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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Dicta Iulii Inperatoris. |
 | The Story of England |  |
148
Dicta Iulii Inperatoris.
Iulyus answered & seide right þus:“Wel han y herd of sire Brutus;
“He saide he com of Eneas kynde,
“Bot ryghtly born nought we fynde;
“He com of Eneas, þat held þo landes
“Þer Rome our cite now yn standes;
“ȝyf he were born of Eneas kyn,
“Þorow kynde y sette chalange þer yn;
“Chalange y wole þat lond þorow ryght,
“Þat Eneas kynde gete þorow myght.
“Ys þat lond — loke ȝe me kenne—
“Þat bolde Belym was of, & Brenne,
“Þat oure cite of Rome wan,
“Oure se[n]e, & destruyed ilkaman?
“Wel schal þey wite, whyle y am her,
“Þat Rome ys now of more power!
“& right hit were, & reson hit welde,
“Þat þey til vs truage schold ȝelde:
“ȝone ilde was Belynes, & Rome was his;
“Gret skil haue y þenne þorow þys,
“ffor to sette chalange þer-inne,
“Þat his lond was, þorow right to wynne.
“By letteres woly hem first somoune,
“To here þer wyl, what þey respoune;
“Nought ne woly passe þe se
“Til y wyte how þey answere me.
“ȝyf þey to my pes wille hem chese,
“& ȝeld hit me, þey schol nought lese;
“ȝyf þey ne wol nought bot wyþ stour,
“y dereyne þe lond for our.”
Þay dide Iulyus write a bref,
& schewed hem how he was chef,
149
Of Eneas com Brutus, þat man,
& syþen was Belynes heritage;
He wold hit wynnen, or take truage.
Þe lettere com to Cassibolan,
Þat he schold bycome sire Iulyus man.
Cassibolan brak þe seal o sunder;
Of truage askyng he had wonder;
Anoþer lettere dede he wryte þare,
& sent hit ageyn vntil Cesar
Al in ire & in tene,
& þe lettere þus mykel wol mene:
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