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 |
De fide ffracta. |
The Story of England | ||
De fide ffracta.
To saue þe folk, Carrays was sworn,Bot he was worse þan oþer byforn;
fful mykel he wan, ȝit ȝernde he more,
ffor his folk woxe & spredde ay whore;
Casteles & tounes doun he þrew;
ffor lord, he wolde þat alle hym knew.
So fer he sayled to wynne hym wayne,
Atte laste he aryued in Bretaigne;
Pryuely wiþ þe Bretons he spak,
& seide, “ȝe se nought ȝoure lak!
“ȝour kyng can nought hym seluen were!
“Bot ȝyf ȝe wyl me god feiþ bere,
“Y scholde deliuere ȝow out of peynes,
“And al ȝour land of ȝour Romaynes.”
He ȝede to þe Peytes, & seide hem þe same;
ȝif þey wolde alle wyþ o name
Make hym kynge of þempyres,
He wolde þem make lordes & syres.
þo were þe Peytes wyþ þe kyng pryue,
& in þys lond gret plente;
And Karays wyste þat þey were fykel,
Þerfore he glosed hem, & gaf hem mykel,
& þey hight hym wyþouten faille,
ȝyf he wyþ þe kynge tok bataille,
Tyl Kareys party schold þey go,
And þe kyng desconfite & slo.
The Story of England | ||