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 tenentibus Regis Arthury. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De tenentibus Regis Arthury.
When Arthur departed his meyne,
& schulde go þer þey wold be,
By name he made þem alle somouns
Er þey wente, alle þe barouns,
& preied hem of help at here myght,—
But þat þey saued wel þeir ryght;—
And how mikel ilkon myght brynge,
Þat wolde he wyte ouer alle þynge.
Irland, Gutland, & Norweye,
Denmark, Island, & Orkeneye,
Sex score þousand þey hym het,
Of alle þo landes gedered & fet,—
Knyghtes were namo of þo,
But oþere,—þat on fote most go;
On fote by-houed þem bere þer armes,
Dartes, gauelokes, & gysarmes;
Þat was þe manere of þer lond,
Þey hadde non oþer, ne non þem fond.
& schulde go þer þey wold be,
By name he made þem alle somouns
Er þey wente, alle þe barouns,
& preied hem of help at here myght,—
But þat þey saued wel þeir ryght;—
And how mikel ilkon myght brynge,
Þat wolde he wyte ouer alle þynge.
Irland, Gutland, & Norweye,
Denmark, Island, & Orkeneye,
Sex score þousand þey hym het,
Of alle þo landes gedered & fet,—
Knyghtes were namo of þo,
But oþere,—þat on fote most go;
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Dartes, gauelokes, & gysarmes;
Þat was þe manere of þer lond,
Þey hadde non oþer, ne non þem fond.
Of Normandye & of Angeowe,
Of Pykardie & of Peytowe,
And out of fflaundres & of Brabant,
ffour score þousand wyþouten want,
So mykel scholde þey fynde of fe,
& namore was þer ryght to be.
In ffraunce were þanne twelue lordes fers,
Þat men calle þe dusze pers;
Þyse dusze pers, lordes of ffraunce,
To Gerny of Chartres þey hadde alliaunce;
Eche of hem fond an hundred knyghtes
Þat fel to þer fe at alle rightes.
Ten þousand hette sire Ohel,
& two þousand sire Agusel;
& Arthur, of þys ilke lond
Sexti þousand knyghtes he fond,
Wyþ-outen fot-folk & archers,
& seriauntz & arblasters;
Of þyse y ne fond no noumbre y-writen,
Ne of na mo ne couþe men witen.
Of Pykardie & of Peytowe,
And out of fflaundres & of Brabant,
ffour score þousand wyþouten want,
So mykel scholde þey fynde of fe,
& namore was þer ryght to be.
In ffraunce were þanne twelue lordes fers,
Þat men calle þe dusze pers;
Þyse dusze pers, lordes of ffraunce,
To Gerny of Chartres þey hadde alliaunce;
Eche of hem fond an hundred knyghtes
Þat fel to þer fe at alle rightes.
Ten þousand hette sire Ohel,
& two þousand sire Agusel;
& Arthur, of þys ilke lond
Sexti þousand knyghtes he fond,
Wyþ-outen fot-folk & archers,
& seriauntz & arblasters;
Of þyse y ne fond no noumbre y-writen,
Ne of na mo ne couþe men witen.
When Arthur wyste þe certeyn,
What ilk lord scholde brynge hym ageyn
Of men of armes of god array,
He preied hem come, & sette a day,
At Bareflete in Normandye,
Þider scholde come al þer nauye;
& ilkon certeynlike þey het
To be þere at þat day set.
Þen went alle hom, kyng & knyght,
& purueyd hem þat þey were dight.
What ilk lord scholde brynge hym ageyn
Of men of armes of god array,
He preied hem come, & sette a day,
At Bareflete in Normandye,
Þider scholde come al þer nauye;
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To be þere at þat day set.
Þen went alle hom, kyng & knyght,
& purueyd hem þat þey were dight.
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