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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Comendacio cum pulcris verbis per Arthurum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Comendacio cum pulcris verbis per Arthurum.
When Arthur had set ilka bataille,& taught hem when þey scholde assaille,
Lystneþ þe grete curtesy
He spak til his barons alle on hy,
& þe grete preysynge he made,
His men to bolde, þeir hertes to glade:
“Lordynges,” he seyde, “ioye me ledes
“When y þenke on ȝoure doughti dedes,
“Of ȝoure þewes, of ȝoure conquest,
“& euere fynd y ȝow hardy & prest;
“ȝour prowesse & nobleye, hit wexeþ ay,
“Maugre þo þat wolde sey nay!
“When y byþenke on ȝoure godnesse,
“Þat Bretaygne, ȝour lond, in oure tyme ys
“Hed of þritty kynedames,
“& lorde ouere þem, as men hit names,
“ffor þat ioye myn herte ys tykel;
“In God & ȝow y affie me mykel,
“Þat ȝut schul we oure land auaunce
“Þorow Gode grace & ȝour god chaunce.
“Of dedes of armes ȝe haue þe pris,
“& haue ouercomen þe Romayns twys!
“Myn herte me gyueþ, þat grace hit schapes,
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“Þat we schul þis day, in þis were,
“ffro þe Romayns þe maistri bere.
“Norwey, Denmark, we haue ouer-ronne,
“ffraunce & fflaundres þorow bataille ȝe wonne,
“Wel schuld we wynne þe lasse worthi,
“Syn ȝe of þe beste hadde maistri.
“To seruage þey wene vs to drawe,
“& gyue hem trewage þorow awe,
“& ffraunce to reue vs, rote & rynde!
“Swilk folk wene þey here to fynde
“Als þey out of þe Est brynge:—
“Wommen con bettere of fightynge!—
“On Crist we schul hope & affye
“A-geyn þe houndes of Paynye!
“ffor houndes, schul ȝe neuere fle,
“& Romayns ar nought worþ a be!
“Wel wot y, & ȝe schul wyte,
“Þat y schal se ho wel schal smyte,
“ffor y schal be at ilka dede,
“& y schal helpe at alle nede.”
| The Story of England | |