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 tribus sociis nobilibus. |
 | The Story of England |  |
478
De tribus sociis nobilibus.
Þre noble knyghtes þer were, & wyghte;Iugens, hit seyþ, þat on so hyghte,—
Out of Bolayn, þeþen was he,
A borough y wene, or a cite;—
Þat oþer highte Rykomarkus,
Þe þrydde men calde Boklonius;
Þer wer non þre in al þe stour
Þat wroughte after so gret honur;
ȝif þey had ben dukes or kynges,
Of þem had ben grete preysynges;
Þer was no Romayn bitwyxt hem cam,
Þat awey wyþ lyf fro þem nam;
Were he neuere so doughty,
On lyue passed non forby;
Right to þe Emperours owen bataille
Þey ne lefte Romayns to assaille.
Þat seye Romayns, þey dide gret wow,
Þey closed hem, & alle þre slow.
When Wawayn wiste, & sire Ohel,
Þat her gode folk doun so fel,
Was neuere lubard ne lyoun,
Ne wilde wolf ne dragoun,
Þat was so wod, beste to byte,
As Wawayn was Romayns to smyte.
Sire Ohel als on his partye,
Many on dide he ded doun lye.
Þe Romayns wel þem defended,
Grete strokes on þe Bretons spended;
But Wawayn was euere fresche & prest,
479
Was þer non helm wiþ stel so rank
Þat his swerd þorow-out ne sank,
Ne hauberk non, wyþ maille gret,
Þat his spere ne þorow schet;
Þat tyme manion dide he deye,
& þo þat myghte, made hym weye;
Among þe moste euere he presed,
His harde strokes nought ne sesed;
Right to þe Emperour Lucius,
Of Romayns he made rescous.
Lucius was ȝong, ynow had elde,
Hardy & stalworthe, armes to welde;
Bytwyxte þrytti & fourty
Was þe elde of sire Lucy.
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