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 recuperacione belly & montis per Arthurum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De recuperacione belly & montis per Arthurum.
When Arthur was armed wel,
& his folk dight ilka del,
Al softly he bad þem go,
Þat non schulde byfore oþer þro
Til þey come vnto þe bataille.
Bot þe Saxons durst nought assaille,
Bot fledde vntil an hey hyl,
Þat non myghte wel wynne þem til.
Þey helde þat hil als castel strong,
& defended þem ferly long,
As þey were closed wyþ a wal;
Bot atte þe laste hit stod no stal.
Arthur saw þe hil was taken,
& longe þere þey held hem waken;
Tene hym þoughte þey fro hym brak,
& til his men þus he spak:
& his folk dight ilka del,
Al softly he bad þem go,
352
Til þey come vnto þe bataille.
Bot þe Saxons durst nought assaille,
Bot fledde vntil an hey hyl,
Þat non myghte wel wynne þem til.
Þey helde þat hil als castel strong,
& defended þem ferly long,
As þey were closed wyþ a wal;
Bot atte þe laste hit stod no stal.
Arthur saw þe hil was taken,
& longe þere þey held hem waken;
Tene hym þoughte þey fro hym brak,
& til his men þus he spak:
“Lordynges,” he seide, “þis hil ys hey,
“& we may nought wel com þem ney
“Bot hit were þorow long destresse.
“Þe lengþe fayn woldy schorte lesse;
“Ageyn to Scotland woldy be,
“Ohel my cosyn, fayn woldy se.”
He bad þem wyþ wordes smert
Þat [þey] schold alle be gode of hert:
“Lo! here byforn vs þan ar þo
“Þat han vs wrought ful muche wo!
“Þyse are þat han wasted our lond,
“Þat riche was, & farre vs fond!
“Þise are þat slowe our auncessours,
“Als wel myne als ȝoures!
“Þis ar þo þat vs assailled,
“& often in werre vs trauailled!
“Venge vs now we se hem here!
“Let hem abye our godes dere!
“Lat þeym bye þey toke byforn,
“& let hem now lese, for we haue lorn!
“& y schal ȝelde, ȝyf þat y may,
“Þe fals oþ þey swore þe toþer day;
“Þer turnyng y wole rescowe,
“Þat þey come til Dertemuwe.
“ȝyf y may ought wyþ hem mele,
“Hand of hand strokes schul dele,
“Þey schul neuere eft haue power
“In bataille to neighe me ner!”
“& we may nought wel com þem ney
“Bot hit were þorow long destresse.
“Þe lengþe fayn woldy schorte lesse;
“Ageyn to Scotland woldy be,
“Ohel my cosyn, fayn woldy se.”
He bad þem wyþ wordes smert
Þat [þey] schold alle be gode of hert:
“Lo! here byforn vs þan ar þo
“Þat han vs wrought ful muche wo!
“Þyse are þat han wasted our lond,
“Þat riche was, & farre vs fond!
“Þise are þat slowe our auncessours,
“Als wel myne als ȝoures!
“Þis ar þo þat vs assailled,
“& often in werre vs trauailled!
“Venge vs now we se hem here!
“Let hem abye our godes dere!
353
“& let hem now lese, for we haue lorn!
“& y schal ȝelde, ȝyf þat y may,
“Þe fals oþ þey swore þe toþer day;
“Þer turnyng y wole rescowe,
“Þat þey come til Dertemuwe.
“ȝyf y may ought wyþ hem mele,
“Hand of hand strokes schul dele,
“Þey schul neuere eft haue power
“In bataille to neighe me ner!”
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