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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Marius Rex. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Marius Rex.
Marius his sone, of Genewys born,
Was kyng as his fader byforn.
A myghtful man was Maryus,
Of fair speche merueillous;
His ffader tyme he was atte Rome
Wiþ þe kynde his moder of come.
Wel he contened hym in his londe,
Þer blessed hym boþ fre & bonde.
In Maryus tyme fel þis ferlyk:
In Scotlond aryued a Peyt, Rodryk.
King Peyt cam out of þe se,
Þat neuere had mercy ne pite;
Mykel he loued to robbe & reue,
Scotland to waste wold he nought leue.
Als he wente & robbede faste,
Maryus mette hym atte laste;
Marius had god folk ynow,
& Peyt Rodryk smertly he slow.
ffor þat Maryus slow þe Peyht,
He dide þer set a ston þorow sleight,
ffor to schewe his prowesse,
& forto make þe menyng fresse;
ffor in þe ston he dide be wryte,
Whar-þorow euery man may wyte;
Hit wytnesseþ þe auenture,
& telles þe disconfiture,
How Marius slow þe Peyt Rodrik;
Þe ston was set for þat ferlyk:
Þo men þat weren, & ȝit are,
Þey calle þat ston ȝit ‘Westmare;’
Þat contre folk seyen ilkon
Þat te countre is cald after þe ston;
Was kyng as his fader byforn.
A myghtful man was Maryus,
Of fair speche merueillous;
His ffader tyme he was atte Rome
Wiþ þe kynde his moder of come.
Wel he contened hym in his londe,
Þer blessed hym boþ fre & bonde.
In Maryus tyme fel þis ferlyk:
In Scotlond aryued a Peyt, Rodryk.
King Peyt cam out of þe se,
Þat neuere had mercy ne pite;
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Scotland to waste wold he nought leue.
Als he wente & robbede faste,
Maryus mette hym atte laste;
Marius had god folk ynow,
& Peyt Rodryk smertly he slow.
ffor þat Maryus slow þe Peyht,
He dide þer set a ston þorow sleight,
ffor to schewe his prowesse,
& forto make þe menyng fresse;
ffor in þe ston he dide be wryte,
Whar-þorow euery man may wyte;
Hit wytnesseþ þe auenture,
& telles þe disconfiture,
How Marius slow þe Peyt Rodrik;
Þe ston was set for þat ferlyk:
Þo men þat weren, & ȝit are,
Þey calle þat ston ȝit ‘Westmare;’
Þat contre folk seyen ilkon
Þat te countre is cald after þe ston;
ffor þe ston Westmare, Westmorland;
Þus in þe Latyn writen y fand.
When þat Rodrik þe Peiht was ded,
Men gaf þe kyng Marius to red,
‘To take þe Peihtes more & lesse,
‘Deliuere hem a party of Catenesse
‘To tyle & haue in heritage,
‘ffor hit was bot wast & sauage.’
Þey herborwed þem þer euery where,
In stedes ese, þat best were.
Wymen of Bretayne wolde þey haue,
Bot þe Bretons vouched nought saue;
Þey dide hem in til Irland,
& tok þer wyues at her hand;
Of two kyndes, Iris & Peiht,
Sorewe & tene hit broughte on height.
Marius þe kyng, in his lyf her,
Lyuede nyne & fourty ȝer;
Buried he was in Salesbury,
Þat standes on a playne ful mury.
Þus in þe Latyn writen y fand.
When þat Rodrik þe Peiht was ded,
Men gaf þe kyng Marius to red,
‘To take þe Peihtes more & lesse,
‘Deliuere hem a party of Catenesse
‘To tyle & haue in heritage,
‘ffor hit was bot wast & sauage.’
Þey herborwed þem þer euery where,
In stedes ese, þat best were.
Wymen of Bretayne wolde þey haue,
Bot þe Bretons vouched nought saue;
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& tok þer wyues at her hand;
Of two kyndes, Iris & Peiht,
Sorewe & tene hit broughte on height.
Marius þe kyng, in his lyf her,
Lyuede nyne & fourty ȝer;
Buried he was in Salesbury,
Þat standes on a playne ful mury.
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