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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Occisio Paganorum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Occisio Paganorum.
When þe Bretons were spred aboute
In þer host, wyþynne & wyþoute,
Þen was slaughtere wyþoute pite;
Was non for merci ȝolden fre;
Þorow wombe & breste þe speres bot,
Hedes, handes, fet, of smot.
To arme þeym þey nadde no space,
Ne to fle had þey no grace;
ȝyf any fledde þat fle myght,
Þe merknesse saued [hem] þat nyght.
Octa & Ebessa o lyue þey tok,
At Londone in prison he dide þem lok.
In þer host, wyþynne & wyþoute,
Þen was slaughtere wyþoute pite;
Was non for merci ȝolden fre;
Þorow wombe & breste þe speres bot,
Hedes, handes, fet, of smot.
To arme þeym þey nadde no space,
Ne to fle had þey no grace;
ȝyf any fledde þat fle myght,
Þe merknesse saued [hem] þat nyght.
Octa & Ebessa o lyue þey tok,
At Londone in prison he dide þem lok.
When þis Payens were desconfit,
Toward þe norþ þey went ful tyt;
Northumberland, Scotland, þorow þey rod,
Als hit was fer, [boþ] long & brod.
Þo þat myghte no men iustise,
Al he drow til his seruise;
Ouer al he sette swylk pees,
Bettere neuere no man ches.
When he was kyng kyd & couþ,
He tok his gate toward þe souþ;
At Londone his Pasches he held,
Wyþ erl & baron, & knyght of scheld;
Byschopes, abbotes, he dide somoune,
& riche burgeyses, & oþer in toune;
He dide comaunde, vpon þer lyf,
Þat wedded men schold bryng þer wyf,
& oþere honeste of his meyne,
Man or woman, wheþer þey be;
Al he bad vntil his feste,
Þat were worþy & honeste.
Toward þe norþ þey went ful tyt;
Northumberland, Scotland, þorow þey rod,
Als hit was fer, [boþ] long & brod.
Þo þat myghte no men iustise,
Al he drow til his seruise;
Ouer al he sette swylk pees,
Bettere neuere no man ches.
When he was kyng kyd & couþ,
He tok his gate toward þe souþ;
At Londone his Pasches he held,
Wyþ erl & baron, & knyght of scheld;
Byschopes, abbotes, he dide somoune,
& riche burgeyses, & oþer in toune;
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Þat wedded men schold bryng þer wyf,
& oþere honeste of his meyne,
Man or woman, wheþer þey be;
Al he bad vntil his feste,
Þat were worþy & honeste.
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