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 vastacione Scocie, & lamentacione Scotorum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De vastacione Scocie, & lamentacione Scotorum.
But ȝyt Arthur nought ne left
Þat he þe Scottes byseged eft.
Þen come þe byschopes of þe land,
& religious relikes bryngand,
And preyed Arthur of mercy;
& als wyþ hem com many ledy,
Alle barfot, & bare þe heued,
Þer her to-rent, or litel leued;
ȝonge childre wyþ hem brought,
& reuly gretyng, mercy bysought,
Mekely fulle doun til his fet.
Byschops, abbotes, & ladis alle gret,
& asked hym ‘mercy & pes,
‘To saue þo childre helples:
“Þyse ladies þat þis sorewe haue,
“ȝeld þem þer lordes, þer lyues to saue!
“ȝeld vs þo þat are on lyue!
“Let hem nought alle to deþe dryue!
“Let vs nought alle so dere a-bye
“Þe false Saxons felonye!
“ffor hit was neuere by our wille
“Þat þey com here to do ȝow ylle!
“Of þer comyng had we no frame,
“Þer dwellyng dide vs mykel schame;
“Al day were we wyþ hem noyed,
“Oure lyf[e]lode þey ete & stroyed,
“Catel þey bar a-wey, & spended;
“Had we non heued þat vs defended!
“Þat we þem halp, ys no trespas;
“Maugre oures, forsoþe hit was;
“Þeir force was more þan oures,
“We nyste of non to haue socoures.
“ȝe wot þey are of þe lawe Payen,
“& we, as ȝe, ar men Crysten;
“Þer-fore þey dide vs þe more wo.
“At ilka tyme, boþe to & fro,
“Wo dude þey vs! & worse haue [we] now!
“& þat ys non honur til ȝow,
“Vs to slo þat crye mercy,
“& deye for hunger so deolfoly.
“Þou hast vs wonnen; lef vs þe lyf,
“Lord to lady, husebande to wyf!
“& gyue vs lond on for to lyue!
“Trewe hostage we wol þe gyue.
“Þorow righte reson þou scholde vs spare,
“ffor we ar Cristen as ȝe are;
“& ȝyf we deye in swylk destresse,
“Cristendam ys mykel þe lesse;
“Þan ys þy peryl mykel þe more,
“Þat þou wraþest Crist so sore.”
Þat he þe Scottes byseged eft.
Þen come þe byschopes of þe land,
& religious relikes bryngand,
And preyed Arthur of mercy;
& als wyþ hem com many ledy,
Alle barfot, & bare þe heued,
Þer her to-rent, or litel leued;
ȝonge childre wyþ hem brought,
& reuly gretyng, mercy bysought,
Mekely fulle doun til his fet.
Byschops, abbotes, & ladis alle gret,
& asked hym ‘mercy & pes,
‘To saue þo childre helples:
“Þyse ladies þat þis sorewe haue,
“ȝeld þem þer lordes, þer lyues to saue!
“ȝeld vs þo þat are on lyue!
“Let hem nought alle to deþe dryue!
“Let vs nought alle so dere a-bye
“Þe false Saxons felonye!
“ffor hit was neuere by our wille
“Þat þey com here to do ȝow ylle!
“Of þer comyng had we no frame,
“Þer dwellyng dide vs mykel schame;
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“Oure lyf[e]lode þey ete & stroyed,
“Catel þey bar a-wey, & spended;
“Had we non heued þat vs defended!
“Þat we þem halp, ys no trespas;
“Maugre oures, forsoþe hit was;
“Þeir force was more þan oures,
“We nyste of non to haue socoures.
“ȝe wot þey are of þe lawe Payen,
“& we, as ȝe, ar men Crysten;
“Þer-fore þey dide vs þe more wo.
“At ilka tyme, boþe to & fro,
“Wo dude þey vs! & worse haue [we] now!
“& þat ys non honur til ȝow,
“Vs to slo þat crye mercy,
“& deye for hunger so deolfoly.
“Þou hast vs wonnen; lef vs þe lyf,
“Lord to lady, husebande to wyf!
“& gyue vs lond on for to lyue!
“Trewe hostage we wol þe gyue.
“Þorow righte reson þou scholde vs spare,
“ffor we ar Cristen as ȝe are;
“& ȝyf we deye in swylk destresse,
“Cristendam ys mykel þe lesse;
“Þan ys þy peryl mykel þe more,
“Þat þou wraþest Crist so sore.”
Arthur wiste þey seide reson,
& wel excused hem of þe Saxon.
ffor byschope & clerkes þat hym bysought,
& þe relikes þat þey brought,
& of þe lauedies hym rewed sore,
& ȝonge childre þat þer wore,
He graunted þem alle þat þey ches,
Lyf & lymes, & his pes.
& wel excused hem of þe Saxon.
ffor byschope & clerkes þat hym bysought,
& þe relikes þat þey brought,
& of þe lauedies hym rewed sore,
& ȝonge childre þat þer wore,
360
Lyf & lymes, & his pes.
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