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 Morte Augustini Anno Domini .Dc.iiijto |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Morte Augustini Anno Domini .Dc.iiijto
To Caunterbire cam seint Austyn,Þer he deide, & made his fyn;
He deide ȝyt er seint Gregori,
A ȝer byforn, als seyþ þe story;
Þe date of Crist, to telle fro,
Sex hundred ȝer, & foure mo;
In his liue was his ordinaunce,
In his stede bischop Laurance.
When seint Gregore passed his lyue,
Þe date was sex hundred ȝer & fyue.
When Ethelbright had regned her
In Kent syx & fifty ȝer,
He was byried ful solempnely,
& dame Berke was leid hym by.
Twelf ȝer after sent Austyn
Lyued Ethelbright er he made hys fyn;
Þe date of Crist þus fele to mene,
Sex hundred & euen fiftene.
535
Þe righte feyþ wolde he nought halde;
His wikkednesse ys to mene;
To Iust & Mellite dide he tene;
He & Sygbertes sones þre,
In to ffraunce dide þem fle.
Edbal, þorow a vision
He knew wel he had mis-don,
& þorow þe byschop Lauraunce
He hadde on Crist god affiaunce.
Þre of Sygbertes sones were slayn,
Þe bischopes come to londe agayn.
Bretons of Walys herde wel how
Þat þe Englische þe monkes slow;
Þey gadered þem to consail
How to venge þat tyrpayl.
Þre noble men were in þat cite,
Þo þre made a gret semble;
Þo þre weren alle kynges,
& of þe Bretons lordynges:
Bledryk, of Cornewaille was sire,
& lord ouer al Deueneschire,
Als þe water of Ex rennes
ffro þe hed,—þer men hit kennes,—
Vnto þe se þer hit gos yn;
Longe helden hit þe Bretons kyn,
Euere til Adelston cam;
He dide þat kynde mykel scham.
Þat þe Englische þe monkes slow;
Þey gadered þem to consail
How to venge þat tyrpayl.
Þre noble men were in þat cite,
Þo þre made a gret semble;
Þo þre weren alle kynges,
& of þe Bretons lordynges:
Bledryk, of Cornewaille was sire,
& lord ouer al Deueneschire,
Als þe water of Ex rennes
ffro þe hed,—þer men hit kennes,—
Vnto þe se þer hit gos yn;
Longe helden hit þe Bretons kyn,
Euere til Adelston cam;
He dide þat kynde mykel scham.
Of Northe Walys, Cadwan was kynge,
& Mergadu of Southe Walys lordyng;
Al was hit þeires vntil Seuerne,
Byside þe hille of Maluerne.
But Athelstan, þorow force & eye,
He drof [þem] byȝonde þe water of Weye.
Bledrik, Margadu, & Cadwan,
Ost þey gadered of mania man.
Englische, Saxons, þey assailled,
& þe Englische þem sore trauailled.
Elfrik was wounded, þe deþ he dredde,
In feld[e] he gaf bak, & fledde;
ffele of his were þere slayn,
But he ascaped wyþ gret payn:—
(Sire Bledryk of Cornewaille,
He was slayn in þat bataille);—
No wonder þey hym yuel bitid,
He had no mercy þat mercy cryd.
Of þe monkes y telde biforn;
Wyþoute mercy were þey lorn.
& Mergadu of Southe Walys lordyng;
536
Byside þe hille of Maluerne.
But Athelstan, þorow force & eye,
He drof [þem] byȝonde þe water of Weye.
Bledrik, Margadu, & Cadwan,
Ost þey gadered of mania man.
Englische, Saxons, þey assailled,
& þe Englische þem sore trauailled.
Elfrik was wounded, þe deþ he dredde,
In feld[e] he gaf bak, & fledde;
ffele of his were þere slayn,
But he ascaped wyþ gret payn:—
(Sire Bledryk of Cornewaille,
He was slayn in þat bataille);—
No wonder þey hym yuel bitid,
He had no mercy þat mercy cryd.
Of þe monkes y telde biforn;
Wyþoute mercy were þey lorn.
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