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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War. |
 | The Story of England |  |
War.
Þer ostages ilkon he hengHeye on galewes, wyþ rop & streng.
When þer ostages to deþ wer done,
Toward þe souþ he hyed hym sone
Ohel his cosy[n], & his meyne,
He lefte sek in a cite,
In Aclud, þer-inne he lay,
Þat was þe name by þat day.
Wyþ al þe folk Ohel myght spare,
Toward Baþe, Arþur was ȝare.
Cheldrykes sege he wolde remue,
His men wyþynne he þoughte rescue.
In a playn by a wode syde
Arthur dide his folk abide,
To arme þem, & til ordeyne
Whylk schuld go, & wyþ whilk seyne.
Hym self was armed fynly wel
Wyþ sabatons, & spores, & iaumbers of stel,
Doublet & quysseux, wiþ poleyns ful riche,
Voydes, breche of maille, wyþ paunz non liche
Hauberk wiþ plates y-burnuscht ful wel,
Vaumbras & rerbras, wyþ coters of stel,
Þer-opon an aketon wyþ stof & al sylk,
His cote of armes þer-on; in world was no swylk;
& þen girt wyþ Caliborne, þat gode brond;
A bettere cam neuere in no kynges hond;
Ten fote longe was þen þe blade,
In Ramesey & oþer stedes þe merke ys ymade;
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Was twenti vnche large, meten ful wel;
Þe brede of þe blade was seuen inche & more;
Wond was hit y þat world smite ful sore.
An helm he had on his hed, no betere vp on molde;
A riche corounal wiþ perre, al of brent golde,
Þe nasel & bendeles of gold ful bryght,
Þer-opon a dragoun selcouþ of sight;
Aboute his nekke heng his scheld,
Pryd-wenne hit highte, many hit byheld;
Þer-on was purtrayd, next hym by,
Þe ymage of oure swete leuedy,
In nede to byholde hure face,
Ageyn his enemis to haue grace.
Hys spere was gret, he cald hit Ron,
Wyþ an hed by-fore, ful noble þer-on;
Hit was long, & swyþe gret,
Þer was no scheld þat he ne þorow schet.
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