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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Hic peciit concordiam. |
 | The Story of England |  |
169
Hic peciit concordiam.
Androcheus saw his felon wille,Þat þe kyng þoughte hym to spille;
He sente til hym his messeger,
& preyed þe kyng in fair maner,
Namore destruye his landes so,
Bot make acord bytwyxt hem to;
& preied hym “þat he wolde mone
“Þat he was his broþer sone,
“& heir of al þat heritage
“Þat þou me reuest wyþ outrage.”
Þe kyng was of so felon rees,
He ne wolde here of preyere ne pes,
Bot vengaunce take for any þyng;
Þat falles ful yuel for a kyng.
Androcheus saw no bettere bot:
“Suffren,” he saide, “nede y mot.”
Hys pleyn londes he let hym haue,
Bot his forteletes he dide saue:
Wiþ hym to holde he fond noman,
So cruel was Cassybalan.
ffle ne wold he neuer a del,
Ne lese þat he myghte holde wel.
Androcheus asked: “What ys to rede?
“Syn no man dar me helpe for drede,
“& help me byhoues haue algate,
“Nede me dryueþ vntil þe ȝate;
“ffor þe kyng assent wil nought
“Þat y haue þes, als y haue sought.
170
“On oþer halue y schal do my best;
“fful mykel anguisse woldy byde,
“ffor to felle þe kynges pryde.
“A folye to do, & fle a wel more,
“Men haldes þat wysdam & lore;
“To do a folye, ȝut were hit skyl,
“ffort[o] lyuere a man fro more peryl;
“& god hit were to suffre a wo,
“ffor to venge hym of hys fo.
“Wel y wot, & haue in hert,
“Þat hit schal vs boþe smert;
“Bot ȝit me lykes þat greuaunce,
“ȝif y may take on hym vengaunce.
“What so schal me bytide algate,
“Þe kynges pride y wyl abate;
“Y may nought elles wyþ hym dele.”
A lettere he wrot, & dide hit sele,
& sent hit priuely to Cesar,
Tyl Ordre his tour, for he was þar.
What he wrot, & þyder sent,
Y vnderstonde þus þentent:
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