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 Maximiano Rege. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Maximiano Rege.
When Maximian þis tydynges herde,
Wiþ ioye to Bretayne wyþ Maurik [he] ferde:
Was non abyd ne no dwellynge
Til Maximian com to þe kynge.
Maximian at Southaumptoun gan ryue,
& asked þe kynges doughter to wyue.
Þan was Octauus al at ese;
Of his doughter he dide hym sese,
Wiþ al þe reome ilkadel,
& bad hym richely regne, & wel.
Wiþ ioye to Bretayne wyþ Maurik [he] ferde:
Was non abyd ne no dwellynge
Til Maximian com to þe kynge.
Maximian at Southaumptoun gan ryue,
& asked þe kynges doughter to wyue.
Þan was Octauus al at ese;
Of his doughter he dide hym sese,
Wiþ al þe reome ilkadel,
& bad hym richely regne, & wel.
Conan was wroþ, & made gret bost,
He alyed hym to þe Scottes cost;
Octauus, his em, he gan manace,
& Maximien wiþ werre dide chace;
Bot Maximian gaf nought of hym;
He stod ageyn Conan ful grym.
fful often Conan of hym wan,
So dide of hym Maximian:—
Hit ys þer chaunce þat werre bygynne,
Vmwhile to lese, vmwhile to wynne.—
Whan þei to-gedere had werreyed longe,
Men of gode ȝede þeym amonge,
Dide þem acorde in loue & pes,
So þat Maximian nought ne les;
He highte hym, for his emes sake,
A riche man he scholde hym make.
Þre ȝer in pes, wyþouten fight,
He drow to tresour þat he myght;
He seide he wolde assaye þe chaunce,
Ouer se to wende, & wynne ffraunce,
& fro þenne wende to Rome,
Of his enemys to make dome,
And of alle þat wyþ hem helde,
Ageins hym fyghtynge in [þe] felde.
He alyed hym to þe Scottes cost;
Octauus, his em, he gan manace,
& Maximien wiþ werre dide chace;
Bot Maximian gaf nought of hym;
He stod ageyn Conan ful grym.
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So dide of hym Maximian:—
Hit ys þer chaunce þat werre bygynne,
Vmwhile to lese, vmwhile to wynne.—
Whan þei to-gedere had werreyed longe,
Men of gode ȝede þeym amonge,
Dide þem acorde in loue & pes,
So þat Maximian nought ne les;
He highte hym, for his emes sake,
A riche man he scholde hym make.
Þre ȝer in pes, wyþouten fight,
He drow to tresour þat he myght;
He seide he wolde assaye þe chaunce,
Ouer se to wende, & wynne ffraunce,
& fro þenne wende to Rome,
Of his enemys to make dome,
And of alle þat wyþ hem helde,
Ageins hym fyghtynge in [þe] felde.
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