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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| Cadwalanus dixit Bryano. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Cadwalanus dixit Bryano.
Þe kyng listned what Bryan seide,
& in his herte ful wel hit leyde:
“ffor þyng þat þou hast greten sore,
“So schal hit tyde neuer more.
“Þat hol was, hol schal byleue,
“Þe hole coroune non schal me reue.”
Til Edwyn he sente bode hastif,
‘Þat als he wolde his loue & lyf,
‘He schulde namore þer-of speke,
‘Þe coroune wolde he neuere breke,
‘Ne his conseil wolde nought consent
‘To suffre non oþer corounement;
‘Hit were neyþer reson ne lawe,
‘Þat on was, by elde dawe,
‘& now schulde be gyuen to two,
‘So for hym schuld hit neuere go;
“Hit schal ben hol, als now ys;
“ffor me ne schal hit neuer be less;
“Ne here no lenger wyl y lende,
“But in to Walys wil y wende.”
& in his herte ful wel hit leyde:
“ffor þyng þat þou hast greten sore,
“So schal hit tyde neuer more.
“Þat hol was, hol schal byleue,
“Þe hole coroune non schal me reue.”
Til Edwyn he sente bode hastif,
‘Þat als he wolde his loue & lyf,
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‘Þe coroune wolde he neuere breke,
‘Ne his conseil wolde nought consent
‘To suffre non oþer corounement;
‘Hit were neyþer reson ne lawe,
‘Þat on was, by elde dawe,
‘& now schulde be gyuen to two,
‘So for hym schuld hit neuere go;
“Hit schal ben hol, als now ys;
“ffor me ne schal hit neuer be less;
“Ne here no lenger wyl y lende,
“But in to Walys wil y wende.”
Eadwyn was ffel & proud;
Til hys messager he seyde a loud:
“Schal y neuere eft hym byseke,
“Ne þer-fore bowe, ne be meke;
“Swilk ffraunchise y schal haue here,
“& als he haþ, þe same manere.”
Cadwalyn seide, ‘but ȝyf he left,
‘Wyþ force hit schulde ben hym refte.’
On þys manere parted þey boþe,
& neuere frend, but euere wroþe.
Edwyn þer-on was ful brym,
To ȝork he ȝede, & corounded hym.
Als Cadwalyn was in Wales,
Til hys messager he seyde a loud:
“Schal y neuere eft hym byseke,
“Ne þer-fore bowe, ne be meke;
“Swilk ffraunchise y schal haue here,
“& als he haþ, þe same manere.”
Cadwalyn seide, ‘but ȝyf he left,
‘Wyþ force hit schulde ben hym refte.’
On þys manere parted þey boþe,
& neuere frend, but euere wroþe.
Edwyn þer-on was ful brym,
To ȝork he ȝede, & corounded hym.
Of þys was teld hym many tales,
Þat Edwyn for þys despit
Dide hym coroune al so tyt.
Cadwalyn herd hit sone seye;
Til Humber wiþ host he tok þe weye,
& on Edwyn gan to renne,
Men to slo, tounes to brenne.
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& ȝyf he mighte, his heued of smite;
But Edwyn was of ful gret wille,
He wolde nought fle for drede ne ille,
Ne he wolde neyþer trewe ne pees;
Bataille he wolde, & þer-to ches.
Wyþ Cadwaly so harde he met,
& Cadwalyn fley atte ferste set;
Toward þe southe he wolde haue fled,
But Edwyn his weye wyþ-sperd;
& Cadwalyn fley hym byside,
In busches & wodes hym for to hyde;
By sties & paþes þat he fond,
So he fley in to Scotlond,
& euere Edwyn after fley.
Cadwalyn, gret pyne he drey;
A schip he tok, til Irlond went,
But Edwyn mighte hym neuere hent,
But schop hym swyþe wiþ alle haste,
Cadwalynes londes for to waste.
Casteles dide he bete right doun,
Contres destruied, toun by toun;
Al his lond he þorow ȝede,
Til alle he dide sorewe & drede.
Of Bryanes sister men hym told,
At Wircestre scheo was in hold;
Edwyn þere hure out toke,
To ȝork he sent hure for to loke;
Wyþ his wyf scheo was seruaunt,
Mayden gentil & auenaunt.
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