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 natiuitate Christi. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De natiuitate Christi.
In his tyme was here a deuin,His name was called Telesyn;
He telde þe Bretons many selcouþ,
(Al fond þey trewe he seide wyþ mouþ;)
He bad þem “lyue wyþouten errour,
“ffor now ys born our saueour!
“Now ys vs toward ioye & blys,
“Þat of a mayde þis child born ys!
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“Ihesus, þat name schal he haue.”
Þis word þat þilk prophete seyde,
Þe Bretons in herte ful wel hit leyde;
Many a day þat word þey held;
Þey fondyt soþ al þat he teld.
Þer was no folk in al þe werd
Þat trowed so sone, when þey ought herd
Prechen ought of Iesu lawe,
Ne to þe feyþ so sone gon drawe.
Þen was þer a þowsand ȝer gon
Þat Brutes aryued in Albyon,
& þerto two hundred ȝer mo
Er Kymbelyn to deþ gan go.
As longe as he regned her,
Wyþ þe Romayns was he dere;
Þey asked hym neuere no truage,
Neyþer in his ȝougþe ne in age.
| The Story of England | |