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 |
 |
|
Cadwan Rex Brytonum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Cadwan Rex Brytonum.
Syre Cadwan & MargaduGadred hostes, & bostes blew;
To Leycestre boþe þey went,
& helden þere a parlement.
Þorow comun conseil of elde & ȝyng,
Ches þey Cadwan þer kynge.
Þenne bolded faste þe Bretons,
& Cadwan sente aboute somons
To þe Englische kynges in alle contres
On þys half Humber þat held þer fes,
& ‘but þey wolde til him cheue,
‘On oþer halue he schold þem greue.’
537
Þey come & fulle Cadwan to fote,
Þat ys to seye, made hym feaute,
& he þer alder chef schuld be;—
I hope al com þem þat wo,
ffor þe monkes þey dide so slo.—
Cadwan seide he wolde passe Humber,
Elfrik to struye & to comber;
Northumberland al wold he struye,
& al þer kynde for þem schold noye,
Oþer in bataille he schold hym slo,
Or do hym fle þe reome fro.
Elfrik herde his manace,
How to wo he wolde hym chace;
He assembled his barons
Þat Englische were, & þe Saxons.
Grete ostes were on ilka syde:
Wise men þer were dide þem abyde,
& ilkon seyde his auis
Þat frendes hadde on boþe partis:
“ȝyf þyse kynges to-gidere smite,
“Þe sorewe til fele wyl nought be lyte;
“Non of vs schal neuere more
“Þe grete los ageyn restore;
“Þer-fore y rede we fonde to abate
“Þys kynges wrathes, þer ire & hate.”
& so þey dide right als þey redde;
ffrom on til oþer so wel þey spedde,
Þat þey boþe grauntede þe pes;
To make hit syker, ostage þey ches.
538
Þey sette þe lond, what ilk schulde haue:
ffro Humber, northe, Elfryk schuld be,
Cadwan fro þeþen al þe southe contre:
Þus was departed ilka scheld,
& þat pes ful wel þey held;
ffor neuere was loue of lordynges
So mikel as was bytwyxt þo kynges;
Þat þet on hadde, þey hadde hit bothe,
Noþyng mighte make þem loþe;
Wyues þey toke, þer loues to ferme,
Two sones had þey at o terme;
Elfrykes sone highte Eadwyn,
Cadwanes sone highte Cadwalyn;
In o ȝer were þey born.
ffor þe pees schold nought be lorn,
Dide þey þer sones to-gedere ȝeme;
Þat þe ton þat oþer schulde queme,
In on þei were clad & fed,
Of o maister lered & led;
& when þey were waxen on elde,
Armes to bere, & wepne to welde,
& þem self wyþ wit couþe lede,
Scheld to bere, & ride on stede,
In to Bretayne dide þem sende,
ffor whi þer loue schulde more amende;
ffor þer was Cadwanes kynde,
Of Maximiens conqueste, we fynde;
Þere were þey knyghted boþe to-gyder,
& dwelled þer til þei come hider.
| The Story of England | |