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 Sompno Arthury. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Sompno Arthury.
Sire Arthur hadde weder at wille,Saflyk he seyled, wythouten ylle;
Hys folk was ioiful & gl[a]dly let,
ffor þeire pathe fare to Bareflet.
Atte midnyght men gaf god kep,
Arthur fel on slomber & slep;
In his slepyng als he gan lye,
Hym þoughte he sey a Bere flye
An hugely gret, a lothly best,
& fley faste towardes þe est.
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In to þe west hym þoughte he fley;
Of his mouþ a flaume cam out,
Þe lond, þe water, schon al about.
Þe bere assailled þe dragoun,
& he defended hym as a lyoun;
Wonderly ilk oþer gan assaille,
& strong was þanne þer bataille;
Scharply þer ilk oþer smot,
Bitterly boþe þey blewe & bot.
Þe dragon was swyft, & sleyly swypte,
Þe bere in his clawes he clypte,
& þriste hym so þat he to-barst,
& doun vnto þe erþe hym cast.
Arthur of his slepyng wok,
Gret tent of his drem he tok;
He askede clerkes sete hym aboute,
Wheþer hit mente drede or doute:
“Y wolde wyte what hit wolde mene,
“& wheþer hit tokned ioye or tene,
“& wheþer hit was help or dere,
“Þat þe dragoun slow þe bere.”
| The Story of England | |