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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| Pro quantis comoditatibus venerunt ad Curiam
Arthuri. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Pro quantis comoditatibus venerunt ad Curiam Arthuri.
Hit was no baron in al Spaigne,
Ne þennes in-til Alemaigne,
Þat he til Arthures feste ne ferde,
Þat doughti was, & þer-of herde;
Somme, hym seluen for to se,
& to byholde his meyne;
& somme, to se on what wyse
Þey ordeigned þer faire seruise;
& some, to se þe Table Rounde
Þat neuere byforn þat tyme was founde;
& somme, to se his faire paleys;
Somme, to biholde his riche harneys;
Somme, þe folk to by-howe;
& somme, his knyghtes for to knowe;
& somme, for his geftes gode;
& somme, for his noble fode;
& somme come for to haue bailly;
& somme, to lere þere curtesy.
Ne þennes in-til Alemaigne,
Þat he til Arthures feste ne ferde,
Þat doughti was, & þer-of herde;
Somme, hym seluen for to se,
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& somme, to se on what wyse
Þey ordeigned þer faire seruise;
& some, to se þe Table Rounde
Þat neuere byforn þat tyme was founde;
& somme, to se his faire paleys;
Somme, to biholde his riche harneys;
Somme, þe folk to by-howe;
& somme, his knyghtes for to knowe;
& somme, for his geftes gode;
& somme, for his noble fode;
& somme come for to haue bailly;
& somme, to lere þere curtesy.
When Arthures court was plener,
& alle were comen, fer & ner,
Þe erþe abouen stired & quok,
So faste hors & man þer schok:
Þer was puttynge, þristinge, & þro,
Wyþ fot-folk þat come to & fro,
Innes for to teme & take;
Þat non hadde, pauilons did make;
Þer maistres mareschals ferde aboute,
Deliuered innes wyþynne & wyþoute;
Bordes broughte, cordes & cables,
& made mangers to stande in stables.
Þen mighte men se þe ladies lede
Many fair palfray & stede
In mud, in mires, to soille & dasche,
Siþen in wayers to watre & wasche,
Syþen to wype, & to mangers teye,
Hey & prouende byfor þem leye.
& alle were comen, fer & ner,
Þe erþe abouen stired & quok,
So faste hors & man þer schok:
Þer was puttynge, þristinge, & þro,
Wyþ fot-folk þat come to & fro,
Innes for to teme & take;
Þat non hadde, pauilons did make;
Þer maistres mareschals ferde aboute,
Deliuered innes wyþynne & wyþoute;
Bordes broughte, cordes & cables,
& made mangers to stande in stables.
Þen mighte men se þe ladies lede
Many fair palfray & stede
In mud, in mires, to soille & dasche,
Siþen in wayers to watre & wasche,
Syþen to wype, & to mangers teye,
Hey & prouende byfor þem leye.
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Þenne come chaumberleyns & squiers,
Wiþ riche robes of mani maners,
To folde, to presse, & to pyke,
& somme to hange, & som to strike,
Manteles, forours of riche pris,
Of meneuer, stranlyng, veyr, & gris;
Oþer pelure ynowe þer were,
Þe names of þem y ne wot what are,
Lomb or boge, conyng or hare,
Y ne knowe me nought in swylk chaffare.
Þe morn when þe feste schuld be,
Wiþ riche robes of mani maners,
To folde, to presse, & to pyke,
& somme to hange, & som to strike,
Manteles, forours of riche pris,
Of meneuer, stranlyng, veyr, & gris;
Oþer pelure ynowe þer were,
Þe names of þem y ne wot what are,
Lomb or boge, conyng or hare,
Y ne knowe me nought in swylk chaffare.
Come þe Erchebischopes of þer degre;
Wyþ hym, of Rome cam þe legat;
And oþer bischopes of mener stat;
&, right als þe story seys,
Dubrice corouned hym in his paleys;
A legat of Rome & he
Dide þer þat solempnete.
When he was corouned on þat wyse,
To þe kyrke þey ȝede to þer seruise;
Þe two Erchebischopes þat þer war,
Þey ledden hym, ys armes vp bar,
& sette hym in a riche chayer,
Þer he scholde his seruise her.
ffoure swerdes of golde were born
Wyþ foure kynges hym byforn,—
Þat seruise fel to þer scheld
When þat Arthur his feste held,—
Þe kyng of North Walys & of Scotland,
& of Southe Walys (þus wryten y fand),
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Þe fferþe swerd bar he þor;
Þaw his stat were nought so hey,
ȝit was he man ful wel worþy.
Dubrice, þat was a noble prelat,
& of Rome þe Legat,
Þat office þey dide, þey myghte best,
Of dignete þey were heyest.
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