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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 | The Story of England |  |
Corineus, ȝit lyued he þo,
He hadde a doughter, & no mo;
He had spoken wiþ Lokeryn
To wedde his doughter Gwyndolyn;
Lokeryn & he were in couenaunt,
& þey boþe had mad þe graunt,
Þat, for þe loue of fair Estrilde,
Lokeryn haf brokene hit, fayn he wylde.
Corineus herde hit sone seye:
þer Lokeryn was, he tok þe weye;
An ax in his hand he tok,
On Lokeryn loþliche gan he lok,
& angrily til hym he spak,—
Nought bot wrathe his mouþ brak,—
He seide, “Lokeryn, þou art a fol!
“þy selue dightest þe to dol:
“þy ded of me þen schalt þou haue;
“Þer-fro noman schal þe saue.
“Why hast þou my doughter forsaken
“þat in trouþe þow haddest taken?
“Þat ys þe þank þat þou me cones!
“I hope to wynne þat þou inne wones.
“Y serued þy fader in many nede,
“& yuel ȝeldest þou me my mede.
“I auntred me in many chaunce
“þy fader Brutus forto auaunce;
“Many strok gaf in many stour
“To brynge þy fader til his honur;
“& ȝit þy self auaunce y wylde.
“Bot for on þey calle Estrylde,
“fforsake[st] my doughter Gwyndolene,
“& dost me despit & tene!
“Whil (þou wost) y am on lyue,
“Schalt þou haue non oþer wyue!
“þou bryngest þe in foul fame,
“& dost me gret onoy & schame,
“& my doughter Gwendolyn!”
& leyde hand on Lokeryn,
& wolde han venged þer his tene,
Nadde lordes schoten hem bytwene
& departed hem o twynne,
And preied Cornyus forto blynne.
He hadde a doughter, & no mo;
He had spoken wiþ Lokeryn
To wedde his doughter Gwyndolyn;
Lokeryn & he were in couenaunt,
& þey boþe had mad þe graunt,
Þat, for þe loue of fair Estrilde,
Lokeryn haf brokene hit, fayn he wylde.
Corineus herde hit sone seye:
þer Lokeryn was, he tok þe weye;
An ax in his hand he tok,
On Lokeryn loþliche gan he lok,
& angrily til hym he spak,—
Nought bot wrathe his mouþ brak,—
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“þy selue dightest þe to dol:
“þy ded of me þen schalt þou haue;
“Þer-fro noman schal þe saue.
“Why hast þou my doughter forsaken
“þat in trouþe þow haddest taken?
“Þat ys þe þank þat þou me cones!
“I hope to wynne þat þou inne wones.
“Y serued þy fader in many nede,
“& yuel ȝeldest þou me my mede.
“I auntred me in many chaunce
“þy fader Brutus forto auaunce;
“Many strok gaf in many stour
“To brynge þy fader til his honur;
“& ȝit þy self auaunce y wylde.
“Bot for on þey calle Estrylde,
“fforsake[st] my doughter Gwyndolene,
“& dost me despit & tene!
“Whil (þou wost) y am on lyue,
“Schalt þou haue non oþer wyue!
“þou bryngest þe in foul fame,
“& dost me gret onoy & schame,
“& my doughter Gwendolyn!”
& leyde hand on Lokeryn,
& wolde han venged þer his tene,
Nadde lordes schoten hem bytwene
& departed hem o twynne,
And preied Cornyus forto blynne.
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