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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Deuicit Hyberniam. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Deuicit Hyberniam.
When wynter cold was al away,& hete comen of someresday,
& fair weder on se to fare,
A flute on flode Arthur dide ȝare;
He seide he wolde til Irland,
& wynne hit al to Bretons hand.
Longe tyme wolde he nought waste,
He dide somoune his folk on haste,
Erles, barouns, knyghtes, squiers,
Alle þe ȝongest bachelers
Þat wel myghte, & best couþe
Stonde in werre, & were of ȝouþe.
365
Swyþe vp to lande gon þey wende,
Vitaille to seke, & mele & corn;
Bestes slayn to schipe were born,
Lyflode al þat þey myghte gete,
To sustinaunce vntil þer mete,
Ilkadel to schipe þey drow,
& vitailled hem wel y-now.
To Gwylomar, þe Irische kyng,
Com bode sone of þeir comyng;
Þat Arthur was aryued þere,
Al his lond for to conquere.
Þe folk pleyned hem aboute;
Þer godes were lorn, & þey in doute.
Þe Irische kyng dide folk somoune
Þorow-out þe lond, of ylka toune,
Of vpland & of burghe,
To giue bataille to kyng Arthurghe.
When boþe partis come to þe fight,
Þe naked Irische were nought dight;
Hauberk ne scheld ne myghte þey bere,
Ne fro þe arewes couþe þem nought were;
Þey nadde neuere seen non ar.
O syde þey fledde here & þar;
Ilkon made oþer agast,
& conseilled hem to fle ful fast
To wodes, to hilles, þer lyues to saue;
Oþer socour þey wyste non haue.
Þe kyng fley til a wode syde;
Arthur hym folewed, & dide hym byde,
& al wyþ force hym þer tok;
& he swor hym vpon þe bok,
To holde of hym his heritage
& ȝelde hym ilka ȝer truwage.
366
To holden his fewte & homage.
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