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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De gratitudine Briany. |
 | The Story of England |  |
546
De gratitudine Briany.
Brian hadde ful gret longyng
ffor to saue his em þe kyng,
& took þo men þat were wont
Go to chace, & ȝede to hont.
Þey soughte þe dales & þe playnes,
Þey soughte busche & montaynes,
& þorow mores & þorow lynde:
ffond þey neuere hert ne hynde,
Ne wilde bor, ne bukke ne do,
Ne hare, cony, ffowen, no ro.
Þen hadde Brian sorewe ynow,
& seide, “how schal myn em fare, how,
“Þat y may no venison fynde?”
But he dide als a man ful kynde;
He schar a pece out of his þe,
& lardid & rostoid, as fel to be,
& dightit for þe kyng right wel,
& he et hit ilk a del,
And passed wel þo þat hache;
So swete a mete neuer or et he.
When þe kyng felte hym of might,
Þer schipes alle to þe se he dight,
& aryued vp at a toun—
‘Achidalet’ was þe name Breton;
ȝyt men seyþ after þe flod
Men knowes þere þe toun stod.—
Þe kyng welcomed Cadwalyn,
& ofte compleyned his mikel pyn;
& his in, to make soiour,
He dide hym haue at grete honur;
& hight hym ‘he schulde in a stounde
‘Helpym to brynge Edwyn to grounde:
“But certes, meruaille y haue
“Þat grete Bretayne may ȝe nought saue.
“fful wel kept hit Sire Belyn,
“& Maximian & Co[n]stantyn,
“And Lucius dide vs Cristen be,—
“But Arthur ys ded, wel may men se,—
“Þey lore neuere a foot of land.
“Myn heritage y holde in hand;
“So woldy þat þou didest þyn
“Ageyn þe Englische paen Edwyn.”
ffor to saue his em þe kyng,
& took þo men þat were wont
Go to chace, & ȝede to hont.
Þey soughte þe dales & þe playnes,
Þey soughte busche & montaynes,
& þorow mores & þorow lynde:
ffond þey neuere hert ne hynde,
Ne wilde bor, ne bukke ne do,
Ne hare, cony, ffowen, no ro.
Þen hadde Brian sorewe ynow,
& seide, “how schal myn em fare, how,
“Þat y may no venison fynde?”
But he dide als a man ful kynde;
He schar a pece out of his þe,
& lardid & rostoid, as fel to be,
& dightit for þe kyng right wel,
& he et hit ilk a del,
And passed wel þo þat hache;
So swete a mete neuer or et he.
When þe kyng felte hym of might,
Þer schipes alle to þe se he dight,
& aryued vp at a toun—
‘Achidalet’ was þe name Breton;
ȝyt men seyþ after þe flod
Men knowes þere þe toun stod.—
547
& ofte compleyned his mikel pyn;
& his in, to make soiour,
He dide hym haue at grete honur;
& hight hym ‘he schulde in a stounde
‘Helpym to brynge Edwyn to grounde:
“But certes, meruaille y haue
“Þat grete Bretayne may ȝe nought saue.
“fful wel kept hit Sire Belyn,
“& Maximian & Co[n]stantyn,
“And Lucius dide vs Cristen be,—
“But Arthur ys ded, wel may men se,—
“Þey lore neuere a foot of land.
“Myn heritage y holde in hand;
“So woldy þat þou didest þyn
“Ageyn þe Englische paen Edwyn.”
Cadwalyn seide sire Salamon,
“Oure kynde conqueste is longes gon.
“Wite þou wel þo conquerrours
“Were myn auncestres & ȝours,
“& ve[n]iaunce fel on many of þo,
“Þat of þer blod cam na mo:
“On riche men hit [is] a veniaunce,
“Childre to gete þat haue no chaunce;
“Oure kynde conqueste is longes gon.
“Wite þou wel þo conquerrours
“Were myn auncestres & ȝours,
“& ve[n]iaunce fel on many of þo,
“Þat of þer blod cam na mo:
“On riche men hit [is] a veniaunce,
“Childre to gete þat haue no chaunce;
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