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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Karaucius Maledictus. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Karaucius Maledictus.
A ladde was y þys londe, of fame,Karaucyus þen was his name;
Hardy he was, & ful connynge,
Stalworthe of body, & wel fightynge;
In many nedes assayed he was;
Of prowesse men preised þys Karas;
Born he was of pouere lynage,
& litel he hadde of heritage.
Gretter & fairer stat he held,
Þan wolde his rentes, or land in feld;
Grete emprises he durst vndertake;
More louede he þe werre þan þes to make.
I þe se to wende, þenne was doute,
Maryners robbed þe ildes aboute;
Mighte atte hauenes reste ne be,
ffor outlandesmen þat come by se.
Karaucius þenne hym by-þought,
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& tolde hem þat outlandes flet
Bretaygne alle aboute biset,
& seide “ȝif ȝe wil gyue me leue
“Þe robbours o þe se to greue,
“& gyue chartre of a-vowerye,
“Þe se to loke wyþ myn nauie,
“I scholde ȝow warante ȝoure truage,
“Þat non outlandeys scholde make passage.”
Þey graunted hym þen leue to haue,
So þat he schulde þer truage saue;
Chartre þey gaf hym wiþ her sel,
So þat he scholde to þeym beo leel.
Karres his leue atte Romayns nam,
& schewed [þe] chartre þer he cam;
Sone gat he hym mariners,
Wiþ schipes, barges, & balyngers.
He desired men þat were fledde,
Þeues & robbours, swylk he ledde,
Yuel dedy men þat were wight,
Of Outlandes al þat he myght;
Of swylk he gadered compaignies,
Born & norysched in felonyes.
Whan þis Karraus had gadered him ost,
Of manye a land he serched þe cost;
ffro on ilde til oþer he ȝede,
Of no þynge ne hadde þey drede;
Men he robbed, & landes wasted,
ffrom o stede til oþer he hasted;
To ney neygheburs, & ferþer fro,
Til alle he dide skaþe & w[o];
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He nolde mesure to no man make;
Þat Outlandeys byforn had left,
He spared non, bot alle he reft.
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