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 Cantu ad Missam. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Cantu ad Missam.
When þe Procession was gon,
Þe Messe bygan sone anon:
Þer myghte men se fair samninge
Of þo clerkes þat best couþe synge,
Wyþ treble, mene, & burdoun,
Of mani on was ful swete soun;
Of þo þat songe heye & lowe,
& þo þat couþe org[a]nes blowe,
Inow þer was of menestralcie,
& of song gret melodye.
Þer myght men se folk come & go
To þe kyrkes, boþe to & fro,
Of knyghtes & [of] squiers bolde
To listne song, leuedis byholde;
ffro þat o kyrke to þe oþer þey ran;
Where was þe beste, wyste no man;
At neyþer þem þoughte þey dwelled longe,
Ne nought were ful to here þe songe;
ȝyf hit had ben at her pay,
Þat song had lasted al þat day.
Þe Messe bygan sone anon:
Þer myghte men se fair samninge
Of þo clerkes þat best couþe synge,
Wyþ treble, mene, & burdoun,
Of mani on was ful swete soun;
Of þo þat songe heye & lowe,
& þo þat couþe org[a]nes blowe,
394
& of song gret melodye.
Þer myght men se folk come & go
To þe kyrkes, boþe to & fro,
Of knyghtes & [of] squiers bolde
To listne song, leuedis byholde;
ffro þat o kyrke to þe oþer þey ran;
Where was þe beste, wyste no man;
At neyþer þem þoughte þey dwelled longe,
Ne nought were ful to here þe songe;
ȝyf hit had ben at her pay,
Þat song had lasted al þat day.
When þe Messes were boþe done,
& homward þey were al bone,
Þe kyng dide of his atir þar
Þat he vntil þe kirke bar,
& tok anoþer of lasse peys;
Þe quene dide þe same weys;
Þeir heuy atir þey dide of boþe,
& in lightere dide þem cloþe.
Þe kyng com vntil his paleys
& sat atte þe mete þat ilke weys;
Þe quene vntil anoþer ȝede,
& þe leuedis wiþ hure gan lede:
But custume was whilom in Troye,
Þat when þey made feste of ioye,
Men to-gydere schuld go to mete,
Þe ladys by þem self schuld ete;
Þe Bretons had þe selue vsage,
Þey were of þe Troiens lynage;
Þat ilke vsage was at þer feste,
No womman cam among þer geste;
Þe wommen wyþoute men schuld be,
But seruiturs of here meyne.
& homward þey were al bone,
Þe kyng dide of his atir þar
Þat he vntil þe kirke bar,
& tok anoþer of lasse peys;
Þe quene dide þe same weys;
Þeir heuy atir þey dide of boþe,
& in lightere dide þem cloþe.
Þe kyng com vntil his paleys
& sat atte þe mete þat ilke weys;
Þe quene vntil anoþer ȝede,
& þe leuedis wiþ hure gan lede:
But custume was whilom in Troye,
Þat when þey made feste of ioye,
Men to-gydere schuld go to mete,
Þe ladys by þem self schuld ete;
Þe Bretons had þe selue vsage,
Þey were of þe Troiens lynage;
Þat ilke vsage was at þer feste,
395
Þe wommen wyþoute men schuld be,
But seruiturs of here meyne.
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