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 consilio Octaui per Karadukum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De consilio Octaui per Karadukum.
Whan he had regned þis lond her,Þe tyme of to & þritty ȝer,
He sey þat of hym cam non eyr
Bot a maiden child right feir;
He asked who moughte his doughter haue,
Þis lond for to loke & saue.
ffele of his frendes seid his reson,
To sende to Rome for a baron,
His doughter for to gyue to wyue;
So myghte þey pes haue in þer lyue.
Oþer þer were þat loued Conan,
Þe kynges cosyn, a noble man;
Þey conseilled to make hym ys eyr,
He myghte best, in þeir espeir.
Þen spak þe Erl of Cornewaille,
223
‘He ne wolde nought conseille þer-to,
‘ffor hit were nought wel to do,
‘To make his eir sire Conan;
“Bot sende after Maxymian,
“Þe eldest sone of Huelyn,
“Eleynes cosyn, & Constantyn:
“His fader ys Breton, þat is certayn,
“& on his moder side Romayn;
“Gif hym þy doughter in mariage;
“Wys man he is, & wel of age.
“ȝif þou gaf hit vntil Conan,
“& maried þy doughter to anoþer man,
“He scholde fonde, when he myght wel,
“Þe lond of hym to wynne ilk del;
“He scholde þenke, & ful wel myght,
“Þat hit scholde be his þorow ryght;
“Bot ȝyf ȝe do as y ȝow seye,
“Of pes ys þer non oþer weye.”
Þe kyng held hym to þat conseil;
Þer-fore bygan þer a tyrpeyl
Bytwyxt Conan & Karaduk;
ffor Conan gan þat oþer rebuk,
& reuiled hym wyþ wordes þore;
& ȝif he had durst, he wolde more.
Sire Karaduk held ful litel awe
Of his manace or of his sawe.
Þe kyng bisoughte sire Karaduk
To sende to Rome his sone Maurik,
& preye hym vpon alle þynge
Maxymian to Bretaigne brynge.
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He saw þat gret party was nomen
Bytwixten þis Maximian
& Valentyn & Gracian:
Þey stryue to haue þe empire;
Þe breþere hadde þer partie most seure.
Sire Maurik þer Maximian fond,
& teldym he was of þys lond;
Anon he bad him, “take leue of Rome,
“& vntil Bretaygne smertly come,
“Þe kynges doughter for to take;
“Þou may þy party þe better make.”
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