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 Rege Octauo. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Rege Octauo.
I þe wardeyns tyme þat Constantyn tokÞe Bretons for to lok,
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& sesed þys lond, boþe dounes & dales.
Þy[s] erl of Walys was man of myght,
In Bretayne he cleymed ryght;
Wardeyns & schirreues he slow,
Baillifs, bedeles, dide schame ynow.
Bot Constantyn to Rome was went,
Til gretter nedes he gaf his tent;
He ne myghte þenne on none wyse
Hyder come to make iustise;
He sende hider sire Traherne,
Þe lond to kepe & to gouerne.
Two legions wiþ hym he ladde,
Toward Bretayne þey hem spedde;
At an hauen þat þey fond,
Sire Traherne tok þys lond.
To Wynchestre wente þis Trahere,
Two dayes he soiourned þere,
& to hym he dide hem ȝelde;
By þer willes þey ne wolde;
Maugre þeires, þey ȝolde þe estre.
Syþen he ȝede to Wynchestre;
Sire Octauus wiþ many a scheld
Was byforn hym in þe feld,
& gaf til hym bataille stout.
Þe Romayns ofte perced þe rout;
Octauus grettere force hadde,
So þat þe Romayns route to-schadde,
& dide hem to þe hauene fle,
Vntil þer schipes on þe se.
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Toward þe northe þey seyled fast;
In Scotlond aryued, & logged his ost,
& pylede & robbed at ilka cost.
Til Octauus sone com tydand
Þat Trahern robbed in Scotland.
Octauus gadered host ay whare,
& hyed hym faste þat he were þare;
Oft he seyde wyþ grete pryde
Þat Trahern schold nought dur abide;
Bot his ouerwenyng gan faille;
Trahern stod, & bod bataille,
& dide Octauus for to fle;
In to Norweye ouer þe se.
Octauus þenne fledde for ferd;
He spak vntil þe [kinge] Comperd,
ffor help & socour he preyde ȝerne,
To wynne þe lond of sire Traherne.
Pryuely he sent to þis lond ageyn,
To þo þat were til hym certeyn,
Þat þey scholde fonde on alle wyse
To sle Traherne wiþ som queyntise.
Þat tyme spedde Traherne wel ynow;
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