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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Exe pugnum inter Taurum Troie & Taurum Grecie. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Exe pugnum inter Taurum Troie & Taurum Grecie.
Ilkon oþer gan faste assaille,
& Parys biheld þeir bataille;
Þey foughte so longe, hit was a wonder,
Bot at þe laste þey ȝede a sonder.
An oþer day he com ageyn,
& foughte to-gydere, þys boles tweyn;
So foughte þei mani daies longe,
ffelenous batailles & fol stronge.
Paris seide, “Now schal y se
“Whilk is worthi to haue þe gre,
“& whilk of hem maistri schal haue,
“To coroune hym y vouche hit saue.”
& Parys biheld þeir bataille;
Þey foughte so longe, hit was a wonder,
Bot at þe laste þey ȝede a sonder.
An oþer day he com ageyn,
& foughte to-gydere, þys boles tweyn;
So foughte þei mani daies longe,
ffelenous batailles & fol stronge.
Paris seide, “Now schal y se
“Whilk is worthi to haue þe gre,
“& whilk of hem maistri schal haue,
“To coroune hym y vouche hit saue.”
A day þei foughte fol felonlike,
& stalworly to-gyder gon stryke;
So longe þey foughte, þat atte laste
Þe bole of Troye doun was caste.
When Parys saugh his bole doun,
þe bole of Grece he gaf þe croun;
& þat was gret curtesye,
To gyue þe bole þe maistrie,
& late hym gon corouned quit
Þat hadde ydon his bole despit.
Þere biside þre wicches ware,
Ladies were cald, & in þe eyr dide fare;
þyse þre stoden & byheld
þe boles bataille in þe feld,
& praised mikel sire Paris
Þat he gaf þat bole þe pris;
Þey seide he was a man of skyl
Þat gaf þe dom as fel þer til;
ffor he þat was þe pris worþy,
He corouned hym, and gaf þe maistri.
Þyse þre leuedies were of might;
Þe principale, Iuno scheo hight;
Þat oþer Pallas, þe þrydde Venus,
Alle þre leuedies highten þus.
Iuno, scheo was gyuere of myght,
Pallas gaf wysdam & right,
Dame Venus, sche gaf loue til man.
Bytwyxte þise þre a strif bigan,
Whilk of hem were fayrest:
At Paris dom þei wolde hit kest.
Dame Iuno seide, “hit am y;”
Þat oþer seid, “nay truely!
“To Paris dom we graunten alle,
“Þe whilk of vs fairest schal falle.”
& stalworly to-gyder gon stryke;
So longe þey foughte, þat atte laste
Þe bole of Troye doun was caste.
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þe bole of Grece he gaf þe croun;
& þat was gret curtesye,
To gyue þe bole þe maistrie,
& late hym gon corouned quit
Þat hadde ydon his bole despit.
Þere biside þre wicches ware,
Ladies were cald, & in þe eyr dide fare;
þyse þre stoden & byheld
þe boles bataille in þe feld,
& praised mikel sire Paris
Þat he gaf þat bole þe pris;
Þey seide he was a man of skyl
Þat gaf þe dom as fel þer til;
ffor he þat was þe pris worþy,
He corouned hym, and gaf þe maistri.
Þyse þre leuedies were of might;
Þe principale, Iuno scheo hight;
Þat oþer Pallas, þe þrydde Venus,
Alle þre leuedies highten þus.
Iuno, scheo was gyuere of myght,
Pallas gaf wysdam & right,
Dame Venus, sche gaf loue til man.
Bytwyxte þise þre a strif bigan,
Whilk of hem were fayrest:
At Paris dom þei wolde hit kest.
Dame Iuno seide, “hit am y;”
Þat oþer seid, “nay truely!
“To Paris dom we graunten alle,
“Þe whilk of vs fairest schal falle.”
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