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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| Hic narrauit Arthurus Beduero & Kayo de
gigante Rytone. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Hic narrauit Arthurus Beduero & Kayo de gigante Rytone.
Þen telde Arthur to Beduer & Kay,Þat he nadde neuere suche affray,
Of no geaunt but of on,
& þat geaunt highte Ryton;
fful manye kynges had he don slo,
& flow þe berdes of alle þo;
Til a pane, as a furour, he did hem tewe:
Loke ȝif Ryton were nought a schrewe!
Þat geaunt Riton sende his sonde
Til Arthur fro ferne londe,
& seide he scholde make hym a-ferd
But he flowe of his owen berd,
& sent hit hym vntil his pane,
436
& ȝyf he sent hit hym bleþely,
He schulde set hit most worschipfuly,
ffor he wolde vrle his pane wyþ-al
Aboute wiþ a ffylet smal;
And ȝyf Arthur wylde nought
Do als Ryton hym bisought,
Greyþe hym as sone as he myght,
ffor Ryton wolde wyþ hym fight;
& whilk of þem might oþer slo,
His berd he scholde don of flo,
& haue þe pane ilka del,
Þer-wyþ aboute vrle hit wel.
Arthur þen til Ryton went,
In bataille he slow hym & schent,
& wan þe pane & his berd;
O þe mount Derane he was conquerd.
Siþen fond Arthur neuere non
But Dynabrok, as was Ryton,
Þat neuere dide til hym in dede,
Þat he had of so mykel drede.
Þer þey hym slowe, þer þey hym leued,
& Beduer tok a squier þe heued,
To bere & schewe þe host aboute,
Wher þat þey were, & in what doute.
Sire Ohel ful sore byment
Þat his nece was so schent;
A fair chapel for hure dide make,
Of oure lady, for Eleynes sake.
Siþen þat tyme scheo was þer leyd,
ffor Eleyne, ‘Eleynes toumbe’ ys seid;
437
‘Eleynes toumbe’ vnto þys day.
When þe host was al comen & ȝare,
Þo þat scholde wiþ Arthur fare,
No þrowe wolde he þare lye,
But passed sone al Normandie.
His folk wax wher-so he cam,
Þe doughtiest wyþ hym he nam,
Out of castel & of cite,
& passed Burgoyne, al þat contre;
Vntil Hostum, þyder he þought;
& þennes tidynges men hym brought,
Þat þey of Rome com wyþ gret route,
& tok þe contre al aboute.
Þo þat scholde wiþ Arthur fare,
No þrowe wolde he þare lye,
But passed sone al Normandie.
His folk wax wher-so he cam,
Þe doughtiest wyþ hym he nam,
Out of castel & of cite,
& passed Burgoyne, al þat contre;
Vntil Hostum, þyder he þought;
& þennes tidynges men hym brought,
Þat þey of Rome com wyþ gret route,
& tok þe contre al aboute.
Al as Arthur schulde a water passe—
Albe, hit seis þe name wasse—
Al day til Arthur men tolde,
Wiþ passand men & spies bolde,
Þat þe Emperour was þere bysyde;
To conseille what best myghte bytide,
His pauilons, his penceles, þykke
Nought fer fro þenne had þey don wyk:
“Þer are so manye of Romayns,
“& þyn host may nought þeym ageyns.
“ffoure haþ he agayns on of þyne;
“& ȝif ȝe assemble, þou most tyne.”
Arthur seide, “Godes help ys ney!
“He wot ho schal haue þe maistri.”
He left nought for no manace;
Vpon Albe in a strong place
A castel he dide reyse & set,
Ȝyf he had nede to take recet;
Smertly to make þei were al bon
Wyþ folk ynow, & sone had don.
When al was ended þe grete tour,
He leyde in his harneys & his tresour,
Ȝyf chaunce come þei moste wyþdrawe
To rest hem þere a litel þrawe.
Albe, hit seis þe name wasse—
Al day til Arthur men tolde,
Wiþ passand men & spies bolde,
Þat þe Emperour was þere bysyde;
To conseille what best myghte bytide,
His pauilons, his penceles, þykke
Nought fer fro þenne had þey don wyk:
“Þer are so manye of Romayns,
“& þyn host may nought þeym ageyns.
“ffoure haþ he agayns on of þyne;
“& ȝif ȝe assemble, þou most tyne.”
Arthur seide, “Godes help ys ney!
“He wot ho schal haue þe maistri.”
438
Vpon Albe in a strong place
A castel he dide reyse & set,
Ȝyf he had nede to take recet;
Smertly to make þei were al bon
Wyþ folk ynow, & sone had don.
When al was ended þe grete tour,
He leyde in his harneys & his tresour,
Ȝyf chaunce come þei moste wyþdrawe
To rest hem þere a litel þrawe.
| The Story of England | |