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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De gladio Cesaris. |
 | The Story of England |  |
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De gladio Cesaris.
Þat swerd he wan of sire Cesar,By hym in graue þey leide hit þar,
ffor he was of gret honur,
& he haddyt wonnen y þat stour.
Þe swerd was of swylk metal,
Þat who þat wounded were wyþ-al,
He ne scholde nought longe lyue
ffor medicine men myghte hym gyue.
Why of deþ hit hadde þe gylt,
Hit was writen on þe hilt
Wyþ lettres of gold, burnusched bryght,
Þat “Crucia mors” þat swerd hight:
Hit myghte wel hote “Crucia mors;”
Wham hit wounded, hit was ded cors;
& ȝit hit ys seyd y þe Romaunce,
Þe enperours swerd was al vengaunce.
Til þeym of ffraunce cam tidyng tyt,
How þe Romayns were desconfit
Þorow þe Bretons in pleyn bataille.
Þanne mysliked þeym saunz faille,
And for cowardes þem selue ches,
ffor þey were at [þe] Romayns pes.
Þey conseilled þem a day certeyn,
Vpon Cesar to turne a-geyn;
In þer conseil þei seide þus:
“Als þe Bretons chased Iulyus,
“Ȝut schul we fonde so to spede,
“To do sire Iulius fle for drede.
“Þe Bretons be nought ȝit so bolde
“As we haue ben, [ne] men of tolde,
“& so lyghtly dide þem lout!
“Ȝit schul we fonde to chace hem out.
“Hit are ynowe þat first han grace
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“& siþen turnes þer praye til pyne;
“Lyghtli þey wynne, lightly þey tyne:
“Þer lordschip ȝit schul we abate,
“ffor alle þe world þey wynne wyþ hate.”
Þus þey seyde þat þey wold do;
& ȝit alday men telle þem so,
Þat þe Bretons wolde fonde a flyght
ffor to felle þe Romayns myght.
Þat sawe made þeym wylde & wod,
& reysed þem more vp in þer mod:
Bot sone þer bost was al in griþ,
Whan sire Iulius had spoken hem wyþ.
Sire Iulius Cesar was ful queynte,
Wisdam he couþe, & wordes feynte;
A folet couþe he wel adaunte,
To proude men þer wylle graunte.
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