredde,
In feld[e] he gaf bak, & fledde;
ffele of his were þere slayn,
But he ascaped wyþ gret payn:—
(Sire Bledryk of Cornewaille,
He was slayn in þat bataille);—
No wonder þey hym yuel bitid,
He had no mercy þat mercy cryd.
Of þe monkes y telde biforn;
Wyþoute mercy were þey lorn.
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