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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 | The Story of England |  |
Mayster Wace telles his skyl:
‘Þe Englys were nought of o wyl
‘O kyng ouer þem to set,
‘Ne for to be til on suget;
‘But, þorow conseil of þem alle,
‘Deuisede þe reomes as best wild falle.
‘When ilkon hadde his porcion,
‘Held hym kyng & bar coroun.’
He acordes wyþ Gyldas;
As Gormond gaf hit, als hit was.
Mani a werre by-twyxte þem ros,
& often were þey frendes & foos;
Þe strengest on þe febleste ran,
& ilk on oþer werre by-gan.
Longe lasted al þat care,
Þat o kyng þe chef coroune non bare,
Ne halewede kirke, ne messe songen,
Ne child cristned, ne belle rongen.
ffyue score ȝer, & seuene more,
Þat non leuede on Cristes lore.
In alle þe fyue score ȝer
Was no storye write of her,
ffor hit was al Payenie,
Þe certein couþe non descrie;
Ilk on oþer werre sought,
& ilk in seruage oþer brought,
And ilk of oþer tok men in hold,
& ilk of oþeres men þey sold.
In al þys were & al þys wo,
Marchauntz come ay to & fro,
& boughte þe childre of þys lond,
In stedes to selle þer þey hem fond;
Þo þat were taken in hostage,
Þey solde hem schipmen þat made passage.
So fair a kynde in al þys werd,
Ne non so trewe þat men of herd,
Als were þe Englys þat men of spyred,
Ne of no kynde men so desired;
And marchauntz come mo childre to bye,
Rather þan oþer marchaundie,
& solde hem in londes dere,
ffor þey were so white & clere.
Wel more oughte Englys loue God, & drede,
Þan any nacion or any lede,
ffor a grace þat God haþ hem gyuen
ffor-by alle þo kyndes þat lyuen;
Als fair are þe comune pedaille
As þe lordynges & of entaille.
Giue Englische men euen kepynge,
Mete & drynke, & oþer þynge,
Ys no man of so fair colour,
Ne so cler, ne of so swete sauour.
‘Þe Englys were nought of o wyl
‘O kyng ouer þem to set,
‘Ne for to be til on suget;
‘But, þorow conseil of þem alle,
‘Deuisede þe reomes as best wild falle.
‘When ilkon hadde his porcion,
‘Held hym kyng & bar coroun.’
He acordes wyþ Gyldas;
As Gormond gaf hit, als hit was.
Mani a werre by-twyxte þem ros,
& often were þey frendes & foos;
Þe strengest on þe febleste ran,
& ilk on oþer werre by-gan.
Longe lasted al þat care,
Þat o kyng þe chef coroune non bare,
Ne halewede kirke, ne messe songen,
Ne child cristned, ne belle rongen.
ffyue score ȝer, & seuene more,
Þat non leuede on Cristes lore.
516
Was no storye write of her,
ffor hit was al Payenie,
Þe certein couþe non descrie;
Ilk on oþer werre sought,
& ilk in seruage oþer brought,
And ilk of oþer tok men in hold,
& ilk of oþeres men þey sold.
In al þys were & al þys wo,
Marchauntz come ay to & fro,
& boughte þe childre of þys lond,
In stedes to selle þer þey hem fond;
Þo þat were taken in hostage,
Þey solde hem schipmen þat made passage.
So fair a kynde in al þys werd,
Ne non so trewe þat men of herd,
Als were þe Englys þat men of spyred,
Ne of no kynde men so desired;
And marchauntz come mo childre to bye,
Rather þan oþer marchaundie,
& solde hem in londes dere,
ffor þey were so white & clere.
Wel more oughte Englys loue God, & drede,
Þan any nacion or any lede,
ffor a grace þat God haþ hem gyuen
ffor-by alle þo kyndes þat lyuen;
Als fair are þe comune pedaille
As þe lordynges & of entaille.
Giue Englische men euen kepynge,
Mete & drynke, & oþer þynge,
Ys no man of so fair colour,
Ne so cler, ne of so swete sauour.
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