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 Pungna inter Eldok & Hengystum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Pungna inter Eldok & Hengystum.
As þey were boldest in þer baret,Eldok & Hengist to-gedere met;
Sire Eldok, Hengist ful wel knew,
His herte a-geyns hym gros & grew:
Þey hit so dide, ful wel hit aughte,
Gret encheson mad þeym vnsaughte;
He preied to God his desir fulfil,
Þat he of Hengist might haue his wyl.
Wyþ scharpe swerdes to-gyder þey ran,
& Hengist kepte hym as a man;
Eldokes strok ful wel he sat,
Hengist ageyn anoþer smat;
Þer myg[h]te men se fighteres bolde;
ffor dynt of deþ spare þey ne wolde;
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Þe sparkles fleye as fir of flyntes;
ȝyf Eldokes help ne hadde be ney,
Hengist had had þe better party;
Bot þe Erl Corlyeus of Cornewaille,
Cam right y þe moste trauaille.
Whan Eldok sey þat þe Erl cam,
More hardynesse in herte he nam,
fful egrely þanne til Hengist he went,
& by þe vyser he hym hent,
& heldit til he had sesed his nekke:—
Þe Payens wer al mat wyþ þat chekke:—
“Þanked be Iesu, þat þou hit wylde!
“Þat y haue ȝerned, now ys fulfilde!
“Now hauy take oure moste fo,
“Þat haþ vs wakned many wo!
“Þis ys þe hound—wo mot hym be!—
“Þat neuere of vs hadde pyte!
“Þis hound y soughte, now y hym fond,
“He was heued to struye þis lond!
“Sire Erl, þys hound, þys comelyng,
“O myn half present hym to þe kyng,
“& sey his enemy ys ouer-comen
“Now þys hound Hengist ys nomen!”
| The Story of England | |