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 Responcione & curialitate Regis. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Responcione & curialitate Regis.
When þys prechyng was [all] don,
Til hym seide þe kyng ful son:
“ffaire are þy wordes, & swete,
“& þy byhestes þow vs byhete!
“& þat þy God ys milde of mod,
“Als þou seide, y vnderstod.
“But for ȝe aren ȝut so newe,
“& non of vs ȝow neuere knewe,
“Þer-fore ȝit y ne may
“Leten oure forfadres lay,
“Þat we longe on haue y-leued,
“& til oure Godes þer-inne y-cheued;
“And ȝoures ȝit we nought ne knowe;
“Þer-fore we schul byden a þrowe;
“& ȝe are of so fer contre,
“And als pylegryms, so seme ȝe,
“Vs þys newe lawe to preche.
“And ȝyf hit be soþ þat ȝe teche,
“And amonges vs [þat ȝe] wil lende,
“Y schal nought be to ȝow vnhende;
“Takeþ ȝour wonyng wher ȝe wyle,
“& þat yow falleþ to haue in skile;
“And alle þo þat ȝe may wynne
“Til þat lawe þat ȝe bygynne,
“I graunte ȝow my wille fre,
“ȝyf hit be sike[r] þat y may se.”
Þe kyng þem graunted at þer comynge,
I þe cite to make a biggyng,—
Doroberma þe cite þen hight,
Þat Caunterbury now cald ys right;—
He dide þem haue swiche purueaunce
Þat neded for þer sustinaunce.
To preche þe folk he wernde nought,
But do as good[e] þem by-þought.
Til hym seide þe kyng ful son:
“ffaire are þy wordes, & swete,
“& þy byhestes þow vs byhete!
“& þat þy God ys milde of mod,
“Als þou seide, y vnderstod.
“But for ȝe aren ȝut so newe,
“& non of vs ȝow neuere knewe,
523
“Leten oure forfadres lay,
“Þat we longe on haue y-leued,
“& til oure Godes þer-inne y-cheued;
“And ȝoures ȝit we nought ne knowe;
“Þer-fore we schul byden a þrowe;
“& ȝe are of so fer contre,
“And als pylegryms, so seme ȝe,
“Vs þys newe lawe to preche.
“And ȝyf hit be soþ þat ȝe teche,
“And amonges vs [þat ȝe] wil lende,
“Y schal nought be to ȝow vnhende;
“Takeþ ȝour wonyng wher ȝe wyle,
“& þat yow falleþ to haue in skile;
“And alle þo þat ȝe may wynne
“Til þat lawe þat ȝe bygynne,
“I graunte ȝow my wille fre,
“ȝyf hit be sike[r] þat y may se.”
Þe kyng þem graunted at þer comynge,
I þe cite to make a biggyng,—
Doroberma þe cite þen hight,
Þat Caunterbury now cald ys right;—
He dide þem haue swiche purueaunce
Þat neded for þer sustinaunce.
To preche þe folk he wernde nought,
But do as good[e] þem by-þought.
To þe cite þey come singand;
Þe cros byfore, men bare in hand;
A table þey broughte þeym bytwyx,—
Þer-on purtraied a crucyfix,—
& þe Letanie þei songe
Alle wyþ o voys & o tonge;
Þer-wyþ þey seide a fair anteme,
Ihesu Crist al for to queme:
Þe cros byfore, men bare in hand;
A table þey broughte þeym bytwyx,—
Þer-on purtraied a crucyfix,—
& þe Letanie þei songe
Alle wyþ o voys & o tonge;
524
Ihesu Crist al for to queme:
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