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 nunciis Regis Arthury ad Inperatorem. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De nunciis Regis Arthury ad Inperatorem.
Þe messegers þat wente þo nedes,
Horsed þem on gode stedes:
& armed þem at alle rightes,
As fel vnto noble knyghtes.
Oþer Bretons herd her-of seye,
& wente to mete hem bifore on weye,
And preied hem hertely for to do
Som þyng, or seye þe Romayns to,
Þat þe werre myghte algate go
Er þey comen þe court fro:
“Hit haþ be longe manaced & þret,
“But so ney to-gydere were we nere set;
“Schame hit were þat eyþer ȝede
“Wiþouten bataille or vaillaunte dede.
“Ȝyf so bitide ȝe hit bygynne,
“Ȝyt schul Bretons prowesse wynne;
“Þer-to algate dos ȝour trauail,
“& þat we may, we wil ȝow vaille.”
Þen seide Wawayn, “in alle manere
“Of vs schul ȝe som tyding here;
“& ȝyf ȝe se þat we ought dwelle,
“Tydyng þer-of men schal telle.”
Horsed þem on gode stedes:
& armed þem at alle rightes,
As fel vnto noble knyghtes.
Oþer Bretons herd her-of seye,
& wente to mete hem bifore on weye,
And preied hem hertely for to do
Som þyng, or seye þe Romayns to,
Þat þe werre myghte algate go
Er þey comen þe court fro:
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“But so ney to-gydere were we nere set;
“Schame hit were þat eyþer ȝede
“Wiþouten bataille or vaillaunte dede.
“Ȝyf so bitide ȝe hit bygynne,
“Ȝyt schul Bretons prowesse wynne;
“Þer-to algate dos ȝour trauail,
“& þat we may, we wil ȝow vaille.”
Þen seide Wawayn, “in alle manere
“Of vs schul ȝe som tyding here;
“& ȝyf ȝe se þat we ought dwelle,
“Tydyng þer-of men schal telle.”
Þe messegers passed a mountayne,
& þenne a wode, & syþen a playne;
ffro þat playne a partye helded,
& þer-on were þe Romayns telded;
fful semly wyþouten bost
Þey come rydyng al þorow þe host.
Þe Romains on ilka side aboute,
Of þer tentes comen oute
Þo messegers to byholde,
Þat semed noble bodies & bolde.
Þey asked what tydynges þey brought,
Or þider for þe pes þey sought:
Wyþ non þey stode, ne tales helde,
Tyl þey come to þe Emperours telde.
When þey were at his pauyloun,
Þere-byfore þey lyghte alle doun,
& bitok þeir hors þeir pages,
To stande right stille at certeyn stages.
& þenne a wode, & syþen a playne;
ffro þat playne a partye helded,
& þer-on were þe Romayns telded;
fful semly wyþouten bost
Þey come rydyng al þorow þe host.
Þe Romains on ilka side aboute,
Of þer tentes comen oute
Þo messegers to byholde,
Þat semed noble bodies & bolde.
Þey asked what tydynges þey brought,
Or þider for þe pes þey sought:
Wyþ non þey stode, ne tales helde,
Tyl þey come to þe Emperours telde.
When þey were at his pauyloun,
Þere-byfore þey lyghte alle doun,
& bitok þeir hors þeir pages,
To stande right stille at certeyn stages.
| The Story of England | |