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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Interpretacio Anglorum secundum Sanctum
Bedam. |
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517
Interpretacio Anglorum secundum Sanctum Bedam.
To Rome men ledde þem for to selle,—
& seint Bede so herdy telle,—
To Rome, he seys, marchauntz þem led,
& solde þem þere, & forþ þem fed.
Als þey to selle were often set,
On þem to se, þe folk wel let;
Manie burgeses of þe cite
Come þe faire childre to se.
Among alle þo þat þyder nam,
O tyme seint Gregore wiþ hem cam;
When he sey þo semly sitte,
Wheþen þey were, wolde he wyt;
ffor he seide þat ‘he sey neuere er,
‘So faire childre of huyde ne her.
“Of what lond,” seide he, “þis childre be?”
Men seide, “of Bretayne, a fer contre.”
He seide, “fair folk ys þere-inne!
“Þer faces to se, hit ys gret wynne!
“Wheþer ar þei Cristen,” he seide, “or non?”
“Þey are Paiens,” þey seide, “ilkon.”
“Alas!” he saide, “so fair mankynde,
“Þat þe fend in pyne schal bynde!
“So fare persones, so bright of ble,
“Þat in merknesse euere schul be!”
Þeyr kynde he asked, “how men þem calle?”
“Anglys,” þey seyde, “so het þey alle.”
“Angle!” he saide, “a name of grace!
“ffor angeles ar þey lyke of face.
“& wel oughte swylk be heires of heuene;
“Þer name ys Angle, Angel to neuene.
“Of Bretayne þey are, ȝe tolde byforn:
“What highte þe contre þei were inne born?”
Þey seide, “y þe norþ side of a schire;
“Þe contre men calles hit Deyire.”
“Deyire!” he seide, “ful wel sey ȝe;
“ffro Godes ire þei schul falle & fle,
“& be cald til his mercy,
“In blisse wyþ angles to wone hym by!
“What hette þer kyng? can ȝe me telle?”
“ȝe, sire,” þey seide, “þeir kyng hight Elle.”
Seint Gregore at þat name low;
He seide, “þat name ys wel y-now;
“fful wel,” seide he, “certes, ȝa!
“ffor hit bitoknes Aleluya;
“Alleluya, a song of honour
“To worschipe Crist oure Saueour.”
Scint Gregore to þe pope ȝede,
& preyede hym for oure grete nede
‘Þat he mighte to Bretayne wende,
‘& Cristendom by hym þem sende;
‘He seide his wille were wel þer-to
‘ȝif þat þe pope wolde hit so.’
But þe court wolde nought consent
Þat seint Gregore so fer went,
ffor he was ablest, next pope to be
After hym þat held þo þe se.
& seint Bede so herdy telle,—
To Rome, he seys, marchauntz þem led,
& solde þem þere, & forþ þem fed.
Als þey to selle were often set,
On þem to se, þe folk wel let;
Manie burgeses of þe cite
Come þe faire childre to se.
Among alle þo þat þyder nam,
O tyme seint Gregore wiþ hem cam;
When he sey þo semly sitte,
Wheþen þey were, wolde he wyt;
ffor he seide þat ‘he sey neuere er,
‘So faire childre of huyde ne her.
“Of what lond,” seide he, “þis childre be?”
Men seide, “of Bretayne, a fer contre.”
He seide, “fair folk ys þere-inne!
“Þer faces to se, hit ys gret wynne!
“Wheþer ar þei Cristen,” he seide, “or non?”
“Þey are Paiens,” þey seide, “ilkon.”
“Alas!” he saide, “so fair mankynde,
“Þat þe fend in pyne schal bynde!
“So fare persones, so bright of ble,
“Þat in merknesse euere schul be!”
Þeyr kynde he asked, “how men þem calle?”
“Anglys,” þey seyde, “so het þey alle.”
“Angle!” he saide, “a name of grace!
518
“& wel oughte swylk be heires of heuene;
“Þer name ys Angle, Angel to neuene.
“Of Bretayne þey are, ȝe tolde byforn:
“What highte þe contre þei were inne born?”
Þey seide, “y þe norþ side of a schire;
“Þe contre men calles hit Deyire.”
“Deyire!” he seide, “ful wel sey ȝe;
“ffro Godes ire þei schul falle & fle,
“& be cald til his mercy,
“In blisse wyþ angles to wone hym by!
“What hette þer kyng? can ȝe me telle?”
“ȝe, sire,” þey seide, “þeir kyng hight Elle.”
Seint Gregore at þat name low;
He seide, “þat name ys wel y-now;
“fful wel,” seide he, “certes, ȝa!
“ffor hit bitoknes Aleluya;
“Alleluya, a song of honour
“To worschipe Crist oure Saueour.”
Scint Gregore to þe pope ȝede,
& preyede hym for oure grete nede
‘Þat he mighte to Bretayne wende,
‘& Cristendom by hym þem sende;
‘He seide his wille were wel þer-to
‘ȝif þat þe pope wolde hit so.’
But þe court wolde nought consent
Þat seint Gregore so fer went,
ffor he was ablest, next pope to be
After hym þat held þo þe se.
Whan he was pope, furgat he nought,
But on our nede ful wel he þought,
& sente forþ hider seint Austyn.
By þe Ilde of Tanete cam he in,
Þat ys þe est side of Kent:
In Tenet lond seint Austyn hent;
But on our nede ful wel he þought,
519
By þe Ilde of Tanete cam he in,
Þat ys þe est side of Kent:
In Tenet lond seint Austyn hent;
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