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Layamon: Brut

Edited from British Museum Ms. Cotton Caligula A. IX and British Museum Ms. Cotton Otho C. XIII: By G. L. Brook and R. F. Leslie

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Incipit hystoria Brutonum

An preost wes on leoden Laȝamon wes ihoten.
he wes Leouenaðes sone liðe him beo Drihten.
He wonede at Ernleȝe at æðelen are chirechen.
vppen Seuarne staþe sel þar him þuhte.
on-fest Radestone þer he bock radde.
Hit com him on mode & on his mern þonke.
þet he wolde of Engle þa æðelæn tellen.
wat heo ihoten weoren & wonene heo comen.
þa Englene londe ærest ahten.
æfter þan flode þe from Drihtene com.
þe al her a-quelde quic þat he funde.
buten Noe. & Sem Iaphet & Cham.
& heore four wiues þe mid heom weren on archen.
Laȝamon gon liðen wide ȝond þas leode.
& bi-won þa æðela boc þa he to bisne nom.
He nom þa Englisca boc þa makede Seint Beda.
An-oþer he nom on Latin þe makede Seinte Albin.
& þe feire Austin þe fulluht broute hider in.
Boc he nom þe þridde leide þer amidden.
þa makede a Frenchis clerc
Wace wes ihoten þe wel couþe writen.
& he hoe ȝef þare æðelen Ælienor
þe wes Henries quene þes heȝes kinges.
Laȝamon leide þeos boc & þa leaf wende.
he heom leofliche bi-heold. liþe him beo Drihten.
Feþeren he nom mid fingren & fiede on boc-felle.
& þa soþere word sette to-gadere.
& þa þre boc þrumde to are.
Nu bidde[ð] Laȝamon alcne æðele mon
for þene almiten Godd.
þet þeos boc rede & leornia þeos runan.
þat he þeos soðfeste word segge to-sumne.

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for his fader saule þa hine for [ð] brouhte.
& for his moder saule þa hine to monne iber.
& for his awene saule þat hire þe selre beo. Amen.