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 | ||
De Miraculo Sancti Osewaldy.
Of þys Osewald, seint Bede telles,& manye of his miracles spelles;
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Þat he vnto þe pore was large.
Þe pore folk spirde, & men þem tolde
Wher Osewald schulde hys Pasche holde.
O þe Pasche day in tyme of mete,
Þe pouere gaderede, god to gete;
&, right as þe borde was leyd,
Þe cloþ[es] spred, þe graces seyd,
Þey serued þe kyng in a seluer dische—
Wiþ what mete y ne wot y-wys.—
His aumener stod þe kyng before,
& seide þat ‘manie pouere were þore,
“& ȝyt þer comen on ilka syde,
“Of ȝoure almes help to byde.”
Þan tok þe kyng þat he schuld ete,
& brak þe dische wyþ al þe mete,
& bad hym parte hit a-mong hem. alle,
Boþe mete & syluer, as hit wold falle.
The Story of England | ||