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 Balduk fratre Colgrym. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Balduk fratre Colgrym.
Colgrim had a broþer on þe se,
Balduk, þat hadde gret meyne;
He abod þe kyng of Alemayne,
Þat cam wyþ host toward Bretayne.
Son hym was told of on & oþer
Þat Arþur byseged Colgrim his broþer,
How in bataille [he] was disconfit.
To londe he drow hym þenne as tyt:
In a wode by þat cost,
ffyue mile Balduk busched fro þe host;
& many were in his compayny,
Six þousand armed redy,
Þat scholde haue stolen þat ylke nyght
Vpon Arþur, al redy dight.
A man perceyued þer enbuschment,
& til Arþur þe bodeword sent.
When Arþur wyste þat þey wer þer,
He calde to consail þe Erl Cador
Þat was lord of Cornewaille:
Hys lyf to lese ne wold he faille.
“Cador,” he seyde, “Balduk wyþ gyle
“Ys enbusched fro vs four myle.
“Tak sex hundred of gode knyghtes,
“Þre þousand oþer, ȝyf þou myghtes;
“Al vnwarned on þem falle,
“Lightly may þou wynne þem alle.”
Sire Cador dight þem al redy,
& wente wyþoute noyse & cry.
Al vnwarned right þore þey ware;
Sore to smyte wold he nought spare;
Þe most del was slayn of þat frape,
Vnneþes myghter any a-scape;
ȝyf any of hem ascape myght,
Þe derknesse saued hem þat nyght,
& wode letted þem to renne;
Þe redy wey couþ þey nought kenne.
Balduk, þat hadde gret meyne;
He abod þe kyng of Alemayne,
Þat cam wyþ host toward Bretayne.
Son hym was told of on & oþer
Þat Arþur byseged Colgrim his broþer,
How in bataille [he] was disconfit.
To londe he drow hym þenne as tyt:
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ffyue mile Balduk busched fro þe host;
& many were in his compayny,
Six þousand armed redy,
Þat scholde haue stolen þat ylke nyght
Vpon Arþur, al redy dight.
A man perceyued þer enbuschment,
& til Arþur þe bodeword sent.
When Arþur wyste þat þey wer þer,
He calde to consail þe Erl Cador
Þat was lord of Cornewaille:
Hys lyf to lese ne wold he faille.
“Cador,” he seyde, “Balduk wyþ gyle
“Ys enbusched fro vs four myle.
“Tak sex hundred of gode knyghtes,
“Þre þousand oþer, ȝyf þou myghtes;
“Al vnwarned on þem falle,
“Lightly may þou wynne þem alle.”
Sire Cador dight þem al redy,
& wente wyþoute noyse & cry.
Al vnwarned right þore þey ware;
Sore to smyte wold he nought spare;
Þe most del was slayn of þat frape,
Vnneþes myghter any a-scape;
ȝyf any of hem ascape myght,
Þe derknesse saued hem þat nyght,
& wode letted þem to renne;
Þe redy wey couþ þey nought kenne.
Balduk fledde, & durst nought byde,
ffro busche to busche on ilka syde;
Lorn he hadde his men ilkon,
Conseil couþe he take at non
How he moughte his broþer helpe,—
Of gret los mighte he make his ȝelpe,—
ffayn he wolde wyþ hym speke,
Bot of his enemis ne myght him wreke.
He couþe of notes & of layes,
& of harpe he knew þasayes;
He feyned hym as a iogelour,
& cam to þe ost of kyng Arþour;
His hed, his berd, he dide al schaue;
Men wend a were a folted knaue;
Als a gleman gan he synge,
& couþe a party of harpyng.
Longe he ȝede þus aboute,
Non ne wende of gyle ne doute;
Bot he was boþe wyly & sley;
Þe wal he neighede ful ney;
He spak to þeym, & þey hym knew,
Doun to hym a rop þey þrew,
& he knytte hym þer-inne al,
& þey drow hym ouer þe wal.
Netheles þey were at meschef,
ffor to ascape þem were ful lef;
Bot sone com þem tydynges gode,
Þat sex hundred schipes on flode
Out of Alemayne were comen,
& in Scotland had hauen nomen.
ffro busche to busche on ilka syde;
Lorn he hadde his men ilkon,
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How he moughte his broþer helpe,—
Of gret los mighte he make his ȝelpe,—
ffayn he wolde wyþ hym speke,
Bot of his enemis ne myght him wreke.
He couþe of notes & of layes,
& of harpe he knew þasayes;
He feyned hym as a iogelour,
& cam to þe ost of kyng Arþour;
His hed, his berd, he dide al schaue;
Men wend a were a folted knaue;
Als a gleman gan he synge,
& couþe a party of harpyng.
Longe he ȝede þus aboute,
Non ne wende of gyle ne doute;
Bot he was boþe wyly & sley;
Þe wal he neighede ful ney;
He spak to þeym, & þey hym knew,
Doun to hym a rop þey þrew,
& he knytte hym þer-inne al,
& þey drow hym ouer þe wal.
Netheles þey were at meschef,
ffor to ascape þem were ful lef;
Bot sone com þem tydynges gode,
Þat sex hundred schipes on flode
Out of Alemayne were comen,
& in Scotland had hauen nomen.
| The Story of England | |