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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Hic ffortygernus traditor factus est custos Regny
sub Monacho Rege. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Hic ffortygernus traditor factus est custos Regny sub Monacho Rege.
Þenne ffortyger hadde alle þe maystrie,
Þe kyng at wille, & þe marchalsye;
Al to-gedere þe kyng he ledde,
& al he dide þat he hym redde;
Þe kyng dide al as fforteger wylde,
& al his conseil he fulfylde.
He saw þe kyng couþe no god,
Ne kynde skile nought vnderstod;
[on clostire skill couth he maste,
& his breþer with þe leste.]
He sey þe force of þe barons falle,
& saw his stat heyest of alle,
[þe folk discord nouht in a will;
þan he þouht in hert full still,]
& þoughte þe regne haue in his syde;
Her whuche a deseyte he spak þat tyde:
Þe kyng at wille, & þe marchalsye;
Al to-gedere þe kyng he ledde,
& al he dide þat he hym redde;
Þe kyng dide al as fforteger wylde,
& al his conseil he fulfylde.
He saw þe kyng couþe no god,
Ne kynde skile nought vnderstod;
[on clostire skill couth he maste,
& his breþer with þe leste.]
He sey þe force of þe barons falle,
250
[þe folk discord nouht in a will;
þan he þouht in hert full still,]
& þoughte þe regne haue in his syde;
Her whuche a deseyte he spak þat tyde:
“Of o þyng, sires, y wot right wel,
“þer-of ȝe owen to wyte som del,
“Þat þe Daneys, wyþ men of Northweye,
“On ȝow wyl þey lyue & deye;
“& for þou art no knyght of armes,
“Þe more þey wayte þis lond wyþ harmes;
“On vs þey wyle þis somer haste,
“Þy casteles take, þy lond to-waste;
“Here-of y rede þou nyme ȝeme,
“Þy lond to fende, þy folk to queme.”
In casteles he sette garnysons
ffor þe drede of oþer traysons;
“To þo þat castels couþe loke,
“To swylke y wolde þat þou hem toke.”
Þan seyde þe kyng to ffortyger,
“Tak þou þe lokyng in þy power;
“As þou wilt, hit schal be so;
“Ouer þe wol y þat noman do;
“Þe castelles alle y þe bykenne,
“Now loke þat noman slo ne brenne.
“In þy conseil onlyk am y,
“Loke to me þou do truely.
“Of cites & of tresor al;
“Right as þou wilt, so be hit schal.”
“þer-of ȝe owen to wyte som del,
“Þat þe Daneys, wyþ men of Northweye,
“On ȝow wyl þey lyue & deye;
“& for þou art no knyght of armes,
“Þe more þey wayte þis lond wyþ harmes;
“On vs þey wyle þis somer haste,
“Þy casteles take, þy lond to-waste;
“Here-of y rede þou nyme ȝeme,
“Þy lond to fende, þy folk to queme.”
In casteles he sette garnysons
ffor þe drede of oþer traysons;
“To þo þat castels couþe loke,
“To swylke y wolde þat þou hem toke.”
Þan seyde þe kyng to ffortyger,
“Tak þou þe lokyng in þy power;
“As þou wilt, hit schal be so;
“Ouer þe wol y þat noman do;
“Þe castelles alle y þe bykenne,
“Now loke þat noman slo ne brenne.
“In þy conseil onlyk am y,
“Loke to me þou do truely.
“Of cites & of tresor al;
“Right as þou wilt, so be hit schal.”
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Þenne was ffortyger at ese,
ffor alle þe strengþes he gan to sese.
When he had alle þys forceresses,
Wyþ cites, tounes, & alle richesses,
ȝyt he þoughte on oþer wyse
To contreoue a fals queyntyse:
“Sire,” he seyde, “ȝyf þou wilt do
“Þat y schal conseille þe to,
“Þy lond schaltow ful wel saue,
“& do þyn enemys of þe stond awe.
“Sent for knyghtes þat conne of sleytes.
“& þat ar bolde men in feyghtes;
“Lat þeym be alle þy souders,
“ffor of alle kyndes þey knowe þe maners;
“ffor ȝyf þey be y þy court wyþynne,
“On whilk side þat werre bygynne,
“Þen may þou sende hem aboute,
“To serche of wham þer ys most doute,
“Þaw þe Peytes & þeir kendes,
“Þat ofte han schewed þey were oure frendes.”
ffor alle þe strengþes he gan to sese.
When he had alle þys forceresses,
Wyþ cites, tounes, & alle richesses,
ȝyt he þoughte on oþer wyse
To contreoue a fals queyntyse:
“Sire,” he seyde, “ȝyf þou wilt do
“Þat y schal conseille þe to,
“Þy lond schaltow ful wel saue,
“& do þyn enemys of þe stond awe.
“Sent for knyghtes þat conne of sleytes.
“& þat ar bolde men in feyghtes;
“Lat þeym be alle þy souders,
“ffor of alle kyndes þey knowe þe maners;
“ffor ȝyf þey be y þy court wyþynne,
“On whilk side þat werre bygynne,
“Þen may þou sende hem aboute,
“To serche of wham þer ys most doute,
“Þaw þe Peytes & þeir kendes,
“Þat ofte han schewed þey were oure frendes.”
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