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 |
The Story of England | ||
548
De lamentacione & planctu Cadwalini ad Salamonem.
“Lucius þat brought vs Cristendam,“Non heir of his body cam;
“Aliens had hit after hym,
“Þat til oure kynde were ful brym.
“Co[n]stantyn & Maximian,
“Non heir of þer body ran;
“Ne Arthur, þe noble kynge,
“Of his body cam no þynge,
“Ne of Conan, ne of Vortapus,
“Ne Malgo, ne of Caricius;
“Of alle þise, heires com þer non,
“But out of kynde ys hit al gon;
“ffor God hit wolde þat þey non hadde,
“Þat synfully þeir lyues ladde,—
“Þey vsede alle manere synnes,
“ffor synful lyf oure kynde blynnes,—
“Ne God wil namore þat þey be
“Keperes of þat dignete.”—
Sire Gildas writes & seyþ þe same,
Þer-fore am y nought for to blame.—
Al þe wynter þer he lay,
& purueid hym fro day to day
ffolk & schipes for to gete,
Opon þe se to haue a fflete.
The Story of England | ||