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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| Concordati sunt Inperator & Rex. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Concordati sunt Inperator & Rex.
Þe Emperour honured mykel þe kyng,& profred hym a ful fair þynge:
“Sire kyng,” he seide, “a doughter y haue,
“& on þe y vouche hure saue
“ȝyf þou wilt myn owen bycome,
“& ȝeld þy truage vntil Rome.”
Arwygar graunted þer-to,
& to þe true ȝeldyng al-so.
In Wynchestre were þey hosteld boþe,
& frendes, þat er weren wroþe.
Þemperour to Rome sent
ffor Genwys, þat maiden gent.
In dwellyng of þis messagers,
Þey sampned knygtes & squyers;
Wyþ gret host þey wente þer weye,
196
& oþer ildes þat þer ware,
Wyþ help of sire Arwygare.
Þis Claudyus regned y þat tyme—
As seint Bede seys in his ryme—
Syn Ihesu was born of oure leuedy,
Þer fel ȝeres sixe & fourty.
Þis messegers þat went to Rome,
Y þe somer a-geyn þey come,
& broughte þat maiden Genwys,
Gentyl of body & fair of vis.
Þen cam hom þemperour;
Þan mad þey myrthe in halle & bour.
To wedde þat may in place auenaunt,
Þe couenaunt to holde, siker þey graunt,
Vpon Seuerne, in o vale
Þat riche was & ful ese,
Bytwyxten Ingelond & Wales,—
To telle ȝow þe soþe tales—
Þat for þe worschip of þat may,
A toun þey sette þer þat day.
Þys Emperour gat þer a sone;
Of þat child þe name we mone;
Gloy he hight y þat estre;
Y þe somer a-geyn þey come,
& broughte þat maiden Genwys,
Gentyl of body & fair of vis.
Þen cam hom þemperour;
Þan mad þey myrthe in halle & bour.
To wedde þat may in place auenaunt,
Þe couenaunt to holde, siker þey graunt,
Vpon Seuerne, in o vale
Þat riche was & ful ese,
Bytwyxten Ingelond & Wales,—
To telle ȝow þe soþe tales—
Þat for þe worschip of þat may,
A toun þey sette þer þat day.
Þys Emperour gat þer a sone;
Of þat child þe name we mone;
Gloy he hight y þat estre;
And for þat Gloy, hat hit Gloucestre.
Arwygar wedded þer Genwys,
In Gloucestre, wyþ mykel pris;
Þer was he corouned, & sche,
Noblely wiþ solempnete;
& when þe feste was brought til ende,
Claudius to Rome ageyn gan wende.
Arwygar wedded þer Genwys,
In Gloucestre, wyþ mykel pris;
Þer was he corouned, & sche,
197
& when þe feste was brought til ende,
Claudius to Rome ageyn gan wende.
| The Story of England | |